Men For All Seasons: Many MLB All-Stars Previously Played College Hoops

July 6th, 2013 - 21:21

Four former college basketball players - Rick Ferrell, Frankie Frisch, Oral Hildebrand and Hal Schumacher - appeared in the inaugural major league baseball All-Star Game in 1933 and at least one ex-college hoopster participated in every All-Star festivity through the remainder of the 20th Century.

An annual average of seven former college hoopsters were MLB All-Stars the first half of the 1950s (including Hall of Famers Monte Irvin, Robin Roberts and Jackie Robinson). Evidence of the recent reduction of dual-sport athletes is exhibited by the fact that pitchers Chris Young (2007) and Matt Thornton (2010) are the only players in this unique category since outfielder Randy Winn (2002).

Arizona, Illinois, San Diego State and Texas A&M each have had three former hoopsters go on to become MLB All-Stars. Washington Nationals manager Davey Johnson, a Texas A&M product, is among the individuals on the following alphabetical list of MLB All-Stars who played varsity basketball as a regular for a four-year college:

MLB All-Star Team(s) Pos. All-Star Seasons College Played Hoops
Joe Adcock Braves 1B 1960 Louisiana State
George Altman Cubs OF 1961 and 1962 Tennessee State
Glenn Beckert Cubs 2B 1969 through 1972 Allegheny (MA)
R.C. "Beau" Bell Browns OF 1937 Texas A&M
Bruce Bochte Mariners 1B 1979 Santa Clara
Frank Bolling Braves 2B 1961 and 1962 Spring Hill (AL)
Lou Boudreau* Indians SS 1940-41-42-43-44-47-48 Illinois
Ralph Branca Dodgers P 1947 through 1949 New York University
Al Bumbry Orioles OF 1980 Virginia State
Bob Cerv Athletics LF 1958 Nebraska
Tony Clark Tigers 1B 2001 Arizona/San Diego State
Mickey Cochrane* Tigers C 1934 and 1935 Boston University
Gene Conley Braves/Phillies P 1954-55-59 Washington State
George Crowe Reds 1B 1958 Indiana Central
Alvin Dark Giants SS 1951-52-54 LSU/Southwestern Louisiana
Larry Doby Indians OF 1949 through 1955 Virginia Union
Walt Dropo Red Sox 1B 1950 Connecticut
Hoot Evers Tigers OF 1948 and 1950 Illinois
Rick Ferrell* Red Sox/Senators C 1933 through 1938 and 1944 Guilford (NC)
Boo Ferriss Red Sox P 1946 Mississippi State
Frankie Frisch* Cardinals INF 1933 through 1935 Fordham
Bob Gibson* Cardinals P 1962-65-66-67-68-69-70-72 Creighton
Dick Groat Pirates/Cardinals SS 1959-60-62-63-64 Duke
Tony Gwynn* Padres OF 1984 through 1999 (except for 1988) San Diego State
Tom Haller Giants/Dodgers C 1966 through 1968 Illinois
Atlee Hammaker Giants P 1983 East Tennessee State
Mike Hargrove Rangers OF-1B 1975 Northwestern Oklahoma State
Jim Hearn Giants P 1952 Georgia Tech
Oral Hildebrand Indians P 1933 Butler
Gil Hodges Dodgers 1B 1949 through 1955 and 1957 St. Joseph's (IN)/Oakland City (IN)
Frank Howard Senators OF 1968 through 1971 Ohio State
Monte Irvin* Giants OF 1952 Lincoln (PA)
Davey Johnson Orioles/Braves 2B 1968-69-70-73 Texas A&M
Duane Josephson White Sox C 1968 Northern Iowa
David Justice Braves/Indians OF 1993-94-97 Thomas More (KY)
Charlie Keller Yankees OF 1940-41-43-46-47 Maryland
Don Kessinger Cubs SS 1968-69-70-71-72-74 Mississippi
Jim Konstanty Phillies P 1950 Syracuse
Vance Law Cubs 3B 1988 Brigham Young
Dave Lemanczyk Blue Jays P 1979 Hartwick (NY)
Hank Lieber Giants/Cubs OF 1938-40-41 Arizona
Danny Litwhiler Phillies OF 1942 Bloomsburg (PA)
Kenny Lofton Indians/Braves OF 1994 through 1999 Arizona
Davey Lopes Dodgers 2B 1978 through 1981 Iowa Wesleyan
Jerry Lumpe Tigers 2B 1964 Southwest Missouri State
Ted Lyons* White Sox P 1939 Baylor
Bake McBride Cardinals OF 1976 Westminster (MO)
Wally Moon Cardinals/Dodgers OF 1957 and 1959 Texas A&M
Buddy Myer Senators 2B 1935 and 1937 Mississippi State
Graig Nettles Yankees/Padres 3B 1975-77-78-79-80-85 San Diego State
Bill Nicholson Cubs RF 1940-41-43-44 Washington College (MD)
Claude Passeau Cubs P 1941-42-43-45-46 Millsaps (MS)
Gary Peters White Sox P 1964 and 1967 Grove City (PA)
Ron Reed Braves P 1968 Notre Dame
Robin Roberts* Phillies P 1950 through 1956 Michigan State
Jackie Robinson* Dodgers INF-OF 1949 through 1954 UCLA
Preacher Roe Dodgers P 1949 through 1952 Harding (AR)
Red Rolfe Yankees 3B 1937 through 1940 Dartmouth
Marius Russo Yankees P 1941 Long Island
Hal Schumacher Giants P 1933 and 1935 St. Lawrence (NY)
Don Schwall Red Sox P 1961 Oklahoma
Jeff Shaw Dodgers P 1998 and 2001 Rio Grande (OH)
Norm Siebern Athletics 1B 1962 through 1964 Southwest Missouri State
Sonny Siebert Indians/Red Sox P 1966 and 1971 Missouri
Lee Smith Cubs/Cardinals/Orioles/Angels P 1983-87-91-92-93-94-95 Northwestern State
Matt Thornton White Sox P 2010 Grand Valley State (MI)
Bob Veale Pirates P 1965 and 1966 Benedictine (KS)
Bill White Cardinals 1B 1959-60-61-63-64 Hiram (OH)
Sammy White Red Sox C 1953 Washington
Dave Winfield* Padres/Yankees OF 1977 through 1988 Minnesota
Randy Winn Devil Rays OF 2002 Santa Clara
Chris Young Padres P 2007 Princeton

*Baseball Hall of Famers.