On This Date: Former College Hoopers Supplying MLB Headlines on May 1

May 1st, 2024 - 9:08

Extra! Extra! As a new season reaches its second full month, you can listen to #Dimorat's Odd Squad placate Hamas-loving college student protesters or read news about memorable major league baseball achievements, moments and transactions involving former college basketball players. Numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games and dates in MLB history.

Former New England university hoopers Jim Beattie (Dartmouth) and Rollie Sheldon (Connecticut) hurled MLB shutouts on this date. Small-college hoopers David Justice (Thomas More KY), Norm Siebern (Southwest Missouri State) and Leon Wagner (Tuskegee AL) each smacked a pair of homers on this date in contests involving the Cleveland Indians. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 1 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 1

  • Seattle Mariners RHP Jim Beattie (Dartmouth's top rebounder in 1974-75 when selected basketball team MVP and honorable mention All-Ivy League) hurled a four-hit shutout against the Boston Red Sox in 1985.

  • After teammate Bill Parsons walked the first three Oakland A's batters, RHP Jim Colborn (Whittier CA in mid-1960s before studying for master's at Edinburgh where he was All-Scotland in basketball) came in and pitched a complete-game 4-3 victory for the Milwaukee Brewers in 1973.

  • California Angels RHP Eddie Fisher (hooper for Oklahoma's 1954-55 freshman squad) permitted his lone earned run in first 12 relief appearances in the 1970 campaign.

  • St. Louis Cardinals 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) furnished three extra-base hits and four RBI against the Cincinnati Reds in a 1927 contest.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates 3B Lee Handley (Bradley hoops letterman from 1932-33 through 1934-35) banged out four hits against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 1941 outing.

  • St. Louis Cardinals 2B Tommy Herr (hooper with Delaware's freshman team in 1974-75) contributed four hits, three RBI and two stolen bases in a 1984 confrontation against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

  • Cleveland Indians LF David Justice (Thomas More KY assists leader in 1984-85 while averaging 9.3 ppg and 3.5 rpg) delivered two homers against the Oakland Athletics in a 1997 game.

  • In midst of career-high seven-game hitting streak, St. Louis Browns 1B Dick Kauffman (Susquehanna PA multi-sport athlete/class of 1909) opened game's scoring with RBI double in 5-3 win against the Cleveland Indians in 1915.

  • New York Yankees LF Charlie Keller (three-year hoops letterman with Maryland from 1934-35 through 1936-37) collected seven RBI against the St. Louis Browns in a 1941 contest.

  • Detroit Tigers RF Rusty Kuntz (J.C. hooper for Cuesta CA) went 3-for-3 with three RBI against the Boston Red Sox in a 1984 outing.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates SS Johnny Logan (Binghamton hooper in 1948-49) went 4-for-4 in a 4-2 loss against the San Francisco Giants in 1962.

  • Kansas City Athletics RHP Rollie Sheldon (third-leading scorer as sophomore for Connecticut's 1960 NCAA Tournament team) hurled a three-hit shutout against his original team (New York Yankees) in the opener of 1966 doubleheader.

  • Kansas City Athletics 1B Norm Siebern (member of Southwest Missouri State squads capturing back-to-back NAIA Tournament hoop titles in 1952 and 1953) smacked two homers against the Cleveland Indians in the opener of a 1960 doubleheader, igniting a streak of five consecutive two-hit contests.

  • Los Angeles Angels RF Leon Wagner (Tuskegee AL hooper in 1952-53) homered twice in an 8-6 triumph against the Cleveland Indians in 1962.

  • 3B Billy Werber (first Duke hoops All-American in 1929-30) contributed a homer and double for the Cincinnati Reds during their eight-run fourth inning in 1940 when they defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers, 9-2.

  • A seventh-inning single by Boston Red Sox C Sammy White (All-PCC Northern Division first-five selection for Washington in 1947-48 and 1948-49) represented the only hit Hall of Fame P Bob Feller yielded in a 2-0 win for the Cleveland Indians in the opener of a doubleheader in 1955. It was Feller's MLB-record 12th one-hitter.

  • Philadelphia Phillies CF Cy Williams (Notre Dame forward in 1909-10) homered twice among his four hits and scored four runs against the Boston Braves in a 1923 game.

  • INF Dib Williams (Hendrix AR hooper in mid-1920s) purchased from the Philadelphia Athletics by the Boston Red Sox in 1935.