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Hughie Miller

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Hughie Miller
First baseman
Born: (1886-12-22)December 22, 1886
St. Louis, Missouri, US
Died: December 24, 1945(1945-12-24) (aged 59)
Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, US
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
June 18, 1911, for the Philadelphia Phillies
Last MLB appearance
September 18, 1915, for the St. Louis Terriers
MLB statistics
Batting average.226
Home runs0
Runs batted in49
Teams
Military career
Allegiance United States
Service / branch United States Marine Corps
Years of service1917–1919
RankPrivate
ConflictsWorld War I
Awards

Hugh Stanley Miller (December 22, 1886 – December 24, 1945) was an American professional baseball first baseman. Miller played in Major League Baseball for the Philadelphia Phillies of the National League in 1911 and the St. Louis Terriers of the Federal League in 1914 and 1915. He batted and threw right-handed.

Miller joined the United States Marine Corps during World War I. He fought in the Battle of Belleau Wood, despite having a fever and being ordered to the back by his commanding officer, and took two Germans captive, earning the Distinguished Service Cross. Later in 1918, he was wounded at the Battle of Soissons and the Battle of Saint-Mihiel, and received a Purple Heart after the war.

Early life

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Miller was born on December 22, 1886, in St. Louis, Missouri. He was the second of four children born to John and Elizabeth Miller, who had immigrated to the United States from Scotland.[1] Miller attended Christian Brothers College, where he played baseball.[2]

Baseball career

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Miller made his professional baseball debut with the Keokuk Indians of the Class D Central Association in 1908. He also played for Keokuk in 1909 and 1910, and developed the reputation for being a strong defensive first baseman. After the 1910 season, he was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies of the National League.[3] Miller competed with Fred Luderus and Kitty Bransfield for playing time at first base.[4] However, Luderus had a strong season for the Phillies in 1911, and Miller remained on the bench.[5] Miller appeared in one game for the Phillies, as a pinch runner during the game of June 18, 1911, and did not receive a plate appearance.[1]

In late June 1911, Miller requested and received his release from the Phillies so that he could join the Buffalo Bisons of the Class A Eastern League.[5] After the 1911 season, the Phillies recalled Miller from Buffalo and traded him to the Sacramento Senators of the Class AA Pacific Coast League for Ben Hunt.[6] After playing for Sacramento in 1912, he lost the first base position with Sacramento in 1913 to Tom Tennant. Sacramento sent Miller to the Montreal Royals of the Class AA International League,[7] where Bransfield had become the manager.[8]

Before the 1914 season, Miller left Montreal for the St. Louis Terriers of the outlaw Federal League.[9] In 132 games for St. Louis, he batted .222,[10] though his .990 fielding percentage was the third-best in the Federal League among first basemen.[11] During the 1915 season, the Terriers demoted Miller to the Colonial League, the minor league affiliated with the Federal League.[12] He played for the Taunton Herrings until the team folded, and Miller finished the Colonial League season with the Springfield Tips.[1] Miller was recalled to the Terriers in September.[13] He played in seven games for St. Louis, and batted .500 (3-for-6).[14]

The Federal League folded after the 1915 season, and the Terriers were merged into the St. Louis Browns of the American League.[15] The Browns sought waivers on Miller,[16] and assigned him to the Spokane Indians of the Class B Northwestern League.[17] He refused to report,[1] and St. Louis attempted to send him to the Memphis Chicks of the Class A Southern Association.[18] Miller refused to report there as well, and left baseball.[1]

Military service

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Following America's entry into World War I in April 1917, Miller enlisted in the United States Marine Corps as a private in June.[19] He deployed to France with the 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade in the 2nd Infantry Division, reaching the front lines in March 1918.[1]

Miller's official citation

In the Bois de Belleau, on June 6, 1918, he captured single-handed, two of the enemy. Although in a weakened condition, he continued to perform his duty through the engagement.[20][21]

Miller was hospitalized with a fever, but disobeyed his superior officer's command to stay in the rear so that he could participate in the Battle of Belleau Wood on June 6, 1918. He captured two German soldiers single-handedly.[1][22] One of the soldiers was an officer.[20] Miller was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions by General John J. Pershing.[23]

Miller recovered from his fever and remained with his unit. He was wounded on July 18 at the Battle of Soissons by a machine gun bullet wound to his shoulder. He was hospitalized for about a month, and then was wounded again on September 12 at the Battle of Saint-Mihiel when a bomb exploded near him. Doctors were able to save his leg.[1][20][22]

Miller returned to the United States in December 1918.[20] He received an honorable discharge from the Marines in May 1919. He received the Purple Heart in 1932,[1] when the award was initiated.

Later life

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Miller returned to St. Louis after the war. He worked for a local newspaper, and then began to apply to minor leagues to become an umpire.[24] He was hired as an umpire by the Class A Texas League for the 1920 season,[25] but he resigned over the summer because of the limitations from his leg injury.[26] Miller returned to the Marines as a recruiter, and was promoted to sergeant,[27] but received another honorable discharge due to his war injuries in January 1922.[1]

In 1927, Miller married Margaret Icenhower, who worked in a beauty salon and had two children from a previous marriage.[1] After the end of prohibition, Miller operated a tavern in St. Louis with Grover Cleveland Alexander, a former teammate with Philadelphia, as his partner.[28]

Miller was hospitalized in the veteran's hospital at the Jefferson Barracks Military Post, south of St. Louis, for a broken hip in November 1945. He died there from heart disease on December 24, 1945.[1][29] He was buried in the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Leeke, Jim. "Hughie Miller". Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  2. ^ "Baseball Players Who Stand High on Honor Roll". The Ogden Standard. September 7, 1918. p. 22. Retrieved May 4, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Miller Drafted By Philadelphia". The Daily Gate City. September 2, 1910. p. 7. Retrieved May 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Removal of Insurgents May Help Quakers in Fight for the Flag". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. February 28, 1911. p. 15. Retrieved May 4, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b "Buffalo Gets First Baseman Hugh Miller From Philadelphia Nationals". Buffalo Courier. June 24, 1911. p. 8. Retrieved May 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Hugh Miller To Sacramento". The Daily Gate City. December 3, 1911. p. 11. Retrieved May 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Indoor Practice For the Indians". The Daily Gate City. April 9, 1913. p. 6. Retrieved May 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "14 Apr 1913". Delaware County Daily Times. April 14, 1913. p. 3. Retrieved May 4, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "24 Jan 1914". The St. Louis Star and Times. January 24, 1914. p. 9. Retrieved May 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "1914 Register League Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  11. ^ "1914 Federal League Fielding Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  12. ^ "Buffalo Feds Swamp St. Louis; Score 11-1". The Austin American. May 21, 1915. p. 6. Retrieved May 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Miracle if the Senators Win Flag". Hartford Courant. September 2, 1915. p. 11. Retrieved May 4, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "1915 St. Louis Terriers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  15. ^ "Fielder Jones Has 59 Players As Nucleus For Team of Champs". Fall River Globe. December 28, 1915. p. 6. Retrieved May 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "17 Jan 1916". The Oregon Daily Journal. January 17, 1916. p. 7. Retrieved May 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Miller To Tend First Sack For Indians". The Anaconda Standard. March 22, 1916. p. 13. Retrieved May 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Base Ball Dope". Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, The Evening News. April 18, 1916. p. 14. Retrieved May 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Hughie Miller Joins Marines". St. Louis Globe-Democrat. June 6, 1917. p. 19. Retrieved May 4, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ a b c d "Hugh S. Miller Tells of Winning A Service Cross". The St. Louis Star and Times. January 7, 1919. p. 3. Retrieved May 4, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "Two St. Louis Marines Who Won Service Cross; Another Killed In Action". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. July 7, 1918. p. 22. Retrieved May 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ a b "Private Hugh Miller Wounded Three Times". The Tennessean. November 3, 1918. p. 16. Retrieved May 4, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "Distinguished Service Cross For Heroes Belleau Wood Fight". The Chattanooga News. July 3, 1918. p. 10. Retrieved May 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "War Hero Would Be Umpire". The Oklahoma County News. January 16, 1920. p. 9. Retrieved May 4, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ "Umpires Assigned". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. April 15, 1920. p. 18. Retrieved May 4, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ "Diamond Notes". Chicago Eagle. July 24, 1920. p. 2. Retrieved May 4, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ "Hughey Miller To Lead Marines At Benefit Contest". The St. Louis Star and Times. July 24, 1921. p. 7. Retrieved May 4, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ Burnes, Robert L. (October 1, 1936). "'Old Pete' Becomes a St. Louisan". St. Louis Globe-Democrat. p. 11. Retrieved May 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ "Hughie Miller, an Old Timer, Dies at Jeff. B." Herald and Review. Decatur, Illinois. December 26, 1945. p. 8. Retrieved May 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
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