Bob Horner, Who Matched an MLB Record With a Four-Homer Game, Dies at 68

Former MLB All-Star Bob Horner has died at 68, his longtime team the Atlanta Braves announced on Tuesday. Horner will forever be etched in MLB history in two regards: his record ascension to the majors, and his historic home run exploits on one fateful day in 1986.

Horner, the No. 1 overall pick in the 1978 draft, first made history by debuting in the majors just two weeks after being selected. He skipped the minor leagues entirely, becoming the 13th drafted player in MLB history to go directly to the majors.

That was due to the Arizona native’s legendary career at Arizona State. He was the inaugural winner (1978) of the Golden Spikes Award, which is given to the best player in college baseball, and he finished his college career with a then-NCAA record of 58 home runs. Prior to his final year with the Sun Devils, Horner was the MVP of the College World Series in 1977, while his nine home runs as a freshman in 1976 are just two behind the program’s freshman record held by Barry Bonds.

While a total of 25 players have now gone directly to the majors, bypassing the minors after being drafted, Horner is the only one to win Rookie of the Year. His debut season with Atlanta in 1978 saw him club 23 home runs to go along with 63 RBI. Those stats came despite Horner not making his debut until mid-June, which was 59 games into the Braves’ season.

Horner’s other place in MLB history comes from what he did in a single game in 1986, his last season with the Braves. Horner was in a 12-game drought without a home run, but he busted out of that drought in a huge way. Facing the Montreal Expos on July 6, Horner hit four home runs, which is tied for the most in a single game in MLB history.

Horner finished that outing 4 for 5 with six RBI and four runs scored. The first three dingers all came off Montreal starter Andy McGaffigan, while the last came against closer Jeff Reardon. Three of the longballs were solo shots, and one was a three-run homer. At the time, Horner was just the 11^th player, ever, to hit four home runs in a game, and he was the first to do so in a decade, following Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt in 1976.

Unfortunately for Horner and the Braves, they ended up losing that game 11-8. A total of 21 players have now hit four home runs in an MLB game, but Horner is one of just three of those 21 to see his team lose that game.

That special day ended up being the last hurrah for Horner in the majors as he then followed it by going on a 17-game drought without another homer. He would hit only 13 home runs in his MLB career after his four-homer game, finishing his career with 218 home runs. He added 685 RBI, had 1,047 career hits, and posted a lifetime batting average of .277.

Horner was a one-time All-Star (1982) with Atlanta, where he spent nine of his 10 years. He played for the Braves from 1978-86, and only 12 players in all of Major League Baseball had more homers than Horner during this span.

After becoming a free agent in 1987, Horner went unsigned and ended up heading to Japan to continue his career. He spent that season with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of the Central League, where he continued his home run exploits. Horner smashed 31 home runs in his lone year in Japan, and that success allowed him to experience one final season in the majors. Horner joined the St. Louis Cardinals in 1988, where he spent time as a reserve and had just three home runs to conclude his professional baseball career.

Horner is the latest individual associated with the Atlanta Braves to pass away in the last month. Former team owner Ted Turner died on May 6 at 87, and just three days later, former manager Bobby Cox died at 84. Turner was the owner when the Braves drafted Horner, and Cox was Horner’s first manager in the Big Leagues.

“Bob Horner built a career out of being first,” the Braves said in a statement. “The National League Rookie of the Year in 1978 and an NL All-Star in 1982, Horner teamed with Dale Murphy to form one of the most feared power duos in the game for nearly a decade.

“The Atlanta Braves extend sincere sympathies to his wife, Chris, two sons, Tyler and Trent, and his numerous friends and fans across the game.”