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OXFORD — It was natural that Don Miller should look to a future in baseball when he arrived at Miami University 42 years ago.

His uncle had been an All-Star shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds, and his father reportedly was even better than his uncle.

But his path led elsewhere, almost by accident.

"I sort of fell into this job," reflected Miller, 60, Miami's equipment manager who is retiring in June after 35 years on the job.

Four decades ago, Miller said, he didn't really know his uncle well. But he certainly knew about him. In the 1940s, Eddie Miller had been a seven-time National League All-Star shortstop, first with the Boston Braves, later with the Cincinnati Reds.

And then there was Miller's father, the late Carl Miller.

"My mom (the late Dorothy Miller) said my dad was better than Eddie," Miller said, "but he already had a good job and was married, and he didn't know how far he'd go in baseball."

Miller knew his own gifts on the field of play were limited. But he wanted to give it a shot.

He went to Morehead State University. Its team featured infielder Denny Doyle, who later was to play eight seasons in the majors and start at second base for the Boston Red Sox in the 1975 World Series against the Reds.

The plan was for Miller to step in for Doyle when he graduated from Morehead State. There was just one problem. Miller didn't make the team.

So he came to Oxford. And although he didn't know it at the time, his career was about to take a sharp turn.

"I worked out with the equipment manager before I played baseball," Miller said. "My first year was a transfer year, so basically I sat out. I caught batting practice every day. Even when I was playing as a student, I helped out in the equipment room in the fall with Bob Purcell and Jon Falk."

Miller did see quite a bit of action as a junior and senior under coach Bud Middaugh.

"My junior year, I was a utility guy," Miller said. "I played shortstop, second base and third base. I always thought if I could play three positions, I would be more valuable to the team. That was my ticket to making the traveling squad."

As a senior, Miller became the starting shortstop and finished the season with a .290 batting average.

Miller became an assistant baseball coach at Miami and was with the team that won its first Mid-American Conference championship in 1973.

"I got my master's degree because I felt maybe baseball coaching was my calling," he said. "But when I applied for high school jobs, they didn't want to pay for my master's degree with no experience."

Falk left for Ann Arbor, Mich., and Purcell, who had become equipment manager, decided it was Miller Time.

"It's been a love affair ever since," Miller said.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.

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