On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on July 3 MLB Games

July 3rd, 2015 - 12:18

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

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 titlist). Doby broke the A.L. color barrier in 1947.

  • 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 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 1994.

  • RHP Roger Mason (multiple-year 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 a season when he scored 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.

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