R.I.P. Stu Miller

psychump

Rated the 340th best pitcher ever in Baseball Reference's fan rater in between Tim Lincecum and Ron Reed! 5' 11" 165 lbs. ! I wish I could have seen him pitch. His fastball was clocked at 85mph and his change up was 77!
Gave up Mickey's 500th homer. Here's what he said, "I gave up Mickey’s 500th home run," Miller said with a sigh. "In five years, that’s the only homer he hit off me. A 3-2 pitch, low and away. Only two guys ever hit that pitch out, him and Stan Musial. Now I get letters every day asking me to sign Mantle’s picture."

Miller autographs every one.

"What the hell," he said, "it’s better than being not known."

BLUEJAYWAY

This might make for an interesting collection-autos. of pitchers who gave up a players 500th HR and 1st/last as well, along with that player who hit 500. Possibly has been done already.

Ironmanfan

Yep, Mr. Miller was always a great signer TTM

RIP Stu

IMF

Dboneesq

RIP Mr. Miller. I remember him as an Oriole pitching against the Yankees back in the mid-late 60s.

frankhardy

Great ttm'er with a gorgeous signature.

oldrivers

In addition to surrendering Mantle's 500th, I remember him in the 1961 All-Star game played at Candlestick. He was a reliever with the Giants at the time and came in to the game in the ninth inning to protect a one run NL lead. The wind was blowing a gale and with his small stature it blew him around enough to cause him to balk. Then in 1962 I attended my second MLB game in St. Louis at the old Busch Stadium/Sportsman's Park between the Cards and Giants. Musial homered off him on to the old right field pavilion roof in the 4th inning, I still have the scorecard from the game. The Cards won the game 13-3 and also featured a young Giant rookie pitcher mopping up in two innings of relief, his name Gaylord Perry.

dennis07

On the Braves radio broadcasts back in the day announcer Ernie Johnson every time the wind would be swirling at Candlestick would
recount the day the wind blew Stu Miller off the mound in an All-Star game.. I always pictured him literally being blown off the mound (he was a small guy after all)
from the way Ernie told the story. Reading an account of the story online just now the wind moved him just enough for a balk to be called.
I liked the story better the way Ernie told it some 40 to 45 years ago.
RIP Mr Miller

BLUEJAYWAY

I can't remember for sure which Topps card it was, but on the reverse where they have those little cartoons, the incident was depicted in that cartoon.

heritage

RIP Stu