John Milner
Encyclopedia
John David Milner was an American
first baseman
and left fielder
in Major League Baseball
. A native of Atlanta, Georgia
, he grew up a huge Hank Aaron fan, even appropriating his idol's nickname, "The Hammer." He was a member of the "We Are Family
" Pittsburgh Pirates
team that won the World Series
against the Baltimore Orioles
.
in the fourteenth round of the 1968 Major League Baseball Draft
out of South Fulton High School in East Point, Georgia
, where he was All-State in baseball
, football and basketball
. He batted .307 with 58 home runs and 168 runs batted in over three seasons in their farm system before making his major league debut with the Mets in September . He earned the job of "left handed bat off the bench" on the opening day roster in by batting .296 with a team high three home runs during Spring training
, and quickly moved into a platoon with Cleon Jones
in left field. In the first game of a September 8 doubleheader
with the St. Louis Cardinals
, Milner became the first Mets rookie in franchise history to record a five hit game. For the season, he batted .238 with a team high 17 home runs and 38 RBIs to finish third in National League
Rookie of the Year
balloting behind teammate Jon Matlack
.
For , Milner was moved to first base. He was leading his team with a .328 batting average
, five home runs and thirteen RBIs when he suffered a hamstring
injury against the Houston Astros
on April 25, an injury that would plague him the rest of his career. He returned to the club in mid-May, but went into a 12-for-82 slump that saw his batting average fall to .216. He returned to form by the end of the season to lead his team with 72 RBIs and a career high 23 home runs as the Mets completed their improbable run to their second National League East
crown.
The Mets pulled off the surprised victory over Cincinnati's "Big Red Machine" in the 1973 National League Championship Series
, but lost in seven games to the Oakland Athletics
in the 1973 World Series
. Milner batted .250 in the post-season with three RBIs and four runs scored. Though he was not credited with an RBI, his at-bat in the twelfth inning of game two drove in two runs
for the Mets' extra innings victory.
On September 11, , Milner tied a major league record by making twelve plate appearances in the Mets' 25 inning marathon with the Cardinals. That season, he led his team in home runs for the third year in a row with twenty, and also led his team with seventy runs. For his career with the Mets, Milner batted .245 with 94 home runs and 338 RBIs. On December 8, , Milner was part of a bizarre four team trade that saw him land with the Pittsburgh Pirates
.
at first and Bill Robinson
in left field. Milner was held hitless in nine at-bats in the 1979 National League Championship Series
with the Cincinnati Reds
, but was 3-for-9 in the World Series with an RBI and two runs scored.
He developed and refined a reputation as a reliable pinch hitter
that thrived in pressure situations during his tenure with the Pirates. On August 20, , he was traded to the Montreal Expos
for Willie Montañez
, who was also part of the four team trade on December 8, 1977 (Montañez landed with the Mets). Milner reached the post season for the third time in his career as the Expos won the second half of the strike shortened 1981 season. He was 1-for-2 in the 1981 National League Division Series
against the Philadelphia Phillies
with an RBI in game four. When he was released by the Expos midway through the season, he rejoined the Pirates. He was released by the Pirates the following Spring, and retired.
hitter with lightning-quick wrists, Milner posted a 1.066 walk-to-strikeout ratio
(504-to-473) for his career. Milner hit ten career grand slams
, including three with the Mets in .
On December 8, 1977, Milner was part of a mega-deal trade between the Mets, Pirates, Atlanta Braves
and Texas Rangers
. After three months of negotiations, the transaction was completed and involved eleven players:
distribution trial of Curtis Strong. He stated during his testimony that he used cocaine from 1978 through , and that he bought two grams of cocaine for $200 in the bathroom stalls at Three Rivers Stadium
during a June 13, Pirates-Astros game, and on September 30, . He also claimed to have used a liquid form of amphetamines called "red juice" he acquired from Willie Mays
while both played with the Mets, and that "greenies" (also an amphetamine) were often anonymously placed in his locker while he played with the Pirates. Dale Berra
and Dave Parker
both attributed the greenies to Willie Stargell, however, both he and Mays denied the claims made against them. Berra also claimed to have shared cocaine with Milner, Parker, Lee Lacy
, Lee Mazzilli
and Rod Scurry
while all were members of the Pirates.
Milner, died in East Point, Georgia
following a long battle with lung cancer
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
and left fielder
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. A native of Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, he grew up a huge Hank Aaron fan, even appropriating his idol's nickname, "The Hammer." He was a member of the "We Are Family
We Are Family (song)
"We Are Family" is a 1979 dance hit song by Sister Sledge, composed by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers. Rodgers and Edwards offered the song to Atlantic Records; although the record label initially declined, the track was released as a single from the album of the same name and quickly began to...
" Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
team that won the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
against the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
.
New York Mets
Milner was drafted by the New York MetsNew York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
in the fourteenth round of the 1968 Major League Baseball Draft
1968 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1968 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :The Los Angeles Dodgers laid the groundwork for their championship clubs of the 1970s with an outstanding draft...
out of South Fulton High School in East Point, Georgia
East Point, Georgia
The city of East Point is southwest of the neighborhoods of Atlanta in Fulton County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 33,712...
, where he was All-State in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, football and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. He batted .307 with 58 home runs and 168 runs batted in over three seasons in their farm system before making his major league debut with the Mets in September . He earned the job of "left handed bat off the bench" on the opening day roster in by batting .296 with a team high three home runs during Spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
, and quickly moved into a platoon with Cleon Jones
Cleon Jones
Cleon Joseph Jones is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who is best remembered as the man who caught the final out of the "Miracle Mets" improbable World Series Championship over the Baltimore Orioles....
in left field. In the first game of a September 8 doubleheader
Doubleheader (baseball)
A doubleheader is a set of two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day in front of the same crowd. In addition, the term is often used unofficially to refer to a pair of games played by a team in a single day, but in front of different crowds and not in immediate...
with the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, Milner became the first Mets rookie in franchise history to record a five hit game. For the season, he batted .238 with a team high 17 home runs and 38 RBIs to finish third in National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
Rookie of the Year
Rookie of the Year
The Rookie of the Year award is given by a number of sports leagues, mainly in North America, to the top first-time professional athlete of a season. -Principal sports making award:...
balloting behind teammate Jon Matlack
Jon Matlack
Jonathan Trumpbour Matlack is an American former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher...
.
For , Milner was moved to first base. He was leading his team with a .328 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
, five home runs and thirteen RBIs when he suffered a hamstring
Hamstring
In human anatomy, the hamstring refers to any one of the three posterior thigh muscles, or to the tendons that make up the borders of the space behind the knee. In modern anatomical contexts, however, they usually refer to the posterior thigh muscles, or the tendons of the semitendinosus, the...
injury against the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
on April 25, an injury that would plague him the rest of his career. He returned to the club in mid-May, but went into a 12-for-82 slump that saw his batting average fall to .216. He returned to form by the end of the season to lead his team with 72 RBIs and a career high 23 home runs as the Mets completed their improbable run to their second National League East
National League East
The National League East Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are tied for the most National League East Division titles . All of Atlanta's NL East titles came during a record stretch of 14 consecutive division titles...
crown.
The Mets pulled off the surprised victory over Cincinnati's "Big Red Machine" in the 1973 National League Championship Series
1973 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 6, 1973 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, OhioThe starting pitchers, New York's Tom Seaver and Cincinnati's Jack Billingham, produced a classic pitcher's duel in Game 1. The Mets threatened in the first, loading the bases with one out, but Cleon Jones grounded into a...
, but lost in seven games to the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
in the 1973 World Series
1973 World Series
The 1973 World Series matched the defending champion Oakland Athletics against the New York Mets, with the A's winning in seven games to repeat as World Champions....
. Milner batted .250 in the post-season with three RBIs and four runs scored. Though he was not credited with an RBI, his at-bat in the twelfth inning of game two drove in two runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
for the Mets' extra innings victory.
On September 11, , Milner tied a major league record by making twelve plate appearances in the Mets' 25 inning marathon with the Cardinals. That season, he led his team in home runs for the third year in a row with twenty, and also led his team with seventy runs. For his career with the Mets, Milner batted .245 with 94 home runs and 338 RBIs. On December 8, , Milner was part of a bizarre four team trade that saw him land with the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Milner found himself in more of a reserve role with Pittsburgh, with the 333 at-bats he logged in being his fewest outside of his injury plagued season. His finest season with the Pirates came in when he hit sixteen home runs and drove in sixty backing up Willie StargellWillie Stargell
Wilver Dornell "Willie" Stargell , nicknamed "Pops" in the later years of his career, was a Major League Baseball left fielder and first baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career with the Pittsburgh Pirates...
at first and Bill Robinson
Bill Robinson (baseball)
William Henry Robinson, Jr. was an American outfielder and coach in Major League Baseball. From through , Robinson played with the Atlanta Braves , New York Yankees , Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates...
in left field. Milner was held hitless in nine at-bats in the 1979 National League Championship Series
1979 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 2, 1979 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, OhioBoth sides threw their aces in Game 1 as fourteen-game winner John Candelaria started for the Pirates, and Tom Seaver started for the Reds. After Omar Moreno grounded out to start the game, a 45-minute rain delay stalled the...
with the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, but was 3-for-9 in the World Series with an RBI and two runs scored.
He developed and refined a reputation as a reliable pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
that thrived in pressure situations during his tenure with the Pirates. On August 20, , he was traded to the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
for Willie Montañez
Willie Montañez
Guillermo Montañez Naranjo is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. Even though he was productive, Montañez often carried the label "hot dog" for the whimsical manner in which he approached the game. After hitting home runs, he would trot very slowly around the bases, shuffling his feet on...
, who was also part of the four team trade on December 8, 1977 (Montañez landed with the Mets). Milner reached the post season for the third time in his career as the Expos won the second half of the strike shortened 1981 season. He was 1-for-2 in the 1981 National League Division Series
1981 National League Division Series
-Philadelphia Phillies vs. Montreal Expos:-Game 1, October 6:Astrodome in Houston, TexasFernando Valenzuela faced Nolan Ryan, a matchup worthy of a pitcher's duel. The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the sixth. Tony Scott singled home Terry Puhl to score the game's first run, but Steve...
against the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
with an RBI in game four. When he was released by the Expos midway through the season, he rejoined the Pirates. He was released by the Pirates the following Spring, and retired.
Career stats
A pure fastballFastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
hitter with lightning-quick wrists, Milner posted a 1.066 walk-to-strikeout ratio
Walk-to-strikeout ratio
In baseball statistics, walk-to-strikeout ratio is a measure of a hitter's plate discipline and knowledge of the strike zone. Generally, a hitter with a good walk-to-strikeout ratio must exhibit enough patience at the plate to refrain from swinging at bad pitches and take a base on balls, but he...
(504-to-473) for his career. Milner hit ten career grand slams
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
, including three with the Mets in .
On December 8, 1977, Milner was part of a mega-deal trade between the Mets, Pirates, Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
and Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
. After three months of negotiations, the transaction was completed and involved eleven players:
- The Mets sent Milner to Pittsburgh.
- Atlanta sent Willie MontañezWillie MontañezGuillermo Montañez Naranjo is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. Even though he was productive, Montañez often carried the label "hot dog" for the whimsical manner in which he approached the game. After hitting home runs, he would trot very slowly around the bases, shuffling his feet on...
to the Mets. - Texas sent Adrian DevineAdrian DevinePaul Adrian Devine was a Major League Baseball pitcher from 1973 to 1980 for the Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers. Devine primarily pitched in relief and had his best season in 1977 with the Rangers when he posted a win-loss record of 11–6 with 15 saves. He and his wife breed Cavalier King...
, Tommy BoggsTommy BoggsThomas Winton Boggs is a former professional baseball pitcher. Boggs pitched in all or part of nine seasons in Major League Baseball between 1976 and 1985....
and Eddie MillerEddie Miller (outfielder)Edward Lee Miller , is a retired Major League Baseball player who played outfielder from - for the Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, Detroit Tigers, and San Diego Padres. Miller's only major league home run came in his last career at bat.-External links:...
to the Braves; sent a player to be named later and Tom GrieveTom GrieveThomas Alan Grieve was a Major League Baseball player from 1970-1979 for the Washington Senators, Texas Rangers, New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals...
to the Mets, and sent Bert BlylevenBert BlylevenBert Blyleven is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played from to , and was best known for his curveball. Blyleven was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011...
to the Pirates. - Pittsburgh sent Al OliverAl OliverAlbert Oliver, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball player. Over the course of his 18-year career, he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Texas Rangers , Montreal Expos , San Francisco Giants , Philadelphia Phillies , Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays...
and Nelson Norman to the Rangers. - The Mets sent Jon MatlackJon MatlackJonathan Trumpbour Matlack is an American former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher...
to the Rangers. - To complete the trade, Texas sent Ken HendersonKen HendersonKenneth Joseph Henderson was an outfielder for the San Francisco Giants , Chicago White Sox , Atlanta Braves , Texas Rangers , New York Mets , Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs .He helped the Giants to win the National League Western Division in 1971 and the Reds to win the NL West in...
to the Mets on March 15, 1978.
Pittsburgh drug trials
After his playing career, Milner was called to testify at the cocaineCocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
distribution trial of Curtis Strong. He stated during his testimony that he used cocaine from 1978 through , and that he bought two grams of cocaine for $200 in the bathroom stalls at Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to...
during a June 13, Pirates-Astros game, and on September 30, . He also claimed to have used a liquid form of amphetamines called "red juice" he acquired from Willie Mays
Willie Mays
Willie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...
while both played with the Mets, and that "greenies" (also an amphetamine) were often anonymously placed in his locker while he played with the Pirates. Dale Berra
Dale Berra
Dale Anthony Berra , is a former Major League Baseball player who primarily played as an infielder from through . He is the son of Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra.-Early years:...
and Dave Parker
Dave Parker
David Gene "The Cobra" Parker is an American former player in Major League Baseball. He was the 1978 National League MVP and a two-time batting champion. Parker was the first professional athlete to earn an average of one million dollars per year, having signed a 5-year, $5 million dollar contract...
both attributed the greenies to Willie Stargell, however, both he and Mays denied the claims made against them. Berra also claimed to have shared cocaine with Milner, Parker, Lee Lacy
Lee Lacy
Leondaus "Lee" Lacy , is a former Major League baseball player who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Baltimore Orioles, primarily as an outfielder, from 1972-1987.-Trivia:...
, Lee Mazzilli
Lee Mazzilli
Lee Louis Mazzilli, , is a former Major League Baseball player, coach, and manager. On December 11, 2006, he was hired as the lead studio analyst for SportsNet New York, the New York Mets' cable television network...
and Rod Scurry
Rod Scurry
Rodney Grant Scurry was a Major League pitcher for eight seasons, and was the first Major League Baseball player directly linked to the Pittsburgh drug trials that dogged baseball during the mid-1980s...
while all were members of the Pirates.
Milner, died in East Point, Georgia
East Point, Georgia
The city of East Point is southwest of the neighborhoods of Atlanta in Fulton County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 33,712...
following a long battle with lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
.