![]() ![]() One summer in an American Legion All-Star game at Airline Park – which was re-named Mike Miley Playground and Park just days after his death – 12-year-old Scott Smuck and other Airline Park kids were in awe watching a 14-year Miley launch home run after home run. He quickly became the idol of the neighborhood kids. High, not far from his Airline Park home. The legend of Mike Miley started when he attended T.H. I think everybody in Jefferson Parish did, too. After the Orange Bowl game, we all got caught up in a mini-riot on the Miami Beach strip and we were running for our lives. It took us forever to get there and back. We went in my new Roadrunner my Dad bought me. “It was shocking that our parents let us go on the trip. LSU was recruiting Mike and John, so we all had free tickets. “During Mike’s senior year at East Jeff, me, Mike, John Burks who was Mike’s best friend and his favorite receiver and a guy named Mike Miller drove from New Orleans to Miami to watch LSU play in the Orange Bowl. They were so upset about losing I thought they’d have to call the cops to get us out there. They had a guy pitching who looked like a grown man, but Mike hit a game-winning home run off him. We played baseball against Marrero on a Westbank field. Our letter jackets had a lot of championship patches. Harris), we won every title – football, baseball, basketball and track. Miley Memories from Danny Emmons, a teammate of Miley at T.H. Mention his name and they are young again, enthusiastically recalling his athletic feats and admiring his humble persona. More than 43 years later after his death, 70-year old plus men who coached or played with and against Miley still hold him in reverence. ![]() His loss was greatly mourned and still is by those who he touched directly or indirectly by simply being a great athlete and an even better person. He was 23 years old, one month from likely becoming the starting shortstop of the California Angels. Fans showed up to watch him play because he would provide special moments.Īnd they all were shocked that fateful January 1977 night when Miley was tragically killed in a one-car accident in Baton Rouge. Teammates respected him because they knew they always had a chance to win with him in the lineup. “He always thought, `Hey, in the last-minute I’ll win it.’”Īnd because Miley stood 6-1 and was a rather thin 185 pounds, he looked like the kid next door because he WAS the kid next door.Įxcept as Miley’s LSU baseball teammate Dennis Lorio so accurately described him, “He was better than everybody else.”Ĭoaches loved him because he was a star who was coachable. “Mike never thought he was going to lose,” said Barry Wilson, who coached Miley on LSU’s 1971 freshman football team. His “it’s not over until I say it’s over” approach earned him the nickname “Miracle Mike.” Miley, twice a Major League Baseball first-round draft choice, a starting quarterback at LSU and an All-American shortstop, played with quiet passion. Always easy to deal with, never too full of himself.” “And he was always just a good person to be around. “Mike was the best athlete that I ever coached,” said Joe Brockhoff, who was Miley’s East Jefferson High baseball coach when the Warriors won the 1971 state Class 4A baseball championship. Hit a home run, take off baseball cleats, slip on track spikes, run over to the track and win the high jump. When Miley’s sports seasons overlapped, he instantly transitioned. I’ve since helped build several window companies for franchise owners, as well as many privately-owned companies across the U.S.You gotta see this kid play quarterback! You gotta see this kid play shortstop! You gotta see this kid play guard! You gotta see this kid high jump! I began as a janitor, then warehouse laborer to a warehouse manager, and then up from there until I left to start my install crew. "I started in the window industry working for a local window company. Providing yet another fiscal attribute to our local community." In The Owners Words - "I've been in the window industry at some level for over 20 years and I know we can help the community by providing a service for a product that is essential to all homeowners, as well as a place for employment. With our many years of experience and drive to provide, we feel we can approach almost any window project with a practical solution or direct you to someone who can. We're here to help customers purchase and manage their projects, not just sell something then move on. We aim to educate and help prospects with their window needs, in hopes of building a lasting relationship full of improvements. We strive to provide viable solutions to the needs of our prospects helping the community with their projects as we go. Clearview Windows & Doors LLC is a brick-and-mortar company started by family and still operated by family. ![]()
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