On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on May 28 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.

Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 28 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 28

  • In 1954, Chicago Cubs CF Frankie Baumholtz (MVP in 1941 NIT and first player in Ohio University basketball history to score 1,000 career points) stroked four hits against his original team (Cincinnati Reds).

  • New York Yankees LF Bob Cerv (ranked fourth on Nebraska's career scoring list in 1949-50 whacked a pinch grand slam against the Chicago White Sox in 1961.

  • RHP George Earnshaw (competed with Swarthmore PA in 1922) acquired by the Philadelphia Athletics from Baltimore in 1928.

  • Detroit Tigers 1B Hank Greenberg (enrolled at NYU on hoop scholarship in 1929 but attended college only one semester) smacked two homers in an 8-3 win against the New York Yankees in 1935.

  • RF David Justice (led Thomas More KY in assists in 1984-85) provided a two-run single to spark a ninth-inning rally propelling the Atlanta Braves past the San Diego Padres, 8-6, in 1991.

  • San Francisco Giants CF Billy North (played briefly for Central Washington in 1967-68) stole three bases in a game for the third time this month in 1981.

  • RHP Ron Reed (Notre Dame's leading rebounder in 1963-64 and 1964-65) traded by the Atlanta Braves to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1975.

  • Baltimore Orioles LF Larry Sheets (All-ODAC selection in 1981-82 and 1982-83 with Eastern Mennonite VA) socked two homers against the California Angels in 1987.

  • As a substitute in a 17-inning tie, Los Angeles Dodgers rookie 3B John Werhas (USC's leading scorer in 1958-59 and 1959-60) collected a career-high three hits against the Cincinnati Reds in 1964.

  • In 1994, Minnesota Twins DH Dave Winfield (starting forward with Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) collected his 3,054th MLB hit, surpassing former Twin Rod Carew into 15th place on the all-time list.