Roscoe Miller

Roscoe Clyde Miller
(Roxy or Rubberlegs)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 190 lb.

• Debut April 25, 1901
• Final Game July 30, 1904
• Born December 2, 1876 in Greenville, IN USA
• Died April 18, 1913 in Corydon, IN USA

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Biographical Information

"The support given Miller in the opening inning by the New York fielders was so glaringly careless and wretched that the . . . spectators . . . began hissing the players, while they cheered and encouraged Miller. It was one of the most peculiar demonstrations ever seen on the Polo Grounds, and it had the desired effect, as during the remainder of the game there was very little cause for comment (about) the New York players . . ." - from a New York Times account of the second game between the Giants and the Cardinals played on August 13, 1903

Roscoe Miller broke into the major leagues in 1901, winning 23 games for the 1901 Detroit Tigers of the brand-new major league called the American League. He pitched less effectively in 1902-04 in the bigs.

Miller had been playing pro ball since at least 1896, and was with the Tigers in 1900 when the American League was a minor league.

He continued playing through at least 1909, winning 28 for Des Moines in 1906 and 31 for two teams in 1909. With Des Moines in 1906 he also hit .312. Eddie Cicotte was a teammate on the Des Moines team.

The May 1996 Baseball Digest was asked about Miller by a reader who was named Roscoe Miller and responded with several paragraphs of text. The publication said that the ballplayer Miller died of tuberculosis at age 36. He was usually called "Roxy", a type of abbreviation of his first name, but got branded with the nickname "Rubberlegs" because he moved from Detroit to New York to Pittsburgh in a short period of time.

He is the last major league player whose first name is "Roscoe" (through 2007), not counting Wattie Holm, whose real first name was Roscoe but who is remembered as "Wattie".