Joe Miller (millejo01)

Joseph Wick Miller

• Bats Unknown, Throws Unknown
• Height 5' 10½", Weight 169 lb.

• Debut May 4, 1875
• Final Game July 28, 1875
• Born July 24, 1850 in Germany
• Died August 28, 1891 in White Bear Lake, MN USA

BR page

Biographical Information

" . . . ranked as one of the best second basemen . . . " - from the New York Clipper, when Joe Miller died in 1891

Joe Miller was previously thought to be the only German-born player in the National Association (source: The American Game: Baseball and Ethnicity). He played in 28 games in 1875. He was long credited with also playing for the Washington Nationals in 1872, but this was a case of mistaken identity as that person was William Miller, a local amateur player.

The book When Johnny Came Sliding Home does not list a Joe Miller on its rosters of amateur teams from 1866-1870 but a number of times it does list "Miller" with no first name, so it is possible that Joe was active at that time.

In the National Association Joe was primarily a second baseman. He was also an umpire for a game each in 1872 and 1873, although these may have been the work of a namesake.

He was with the St. Paul Red Caps in 1876, and according to Bruce Allardice, famous western outlaw Jesse James attended one of their games on August 24th of that year, while plotting the robbery of the First National Bank in Northfield, MN, an event which became notorious after it went horribly wrong.

Miller died in White Bear Lake, MN, which is a few miles northeast of Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Further Reading

• "William Miller", in Bill Carle, ed.: Biographical Research Committee Report, SABR, March/April 2025, p. 2.