On This Date: Former College Hoopers Supplying MLB Headlines on May 21

May 21st, 2024 - 8:49

Extra! Extra! Instead of receiving mixed messages from #MSDNC's Sir Lawrence O'Donnell justifying Michael Cohen's thievery, you can read news in your office 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 Duke basketball All-Americans Dick Groat and Billy Werber provided significant MLB offensive performances on this date. Ex-San Diego State hoopers Tony Gwynn and Jim Wilson also made MLB news on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 21 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 21

  • Toronto Blue Jays 2B Danny Ainge (three-time Brigham Young All-American and national basketball player of year as senior in 1980-81) stroked three hits and scored three runs against the Cleveland Indians in his MLB debut in 1979.

  • LF Ethan Allen (Cincinnati hoops letterman in 1924-25 and 1925-26) traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the Chicago Cubs in 1936.

  • Seattle Mariners RHP Jim Beattie (Dartmouth's top rebounder in 1974-75 when selected team MVP and honorable mention All-Ivy League) notched his third victory in 11 days in 1980.

  • Minnesota Twins 3B John Castino (medical redshirt for Rollins FL in 1973-74 under coach Ed Jucker) went 4-for-4 in a 1980 game against the Chicago White Sox.

  • Hall of Fame C Mickey Cochrane (Boston University hooper in early 1920s) clobbered three homers as a Philadelphia Athletics rookie in a 20-4 rout of the St. Louis Browns in 1925. Six years later, Cochrane collected five hits and four RBI against the Detroit Tigers in a 1931 contest.

  • New York Giants 2B Pat Crawford (Davidson hoops captain in early 1920s) contributed two extra-base hits and four RBI for the second time in a 10-game span in 1930.

  • Atlanta Braves 3B Darrell Evans (member of Jerry Tarkanian-coached Pasadena City CA club winning 1967 state community college crown) homered twice in a 1975 outing against the Montreal Expos.

  • In 1962, Pittsburgh Pirates SS Dick Groat (two-time All-American with Duke in 1950-51 and 1951-52 when finishing among nation's top five scorers each season) went 4-for-4 against the Chicago Cubs in the midst of a career-high 15-game hitting streak.

  • LHP Don Gross (Michigan State freshman hooper in 1949-50) permitted his lone run in first 10 relief appearances with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1958.

  • Atlanta Braves rookie RHP Kevin Gryboski (backup hooper for Wilkes PA in 1991-92 and 1992-93) contributed his 13th consecutive scoreless relief appearance in 2002.

  • San Diego Padres RF Tony Gwynn (All-Western Athletic Conference second-team selection with San Diego State in 1979-80 and 1980-81) went 4-for-4 against the Philadelphia Phillies en route to a N.L.-high 211 hits in 1986.

  • New York Yankees LHP Steve Hamilton (Morehead State's leading scorer and rebounder in 1956-57 and 1957-58) registered a save by getting the last two outs to preserve a 2-0 shutout against the Washington Senators in 1970 after starter Mel Stottlemyre issued 11 walks.

  • Cleveland Indians RHP Wynn Hawkins (Little All-American was all-time leading hoops scorer for Baldwin-Wallace OH upon graduation in 1957) hurled his lone MLB shutout (9-0 against Minnesota Twins in opener of 1961 twinbill).

  • INF-OF Rick Herrscher (All-SWC first-team selection led Southern Methodist with 17.5 ppg in 1957-58) shipped by the Milwaukee Braves to the New York Mets in 1962 to complete an earlier deal.

  • Boston Red Sox C Duane Josephson (Northern Iowa's scoring leader in 1962-63 and 1963-64 under coach Norm Stewart) jacked two homers in an 8-4 victory against the Baltimore Orioles in 1971.

  • San Francisco Giants RHP Frank Linzy (listed on Oklahoma State's freshman hoops roster in 1959-60) supplied his third scoreless relief appearance of at least 3 2/3 innings in a 12-day span in 1966.

  • Cincinnati Reds RF Danny Litwhiler (member of JV hoops squad with Bloomsburg PA in mid-1930s) smacked a pinch three-run homer to break a 6-6 deadlock against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1950.

  • CF Don Lock (led Wichita State in field-goal percentage in 1956-57 and 1957-58) ended an 18-inning marathon in 1967 when his two-out single gave the Philadelphia Phillies a 2-1 win against the Cincinnati Reds.

  • San Francisco Giants LF Terrell Lowery (two-time All-West Coast Conference first-team selection and league-leading scorer for Loyola Marymount in 1990-91 and 1991-92) banged out five hits, including three doubles, in a 16-10 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers in 2000.

  • Boston Red Sox 1B Ed Morgan (Tulane hoops letterman from 1923-24 through 1925-26) had five hits against the Chicago White Sox in a 1934 outing.

  • Chicago Cubs rookie C Cal Neeman (Illinois Wesleyan's leading scorer in 1947-48 and 1948-49), igniting a career-high 11-game hitting streak through end of month, stroked game-winning single in bottom of ninth inning in a 4-3 win against the New York Giants in 1957.

  • Hall of Fame RHP Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) signed by Baltimore Orioles in 1962 after he was released by the New York Yankees.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers INF Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) supplied six RBI in a 15-6 romp over the St. Louis Cardinals in 1949.

  • Cleveland Indians 3B Jim Thome (played junior-college hoops for Illinois Central in 1988-89) smacked two taters in a 6-5 win against the Milwaukee Brewers in 1996.

  • Boston Red Sox 3B Billy Werber (first Duke hoops All-American in 1929-30) collected three stolen bases and scored four runs against the Chicago White Sox in a 1934 game.

  • RHP Jim Wilson (hoops letterman for San Diego State's 1942 NAIA Tournament participant) traded by the Baltimore Orioles to the Chicago White Sox in 1956.