Rodney Joe Gilbreath was a Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

 second baseman

Second baseman

Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...

 from 1972 to 1978 for the Atlanta Braves

Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....

.

Early life

Rod Gilbreath attended Watkins High School in Laurel, Mississippi

Laurel, Mississippi

Laurel is a city located in Jones County in Mississippi, a state of the United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 18,393 although a significant population increase has been reported following Hurricane Katrina. Located in southeast Mississippi, southeast of...

. After high school he enrolled in Jones County Junior College.

Professional career

Gilbreath was selected in the 3rd round (69th overall) of the 1970 Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

Draft. He proceeded to enter the major leagues in 1972, Rod was only 19 years old.

In 1976 Rod led the National League with 20 sacrifice hits.