On This Date: Ex-College Hoopers Make Their Mark on July 30 MLB Games

July 30th, 2017 - 6:54

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.

Several former non-DI hoopers from Alabama colleges - Frank Bolling (Spring Hill), Marv Breeding (Samford) and Gary Redus (Athens J.C.) - made MLB news on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 30 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JULY 30

  • Chicago Cubs 2B Glenn Beckert (three-year basketball letterman for Allegheny PA) provided four hits against the Cincinnati Reds in the opener of a 1967 twinbill.

  • Texas Rangers RHP Jim Bibby (Fayetteville State NC backup hooper and brother of UCLA All-American Henry Bibby) fanned 13 batters while hurling a no-hitter against the first-place Oakland A's in 1973.

  • Texas Rangers 1B Larry Biittner (runner-up in scoring and rebounding in 1966-67 for Buena Vista IA) went 4-for-4 in a 2-1 victory against the Oakland Athletics in the opener of a 1972 doubleheader.

  • Milwaukee Braves 2B Frank Bolling (averaged 7.3 ppg in 1950-51 for Spring Hill AL) belted a double off Hank Aguirre for the N.L. in the second 1962 All-Star Game. Pittsburgh Pirates SS Dick Groat (two-time All-American with Duke in 1950-51 and 1951-52 when finishing among nation's top five scorers each season) contributed two hits and two RBI for the N.L. and Washington Senators RHP Dave Stenhouse (three-time All-Yankee Conference selection for Rhode Island from 1952-53 through 1954-55) started for the A.L.

  • 2B Marv Breeding (Samford hooper in mid-1950s) traded by the Washington Senators to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1963.

  • In the midst of a career-high 12-game hitting streak, Pittsburgh Pirates 1B Donn Clendenon (four-sport letterman with Morehouse GA) manufactured four safeties against the Atlanta Braves in a 1968 game.

  • Philadelphia Athletics C Mickey Cochrane (Boston University hooper in early 1920s) went 4-for-4 with two homers and six RBI in an 8-5 win against the St. Louis Browns in 1931.

  • Alvin Dark (hoops letterman for LSU and USL during World War II) fired as manager of the Cleveland Indians in 1971.

  • Philadelphia Phillies 2B Denny Doyle (averaged 2.7 ppg for Morehead State in 1962-63) went 4-for-4 against the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1971 outing, triggering a nine-game hitting streak.

  • Detroit Tigers CF Hoot Evers (Illinois hoops starter in 1939-40) accumulated three hits and four runs against the Philadelphia Athletics in a 1948 contest.

  • New York Giants 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) collected five hits and four runs against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the nightcap of a 1923 twinbill.

  • In his initial MLB start, St. Louis Cardinals RHP Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer and rebounder in 1955-56 and 1956-57) posted his first of 251 career victories with #1 of 56 shutouts (1-0 against Cincinnati Reds in 1959).

  • In the midst of a career-high 13-game hitting streak, Oakland Athletics 3B Wayne Gross (Cal Poly Pomona assists leader in 1974-75) whacked two homers in an 11-1 win against the Toronto Blue Jays in 1980.

  • New York Giants OF Monte Irvin (Lincoln PA hooper 1 1/2 years in late 1930s) tied a N.L. record by grounding into three double plays against the Milwaukee Braves in a 1953 game.

  • Cleveland Indians DH David Justice (Thomas More KY assists leader in 1984-85) jacked two homers against the Seattle Mariners in a 1998 contest.

  • In 1991, Seattle Mariners LHP Bill Krueger (led WCAC in free-throw percentage as freshman en route to averaging 5.1 ppg for Portland from 1975-76 through 1979-80) collected his eighth triumph in nine decisions over a two-month span.

  • New York Giants RHP Christy Mathewson (Bucknell hooper at turn of 20th Century) had his 13-game winning streak snapped by the Pittsburgh Pirates, 3-1, in 1909.

  • Washington Senators RF Sam Mele (NYU's leading scorer in 1943 NCAA playoffs) homered and provided four RBI in both ends of a 1950 doubleheader sweep against the St. Louis Browns.

  • Cleveland Indians RF Ed Morgan (Tulane hoops letterman from 1923-24 through 1925-26) contributed four hits against the Boston Red Sox in a 1929 outing.

  • San Diego Padres 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) amassed two homers and five RBI against the Cincinnati Reds in a 1986 game.

  • St. Louis Cardinals C Don Padgett (freshman in 1934 with Lenoir-Rhyne NC excelled in multiple sports) provided four hits against the Boston Braves in a 1940 contest.

  • Chicago White Sox LHP Gary Peters (Grove City PA hooper in mid-1950s) faced only 29 batters in a 75-pitch, 6-0 shutout of the New York Yankees in 1966. Two years earlier, Peters hurled his third three-hit complete game this month en route to leading the A.L. with 20 victories in 1964.

  • Philadelphia Phillies LF Gary Redus (J.C. hooper for Athens AL and father of Centenary/South Alabama guard with same name) registered two doubles among his four hits against the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1986 game.

  • Philadelphia Phillies RHP Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) spun his third shutout in a row en route to a N.L.-high five whitewashes in 1950.

  • Chicago Cubs SS Roy Smalley Jr. (one of top scorers in 1942-43 and 1943-44 for Drury MO) collected five RBI, including a decisive two-run double in the bottom of the eighth inning, in a 7-6 triumph against the New York Giants in 1951.

  • San Diego Padres CF 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) contributed four safeties against the Cincinnati Reds in a 2009 game. Venable belted a homer for the first of three consecutive contests.

  • OF Randy Winn (Santa Clara backcourtmate of eventual two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash in 1993-94) traded by the Seattle Mariners to the San Francisco Giants in 2005. Two years earlier, Winn amassed two homers and six RBI against the Detroit Tigers in a 2003 game.

  • Boston Braves LHP Tom Zachary (Guilford NC hoops letterman in 1916) won his fifth game of the month in 1932.