ATLANTA — Bob Horner, the longtime Atlanta Braves player who was a No. 1 overall pick and 1978 Rookie of the Year, has died. He was 68 years old.
The Braves confirmed Horner’s death on social media.
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Horner became a legend at the very beginning of his Braves career.
He was the 1st overall pick in the 1978 draft and never played in the minor leagues. His debut came that year, when in his first game, he hit a home run off of future Hall of Fame pitcher Bert Blyleven who was pitching for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
He would finish the year as the National League Rookie of the Year.
Just 4 years later, he became an All-Star and teamed with another Braves legend, Dale Murphy to become one of the best power duo’s in the history of the game.
In 1986 Horner became the 11th player in Major League Baseball history to hit 4 home runs in a single game. The bat from that game sits in an exhibit at the Braves Monument Garden at Truist Park.
The Braves did not resign the stocky 3rd baseman when he became a free agent in 1987. He ended up signing a deal to play baseball in Japan.
One year later he returned, and played part of a season with the St. Louis Cardinals before hurting his shoulder. Horner’s career came to an end one season later when he retired while in Spring Training with the Baltimore Orioles.
For his career, Horner hit 218 home runs in 10 years, with 685 RBI’s and a .277 batting average.
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