
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, June 3, 1993                   TAG: 9306030061
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: DEMOREST, GA.                                LENGTH: Short

HALL OF FAMER MIZE DIES

Johnny Mize, whose long-ball power earned him election to baseball's Hall of Fame, died Wednesday at his home. He was 80 years old.

Mize, nicknamed the Big Cat because of his 6-foot-2, 215-pound frame and smooth moves at first base, played 15 seasons in the major leagues.

As a rookie with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1936 he batted .329. It was the first of nine straight .300 seasons, interrupted by a three-year stretch in the Navy during World War II. By the time he retired he had played in 10 All-Star games and homered in every major league stadium in the country. He had a career batting average of .312 with 359 home runs, 1,337 RBI and 2,011 hits.

"He spanned all those great eras," said fellow Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner, now a broadcaster with the New York Mets, who tied Mize for the league lead in home runs with 51 in 1947 and 40 in 1948. "We're sure going to miss him."

John Robert Mize was born in Demorest on Jan. 7, 1913.

Despite his statistics, he was bypassed 22 times for the Hall of Fame. When he finally was inducted in 1981, he joked about the wait.

"I had a speech ready but somewhere along in 28 years it got lost," he said, adding that being chosen was wonderful.

"I went with him to Cooperstown when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame and I will never forget it," said Georgia Gov. Zell Miller. "It was a shame that he had not been inducted earlier than he was. Without any doubt he was one of baseball's greatest hitters and his stats would be even more impressive if he had not missed the war years."

by CNB