Johnny Miljus
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John Kenneth (Johnny) Miljus (June 30, 1895 - February 11, 1976) was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball between 1915 and 1929. Miljus batted and threw right handed. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Miljus reached the majors in 1915 with the Pittsburgh Rebels of the outlaw Federal League, spending one year with them before moving to the Brooklyn Robins (NL, 1920-21), Pittsburgh Pirates (NL, 1927-28) and Cleveland Indians (AL, 1929). More than a dependable pitcher, he filled several roles coming out from the bullpen as a closer or a middle reliever, and as a ocassional starter as well. Unfortunately, Miljus is probably best remembered as the pitcher who served a ninth-inning wild pitch that escaped Pirates' catcher Johnny Gooch and allowed the New York Yankees to sweep the 1927 World Series. In Game Four, after striking out Lou Gehrig and Bob Meusel, and with two strikes on Tony Lazzeri, the next Miljus' pitch rolled far enough away for Earle Combs to score the winning run.
In a seven-season career, Miljus posted a 29-26 record with 166 strikeouts and a 3.92 ERA in 457 ⅓ innings pitched, including 45 starts, 15 complete games, two shutouts, and five saves.
Miljus died in Fort Harrison, Montana, at the age of 80.
[edit] Facts
- Nicknamed "Big Serv" or "Jovo"
- As of 2006, Miljus has one of the lowest ERA (3.92) of any major league pitcher coming out of University of Pittsburgh with more than 100 innings, behind Bob_Malloy (3.26), Doc Medich (3.77) and Steve Swetonic (3.81).
