John Milner

First baseman / Left fielder

Born: December 28, 1949
Atlanta, Georgia

Died: January 4, 2000 (aged 50)
East Point, Georgia

Batted: Left

Threw: Left

MLB debut

September 15, 1971, for the New York Mets

Last MLB appearance

October 3, 1982, for the Pittsburgh Pirates

MLB statistics

.249

131

498

Teams

Career highlights and awards

John David Milner (December 28, 1949 – January 4, 2000) 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 1979 "We Are Family" Pittsburgh Pirates team that won the World Series against the Baltimore Orioles.

Milner was drafted by the New York Mets 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 1971. He earned the job of "left-handed bat off the bench" on the opening day roster in 1972 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.