Hack Miller (catcher)

{{Short description|American baseball player (1913–1966)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Hack Miller

|position=Catcher

|image=

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{Birth date|1913|2|13}}

|birth_place=Celeste, Texas

|death_date={{Death date and age|1966|11|21|1913|2|13}}

|death_place=Dallas, Texas

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=April 19

|debutyear=1944

|debutteam=Detroit Tigers

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=July 5

|finalyear=1945

|finalteam=Detroit Tigers

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Batting average

|stat1value=.444

|stat2label=Home runs

|stat2value=1

|stat3label=Runs batted in

|stat3value=4

|stat4label=Games played

|stat4value=7

|teams=

• Detroit Tigers (1944–1945)

| highlights = *World Series champion ({{wsy|1945}})

• Hit a home run in his first major league at-bat

}}

James Eldridge "Hack" Miller (February 13, 1913 – November 21, 1966) was an American catcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Detroit Tigers in {{mlby|1944}} and {{mlby|1945}}. He also played 12 seasons in minor league baseball. Miller threw and batted right-handed and was listed at {{convert|5|ft|11|in}} tall and {{convert|215|lb}}.

Born in Celeste, Texas, Miller grew up in Abilene and attended North Texas State and Southeast Oklahoma State Teachers College before beginning his pro baseball career as an outfielder in 1935; he made the transition to catching in 1938.{{cite news |title=Obituaries |work=The Sporting News |page=42 |date=1966-10-10 }} He played in seven Major League games in his career, batting .444 with one home run and four runs batted in; the home run came in his first career at-bat on April 23, 1944 against the Cleveland Indians and lefthander Al Smith. After his playing career ended, Miller managed minor league teams in various Texas cities including Lubbock, Tyler, Wichita Falls, Abilene and Big Spring.

He was on the Tigers' roster for the 1945 World Series win over the Chicago Cubs, but did not appear in any games.

He died at age 53 in Dallas and was buried at Hillcrest Cemetery in Forney, Kaufman County, Texas.