• Card series: Beginnings: 1880's
• City: St. Louis
• Team: Browns (AA)
• League: American Association

John Milligan (1861-1923) was a catcher for 5 major league teams from 1884 to 1893, including two stints with the Athletics. A lifelong Philadelphian, Jocko played for nearby teams: the Senators, Orioles and Giants with a two-year hitch in St. Louis being his only sojourn away from the East Coast. Orphaned at age 8, Milligan was raised at Girard College, an orphanage that prized athletics and gave young Jocko the gift of baseball. He became one of 13 graduates to play the game professionally. During his ten-year career, Jocko hit a very respectable .286 with 49 home runs. Although he was primarily a back-up catcher, Milligan compiled lifetime stats that put him among the best of his era. Bill James has placed him at 103rd best all-around receivers.

• On May 2, 1886 Jocko hit four doubles in one game
• This gentle giant (6’1” and 190 lbs) and blacksmith entertained orphans with 360′ wallops long after his retirement