On This Date: Ex-College Hoopsters Make Their Mark on May 21 MLB Games

Extra! Extra! Read all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players! Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopsters had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.

Former Duke basketball All-Americans Dick Groat and Billy Werber provided big MLB performances on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 21 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 21

  • Toronto Blue Jays 2B Danny Ainge (three-time Brigham Young All-American and national basketball player of year as senior in 1980-81) stroked three hits and scored three runs against the Cleveland Indians in his MLB debut in 1979.

  • LF Ethan Allen (Cincinnati letterman in 1924-25 and 1925-26) traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the Chicago Cubs in 1936.

  • Seattle Mariners RHP Jim Beattie (Dartmouth's top rebounder in 1974-75 when selected team MVP and honorable mention All-Ivy League) notched his third victory in 11 days in 1980.

  • Hall of Fame C Mickey Cochrane (Boston University hoopster in early 1920s) clobbered three homers as a Philadelphia Athletics rookie in a 20-4 rout of the St. Louis Browns in 1925. Six years later, Cochrane collected five hits and four RBI against the Detroit Tigers in 1931.

  • New York Giants 2B Pat Crawford (Davidson captain in early 1920s) contributed two extra-base hits and four RBI for the second time in a 10-game span in 1930.

  • Atlanta Braves 3B Darrell Evans (member of Jerry Tarkanian-coached Pasadena City CA club winning 1967 state community college crown) homered twice in a 1975 game against the Montreal Expos.

  • In 1962, Pittsburgh Pirates SS Dick Groat (two-time All-American with Duke in 1950-51 and 1951-52 when finishing among nation's top five scorers each season) went 4-for-4 against the Chicago Cubs in the midst of a career-high 15-game hitting streak.

  • San Diego Padres RF Tony Gwynn (All-WAC second-team selection with San Diego State in 1979-80 and 1980-81) went 4-for-4 against the Philadelphia Phillies en route to a N.L.-high 211 hits in 1986.

  • New York Yankees LHP Steve Hamilton (Morehead State's leading scorer and rebounder in 1956-57 and 1957-58) registered a save by getting the last two outs to preserve a 2-0 shutout against the Washington Senators in 1970 after starter Mel Stottlemyre issued 11 walks.

  • Cleveland Indians RHP Wynn Hawkins (Little All-American was all-time leading scorer for Baldwin-Wallace OH upon graduation in 1957) hurled his lone MLB shutout (9-0 against Minnesota Twins in opener of 1961 twinbill).

  • INF-OF Rick Herrscher (led SMU with 17.5 ppg in 1957-58 when he was an All-SWC first-team selection) shipped by the Milwaukee Braves to the New York Mets in 1962 to complete an earlier deal.

  • Boston Red Sox C Duane Josephson (led Northern Iowa in scoring in 1962-63 and 1963-64 under coach Norm Stewart) jacked two homers in an 8-4 victory against the Baltimore Orioles in 1971.

  • Cincinnati Reds RF Danny Litwhiler (member of JV squad with Bloomsburg PA three years in mid-1930s) smacked a pinch three-run homer to break a 6-6 deadlock against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1950.

  • CF Don Lock (led Wichita State in field-goal percentage in 1956-57 and 1957-58) ended an 18-inning marathon in 1967 when his two-out single gave the Philadelphia Phillies a 2-1 win against the Cincinnati Reds.

  • San Francisco Giants LF Terrell Lowery (two-time All-WCC first-team selection and league-leading scorer for Loyola Marymount in 1990-91 and 1991-92) banged out five hits, including three doubles, in a 16-10 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers in 2000.

  • Boston Red Sox 1B Ed Morgan (Tulane letterman from 1923-24 through 1925-26) had five hits against the Chicago White Sox in 1934.

  • Hall of Fame RHP Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) signed by Baltimore Orioles in 1962 after he was released by the New York Yankees.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers INF Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) supplied six RBI in a 15-6 romp over the St. Louis Cardinals in 1949.

  • Boston Red Sox 3B Billy Werber (first Duke All-American in 1929-30) collected three stolen bases and scored four runs against the Chicago White Sox in 1934.

  • RHP Jim Wilson (letterman for San Diego State's 1942 NAIA Tournament participant) traded by the Baltimore Orioles to the Chicago White Sox in 1956.