#741 1972 A.L--N.L. Rookie Stars

The theme is first baseman…sort of, they were not exclusively 1^st baseman all also roamed the outfield……all the players shown here had fair MLB careers...no superstars but all in the pension plan… Tom Hutton had the best MiLB stats, having been a two time Dodger system MVP hitting .352  for the Dodgers Spokane affiliate…As a big leaguer, never achieved regular status but was handy reserve…Maybe most famous for marrying teamate Dick Ruthven’s twin sister…being traded to the Phillies ended 6 years of being AAA farmhand... Was traded for Larry Hisle... John Milner had the best power of the trio…was considered the deep threat on 73 Mets team who small balled into the WS..made the Sports Illustrated cover with Bert Campanis in a bang bang play at 1^{st (see below)}…..led the Mets in homers three years in a row until King Kong Kingman came along…played about half of his career in the outfield…typically changing every couple of years…10 career grand slams…became more of a sub as he finished the end of his career in Pittsburg and Montreal…Rick Miller was the least a first baseman…did not play the position in the minors not in the bigs until 1983 at the end of a 15 year career… Had two long long terms in Boston with a three years in California sandwiched between…his time for the Angels was a close he’d come to being a regular…A .269 hitter who usually hit line drives…Known to a good glove man receiving the Golden Glove award in 1978 …Miller was usually next Milner alphabetically but they were different players… In 4440 AB had 28 homers total. Milner 131 in nearly 3400.. Played majority of career with a mustache…Miller's first and last season he hit .333...(My Rick Miller memory:  at the 1979 Twins home opener Rick hits a sharp but routine single to CF Willie {Dr. Strangeglove} Norwood, the ball goes between Norwood's legs to the center field wall.  Miller rounds the bases to score  It is scored a single with a E8 on Stranglove, no earned run or RBI)...thanks for the memory Willie.