The Daily Alaska empire., 1941-04-03
''bIind Lutk" Gave Miller
 5tart Signal
Fancy Bee Shortstop Tells Just What Boosted Him
 Along in Baseball
By FELIX R. MCKNIGHT AP Feature Service

SAN ANTONIO, Tex, April B. Blind luck, molder of many careers, has sent baseball a gabby little guy who is storming along towards be- ing one of the great shortstops of all time
 Eddie Miller is the name.
 Tiny, but bull-shouldered, Eddie currently performs in most amaz- ing manner for the Boston Bees Only by quirk of fate he isn't in the New York Yankee infield. But that's another story-a painful story to the Tanks.
 Spectacular afield, the five foot nine-inch l65-pounder is also one of the most valued Bee hitters Home runs, triples and doubles bounce off his big bat. Briefly, he's that some thing they've been dreaming of for years-a great fielding shortstop who can hit, and hard.
 The story of Eddie Miller starts some 10 years ago. Out in the back of his house near the Pitts burgh ball park-"so close I could just roll out of bed into left field "a sqare- -jawed, handsome lit- tie fellow banged ball against the side of the house. He dived to his left and right to catch the re- bounds.
 Out in vacant lot he learned how to run the bases. Eddie tried hook and belly slides into his 'bases''-large stones laid in the grass. Through high school Eddie played baseball and finally a Pittsburgh scout saw him.
 off to Springfield
 He was sent down to Spring. field, Ohio, with couple of kid pitchers for a shot at Class c ball. The manager looked over his trio and decided to let them hang around couple of days and then ship them home.
 On the second day the locals were playing a spring exhibition game. Eddie and his two doomed pitchers were in pepper game far out on the left field baseline when the game wore into the ninth inning.
 The manager waved Eddie in to pinch hit. Eddie picked out the biggest bat he could find and walked to the plate. The first two pitches were steamers on the outside corner
 T missed 'em both a mile,' Ed dy confesses. T was ready to take my cut at the third, miss 1t and pack up for the trip home. The third pitch came ripping down the middle and I swung with everything I had. connected. The ball cleared the center field fence for home run.
 T stayed with Springfield that season. But do you know somc- thing? never hit another home run down there!"
 Eddie's blind luck-and he says it was genuinely blind for he might" have had his eyes closed on that circuit blow-started his bright career.
 In 1885 he was sent to Toronto, but finished the year in the Pied mont League. He stuck it out with Toronto in '36 and became a Gin cinnati chattel in 1888, playing at Syracuse. The Reds traded him to Newark, Yankee farm, for Will lard Hershberger.
 The Tanks sent Eddie down to Kansas City in '38. He was fast rounding into true form there, but the Tanks sold him to the Boston Bees.
 Starts in '39
 So Eddie. started his big league career m 39 with Boston. He was going great guns until one day he charged out into center field for a high fly, collided with Al Sim mons and broke his leg. For months he nursed the leg along was able to start the 40 season with the Bees.
 Last season Eddie Miller was great even with his feeble leg. He hit .276, but he drove in 79 runs and lashed out B home runs.
 In the first spring game with the St. Louis Browns he tapped three Brownie hurlers for a home run, two doubles and single.