Royals’ Manager Howser Quits

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Kansas City Royals Manager Dick Howser resigned today, ending his battle to continue at the helm of the American League team despite a malignant brain tumor.

“I’ve been pushing and pushing since the first operation in Kansas City (last July) and the second operation in Los Angeles (in December),” Howser, 50, told a news conference. “I couldn’t do it.” On Sunday, a fatigued Howser missed a substantial part of the team’s workout. Billy Gardner, the former Minnesota Twins manager who was hired in October as Kansas City’s third base coach, will replace Howser immediately, the team said.