On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Score Big in May MLB Games

Extra! Extra! Read all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players! 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 calendar involving such versatile athletes:

MAY
31 - Buttressed by nine doubles from Pittsburgh Pirates teammates, P Joe Gibbon (two-time All-SEC forward for Ole Miss was the nation's second-leading scorer as a senior in 1956-57) hurled a complete-game, 9-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves in 1961. . . . Pittsburgh Pirates OF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling a 35-3 record) had his 26-game hitting streak end in 2003, falling one contest short of the franchise record.
30 - Boston Red Sox 1B Dale Alexander (starting center for Milligan, TN, in mid-1920s) suffered a career-ending injury in 1933 (therapy for twisted knee sliding into home plate led to third-degree burns, gangrene and near loss of his leg). . . . P Ownie Carroll (Holy Cross basketball letterman in 1922) traded with Harry Rice by the Detroit Tigers in 1930 to the New York Yankees for two members of the legendary 1927 squad featuring Murderers' Row (P Waite Hoyt and SS Mark Koenig). . . . 3B Gene Freese (captain of 1952 NAIA Tournament team for West Liberty WV) hit two homers, powering the Cincinnati Reds to a 1961 doubleheader sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers. . . . Brooklyn Robins/Dodgers 3B Wally Gilbert (Valparaiso captain in early 1920s) supplied six straight safeties in a doubleheader sweep of the New York Giants in 1931. . . . C Frank Grube (starting guard for Lafayette as a senior in 1926-27), two teammates and Chicago White Sox manager Lew Fonseca involved in a fight with an umpire under the stands after a doubleheader loss at Cleveland in 1932. . . . OF Sam Mele (NYU's leading scorer in 1943 NCAA playoffs) traded by the Washington Senators to the Chicago White Sox in 1952. . . . The Chicago Cubs went 32 games in 1943 before hitting a homer prior to OF Bill Nicholson (played for Washington College, MD, in mid-1930s) knocking a couple of balls beyond the outfield barrier in a 5-1 victory over the Braves. His first of a pair of two-run blasts came in the team's 1,120th at-bat of the season. . . . 1B Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) ripped a 13th-inning homer to give the Brooklyn Dodgers a 2-1 win over the New York Giants in the opener of a 1949 doubleheader.
29 - SS Bill Almon (averaged 2.5 ppg in half a season for Brown's 1972-73 team ending the Bears' streak of 12 straight losing records) traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates to the New York Mets in 1987. . . . Cleveland Indians RF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA titlist) hit the first MLB homer over the outer wall at Kansas City's Municipal Stadium in 1955. . . . New York Yankees 1B-OF Buddy Hassett (played for Manhattan teams that won a school-record 17 consecutive games in 1930 and 1931) contributed four hits in a 16-1 rout of Washington in 1942. . . . LF Lou Johnson (Kentucky State teammate of legendary HBCU coach Davey Whitney averaged 5.7 ppg and 2 rpg in 1951-52) swatted two homers in a 5-3 triumph against the Milwaukee Braves in 1965. . . . Chicago White Sox P Howie Judson (Illinois' third-leading scorer in 1944-45) ended a personal streak of 15 straight defeats with a 12-8 relief victory over the St. Louis Browns in 1950. . . . OF Jim Lyttle (led Florida State in free-throw shooting in 1965-66 when he averaged 12.4 ppg) purchased from the Montreal Expos by the New York Mets in 1974. . . . P Christy Mathewson (played for Bucknell at turn of 20th Century) notched a 3-0 shutout over the Boston Braves in 1916, sparking the New York Giants to their 17th triumph in a row (all on the road). . . . P Claude Passeau (played for Millsaps, MS, in late 1920s and early 1930s) traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the Chicago Cubs in 1939. . . . OF Ray Pepper (Alabama letterman in 1926-27) banged out five hits, including two homers, and drove in five runs to boost the St. Louis Browns to a 12-7 victory over the Detroit Tigers in 1934. . . . Philadelphia Phillies P Eppa Rixey (Virginia letterman in 1912 and 1914) yielded a ninth-inning inside-the-park homer but held on for a 4-3, 13-inning victory against Pittsburgh. It is the only homer Rixey allowed in 301 innings pitched.
28 - P George Earnshaw (competed on Swarthmore, PA, basketball squad in 1922) acquired by the Philadelphia Athletics from Baltimore in 1928. . . . OF 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. . . . P 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. . . . In 1994, Minnesota Twins OF 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.
27 - OF Ethan Allen (Cincinnati letterman in 1924-25 and 1925-26) traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the New York Giants in 1930. . . . P Andy Karl (Manhattan letterman in mid-1930s) traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the Boston Braves in 1947. . . . Closer Lee Smith (averaged 3.4 ppg and 1.9 rpg with Northwestern State in 1976-77) traded by the California Angels to the Cincinnati Reds in 1996. . . . Seattle Mariners OF Randy Winn (Santa Clara backcourtmate of eventual two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash in 1993-94) stroked five hits in a 15-7 triumph over the Kansas City Royals in 2003.
26 - P Mike Adams (played for Texas A&M-Kingsville in 1996-97) traded by the Milwaukee Brewers to the New York Mets in 2006. . . . Boston Red Sox P Boo Ferriss (Mississippi State letterman in 1941) hurled a one-hitter against the Chicago White Sox in the opener of a 1946 doubleheader. . . . Lefthander Harvey Haddix of the Pittsburgh Pirates spun a perfect game for 12 innings in 1959 before Milwaukee Braves 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading scorer in 1945-46) hit a game-winning homer in the 13th (credited with a double because of a base-running snafu). . . . Los Angeles Dodgers P Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman squad in 1953-54) fanned 16 Philadelphia Phillies batters in a 1962 game. . . . INF Jerry Lumpe (member of Southwest Missouri State's 1952 NAIA Tournament championship team) traded by the New York Yankees to the Kansas City Athletics in 1959 in a swap involving Ralph Terry, who pitched in five straight World Series for the Yanks. . . . Starting P Gary Peters (played for Grove City, PA, in midi-1950s) batted sixth in the Chicago White Sox lineup in a 5-1 loss against the New York Yankees in the opener of a 1968 doubleheader.
25 - P Jim Bibby (Fayetteville State, NC, backup player and brother of UCLA All-American Henry Bibby) and Pittsburgh Pirates teammate Jim Winn tied a MLB record by combining to walk seven consecutive batters in the third inning of a 1983 game against the Atlanta Braves. . . . Hall of Fame C Mickey Cochrane (Boston University player in early 1920s), after socking a third-inning homer for the Detroit Tigers against the New York Yankees in his final official at-bat, incurred a skull fracture in three places when beaned by a 3-1 pitch in the fifth in 1937. The player-manager never returned to active duty as a player. . . . In 1950, Cochrane was named general manager of the Philadelphia Athletics. . . . In 1960, St. Louis Cardinals 1B George Crowe (four-year letterman from 1939-40 through 1942-43 for Indiana Central after becoming the first high school player named the state's "Mr. Basketball") hit a MLB career-record 11th pinch-hit homer. . . . Boston Red Sox 1B Walt Dropo (Connecticut's first player ever to average 20 points for a season with 21.7 in 1942-43), en route to becoming 1950 A.L. Rookie of the Year, drove in six runs (four with a grand slam) in a 15-12 verdict over the St. Louis Browns. . . . 2B Davey Lopes (NAIA All-District 15 selection for Iowa Wesleyan averaged 16.9 ppg as a freshman in 1964-65 and 12.1 ppg as a sophomore in 1965-66) lashed the last of seven homers for the Los Angeles Dodgers on a 3-0 delivery in a 17-6 whipping of the Cincinnati Reds in 1979. In Lopes' next at-bat, he was decked on four straight pitches, precipitating a brawl. . . . St. Louis Cardinals rookie CF Wally Moon (averaged 4.3 ppg with Texas A&M in 1948-49 and 1949-50) swiped four bases in a 9-4 decision over the Chicago Cubs in 1954. . . . OF Champ Summers (team-high scoring averages of 15.7 ppg for Nicholls State in 1964-65 and 22.5 ppg for SIUE in 1969-70) traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the Detroit Tigers in 1979.
24 - Elden Auker (All-Big Six Conference first five selection with Kansas State in 1931-32) pitched the first night game in St. Louis in 1940 when Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame P Bob Feller defeated the Browns, 3-2. . . . Davey Johnson (averaged 1.7 ppg with Texas A&M in 1961-62) replaced Tony Perez as manager of the Cincinnati Reds in 1993. . . . Chicago White Sox P Ted Lyons (two-time All-SWC first-team selection for Baylor in the early 1920s) surrendered 24 hits in going the distance in a 21-inning, 6-5 defeat against the Detroit Tigers in 1929. . . . In 1946, 45-year-old Lyons relinquished the mound to become manager of the White Sox. In his last 28 appearances, he hurled complete games. . . . New York Giants P Christy Mathewson (played basketball for Bucknell at turn of 20th Century) defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 24 consecutive times until losing to the Cards, 3-1, in 1909. . . . 1B Howie Schultz (Hamline, MN, product played and coached professional basketball) awarded on waivers by the Philadelphia Phillies to the Cincinnati Reds in 1948. . . . 1B-OF Preston Ward (second-leading scorer for Southwest Missouri State in 1946-47 and 1948-49) contributed a triple and homer in helping the Pittsburgh Pirates snap an 11-game losing streak with a 15-1 romp over the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1955.
23 - P Mike Barlow (Syracuse substitute from 1967-68 through 1969-70) shipped by the Oakland Athletics to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1975 to complete an earlier trade. . . . P Ray Burris (played for Southwestern Oklahoma State) traded by the Chicago Cubs to the New York Yankees for P Dick Tidrow in 1979. . . . INF Howard Freigau (played for Ohio Wesleyan) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Chicago Cubs in 1925. . . . St. Louis Cardinals P Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer in 1955-56 and 1956-57) fanned 16 Philadelphia Phillies batters in a 3-1 victory in 1970. . . . In 1911, New York Giants P Christy Mathewson (played for Bucknell at turn of 20th Century) defeated the Cincinnati Reds for the 18th consecutive time. . . . INF Dan Monzon (played for Buena Vista, IA, in mid-1960s) traded by the Minnesota Twins to the Montreal Expos in 1974. . . . P Curly Ogden (competed as a center for Swarthmore, PA, in 1919, 1920 and 1922) purchased from the Philadelphia Athletics by the Washington Senators in 1924. . . . Baltimore Orioles P Robin Roberts (Michigan State's runner-up in scoring in 1945-46 and 1946-47) hurled a two-hitter (both by light-hitting SS Eddie Brinkman/.224 career batting average) in a 6-0 victory over the Washington Senators in 1963. . . . P Paul Splittorff (runner-up in scoring and rebounding for Morningside, IA, in 1967-68) hurled 11 shutout innings for the Kansas City Royals before they edged the Minnesota Twins, 1-0, in 15 frames in 1981. . . . Bobby Winkles (led Illinois Wesleyan in scoring in 1950-51) stepped down as manager of the Oakland A's in 1978 although they were leading the A.L. Western Division.
22 - 1B Bill Davis (averaged 12.5 ppg in 1963-64 for a Minnesota team including eventual NBA standouts Archie Clark and Lou Hudson) traded by the San Diego Padres to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1969. . . . OF Dick Gernert (Temple letterman in 1948-49) was one of four Boston Red Sox players to wallop a homer in the sixth inning of an 11-0 victory over the Cleveland Indians in 1957. . . . Gil Hodges (played for Oakland City, IN, in 1947 and 1948) became manager of the Washington Senators in 1963 after being acquired from the New York Mets for OF Jimmy Piersall. . . . INF Jerry Lumpe (member of Southwest Missouri State's 1952 NAIA Tournament championship team) notched the New York Yankees only hit (a single) in a 5-0 setback against knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm of the Baltimore Orioles in 1959. . . . Chicago White Sox P Ted Lyons (two-time All-SWC first-team selection with Baylor in the early 1920s) beat the Washington Senators, 9-2, in 1938 for his 200th career victory. . . . Utilityman Jimmy Stewart (All-Volunteer State Athletic Conference selection for Austin Peay State in 1959-60 and 1960-61) purchased from the Chicago Cubs by the Chicago White Sox in 1967.
21 - OF Ethan Allen (Cincinnati letterman in 1924-25 and 1925-26) traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the Chicago Cubs in 1936. . . . 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. . . . New York Yankees P 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 over the Washington Senators in 1970 after starter Mel Stottlemyre issued 11 walks. . . . 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. . . . OF 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 over the Cincinnati Reds. . . . San Francisco Giants OF 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 over the Milwaukee Brewers in 2000. . . . Hall of Fame P 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. . . . P Jim Wilson (letterman for San Diego State's 1942 NAIA Tournament participant) traded by the Baltimore Orioles to the Chicago White Sox in 1956.
20 - Chicago Cubs 2B Glenn Beckert (three-year letterman for Allegheny, MA) hit an inside-the-park HR in a 20-3 romp over the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1967. OF Ted Savage (led Lincoln, MO, in scoring average in 1955-56) rounded out the Cubbies' scoring by stealing home in the seventh inning, prompting Dodgers P Don Drysdale to wave a white handkerchief of surrender. . . . SS Alvin Dark (letterman for LSU and USL during World War II) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to Chicago Cubs in 1958. . . . P Rich Hand (averaged 6.2 ppg for Puget Sound, WA, in 1967-68) traded by the Texas Rangers to the California Angels in 1973. . . . C Birdie Tebbetts (played for Providence in 1932) traded by the Detroit Tigers to the Boston Red sox in 1947.
19 - Chicago Cubs 2B Glenn Beckert (three-year letterman for Allegheny, MA) had his 26-game hitting streak snapped by Ken Brett of the Philadelphia Phillies in 1973. . . . OF Bob Cerv (ranked fourth on Nebraska's career scoring list in 1949-50 when finishing his career) traded by the Kansas City Athletics to the New York Yankees in 1960. . . . P Mark Freeman (averaged 3.6 ppg for LSU as a senior in 1950-51) traded by the New York Yankees to the Chicago Cubs in 1960. . . . OF Irv Noren (player of the year for California community college state champion Pasadena City in 1945) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Chicago Cubs in 1959.
18 - OF Brant Alyea (Hofstra's leading scorer and rebounder in 1960-61 after being runner-up in both categories the previous season) traded by the Oakland Athletics to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1972. . . . Detroit Tigers 2B Frank Bolling (averaged 7.3 ppg for Spring Hill, AL, in 1950-51) scored five runs in a 14-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox in 1959. . . . OF Hoot Evers (starter for Illinois in 1939-40) awarded on waivers to the New York Giants from the Boston Red Sox in 1954. . . . Washington Senators LF Frank Howard (two-time All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection when he led Ohio State in scoring and rebounding in 1956-57 and 1957-58) tied an A.L. record with a homer in six consecutive contests in 1968. . . . New York Giants OF Monte Irvin (played basketball for Lincoln, PA, 1 1/2 years in late 1930s) clobbered a grand slam in a rain-shortened, 10-4 triumph over the Chicago Cubs in 1950.
17 - Milwaukee Brewers 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading scorer in 1945-46) collected a homer among his four hits in a 9-4 triumph over the New York Giants in 1955. . . . 1B-OF Larry Biittner (runner-up in scoring and rebounding for Buena Vista, IA, in 1966-67) traded with P Steve Renko (averaged 9.9 ppg and 5.8 rpg as a Kansas sophomore in 1963-64) by the Montreal Expos to the Chicago Cubs for 1B Andre Thornton in 1976. The next year, Biittner belted one of the Cubs' seven homers in a 23-6 romp over the San Diego Padres. . . . Detroit Tigers CF Hoot Evers (starter for Illinois in 1939-40) broke up a scoreless duel with a two-run homer in the ninth inning against the Philadelphia Athletics in 1947. . . . 1B Ron Jackson (All-MAC second-team choice from 1951-52 through 1953-54 led Western Michigan in scoring his last two seasons) traded by the Boston Red Sox to the Milwaukee Braves for INF Ray Boone in 1960. . . . Atlanta Braves CF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling a 35-3 record) supplied his third five-hit game of the 1997 campaign in an 11-6 triumph against the St. Louis Cardinals. . . . P Ted Lyons (two-time All-SWC first-team selection for Baylor in the early 1920s) started the first of eight straight doubleheader openers for the Chicago White Sox in 1942. . . . CF Billy North (played four games with Central Washington in 1967-68) traded by the Oakland Athletics to the Los Angeles Dodgers for OF Glenn burke in 1978. . . . OF Jim Northrup (second-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder for Alma, MI, in 1958-59) drilled a game-winning grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Detroit Tigers a 7-3 victory over the Washington Senators. It was one of five grand slams for him in 1968. . . . OF Bill Virdon (played for Drury, MO, in 1949) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1956 only one year after being named N.L. Rookie of the Year. He finished runner-up in the N.L. batting race with a .319 mark (.211 for the Cards and .334 for the Pirates). . . . Washington Senators P Tom Zachary (Guilford, NC, letterman in 1916) yielded the 3,000th career hit of Cleveland Indians OF Tris Speaker's career in 1925.).
16 - Utilityman Chuck Harmon (freshman starter was Toledo's second-leading scorer for 1943 NIT runner-up) traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the St. Louis Cardinals for INF Alex Grammas and OF Joe Frazier in 1956. . . . Washington Senators LF Frank Howard (two-time All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection when he led Ohio State in scoring and rebounding in 1956-57 and 1957-58) registered his third two-homer contest in a four-game span in 1968. . . . New York Giants P Christy Mathewson (played basketball for Bucknell at turn of 20th Century) had his string of 47 straight innings without issuing a walk end against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1913. . . . Philadelphia Phillies P Eppa Rixey (Virginia letterman in 1912 and 1914) hurled a 15-inning complete game at Cincinnati and won, 3-2, via his sacrifice fly in 1920. . . . P Sonny Siebert (team-high 16.7 ppg for Missouri in 1957-58 as an All-Big Eight Conference second-team selection) traded by the San Diego Padres to the Oakland Athletics in 1975. . . . 1B-OF Preston Ward (second-leading scorer for Southwest Missouri State in 1946-47 and 1948-49) traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Cleveland Indians in 1956.
15 - Chicago Cubs RF George Altman (appeared in 1953 and 1954 NAIA Tournament with Tennessee State) made an eighth-inning leaping catch in 1960 to help preserve Don Cardwell's no-hitter against the St. Louis Cardinals. It was Cardwell's first start for the Cubbies after he was acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies. . . . P George Earnshaw (Swarthmore, PA, participant in 1922) purchased from the Chicago White Sox by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1935. . . . Hall of Fame C Rick Ferrell (played for Guilford, NC, in mid-1920s) traded by the Washington Senators to the St. Louis Browns in 1941. . . . Atlanta Braves OF David Justice (led Thomas More, KY, in assists in 1984-85) sidelined for the remainder of the 1996 campaign after dislocating his right shoulder swinging at a pitch. . . . New York Giants P Christy Mathewson (played basketball for Bucknell at turn of 20th Century) tossed his third straight shutout in 1901. . . . New York Yankees OF Irv Noren (player of the year for California junior college state champion Pasadena City in 1945) contributed an inside-the-park grand slam in an 8-4 win over the Kansas City Athletics in 1955. . . . 2B Marv Olson (all-conference selection was team MVP for Luther, IA) traded by the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees in 1933 but never played for the Bronx Bombers. . . . P Nels Potter (leading scorer during two years he attended Mount Morris, IL, in early 1930s) purchased from the St. Louis Browns by the Philadelphia Athletics for $17,500 in 1948.
14 - In 1977, Jim Colborn (attended Whittier, CA, in mid-1960s before studying for master's at Edinburgh where he was All-Scotland in basketball) hurled the first no-hitter at Royals Stadium by a Kansas City pitcher (6-0 win against the Texas Rangers). . . . Boston Red Sox P Boo Ferriss (Mississippi State letterman in 1941) threw only 78 pitches in a 3-0 shutout against the Chicago White Sox in 1946. . . . SS Doc Lavan (played for Hope, MI, from 1908 through 1910) purchased from the Washington Senators by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1919. . . . Mel McGaha (first Arkansas player to earn four letters from 1943-44 through 1946-47) fired as manager of the Kansas City Athletics by owner Charlie Finley in 1965. . . . OF Ted Savage (led Lincoln, MO, in scoring average in 1955-56) purchased from the St. Louis Cardinals by the Chicago Cubs in 1967. . . . 1B Dick Siebert (played for Concordia-St. Paul, MN, in 1929 and 1930) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Philadelphia Athletics in 1938. . . . PH Babe Young (Fordham letterman in 1936) contributed a double and triple in a 10-run, eighth-inning explosion propelling the New York Giants to a 12-6 triumph over the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1942.
13 - OF-1B Beau Bell (Texas A&M two-year letterman in early 1930s) traded by the St. Louis Browns to the Detroit Tigers in a 10-player deal in 1939. . . . OF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA titlist) purchased from the Detroit Tigers by the Chicago White Sox in 1959. . . . OF Hoot Evers (starter for Illinois in 1939-40) traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Baltimore Orioles in 1956. . . . Boston Red Sox rookie P Boo Ferriss (Mississippi State letterman in 1941) set an A.L. record for scoreless innings at the start of a MLB career by reaching 22 shutout frames before allowing a tally in 1945. Ferriss struck out Detroit Tigers 1B Rudy York four times - all on called third strikes in an 8-2 win in the opener of a doubleheader. . . . Pittsburgh Pirates SS Dick Groat (two-time All-American with Duke in 1950-51 and 1951-52 when he finished among the nation's top five scorers each season) went 6-for-6 in an 8-2 triumph over the Milwaukee Braves in 1960. . . . C Cal Neeman (Illinois Wesleyan's leading scorer in 1947-48 and 1948-49) traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Philadelphia Phillies in a four-player swap in 1960. . . . Philadelphia Phillies P Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) yielded a lead-off HR before retiring the next 27 Cincinnati Reds batters to prevail, 8-1, in 1954. . . . In 1940, Cincinnati Reds 3B Billy Werber (first Duke All-American in 1929-30) became the only player to hit four consecutive doubles in a game in each league (8-8 tie with the St. Louis Cardinals).
12 - Baltimore Orioles OF Al Bumbry (Virginia State's runner-up in scoring with 16.7 ppg as a freshman in 1964-65) suffered a broken leg sliding into second base, missing most of the remainder of the 1978 season. . . . Milwaukee Braves P Gene Conley (All-Pacific Coast Conference first-team selection led the North Division in scoring as a Washington State sophomore in 1949-50) beat the Dodgers, 2-1, in 1955, ending Brooklyn's streak from the start of the season of 25 consecutive contests where they led at some point in the game. . . . In 1930, Philadelphia Athletics P George Earnshaw (Swarthmore, PA, participant in 1922) committed three balks and Cleveland Indians counterpart Milt Shoffner had five balks (three in the third inning). . . . P Johnny Gee (sixth-leading scorer in Big Ten Conference for Michigan's 16-4 team in 1936-37) purchased by the New York Giants from the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1944. . . . St. Louis Cardinals P Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer in 1955-56 and 1956-57) struck out the side on none pitches in the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1969. . . . New York Mets 1B Gil Hodges (played for Oakland City, IN, in 1947 and 1948) hit a ninth-inning, game-ending HR in the nightcap of a 1962 doubleheader. Teammate Hobie Landrith did the same thing in the opener against the Milwaukee Braves. . . . Baltimore Orioles P Ben McDonald (started six games as a 6-6 freshman for Louisiana State in 1986-87) squared off against 6-10 Randy Johnson of the Seattle Mariners in 1991 in the tallest starting pitching matchup in MLB history. . . . St. Louis Cardinals rookie CF Wally Moon (averaged 4.3 ppg with Texas A&M in 1948-49 and 1949-50) notched his second five-hit game and scored five runs in a 13-5 pounding of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1954. . . . SS Billy Werber (first Duke All-American in 1929-30) purchased by the Boston Red Sox from the New York Yankees in 1933. . . . P Tom Zachary (Guilford, NC, letterman in 1916) acquired on waivers by the Boston Braves from the New York Yankees in 1930.
11 - OF-1B Bruce Bochte (starting forward for Santa Clara's 1970 NCAA playoff team) traded by the California Angels to the Cleveland Indians in 1977. . . . Hall of Fame C Rick Ferrell (Guilford, NC, basketball player in mid-1920s) traded by the St. Louis Browns to the Boston Red Sox in 1933. . . . Utilityman Chuck Harmon (freshman starter was Toledo's second-leading scorer for 1943 NIT runner-up) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1957. . . . Frank Howard (two-time All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection when he led Ohio State in scoring and rebounding in 1956-57 and 1957-58) hammered two homers for the Washington Senators but they weren't enough to prevent a 6-5 defeat at Seattle in 1969. . . . Los Angeles Dodgers P Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman squad in 1953-54), continuing his comeback from a circulatory ailment in his left index finger, hurled a no-hitter against the San Francisco Giants in 1963. . . . INF Vance Law (averaged 6.8 ppg for Brigham Young from 1974-75 through 1976-77) contributed a 10th-inning squeeze bunt to give the Chicago Cubs a 1-0 victory over the San Diego Padres in 1988. . . . OF Danny Litwhiler (member of JV squad with Bloomsburg, PA, three years in mid-1930s) traded by the Boston Braves to the Cincinnati Reds in 1948. . . . OF Ted Savage (led Lincoln, MO, in scoring average in 1955-56) traded by the Milwaukee Brewers to the Kansas City Royals in 1971. . . . OF Dave Winfield (starting forward with Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972), citing a no-trade clause in his contract with the New York Yankees, refused to report to the Angels after being traded in 1990. Five days later, he accepted the deal. . . . OF Randy Winn (Santa Clara backcourtmate of eventual two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash in 1993-94) whacked a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning to give Tampa Bay a 6-4 victory over the Baltimore Orioles in 2002, snapping the Devil Rays' 15-game losing streak.
10 - Cleveland Indians P Jim Bibby (Fayetteville State, NC, backup basketball player and brother of UCLA All-American Henry Bibby) hurled a 1-0 shutout against the Milwaukee Brewers in the opener of a 1977 doubleheader. . . . 1B-OF Dick Gernert (letterman with Temple in 1948-49 when he averaged 2.7 ppg) traded by the Detroit Tigers to the Cincinnati Reds in 1961. . . . Utilityman Chuck Harmon (freshman starter was Toledo's second-leading scorer for 1943 NIT runner-up) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1957. . . . 1B Howie Schultz (Hamline, MN, product played and coached professional basketball) purchased from the Brooklyn Dodgers by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1947. . . . 3B John Werhas (led Southern California in scoring average in 1958-59 and 1959-60) traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers to the California Angels for OF and fellow USC product Len Gabrielson in 1967.
9 - New York Giants Andy Cohen (Alabama letterman in 1924 and 1925) hit a leadoff homer but they wound up losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates, 3-2, in 1929. . . . Hall of Fame C Rick Ferrell (played for Guilford, NC, in mid-1920s) traded by the St. Louis Browns to the Boston Red Sox in 1933. . . . C Cal Neeman (Illinois Wesleyan's leading scorer in 1947-48 and 1948-49) purchased from the Philadelphia Phillies by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1962. . . . INF-OF Mel Roach (averaged 9.3 ppg in 1952-53 in Virginia's final season prior to helping form the ACC) traded by the Milwaukee Braves to the Chicago Cubs for OF-INF Frank Thomas in 1961. . . . In his first game outside of New York City, Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) collected two hits and scored two runs in a 6-5 loss at Philadelphia in 1947. After the contest, the Dodgers gave him a vote of confidence by selling his backup, Howie Schultz (attended Hamline, MN, before playing in NBA) to the Phillies for $50,000. . . . P Sonny Siebert (team-high 16.7 ppg for Missouri in 1957-58 as an All-Big Eight Conference second-team selection) homered for the Cleveland Indians in the nightcap of a 1965 doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox.
8 - Jerry Adair (one of Oklahoma State's three leading scorers in 1956-57 and 1957-58 while ranking among the nation's top 12 free-throw shooters each season) committed an eighth-inning miscue for the Baltimore Orioles against the Detroit Tigers in 1965, ending his MLB-record streaks for consecutive errorless games by a 2B (89) and consecutive chances handled without an error (438). . . . OF Bob Cerv (ranked fourth on Nebraska's career scoring list in 1949-50 when finishing his career) acquired from the Los Angeles Angels by the New York Yankees in 1961 for his third tour of duty in pinstriples. . . . In 1948, Cleveland Indians OF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA titlist) whacked the longest home run at Washington's Griffith Stadium since Babe Ruth in 1922. . . . P Jay Hook (Northwestern's third-leading scorer with 10.7 ppg as a sophomore in 1955-56) traded by the New York Mets to the Milwaukee Braves in 1964. . . . LF Lou Johnson (Kentucky State teammate of legendary HBCU coach Davey Whitney averaged 5.7 ppg and 2 rpg in 1951-52) traded by the Milwaukee Braves with cash to the Detroit Tigers in 1963. . . . Chicago White Sox P Bob Keegan (Bucknell letterman in 1941-42 and 1942-43) yielded three homers to Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame OF Ted Williams in a 4-1 defeat in 1957.
7 - INF-OF Harvey Hendrick (Vanderbilt letterman in 1918) traded by the Brooklyn Robins to the Cincinnati Reds in 1931. . . . OF David Justice (led Thomas More, KY, in assists in 1984-85) hit two homers to help the Cleveland Indians erase a 9-1 deficit and defeat the Tampa Devil Rays, 20-11, in 1999. . . . P Jack Ogden (competed with Swarthmore, PA, in 1918) traded by the Cincinnati Reds with Leo Durocher to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1933. . . . Hal Schumacher (played basketball for St. Lawrence, NY) combined with New York Giants teammate Carl Hubbell to toss back-to-back shutouts in 1932 doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds. . . . 1B-OF Preston Ward (second-leading scorer for Southwest Missouri State in 1946-47 and 1948-49) tripled after three teammates walked to spur the Brooklyn Dodgers to a 9-5 victory at Chicago in 1948. . . . New York Giants 1B Bill White (played two years with Hiram, OH, in early 1950s) homered in his first MLB at-bat in 1956 (against the St. Louis Cardinals).
6 - Hall of Fame C Mickey Cochrane (Boston University basketball player in early 1920s) clobbered his first MLB homer with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1925. . . . Boston Red Sox rookie P Boo Ferriss (Mississippi State letterman in 1941) hurled his second straight shutout in 1945, whitewashing the New York Yankees, 5-0. . . . OF Jim Gleeson (NAIA Hall of Famer was an all-league player for Rockhurst, MO, in early 1930s) traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1942. . . . In 1967, 1B Cotton Nash (three-time All-American averaged 22.7 ppg and 12.3 rpg in Kentucky career from 1961-62 through 1963-64) traded by the California Angels with cash to the Chicago White Sox for 1B Bill "Moose" Skowron (scored 18 points in eight games for Purdue in 1949-50). . . . A two-out, seventh-inning single by Jim Northrup (second-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder for Alma, MI, in 1958-59) was the Detroit Tigers' lone safety when they were blanked, 4-0, by Dave Leonard of the Baltimore Orioles in 1968. . . . OF Rip Repulski (started a few games for St. Cloud State, MN) traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Boston Red Sox in 1960.
5 - 2B Marv Breeding (played for Samford in mid-1950s) traded by the Atlanta Braves to the San Francisco Giants in 1966. . . . George Earnshaw (competed on Swarthmore, PA, basketball squad in 1922) ignited a 17-game winning streak for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1931 with a 4-1 triumph over the Boston Red Sox. . . . OF Don Lock (led Wichita State in field-goal percentage in 1956-57 and 1957-58) traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the Boston Red Sox in 1969. . . . In the nightcap of a twinbill against the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals OF Wally Moon (averaged 4.3 ppg with Texas A&M in 1948-49 and 1949-50) began a 24-game hitting streak, the longest of the 1957 season in the N.L. . . . 1B-OF Norm Siebern (member of Southwest Missouri State's back-to-back NAIA Tournament titlists in 1952 and 1953) scored five runs for the Kansas City Athletics in an 18-6 romp over the Cleveland Indians in the opener of a doubleheader in 1962.
4 - Atlanta Braves P Ron Reed (Notre Dame's leading rebounder in 1963-64 and 1964-65) incurs the defeat in a 20-inning marathon against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1973. . . . P Sonny Siebert (team-high 16.7 ppg for Missouri in 1957-58 as an All-Big Eight Conference second-team selection) shipped by the Boston Red Sox to the Texas Rangers as part of a conditional deal in 1973. . . . Reliever Lee Smith (averaged 3.4 ppg and 1.9 rpg with Northwestern State in 1976-77) traded by the Boston Red Sox to the St. Louis Cardinals for OF Tom Brunansky in 1990.
3 - P Steve Hamilton (Morehead State's leading scorer and rebounder in 1956-57 and 1957-58) traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Washington Senators in 1962. . . . Teammates OF Irv Noren (basketball player of year for California junior college state champion Pasadena City in 1945) and INF Tommie Upton (led Southeast Missouri State in scoring three years last half of 1940s and was school's career scoring leader upon graduation; while serving in military, he was All-EIBL first-team selection with Penn in 1945-46) traded by the Washington Senators to the New York Yankees for promising OF Jackie Jensen and three other players in 1952. Upton never played for the Yanks. . . . P Steve Roser (center for Clarkson, NY, before passing up senior season after signing professional baseball contract in 1940) purchased from the New York Yankees by the Boston Braves in 1946. . . . P Rollie Sheldon (third-leading scorer as a sophomore for Connecticut's 1960 NCAA Tournament team) traded by the New York Yankees to the Kansas City Athletics in 1965.
2 - Cincinnati Reds 1B George Crowe (four-year letterman from 1939-40 through 1942-43 for Indiana Central after becoming the first high school player named the state's "Mr. Basketball") drove in six runs in a 7-3 victory at St. Louis in 1958. . . . INF Buddy Myer (letterman for Mississippi State in 1923-24) traded by the Washington Senators to the Boston Red Sox in 1927. . . . 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) swatted a grand slam for the Atlanta Braves in a 12-4 victory over the Houston Astros in 1987. . . . Philadelphia Phillies P Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) struck out 13 Chicago Cubs in a 4-2 triumph in 1957. No Philly infielder had an assist in the contest.
1 - After teammate Bill Parsons walked the first three Oakland A's batters, teammate Jim Colborn (Whittier, CA, in mid-1960s before studying for master's at Edinburgh where he was All-Scotland in basketball) came in and pitched a complete-game 4-3 victory for the Milwaukee Brewers in 1973. . . . 3B Billy Werber (first Duke basketball All-American in 1929-30) contributed a homer and double for the Cincinnati Reds during their eight-run fourth inning in 1940 when they defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers, 9-2. . . . A seventh-inning single by Boston Red Sox C Sammy White (All-PCC Northern Division first-five selection for Washington in 1947-48 and 1948-49) represented the only hit Hall of Famer Bob Feller yielded in a 2-0 win for the Cleveland Indians in the opener of a doubleheader in 1955. It was Feller's MLB-record 12th one-hitter. . . . INF Dib Williams (played for Hendrix, AR, in mid-1920s) purchased from the Philadelphia Athletics by the Boston Red Sox in 1935.

MLB achievements in April by former college basketball players