On This Date: Ex-College Hoopers Make Mark in September 28 MLB Games

September 28th, 2018 - 7:30

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.

Former NCAA Division I conference all-league hoopers Ted Lyons (Baylor), Bill McCahan (Duke) and Will Venable (Princeton) made MLB news on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a September 28 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

SEPTEMBER 28

  • 2B Frank Baker (Southern Mississippi hoops letterman in 1965-66 and 1966-67), replacing Bobby Grich in the Baltimore Orioles' lineup, belted his only MLB homer, a grand slam, and finished with six RBI in an 18-4 trouncing of the Cleveland Indians in the nightcap of a 1973 doubleheader.

  • In the finale of the 1952 campaign, Chicago Cubs lefthanded OF Frank Baumholtz (MVP in 1941 NIT and first player in Ohio University history to score 1,000 career points) reached base on an error after switching over and swinging righthanded at the only delivery Hall of Fame 1B-OF Stan Musial threw from the mound at the MLB level. Musial, who began his Organized Baseball career as a pitcher before incurring an injury, claimed his sixth N.L. batting crown (.336) and Baumholtz finished runner-up (.325).

  • St. Louis Cardinals 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) provided his second extra-inning steal of home plate in 1928.

  • LF "Sweet" Lou Johnson (Kentucky State teammate of legendary HBCU coach Davey Whitney averaged 5.7 ppg and 2 rpg in 1951-52) slugged a 12th-inning homer to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 2-1 victory against the Cincinnati Reds in 1965.

  • Philadelphia Phillies LHP Dick Koecher (Temple hoops letterman in 1943-44) hurled his lone MLB complete game in a 4-1 setback against the New York Giants in opener of 1947 twinbill.

  • St. Louis Cardinals LF Danny Litwhiler (member of JV hoops squad with Bloomsburg PA in mid-1930s) provided three hits in both ends of a 1943 doubleheader split against the Boston Braves.

  • In a City Series duel, Chicago White Sox RHP Ted Lyons (two-time All-SWC first-team selection for Baylor in early 1920s) blanked the Cubs on three hits in only 1 hour and 18 minutes in 1942. The 41-year-old Lyons then departed to enlist as a private in the Marine Corps for military service during World War II.

  • RHP Bill McCahan (three-year Duke hoops letterman named to All-Southern Conference Tournament team in 1942) traded by Philadelphia Athletics to Brooklyn Dodgers in 1949.

  • Baltimore Orioles rookie RHP Ben McDonald (started six times as freshman forward for LSU in 1986-87 under coach Dale Brown) hurled a four-hit shutout against the Cleveland Indians in 1990.

  • In 1952, Philadelphia Phillies RHP Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) registered his 28th victory (7-4 over New York Giants) with his 30th complete game.

  • Chicago Cubs LF Riggs Stephenson (Alabama hoops letterman in 1920), who hit safely in all nine World Series outings in his career, provided three safeties in the 1932 opener against the New York Yankees.

  • Detroit Tigers utilityman Champ Summers (led SIUE in scoring in 1969-70 after doing same with Nicholls State in 1964-65) socked a game-tying, two-run pinch homer off the New York Yankees' Goose Gossage in the bottom of the eighth inning in 1980.

  • In a 1938 contest, C Birdie Tebbetts (Providence hooper in 1932) blasted a grand slam (10th such homer of the season for the Detroit Tigers).

  • San Diego Padres RF Will Venable (All-Ivy League first-team selection as junior and second-team choice as senior averaged 9.3 ppg under Princeton coach John Thompson III from 2001-02 through 2004-05) whacked his first MLB grand slam (against Chicago Cubs in 2011).

  • In 1965, St. Louis Cardinals 1B Bill White (two-year hooper with Hiram OH in early 1950s) contributed three extra-base hits in a game against his original team (San Francisco Giants).

  • Rookie pinch-hitter Bob Will (Mankato State MN captain in 1954-55 with 8.5 ppg and 2.5 rpg) stroked a two-run single in the eighth inning to put the Chicago Cubs ahead to stay in a 6-4 win against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1957. Five years later, Will's two-run pinch double catapulted the Cubbies to a 3-2 triumph against the New York Mets in 1962.