Baseball History: Felix Millan

Felix Millan had 21 games in his 12-year career where he banged out at least four hits.

Perhaps his best day at the plate was in 1970 against San Francisco in Atlanta on July 6.

Millan collected six hits with a double and a triple as he knocked in six runs as he led the Braves to a 12-4 win over the Giants. A month later, the native of Puerto Rico would have the second of his three career five-hit performances.

As a rookie in 1966, Millan had his initial four-hit contest during his first week in the majors as the Braves defeated the New York Mets 11-1 at Shea Stadium.

During his seven seasons with the Braves from 1966-1972, Millan had at four hits or more a dozen times with at least one in each season.

Following the 1972 season, he and George Stone were traded to the Mets for Danny Frisella and Gary Gentry.

With New York in 1973, the second baseman had a quintet of four-hit contests as the Mets won the National League East for the second time. They eventually edged the Cincinnati Reds for the NL pennant before falling to the Oakland A’s in the World Series.

A year later, Millan had four hits in a 25-inning affair in a home game against St. Louis Cardinals. He reached base six times in 12 plate appearances adding a walk and making it on an error. It wasn’t enough as the Mets lost 4-3.

Prior to the 1975 season, former Atlanta teammate Joe Torre was traded from St. Louis to the Mets.

On July 21 of that year, Millan had four singles against Houston’s Ken Forsch, which would have been a pretty good day except for Torre’s performance in the batter’s box.

Although Millan and Torre didn’t know at the time, the duo would combine for quite a dubious distinction as the Mets were on their way to a 6-2 loss at Shea.

Batting second in the Mets order, Millan had a single with one out in the first inning. Torre promptly ended the frame by grounding into a double play started by Forsch.

The Astros led 5-1 by the bottom of the third when the Mets were trying to answer. With one out, Del Unser and Millan had back-to-back singles.

As in the first, Torre grounded into a double play started by Houston shortstop Roger Metzger.

In the sixth, Millan led off with a single before Torre hit a grounder to second as Larry Milbourne started a twin-killing.

Unser began the eighth inning with a bunt single before Millan had his fourth hit of the contest.

Torre followed with a grounder to Metzger, who started the fourth double play of the game that the former NL Most Valuable Player hit into that again erased Millan at second base.

Millan must not have been too discouraged by the game as he had two more four-hit efforts in the next week.

After not collecting four hits in a game in 1976, Millan had his final four-hit performance in his last big league season the following year.

A three-time all-star for the Braves from 1969-1971, Millan also won Gold Gloves in 1969 and 1972. A career .279 hitter, Millan has best year in 1970 when he hit .310. In addition to the 1973 post-season appearance with the New York, Millan was part of the first NL Playoffs in 1969 as the Braves fell to the Mets.

From 1978-1980, Millan played in Japan before he retired after the 1981 season in the Mexican League.