Bob Horner, a legend in Arizona State baseball history and an ex-standout for the Atlanta Braves, has passed away at 68 years old, according to an announcement Tuesday by the franchise.
Horner was honored by the Braves with the following statement:
“Bob Horner built a career out of being first. He was the first overall pick in the 1978 draft after an illustrious collegiate career. He was the first Braves draftee to skip the minor leagues entirely and debut directly in the majors. And he was the first Atlanta player to ever hit four home runs in a single game, when he did so against the Montreal Expos in 1986. (RELATED: Washington Nationals Executive Admits He Discriminates Against Christian Players, Tracks Fans, Has Communist Agenda)
“The National League Rookie of the Year in 1978 and an NL All-Star in 1982, Horner teamed with Dale Murphy to form one of the most feared power duos in the game for nearly a decade.
“The Atlanta Braves extend sincere sympathies to his wife, Chris, two sons, Tyler and Trent, and his numerous friends and fans across the game.”
Spending 10 seasons in Major League Baseball, Horner was with the Braves for nine of them, with the other season seeing him play with the St. Louis Cardinals, where he ultimately retired.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 26, 2026
In 1978, Horner won the National League Rookie of the Year, racking up 23 home runs and 63 RBIs while also averaging an OPS of .852. Four years later in 1982, he’d see his only appearance in the All-Star Game, and in the same season, he’d also accomplish a 30-plus homer campaign. Helping the Braves reach the NLCS, Horner tallied 32 home runs and 97 RBIs.
1979 and 1980 would also see Horner pull off 30-homer seasons. When he called it a career, Horner ended up with 218 home runs total, doing so in 1,020 career games.
In college, Horner played with the Arizona State Sun Devils, hitting 58 home runs throughout his career. At the time, it was an NCAA record. In all three of his seasons in college baseball, Horner was named All-WAC.
In every season with Arizona State, Horner appeared in the College World Series, with 1977 resulting in a national championship. In the CWS, Horner won the Most Outstanding Player award. He was the first-ever winner of the Golden Spikes Award in 1978, which is received by the best college baseball player on an annual basis.
In 2006, he was inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame, becoming a part of the inaugural class.