On This Date: Former College Hoopers Generating MLB Headlines on July 7

July 7th, 2022 - 8:02

Extra! Extra! Instead of wondering if new CNN chief Chris Licht issued a restraining order to legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin to always keep his snake-loving hands above desk while on-air at "most distrusted name in news," you can read news 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.

Dick Groat (Duke), Frank Howard (Ohio State) and Johnny O'Brien (Seattle) - former major university All-Americans in the mid-1950s - provided outstanding offensive outputs in MLB games on this date. Ex-Guilford NC hoopers Rick Ferrell and Tom Zachary made American League news on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 7 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JULY 7

  • RHP Mike Adams (Texas A&M-Kingsville hooper in 1996-97) awarded on waivers from the New York Mets to the Cleveland Indians in 2006.

  • St. Louis Browns C Benny Bengough (Niagara hoops letterman from 1916-17 through 1918-19) banged out four hits in an 8-2 win against the Boston Red Sox in 1932.

  • Chicago White Sox 1B Walt Dropo (first player in Connecticut history to average 20 ppg in single season with 21.7 in 1942-43) collected five RBI in a 1955 game against the Detroit Tigers.

  • Detroit Tigers OF Hoot Evers (hoops starter for Illinois in 1939-40) went 5-for-5 and scored five runs in a 13-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians in 1951.

  • Boston Red Sox C Rick Ferrell (Guilford NC hoops forward before graduating in 1928) accumulated four hits and five RBI in a 7-6 win against the Philadelphia Athletics in opener of 1935 doubleheader.

  • Cincinnati Reds 3B Gene Freese (West Liberty WV hoops captain of 1952 NAIA Tournament team) homered in both ends of a 1961 twinbill sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

  • 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) homered in both ends of a 1957 doubleheader sweep of the New York Giants.

  • Washington Senators LF Frank Howard (two-time All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection in 1956-57 and 1957-58) whacked two homers against the Cleveland Indians in 1969. The next year, Howard homered in both ends of a 1970 twinbill against the Indians.

  • Chicago White Sox RHP Bart Johnson (averaged 30.5 ppg for Brigham Young's freshman squad in 1967-68) hurled a two-hit, complete game against the Detroit Tigers in his season debut, posting first of four consecutive victories.

  • St. Louis Cardinals SS Doc Lavan (Hope MI hooper from 1908 through 1910) went 4-for-4 against the Brooklyn Dodgers in a 1922 game.

  • St. Louis Cardinals RHP Lindy McDaniel (hooper for Oklahoma's 1954-55 freshman squad) extended his streak of consecutive contests without yielding an earned run to 15 in a row in 1962.

  • Detroit Tigers RF Jim Northrup (second-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder for Alma MI in 1958-59) blasted two homers against the Boston Red Sox in opener of a 1970 twinbill.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates 2B Johnny O'Brien (consensus All-American second-team choice as junior and first-team selection as senior averaged 25.8 ppg for Seattle from 1950-51 through 1952-53) went 4-for-4 in a 4-3 setback against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1955.

  • Philadelphia Phillies OF Gary Redus (J.C. hooper for Athens AL and father of Centenary/South Alabama hoops guard) ripped two homers in a 7-3 triumph over the Atlanta Braves in 1986. Redus registered a double in each of previous four outings against his original team (Cincinnati Reds).

  • Montreal Expos RHP Steve Renko (averaged 9.9 ppg and 5.8 rpg for Kansas in 1963-64) went 3-for-3 at the plate, scored two runs and added two RBI in a 6-1 victory against the Houston Astros in 1973.

  • LHP Preacher Roe (Harding AR hooper in late 1930s) hit the lone homer in his Organized Baseball career (against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1953) as the Brooklyn Dodgers established a N.L. record by homering in 21 consecutive contests.

  • New York Yankees 3B Red Rolfe (played hoops briefly with Dartmouth in 1927-28 and 1929-30) ripped a two-run triple off Hall of Fame P Carl Hubbell of the New York Giants in 1937 All-Star Game.

  • Milwaukee Brewers LF Ted Savage (Lincoln MO scoring average leader in 1955-56) smacked a game-winning, pinch-hit homer off Chicago White Sox P Wilbur Wood in the bottom of 12th inning in 1970.

  • Cleveland Indians 2B Riggs Stephenson (Alabama hoops letterman in 1920) collected three doubles and five RBI in a 27-3 rout of the Boston Red Sox in opener of a 1923 doubleheader.

  • Washington Senators 3B Eddie Yost (NYU freshman hooper in 1943-44 under coach Howard Cann) provided at least three safeties for third time in first seven games of the month in 1950.

  • LHP Tom Zachary (Guilford NC hoops letterman in 1916) traded by the St. Louis Browns to the Washington Senators in 1927.