On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in September 9 MLB Games

September 9th, 2021 - 8:35

Extra! Extra! Instead of debating whether Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is so #Dimorat self-righteous he may want to "begin the healing process" by replacing a Gen. Robert E. Lee statue in state capital of Richmond with monument of himself in blackface, 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.

Two former hoopers from Kentucky small colleges - "Sweet" Lou Johnson (Kentucky State) and David Justice (Thomas More) - made hitting headlines as National League outfielders on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a September 9 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

SEPTEMBER 9

  • Brooklyn Dodgers RHP Ray Benge (multi-year hoops letterman for Sam Houston State first half of 1920s) hurled a two-hit shutout against the Cincinnati Reds in opener of 1934 twinbill.

  • Chicago Cubs 1B Larry Biittner (runner-up in basketball scoring and rebounding in 1966-67 for Buena Vista IA) stroked four hits in a 15-2 romp over the Philadelphia Phillies in 1979.

  • San Francisco Giants INF Ernie Bowman (East Tennessee State hoops letterman in 1954-55 and 1955-56) drove in the go-ahead run with an eighth-inning triple in 9-6 win against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers in 1961.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates RF Dan Costello (Mount St. Mary's hooper from 1910-11 through 1913-14) went 3-for-3 against the Chicago Cubs in a 1914 game.

  • SS Alvin Dark (hoops letterman for Louisiana State and Southwestern Louisiana during World War II) accounted for all of the New York Giants' offense with two homers in 2-0 victory against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1950 as teammate Sal Maglie hurled a MLB-tying fourth straight shutout.

  • In the midst of a career-high 11-game hitting streak, Washington Senators 3B Frank Ellerbe (Wofford hooper after transferring from Sewanee TN) knocked in decisive run with a double in top of 12th inning of 6-5 triumph against St. Louis Browns in opener of 1920 doubleheader.

  • Los Angeles Dodgers RF Joe Ferguson (hooper in 1967 NCAA playoffs for Pacific) launched a three-run homer, which was the game-winning hit in 5-3 win against the San Diego Padres in 1973.

  • Brooklyn Robins 2B Jake Flowers (member of Washington College MD "Flying Pentagon" hoops squad in 1923) knocked in winning run in the ninth inning in a 3-2 victory against the New York Giants in 1928.

  • Chicago Cubs 3B Howard Freigau (Ohio Wesleyan hooper) supplied four safeties, including three extra-base hits, in a 9-7 triumph against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1925.

  • LHP Steve Hamilton (Morehead State's leading scorer and rebounder in 1956-57 and 1957-58) awarded on waivers from the New York Yankees to the Chicago White Sox in 1970.

  • St. Louis Cardinals rookie 2B Tommy Herr (hooper with Delaware's freshman team in 1974-75) supplied three hits for the third time in an 11-game span in 1980.

  • In 1964, Los Angeles Dodgers 1B-OF Frank Howard (two-time All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection when leading Ohio State in scoring and rebounding in 1956-57 and 1957-58) hammered his eighth homer in 20 at-bats against San Francisco Giants P Bob Hendley, including four in a row the previous year (not in same game).

  • RHP Bobby Humphreys (four-year hoops letterman graduated from Hampden-Sydney VA in 1958) won his second game in relief in four days to help the St. Louis Cardinals advance toward 1964 N.L. pennant.

  • Toronto Blue Jays 3B Garth Iorg (juco hooper with College of the Redwoods CA in mid-1970s) delivered a decisive two-run homer in bottom of eighth inning of 5-3 win against the Detroit Tigers in 1985.

  • Atlanta Braves RF David Justice (Thomas More KY assists leader in 1984-85 while averaging 9.3 ppg and 3.5 rpg) amassed two homers and five RBI against the San Francisco Giants in a 1991 contest.

  • In 1965, Los Angeles Dodgers LHP Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman hoops squad in 1953-54) hurled his fourth no-hitter in as many years. It was a perfect game against the Chicago Cubs, who yielded a lone safety but incurred their second one-hit setback this season against L.A. LF "Sweet" Lou Johnson (Kentucky State teammate of legendary HBCU coach Davey Whitney averaged 5.7 ppg and 2 rpg in 1951-52) secured the game's only hit and scored the lone run.

  • Minnesota Twins rookie RF Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) homered in his fourth consecutive contest in 1968.

  • INF Tim Nordbrook (Loyola LA hoops letterman in 1968-69) purchased from the Baltimore Orioles by the California Angels in 1976.

  • California Angels 3B Bob Oliver (All-Valley Conference basketball choice for American River Community College CA in 1962) provided two hits for the eighth time in their first nine games of the month in 1973.

  • Boston Red Sox rookie RHP Dick Radatz (center on Michigan State's freshman hoops squad in 1955-56) tossed nine innings of relief in registering a victory against the New York Yankees in 1962. Outing was his 12th relief appearance of season toiling at least three frames.

  • RHP John Stuper (two-time all-conference junior college hooper in mid-1970s for Butler County PA) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Cincinnati Reds in 1984.

  • Detroit Tigers 2B Gary Sutherland (averaged 7.4 ppg with Southern California in 1963-64) provided four hits against the New York Yankees in a 1975 outing.

  • Chicago White Sox RF Evar Swanson (played all five positions for Knox IL) went 4-for-4 against the Washington Senators in the opener of a 1934 doubleheader.

  • Detroit Tigers rookie SS Coot Veal (averaged team-high 10.9 ppg as Auburn sophomore in 1951-52 before transferring to Mercer) scored three runs in the first of five two-hit outings in a seven-game span in 1958.

  • Kansas City Athletics 1B-OF Preston Ward (second-leading scorer for Southwest Missouri State in 1946-47 and 1948-49) walloped three homers in a row against the Baltimore Orioles in 1958 game.

  • Philadelphia Phillies RF Cy Williams (Notre Dame forward in 1909-10) whacked homers in his first two at-bats but they weren't enough to prevent a 12-6 reversal against the Brooklyn Robins in 1926.

  • New York Giants 1B Babe Young (Fordham hoops letterman in 1935-36) blasted two homers in a 1941 contest against the Pittsburgh Pirates.