Former Atlanta Braves star Bob Horner has died at the age of 68. The Braves shared the news on Tuesday, May 26, through a statement on social media. The team remembered Horner as a player who “built a career out of being first” because of the milestones he achieved during his baseball journey. No cause of death has been announced yet.Horner was one of the biggest power hitters of his time and became a fan favorite in Atlanta during the late 1970s and 1980s. He was the first overall pick in the 1978 MLB Draft and made an instant impact after joining the Braves directly from college without spending time in the minor leagues. During his career, he won National League Rookie of the Year, became an MLB All-Star, and created one of baseball’s strongest batting partnerships alongside Dale Murphy.
Bob Horner became one of the Atlanta Braves’ biggest power hitters after his historic MLB debut
Bob Horner was born on Aug. 6, 1957, in Kansas and later grew up in Arizona. According to Glendale Independent, he attended Apollo High School in Glendale before moving to Arizona State University. While playing for the Sun Devils, Horner helped the team win the 1977 College World Series and quickly became one of the top young players in college baseball.After being selected first overall by the Braves in 1978, Horner wasted no time proving himself at the major league level. He won the National League Rookie of the Year award in his first season and later earned an All-Star selection in 1982. The Braves also noted that Horner became the first player in franchise history to hit four home runs in a single game.Horner spent nine seasons with Atlanta before playing one season in Japan with the Yakult Swallows. He returned to Major League Baseball in 1988 with the St. Louis Cardinals, but a shoulder injury forced him to retire the following year.According to the official MLB website, Horner finished his MLB career with a .277 batting average, 218 home runs, and 685 RBIs. He was later inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006 and the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 2022.In its tribute, Arizona State said, “Sun Devil Baseball and Arizona State University mourn the loss of one of the greatest to ever put on the Sun Devils uniform.” Horner is survived by his wife, Chris, and their sons, Tyler and Trent.
