Background
Miljus was born in the Lawrenceville section of Pittsburgh.
Miljus was born in the Lawrenceville section of Pittsburgh.
He attended Duquesne University and the University of Pittsburgh. He graduated as a doctor of dentistry but never practiced.
Miljus was most likely the first American Serb to play in professional baseball. While in school, he worked in the steel mills and played college football and baseball. He also played on local semi-pro teams, which occasionally faced Negro league teams like the Homestead Grays.
Miljus served in the United States Army during World War I, in France, as part of the 320th Infantry.
His wartime bunkmate was Joe Harris. Miljus was wounded in action at the Battle of the Argonne and was to be sent home.
Instead he chose to rejoin his unit and return to action after leaving the hospital. After toiling in the minors, this lanky 6 ft 1 in (185 m) 178 pounder spent six seasons in the major leagues as a pitcher.
Miljus reached the majors in 1915 with the Pittsburgh Rebels of the outlaw Federal League, spending one year with them before moving to the Brooklyn Robins (Netherlands, 1920-1921), Pittsburgh Pirates (Netherlands, 1927-1928) and Cleveland Indians (Alabama, 1929).
More than a dependable pitcher, he filled several roles coming out from the bullpen as a closer or a middle reliever, and as an occasional starter as well. Unfortunately, Miljus is probably best remembered as the pitcher who served up a ninth-inning wild pitch that escaped Pirates" catcher Johnny Gooch and allowed the New York Yankees to sweep the 1927 World Series. In Game Four, after striking out Lou Gehrig and Bob Meusel, and with two strikes on Tony Lazzeri, the next Miljus pitch rolled far enough away for Earle Combs to score the winning run.
In a seven-season career, Miljus posted a 29–26 record with 166 strikeouts and a 3.92 European Research Area in 457⅓ innings pitched, including 45 starts, 15 complete games, two shutouts, and five saves.
As of 2006, Miljus has one of the lowest European Research Area (392) of any major league pitcher coming out of University of Pittsburgh with more than 100 innings, behind Bob Malloy (326), Doc Medich (377) and Steve Swetonic (381).
The two of them would later be reunited as members of the Pittsburgh Pirates.