On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in July 7 MLB Contests

July 7th, 2021 - 7:55

Extra! Extra! Instead of debating whether cancel-culture casualty Rachel Nichols (probably should have changed racial identity and last name to Dolezal) benefitted from "Unguarded" diversity during ex-Washington Compost reporter's forgettable three-year sports gig at CNN (Confused News Network) prior to "Jump" back to belatedly-addressing-issue ESPN (Extra Sensitive Pious Network version of HR Hunger Games), 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.

Former 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.