Pud Miller
D C "Pud" Miller (August 19, 1922 – ?) is an American former baseball outfielder who played 12 seasons in the minor leagues. He hit 268 home runs and posted a .350 batting average. He also pitched briefly and managed at the minor league level. The Society for American Baseball Research ranks him as one of the top 100 minor leaguers of all time.[1]
Miller began his career in 1940 with the Mooresville Moors, hitting .220 with no home runs in 41 at-bats. The following season, he hit .256 with two home runs in 43 at-bats for the Lafayette White Sox, St. Joseph Ponies and Carthage Browns. In 1942, he batted .330 in limited time with the Bristol Twins and Petersburg Rebels. In 1943, he batted .282 with four home runs in 104 games with the Elmira Pioneers. He led the team in home runs.[2]
He did not play in 1944 and 1945 due to World War II.
In 1946, he returned to hit .327 with 19 home runs in 130 games with the Spartanburg Peaches to earn a spot on the Tri-State League All-Star team.[3] He led the team in hits (142), doubles (28), triples (8), home runs, batting average, slugging percentage (.560) and total bases (243).[4] He also led the Tri-State League in home runs, slugging percentage and total bases.[5] With the Wichita Falls Spudders in 1947, Miller hit .356 with 57 home runs, 196 RBI, 139 runs scored and 197 hits in 150 games. He finished one behind Buck Frierson for the Big State League lead in home runs and RBI, though he paced the loop in slugging percentage (.727) and OPS (1.165).[6] He led the team in hits, home runs, RBI, slugging, OPS and total bases (402).[7]
In 1948, he hit .335 with 29 home runs in 121 games with the Texarkana Bears and Dallas Eagles. He tied teammate George Washington for the Bears' team lead in home runs with 29. He hit .386 with 55 home runs in 136 games for the Lamesa Lobos and Gladewater Bears. 52 of his 55 home runs came with Lamesa, with whom he played 109 games and had 389 at-bats – he averaged one home run every 7.5 at-bats with the club. He also batted .404 with a .502 on-base percentage, a .866 slugging mark and 135 RBI with the team. He led the high-offense West Texas–New Mexico League in home runs and slugging percentage and was named to the All-Star team. He also led the Lobos in batting average and total bases (337). He hit four home runs in one game while with the team.[8]
With the Hickory Rebels in 1950, Miller hit .369 with 29 home runs in 106 games. He led the North Carolina State League in batting average and slugging percentage (.689) and made the All-Star team.[9] He also led the Rebels in hits (135), home runs and total bases (252). The following year, again with Hickory, he hit .425 with 40 home runs and 136 RBI in 119 games. He led the North Carolina State League in batting average, home runs, RBI, slugging (.786) and total bases (335). He also led his team in hits. His .425 batting average was the highest in all of minor league baseball that year. He won a Triple Crown and the Silver Bat honor for having the highest batting average in the minor leagues.[1] He split 1952 between the Rebels and Owensboro Oilers, hitting a combined .331 with 13 home runs in 92 games. He played his final season in 1953, hitting .349 with 20 home runs in 111 games with the Shelby Clippers and Hickory Rebels.
Overall, Miller hit 268 home runs, with 248 doubles and 29 triples in his 12-year minor league career. His .350 mark is one of the highest in minor league history.[10]
Pitching career
He pitched in 1940 and 1941. He had a 7.11 ERA in 10 games the former year and a 8.2 record with a 2.46 ERA in 20 games the latter.
Managerial career
He managed the Rebels in 1950 and 1951.[11] He was the Owensboro Oilers' manager to being 1952, but was replaced by Moose Shetler partway through the season.
He was inducted into the Hickory Metro Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.[8]
He is deceased.