On This Date: Ex-College Hoopsters Make Their Mark on August 20 MLB Games

August 20th, 2016 - 7:06

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.

Former Southwest Missouri State hoop standouts Mark Bailey and Preston Ward provided significant MLB performances on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is an August 20 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

AUGUST 20

  • Houston Astros C Mark Bailey (led Southwest Missouri State basketball team in rebounding and field-goal percentage in 1980-81) collected three hits, four runs and four RBI in a 17-2 romp over the St. Louis Cardinals in 1985.

  • Detroit Tigers 2B Frank Bolling (averaged 7.3 ppg in 1950-51 for Spring Hill AL) collected two homers and five RBI against the New York Yankees in a 1959 game.

  • In the midst of a career-high 17-game hitting streak, Kansas City Athletics LF Bob Cerv (ranked fourth on Nebraska's career scoring list in 1949-50 when finishing hoop career) collected three homers and six RBI in an 11-10 defeat against the Boston Red Sox in 1959.

  • RHP Bill Connors (averaged 6 ppg and 2.3 rpg for Syracuse in 1960-61) purchased from the Chicago Cubs by the New York Mets in 1967.

  • Baltimore Orioles LHP Mike Flanagan (averaged 13.9 ppg for UMass' freshman squad in 1971-72) fired his fifth shutout of the 1979 campaign - a three-hitter against the Texas Rangers - in the midst of him winning eight straight starts en route to an A.L.-high 23 triumphs.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers SS Jake Flowers (member of Washington College MD "Flying Pentagon" championship squad in 1923) contributed four hits against the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a 1933 doubleheader.

  • Chicago White Sox RHP Bob Keegan (Bucknell letterman in 1941-42 and 1942-43), utilizing a new slow delivery, hurled a 6-0 no-hitter against the Washington Senators in 1957.

  • SS Don Kessinger (three-time All-SEC selection for Mississippi from 1961-62 through 1963-64 while finishing among nation's top 45 scorers each year) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Chicago White Sox in 1977.

  • Cleveland Indians CF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling 35-3 record) logged two homers and six RBI against the Seattle Mariners in a 2000 contest.

  • 2B Davey Lopes (NAIA All-District 15 selection for Iowa Wesleyan averaged 16.9 ppg as freshman in 1964-65 and 12.1 as sophomore in 1965-66) set a Los Angeles Dodgers record with 15 total bases in an 18-8 rout of the Chicago Cubs in 1974 (three homers, double and single).

  • Kansas City Athletics 2B Jerry Lumpe (member of Southwest Missouri State's 1952 NAIA Tournament championship club) went 7-for-10 in a 1963 doubleheader sweep of the Washington Senators.

  • St. Louis Cardinals CF Bake McBride (averaged 12.7 ppg and 8.1 rpg in 21 games with Westminster MO in 1968-69 and 1969-70) belted two homers against the Cincinnati Reds in a 1975 game.

  • Texas Rangers RF Gary Redus (J.C. player for Athens AL and father of Centenary/South Alabama guard with same name) ripped two homers against the Baltimore Orioles in a 1993 contest.

  • St. Louis Cardinals RHP Ron Reed (Notre Dame's leading rebounder in 1963-64 and 1964-65) tossed a four-hit shutout against the Cincinnati Reds in 1975. Reed yielded fewer than two earned runs in nine of his first 16 starts for the Cards.

  • Philadelphia Phillies RHP Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) had his 15-game winning streak against the Pittsburgh Pirates snapped in 1953.

  • In 1945, Brooklyn Dodgers SS Tommy Brown (17 years old) became the youngest player to hit a MLB homer when connecting off Pittsburgh Pirates LHP Preacher Roe (played for Harding AR in late 1930s).

  • Baltimore Orioles RF Ken Singleton (played for Hofstra freshman team in mid-1960s) went 4-for-4 against the Minnesota Twins in a 1977 game.

  • Boston Red Sox RHP Lee Smith (averaged 3.4 ppg and 1.9 rpg with Northwestern State in 1976-77) supplied his seventh straight hitless relief appearance in 1988. Smith fanned 15 batters during span covering nine innings.

  • St. Louis Cardinals RHP John Stuper (two-time all-conference junior college player in mid-1970s with Butler County PA) hurled his lone MLB shutout (five-hitter against the Houston Astros in 1983).

  • Birdie Tebbetts (played for Providence in 1932) resigned as Cleveland Indians manager in 1966.

  • In the midst of winning five straight starts during the month, Pittsburgh Pirates LHP Bob Veale (scored 1,160 points for Benedictine KS from 1955-56 through 1957-58) tossed a four-hit shutout against the Houston Astros in 1969.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates 1B Preston Ward (second-leading scorer for Southwest Missouri State in 1946-47 and 1948-49) provided three extra-base hits in a 1955 game against the New York Giants.

  • Pinch two-run single by 1B Bill White (played two years for Hiram OH in early 1950s) sparked the San Francisco Giants to a 4-3 win against the Cincinnati Reds in 1958.

  • New York Yankees RF Dave Winfield (starting forward with Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) walloped the 300th homer of his career in 1986.