In 1976, Bob Horner set the Arizona State record for homeruns by a freshman with nine (Barry Bonds would break that record in 1983 with 11). The following year, Horner was named Most Value Player of the College World Series, leading the Sun Devils to their fourth of five National Championships.

Sun Devil Bob Horner

After hitting .412 with 25 homeruns and 100 RBI, Bob Horner was named the 1978 Golden Spikes Award—the equivalent of college football’s Heisman Trophy. That was the first year the Golden Spikes Award was given out, and two more Sun Devils have gone on to win it.

That June, Horner became the third Sun Devil to be the first overall pick in MLB’s First Year Player Draft.

His 56 career homers are still tops on all-time list at ASU, while his 229 RBI are good for fifth best in Sun Devil history.

Horner didn’t bother with the minor leagues after Atlanta drafted him—he went straight into the Braves line-up, hit 23 homers, and was named co-National League Rookie of the Year along with Ozzie Smith.

Needless to say, 1978 was a pretty good year for Sun Devil legend Bob Horner. In 2006, Horner was a member of the College Baseball Hall of Fame’s inaugural class.

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Note: Current Sun Devil Junior, Brett Lilek (LHP), has been named a Top-50 candidate for the 2015 Golden Spikes Award

Brett Lilek, aka Crispy