On This Date: Former College Hoopers Make Mark in October 17 MLB Games

October 17th, 2019 - 6:36

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 hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.

Former San Diego State hoopers Tony Clark and Tony Gwynn made MLB postseason competition news on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is an October 17 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

OCTOBER 17

  • RF George Altman (appeared in 1953 and 1954 NAIA Basketball Tournament with Tennessee State) traded by the Chicago Cubs to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1962.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates RHP Jim Bibby (Fayetteville State NC backup hooper and brother of UCLA All-American Henry Bibby) started decisive Game 7 of the 1979 World Series but wasn't involved in the decision (4-1 win against Baltimore Orioles).

  • New York Yankees 1B Tony Clark (San Diego State's leading scorer in WAC games in 1991-92) contributed his only RBI in 37 postseason at-bats (against Boston Red Sox in Game 4 of 2004 ALCS).

  • Philadelphia Athletics RHP Jack Coombs (captain and starting hoops center for Colby ME) outdueled Hall of Famer Christy Mathewson, 3-2, in 11-inning Game 3 of the 1911 World Series against the New York Giants.

  • Alvin Dark (hoops letterman for Louisiana State and Louisiana-Lafayette during World War II) fired as Oakland A's manager in 1975.

  • Los Angeles Dodgers C Joe Ferguson (hooper for Pacific's 1967 NCAA playoff team) stroked two doubles off New York Yankees P Catfish Hunter in Game 6 of the 1978 World Series.

  • San Diego Padres RF Tony Gwynn (All-WAC second-team selection with San Diego State in 1979-80 and 1980-81) secured three hits, including his lone postseason homer, in the opener of the 1998 World Series against the New York Yankees.

  • LF David Justice (Thomas More KY assists leader in 1984-85 while averaging 9.3 ppg and 3.5 rpg), winner of the 2000 ALCS MVP award, contributed a three-run homer to help the New York Yankees defeat the Seattle Mariners, 9-7.

  • RHP Roger Mason (multiple-year hoops letterman in late 1970s for Saginaw Valley State MI) registered a hold for the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 2 of the 1993 World Series but yielded his only run in 11 career postseason relief appearances.

  • After winning the opener of the 1911 World Series, New York Giants Hall of Fame RHP Christy Mathewson (Bucknell hooper at turn of 20th Century) took a shutout into the ninth inning in Game 3 when 3B John Baker belted a contest-tying homer for the Philadelphia Athletics, who went on to win in the 11th frame. The clutch blast helped him become known as "Home Run" Baker.

  • RHP Lindy McDaniel (played for Oklahoma's 1954-55 freshman hoops squad) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Chicago Cubs in 1962.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates RHP Kent Tekulve (freshman hooper in mid-1960s for Marietta OH) notched a save in decisive Game 7 of the 1979 World Series against the Baltimore Orioles.