On This Date: Ex-College Hoopers Make News in October 15 MLB Games

October 15th, 2020 - 8:56

Extra! Extra! Unless you're a cardboard cut-out, you can read news 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.

Three former college hoopers from Oklahoma schools - Jerry Adair (Oklahoma State), Mike Hargrove (Northwestern Oklahoma State) and Don Kaiser (East Central) - made MLB news on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is an October 15 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

OCTOBER 15

  • 2B Jerry Adair (one of Oklahoma State's top three basketball scorers in 1956-57 and 1957-58 while ranking among nation's top 12 free-throw shooters each season) selected from the Boston Red Sox (51st pick), INF Billy Harris (UNC Wilmington hooper in mid-1960s) chosen from the Cleveland Indians (36th) and utilityman Bob Oliver (All-Valley Conference basketball choice for American River Community College CA in 1962) drafted from the Minnesota Twins (19th) by the Kansas City Royals in 1968 A.L. expansion draft.

  • New York Yankees rookie RHP Jim Beattie (Dartmouth's top rebounder in 1974-75 when selected team MVP and honorable mention All-Ivy League) went the distance, striking out eight Los Angeles Dodgers batters in a 12-2 success, in Game 5 of 1978 World Series.

  • LF Carson "Skeeter" Bigbee (Oregon hoops letterman in 1915) knocked in the tying run with an eighth-inning, pinch-hit double off Hall of Fame P Walter Johnson and scored go-ahead tally as the Pittsburgh Pirates upended the Washington Senators, 9-7, in Game 7 of 1925 World Series.

  • OF Bob Cerv (ranked fourth on Nebraska's career scoring list in 1949-50 when finishing his career) purchased from the New York Yankees by the Kansas City Athletics in 1956.

  • Washington Nationals LHP Patrick Corbin (hooper for Mohawk Valley Community College NY in 2007-08) fanned 12 opposing batters in five innings in posting a 7-4 victory against the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 4 of 2019 NLCS.

  • In 1957, 2B Jack Dittmer (Iowa hooper in 1949-50) traded by the Detroit Tigers to the New York Giants for 2B Wayne Terwilliger (two-year hoops letterman for Western Michigan in late 1940s).

  • St. Louis Cardinals RHP Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer in 1955-56 and 1956-57) won decisive Game 7 against the New York Yankees in 1964 World Series.

  • Dallas Green (Delaware's second-leading scorer and rebounder in 1954-55) stepped down as Philadelphia Phillies manager to become general manager of the Chicago Cubs in 1981.

  • OF Hinkey Haines (Penn State hoops letterman in 1919-20 and 1920-21) scored the tying run as a pinch-runner in the eighth inning as the New York Yankees came from behind with three tallies to beat the New York Giants, 6-4, and clinch 1923 World Series.

  • RHP Rich Hand (averaged 6.2 ppg for Puget Sound WA in 1967-68) shipped by the California Angels to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1974 to complete an earlier deal.

  • Mike Hargrove (Northwestern Oklahoma State hoops letterman) fired as Cleveland Indians manager in 1999.

  • Baltimore Orioles 2B Davey Johnson (averaged 1.7 ppg in 1961-62 with Texas A&M) supplied a postseason career-high three hits, including a pair of run-producing safeties, against the Cincinnati Reds in Game 5 of 1970 World Series.

  • In 2001 ALDS, OF David Justice (Thomas More KY assists leader in 1984-85 while averaging 9.3 ppg and 3.5 rpg) whacked a pinch-hit homer to help the New York Yankees defeat the Oakland A's and become first team ever to capture a best-of-5 series after dropping the first two contests at home.

  • RHP Don Kaiser (one semester on hoops scholarship at East Central OK) traded by the Milwaukee Braves to the Detroit Tigers in 1959.

  • New York Yankees 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) notched three RBI in each of three ALCS games against the Oakland Athletics in 1981.

  • Philadelphia Phillies RHP Ron Reed (Notre Dame's leading rebounder in 1963-64 and 1964-65) earned save in a 6-4 verdict over the Kansas City Royals in Game 2 of 1980 World Series.

  • New York Yankees RHP Rollie Sheldon (third-leading scorer as sophomore for Connecticut's 1960 NCAA Tournament team) retired all six St. Louis Cardinals batters he faced in Game 7 of 1964 World Series.