LEGENDARY LOSS

Former MLB All-Star Has Died at 68

The athlete was the first pick in the 1978 MLB draft and became the first player to enter the majors directly without experience in the minor leagues.

MLB All-Star Bob Horner has died at age 68. His cause of death has not been disclosed. The Atlanta Braves announced the passing of their former third baseman in a Tuesday post on X by celebrating his legacy of “being first.” Horner was the first pick in the 1978 MLB draft after graduating from Arizona State University, where his Sun Devils team won the 1977 College World Series. Upon joining the Braves, he became the first player to enter the majors directly without experience in the minor leagues. During his nine-season run with the Braves, he won National League Rookie of the Year in 1978, became an All-Star in 1982, and was the first player on his team to hit four home runs in a single game. Horner then had a year-long stint with the Yakult Swallows in Tokyo before continuing his major league career with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1988. He’s often been recognized for his astounding skill on the field, being inducted into the Sun Devil Athletics Hall of Fame in 1979, the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006, and the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 2022. Horner is survived by his wife, Chris, and their two sons.