Basketball Players Dominated in Formative Years of College World Series

Long before the ping was the thing, college cagers would bring their Hoop Dreams to the Field of Dreams. Three of the first four individuals earning the NCAA College World Series Most Outstanding Player award were also basketball players for the school. Following are athletic achievement summaries during the school year in question for the the five versatile performers in this hoop regular/CWS MOP category:

Year CWS MOP College Pos. School Year Athletic Summary
1949 Tom Hamilton Texas 1B #2 scorer for 17-7 hoops team before contributing home run and four RBI in CWS title-game victory against Wake Forest
1950 Ray Van Cleef Rutgers OF averaged 2.8 ppg for 13-15 hoops team before going 7-for-9 in first two CWS outings for eventual 3rd-place finisher
1952 Jim O'Neill Holy Cross P averaged 6.2 ppg for 24-4 NIT participant before 6-5 righthander tossed three CWS complete-game wins, striking out nine in championship contest
1962 Bob Garibaldi Santa Clara P #2 scorer/rebounder for 19-6 hoops team before workhorse fanned 38 batters while appearing in five of six CWS games (27 2/3 innings after hurling eight frames in relief in 15-inning final-game loss against Michigan)
1973 Dave Winfield Minnesota OF-P averaged 10.5 ppg and 6.1 rpg for 21-5 hoops team before eventual HOF outfielder fanned 29 batters in two pitching starts (14 vs. Oklahoma and 15 vs. USC) with club tying for third-place finish; in perhaps the most amazing game in CWS history, Winfield allowed only an infield single through eight innings before defending champion Trojans erased 7-0 deficit with eight runs in ninth frame