Lookout Landing: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Sports blogs for fans, by fans.
New Blog: RSL Soapbox for Real Salt Lake Fans!

Our other draft pick

With the 25th pick in the 2008 Major League Baseball Special Negro Leagues Draft, the Seattle Mariners select a 3B/OF from the Chicago American Giants, John "Mule" Miles.

Yg0dt5ao_medium

John "Mule" Miles was an aircraft mechanic out of high school in Texas. The planes he worked on would later be used by the Tuskegee Airmen.  After being discovered playing sandlot baseball, he signed with the Chicago American Giants in 1946.

The Giants' legendary manager "Candy" Jim Taylor gave Miles his nickname because he "hit as hard as a mule kicks".  Miles was an outfielder with good range and a strong arm, and also played a little at third and first.

At the plate, "Mule" usually hit around his own weight - 250~270.  "I didn't hit for percentage, I hit for distance," Miles said.  "Boy when you bust it over the fence, they liked that."

Miles is most famous for hitting a HR in 11 straight games (the MLB record is 8 games held by Dale Long, Don Mattingly, and Ken Griffey Jr.) in his second year with the Giants.  He finished 1947 with a .250 average and 27 homers, a career high. 

After his Negro League career ended in 1949, Miles would be the first black player in the South Texas League.

After his playing days were over, Miles ran several semi-pro teams in the San Antonio area. He is a member of both the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame and the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame.

[For the record, we did kind of get the shaft since the draft order was done by alphabetical order.  At #1, the D-Backs selected Bob "Peach head" Mitchell, a pitcher from the Kansas City Monarchs who played with Satchel Paige and has been very influential in getting pension benefits extended to more Negro League players.]

0 recs  |  Comment 3 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

Seriously

There is a separate “Black sports HOF?” I know exactly where the ‘normal(WTF?)’ one is and never heard that there was an equal but separate one.

by hcoguy on Jun 8, 2008 2:33 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Wait.

He’s saying “Have Braces!” right?

Ill Ligitamus Non Carberendum

by PositivePaul on Jun 9, 2008 1:49 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

By reading a game thread of your own volition you agree to accept all liability for any and all damage done to your delicate sensibilities.
Start posting about the Mariners »

Join SB Nation and dive into communities focused on all your favorite teams.

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

Max_small
FootbaLL IV (Nov 21st)
Small
The Sabermetrics of Cats

Recent FanPosts

Small
WAR gains major exposure
Laughing_man_elmex_small
AFL Championship game thread
Smell-the-glove_small
OFFTOP 11/19 - The Hand of Fraud
Small
Tony Blengino interview on 710 AM ESPN Seattle's Hot Stove League
Ichirocameron_small
OTFPOTD 11/16: Recipes Edition
Small
Lookout Landing as a communtiy
Small
Royals determined to unload Callaspo...
Ichiro_small
Ackley and Triunfel on MLB TV right now

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >


Sexy People

1_small Graham

Small Matthew

Small Jeff