Summary of U.S. Men's Involvement in Olympics

Genesis of Olympic Basketball Participation

Dr. James Naismith is credited for inventing the game of basketball in 1891, but it wasn't until June, 1932, in Geneva, Switzerland that an international federation was formed to focus solely on basketball. Three years later, the International Basketball Federation (FIBB) was officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), helping pave the path for men's basketball to be implemented at the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympic Games. The FIBB is the forerunner of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).

Naismith's protege, Dr. F.C. "Phog" Allen, was the driving force behind the addition of basketball to the Olympic Games. During the late 1920s and early 1930s, he conducted a personal crusade trying to coax Olympic officials to include the sport before it finally paid off.

In 1904, basketball was a new demonstration sport at the Summer Olympics in St. Louis, which also was part of the World's Fair the same year. Hiram College (Ohio), Wheaton College (Illinois) and the University of Latter Day Saints (known today as Brigham Young) were the three college teams invited to compete in what was officially called the "Olympic Collegiate Basketball Championship." Hiram finished the round-robin tournament 2-0 and was declared the champion and awarded the first Olympic gold medal in basketball.

The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) was recognized as the organization that would be responsible for United States teams in international competitions when the U.S joined FIBA as a member in 1934. Various committees controlled the selection of the U.S. Olympic teams and coaching staffs. For instance, the Games Committee selected from eight teams at the 1960 Olympics Trials - three AAU squads, the NCAA Tournament champion, an NCAA university all-star team, an NCAA college all-star team, an Armed Forces all-star team, and a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) all-star team.

Just prior to the 1972 Olympics, FIBA revoked its recognition of the AAU and instructed the U.S. to form a new organization containing representation from the numerous basketball outlets in the country. In 1974, the Amateur Basketball Federation of the United States of America (ABAUSA) was formed. ABAUSA changed its name to USA Basketball in October, 1989. Shortly thereafter FIBA modified its rules to allow professional basketball players to participate in international competitions, allowing the National Basketball Association to assemble a series of "Dream Teams".

The U.S. Women's National Team created what it hoped was a blueprint for success by fielding its squad more than a year in advance of the 1996 Olympics, paying players an annual salary of $50,000. The ladies also became a "dream team" of sorts, winning their first 39 exhibition games against U.S. colleges and foreign opponents by an average margin of almost 35 points. The $3 million long-range project enabled the U.S. to assemble a more mature female roster (average age of 27 compared to 21 in the '76 and '80 Olympics). After the formation of the WNBA, professional players also dominated the U.S. women's squad.

Three-time Olympian Dawn Staley carried the flag for the remainder of the U.S. Olympic delegation at the 2004 Opening Ceremonies in Athens. Following is a summary of U.S. involvement in previous Olympiads:

1936
Berlin, Germany (IX)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (5-0); 2. Canada (5-1); 3. Mexico (5-2).
U.S. Coach: James Needles, Universal Pictures (Calif.).
Did You Know?: Each basketball team was limited to seven players per game, which were played on an outdoor tennis court on a surface of clay and sand. A rule banning players taller than 6-2 was rescinded only after the U.S. complained. Forward Frank Lubin, a 1931 UCLA graduate of Lithuanian ancestry, played and coached Lithuania to the 1939 European Cup Tournament title. Lubin, the second-leading scorer for the '36 U.S. squad, scored the game-winning basket for Lithuania against Latvia. Third-leading scorer Francis Johnson was a younger brother of assistant U.S. coach Gene Johnson (Globe Oilers, Kan.). Fourth-leading scorer Sam Balter went on to become a broadcaster for the Mutual Network and sports columnist for the Los Angeles Herald-Express before gaining membership in the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. Legendary Kansas coach Phog Allen conceived a plan that had each high school and college withhold one cent from the price of each admission to one game played during the week of February 9-15 to finance the trip to Germany for Dr. James Naismith, the game's inventor. LIU's undefeated team (25-0) coached by Hall of Famer Clair Bee boycotted the Olympic Games. The LIU roster, comprised of sons and grandsons of Jewish and Italian immigrants, decided that if one team member chose not to participate, they all would refuse to compete in Hitler's Berlin.

U.S. Results
U.S. 2, Spain 0*
U.S. 52, Estonia 28
U.S. 56, Philippines 23
U.S. 25, Mexico 10
U.S. 19, Canada 8

*The U.S. was awarded a forfeit victory when its first opponent (Spain) didn't show up because of the Spanish civil war.

U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics

NOTE: The team was divided into two seven-man units that played one game and then sat out the next contest.

1948
London, England (XIV)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (8-0); 2. France (5-2); 3. Brazil (7-1).
U.S. Coach: Omar Browning, Phillips Oilers (Okla.).
Did You Know?: The Phillips Oilers, winners of the national AAU title, defeated Kentucky, the 1948 NCAA champion, in the final game of the U.S. Olympic Trials (53-49). Each of the finalists wound up with five representatives on the U.S. squad. NIT champion St. Louis rejected an invitation to the eight-team Olympic Trials because the school's administration believed the players would miss too much class time. Former Oklahoma A&M All-American guard Jesse "Cab" Renick, one of the U.S. team members from the Oilers, was inducted into the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame in 1973 (1/4 Chickasaw and 1/4 Choctaw). Don Barksdale, a second-team selection in 1946-47, was the first African-American player named to an NCAA consensus All-American squad. Before serving a three-year stint in the U.S. Army, Barksdale's 18-point effort in 1942-43 helped UCLA end USC's 42-game winning streak in their intracity rivalry. In 1946-47, Ralph Beard and Alex Groza were Kentucky sophomores when they became the only set of underclassmen teammates named NCAA consensus first-team All-Americans in the same year since the start of the NCAA Tournament. Ken Rollins, the lone senior among UK coach Adolph Rupp's "Fabulous Five," held standout guard Bob Cousy, the leading scorer for defending champion Holy Cross, to just five points in the 1948 NCAA Tournament semifinals. Wallace "Wah Wah" Jones lettered as a two-way end on three UK football teams coached by the legendary Bear Bryant and lettered three times for the Wildcats' baseball team.

U.S. Results U.S. 86, Switzerland 21
U.S. 53, Czechoslovakia 28
U.S. 59, Argentina 57
U.S. 66, Egypt 28
U.S. 61, Peru 33
U.S. 63, Uruguay 28
U.S. 71, Mexico 40
U.S. 65, France 21

U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics

*Boryla played two seasons at Notre Dame (1944-45 and 1945-46) and then served in the military for two years before finishing his college career at the University of Denver (1948-49).

1952
Helsinki, Finland (XV)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (8-0); 2. Soviet Union (6-2); 3. Uruguay (5-3).
U.S. Coach: Warren Womble, Peoria Caterpillars (IL).
Did You Know?: U.S. Olympic team captain Ron Bontemps was a high school (Taylorville, Ill.) and college (Illinois and Beloit, Wis.) teammate of former Massachusetts, Michigan and Iowa State coach Johnny Orr. Their 1944 state high school championship team compiled a 45-0 record. Bontemps averaged a team-high 22 points per game for a Beloit squad that earned a bid to the 1951 NIT after defeating larger schools such as Washington State, Marshall, San Jose State and Loyola of Chicago. Beloit had an enrollment of 1,060 students. Guard Dean Kelley is the only player to have season scoring averages of fewer than 10 points per game in back-to-back years when he was named to the All-NCAA Tournament team (1952 and 1953 with Kansas). Charlie Hoag, one of seven KU players on the U.S. roster, was also a running back and captain of the Jayhawks' 1952 football squad and 26th-round draft choice of the Cleveland Browns in 1953.

U.S. Results
U.S. 66, Hungary 48
U.S. 72, Czechoslovakia 47
U.S. 57, Uruguay 44
U.S. 86, USSR 58
U.S. 103, Chile 55
U.S. 57, Brazil 53
U.S. 85, Argentina 76
U.S. 36, USSR 25

U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics

1956
Melbourne, Australia (XVI)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (8-0); 2. Soviet Union (5-3); 3. Uruguay (6-2).
U.S. Coach: Gerry Tucker, Phillips 66ers (Okla.).
Did You Know?: The XVIth Olympiad, conducted during the U.S.'s winter time (Nov. 22-Dec. 1) because the seasons are reversed in Australia, delayed Bill Russell's NBA debut. Forward Dick Boushka, named president of Vickers Petroleum Corporation in 1963 at the age of 29, became the ninth president of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and swingman Gib Ford became president of Converse after serving in the Air Force. Coach Gerry Tucker had been an NCAA consensus first-team All-American in 1947 when the 6-4 center was the leading scorer for Oklahoma's NCAA Tournament runner-up. Tucker, an Army veteran from Winfield, Kan., originally attended Kansas State. Carl Cain, who sustained a herniated disc after entering the Army, played sparingly and was almost replaced by alternate Willie Naulls of UCLA. Cain was second-leading scorer and rebounder for Iowa team losing to USF and Russell in 1956 NCAA Tournament championship game.

U.S. Results
U.S. 98, Japan 40
U.S. 101, Thailand 29
U.S. 121, Philippines 53
U.S. 85, Bulgaria 44
U.S. 113, Brazil 51
U.S. 85, USSR 55
U.S. 101, Uruguay 38
U.S. 89, USSR 55

U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics

1960
Rome, Italy (XVII)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (8-0); 2. Soviet Union (6-2); 3. Brazil (6-2).
U.S. Coach: Pete Newell, California.
Did You Know?: Ohio State guard John Havlicek didn't make the cut but eight members of the 12-man U.S. roster in 1960 went on to play at least nine seasons in the NBA. Jay Arnette, one of the four who didn't have a prolonged NBA career (three years with the Cincinnati Royals after a brief minor league baseball career in the Los Angeles Dodgers' farm system), was a Texas teammate and Olympic opponent of Albert Almanza, the third-leading scorer for the Mexican team that finished 11th. West Virginia two-time first-team All-America swingman Jerry West was denied an NCAA championship ring in 1959 when California center Darrall Imhoff, West's teammate with the Los Angeles Lakers for four seasons in the mid-1960s, tipped in a basket with 17 seconds remaining. Imhoff's high school coach was Bob Boyd, who went on to guide Southern California and Mississippi State. Allen Kelley and fellow guard Dean Kelley, a 1952 Olympian, are the only set of brothers to play together in two NCAA playoff title games (1952 and 1953 with Kansas). Walt Bellamy, Jerry Lucas' backup center, was named NBA Rookie of the Year after averaging 31.6 points and 19 rebounds per game in 1961-62. Lucas, a memory expert and motivational speaker, worked on educational programs while living in Compton, Calif.

U.S. Results
U.S. 88, Italy 54
U.S. 125, Japan 66
U.S. 107, Hungary 63
U.S. 104, Yugoslavia 42
U.S. 108, Uruguay 50
U.S. 81, USSR 57
U.S. 112, Italy 81
U.S. 90, Brazil 63

U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics

1964
Tokyo, Japan (XVIII)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (9-0); 2. Soviet Union (8-1); 3. Brazil (6-3).
U.S. Coach: Hank Iba, Oklahoma State.
Did You Know?: Former UNC Charlotte coach and NBA standout Jeff Mullins compiled the lowest scoring average on the 12-man U.S. roster despite averaging 24.2 points per game for NCAA runner-up Duke. Mullins, who scored 14 of his 18 points against Puerto Rico in the semifinals, was one of eight major-college roster members to go on and play at least seven seasons in the NBA/ABA. But the squad's leading scorer was from a small college - SE Oklahoma State's Jerry Shipp. Walt Hazzard became the only Final Four Most Outstanding Player (UCLA '64) to later coach his alma mater in the tournament (1-1 playoff record with Bruins in 1987). Larry Brown, who also coached UCLA, became the only mentor to leave an NCAA champion before the next season for another coaching job when he quit Kansas before the start of next NCAA probation-marred campaign to return to the NBA after winning the 1988 title with the Jayhawks. Brown, coach of the 2004 U.S. Olympic team, is a former father-in-law of ex-Missouri coach Quin Snyder, a Duke teammate of '92 Olympian Christian Laettner in 1988-89. Joe Caldwell played for Brown in his first two seasons as a pro head coach (ABA's Carolina Cougars in 1972-73 and 1973-74). Princeton's Bill Bradley, a U.S. Senator from New Jersey who ran for the Democratic nomination for president in 2000, is probably the most famous politician to play college basketball. Michigan sophomore sensation Cazzie Russell was handicapped by an ankle injury in his bid for a spot on the roster. Dick Davies' brother, Bob, was an All-American for Seton Hall before earning recognition as a first-team all-star in the NBL, BAA and NBA. Dick went on to become Goodyear's vice president of manufacturing.

U.S. Results
U.S. 78, Australia 45
U.S. 77, Finland 51
U.S. 60, Peru 45
U.S. 83, Uruguay 28
U.S. 69, Yugoslavia 61
U.S. 86, Brazil 53
U.S. 116, South Korea 50
U.S. 62, Puerto Rico 42
U.S. 73, USSR 59

U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics

1968
Mexico City, Mexico (XIX)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (9-0); 2. Yugoslavia (7-2); 3. Soviet Union (8-1).
U.S. Coach: Hank Iba, Oklahoma State.
Did You Know?: Spencer Haywood, the leading scorer for the U.S. squad, was at that time the youngest player (19) ever to earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic basketball team. The U.S. team probably would have featured a different leading scorer and most assuredly would have averaged more than 67 points in its last three games if any or all of the following sophomore scoring sensations had been named to the squad: LSU's Pete Maravich (43.8 ppg), Niagara's Calvin Murphy (38.2) and Purdue's Rick Mount (28.5). Ken Spain was selected as an end by the Detroit Lions in the 16th round of the 1969 NFL draft and also had tryouts with the Houston Oilers, Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders. Mike Silliman's coach at Army was Bob Knight, who was in charge of the U.S. gold medal-winning squad in 1984. Bill Hosket's father, Wilmer, was named to the third five on College Humor Magazine's All-American team in 1932-33 when he was the fourth-leading scorer in the Big Ten Conference (8 ppg) as a member of Ohio State's league co-champions. Northeast Louisiana's Glynn Saulters scored 30 or more points in 21 college games including a school-record 51 against Nicholls State as a senior.

U.S. Results
U.S. 81, Spain 46
U.S. 93, Senegal 36
U.S. 96, Philippines 75
U.S. 73, Yugoslavia 58
U.S. 95, Panama 60
U.S. 100, Italy 61
U.S. 61, Puerto Rico 56
U.S. 75, Brazil 63
U.S. 65, Yugoslavia 50

U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics

1972
Munich, West Germany (XX)
Medal Winners: 1. Soviet Union (9-0); 2. U.S. (8-1); 3. Cuba (7-2).
U.S. Coach: Hank Iba, Oklahoma State.
Did You Know?: A 62-game Olympic winning streak for the U.S. ended in the most controversial game in international basketball history. Three seconds were put back on the clock on two separate occasions in the final before the Soviet's Aleksander Belov received a length-of-the-court pass between two American players and converted a game-winning layup. UCLA's Bill Walton became a post-defeat whipping boy in some quarters for not playing for the team. Swen Nater, Walton's backup with the Bruins, made the Olympic roster but quit during three-a-day workouts at Pearl Harbor. Iba, the only individual to coach three different U.S. Olympic squads, had seven of his former Oklahoma A&M players eventually coach teams into the NCAA playoffs: John Floyd (Texas A&M), Jack Hartman (Kansas State), Don Haskins (Texas-El Paso), Moe Iba (Nebraska), Bud Millikan (Maryland), Doyle Parrack (Oklahoma City) and Eddie Sutton (Creighton/Arkansas/Kentucky/Oklahoma State). Tom McMillen became co-chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness under Bill Clinton after serving as a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland. The U.S., which trailed the USSR by eight points with less than six minutes left, led only once, 49-48, on Doug Collins' two free throws with three seconds remaining. Collins is the only former NCAA consensus All-American and Olympian to have a son participate in an NCAA Tournament championship game (guard Chris Collins of Duke '94).

U.S. Results
U.S. 66, Czechoslovakia 35
U.S. 81, Australia 55
U.S. 67, Cuba 48
U.S. 61, Brazil 54
U.S. 96, Egypt 31
U.S. 72, Spain 56
U.S. 99, Japan 33
U.S. 68, Italy 38
USSR 51, U.S. 50

U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics

1976
Montreal, Canada (XXI)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (7-0); 2. Yugoslavia (5-2); 3. Soviet Union (5-2).
U.S. Men's Coach: Dean Smith, North Carolina.
Did You Know?: Seven members of the 12-man U.S. roster were from coach Dean Smith's conference, including four from his school (North Carolina), although the Atlantic Coast Conference didn't notch a victory in the 1976 NCAA Tournament. One of the non-ACC players (at the time) was Notre Dame forward Adrian Dantley, who managed the highest-ever scoring average for a U.S. player in a single Olympiad (19.3 points per game). Ernie Grunfeld (New York Knicks) and Mitch Kupchak (Los Angeles Lakers) went on to become general managers for NBA franchises while Quinn Buckner became an NBA head coach (Dallas Mavericks). Buckner was selected by the Washington Redskins in 14th round of 1976 NFL draft as a defensive back.

U.S. Men's Results
U.S. 106, Italy 86
U.S. 95, Puerto Rico 94
U.S. 112, Yugoslavia 93
U.S. 2, Egypt 0*
U.S. 81, Czechoslovakia 76
U.S. 95, Canada 77
U.S. 95, Yugoslavia 74
*The U.S. was awarded a forfeit victory when Egypt withdrew for political reasons.

U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics

1980
Moscow, Soviet Union (XXII)
Medal Winners: 1. Yugoslavia (8-0); 2. Italy (5-3); 3. Soviet Union (6-2).
U.S. Men's Coach: Dave Gavitt, Providence.
Did You Know?: Argentina, Canada, China, Mexico and Puerto Rico all qualified for the Olympics along with the U.S., but they boycotted the Moscow Games in protest of the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan. Each of the 12 U.S. team members became NBA first-round draft choices. A key member of the gold-medal winning Yugoslavian team was Kresimir Cosic, who led Brigham Young in scoring in 1971-72 (22.3 ppg) and 1972-73 (20.2 ppg) before becoming Deputy Ambassador to the United States for Croatia. Cosic died of cancer in May, 1995, at the age of 46. Playmaker Isiah Thomas went on to spark Indiana to 1981 NCAA Tournament title as Final Four Most Outstanding Player and assemble a prolific pro career but wasn't named to the 1992 "Dream Team."

U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics

NOTE: Statistics are for six games (5-1 record) in the "Gold Medal Series" in various U.S. cities against NBA All-Star teams.

1984
Los Angeles, California, USA (XXIII)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (8-0); 2. Spain (6-2); 3. Yugoslavia (7-1).
U.S. Men's Coach: Bob Knight, Indiana.
Did You Know?: Political repercussions persisted as the Soviet bloc countries boycotted the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Holy Cross coach Jack Donohue, who guided the Canadian National Team to a fourth-place finish, previously piloted Power Memorial Academy in New York to a 163-30 record, including 71 consecutive victories with center Lew Alcindor manning the middle for him. Chris Mullin and Sam Perkins became teammates with the Indiana Pacers in 1998-99 after Vern Fleming and Wayman Tisdale were teammates with the same franchise for four seasons in the late 1980s. Steve Alford coached against Knight in the Big Ten Conference after becoming Iowa's bench boss. NBA all-time assists and steals leader John Stockton was cut in favor of Leon Wood, who became an NBA referee after his playing career.

U.S. Men's Results
U.S. 97, China 49
U.S. 89, Canada 68
U.S. 104, Uruguay 68
U.S. 120, France 62
U.S. 101, Spain 68
U.S. 78, F.R. Germany 67
U.S. 78, Canada 59
U.S. 96, Spain 65

U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics

1988
Seoul, South Korea (XXIV)
Medal Winners: 1. Soviet Union (7-1); 2. Yugoslavia (6-2); 3. U.S. (7-1).
U.S. Men's Coach: John Thompson Jr., Georgetown.
Did You Know?: Hersey Hawkins, the team's top outside threat, was sidelined because of an injury when the U.S. sustained a semifinal loss to the USSR in the first Olympic matchup between the superpowers since the controversial 1972 final in Munich. Guard Charles E. Smith, Thompson's star player for Georgetown, was the only member of the 12-man Olympic squad undrafted by an NBA team. Smith subsequently served prison time for vehicular homicide and later was found shot in the upper body in Bowie, Md., in a house where a significant amount of cocaine and evidence of a gambling operation were found. In the fall of 2003, Willie Anderson reportedly lost almost all of the $1.75 million he was to receive from a deferred 10-year contract with the San Antonio Spurs to the IRS and three women who said he did not pay child support. Dan Majerle (Grand Canyon) and Danny Manning (Tulsa and Wake Forest) went on to become NCAA Division I head coaches.

U.S. Men's Results
U.S. 97, Spain 53
U.S. 76, Canada 70
U.S. 102, Brazil 87
U.S. 108, China 57
U.S. 102, Egypt 35
U.S. 94, Puerto Rico 57
USSR 82, U.S. 76
U.S. 78, Australia 49

U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics

1992
Barcelona, Spain (XXV)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (8-0); 2. Croatia (6-2); 3. Lithuania (6-2).
U.S. Men's Coach: Chuck Daly, New Jersey Nets.
Did You Know?: "Dream Team I," winning its eight games by an average of 43.8 points, was assembled after international rules, which previously prevented only NBA players from being eligible for Olympic basketball, were changed by the FIBA membership on April 7, 1989, by virtue of a 56-13 vote in favor of "open competition." Three University of Houston products participated in the 1992 Games - David Diaz (Venezuela), Clyde Drexler (U.S.) and Carl Herrera (Venezuela) and a fourth, Rolando Ferreira, was cut by the Brazilian squad just prior to the competition.

U.S. Men's Results
U.S. 116, Angola 48
U.S. 103, Croatia 70
U.S. 111, Germany 68
U.S. 127, Brazil 83
U.S. 122, Spain 81
U.S. 115, Puerto Rico 77
U.S. 127, Lithuania 76
U.S. 117, Croatia 85

U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics

*Selected in first round of NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

1996
Atlanta, Georgia, USA (XXVI)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (8-0); 2. Yugoslavia (7-1); 3. Lithuania (5-3).
U.S. Men's Coach: Lenny Wilkens, Atlanta Hawks.
Did You Know?: Dream Team III averaged fewer points per game during the Olympics (101.8) than the U.S. women's squad (102.4). David Robinson, the first three-time U.S. Olympian in men's basketball, became the all-time leading scorer for the U.S. in Olympic competition (record subsequently broken). Robinson remains the only three-time hoops Olympian who attended a non-power conference member. Reggie Miller's sister, Cheryl, was the leading scorer for the 1984 U.S. women's squad.

U.S. Men's Results
U.S. 96, Argentina 68
U.S. 87, Angola 54
U.S. 104, Lithuania 82
U.S. 133, China 70
U.S. 102, Croatia 71
U.S. 98, Brazil 75
U.S. 101, Australia 73
U.S. 95, Yugoslavia 69

U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics

2000
Sydney, Australia (XXVII)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (8-0); 2. France (4-4); 3. Lithuania (5-3).
U.S. Men's Coach: Rudy Tomjanovich, Houston Rockets.
Did You Know?: Grant Hill and Gary Payton were members of the 1996 U.S. Olympic Team. Hill (three times with Duke) and Vince Carter (twice with North Carolina) were the only members of the 12-man squad to have participated in the NCAA Final Four. Payton (winless in three NCAA playoff games with Oregon State) was involved in a trade for Ray Allen midway through the 2002-03 season. Assistant coach Larry Brown played for the 1964 U.S. squad that included eventual Democratic Presidential candidate Bill Bradley. Lithuania forced the U.S. into its two closest margins (nine and two) since NBA players began competing in 1992.

U.S. Men's Results
U.S. 119, China 72
U.S. 93, Italy 61
U.S. 85, Lithuania 76
U.S. 102, New Zealand 56
U.S. 106, France 94
U.S. 85, Russia 70
U.S. 85, Lithuania 83
U.S. 85, France 75

U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics

2004
Athens, Greece (XXVIII)
Medal Winners: 1. Argentina (6-2); 2. Italy (5-3); 3. U.S. (5-3).
U.S. Men's Coach: Larry Brown, Detroit Pistons.
Did You Know?: Following a slew of withdrawals and rejected invitations, the U.S. roster included only Tim Duncan and Allen Iverson from the star-studded squad that won the Tournament of the Americas the previous summer. Mike Bibby, Jason Kidd, Karl Malone, Tracy McGrady and Jermaine O'Neal were named to the team, but withdrew because of injuries or personal reasons. After 24 consecutive victories, the pros incurred their first Olympic defeat (worst in U.S. history) when Puerto Rico jumped to a 22-point, first-half cushion en route to a 92-73 opening-round decision. The U.S. also lost to Lithuania before failing to overcome a 16-point, third-quarter deficit in a semifinal defeat against Argentina. U.S. star Tim Duncan, playing less than half of the game because of foul problems, scored only 10 points while San Antonio Spurs teammate Manu Ginobili poured in 29 for Argentina. The average age of the U.S. roster was 23.6, with nine of the players attending college two or fewer years. Despite hitting seven of eight three-pointers down the stretch in a bronze-medal game victory over Lithuania, the U.S. shot a meager 31.4% from beyond the arc over eight games.

U.S. Men's Results
Puerto Rico 92, U.S. 73
U.S. 77, Greece 71
U.S. 88, Australia 79
Lithuania 94, U.S. 90
U.S. 89, Angola 53
U.S. 102, Spain 94
Argentina 89, U.S. 81
U.S. 104, Lithuania 96

U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics

2008
Beijing, China (XXIX)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (8-0); 2. Spain (6-2); 3. Argentina (6-2).
U.S. Men's Coach: Mike Krzyzweski, Duke.
Did You Know?: The "Redeem Team" captured the American's first gold medal in a major international competition in eight years (since the 2000 Sydney Olympics). Dwyane Wade finished as the leading scorer for the U.S. with 16 ppg after scoring a team-high 27 points in the gold medal game against defending world champion Spain, which trailed by only two points early in the fourth quarter. Three of the U.S. squad's top five scorers did not attend college.

U.S. Men's Results
U.S. 101, China 70
U.S. 97, Angola 76
U.S. 92, Greece 69
U.S. 119, Spain 82
U.S. 106, Germany 57
U.S. 116, Australia 85
U.S. 101, Argentina 81
U.S. 118, Spain 107

U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics

2012
London, England (XXX)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (8-0); 2. Spain (5-3); 3. Russia (6-2).
U.S. Men's Coach: Mike Krzyzweski, Duke.
Did You Know?: The 12-man roster and three alternates had been undergraduate selections in the NBA draft. Deron Williams is the only roster member with as many as three seasons of college experience. Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James and Chris Paul were playing for different NBA teams than when they competed for the 2008 U.S. squad. Anthony and James joined David Robinson as three-time U.S. hoop Olympians. Anthony Davis replaced Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers/Oklahoma) on roster after Griffin incurred a knee injury. Margin of victory over Nigeria (83) was highest in Olympic history when Anthony scored a U.S.-record 37 points in only 14 minutes. James passed Michael Jordan on the all-time Olympic scoring list for Team USA while Kevin Durant passed Spencer Haywood for most points in a single Olympiad. James Harden averaged a modest 5.5 ppg for the U.S. squad before finishing among the NBA's top five scorers each of the next eight seasons by averaging 29.6 ppg over that span. Nonetheless, the U.S. won six of its eight contest by more than 25 points.

U.S. Men's Results
U.S. 98, France 71
U.S. 110, Tunisia 63
U.S. 156, Nigeria 73
U.S. 99, Lithuania 94
U.S. 126, Argentina 97
U.S. 119, Australia 86
U.S. 109, Argentina 83
U.S. 107, Spain 100

U.S. Men's Roster

2016
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (XXXI)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (8-0); 2. Serbia (4-4); 3. Spain (5-3).
U.S. Men's Coach: Mike Krzyzweski, Duke.
Did You Know?: Carmelo Anthony, the first American to be selected to four Olympic basketball teams, passed LeBron James as Team USA's all-time leading scorer. TMZ reported that a group of players, staying on a 500-foot cruise ship (Silver Cloud with 196 cabins), "accidentally" visited a famed brothel.

U.S. Men's Results
U.S. 119, China 62
U.S. 113, Venezuela 69
U.S. 98, Australia 88
U.S. 94, Serbia 91
U.S. 100, France 97
U.S. 105, Argentina 78
U.S. 82, Spain 76
U.S. 96, Serbia 66

U.S. Men's Roster

2021
Tokyo, Japan (XXXII)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (5-1); 2. France (5-1); 3. Australia (5-1).
U.S. Men's Coach: Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs.
Did You Know?: Event was delayed a year because of coronavirus pandemic. After U.S. lost an exhibition game against Nigeria (a country the Americans defeated by 83 points in 2012 Olympics), it lost Olympic opener to France, snapping a 25-game Olympic winning streak prior to coming back to defeat France in gold-medal final. Keldon Johnson and JaVale McGee replaced Bradley Beal (tested positive for COVID-19) and Kevin Love (lingering calf injury) on roster. In his Olympic debut, Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks scored 48 points for Slovenia against Argentina. Kevin Durant surpassed Carmelo Anthony to become all-time leading scorer for U.S. Olympic team.

U.S. Men's Results
France 83, U.S. 76
U.S. 120, Iran 66
U.S. 119, Czechoslovakia 84
U.S. 95, Spain 81
U.S. 97, Australia 78
U.S. 87, France 82

U.S. Men's Roster

U.S. Men's All-Time Olympic Games Roster

*Played for an armed services or independent team when named an Olympian.

Schools With Most Different U.S. Basketball Olympians: 14 - Kentucky; 13 - Kansas; 13 - North Carolina; 12 - UCLA; 7 - Duke; 5 - Indiana and Oklahoma; 4 - Georgetown and Houston.

Major Schools Never to Have a Men's U.S. Basketball Olympian: Boston College, Brigham Young, Clemson, Dayton, Florida, Florida State, Miami (Fla.), Mississippi, Mississippi State, New Mexico, Northwestern, Oregon, Providence, Seton Hall, Temple, Texas Christian, Texas Tech, Tulane, Tulsa, Virginia, Western Kentucky, Xavier.

Collegehoopedia.com frequently focuses on former college hoopers who wound up playing professional baseball and football. Their wherewithal supports the theory in some quarters that basketball players are the most versatile team-sport athletes in the world. What other sport demands such an abundance of speed, strength, stamina, coordination, quickness, jumping ability, teamwork, timing, guile and creativity? In deference to Arizona standout Chase Budinger reaching beach volleyball Round of 16 in 2024 Paris Olympics, following is an alphabetical list of additional "secondary-sport" standouts - excluding baseball, football, golf, tennis and track - who also exhibited their athletic prowess in college basketball:

RICK ABRAHAMSON, Oregon
Handball player competed in Summer Olympics in 1972 (American team finished 14th) and 1976 (10th). . . . Abrahamson averaged 7.8 ppg and 2.1 rpg from 1966-67 through 1968-69.

DIRK ANDROFF, Eastern Illinois
Major Softball League player posted 10 consecutive .700-plus batting averages between 1988 and 1997. After swatting 14 homers in 29 plate appearances in 1996 National Softball Association World Series in Johnson City, Tenn., he met an untimely death in the fall of 1997 while working out on an exercise bike. . . . The 6-7 Androff, a three-year starting power forward from 1982-83 through 1984-85, averaged 8 ppg and 5.9 rpg while shooting 61% from the floor. He also was a tight end for EIU when eventual New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton was the Panthers' quarterback.

BILL ATKINSON, Florida
Introduced to the sport of of polo at age 27, track athlete commenced a 43-year career, winning the U.S. Open Polo Championship in 1969 and 1973. . . . Averaged 6 ppg as senior captain for the Gators in 1948-49.

DENNIS BERKHOLTZ, Kansas State
Backcourt player in handball captained the U.S. team at the 1972 Olympics in Munich (scored six goals in three matches for 14th-place finisher). Also played at the 1970 and 1974 World Championships. He later coached the U.S. team at the 1976 Olympics and became President of the USA Handball in the late 1970s. . . . Averaged 9.2 ppg and 3.1 rpg for K-State from 1964-65 through 1966-67 under coach Tex Winter. Berkholtz led the Wildcats in total points as a senior.

JIM BERKMAN, St. Lawrence (N.Y.)
First-team All-American in lacrosse as a senior played in four NCAA tourneys. . . . Averaged 8.2 ppg in the mid-1980s. Set school free-throw shooting records for single season and career accuracy. Also established all-time assists standard.

PAUL BILBO, Hofstra/Mercyhurst (Pa.)
Professional wrestler with ring name of Pretty Boy Smooth or P.B. Smooth (a/k/a Urban Playboy). He was also involved in the comedy-horror anthology called Shingles. . . . The 6-8 Bilbo played in 12 games for Hofstra as a freshman in 2010-11 before transferring to Mercyhurst, where he averaged 5.5 ppg and 3.2 rpg from 2011-12 through 2013-14.

DAVE BOLLMAN, Iowa
IGA Player of the Year in 1964 before earning PGA tour card in the fall of 1968. He subsequently became a professional pool player (ranked third nationally in 1981). . . . The 6-4 Bollman scored five points in four basketball games with the Hawkeyes in 1961-62.

DAVID BRADFIELD, Cornell
Midfielder was lacrosse's team MVP in 1954. . . . All-Ivy League second-team selection in basketball in 1953-54 with conference-leading 5.8 apg.

TRAVIS "HAPA" BROWNE, Palomar Community College (Calif.)
After a dozen UFC victories, the 6-7, 250-pound Hawaiian incurred his first UFC defeat, after popping a hamstring, in early October 2012 against Bigfoot Silva. . . . The mixed martial artist said basketball honed his footwork, movement and feints, giving him an advantage against similar-sized opponents.

CHASE BUDINGER, Arizona
First individual to play in the NBA (seven seasons from 2009-10 through 2015-16) and compete in an Olympic beach volleyball match (2024 Paris Games). Budinger joined the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) in 2018, and promptly earned Rookie of the Year and Most Improved Players awards. He won his first AVP crown in 2019. Budinger's older sister and brother also played professional volleyball. . . . Pacific-10 Conference Rookie of the Year under coach Lute Olson before becoming two-time all-league selection under two different mentors. He averaged 17 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 2.8 apg and 1.3 spg from 2006-07 through 2008-09 before declaring as an undergraduate for the NBA draft. Devin Booker, a 2024 hoops Olympian, was a Phoenix Suns rookie teammate of Budinger in his final NBA campaign.

MARK CALOWAY, Texas Wesleyan
Known as "The Undertaker," he is a multiple-time champion in the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment). The Houston native won his first 12 Wrestle Mania events. . . . The 6-10, 300-pounder played basketball for the Rams in the mid-1980s.

GREG CLAUSEN, Marquette
Body builder competed on regional level and national stage in the Men's Physique classification. He ballooned to 340 pounds before shedding 100 and slimming down to only 5% body fat. . . . The 6-11 Clausen averaged 2.1 ppg and 2.4 rpg from 1997-98 through 2000-01 under coaches Mike Deane and Tom Crean.

BOB CLEM, San Diego State
One of the most consistent players on the Open circuit was inducted into the Beach Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2014. His place in beach volleyball history was cemented with a 1971 victory at the Manhattan Open. . . . Clem averaged 13.5 ppg and 4.3 rpg for the Aztecs in 1967-68.

CHRIS CLEVELAND, St. Lawrence (N.Y.)
Goaltender set a school record for shutouts in his sophomore season with seven as the soccer squad posted its second straight 11-1 ledger. . . . The 6-1 Cleveland captained 1973-74 hoops team (4.2 ppg) going undefeated in league competition and earning the first NCAA bid in school history. He averaged 6.1 ppg over the previous two campaigns.

JONATHAN COACHMAN, McPherson (Kan.)
Known as "Coach," he is the cocky young announcer for WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment). . . . Two-time KCAC Most Valuable Player was his alma mater's all-time leading scorer (1,782 points) and rebounder (722) when his career ended in 1995.

MARK CONNOLLY, Oklahoma State/Long Beach State
Son of Olga and Harold Connolly, gold medalists in the discus and hammer in 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, compiled an 8-2-1 professional boxing record from 1993 to 2000 (lost last two bouts). Connolly advanced to the super heavyweight title bout in the 1990 U.S. Olympic Festival in St. Paul, Minn., and notched a 15-5 record with six knockouts as an amateur. . . . The 6-6 Connolly averaged 4 ppg and 3.6 rpg for OSU from 1978-79 through 1980-81 before transferring to LBSU, where he averaged 2 ppg and 1.8 rpg in 1982-83 under coach Tex Winter. Olga, who competed in five Olympics, was a member of the Czechoslovakian national basketball team in 1957.

BEN CRENCA, Vermont
Boasting stage name of "Big Trouble" Ben Bishop, he took up professional wrestling in 2019 after dabbling at Australian Rules Football. . . . The 6-9 Crenca averaged 2.8 ppg and 2 rpg from 2009-10 through 2012-13, participating in NCAA tourney as a junior.

RAY CRITTENDEN IV, Virginia Tech
Set former school single-season soccer records for goals (15) and points (34) in 1988. Went on to play as a wide receiver in the NFL. . . . Scored total of four points in four basketball games as a freshman in 1988-89.

WESLEY "VEGAS" DAVIS, Tennessee
Competed in World Beauty Fitness and Fashion Shows in Hollywood and Las Vegas. . . . Member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes averaged 2.8 ppg and 1.7 rpg from 1996-97 through 1999-00. Scored three points against Southwest Missouri State in 1999 NCAA playoffs.

BOB DJOKOVICH, Air Force
Team captain scored 18 goals competing in the 1984 Summer Olympics in handball. Most notable victories for member of national handball team from 1977 to 1987 were the Gold medal at the 1987 Pan American Games and Silver medal at the 1986 Goodwill Games. Sixth President of the U.S. Team Handball Federation from 2001 to 2004. . . . Averaged 10.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg and 4.2 apg from 1974-75 through 1977-78. Led USAF in assists each of his last three seasons.

MIKE DODD, San Diego State
He aligned with Mike Whitmarsh in 1993 and they subsequently became one of the premier pairs on the pro volleyball tour before earning a silver medal in the 1996 Olympics when two-man beach volleyball made its debut. . . . The 6-5, 175-pound guard averaged 10.2 points and three assists per game from 1975-76 through 1978-79, helping the Aztecs capture PCAA titles in 1977 and 1978. Dodd led the PCAA in free-throw percentage as a sophomore (.839). The NBA ninth-round draft choice of the San Diego Clippers in 1979 was a hoop teammate of future baseball sensation Tony Gwynn. Excerpt from school guide: "Shown more year-to-year improvement than anyone on the squad. Has been the 'guts' of the Aztec fast break with his pull-up jumpers and effective drives."

JAMES "BUSTER" DOUGLAS, Coffeyville CC (Kan.)/Sinclair CC (Ohio)
Won world heavyweight boxing title with a 10th-round knockout of Mike Tyson in Tokyo on February 10, 1990. Lost title to Evander Holyfield on a third-round KO in Las Vegas on October 23, 1990. . . . A 6-4, 210-pound forward, the Columbus, Ohio, product averaged 9 ppg and 8 rpg for the 1978-79 Coffeyville team that compiled a 25-8 record. He scored 20 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in an 89-65 rout of Tunxis County CC (Conn.) in the NJCAA national tournament. The next year, he averaged 21.2 ppg and 9 rpg as the starting center for Sinclair. Following his days with the Sinclair Tartans, he accepted a basketball scholarship to Mercyhurst College (Pa.). Mercyhurst's 1980-81 media guide said the law enforcement major "is a great offensive player. His strength and size will provide a much needed dimension to the Laker rebounding efforts."

TIM DYKSTRA, Eastern Illinois
Relinquished a year of college hoops eligibility to play on the 16-man U.S. handball team in 1984 Olympics. . . . The 6-4 Dykstra averaged 8 ppg, 3.5 rpg and 2.9 apg for EIU from 1981-82 through 1984-85.

DERRELL EDWARDS, High Point
In a sport dominated by Caucasians, Edwards became a NASCAR pit crew member. "I don't get in awe about a lot of things, but looking up in those stands (at Daytona) and seeing them packed, you get the chills through your body," said the Baltimore product. . . . Juco recruit averaged 4.2 ppg, 2 rpg and 1.7 apg for HPU in 2012-13 and 2013-14.

HARVEY EDWARDS, Bucknell
Won three Masters World Championships the first half of the 1990s en route to induction to the Ultimate Frisbee Hall of Fame. He was attracted to the sport because of the athleticism it took to play and simplicity of the game. . . . Recruited to Bucknell by Jim Valvano before coach left for Iona, Edwards collected four points, three rebounds and two assists in eight basketball games in 1975-76.

ARI FELDMAN, Cal State Northridge
Middle blocker stopped playing volleyball due to shoulder pain. . . . Part-time hoops starter averaged 3.9 ppg and 1.9 rpg in 2011-12.

DICK FINLEY, Syracuse
Midfielder was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1999. He is credited with being the first player to use the over-the-head and wrap checks, which are still prominent maneuvers in contemporary game. . . . Hofstra transfer averaged 5.4 ppg and 4.2 rpg in 29 basketball games in 1961-62 and 1962-63.

JORDAN FITHIAN, Binghamton/Emporia State (Kan.)
Professional handball player in Germany until choosing to move back to U.S. to start a family. Won USATH Open National Championships/Elite Division in 2013 and 2016. . . . The 6-6 Fithian averaged 3.5 ppg and 3.4 rpg as a part-time starting forward with Binghamton in 2004-05 and 2005-06 before transferring to Emporia State, where he averaged 7.8 ppg and 5.1 rpg in 2006-07 and 2007-08.

STEVE FLORENTINE, UC Irvine
Held the school solo block mark of 97 from 1989 through 1991 until it was broken in 2021. . . . Averaged 2.2 ppg and 1.2 rpg for UCI in 1986-87 and 1987-88.

WILLARD "BILL" FRAUMANN, Michigan
In 2000, he was named to the USA All-Time Rugby Team and elected to USA Rugby Hall of Fame in 2015. Fraumann scored the first tries ("touchdowns") in modern USA rugby history against France in 1977. . . . Averaged 1.5 ppg and 1.9 rpg from 1967-68 through 1969-70 under coaches Dave Strack and Johnny Orr.

HUDSON FRICKE, Florida/Milligan (Tenn.)
Twice ranked as #1 CrossFit athlete in South Carolina (workout regimen incorporating elements of high-intensity interval training, Olympic weightlifting, plyometrics and calisthenics). . . . Walk-on guard at UF from 2007-08 through 2009-10 under coach Billy Donovan before becoming Appalachian Athletic Conference Player of the Year with Milligan in 2010-11 (17.2 ppg and nation-leading four three-pointers per game).

BRENDAN GAUGHAN, Georgetown
NASCAR racer earned the Winston West championship in 2000 and again in 2001 before moving to the Craftsman Truck Series in 2002. His first NCTS win came at Texas Motor Speedway en route to winning rookie of the year honors. The 2003 campaign was Gaughan's coming-out party, winning six times in 25 starts and finishing fourth in the series title race. . . . The 5-9, 180-pounder collected four points and three rebounds in 14 games as a junior teammate of Allen Iverson in 1996-97. The son of Las Vegas hotel and casino magnate Michael Gaughan was scoreless in three outings as a sophomore and garnered one point and four rebounds in eight contests as a senior.

MYRL GOODWIN, New Mexico/Idaho State
Winner of Seniors World Championship Steer Roper titles in 1992, 1998 and 2000. . . . Averaged 12.2 ppg and 7.5 rpg as runner-up in scoring and rebounding averages for New Mexico in 1956-57 and 1957-58 before transferring to Idaho State, where he averaged team-high 16.4 ppg for 1960 NCAA tourney participant.

HUGH GREENWOOD, New Mexico
Australian Rules Football player in his native country since 2017. Inside midfielder led the AFL in total tackles and tackles per game in 2020. . . . Averaged 7.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg and 2.9 apg with the Lobos from 2011-12 through 2014-15. He scored a career-high 24 points against Boston College. Participated in NCAA Tournament each of his first three seasons.

PAUL GROFFSKY, Michigan
Entering his first triathlon in 2001, he became one of the top "senior" age-group triathletes in the country. . . . Averaged 11.5 ppg for the Wolverines from 1951-52 through 1954-55, leading them in rebounding as a junior and senior.

LUKE GROSS, Indiana State/Marshall
Inducted into U.S. Rugby Hall of Fame in 2019. Taking up the sport at age of 24, he earned 62 caps for U.S. from 1996 to 2003, remaining all-time caps leader until 2011. . . . Averaged 3.8 ppg and 4.6 rpg for the Sycamores in 1988-89 and 1989-90 before transferring to Marshall, where he averaged 5.9 ppg and 4.8 rpg in 1991-92 and 1992-93.

DICK HAMMER, Southern California
Volleyball player in 1964 Olympics in Tokyo. Moonlighting in film work, he portrayed the Marlboro Man in cigarette advertisements in the 1970s. . . . Fifth-leading scorer for the Trojans' 1954 national fourth-place team.

WALT HARRIS, Jacksonville State
Mixed martial artist competes in heavyweight division of UFC, ranking ninth at the end of 2019. . . . The 6-5 Harris averaged 2.3 ppg and 1.5 rpg for OVC member in 2003-04.

JOHN "JAY" HEAPS, Duke
First-team All-American was the No. 2 pick in the 1999 Major League Soccer (MLS) college draft before becoming the league's rookie of the year with the Miami franchise. Earned the Missouri Athletic Club Sports Foundation Collegiate Men's Soccer Player of the Year Award. Heaps, a four-time All-ACC selection, tallied 45 goals during his college career. Won Defender of the Year in 2009 for the New England Revolution. Coached the Revolution from 2011 to 2017 before serving as president and general manager of Birmingham Legion FC. . . . The 5-9, 155-pound walk-on point guard from Longmeadow, Mass., played in four seasons for the Blue Devils' basketball team from 1995-96 through half of the 1998-99 campaign. Scored a basket in the 1998 NCAA playoffs against Radford in South Regional opener before playing against Jim Boeheim-coached Syracuse in Sweet 16.

PHIL HEATH, Denver
Seven-time Mr. Olympia bodybuilder nicknamed "The Gift." . . . Guard averaged 1.3 ppg from 1998-99 through 2001-02.

GREG "STRIDER" HUMMEL, UC Santa Barbara
In summer of 1977, hiking legend walked the entire 2,650-mile length of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) starting at Mexican border in early April before stepping into Canada in early September. . . . The 6-9 backup center went on to collect 10 points and 18 rebounds in 18 basketball games in 1977-78.

GLENN JACOBS, Northeast Missouri State
Three-time world wrestling champion, inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2021, played various characters until repackaged with ring name of Kane in 1997. He defeated "Attitude Era" poster boy Stone Cold Steve Austin for the WWF title in his first pay-per-view main event in June 1998. Became the Republican Mayor of Knox County, Tenn., in 2018 and was reelected in 2022. . . . The 6-8 Jacobs averaged 12.8 ppg and 7 rpg in 1987-88 and 1988-89 for school now known as Truman State.

RALPH JOHNSON, Baylor
Fast-pitch softball hurler for several teams in the Houston area. Pitched for squads advancing to the Softball World Championships on four different occasions. In 1999, he was honored by being inducted into the local Softball Hall of Fame. . . . Johnson averaged 10.3 ppg for Baylor from 1949-50 through 1951-52 under coach Bill Henderson. Participated in Final Four as a sophomore before earning All-SWC first-team acclaim his last two years as the Bears' top scorer.

GERALD "WIMPY" JONES, Arizona State
Hurled 45 no-hitters in fast-pitch softball and participated in 10 world championship tournaments in 31-year career. . . . All-Border Conference first-team selection in basketball in 1941-42.

JON KEDROWSKI, Valparaiso
Ski-mountaineer known for summitting and camping overnight on the summit of all 55 of Colorado's Fourteeners (mountains more than 14,000 feet) over course of 95 days in 2011. The next year, Kedrowski successfully climbed Mount Everest. In 2014, he skied 20 Cascade Volcanoes in 30 days. . . . Collected 18 points and 7 rebounds in 18 basketball games in 2000-01 and 2001-02.

JIMMY KEENAN, Notre Dame
Three-time honorable mention All-American as lacrosse midfielder. . . . Played in five basketball games for the Fighting Irish in 1995-96 under coach John MacLeod.

MATT KORCHECK, Arizona
Australian Rules Football player scored nine goals in VFL in 2016-17. . . . Juco recruit averaged 1.2 ppg and 1.1 rpg for UA in 2013-14 and 2014-15 under coach Sean Miller.

ROLLO KUEBLER, Loyola of Chicago
Inducted into Chicago 16-inch Softball Hall of Fame in 2009. . . . Averaged 1.6 ppg for the Ramblers in 1948-49 (NIT runner-up) and 1950-51.

GREG LEE, UCLA
Combined with Jim Menges to dominate the pro beach volleyball circuit with 13 straight tournament victories in the mid-1970s. He was inducted into the CBVA Beach Volleyball Hall of Fame in 1997. . . . Averaged 5.8 ppg with the Bruins from 1971-72 through 1973-74 as two-time NCAA champion teammate of national player of year Bill Walton.

JEFF LIPSCOMB, San Diego State/UC Santa Barbara
Top beach volleyball player placed 100th in 1996 Boston Marathon and competed in local triathlons in California. . . . The 6-7 Lipscomb averaged 2.3 ppg and 1.4 rpg for SDSU in 1972-73 before averaging 4.2 ppg and 2.8 rpg for UCSB in 1974-75 and 1975-76.

CHARLIE LOCKWOOD, Syracuse
MILL Rookie of the Year in 1995. Played lacrosse for U.S. in the World Games in 1994 and 1998. . . . Scored six points in six games in 1993-94, sinking a three-pointer on his first field-goal attempt.

KIRK LUCHMAN, Florida State
Bodybuilder won Super Heavyweight class in 2014. . . . The 6-10 Luchman averaged 6.8 ppg and 5 rpg from 1993-94 through 1996-97 under coach Pat Kennedy.

CARL MANISCALCO, Bradley
Member of Chicago 16 Inch Softball Hall of Fame. . . . Juco recruit averaged 9.2 ppg and 5.1 apg in 1978-79 and 1979-80 under coach Dick Versace, leading the Braves in assists his first season.

CHRIS MARLOWE, San Diego State
Network volleyball commentator was captain of the U.S. gold medal-winning volleyball team at the 1984 Olympics. One of his teammates was eventual broadcast partner Paul Sunderland, who succeeded Lakers legendary announcer Chick Hearn. . . . The 6-3, 190-pound guard was in the Aztecs' regular rotation in three varsity basketball seasons from 1970-71 through 1972-73, averaging 5 ppg and 3.3 rpg. Marlowe grabbed 12 rebounds in a game against San Diego as a sophomore when he was a teammate of eventual NFL defensive back Joe Lavender.

MIKE MASTERS, Williams (Mass.)
First pro American soccer player to score a goal in London's Wembley Stadium. Member of U.S. National Soccer squad. . . . The 6-4 forward, a part-time starter, averaged 10.6 ppg and 5.1 rpg as a junior in 1987-88 and 5.1 ppg and 3 rpg as a senior in 1988-89.

SEAMUS "SHAE" McNAMARA, Marist
First American to play in the Australian Football League. Signed a two-year international rookie contract and was selected by the Collingwood Football Club in 2009 draft at pick 47. . . . The 6-8 McNamara averaged 3.5 ppg and 2.2 rpg from 2004-05 through 2007-08.

DENNIS MEPHAM, Bowling Green State
Soccer defender played professionally in the NASL, American Soccer League, United Soccer League and MISL (Buffalo Stallions and Cleveland Force/Crunch from 1980 to 1990). He was named to the 1981 ASL All-Star Team with the Rochester Flash. . . . Played in a total of five basketball games with the Falcons in 1976-77 and 1977-78.

DICK MITCHELL, San Diego State
National caliber badminton player ranked as high as second in the nation in the mid-1950s. Selected to the Badminton Hall of Fame in 1974. . . . Center for NAIB champion in 1941 was an All-Tournament selection despite missing the national final because of a back injury. He earned all-conference first-team honors the next year en route to finishing his career as the third-highest scorer in Aztecs history.

PATRICK MITCHELL, North Dakota
Hooked on with the Sydney Swans of the Australian Football League as a Ruckman, where the job is to jump and catch the ball when it's in the air. . . . The 6-8, 220-pound Mitchell averaged 10.1 ppg and 4.6 rpg while shooting 37.3% from three-point range from 2009-10 through 2011-12.

ARTHUR "DAN" MORGAN, South Carolina
Named to All-World slow-pitch softball team three times in seniors age group. . . . Averaged 1.2 ppg for the Gamecocks in 1958-59.

GLEN MUELLER, Cornell
Lacrosse team captain as a senior collected 55 goals and 42 assists in 62 career games, posting at least 30 points in each campaign. The 1971 squad won the sport's inaugural NCAA DI championship. . . . The 6-3 Mueller averaged 4.5 ppg and 2.8 rpg from 1969-70 through 1971-72.

ELIJAH "EZ" MUHAMMAD, Tennessee Tech
CrossFit Games athlete ranked 95th in the U.S. and 192nd worldwide in 2020. He fell short of qualifying for Regionals in 2018 for the first time in eight years in the sport. . . . Native of Columbus, Ohio, averaged 5.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.8 apg and 1.3 spg in 2008-09.

TIM MULQUEEN, St. Joseph's
Head coach of Memphis 901 FC in the USL Championship after serving as goalkeeper coach for the U.S. National Soccer Team at the 2004 Summer Olympics qualifying tournament. U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard credited Mulqueen with helping to establish his career. . . . Played in two basketball games with the Hawks in 1986-87.

VIC NAPOLITANO, Temple
Goalie for the school's undefeated squad in 1951, winning the Owls' first of two national championships. The regal run climaxed in front of the largest crowd ever to attend a soccer game in U.S. history with a 2-0 triumph over San Francisco, ending the Dons' 40-game winning streak. . . . Averaged 2.3 ppg in 11 basketball games for the Owls in 1949-50. He also hit .255 in the St. Louis Cardinals' farm system in three years from 1954 to 1956.

KEVIN NASH, Tennessee
Known as "Diesel" when he won the World Wrestling Federation championship in a record-setting eight-second bout in 1994. The former bouncer went from a hanger-on to a 6-10, 350-pound hero in about seven months. His pin of Bob Backlund completed an unprecedented trifecta, giving him the WWF World tag team title, International title, and World title in the same calendar year. One of the most popular figures in recent wrestling history quietly began his career in 1990 as a WCW under-card wrestler, including billing as Oz (dressed in green cape and claimed to be "great and powerful") and Vinnie Vegas (wise guy in a pink suit and sunglasses). He was known as "Big Sexy" when he played a Russian in a movie "The Punisher." . . . He weighed about 225 pounds in college as a center who averaged 5.1 ppg and 4.2 rpg in a three-year varsity career (1977-78 through 1979-80) marred by weight problems and injuries. Earned a starting spot as a freshman and had a 13-point, 12-rebound game against Northwestern. Nash contributed a 16-point, 10-rebound outing against Niagara as a sophomore. He collected a total of 19 points and 14 rebounds in just 36 minutes in four NCAA Tournament games in 1979 and 1980. Described in school guide as a "crowd favorite" and a player with "unfailing hustle."

JEFF NATTANS, Loyola (Md.)
Soccer defender who played professionally in the American Professional Soccer League and USISL Pro League. . . . The 6-3 Nattans averaged 2.8 ppg from 1985-86 through 1988-89.

JOE BOB NEELY, Arizona State
Inducted into International Softball Congress fast-pitch Hall of Fame in 1977. ISC All-World Team selection in 1951 and 1955 played for three national tournament runners-up. Hit five consecutive home runs in Major League play. . . . Played hoops for the Suns Devils in 1945-46.

KADEEM PANTOPHLET, Duquesne
Striker was an All-Atlantic 10 Conference second-team selection in 2014 with team-high eight goals. He tied school single-game record with three assists the same year. . . . The 6-7 native of the Netherlands averaged 4.2 ppg and 3 rpg as a part-time starter for basketball squad in 2011-12 and 2012-13.

GORDY PFEIFER, Puget Sound (Wash.)
Inducted into the U.S. Handball Association's Hall of Fame in 2023, he played professionally until the age of 42 after taking up the sport at 27. Pfeifer won 15 World, National or Professional handball tiles including back-to-back U.S. Handball singles championships in 1971 and 1972. Along with Fred Lewis, they comprised what many regard as the best doubles team in history. Downstairs in the house Pfeifer designed is a full-sized handball court with glass on one end and a hardwood floor. He was also the first slow-pitch player inducted into the Northwest Softball Hall of Fame in 1993. . . . Multi-sport athlete was a three-year hoops letterman in the 1960s.

MATT POPLAWSKI, Penn
Four-year soccer letterman from 2013 through 2016 was an All-Ivy League first-team selection as senior. . . . Averaged 1.2 ppg in 21 basketball games in 2013-14 and 2014-15.

RON REIS JR., Santa Clara
Best known for his appearances with WCW in the late 1990s under ring names The Yeti and Reese. . . . The 7-1 center averaged 10.7 ppg and 7.4 rpg from 1988-89 through 1991-92. He is the son of a member of back-to-back NCAA basketball titlists with Cincinnati in 1961 and 1962.

GARY RICH, Ohio State/Richmond
Seven-footer spent 14 years as a professional wrestler (most as The Dragon Master) before retiring in 2005. . . . Averaged 0.7 ppg and 1 rpg in a total of 17 DI basketball games in the late 1980s.

TOM SCHNEEBERGER, Air Force
Handball player competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics, where he scored 21 goals. Won Gold Medal at the Pan American Games in 1987. . . . Averaged 11.9 ppg and 5.7 rpg for USAF from 1974-75 through 1977-78. He led the Falcons in scoring each of his last two seasons. Selected by the Denver Nuggets in ninth round of 1978 NBA draft.

ROBERT SHAW, Cornell
Lacrosse midfielder was a three-time All-Ivy League first-team selection, compiling a 34-4 varsity record. The Big Red captured the 1971 NCAA title by defeating Maryland, 12-6, in title tilt. . . . Played in 11 basketball games in 1969-70.

KEVIN SHEPPARD, Jacksonville
Striker played soccer for the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2002 Gold Cup qualification match against the Dominican Republic. . . . Averaged 11.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg and 3.7 apg from 1998-99 through 2002-03 under coach Hugh Durham. Sheppard led the Dolphins in assists and minutes played each of his last two seasons as an All-Atlantic Sun Conference second-team selection. He had a starring role in "The Iran Job," a documentary following him as he played for a basketball team in the Middle Eastern nation.

ANDY SLOCUM, Texas A&M
Better known for his time in WWE under the ring name Jackson Andrews, where he acted as Tyson Kidd's enforcer while on the Raw brand. The WWE reportedly eventually refused to work with him after revelations he was abusing his fiancee. . . . The seven-footer averaged 6.4 ppg and 6 rpg from 1999-00 through 2003-04. He led the Aggies in rebounding average as a sophomore and senior.

PAT SPENCER, Northwestern
No. 1 pick in 2019 Premier Lacrosse League. In 2019, the four-time Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year with Loyola (Md.) had 49 goals and 65 assists to finish as the conference's all-time scoring leader. . . . Runner-up in scoring for Northwestern with 10.4 ppg in 2019-20 (career-high 23 points against Bradley) while leading the Wildcats in assists and steals.

STEVE STIELPER, James Madison
In 2016, he was inducted into the Maryland Slow-Pitch Softball Hall of Fame. . . . The 6-8 Stielper averaged 20.4 ppg and 8.8 rpg from 1976-77 through 1979-80 under coach Lou Campanelli. JMU's all-time scoring leader tallied 51 points in a single game against Robert Morris.

PAUL SUNDERLAND, Oregon/Loyola Marymount
Member of U.S. gold medal-winning volleyball team at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. One of his teammates was eventual broadcast partner Chris Marlowe. Sunderland, a three-time Player of the Year (1978-79-82) during his 10-year stint on the U.S. National Volleyball squad, went on to succeed Los Angeles Lakers legendary announcer Chick Hearn and toiled as a broadcaster for both Fox Sports Net and NBC Sports. . . . Basketball letterman with Oregon in 1971-72 (3.2 ppg and 2.2 rpg under coach Dick Harter) before transferring and averaging 9.2 ppg and 6.4 rpg with LMU in 1973-74.

MIKE TETI, St. Joseph's
Internationally-renowned rower earned a bronze medal as member of the men's eight at the 1988 Olympics and also won gold at 1987 World Championships. Fixture in U.S. rowing coached American squad to seven gold medals at World Championships (including three in row from 1997 through 1999) and a bronze medal at 1996 Olympics in lightweight four. At the 2004 Summer Games in Athens, he led the men's eight to a world record in its heat, and an eventual gold medal, marking the first time the U.S. captured the men's eight since 1964. Guided the U.S. men's eight to a bronze medal at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing. Also served as assistant coach for the varsity eight at 2012 Olympics in London. . . . Played in one basketball game for the Hawks in 1977-78.

STEVE TIMMONS, Orange Coast Community College (Calif.)
The powerful and flamboyant redhead joined the U.S. national volleyball team in 1981 after helping USC capture the NCAA title the previous year. He led the U.S. Olympic team to volleyball gold medals in 1984 (Los Angeles) and 1988 (Seoul). . . . Starting center for Orange Coast's 27-5 state championship team in 1978-79.

ERIC WALLACE, Ohio State/DePaul/Seattle
Spent three years as a ruckman with the North Melbourne Kangaroos (Australian Rules Football) before a tryout in 2016 with the NFL's Carolina Panthers. . . . The 6-6 1/2, 230-pounder averaged 6.5 ppg and 5.3 rpg with three different colleges in 2007-08, 2009-10 and 2011-12 (career highs of 9.4 ppg and 7.9 rpg for Seattle).

MIKE WHITMARSH, San Diego
Joined Miller Lite/AVP Professional Beach Volleyball Tour in 1989, when he was rookie of the year. He aligned with Mike Dodd in 1993 and they subsequently became one of the premier pairs on the volleyball tour before earning a silver medal in the 1996 Olympics when two-man beach volleyball made its debut. Committed suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning at age 46 in 2009 after inhaling car-exhaust fumes in the garage of a friend's home. . . . Played two years of basketball for Grossmont (Calif.) Community College before moving up to Division I. Whitmarsh is tied for the USD DI single-game records for points (37 vs. Loyola Marymount) and assists (12 vs. Gonzaga). He led the Toreros in scoring (15.3 ppg) and was second in rebounding (5.3 rpg) as a junior in 1982-83. The next year, he led the team in scoring (18.8 ppg), rebounding (7.3 rpg) and assists (6 apg). Whitmarsh scored a team-high 17 points in a 65-56 loss to Princeton in the preliminary round of 1984 NCAA Tournament. Picked by the Portland Trail Blazers in the fifth round of the 1984 NBA draft, but never played in the league. He participated in three games with Rapid City in the CBA in 1988-89.

PAUL WIGHT, Wichita State/Southern Illinois-Edwardsville
Known as the "The Big Show" in World Wrestling Entertainment circles because of his size (7-0, 500-plus pounds). The native of Aiken, S.C., has won the WWE title on multiple occasions. . . . Northern Oklahoma Junior College transfer averaged 2 ppg and 2.3 rpg for Wichita State as a sophomore in 1991-92 before transferring to SIUE, where he averaged 3.5 ppg and 1.5 rpg in 11 games in 1992-93.

HARRY WINKLER, Florida
Member of U.S. Men's Handball Team at the 1972 Olympics and 1976 Olympics before coaching the U.S. Women's Handball Team at the 1984 Olympics (Los Angeles). Served as an officer (first lieutenant) in the U.S. Army at Ft. Campbell, Ky., where he learned team handball. . . . The 6-3 Winkler averaged 4.4 ppg and 1.6 rpg for the Gators from 1965-66 through 1967-68.

VERN WOODWARD, Wisconsin-River Falls
Head boxing coach of the Pan-American Team in 1963 and 1975. . . . Basketball letterman in the early 1930s.

ALAN YOUNG, Brown
Held the school's single-game soccer scoring record with five goals against Connecticut en route to compiling a three-year varsity total of 32. Served as captain in both soccer and baseball, earning All-Ivy League first-team acclaim in both sports. . . . Averaged 8.5 ppg and 3.4 rpg from 1961-62 through 1963-64.

Extra! Extra! Instead of debating whether departing Plagiarist Biledumb is conversant on "code red" climate change less than creepy asthma-ridden hair-sniffer admits knowing about cancer-causing windshield wipers, issuing weather reports, COVID-preventing vaccinations/masks and "smartest guy I know" son hideous happy-to-be-with hooker Hunter's foreign business shenanigans an IRS whistleblower estimated to be worth $17 million, you can read news 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 major-college hoopers Frankie Frisch (Fordham), Bob Gibson (Creighton), Hank Greenberg (NYU), Robin Roberts (Michigan State) and Jackie Robinson (UCLA) supplied significant MLB performances on this date en route to becoming Hall of Famers. Also making MLB news on this date were the following ex-hoopers from PA small colleges: Glenn Beckert (Allegheny), Kevin Gryboski (Wilkes), Dick Hall (Swarthmore) and Red Murray (Lock Haven). Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 21 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JULY 21

• Chicago Cubs 2B Glenn Beckert (three-year basketball letterman for Allegheny PA) contributed four safeties for the second time during a career-high 27-game hitting streak in 1968.

• Pittsburgh Pirates RHP Jim Bibby (Fayetteville State NC backup hooper and brother of UCLA All-American Henry Bibby) tossed a six-hit shutout against the San Francisco Giants in 1978.

• St. Louis Cardinals 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) homered in both ends of a 1930 doubleheader split against the Brooklyn Robins.

• St. Louis Cardinals RHP Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer and rebounder in 1955-56 and 1956-57) smacked his fourth homer in a span of nine starts in 1972. The round-tripper accounted for decisive run in a 2-1 verdict over the Atlanta Braves to earn his 11th consecutive triumph.

• Detroit Tigers 1B Hank Greenberg (enrolled at NYU on hoop scholarship in 1929 but attended college only one semester) went 4-for-4, including three extra-base hits, against the Philadelphia Athletics in a 1934 contest.

• RHP Kevin Gryboski (backup hooper for Wilkes PA in 1991-92 and 1992-93) traded by the Atlanta Braves to Texas Rangers in 2005.

• Baltimore Orioles RHP Dick Hall (averaged 13.5 ppg from 1948-49 through 1950-51 for Swarthmore PA Southern Division champions in Middle Atlantic States Conference) fanned three of four Minnesota Twins batters he faced in his 11th straight scoreless relief appearances in 1962.

• Brooklyn Dodgers INF-OF Harvey Hendrick (Vanderbilt hoops letterman in 1918) hammered a game-winning, three-run homer in the ninth inning of a 9-8 decision over the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a 1930 doubleheader. Hendrick's decisive blast was one of four pinch-hit round-trippers during the twinbill (two for each team).

• In 2003, Toronto Blue Jays LHP Mark Hendrickson (two-time All-Pacific-10 Conference selection paced Washington State in rebounding four straight seasons from 1992-93 through 1995-96) hurled his first MLB shutout (against New York Yankees).

• Chicago White Sox RHP Bart Johnson (averaged 30.5 ppg for Brigham Young's freshman squad in 1967-68) tossed his second shutout of the month in 1976, winning for sixth time in span of seven starts.

• First MLB hit for LF Hal Lee (Mississippi College hooper in mid-1920s before coaching basketball at Auburn and Louisiana Tech was a pinch-hit, three-run homers with the Brooklyn Robins in nightcap of a 1930 twinbill against St. Louis Cardinals.

• Cleveland Indians RHP Dutch Levsen (Iowa State hoops letterman in 1918-19) hurled the second of back-to-back shutouts in 1926.

• Milwaukee Braves SS Johnny Logan (Binghamton hooper in 1948-49) went 5-for-5 in a 7-4 win against the New York Giants in the nightcap of a 1957 doubleheader.

• 2B Davey Lopes (NAIA All-District 15 selection for Iowa Wesleyan averaged 16.9 ppg as freshman in 1964-65 and 12.1 ppg as sophomore in 1965-66 before transferring with his coach to Washburn KS where he was an All-CIC selection with 1968 NAIA Tournament team) traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Houston Astros in 1986.

• Philadelphia Phillies RF Jerry Martin (1971 Southern Conference Tournament MVP after finishing as Furman's runner-up in scoring previous season), pinch-hitting for Bake McBride (averaged 12.7 ppg and 8.1 rpg in 21 games with Westminster MO in 1968-69 and 1969-70), manufactured the game-winning hit with a bases-loaded triple in a 9-6 verdict over the San Francisco Giants in 1977.

• St. Louis Cardinals RHP Lindy McDaniel (freshman team hooper for Oklahoma in 1954-55) banged out four hits at the plate, including a pair of doubles, in 11-2 pounding of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1957.

• In his first MLB start, Baltimore Orioles RHP Ben McDonald (started six games as 6-6 freshman forward for LSU in 1986-87 under coach Dale Brown) blanked the Chicago White Sox, 2-0, in 1990.

• In the midst of a 10-game hitting streak, New York Yankees RF Bud Metheny (hoops letterman for William & Mary from 1935-36 through 1937-38) went 4-for-4 against the St. Louis Browns in a 1943 game. Two years later, Metheny homered in a 12-3 romp over the Chicago White Sox in 1945.

• New York Giants RF Red Murray (played hoops for Lock Haven PA in early 1900s) stole three bases in a 1909 contests against the St. Louis Cardinals.

• Pittsburgh Pirates bonus-baby rookie SS Eddie O'Brien (third-team All-American selection as Seattle senior in 1952-53 when finishing second in nation in field-goal percentage) went 3-for-4 in the midst of a seven-game hitting streak in 1953.

• Philadelphia Athletics RHP Cotton Pippen (Texas Western hoops letterman in 1929-30) posted his second complete-game victory in less than a month in 1939.

• In the midst of 11 consecutive scoreless relief appearances in 1963, Boston Red Sox RHP Dick Radatz (center on Michigan State's freshman hoops squad in 1955-56) improved his won-loss record to 12-1.

• In 1960, Philadelphia Phillies RHP Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) hurled his third career one-hitter.

• Brooklyn Dodgers 2B Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in PCC both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) went 4-for-4 against the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1951 outing.

• Chicago Cubs C El Tappe (two-time All-Pioneer Conference first-team selection scored 921 points for Quincy College IL from 1946-47 through 1949-50) contributed a career-high three hits in 1960 game against the Cincinnati Reds.

Extra! Extra! Instead of trying to decide whether #ShrillaryRotten, VP Cacklin' Kamala, ex-Speaker #NannyPathetic, elder abuser "Dr." Jill, #MadMaxine Waters or #Dimorat Odd Squad member is biggest empty pants suit, you can read news 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 Fordham hoopers Frankie Frisch and Babe Young had outstanding offensive outputs in National League games on this date. Ex-Wisconsin hoopers Harvey Kuenn and Stu Locklin also made MLB news on this date as did ex-PA small-college hoopers Charlie Gelbert (Lebanon Valley), Kevin Gryboski (Wilkes), Monte Irvin (Lincoln) and Christy Mathewson (Bucknell). Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 20 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JULY 20

• Philadelphia Athletics rookie RHP Bill Beckmann (Washington MO hooper in late 1920s) went 3-for-3 from the plate against the Cleveland Indians en route to going 6-for-8 in his last three starts of the month in 1939.

• St. Louis Browns RF Beau Bell (two-year basketball letterman for Texas A&M in early 1930s) banged out three hits in both ends of a 1937 doubleheader against the New York Yankees.

• Minnesota Twins 3B John Castino (medical redshirt for Rollins FL in 1973-74 under coach Ed Jucker) accounted for decisive run with solo homer in top of seventh inning of 5-4 victory against the Boston Red Sox in 1980.

• Pittsburgh Pirates 1B Donn Clendenon (four-sport letterman with Morehouse GA) collected five RBI, including a decisive three-run homer in the seventh inning, in an 8-5 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1966.

• Boston Red Sox LF Hoot Evers (Illinois hoops starter in 1939-40) scored four runs in an 8-7 win against the Cleveland Indians in 1952.

• St. Louis Cardinals 3B Jake Flowers (member of Washington College MD "Flying Pentagon" hoops squad in 1923) furnished five hits in a 16-5 romp over the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1932.

• 3B Gene Freese (captain of 1952 NAIA Tournament hoops team for West Liberty WV) traded by the Chicago White Sox to the Houston Astros for P Jim Mahoney and cash in 1966.

• St. Louis Cardinals 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) contributed six RBI against the Brooklyn Robins in a 1930 game.

• St. Louis Cardinals SS Charlie Gelbert (scored at least 125 points each of last three seasons in late 1920s for Lebanon Valley PA) delivered four hits against the Brooklyn Robins in a 1930 contest. Two years later, Gelbert collected three safeties, three runs and three RBI against the same opponent to trigger a career-high 12-game hitting streak in 1932.

• Detroit Tigers LF Hank Greenberg (enrolled at NYU on hoop scholarship in 1929 but attended college only one semester) went 4-for-4 in a 3-1 victory against the New York Yankees in 1940.

• Atlanta Braves RHP Kevin Gryboski (backup hooper for Wilkes PA in 1991-92 and 1992-93) notched his eighth scoreless relief outing in first eight appearances of month in 2003.

• Toronto Blue Jays 2B Garth Iorg (juco hooper with College of the Redwoods CA in mid-1970s) smacked two homers in a 1987 game against the Texas Rangers.

• In a 1956 contest, Chicago Cubs LF Monte Irvin (Lincoln PA hooper 1 1/2 years in late 1930s) mashed two homers against his original team (New York Giants).

• San Francisco Giants OF Harvey Kuenn (played hoops briefly for Wisconsin in 1951-52 after competing on JV squad previous season) contributed four hits against the Chicago Cubs in a 1964 game.

• OF Stu Locklin (played one basketball game for Wisconsin in 1947-48 under coach Bud Foster) traded by the Cleveland Indians to Boston Red Sox in 1958.

• Cleveland Indians CF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling a 35-3 record) provided five hits in a 6-5 win against the Minnesota Twins in 1996.

• Milwaukee Braves SS Johnny Logan (Binghamton hooper in 1948-49) logged three doubles in a 4-3 loss against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1955.

• RHP Christy Mathewson (Bucknell hooper at turn of 20th Century) traded by the New York Giants to the Cincinnati Reds in 1916.

• Baltimore Orioles RHP Ben McDonald (started six games as a 6-6 freshman forward for LSU in 1986-87) hurled a one-hit shutout against the Kansas City Royals in 1993.

• Minnesota Twins RHP Jim Perry (averaged more than 20 ppg in late 1950s for former juco Campbell) tossed a shutout against the Seattle Pilots en route to winning all six of his decisions this month in 1969.

• LHP Dennis Rasmussen (sixth-man for Creighton averaged 5.1 ppg from 1977-78 through 1979-80) bowed against the Pittsburgh Pirates, 3-2, for his lone setback in first 11 decisions with the San Diego Padres in 1988.

• Cincinnati Reds rookie LF Evar Swanson (played all five positions for Knox IL) went 6-for-9 in a 1929 doubleheader against the Philadelphia Phillies.

• In 1955, Preston Ward (second-leading scorer for Southwest Missouri State in 1946-47 and 1948-49) whacked a key three-run pinch homer for the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 4-3 win against a Milwaukee Braves squad featuring second baseman Hank Aaron.

• Cincinnati Reds 1B Babe Young (Fordham hoops letterman in 1935-36) homered in both ends of a 1947 twinbill for the third time this month.

You can quibble with LeBron James regarding some of his inane social-warrior stances and perhaps nepotism securing guaranteed contract from the Los Angeles Lakers for his less-than-impactful son. But you can't criticize him for honoring Bill Russell by changing his uniform number from #6 back to #23 to honor him. Russell, who passed away last year, was the ultimate championship basketball player, winning a total of 13 titles with the University of San Francisco (two NCAA) and Boston Celtics (11 NBA). Russell is among 10 All-Americans boasting at least six NCAA/NBA crowns with at least one college title. Five of Russell's Celtic teammates are among the following hoopers with the most NBA and NCAA championships:

No.	All-American	NBA Titles	NCAA Titles
13	Bill Russell	11 with Boston Celtics (1957-59-60-61-62-63-64-65-66-68-69)	two with San Francisco (1955 and 1956)
9	Kareem Abdul-Jabbar	six with Milwaukee Bucks (1971) and Los Angeles Lakers (1980-82-85-87-88)	three with UCLA (1967 through 1969) when his name was Lew Alcindor
9	John Havlicek	eight with Boston Celtics (1963-64-65-66-68-69-74-76)	one with Ohio State (1960)
9	K.C. Jones	eight with Boston Celtics (1959-60-61-62-63-64-65-66)	one with San Francisco (1955)
8	Frank Ramsey	seven with Boston Celtics (1957-59-60-61-62-63-64)	one with Kentucky (1951)
7	Bob Cousy	six with Boston Celtics (1957-59-60-61-62-63)	one with Holy Cross (1947)
7	Michael Jordan	six with Chicago Bulls (1991-92-93-96-97-98)	one with North Carolina (1982)
6	Magic Johnson	five with Los Angeles Lakers (1980-82-85-87-88)	one with Michigan State (1979)
6	Larry Siegfried	five with Boston Celtics (1964-65-66-68-69)	one with Ohio State (1960)
6	Keith Wilkes	four with Golden State Warriors (1975) and Los Angeles Lakers (1980-82-85)	two with UCLA (1972 and 1973)

NOTE: USF's K.C. Jones was ineligible to compete in 1956 NCAA Tournament because he was playing his fifth season of college basketball.

You cannot be serious! What's the point if you're going to be this inept? Army hasn't had a single-digit defeat season since 1977-78. After St. Francis (N.Y.) dropped all sports last year, biting the big-time dust after winning only 36.4% of its basketball games covering the previous seven seasons, Army was left with two other schools (The Citadel plus William & Mary) as the only longstanding major-college programs failing to compete in the NCAA Tournament since the first year of the national playoffs in 1939.

At any rate, the trio of never-been-there schools shouldn't exit Division I because they've been around from the start. Dartmouth, despite no winning record overall or in Ivy League competition thus far in 21st Century (23 seasons), also gets a pass because last year's cellar dweller is a member of a prestigious conference. But are there other schools that should consider de-emphasizing?

There's always a Colgate in the mix making one hesitate kicking a program to the lower-level curb. The Raiders registered at least 23 victories five of the last six seasons (going 14-2 in COVID-ridden 2020-21) after suffering nine consecutive losing campaigns from 2008-09 through 2016-17. There also were a couple of other feel-good, rags-to-riches stories. How about Fordham posting a gaudy 25-8 record two seasons ago after only two winning marks (2006-07 and 2015-16) in previous 30 seasons and Kennesaw State going 26-9 two years ago in the wake of all losing records in its first 16 seasons competing at the DI level.

But most of the newcomers recently moving up to DI aren't like California Baptist, which posted winning records each of its first five seasons at higher level before falling just under .500 a year ago. For some institutions, it can't get much worse and they should strongly consider returning to a lower classification such as what Hartford did. After Stetson, Western Carolina and Western Illinois won more than 20 games last season, following is an alphabetical list of more than 20 schools that probably should give up the DI ghost:

Struggling School	Summary of Dismal Performance at NCAA DI Level
Arkansas-Pine Bluff	11 straight overall losing records of at least five games below .500
Binghamton	14 consecutive overall losing records of at least five games below .500 before going .500 last season
Cal Poly	nine straight 20-loss seasons and 10 in last 11
Cal State Northridge	14 consecutive overall losing records with eight of them reaching 20-loss plateau before going 19-15 last year
Cal State Sacramento	only two overall winning records in 33 seasons since moving up to NCAA DI status in 1991-92
Central Arkansas	only one winning record (18-17 in 2017-18) in first 18 seasons competing in DI conference
Charleston Southern	averaged 18 defeats annually in last 27 seasons with only four winning records in that span
Chicago State	only one winning record (19-13 in 2008-09) in last 38 seasons with 28 years of at least 20 setbacks in that span
Coppin State	only one winning record (16-14 in 2010-11) in last 20 seasons including eight straight campaigns of at least 20 setbacks from 2012-13 through 2019-20 (thank you COVID in 2020-21)
Delaware State	12 consecutive non-winning seasons with each of last six of them failing to win more than 20% of games
Florida A&M	17 consecutive losing records
Houston Christian	only one winning record (17-14 in 2016-17) in last 16 seasons since returning to NCAA DI status
Idaho State	two barely winning records (total of three games above .500 in 2015-16 and and 2020-21) in last 21 seasons
Illinois-Chicago	no season in last 20 with fewer than 13 defeats (COVID-shortened 2020-21)
Maine	14 consecutive non-winning campaigns and 19 in last 20
Marist	only twoe winning records in last 16 seasons
Mississippi Valley State	12 consecutive seasons with at least 22 defeats and failing to reach double digits in victories
Northern Illinois	two winning records in last 18 seasons (21-13 in 2015-16 and 18-13 in 2019-20)
South Carolina State	one non-losing record in last 14 seasons (19-15 in 2015-16)
Southeast Missouri State	no season with fewer than 14 defeats in last 23 years (since 18-12 mark in 2000-01)
Texas-Rio Grande Valley	one winning record in last 16 seasons (20-17 in 2018-19), two winning records in last 22 seasons and three winning records in last 30 seasons

When compared to NBA and NFL physical specimens, there is a tendency to undervalue baseball players as versatile athletes. But such a viewpoint shouldn't be prevalent. In deference to 2024 festivities in Arlington, Tex., following is a ranking of the top 10 former college hoopers who performed best as non-pitchers in multiple MLB All-Star Game appearances:

Rank	MLB All-Star	MLB Team(s)	Pos.	All-Star Season(s)	College(s) Where Played Hoops	MLB All-Star Game Summary
1.	Dave Winfield	Padres/Yankees	OF	1977 through 1988	Minnesota	Eight-time starter went 13-for-36 (.361) with seven doubles and five RBI in 12 games.
2.	Frankie Frisch	Cardinals	INF	1933 through 1935	Fordham	Two-time starter went 4-for-7 (.571) with two HRs and four runs scored in three games.
3.	Jackie Robinson	Dodgers	INF-OF	1949 through 1954	UCLA	Five-time starter went 6-for-18 (.333) with two doubles, one homer, four RBI and seven runs scored in seven games.
4.	Kenny Lofton	Indians/Braves	OF	1994 through 1999	Arizona	Four-time starter went 5-for-14 (.357) with two RBI and five stolen bases in six games.
5.	Leon Wagner	Angels	OF	1962 and 1963	Tuskegee AL	Three-game starter went 5-for-11 (.455). Only former college hooper named All-Star Game MVP (second contest in 1962).
6.	Davey Lopes	Dodgers	2B	1978 through 1981	Iowa Wesleyan/Washburn KS	Three-time starter went 2-for-5 (.400) with one RBI in four games.
7.	Red Rolfe	Yankees	3B	1937 through 1940	Dartmouth	Two-time starter went 3-for-8 (.375) with a triple and two RBI in four games.
8.	Dick Groat	Pirates/Cardinals	SS	1959-60-62-63-64	Duke	Four-time starter went 5-for-15 (.333) with one double and five RBI in eight games.
9.	Gil Hodges	Dodgers	1B	1949 through 1955 and 1957	St. Joseph's IN/Oakland City IN	Starter in 1951 went 4-for-12 (.333) with one homer and three runs scored in six games (DNP in 1950 and 1952).
10.	Lou Boudreau	Indians	SS	1940-41-42-43-44-47-48	Illinois	Three-time starter went 4-for-12 (.333) with one HR in eight games.

It is odd that the 2024 MLB All-Star Game will be conducted in the ballpark of the defending World Series champion (Texas Rangers in Arlington). But what also is weird has been "cancellation" over the years of former college basketball regulars playing in the extravaganza. Four such versatile athletes - Rick Ferrell (Guilford NC), Frankie Frisch (Fordham), Oral Hildebrand (Butler) and Hal Schumacher (St. Lawrence NY) - appeared in the inaugural major league baseball All-Star Game in 1933 and at least one ex-college hooper participated in every All-Star extravaganza 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). That's a higher figure that the total number of ex-college hoopers competing at the MLB level the past several seasons. In an era of specialization, fewer and fewer individuals are opening themselves up to learning its more difficult to earn a spot on a MLB 40-man roster than a college hoops roster. Evidence of the recent reduction of dual-sport athletes is exhibited by the fact pitchers Chris Young (2007) and Matt Thornton (2010) are the only players in this unique category since outfielder Randy Winn (2002). Ferrell, Roberts and Robinson are among 13 former college hoopers participating in All-Star games in more than five years.

Four franchises - Braves, Cardinals, Cubs and Giants - have had eight different ex-college hoopers become a MLB All-Star. Arizona, Illinois, San Diego State and Texas A&M each had three former hoopers go on to become MLB All-Stars. Reliever Lee Smith (Northwestern State) is the only MLB All-Star for as many as four different franchises after playing NCAA Division I hoops. Leon Wagner (Tuskegee AL) is the only former college hooper named MVP (second game in 1962) among the following alphabetical list of MLB All-Star selections who played varsity basketball as a regular for a four-year college:

All-Star Player	MLB Team(s) When Named All-Star	Pos.	All-Star Season(s)	Hoops College
Joe Adcock	Milwaukee Braves	1B	1960	Louisiana State
George Altman	Chicago Cubs	OF	1961 and 1962	Tennessee State
Glenn Beckert	Chicago Cubs	2B	1969 through 1972	Allegheny PA
R.C. "Beau" Bell	St. Louis Browns	OF	1937	Texas A&M
Bruce Bochte	Seattle Mariners	1B	1979	Santa Clara
Frank Bolling	Milwaukee Braves	2B	1961 and 1962	Spring Hill AL
Lou Boudreau*	Cleveland Indians	SS	1940-41-42-43-44-47-48	Illinois
Ralph Branca	Brooklyn Dodgers	RHP	1947 through 1949	New York University
Al Bumbry	Baltimore Orioles	OF	1980	Virginia State
Bob Cerv	Kansas City Athletics	LF	1958	Nebraska
Tony Clark	Detroit Tigers	1B	2001	Arizona/San Diego State
Mickey Cochrane*	Detroit Tigers	C	1934 and 1935	Boston University
Gene Conley	Milwaukee Braves/Philadelphia Phillies	RHP	1954-55-59	Washington State
George Crowe	Cincinnati Reds	1B	1958	Indiana Central
Alvin Dark	New York Giants	SS	1951-52-54	LSU/Southwestern Louisiana
Larry Doby	Cleveland Indians	OF	1949 through 1955	Virginia Union
Walt Dropo	Boston Red Sox	1B	1950	Connecticut
Walter "Hoot" Evers	Detroit Tigers	OF	1948 and 1950	Illinois
Rick Ferrell*	Boston Red Sox/Washington Senators	C	1933 through 1938 and 1944	Guilford NC
David "Boo" Ferriss	Boston Red Sox	RHP	1946	Mississippi State
Frankie Frisch*	St. Louis Cardinals	INF	1933 through 1935	Fordham
Bob Gibson*	St. Louis Cardinals	RHP	1962-65-66-67-68-69-70-72	Creighton
Dick Groat	Pittsburgh Pirates/St. Louis Cardinals	SS	1959-60-62-63-64	Duke
Wayne Gross	Oakland Athletics	3B	1977	Cal Poly Pomona
Tony Gwynn*	San Diego Padres	OF	1984 through 1999 (except for 1988)	San Diego State
Tom Haller	San Francisco Giants/Los Angeles Dodgers	C	1966 through 1968	Illinois
Atlee Hammaker	San Francisco Giants	LHP	1983	East Tennessee State
Mike Hargrove	Texas Rangers	OF-1B	1975	Northwestern Oklahoma State
Jim Hearn	New York Giants	RHP	1952	Georgia Tech
Bill Henry	Cincinnati Reds	LHP	1960	Houston
Oral Hildebrand	Cleveland Indians	RHP	1933	Butler
Chuck Hinton	Washington Senators	OF	1964	Shaw NC
Gil Hodges	Brooklyn Dodgers	1B	1949 through 1955 and 1957	St. Joseph's IN/Oakland City IN
Frank Howard	Washington Senators	OF	1968 through 1971	Ohio State
Billy Hunter	St. Louis Browns	SS	1953	Indiana PA
Monte Irvin*	New York Giants	OF	1952	Lincoln PA
Davey Johnson	Baltimore Orioles/Atlanta Braves	2B	1968-69-70-73	Texas A&M
Duane Josephson	Chicago White Sox	C	1968	Northern Iowa
David Justice	Atlanta Braves/Cleveland Indians	OF	1993-94-97	Thomas More KY
Bob Keegan	Chicago White Sox	RHP	1954	Bucknell
Charlie Keller	New York Yankees	OF	1940-41-43-46-47	Maryland
Vern Kennedy	Chicago White Sox/Detroit Tigers	RHP	1936 and 1938	Central Missouri State
Don Kessinger	Chicago Cubs	SS	1968-69-70-71-72-74	Mississippi
Jim Konstanty	Philadelphia Phillies	RHP	1950	Syracuse
Vance Law	Chicago Cubs	3B	1988	Brigham Young
Thornton Lee	Chicago White Sox	LHP	1941 and 1945	Cal Poly
Hank Leiber	New York Giants/Chicago Cubs	OF	1938-40-41	Arizona
Dave Lemanczyk	Toronto Blue Jays	RHP	1979	Hartwick NY
Danny Litwhiler	Philadelphia Phillies	OF	1942	Bloomsburg PA
Kenny Lofton	Cleveland Indians/Atlanta Braves	OF	1994 through 1999	Arizona
Johnny Logan	Milwaukee Braves	SS	1955-57-58-59	Binghamton
Davey Lopes	Los Angeles Dodgers	2B	1978 through 1981	Iowa Wesleyan/Washburn KS
Jerry Lumpe	Detroit Tigers	2B	1964	Southwest Missouri State
Ted Lyons*	Chicago White Sox	RHP	1939	Baylor
Arnold "Bake" McBride	St. Louis Cardinals	OF	1976	Westminster MO
Wallace "Wally" Moon	St. Louis Cardinals/Los Angeles Dodgers	OF	1957 and 1959	Texas A&M
Charles "Buddy" Myer	Washington Senators	2B	1935 and 1937	Mississippi State
Graig Nettles	New York Yankees/San Diego Padres	3B	1975-77-78-79-80-85	San Diego State
Bill Nicholson	Chicago Cubs	RF	1940-41-43-44	Washington College MD
Joe Niekro	Houston Astros	RHP	1979	West Liberty WV
Claude Passeau	Chicago Cubs	RHP	1941-42-43-45-46	Millsaps MS
Gary Peters	Chicago White Sox	LHP	1964 and 1967	Grove City PA
Lou Piniella	Kansas City Royals	OF	1972	Tampa
Ron Reed	Atlanta Braves	RHP	1968	Notre Dame
Eldon "Rip" Repulski	St. Louis Cardinals	OF	1956	St. Cloud State MN
Robin Roberts*	Philadelphia Phillies	RHP	1950 through 1956	Michigan State
Jackie Robinson*	Brooklyn Dodgers	INF-OF	1949 through 1954	UCLA
Elwin "Preacher" Roe	Brooklyn Dodgers	LHP	1949 through 1952	Harding AR
Robert "Red" Rolfe	New York Yankees	3B	1937 through 1940	Dartmouth
Marius Russo	New York Yankees	LHP	1941	Long Island
Richie Scheinblum	Kansas City Royals	OF	1972	LIU-C.W. Post NY
Hal Schumacher	New York Giants	RHP	1933 and 1935	St. Lawrence NY
Don Schwall	Boston Red Sox	RHP	1961	Oklahoma
Jeff Shaw	Los Angeles Dodgers	RHP	1998 and 2001	Rio Grande OH
Norm Siebern	Kansas City Athletics	1B	1962 through 1964	Southwest Missouri State
Dick Siebert	Philadelphia Athletics	1B	1943	Concordia-St. Paul MN
Wilfred "Sonny" Siebert	Cleveland Indians/Boston Red Sox	RHP	1966 and 1971	Missouri
Lee Smith*	Chicago Cubs/St. Louis Cardinals/Baltimore Orioles/California Angels	RHP	1983-87-91-92-93-94-95	Northwestern State
Dave Stenhouse	Washington Senators	RHP	1962	Rhode Island
Matt Thornton	Chicago White Sox	LHP	2010	Grand Valley State MI
Bob Veale	Pittsburgh Pirates	LHP	1965 and 1966	Benedictine KS
Leon Wagner	Los Angeles Angels	OF	1962 and 1963	Tuskegee AL
Wes Westrum	New York Giants	C	1952 and 1953	Bemidji State MN
Bill White	St. Louis Cardinals	1B	1959-60-61-63-64	Hiram OH
Sammy White	Boston Red Sox	C	1953	Washington
Dave Winfield*	San Diego Padres/New York Yankees	OF	1977 through 1988	Minnesota
Randy Winn	Tampa Bay Devil Rays	OF	2002	Santa Clara
Eddie Yost	Washington Senators	3B	1952	New York University
Chris Young	San Diego Padres	RHP	2007	Princeton

*Baseball Hall of Famers.

In deference to the Home Run Derby during All-Star Game break festivities, following is a rundown of nine former college hoopers (four-year schools and jucos) swatting more than 300 MLB career homers:

Former College Hooper	MLB HRs	Summary of MLB Round-Tripper Achievements	Summary of College Hoops Career
Jim Thome	612	Led N.L. with 47 homers for Philadelphia Phillies in 2003 - the third of four straight seasons with them and Cleveland Indians when finishing with more than 40 (career-high 52 in 2002 with Tribe). 1B-3B finished eight seasons among top five in circuit clouts - six in A.L. and two in N.L. Thome is MLB's all-time leader in walk-off homers with 13 (eight of them in extra innings). He went yard for his 300th, 400th, 500th and 600th homer with four different franchises. Thome amassed a total of 48 multi-homer outings.	"About a mile from our (Peoria, IL) house was the ghetto," Thome said. "It was where the best basketball games were played. I'd go over there all the time. I usually was the only white kid in the games, and they respected me because I kept coming back." He played for local junior college Illinois Central in 1988-89. "My father was tough on me, pushing me," Thome said. "I remember when I scored 36 points in a state tournament basketball game. It was one point off a school record. I thought my dad would be happy, but that night he talked about the mistakes I made on defense and in rebounding." According to ICC's athletic department, "People weren't sure which sport, basketball or baseball, was Jim's best." ICC hoops coach Carroll Herman said: "He (Thome) was a plugger, strong on the boards and gave us toughness inside. He could have gone on and played at a four-year school. He was good enough."
Dave Winfield	465	Eleven seasons with at least 24 big flys. OF finished among top five in homers in a league three times - 1979 with San Diego Padres and 1982 (career-high 37) and 1983 with New York Yankees.	Played two seasons of varsity basketball as a 6-6, 220-pound forward with Minnesota, averaging 6.9 ppg and 5.4 rpg as a junior in 1971-72 and 10.5 ppg and 6.1 rpg as a senior in 1972-73. He played the entire game, collecting eight points and eight rebounds against eventual Final Four participant Florida State, in the Gophers' first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1972 under coach Bill Musselman. Selected by the Atlanta Hawks in fifth round of 1973 NBA draft and the Utah Stars in sixth round of 1973 ABA draft. Didn't play college football, but was chosen in the 17th round of the 1973 NFL draft by the Minnesota Vikings. Excerpt from school guide: "Recruited out of intramural ranks to lend depth, became a starter and was a giant in the stretch drive. Amazing athlete leaps like a man catapulted. Soft touch from medium range."
Darrell Evans	414	Led A.L. with 40 homers for Detroit Tigers in 1985. Swatted career-high 41 with the Atlanta Braves in 1973 when he outhomered teammate Henry Aaron (40). He also went deep more often than Aaron the next season, 25-20. 3B-1B finished five seasons among top six in going yard - three in N.L. and two in A.L. His first MLB dinger came off St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Famer Bob Gibson, a former hoops standout with Creighton. Evans walloped his first and last round-tripper with the Braves 18 years apart.	As a sophomore for Pasadena (Calif.) City College in 1966-67, the 6-2 Evans was a member of a Jerry Tarkanian-coached club winning the state junior college crown.
Graig Nettles	390	Led the A.L. with 32 homers for the New York Yankees in 1976 - the fourth of seven straight seasons blasting at 20 (career-high 37 in 1977). 3B also finished among the top six in circuit clouts three other times in the 1970s.	Averaged 5.3 ppg while earning basketball letters in his hometown for San Diego State in 1963-64 and 1964-65. The 6-0 Nettles shot 87.8% from the free-throw line (36-of-41) as a sophomore in 1963-64.
Frank Howard	382	Led the A.L. with 44 homers in 1968 and 1970 for the Washington Senators sandwiched around a career-high 48 in 1969. OF-1B finished five seasons among the top five in circuit clouts - once in N.L. and four times in A.L. Hammered four of his first five MLB dingers off former hoopers from power conferences (Michigan State's Robin Roberts, Oklahoma's Lindy McDaniel, Georgia's Jim Umbricht and Louisiana State's Mark Freeman).	Two-time All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection averaged 17.4 ppg and 13.9 rpg for Ohio State from 1955-56 through 1957-58, leading the Buckeyes in both scoring and rebounding as a junior (20.1 ppg and 15.3 rpg) and senior (16.9 ppg and 13.6 rpg). The 6-5, 220-pounder grabbed a still existing school single-game record of 32 rebounds against Brigham Young his junior season. It was one of 10 times he retrieved 20 or more missed shots. Howard finished his college career as OSU's third-leading career scorer and leading rebounder. He was a first-team All-American selection by the USBWA, Look Magazine, Converse and NEA as a junior when ranking eighth in the nation in rebounding. Third-round choice of the Philadelphia Warriors in the 1958 NBA draft. Excerpt from school guide: "One of the strongest players in college basketball and one of the top rebounders. Shoots very well from the outside."
Gil Hodges	370	Supplied 11 consecutive campaigns with at least 22 homers for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1949 through 1959 (including career-high 42 in 1954 when 1B finished among the top three in N.L. in circuit clouts for fourth time in five-year span). Walloped his 100th dinger off the Boston Braves' Jim Wilson, a former hooper with San Diego State.	Gil and his brother (Bob), natives of Petersburg, Ind., enrolled at St. Joseph's (Ind.) in the fall of 1941 and played for the Pumas in 1942-43. Gil, a Marine who spent 18 months in the Pacific with 80 of those days in combat on Okinawa, later attended Oakland City, where he played basketball in 1947 and 1948. Morris Klipsch, a Petersburg auto dealer, says Gil may have liked basketball as much as baseball. "I recall him saying one fall after the Dodgers season was over that he would like to join a pro basketball team," Klipsch said.
Joe Adcock	336	Jolted career-high 38 homers (runner-up in N.L.) with the Milwaukee Braves in 1956 when outhomering teammate Hank Aaron (26). 1B-LF also finished fourth in the N.L. with 35 big flys in 1961. He smashed homers against four different Brooklyn Dodgers pitchers in a single game on July 31, 1954. Belted a couple of milestone dingers off former freshman hoopers for power-conference members - North Carolina State's Roger Craig (100th) and Oklahoma's Lindy McDaniel (200th).	Played for Louisiana State from 1944-45 through 1946-47 as a 6-4, 190-pound center. Leading scorer with 18.6 ppg for the 1945-46 Tigers team compiling an 18-3 record and losing against Kentucky in the Southeastern Conference Tournament final. All-SEC second-team selection set SEC Tournament record with 15 field goals in a game against Tulane in 1946 (subsequently broken by UK's Melvin Turpin with 18 vs. Georgia in 1984).
Hank Greenberg	331	Hammered 40 or more homers in four seasons with the Detroit Tigers. 1B-LF led the A.L. in circuit clouts in four campaigns (1935-38-40-46) despite missing three years serving in U.S. Army Air Forces during WWII.	The 6-3 Greenberg enrolled at NYU on a basketball scholarship in 1929 but attended college only one semester.
David Justice	305	Jacked career-high 41 homers in 2000 (fourth in A.L.) when splitting season between the Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees. OF led the Atlanta Braves by depositing 40 beyond the outfielder barrier in 1993 (runner-up in N.L.).	Averaged 6.4 ppg and 2.3 rpg for Thomas More College (Ky.) in 1983-84 and 1984-85. In his second and final year, the 6-3 Justice led the team with 92 assists while averaging 9.3 ppg and 3.5 rpg.

Extra! Extra! Instead of debating why BLM rioters secure bail from woke celebs and left-wing politicians such as Cacklin' Kamala while once-proud FBI probes J6 trespasser's unconstructed U.S. Capitol Lego set (1,032 pieces probably pilfered from #NannyPathetic's prayer closet) and wily WY carpetbagger Liz Cheney joined forces with apparent soulmate #SackofSchiff to try diminishing #TheDonald, you can read news 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 Manhattan hoopers Buddy Hassett and Andy Karl provided significant performances in National League games on this date. Ditto ex-Louisiana State hoopers Joe Adcock and Alvin Dark. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 13 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JULY 13

• Milwaukee Braves 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) clobbered two homers, including a grand slam, in a 1956 doubleheader sweep of the Brooklyn Dodgers.

• Stretching his hitting streak to 18 games, Chicago Cubs 2B Glenn Beckert (three-year hoops letterman for Allegheny PA) supplied a decisive single in the 11th inning of 2-1 victory against the New York Mets in 1968.

• In 1964, RHP Carl Bouldin (starting guard and co-captain for Cincinnati's 1961 NCAA champion) traded with 1B Bill "Moose" Skowron (scored 18 points in eight games for Purdue in 1949-50) by the Washington Senators to the Chicago White Sox for 1B Joe Cunningham and a player to be designated (P Frank Kreutzer). But Bouldin never pitched for the White Sox.

• Brooklyn Dodgers RHP Ralph Branca (sixth-leading scorer for NYU in 1943-44) started the 1948 All-Star Game for the N.L. but surrendered a second-inning homer to Detroit Tigers CF Hoot Evers (starter for Illinois in 1939-40) as the A.L. rallied to prevail, 5-2. Seven years later in 1955, Evers was traded by the Baltimore Orioles to the Cleveland Indians.

• Pittsburgh Pirates 1B Donn Clendenon (four-sport letterman with Morehouse GA) clobbered two homers against the Houston Colt .45s in a 1963 game.

• Philadelphia Athletics C Mickey Cochrane (Boston University hooper in early 1920s) collected four hits against the Chicago White Sox in a 1927 contest.

• In the 1954 All-Star Game, Milwaukee Braves RHP Gene Conley (All-PCC first-team selection led North Division in scoring in 1949-50 as Washington State sophomore) yielded a pinch-hit, game-tying homer to Cleveland Indians CF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA hoops titlist) in the bottom of the eighth inning for the A.L. before Conley was charged with two more runs for the N.L. and incurred an 11-9 setback. Chicago White Sox RHP Bob Keegan (Bucknell hoops letterman in 1941-42 and 1942-43) surrendered a two-run, pinch homer by Cincinnati Reds CF Gus Bell in the top of the eighth.

• Washington Senators RHP Casey Cox (juco recruit averaged 1.7 ppg and 1.2 rpg for Cal State Los Angeles in 1961-62) won his seventh of first eight decisions in 1969.

• Chicago Cubs 3B Alvin Dark (hoops letterman for Louisiana State and Southwestern Louisiana in mid-1940s) went 4-for-4 in the opener of a 1958 twinbill against the Philadelphia Phillies.

• St. Louis Cardinals CF Taylor Douthit (California hoops letterman from 1922 through 1924) contributed four hits in a 12-10 win against the Brooklyn Robins in 1926.

• St. Louis Cardinals SS Jake Flowers (member of Washington College MD "Flying Pentagon" hoops squad in 1923) contributed three extra-base hits and four RBI in a 12-5 win against the Chicago Cubs in 1931.

• St. Louis Cardinals RHP Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer and rebounder in 1955-56 and 1956-57) earned a save with two innings of scoreless relief for the N.L. in the 1965 All-Star Game. Chicago White Sox RHP Eddie Fisher (played for Oklahoma's 1954-55 freshman squad) hurled two scoreless innings for the A.L.

• In 1972, Texas Rangers RHP Rich Hand (averaged 6.2 ppg for Puget Sound WA in 1967-68) hurled a six-hit shutout against his original team (Cleveland Indians). In his next start five days later, Hand allowed only one run in 10 innings against the Baltimore Orioles.

• Boston Braves 1B Buddy Hassett (hooper for Manhattan teams winning school-record 17 consecutive games in 1930 and 1931) went 5-for-5 against the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a 1939 doubleheader.

• RHP Andy Karl (Manhattan hoops letterman from 1933 through 1935), the N.L. leader in appearances (67) and saves (15) in 1945, registered one of his saves in an 11-9 win for the Philadelphia Phillies against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the resumption of a previously-suspended contest.

• New York Yankees RF Charlie Keller (Maryland three-year hoops letterman from 1934-35 through 1936-37) knocked in five runs against the St. Louis Browns in the nightcap of a 1940 twinbill.

• In 1962, Chicago Cubs rookie RHP Cal Koonce (hoops standout for Campbell in 1960 and 1961 when North Carolina-based school was junior college) hurled a one-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds to give him eight victories in his first 10 decisions.

• In a 1974 outing, California Angels LF Joe Lahoud (New Haven CT hoops letterman in mid-1960s) went 4-for-4, including three extra-base hits, against his original team (Boston Red Sox).

• Kansas City Athletics 2B Jerry Lumpe (member of Southwest Missouri State's 1952 NAIA Tournament championship hoops team) provided at least three hits for the fifth time in a nine-game span in 1962. Lumpe assembled a career-high 20-game hitting streak later in the campaign.

• In his first at-bat with the Montreal Expos, OF Jim Lyttle (led Florida State in free-throw shooting in 1965-66 when he averaged 12.4 ppg) slugged a pinch-hit homer against the Atlanta Braves in the opener of a 1973 doubleheader.

• New York Giants RHP Christy Mathewson (Bucknell hooper at turn of 20th Century) tossed an 11-hit shutout in a 4-0 verdict against the Cincinnati Reds in 1907.

• St. Louis Cardinals RHP Lindy McDaniel (hooper for Oklahoma's 1954-55 freshman squad) hurled a scoreless ninth inning for the N.L. in a 6-0 win against the A.L. in the second 1960 All-Star Game.

• San Diego Padres RHP Joe Niekro (averaged 8.9 ppg and 3.8 rpg for West Liberty WV from 1963-64 through 1965-66) outdueled his brother, Phil Niekro of the Atlanta Braves, 1-0, in 1969.

• Kansas City Royals LF Lou Piniella (averaged 2.5 ppg and 1.4 rpg for Tampa as freshman in 1961-62) provided multiple hits in his fifth consecutive contest in 1969.

• Boston Red Sox rookie RHP Dick Radatz (center on Michigan State's freshman hoops squad in 1955-56) concluded tossing a two-day total of 12 innings of relief in registering back-to-back victories against the Kansas City Athletics in 1962.

• Boston Red Sox RHP Steve Renko (averaged 9.9 ppg and 5.8 rpg as a Kansas sophomore in 1963-64) had a no-hitter with one out in the ninth inning against the Oakland A's in 1979 before yielding a safety to Rickey Henderson.

• New York Giants RF Dave Robertson (one of two reserves on North Carolina State's first basketball team in 1911) registered three safeties in both ends of a 1916 doubleheader split against the Cincinnati Reds.

• Baltimore Orioles RF Ken Singleton (Hofstra freshman hoops squad in mid-1960s) socked two homers against the Minnesota Twins in a 1978 contest.

• Cleveland Indians rookie 3B Freddy Spurgeon (Kalamazoo MI hooper in 1921-22) supplied four hits against the Boston Red Sox in a 1925 game.

• New York Giants C Wes Westrum (hooper for Bemidji State MN one season before serving in military during WWII) whacked a grand slam against the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1951 contest.

• St. Louis Cardinals 1B Bill White (two-year hooper for Hiram OH in early 1950s) banged out three hits in both ends of a 1964 doubleheader sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

• Chicago Cubs CF Cy Williams (Notre Dame forward in 1909-10) went 4-for-4 against the Philadelphia Phillies in the opener of a 1917 twinbill.

• San Diego Padres RF Dave Winfield (starting forward for Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) homered in both ends of a 1979 doubleheader against the Montreal Expos.