On This Date: Ex-College Hoopers Make Mark in September 18 MLB Games

September 18th, 2019 - 7:25

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 hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.

A couple of former hoopers from current power-conference members based in Indiana - Oral Hildebrand (Butler) and Cy Williams (Notre Dame) - supplied significant MLB performances on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a September 18 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

SEPTEMBER 18

  • In 1963, CF Billy Cowan (Utah basketball letterman from 1957-58 through 1959-60 was co-captain of NCAA playoff team as senior) cracked his first MLB homer, a ninth-inning, two-run blast giving the Chicago Cubs a 2-1 win over Pittsburgh Pirates LHP Joe Gibbon (two-time All-SEC forward for Ole Miss was nation's second-leading scorer as senior in 1956-57).

  • In 1987, Detroit Tigers 1B Darrell Evans (member of Jerry Tarkanian-coached Pasadena City CA club winning 1967 state community college crown) became the first 40-year-old to reach the 40-homer plateau in a single season.

  • Hall of Fame C Rick Ferrell (Guilford NC hooper in mid-1920s) and his brother (P Wes Ferrell) thrown out of the game by an umpire after the Boston Red Sox teammates protest a call too vehemently in 1934.

  • In 1928, Brooklyn Robins 2B Jake Flowers (member of 1923 "Flying Pentagon" championship hoops squad for Washington College MD) supplied back-to-back three-hit outings to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 10 games in a row.

  • San Diego Padres RF Tony Gwynn (All-WAC second-team selection with San Diego State in 1979-80 and 1980-81) extended his hitting streak to a career-high 25 games.

  • Cleveland Indians RHP Oral Hildebrand (Butler hoops All-American in 1928-29 and 1929-30) tossed a two-hitter against the Boston Red Sox, finishing the 1933 campaign with an A.L.-leading six shutouts.

  • New York Yankees LF Charlie Keller (Maryland three-year hoops letterman from 1934-35 through 1936-37) homered twice against the Chicago White Sox in the opener of a 1946 doubleheader.

  • Detroit Tigers RHP Dave Lemanczyk (averaged 4.5 ppg and 3.5 rpg for Hartwick NY teams compiling 51-21 record from 1969-70 through 1971-72) lost his third straight complete game in a 13-day span in 1975.

  • Cleveland Indians CF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling 35-3 record) cracked two homers against the Kansas City Royals in a 2001 contest.

  • New York Giants RHP Christy Mathewson (Bucknell hooper at turn of 20th Century) tossed his 11th shutout en route to 33rd victory in 1908.

  • Boston Red Sox RHP Gordon McNaughton (hooper for Loyola of Chicago in late 1920s) lost his lone MLB decision (6-5 against Detroit Tigers in 1932).

  • Boston Red Sox rookie RF Sam Mele (NYU's leading scorer in 1943 NCAA playoffs) went 5-for-5 against the St. Louis Browns in a 1947 game.

  • Chicago Cubs SS Pinky Pittenger (set Toledo's single-game scoring standard with 49 points in 1918-19) went 4-for-4 against the New York Giants in a 1922 contest.

  • St. Louis Cardinals RHP Ray Washburn (Whitworth WA leading scorer when named All-Evergreen Conference in 1958-59 and 1959-60) hurled a no-hitter at San Francisco. The gem came the day after Gaylord Perry of the Giants no-hit the Cards, handing RHP Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer in 1955-56 and 1956-57) one of his five 1-0 defeats in 1968. Washburn was in the midst of not allowing more than three earned runs in his last 20 starts of this campaign and all 16 starts the following season before a trade to the Cincinnati Reds.

  • Philadelphia Phillies CF Cy Williams (Notre Dame forward in 1909-10) collected three extra-base hits against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the nightcap of a 1924 twinbill.

  • Going 7-for-8, New York Yankees LF Dave Winfield (starting forward for Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) homered in both ends of a 1983 doubleheader against the Cleveland Indians.