Bob Horner, who never played a game in the Minors and experienced the rare thrill of hitting four home runs in a Major League game, passed away at the age of 68, the Braves announced on Tuesday. His unique career will forever be celebrated by Braves fans who watched him star in Atlanta during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Horner’s passing comes a little more than two weeks after the deaths of two other Braves icons of the same era, former manager Bobby Cox and former owner Ted Turner.
Horner was selected by the Braves with the first overall pick in the 1978 MLB Draft and made his MLB debut a little more than a week later, without ever playing a Minor League game. He remained with Atlanta through the 1986 season, played in Japan the following season and concluded his career with the Cardinals in 1988.
Injuries limited Horner, who hit .277 with 218 home runs and an .839 OPS while totaling 1,020 games over 10 Major League seasons. He was named the 1978 NL Rookie of the Year, despite not making his MLB debut until June 16. He gained his only All-Star selection during the memorable 1982 campaign that was highlighted by the Braves winning the NL West.
Horner was a standout at Arizona State before the Braves took him with the first overall pick and put him in Atlanta’s lineup less than two weeks later. His first big league manager was Cox, who was in the first year of what would become a Hall of Fame managerial career. His first team owner was Turner.
Turner and Horner butted heads numerous times, but the burly third baseman will forever be linked with Dale Murphy and Phil Niekro as the most recognizable players from the late '70s and early '80s Braves teams that were beamed across the country courtesy of Turner’s WTBS satellites.
Horner provided some Sunday afternoon entertainment when he homered four times during an 11-8 loss to the Expos on July 6, 1986, at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. Horner hit three homers off Montreal starter Andy McGaffigan and then added a two-out homer in the ninth against All-Star closer Jeff Reardon.
Joe Adcock and Horner are the only Braves players to homer four times in a game during the Modern Era. At the time, Horner became just the ninth player to achieve the feat since 1900.
“It’s something you dream about but never expect to happen,” Horner said in his postgame interview with the Atlanta Constitution.
Horner hit 23 homers over just 89 games in 1978 and then enjoyed consecutive 30-homer seasons in 1979 (33 HRs) and 1980 (35 HRs). After hitting 15 homers in the strike-shortened 1981 season, he hit 32 dingers while helping the Braves reach the playoffs the following year.
Even while tallying three 30-homer seasons at age 24 or younger, Horner struggled to stay on the field. He played 124 games or fewer during each of his first four seasons and then played 140 games in 1982. He broke his right wrist in 1983 and then fractured his left wrist in 1984. The injuries didn’t prevent him from hitting 27 homers in both 1985 and ’86, his final two seasons with Atlanta.
Horner spent his post-playing days with his family in Texas. He leaves behind his wife Chris and two sons, Tyler and Trent.