George Joseph Burns (November 24, 1889 – August 15, 1966) was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball who spent most of his career as the leadoff hitter for the New York Giants.

Nicknamed "Silent George" by his teammates due to his soft-spoken personality, he was an effective leadoff man who was revered for his plate discipline.

Born in Utica, New York, Burns started his baseball career as a catcher, and reached the Giants in the latter half of the 1911 season.

Because of his strong throwing arm and outstanding speed, manager John McGraw converted him into an outfielder.

He joined the regular lineup in 1913 and, becoming one of the first players to wear sunglasses and using a long-billed cap, came to excel defensively in left field at the Polo Grounds with its difficult angles; the left field bleachers came to be known as "Burnsville", and his teammates would later describe him as the "greatest 'sunfielder' in the history of the game."

He is a marvel in every department of play, a superb fielder, a wonderful thrower, a grand batsman and with few peers in baseball history as a run scorer.

"[2] In a 1920 Sporting News article, sportswriter John B. Sheridan ranked Burns as the fourth greatest outfielder in history, behind only Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker and Jimmy Sheckard.