Beginner's Luck? Ex-Hofstra Hoopster Brant Alyea Homered on 1st MLB Pitch
May 7th, 2015 - 6:40
How many Eddie Rosarios were former college basketball players before making it on the diamond? Rosario (Minnesota Twins) became the 117th MLB player hitting a homer in his first at-bat (29th on initial pitch he faced). Among the five ex-college hoopsters homering in first at-bat on the following chronological list, Hofstra's Brant Alyea appears to be the only one to go deep on the initial MLB pitch he faced:
| Ex-Hoopster | College | First MLB Team | Date | Opponent Yielding HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ace Parker | Duke | Philadelphia Phillies | 4-30-37 | Boston Red Sox |
| Ted Tappe | Washington State | Cincinnati Reds | 9-14-50 | Brooklyn Dodgers |
| Wally Moon | Texas A&M | St. Louis Cardinals | 4-13-54 | Chicago Cubs |
| Bill White | Hiram (Ohio) | New York Giants | 5-7-56 | St. Louis Cardinals |
| Brant Alyea* | Hofstra | Washington Senators | 9-12-65 | California Angels |
*Hit homer on first MLB pitch he faced.