On This Date: Former College Hoopers Making Mark on July 3 MLB Games

July 1st, 2018 - 7:33

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.

A couple of small-college players from Michigan - Roger Mason (Saginaw Valley State) and Jim Northrup (Alma) - made MLB news on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 3 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JULY 3

  • In 1960, LHP Ray Blemker (two-time All-SEC second-team guard led Georgia Tech in scoring each basketball season from 1956-57 through 1958-59) made his lone MLB appearance with the Kansas City Athletics.

  • Kansas City Athletics LF Bob Cerv (ranked fourth on Nebraska's career scoring list in 1949-50 when finishing his career) cracked a grand slam before P Herb Score settled down and fanned 14 in the Cleveland Indians' 8-4 triumph in 1959.

  • In 1994, the Cleveland Indians retired the uniform number of OF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA hoops titlist). Doby broke the A.L. color barrier in 1947.

  • Detroit Tigers 1B Darrell Evans (member of Jerry Tarkanian-coached Pasadena City CA club winning 1967 state community college crown) homered in third consecutive contest in 1986.

  • California Angels RHP Dave Frost (averaged 10.5 ppg and 4 rpg for Stanford from 1971-72 through 1973-74) tossed a four-hit shutout against the Oakland Athletics in 1979.

  • Cincinnati Reds 1B Harvey Hendrick (Vanderbilt hoops letterman in 1918) went 4-for-4 in a 4-2 win against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1932.

  • Cleveland Indians CF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling 35-3 record) went 4-for-4 against the Minnesota Twins in a 1994 game.

  • Boston Braves rookie CF Les Mann (Springfield MA hooper in 1913 and 1914) went 5-for-5 against the Brooklyn Superbas in a 1913 game.

  • RHP Roger Mason (multiple-year hoops letterman for Saginaw Valley State MI in late 1970s) traded by the San Diego Padres to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1993.

  • In the midst of smacking six homers in a six-game span in 1974, Detroit Tigers RF Jim Northrup (second-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder for Alma MI in 1958-59) deposited two balls over the outfield fence against the New York Yankees.

  • In 1956, Pittsburgh Pirates 2B Johnny O'Brien (two-time All-American with Seattle was first college player to crack 1,000-point plateau in single season by scoring 1,051 in 37 games in 1951-52) became the last N.L. position player in the 20th Century to earn a victory on the mound.

  • Philadelphia Phillies RHP Ron Reed (Notre Dame's leading rebounder in 1963-64 and 1964-65) permitted an earned run for the only time in a span of 14 relief appearances in 1976.

  • In 1949, Philadelphia Phillies RHP Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) tossed his third shutout in less than a month.

  • Montreal Expos RF Ken Singleton (Hofstra freshman hoops squad in mid-1960s) knocked in five runs in a 1973 game against his original team (New York Mets).

  • Minnesota Twins RHP Mike Smithson (teammate of Tennessee All-American Ernie Grunfeld averaged 1.9 ppg and 1.6 rpg under coach Ray Mears in 1974-75 and 1975-76) hurled a five-hit shutout against the Cleveland Indians in 1985. It was the first of five victories in as many decisions for him in July this year.

  • Chicago Cubs LF Riggs Stephenson (Alabama hoops letterman in 1920) contributed five RBI against the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1928 contest. The next day, Stephenson supplied five hits against the Cards in the nightcap of a doubleheader.

  • Boston Red Sox rookie RHP Jim Wilson (hoops letterman for San Diego State's 1942 NAIA Tournament participant) tossed a five-hit shutout against the Detroit Tigers. The whitewash was first of four complete games for him during the month in 1945 when yielding fewer than two earned runs.

  • Tampa Devil Rays rookie OF Randy Winn (Santa Clara backcourtmate of eventual two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash in 1993-94) went 4-for-4 against the Toronto Blue Jays in 1998. Eleven years later with the San Francisco Giants, Winn registered his sixth two-hit outing in a seven-game span in 2009.