On This Date: Ex-College Hoopsters Make Mark on September 27 MLB Games

September 27th, 2015 - 8:01

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 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 September 27 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

SEPTEMBER 27

  • Baltimore Orioles 2B Jerry Adair (one of Oklahoma State's three leading basketball scorers in 1956-57 and 1957-58 while ranking among nation's top 12 free-throw shooters each season) smacked his first MLB homer (against Boston Red Sox in 1960).

  • St. Louis Cardinals 1B Walter Alston (Miami OH letterman from 1932-33 through 1934-35) fanned in his lone MLB at-bat (against Chicago Cubs in 1936).

  • In 1983, RHP Jim Beattie (Dartmouth's top rebounder in 1974-75 when selected team MVP and honorable mention All-Ivy League) hurled the first one-hitter in Seattle Mariners history.

  • Baltimore Orioles OF Al Bumbry (Virginia State's runner-up in scoring with 16.7 ppg as freshman in 1964-65) stroked four hits against the Detroit Tigers in 1977. Three years later, Bumbry stole three bases against the Cleveland Indians in 1980.

  • LHP Danny Coombs (Seton Hall's third-leading scorer and rebounder as a sophomore in 1961-62) made his MLB debut in 1963 as a reliever for the Houston Colt .45s, who started nine rookies including 1B Rusty Staub, 2B Joe Morgan and C Jerry Grote.

  • Detroit Tigers 1B Hank Greenberg (enrolled at NYU on hoop scholarship in 1929 but attended college only one semester) launched two homers for the fourth time in an 18-game span in 1938.

  • Baltimore Orioles RHP Dick Hall (averaged 13.5 ppg from 1948-49 through 1950-51 for three Swarthmore PA Southern Division champions in Middle Atlantic States Conference) became the first pitcher in 51 years to end a season with more victories (10) than walks (6 in 61 innings).

  • C Tom Haller (backup forward for Illinois in 1956-57 and 1957-58 under coach Harry Combes) whacked a pair of homers to spark the San Francisco Giants to an 8-4 triumph against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1965. Three years later with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Haller delivered four RBI, including a go-ahead, two-run triple in the ninth inning of a 5-2 win against the Atlanta Braves in 1968.

  • New York Giants RHP Jim Hearn (Georgia Tech letterman in 1941-42) hurled a shutout against the Philadelphia Phillies to finish the 1950 campaign with a N.L.-leading ERA of 2.49.

  • Kansas City Royals LF Joe Lahoud (New Haven CT letterman in mid-1960s) whacked back-to-back homers against the Oakland Athletics in 1977.

  • St. Louis Cardinals SS Doc Lavan (played for Hope MI from 1908 through 1910) delivered four hits in a 16-1 romp over the Chicago Cubs in 1920.

  • Danny Litwhiler (member of JV squad with Bloomsburg PA in mid-1930s) completed his 151st errorless game for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1942. He was the first OF to avoid an error the entire season.

  • Kansas City Athletics SS Jerry Lumpe (member of Southwest Missouri State's 1952 NAIA Tournament championship team) went 4-for-4 against the Cleveland Indians in 1960.

  • Philadelphia Phillies CF Jerry Martin (1971 Southern Conference Tournament MVP after he was Furman's runner-up in scoring previous season) went 4-for-4 in a 5-4 win against the Montreal Expos in 1978.

  • RF Lyle Mouton (starter in LSU's backcourt with All-American Chris Jackson for 1989 NCAA playoff team) knocked in all of the Baltimore Orioles' runs in a 6-4 loss against the Boston Red Sox in 1998.

  • Winning LHP Gary Peters (played for Grove City PA in mid-1950s) pounded a three-run homer in a 10-1 victory against the Washington Senators as the Boston Red Sox reached the 200-homer plateau for the first time in franchise history.

  • Boston Braves RHP Al Pierotti (Washington & Lee VA captain of school's undefeated 1917 squad) posted his lone MLB victory (complete-game 3-2 verdict over New York Giants in 1920).

  • Los Angeles Dodgers RHP Jeff Shaw (freshman guard for Rio Grande OH squad compiling 31-5 record and reaching second round of 1985 NAIA Tournament) secured his 10th save in as many relief appearances during the month in 1998.

  • In 1962, Houston Astros RHP Jim Umbricht (Georgia captain in 1951-52) won his fourth game of the month as a reliever.

  • Detroit Tigers SS Johnnie Watson (Marshall letterman from 1926-27 through 1929-30) contributed a double and RBI in both ends of a 1930 doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox.