On This Date: Former College Hoopers Make Mark in October 20 MLB Games

October 20th, 2019 - 9:15

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 Big Apple college hoopers Frankie Frisch (Fordham) and Hank Greenberg (NYU) earned MLB league MVP awards on this date in the 1930s. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is an October 20 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

OCTOBER 20

  • Texas Rangers RHP Mike Adams (Texas A&M-Kingsville hooper in 1996-97) registered a victory in Game 2 of the 2011 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals.

  • Philadelphia Athletics SS Jack Barry (hoops letterman for Holy Cross in 1908) contributed three hits and three runs against the Chicago Cubs in Game 3 of the 1910 World Series.

  • St. Louis Cardinals 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) captured the 1931 National League MVP.

  • Detroit Tigers 1B Hank Greenberg (attended NYU briefly on hoops scholarship in late 1920s) won the 1935 American League MVP.

  • Mike Hargrove (Northwestern Oklahoma State hoops letterman) named Seattle Mariners manager in 2004.