On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in May 28 MLB Contests

May 28th, 2021 - 7:50

Extra! Extra! If still double masked at home due to lack of Oval Office push to discern Chinese origin of COVID-19, you can read news in your office 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 college hoopers Frankie Baumholtz (Ohio University), Mickey Brantley (Columbia-Greene Community College SC), Bob Cerv (Nebraska), David Justice (Thomas More KY), Billy North (Central Washington), Larry Sheets (Eastern Mennonite VA) and Babe Young (Fordham) supplied significant performances as MLB outfielders on this date. Ex-NYU hoopers Hank Greenberg and Eddie Yost made American League news with their offensive outputs on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 28 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 28

  • In a 1954 game, Chicago Cubs CF Frankie Baumholtz (MVP in 1941 NIT and first player in Ohio University basketball history to score 1,000 career points) stroked four hits against his original team (Cincinnati Reds).

  • Cincinnati Reds 2B Jim Begley (played hoops for San Francisco during first half of 1920s) went 1-for-5 and scored one run in 1924 doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals in his only MLB action.

  • In midst of hitting safely in 25 of 26 games (raising batting average 100 points from .211 to .311), Seattle Mariners LF Mickey Brantley (averaged 10 ppg, 6.8 rpg and 5.4 apg for Columbia-Greene Community College SC in 1979-80) collected four RBI in a 6-1 victory against the New York Yankees in 1988.

  • New York Yankees LF Bob Cerv (ranked fourth on Nebraska's career scoring list in 1949-50 whacked a pinch grand slam against the Chicago White Sox in a 1961 contest.

  • RHP George Earnshaw (Swarthmore PA hooper in 1922) acquired by the Philadelphia Athletics from Baltimore in 1928.

  • Detroit Tigers 1B Hank Greenberg (enrolled at NYU on hoops scholarship in 1929 but attended college only one semester) smacked two homers in an 8-3 win against the New York Yankees in 1935.

  • Chicago Cubs 1B Jim Hickman (freshman hooper for Ole Miss in 1955-56) homered twice, including game-winning blast in the bottom of ninth inning, in an 8-7 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1970.

  • RF David Justice (Thomas More KY assists leader in 1984-85) provided a two-run single to spark a ninth-inning rally propelling the Atlanta Braves past the San Diego Padres, 8-6, in 1991.

  • San Francisco Giants CF Billy North (played hoops briefly for Central Washington in 1967-68) stole three bases in a game for the third time this month in 1981.

  • RHP Ron Reed (Notre Dame's leading rebounder in 1963-64 and 1964-65) traded by the Atlanta Braves to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1975.

  • Baltimore Orioles LF Larry Sheets (All-ODAC hoops selection in 1981-82 and 1982-83 with Eastern Mennonite VA) socked two homers against the California Angels in a 1987 outing.

  • Boston Red Sox RHP Sonny Siebert (team-high 16.7 ppg for Missouri in 1957-58 as All-Big Eight Conference second-team selection) won his first nine decisions in the 1971 campaign, posting a 1.77 ERA in April and May.

  • Entering the game with a .177 batting average, Washington Senators 2B Wayne Terwilliger (two-year hoops letterman for Western Michigan averaged 5.6 ppg in final season in 1947-48) went 3-for-3 and homered for the first of three consecutive contests in 1954 (all of his round-trippers for season in 106 outings).

  • As a substitute in a 17-inning tie, Los Angeles Dodgers rookie 3B John Werhas (USC's leading scorer in 1958-59 and 1959-60) collected a career-high three hits against the Cincinnati Reds in 1964.

  • In 1994, Minnesota Twins DH Dave Winfield (starting forward with Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) collected his 3,054th MLB hit, surpassing former Twin Rod Carew into 15th place on the all-time list.

  • Detroit Tigers 3B Eddie Yost (NYU freshman hooper in 1943-44 under coach Howard Cann) drew four walks in a 1960 game against the Cleveland Indians. He was in midst of receiving at least one free pass in last nine contests of the month en route to pacing A.L. in on-base percentage for second of back-to-back seasons.

  • New York Giants CF Babe Young (Fordham hoops letterman in 1935-36) went 4-for-4 against the Brooklyn Dodgers in a 1946 game.