John Poff developed his baseball skills on the sandlots of Findlay before becoming an All-American at Duke University and playing parts of two seasons at the Major League level. The Findlay High standout, who carried an 18-game hitting streak into the 1970 state high school tournament starred as an outfield/first baseman at Duke where he compiled a .257 career batting average. He was a Duke co-captain and MVP in 1973 when he batted .314 with a team-high 27 hits on his way to earning all-Atlantic Coast Conference first-team honors. He was a second-team all-ACC player in 1974 after sharing team honors with 14 RBI and going 1-1 with a .360 ERA in two pitching stints. Poff then signed with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1974. He spent 6 years in the Minor Leagues, batting .293 at AAA Oklahoma City before playing 12 games with the Phillies in 1979 as an outfielder/first baseman. A year later, he batted .250 in 19 games with the Milwaukee Brewers as a designated hitter, outfielder and first baseman. At Findlay High he also lettered in basketball and starred on the American Legion baseball teams.