What are the school and individual records that will never come close to being matched, let along exceeded? In ensuing blogs, CollegeHoopedia.com will designate the ultimate team and individual standards of excellence. Records were made to be broken, but perhaps not always in our lifetime. Following is #8 in the countdown of most illustrious NCAA achievements:

8. Robert Parish finished among nation's top five in rebounding all four seasons with more than 15 rpg each year.

Parish, attending Centenary College in his hometown of Shreveport, La., finished his career (1972-73 through 1975-76) as the only Division I player ever to rank among the national top five in rebounding for four seasons. He averaged more than 15 rpg each campaign, a figure no one has surpassed since 1979-80 when Alcorn State's Larry "Mr. Mean" Smith led the country with 15.1 rpg.

How in the name of James Naismith did no outlet acknowledge Parish as a first-team All-American? He had 33 games grabbing a minimum of 20 rebounds en route to retrieving an average of 16.9 missed shots per contest. Centenary de-emphasized its program early last decade but Parish's prolific performances won't be forgotten despite the NCAA overlooking them as part of probation sanctions against the Gentlemen. Following is a list of Parish's eight contests with at least 25 rebounds and his game-by-game totals:

33 -- vs. Southern Mississippi (January 27, 1973)
30 -- at Lamar (December 22, 1972)
29 -- vs. Texas-Arlington (February 5, 1973)
27 -- vs. Lamar (February 7, 1973)
27 -- vs. Northwestern State (December 9, 1974)
27 -- at Northeast Louisiana (January 15, 1976)
26 -- vs. Houston (January 17, 1974)
25 -- vs. LSU-New Orleans (January 15, 1973)

1972-73 (Freshman/18.7 rpg)

*Sports Foundation Tournament.

1973-74 (Sophomore/15.3 rpg)

1974-75 (Junior/15.4 rpg)

*Hall of Fame Tournament.
&All-College Tournament.

1975-76 (Senior/18.0 rpg)

*All-College Tournament.

9. Kentucky's 129-game homecourt winning streak (under coach Adolph Rupp from Jan. 4, 1943, to Jan. 8, 1955)

10. Bill Chambers' 51 rebounds in a single game (for William & Mary vs. Virginia on Feb. 14, 1953).

What are the school and individual records that will never come close to being matched, let along exceeded? In ensuing blogs, CollegeHoopedia.com will designate the ultimate team and individual standards of excellence. Records were made to be broken, but perhaps not always in our lifetime. Following is #9 in the countdown of most illustrious NCAA achievements:

9. Kentucky's 129-game homecourt winning streak (under coach Adolph Rupp from January 4, 1943, to January 8, 1955).

Kentucky, two nights after losing to Ohio State, 45-40, in its first game in calendar year 1943, started a streak that went 11 years without dropping a homecourt game until bowing to Georgia Tech, 59-58, on January 8, 1954. Tech had dropped its previous 10 outings at UK during the streak by an average margin of 35.2 points. The setback also snapped a 70-game winning streak in SEC competition. The first 84 of the Wildcats' 129 consecutive homecourt victories were in Alumni Gym. The remainder were in Memorial Coliseum.

UK's average margin of victory during the streak was 31 points. Vanderbilt was involved in two of the three closest games - one-point loss in '43 and four-point setback in '50. The only other contest settled by fewer than five points during the streak was a 38-35 verdict against DePauw (Ind.) in 1944.

NOTE: Kentucky was barred from playing competitive basketball during the 1952-53 season because of NCAA probation.

10. Bill Chambers' 51 rebounds in a single game (for William & Mary vs. Virginia on Feb. 14, 1953).

The NCAA Tournament commenced in 1939, which was one year after the NIT triggered national postseason competition. An overlooked "versatile athlete" feat occurring in 1938 that never will be duplicated took place at Arkansas, where the quarterback for the football squad (Jack Robbins) repeated as an All-SWC first-team basketball selection, leading the Razorbacks (19-3) to the SWC title. After the season, Robbins became an NFL first-round draft choice by the Chicago Cardinals (5th pick overall) and senior football/basketball teammates Jim Benton (11th pick) and Ray Hamilton (41st pick) went on to become wide receivers for at least six years in the NFL. Yes, three members of a league championship basketball squad promptly were among the top 41 selections in the NFL draft.

What are other school and individual records that will never come close to being matched, let along exceeded? CollegeHoopedia.com is acknowledging an "Untouchables" list regarding the ultimate team and individual standards of excellence. Records were made to be broken, but perhaps not always in our lifetime. Following is #10 in the countdown of most illustrious NCAA achievements:

10. Bill Chambers' 51 rebounds in a single game (for William & Mary vs. Virginia on February 14, 1953).

Chambers, standing a mere 6-4, grabbed an NCAA-record 51 rebounds for William & Mary in a 105-84 victory against Virginia on Valentine's Day. He finished third in the nation in 1952-53 in retrieving missed shots with 21.8 rpg, finishing behind Fordham's Ed Conlin (23.5 rpg) and Seton Hall's Walter Dukes (22.2 rpg). Chambers, who passed away earlier this decade, later became his alma mater's all-time winningest coach in a nine-year coaching career with the Tribe from 1957-58 through 1965-66 (modest win total could be surpassed in 2012-13).

No individual has grabbed more than 35 rebounds in a single NCAA Division I game since Pacific's Keith Swagerty (39 vs. UC Santa Barbara) and East Tennessee State's Tommy Woods (38 vs. Middle Tennessee State) in 1964-65. The last 37 teams leading the nation in rebounding margin averaged 42 rebounds per contest. Following is the line score of Chambers' performance:

WILLIAM & MARY (105): Mahoney 5 6-11 16, Savage 0 0-4 0, Berry 1 1-2 3, Harris 10 0-1 20, Chambers 16 5-6 37 51, Hume 6 4-7 16, Drake 0 0-0 0, Hoitsma 4 5-6 13. Team 42 21-37 (.568) 105.
VIRGINIA (84): Roach 2 2-5 6, Burlage 1 3-4 5, Cooke 2 1-1 5, Esckilsen 6 1-5 13, Gamble 2 5-6 9, Wilkinson 10 8-8 28, Dohner 7 2-2 16, Casey 1 0-0 2. Team 31 22-31 (.710) 84.

July 11 is the day to celebrate the most birthdays this month for former All-Americans. Two Indiana All-Americans were born on the same day this month (17th) but Oklahoma and UCLA have the most A-As born in July with four apiece. Following are birth dates in July for All-American players and Hall of Fame coaches:

JULY

1: All-Americans George Bon Salle (born in 1935/Illinois), Lee Guttero (1913/Southern California) and Art Quimby (1933/Connecticut).
2: All-Americans Bob Dille (1917/Valparaiso), Clark Kellogg (1961/Ohio State), Curtis Rowe (1949/UCLA) and Jon Sundvold (1961/Missouri).
3: All-Americans Derrick Chievous (1967/Missouri) and Charlie Sitton (1962/Oregon State) plus Hall of Fame coach John Kundla (1916/Minnesota).
4: All-Americans Harvey Grant (1965/Oklahoma), Horace Grant (1965/Clemson), Tony Guy (1959/Kansas) and Ed Koffenberger (1926/Duke) plus Hall of Fame coaches Henry "Doc" Carlson (1894/Pittsburgh), Howard Hobson (1903/Oregon and Yale) and Arad McCutchan (1912/Evansville).
5: All-American Eddie Miles (1940/Seattle).
6: All-Americans Jae Crowder (1990/Marquette) and Zion Williamson (2000/Duke).
7: All-Americans Myles Powell (1997/Seton Hall), Brandon Rush (1985/Kansas) and Ralph Sampson (1960/Virginia).
8: All-Americans Dave Sorenson (1948/Ohio State) and Hakim Warrick (1982/Syracuse).
9: All-Americans Jim Paxson (1957/Dayton) and Urgel "Slim" Wintermute (1917/Oregon).
10: All-Americans Chuck Chuckovits (1912/Toledo), Jared Dudley (1985/Boston College), Cliff Meely (1947/Colorado) and Kevin O'Shea (1925/Notre Dame) plus Hall of Fame coach Pete Carril (1930/Lehigh and Princeton).
11: All-Americans Lou Hudson (1944/Minnesota), Wesley Johnson (1987/Syracuse), Tony Lavelli (1926/Yale), Eduardo Najera (1976/Oklahoma), John Pilch (1925/Wyoming) and Rod Strickland (1966/DePaul).
12: All-American Paul Silas (1943/Creighton).
13: All-Americans Bob Kauffman (1946/Guilford NC), Frank Ramsey (1931/Kentucky) and David Thompson (1954/North Carolina State).
14: All-Americans Wallace "Wah Wah" Jones (1926/Kentucky), Shabazz Napier (1991/Connecticut), Lou Roe (1972/Massachusetts) and Bernard Toone (1956/Marquette).
15: All-Americans Damian Lillard (1990/Weber State), Allen Murphy (1952/Louisville), Khalid Reeves (1972/Arizona) and Richard Washington (1955/UCLA).
16: All-American Chris Mihm (1979/Texas).
17: All-Americans Calbert Cheaney (1971/Indiana), Johnny "Red" Kerr (1932/Illinois), Bob "Slick" Leonard (1932/Indiana) and Nick Werkman (1942/Seton Hall).
18: All-Americans Jerry Chambers (1943/Utah), Donnie Freeman (1944/Illinois), Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway (1971/Memphis State), York Larese (1938/North Carolina) and Wally Walker (1954/Virginia).
19: All-Americans Alvan Adams (1954/Oklahoma), LaMarcus Aldridge (1985/Texas), Alfredrick Hughes (1962/Loyola of Chicago) and Adam Morrison (1984/Gonzaga).
20: All-Americans Ray Allen (1975/Connecticut), Mel Daniels (1944/New Mexico), Roy Hamilton (1957/UCLA), Ron Johnson (1938/Minnesota) and Ben Simmons (1996/Louisiana State) plus Hall of Fame coach Chuck Daly (1930/Boston College and Penn).
21: All-American Fred Hetzel (1942/Davidson).
22: All-Americans Alva "Allie" Paine (1919/Oklahoma), Bobby Rascoe (1940/Western Kentucky), Alvin Robertson (1962/Arkansas) and Bryan Warrick (1959/St. Joseph's).
23: All-Americans Deandre Ayton (1998/Arizona), Antoine Carr (1961/Wichita State), Chris Clemons (1997/Campbell), Gary Payton (1968/Oregon State) and Brandon Roy (1984/Washington).
24: All-Americans Walt Bellamy (1939/Indiana), Harry Boykoff (1922/St. John's), Joe Barry Carroll (1958/Purdue), Karl Malone (1963/Louisiana Tech) and Charles "Cotton" Nash (1942/Kentucky).
25: All-Americans Nolan Smith (1988/Duke), Kenny Thomas (1977/New Mexico) and Nate Thurmond (1941/Bowling Green State).
26: All-Americans Gary Bradds (1942/Ohio State), Walker Kessler (2001/Auburn), Todd Mitchell (1966/Purdue), Joe Smith (1975/Maryland), Earl Tatum (1953/Marquette) and Delonte West (1983/St. Joseph's).
27: All-Americans Marvin Barnes (1952/Providence) and James Ray (1957/Jacksonville).
28: All-Americans Bill Bradley (1943/Princeton) and Doug Collins (1951/Illinois State).
29: All-Americans Dick Boushka (1934/St. Louis), Arnie Ferrin (1925/Utah), Mike McGee (1959/Michigan), Ansu Sesay (1976/Mississippi) and Neal Walk (1948/Florida).
30: All-Americans Bill Cartwright (1957/San Francisco), John Green (1940/UCLA), Chris Mullin (1963/St. John's) and Kevin Pittsnogle (1984/West Virginia).
31: All-American Walt Torrence (1937/UCLA).

Birthdays in April for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in May for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in June for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches

Extra! Extra! If spittin' mad regarding COVID-19 season postponement and prolonged negotiations commencing campaign, you have time to read news all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.

Former Drury MO hoopers Roy Smalley Jr. and Bill Virdon delivered dynamic MLB performances on this date. Ditto for ex-hoopers Lee Smith (Northwestern State) and Champ Summers (Nicholls State) from Louisiana colleges. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a June 28 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JUNE 28

• Chicago Cubs RF George Altman (appeared in 1953 and 1954 NAIA Basketball Tournament with Tennessee State) furnished five extra-base hits, including a homer in each game, in 1961 doubleheader split against the Cincinnati Reds.

• Detroit Tigers RHP Elden Auker (All-Big Six Conference first-five selection with Kansas State in 1931-32) won for the fifth time in as many decisions during the month in 1934.

• In the midst of a career-high 23-game hitting streak, Pittsburgh Pirates LF Carson "Skeeter" Bigbee (Oregon hoops letterman in 1915) went 7-for-10 against the Chicago Cubs in a 1921 twinbill.

• Detroit Tigers 1B Tony Clark (San Diego State's leading scorer in WAC games in 1991-92) homered in his third consecutive contest in 2000.

• Brooklyn Robins 3B Wally Gilbert (hoops captain played for Valparaiso from 1918-19 through 1920-21) supplied four hits in a 10-4 win against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1931.

• First MLB victory for Philadelphia Phillies rookie RHP Dallas Green (Delaware's second-leading scorer and rebounder in 1954-55) was a three-hit shutout against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1960.

• Detroit Tigers 1B Hank Greenberg (enrolled at NYU on hoops scholarship in 1929 but attended college only one semester) blasted three homers in a 1935 doubleheader sweep of the St. Louis Browns.

• LHP Steve Hamilton (All-OVC selection was Morehead State's leading scorer and rebounder in 1956-57 and 1957-58) allowed his only run in first 14 relief appearances with the Chicago Cubs in 1972.

• In 1951, New York Giants OF Monte Irvin (Lincoln PA hooper 1 1/2 years in late 1930s) swatted two homers off Brooklyn Dodgers RHP Ralph Branca (sixth-leading scorer for NYU in 1943-44) in same game.

• LF "Sweet" Lou Johnson (Kentucky State hoops teammate of legendary HBCU coach Davey Whitney averaged 5.7 ppg and 2 rpg in 1951-52) traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Cleveland Indians in 1968.

• Chicago White Sox RHP Howie Judson (Illinois' third-leading scorer in 1944-45) lost his sixth decision of the month in 1949.

• Detroit Tigers CF Harvey Kuenn (played hoops briefly for Wisconsin in 1951-52 after competing on JV squad previous season) provided four hits against the Boston Red Sox in a 1958 game.

• Toronto Blue Jays RHP Dave Lemanczyk (averaged 4.5 ppg and 3.5 rpg for Hartwick NY teams compiling 51-21 record from 1969-70 through 1971-72) posted his fifth triumph of the month in 1977.

• OF Don Lund (two-year hoops starter for Michigan in mid-1940s) awarded on waivers from the Brooklyn Dodgers to the St. Louis Browns in 1948.

• St. Louis Cardinals RHP Lindy McDaniel (hooper for Oklahoma's 1954-55 freshman squad) saved both ends of a 1959 doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds, giving him six saves and three victories in his last 12 relief appearances of the month.

• New York Yankees SS Gene Michael (Kent State's leading scorer with 14 ppg in 1957-58) pulled hidden-ball trick against the Cleveland Indians in a 1969 contest.

• Igniting a career-long 13-game hitting streak, New York Giants RF Red Murray (played hoops for Lock Haven PA in early 1900s) went 5-for-9 in a 1912 doubleheader sweep of the Boston Braves. The next year, he went 4-for-4 in a 1913 outing against the Braves.

• Chicago Cubs RF Bill Nicholson (Washington College MD hoops guard for two years in mid-1930s) collected two homers and five RBI against the Brooklyn Dodgers in the opener of a 1944 twinbill.

• St. Louis Cardinals RHP Dick Ricketts (Duquesne's all-time leading scorer was second-team consensus All-American choice as junior in 1953-54 and first-five consensus selection as senior in 1954-55) registered his lone MLB victory (against Cincinnati Reds in 1959).

• Cincinnati Reds LHP Eppa Rixey (Virginia hoops letterman in 1912 and 1914) banged out four hits, including a homer and two doubles, in a 5-2 triumph over the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a 1924 doubleheader.

• Chicago Cubs SS Roy Smalley Jr. (one of top scorers for Drury MO in 1942-43 and 1943-44) went for the cycle and chipped in with four RBI in a 15-3 romp over the St. Louis Cardinals in 1950.

• St. Louis Cardinals RHP Lee Smith (averaged 3.4 ppg and 1.9 rpg with Northwestern State in 1976-77) posted a save in all 15 relief appearances of the month and 17th in a row in 1993.

• In 2014, San Diego Padres LHP Eric Stults (hooper for 1999 NAIA D-II Tournament runner-up and 2000 NCCAA Tournament titlist with Bethel IN) lost for the sixth time in as many starts during the month.

• Detroit Tigers RF Champ Summers (led SIUE in scoring in 1969-70 after doing same with Nicholls State in 1964-65) socked a homer in his third consecutive contest in 1979.

• Chicago White Sox LHP Matt Thornton (averaged 5.8 ppg and 2.4 rpg for Grand Valley State MI from 1995-96 through 1997-98) posted his third relief victory during a span going unscored upon in last 12 appearances of the month in 2008.

• Pittsburgh Pirates CF Bill Virdon (Drury MO hooper in 1949) notched his fifth straight multiple-hit outing in 1963.

Extra! Extra! If spittin' mad regarding COVID-19 season postponement and prolonged negotiations for commencing campaign, you have time to read news all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.

Former San Diego State hoopers Tony Gwynn and Graig Nettles supplied significant MLB hitting performances on this date. Ditto ex-juco hoopers Darrell Evans (Pasadena City CA) and Jim Thome (Illinois Central) in American League contests. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a June 27 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JUNE 27

• In first starting assignment, Cleveland Indians rookie LHP Rick Austin (member of Washington State's freshman basketball team in 1965-66) hurled his lone MLB complete game and shutout (3-0 win against Detroit Tigers in 1970).

• INF Jack Barry (basketball letterman for Holy Cross in 1908) traded by the Boston Red Sox to the Philadelphia Athletics in 1919.

• Seattle Mariners 1B Bruce Bochte (starting forward for Santa Clara's NCAA playoff team in 1969-70) supplied his ninth multiple-hit outing during an 11-game hitting streak in 1979.

• 2B Marv Breeding (hooper for Samford in mid-1950s) traded by the Houston Astros to the Chicago Cubs in 1967.

• Oakland Athletics RHP Ben Callahan (two-time All-Carolinas Conference selection for Catawba NC averaged 16.7 ppg from 1976-77 through 1978-79) bagged his lone MLB victory, 7-1, by restricting the Kansas City Royals to three hits and one run over six innings in 1983.

• Detroit Tigers 1B Darrell Evans (member of Jerry Tarkanian-coached Pasadena City CA club winning 1967 state community college crown) registered his 2,000th career hit with a first-inning, two-run homer against the Baltimore Orioles in 1987.

• St. Louis Cardinals 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) stroked three doubles against the Brooklyn Dodgers in nightcap of a 1931 doubleheader.

• San Diego Padres RF Tony Gwynn (All-WAC second-team selection with San Diego State in 1979-80 and 1980-81) went 3-for-4 against the Atlanta Braves, raising his batting average in 1987 to .387 en route to finishing at .370.

• LHP Mark Hendrickson (two-time All-Pacific-10 Conference selection paced Washington State four straight seasons in rebounding from 1992-93 through 1995-96) traded by the Tampa Devil Rays to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a five-player swap in 2006.

• LHP Bill Henry (hoops letterman for Houston's 1947 NAIA Tournament team featuring co-captain Guy Lewis) purchased from the San Francisco Giants by Pittsburgh Pirates in 1968.

• Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (hooper for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) smacked two homers against the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1954 game.

• New York Mets C Jay Kleven (averaged 2.4 ppg for California State-Hayward in 1968-69) stroked a two-run, pinch-hit single off Chicago Cubs reliever Bruce Sutter in a 1976 game. It was Kleven's lone MLB safety.

• St. Louis Cardinals LF Danny Litwhiler (member of JV hoops squad with Bloomsburg PA in mid-1930s) cracked two homers in a 3-2 win against the Chicago Cubs in opener of a 1943 twinbill.

• Chicago White Sox RHP Ted Lyons (two-time All-SWC first-team selection for Baylor in early 1920s) notched his eighth consecutive complete-game victory in 1939.

• In the midst of a career-high 14-game hitting streak, Chicago Cubs CF Jerry Martin (1971 Southern Conference MVP after finishing as Furman's scoring runner-up in previous season) smashed a homer in fourth consecutive contest in 1979.

• Cleveland Indians 2B Dutch Meyer (Texas Christian hoops letterman in 1934-35 and 1935-36) collected four hits against the Philadelphia Athletics in a 1945 contest.

• 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) belted a 14th-inning, two-run homer to give the New York Yankees a 6-4 victory against the Boston Red Sox in 1978. Two years earlier, Nettles went 4-for-4 with two homers and five RBI against the Milwaukee Brewers in a 1976 game.

• Chicago Cubs RF Bill Nicholson (Washington College MD hoops guard for two years in mid-1930s) provided his seventh straight two-hit game in 1942.

• LHP Garry Roggenburk (Dayton scoring leader from 1959-60 through 1961-62 grabbed school-record 32 rebounds in his third varsity game en route to pacing Flyers in rebounding first two years) won his Seattle Pilots debut in 1969 by yielding only four hits and one run in 5 2/3 innings of relief against the California Angels.

• Montreal Expos RHP Bill Sampen (MacMurray IL MVP in 1984-85 when averaging team-high 14.9 ppg) supplied his seventh straight scoreless relief appearance covering 11 1/3 innings in 1992.

• Cleveland Indians RHP Jack Spring (freshman hooper for Washington State in 1951-52) earned a victory by hurling five innings of scoreless relief against the Kansas City Athletics in opener of 1965 doubleheader.

• Cleveland Indians 1B Jim Thome (played junior-college hoops for Illinois Central in 1988-89) went 4-for-4 with two doubles, two homers and four RBI in a 2000 game against the Kansas City Royals.

• LHP Matt Thornton (averaged 5.8 ppg and 2.4 rpg for Grand Valley State MI from 1995-96 through 1997-98) made his MLB debut in 2004, toiling four scoreless innings of relief with the Seattle Mariners against the San Diego Padres.

• Philadelphia Phillies CF Cy Williams (Notre Dame forward in 1909-10) went 4-for-4 against the New York Giants in a 1921 contest.

After integration finally swung open the doors of higher education to everyone with any modicum of intellectual motivation, enrollment at HBCUs (Historically-Black Colleges and Universities) steadily declined and athletic programs nosedived nearly into oblivion. Understandably, the vast majority of the premier African-American athletes follow the alluring money trail to superior facilities and greater exposure rather than enroll any longer at HBCUs. Actually, most HBCU institutions currently are imprisoned at the NCAA DI level, where collectively the Washington Generals of college entertainment are little more than indentured servants doing the bidding of their major-university masters; almost always getting whipped on the road as sacrificial lambs during non-conference competition. HBCUs also suffer from substandard scholastic standards typified by nine of their institutions having athletic programs failing to reach Academic Progress Rate threshold required to compete in the 2020-21 postseason.

It's not a Trumped-up "go back to where you came from" but, if anything, the MEAC and SWAC should simply return to DII significance. Seven different historically-black colleges and universities advancing to the NCAA DI level captured a total of nine NAIA and NCAA College Division Tournament championships in a 21-year span from 1957 through 1977 (Tennessee State from 1957 through 1959, Grambling '61, Prairie View '62, Winston-Salem State '67, Morgan State '74, Coppin State '76 and Texas Southern '77). Coppin State is the lone school in this group to go on and post a triumph in the NCAA Division I playoffs. Thus, anyone making mistaken assumption premier players such as Makur Maker (Howard University) picking a HBCU to attend, rather than a power-conference member, will become trendy is simple perpetually-perplexed victim of poor public-school education emphasizing ebonics. Patronizing Plagiarist Bi-dumb pretends he attended Delaware State, but HBCUs don't have access to $400,000 to consistently reel in regal recruits. There is more of a chance MEAC/SWAC members will depart similar to Hampton and North Carolina A&T for league resembling Big South Conference.

With that historical background yielding a mite more perspective than diversity demonstrated by "open-minded" bloc voting for one party more than 90% of the time, let's also proclaim the political acumen part of journalistic jackal Jemelle Hill's brain couldn't fill an identity-politics thimble worthy of toppling any riot-worthy statue. The savvy shortfall is akin to another Michigan misfit, Odd Squad Congresswoman Tlaib, and fellow ultra-liberal Dimorats #MadMaxine, Sheila #Jackass-Lee and Ayanna "Don't Need Black Faces That Don't Want to Be Black Voice" Pressley. Exhibit A for jaded viewpoint of Hill, the sports world's progressive press puke playpen equivalent of NPR freedom-of-the-press hypocrite April Ryan, is her genius admonition imploring African-American "supremacist" athletes to abandon attending PWIs (Predominantly White Institutions) for HBCUs. Does Hill really believe hoopdom can go back to her "good old days" when a total of 23 products from HBCU schools presently at the NCAA Division I level were among top 22 NBA draft choices in 20-year span from 1957 through 1976. Such a ploy doesn't quite seem to be a sweet "art of the deal" insofar as Norfolk State's Kyle O'Quinn (2012) is the only HBCU product chosen in last 15 NBA drafts and no HBCU school over four decades has reached a Sweet 16 in the NCAA DI Tournament while winning an anemic 10% of their postseason games.

What do you have to lose accepting Hill's repulsive racial profiling resembling throwing buckets of water on policemen? Can you say dignity? Her HBCU thesis is an affront to the many courageous hoopers who broke the color barrier 50 and 60 years ago. By wandering off progressive plantation, they are looked upon by her ilk similar to life in womb in NYC, where thousands more black babies are aborted than born alive each year (a/k/a black genocide advocated by Planned Murderhood founder Margaret Sanger). In a nutshell, Hill is a do-as-I-provocatively-say; not-as-I-do-before-lecturing-you huckster. Why didn't ivory-tower social engineer attend TSU or a MEAC/SWAC member rather than a power-conference affiliate (Michigan State) to achieve her personal goals? While perhaps having a valid point if restricted to Trump University (no athletic program), the doltish former ESPN shrew shouldn't get critical welfare after showing how unfit and unqualified she was by failing to unearth the Larry Nassar predator scandal at her alma mater while managing editor at the State News or as a writer for the Detroit Free Press. Perhaps she should have been as aggressive with story as when we witnessed content of her character via fake NASCAR noose for driver Bubba Wallace-Smollett. Assessing the mental gymnastics exhibited by Hill and her equally-inept colleagues, the derelicts in duty need to don some enabler shame stemming from incompetence virtually allowing Nassar's sexual-abuse atrocities before, after and during six years she covered MSU. Prior to abusing our sensibilities about what an athlete is worth to a university, failed-at-my-job Hill should pay reparations by purchasing and reading abuse survivor gymnast Rachael Denhollander's memoir What is a Girl Worth? Unless, of course, her life didn't matter; let alone numerous other female gymnasts due to color of their skin. Blame game can go both ways.

Value wasn't much when all but two of the 25 HBCUs had at least one season with 20 defeats in a six-year span from 2003-04 through 2008-09 while Hill toiled for the Free Press and Orlando Sentinel prior to securing spot for her political pap at the Extra Sensitive Pious Network (ESPN). The pair of HBCU institutions emerging unscathed during that stretch were Hampton (worst record was 13-17 in 2003-04) and Norfolk State (11-19 in 2006-07). But in an attempt by someone who actually met the real G-Man "White Tiger" firsthand (not actor Bruce Jenner who played QB role in movie) to avoid being levied a $4.5 million fine by the U.S. Department of Education for withholding handout to lame-stream #MessMedia maven "needing a history lesson," following are additional relevant HBCU basketball historical nuggets for Hubris Hill to utilize in any way the genuine racist and bigot sees fit. Perhaps she and chest-pounding #Dimorat operative #DonnaBrazilla will pass this inside Basketball Jones intel on to certain "Dem(wit)" presidential candidates for an edge in any debate. At a bare minimum, maybe know-it-all Hill can help #Brazilla secure direct access for the FBI to investigate hacked DNC computer server.

A computer database isn't necessary to know there has been only two HBCU regulars on NBA rosters the last half of past decade (O'Quinn and Tennessee State undrafted free agent Robert Covington). O'Quinn is one of only three HBCU products (all second-rounders) picked in an NBA draft over the past 23 years (a/k/a length of time since Not Worth a Hill of Beans graduated from college). That's a stark contrast to average of three HBCU draftees annually selected in first two rounds in five-year span from 1974 through 1978 after a total of 10 different HBCU schools produced players among the top 69 picks in 1969. The next season (1969-70), Southern schools Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Kentucky and South Carolina crossed the color barrier by featuring an African-American on their freshman basketball squad for the first time. As a further means of comparison, 17 straight NBA drafts from 1969 through 1985 had an HBCU product selected in first two rounds (total of 37 such players) despite the league not having more than 18 franchises until absorbing four ABA teams in 1976.

We presume Hill is referring to a HBCU school such as Grambling, which never has appeared in the NCAA DI playoffs. Success wasn't so difficult to find for the Tigers at the small-college level where they belong in order to thrive again. Beginning with third-rounder Charles Hardnett in 1962, they supplied one of the top 21 NBA draft choices four consecutive years through 1965. The majority of them didn't perform at the NCAA DI level, but following at the top of the hill is a ranking of the all-time top 25 HBCU players (a dozen from Grambling if include alphabetical list of honorable mention selections acknowledged below):

Honorable Mention
Johnnie Allen, Bethune-Cookman (Fla.)
Al Attles, North Carolina A&T
Ken Bannister, St. Augustine's (N.C.)
John Barnhill, Tennessee A&I
Billy Ray Bates, Kentucky State
Joe Binion, North Carolina A&T
Hal Blevins, Arkansas A&M
Tom Boswell, South Carolina State*
Alonzo Bradley, Texas Southern
Frank Card, South Carolina State
John Chaney, Bethune-Cookman (Fla.)
Bob Christian, Grambling (La.)
Nathaniel "Sweetwater" Clifton, Xavier (La.)
Emanual Davis, Delaware State
Mike Davis, Virginia Union
Monti Davis, Tennessee State
Terry Davis, Virginia Union
Warren Davis, North Carolina A&T
Charles Edge, LeMoyne-Owen (Tenn.)
Alphonso Ford, Mississippi Valley State
Jake Ford, Maryland State
Wilbert Frazier, Grambling (La.)
Mike Gale, Elizabeth City State (N.C.)
Earl Glass, Mississippi Industrial College
Charles Hardnett, Grambling (La.)
Fred Hilton, Grambling (La.)
Harold Hunter, North Carolina College
Lewis Jackson, Alabama State
Aaron James, Grambling (La.)
Jerome James, Florida A&M
Ben Jobe, Fisk (Tenn.)
Avery Johnson, Southern (La.)
Clemon Johnson, Florida A&M
Ed Johnson, Tennessee A&I
George T. Johnson, Dillard (La.)
Rich Johnson, Grambling (La.)
Caldwell Jones, Albany State (Ga.)
Charles Jones, Albany State (Ga.)
Earl Jones, District of Columbia
Major Jones, Albany State (Ga.)
Wil Jones, Albany State (Ga.)
Arvesta Kelly, Lincoln (Mo.)
Harry "Machine Gun" Kelly, Texas Southern
Julius Keye, Alcorn A&M (Miss.)
Richard "Pee Wee" Kirkland, Norfolk State (Va.)
Bobby Lewis, South Carolina State
Earl Lloyd, West Virginia State
Johnny Lloyd, Southern (La.)
Kevin Loder, Kentucky State/Alabama State
Ed Manning, Jackson State (Miss.)
Bob McCoy, Grambling (La.)
Maurice McHartley, North Carolina A&T
Porter Merriweather, Tennessee A&I
Tony Murphy, Southern (La.)
Ronald "Flip" Murray, Shaw (N.C.)
Lloyd Neal, Tennessee State
Audie Norris, Jackson State (Miss.)
Sylvester Norris, Jackson State (Miss.)
Willie Norwood, Alcorn A&M
Kyle O'Quinn, Norfolk State
Joe Pace, Maryland-Eastern Shore/Coppin State
Bobby Phills, Southern (La.)
Timothy Pollard, Mississippi Valley State
Willie Porter, Tennessee A&I
Marlbert "Spider" Pradd, Dillard (La.)
Carlos Rogers, Tennessee State
Frankie Sanders, Southern (La.)
Bruce Seals, Xavier (La.)
Willie Shaw, Lane (Tenn.)
Eugene Short, Jackson State (Miss.)
Tal Skinner, Maryland-Eastern Shore
Larry Spriggs, Howard (D.C.)
Larry Stewart, Coppin State (Md.)
Bennie Swain, Texas Southern
Carlos Terry, Winston-Salem State (N.C.)
Willis Thomas, Tennessee A&I
Henry Ward, Jackson State (Miss.)
Ben Warley, Tennessee A&I
Cornell Warner, Jackson State (Miss.)
Thomas "Trooper" Washington, Cheyney State (Pa.)
Donald "Slick" Watts, Xavier (La.)
Hershell West, Grambling (La.)
Earl Williams, Winston-Salem State (N.C.)
Kenny Williams, Elizabeth City State (N.C.)
Milt Williams, Lincoln (Mo.)
*Transferred with coach Ben Jobe to South Carolina and played for the Gamecocks in 1974-75 before becoming a first-round NBA draft choice as an undergraduate.

Perhaps Hill's bruised ego can (first) take time away from petty feud with former ESPN colleague Stephen A. Smith, who played sparingly for Winston-Salem State in the late 1980s under legendary coach Clarence "Bighouse" Gaines because of a knee ailment. For what it's black-privilege worth to someone as conceited as Hill, following is an assortment of additional trivia tidbits if grievance-industry huckster is interested in becoming an authentic HBCU expert rather than mob-rule associate:

• Football coaching legend Eddie Robinson won more than 70% of his games as Grambling's basketball bench boss from 1942-56.

• North Carolina College's Rocky Roberson scored 58 points in a game against Shaw (N.C.) during the 1942-43 season for what was believed to be a college record at the time.

• CIAA champion West Virginia State was the nation's only undefeated college team in 1947-48, finishing with a 23-0 record. The squad, coached by Mark Cardwell, included future NBA players Bob Wilson and Earl Lloyd.

• Tennessee A&I, coached by Henry A. Kean, was the nation's only undefeated team in 1948-49 with a 24-0 record. The Tigers' leading scorers, Clarence Wilson and Joshua Grider, were both eventually longtime standouts with the Harlem Globetrotters.

• Florida A&M won the 1952 SIAC Tournament final against host Alabama State, 71-67, despite having just four players on the court the final 13-plus minutes (including two overtimes) because of players fouling out.

• The first predominantly black college to take the floor in an integrated national collegiate tournament was Tennessee State (then Tennessee A&I) in 1953. Hall of Famer John McLendon coached Tennessee State to three consecutive national titles (1957-59). Oddly, the '53 Tennessee State team defeated McLendon-coached North Carolina College for the opportunity to go to Kansas City. Seven years earlier, McLendon led North Carolina College (now North Carolina Central) to a 64-56 triple-overtime victory over Virginia Union in the final of the first Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Tournament. The CIAA Tournament blossomed into one of the premier postseason events in the country, including major-college tourneys.

• The governor of Louisiana threatened McNeese State to pull out of 1956 NAIA Tournament if HBCU institutions were allowed to participate. The Cowboys ultimately defied the governor's wishes and defeated HBCU powerhouse Texas Southern in national final.

• Western Illinois missed an opportunity to become the nation's only undefeated college team in 1957-58 when it lost to Tennessee State, 85-73, in the NAIA Tournament championship game. Western had defeated Tennessee State, 79-76, earlier in the season. It was one of three consecutive NAIA titles won by Tennessee State, which boasted future pros Dick Barnett, John Barnhill and Ben Warley.

• In 1959, North Carolina A&T became the first predominantly black institution to participate in NCAA Division II national playoff competition. The Aggies finished third in the tourney.

• The 1961-62 All-SWAC first-team selections included three frontcourters who later played at least 10 seasons in the pros - Prairie View's Zelmo Beaty, Southern's Bob Love and Grambling's Willis Reed. Grambling finished in the top 10 of the first 76 weeks of College Division/Division II polls from January 5, 1961 through the end of the 1966-67 campaign. The Tigers, coached by Fred Hobdy, placed in the top five 40 consecutive weeks from March 2, 1961, through January 28, 1965. Grambling supplied seven top 20 NBA draft choices in a 20-year span from 1957 through 1976 before moving up to the NCAA Division I level - Bob McCoy (10th in 1957), Hershell West (16th in 1963), Reed (10th in 1964), Wilbert Frazier (12th in 1965), Jimmy Jones (13th in 1967), Fred Hilton (19th in 1971) and Larry Wright (14th in 1976).

• North Carolina A&T's Hugh Evans, a 12th-round draft choice by the St. Louis Hawks in 1963, went on to become a long-time NBA referee. Evans, a high school teammate in New York with Connie Hawkins and a college teammate of Al Attles, spent three years in the San Francisco Giants' minor league system.

• Longtime Harlem Globetrotter Fred "Curly" Neal was an All-CIAA selection for Johnson C. Smith (N.C.) in 1962-63.

• The first family of small-college basketball, if not all of hoopdom, could be the six brothers Jones from McGehee, Ark., all 6-8 or taller, who became the top six rebounders in Albany (Ga.) State history during the 1960s and 1970s. Oliver and Melvin were borderline pro prospects before Wil (nine), Caldwell (17), Major (six) and Charles (15) each played a minimum of six ABA/NBA seasons. Major Jones, 6-9, led NCAA Division II rebounders in 1974-75 with an average of 22.5 per game. He is the last Division I or Division II player to average at least 20 per game.

• Elmore Smith, a 7-0 center for 1970 NAIA champion Kentucky State, was called for goal tending 12 times in a 116-98 defeat against Eastern Michigan.

• Louisiana College is the first predominantly white school to play a home-and-home season series against a HBCU (Grambling in 1971-72). Center Clarence Hall, who broke the color barrier for LC, was the first African-American hooper for a predominantly white institution to compete at Grambling.

• In 1970, with an enrollment under 650 students, three Maryland State College players from a 29-2 team were selected in the NBA draft - Jake Ford (2nd round), Levi Fontaine (5th) and James "Bones" Morgan (7th). Four years later, the school (now known as Maryland-Eastern Shore) featured three more players chosen from a 27-2 squad - Rubin Collins (2nd), Talvin Skinner (3rd) and William "Billy" Gordon (4th).

• Tennessee State edged Oglethorpe (Ga.), 7-4, on February 16, 1971, in what is believed to be the lowest-scoring college game since the center jump was eliminated prior to the 1937-38 season. Tennessee State had overwhelmed Oglethorpe, 82-43, earlier in the season.

• Less than seven hours after returning to campus following a quarterfinal defeat against eventual 1971 NAIA champion Kentucky State, Grambling's Charlie Anderson died as a result of injuries suffered in a hit-and-run auto accident. Anderson, who averaged 18.3 ppg and 17.8 rpg, provided the game-winning basket in the Tigers' overtime win against Glassboro State (N.J.) in second round.

• Kentucky State's Travis "Machine Gun" Grant set the single-game NAIA Tournament scoring record with 60 points against Minot State in 1972. Grant finished his four-year college career with 4,045 points and a 33.4-point average.

• Dave Robbins, who is white, became coach at Virginia Union in 1978-79 in the predominantly black CIAA. Robbins went on to win more CIAA Tournaments than any coach in league history. VUU finished in the Top 10 of final national rankings nine consecutive seasons from 1987-88 through 1995-96 and 12 of 13 beginning in 1983-84.

• Alcorn State, competing in the Braves' second season at NCAA Division I level in 1978-79, went unbeaten during the regular season. They won at Mississippi State, 80-78, in first round of NIT before bowing at Indiana, 73-69, in second round. Bob Knight-coached IU went on to capture the championship.

• Texas Southern's Aaric Murray is the only HBCU player to crack the 30-point plateau in an NCAA Division I playoff game (38 against Cal Poly in 2014 First Four). Murray is one of 10 different HBCU players to score more than 25 points in a single NCAA DI Tournament contest after Prairie View's Gary Blackston tallied 26 in 2019 First Four. Texas Southern transfer Zach Lofton set New Mexico State's existing NCAA playoff single-game scoring record with 29 against Clemson in 2018 first round.

• Numerous HBCU hoopers were so versatile they eventually excelled professionally in other major sports. Earning acclaim as MLB All-Stars were: George Altman (Tennessee State), Al Bumbry (Virginia State), Larry Doby (Virginia Union), Chuck Hinton (Shaw NC) and Monte Irvin (Lincoln PA). Ex-hoopers among NFL/AFL Pro Bowl selections included: Buck Buchanan (Grambling), Harold Carmichael (Southern LA), Ben Coates (Livingstone NC), Len Ford (Morgan State), Too Tall Jones (Tennessee State), Jacoby Jones (Lane TN), Cy McClairen (Bethune-Cookman FL), Zeke Moore (Lincoln MO), Art Shell (Maryland-Eastern Shore), Otis Taylor (Prairie View A&M) and Rayfield Wright (Fort Valley State GA).

• Former ABA/NBA players who went on to coach HBCUs at the NCAA Division I level include Butch Beard (Howard University/Morgan State), Juan Dixon (Coppin State), Jerry Eaves (North Carolina A&T), Tommy Green (Southern LA), Bob Hopkins (Southern LA/Grambling/Maryland-Eastern Shore), Lindsey Hunter (Mississippi Valley State), Aaron James (Grambling), Clemon Johnson (Florida A&M), Gene Littles (North Carolina A&T), Larry Smith (Alcorn State), Mo Williams (Alabama State) and Larry Wright (Grambling).

Hill's hackneyed handiwork isn't exactly a novel concept. Doubt she realizes "trend," but the following alphabetical list of HBCU players such as Howard's Nojel Eastern (transfer from Purdue) didn't need her "tunnel-vision" encouragement to shift from a power-conference member:

Extra! Extra! If spittin' mad regarding COVID-19 season postponement and prolonged negotiations commencing campaign, you have time to read news all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.

Former Morehead State hoopers Steve Hamilton and Denny Doyle made MLB news on this date. Ditto hoopers from Commonwealth of Virginia universities Leo Burke (Virginia Tech), Bud Metheny (William & Mary) and Eppa Rixey (Virginia). Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a June 24 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JUNE 24

• INF-OF Leo Burke (averaged 9.2 ppg for Virginia Tech basketball teams in 1952-53 and 1953-54) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Chicago Cubs for knuckle-ball reliever Barney Schultz in 1963.

• Detroit Tigers RHP Ownie Carroll (Holy Cross hoops letterman in 1922), hurling his second shutout, allowed a total of four earned runs in his first eight victories of the 1928 campaign en route to leading the team with 16 triumphs.

• Boston Braves SS Dick Culler (#9 jersey retired by High Point for Little All-American in 1935 and 1936) went 6-for-7 in a 1945 doubleheader split against the Brooklyn Dodgers.

• Philadelphia Phillies 2B Denny Doyle (averaged 2.7 ppg for Morehead State in 1962-63) delivered his third three-hit outing in a 12-game span in 1972.

• 1B Walt Dropo (Connecticut's first hooper ever to average 20 points in single season with 21.7 ppg in 1942-43) awarded on waivers from the Chicago White Sox to the Cincinnati Reds in 1958.

• Houston Astros C Joe Ferguson (hooper in 1967 NCAA playoffs with Pacific) walked five times, including three intentional bases on balls, against the San Diego Padres in a 1978 game.

• RHP Eddie Fisher (hooper for Oklahoma's 1954-55 freshman squad) surrendered his only run in first 12 relief appearances with the Baltimore Orioles in 1966.

• New York Giants 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) went 5-for-5 and scored four runs against the Philadelphia Phillies in the opener of a 1926 doubleheader.

• St. Louis Cardinals RHP Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer and rebounder in 1955-56 and 1956-57) ended a personal five-game losing streak with his final of 56 career shutouts (four-hitter against Pittsburgh Pirates in nightcap of 1974 twinbill).

• Atlanta Braves rookie RHP Kevin Gryboski (backup hooper for Wilkes PA in 1991-92 and 1992-93) collected his second relief victory in four-day span, lowering his ERA to 1.19 through 28 appearances in 2002.

• New York Yankees LHP Steve Hamilton (Morehead State's leading scorer and rebounder in 1956-57 and 1957-58) struck out Cleveland Indians 1B Tony Horton with a couple of "Folly Floaters" as a reliever in the nightcap of a 1970 doubleheader.

• Philadelphia Athletics 1B Tom Hamilton (member of Texas' 1947 Final Four team was SWC's leading scorer in league competition in 1949-50) supplied a career-high two hits in a 6-3 setback against the Detroit Tigers in 1953.

• Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (hooper for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) homered three times in a 1951 doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Seven years later, Hodges hammered a round-tripper in both ends of a 1958 twinbill sweep of the Cincinnati Reds.

• St. Louis Browns SS Billy Hunter (multi-sport athlete for Indiana PA post-WWII) went 4-for-4 in a 1953 game against the Washington Senators.

• In 1944, Cincinnati Reds rookie RHP Jim Konstanty (member of 1937-38 and 1938-39 Syracuse hoop teams) tossed a shutout in his second MLB start (1-0 against Chicago Cubs).

• In 1958, New York Yankees INF Jerry Lumpe (member of Southwest Missouri State's 1952 NAIA Tournament championship hoops team) smacked his first MLB homer (at Chicago off Early Wynn of White Sox).

• New York Yankees RF Bud Metheny (William & Mary hoops letterman from 1935-36 through 1937-38) amassed two homers and six RBI in a 13-5 win against the Philadelphia Athletics in the opener of a 1945 twinbill.

• Detroit Tigers RF Jim Northrup (second-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder for Alma MI in 1958-59) powered a grand slam in back-to-back innings (fifth and sixth) against the Cleveland Indians in 1968.

• Cincinnati Reds LHP Eppa Rixey (Virginia hoops letterman in 1911-12 and 1913-14) went into the eighth inning with a perfect game but wound up losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-3, in 1924.

• In 1947, Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in PCC both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) swiped home in the fifth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates. It was the first of 19 times in Robinson's career he pilfered home. The next year, he went 7-for-9 in a 1948 doubleheader sweep of the Pirates.

• Brooklyn Dodgers LHP Preacher Roe (Harding AR hooper in late 1930s) twirled a shutout against the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a 1952 twinbill, giving him 30 victories in his last 33 decisions going back to the end of the 1950 campaign.

• RHP Jack Spring (freshman hooper for Washington State in 1951-52) traded by the Boston Red Sox to Cleveland Indians in 1958. He was returned to Red Sox the next month. Four years later with the Los Angeles Angels, Spring notched a victory via eighth straight relief appearance without yielding earned run, lowering his ERA to 1.94 through 32 games.

• New York Giants C Wes Westrum (hooper for Bemidji State MN one season before serving in military) contributed a career game, hitting three homers plus a triple and scoring five runs in a 12-2 triumph against the Cincinnati Reds in 1950.

• In 1991, California Angels RF-DH Dave Winfield (starting forward with Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) went 5-for-5 with three extra-base hits against the Kansas City Royals to become the oldest player in MLB history to go for the cycle (39).

Extra! Extra! If spittin' mad regarding COVID-19 season postponement and ineffectual negotiations commencing campaign, you have time to read news all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.

Former Guilford NC hoopers Rick Ferrell and Tom Zachary supplied significant MLB games on this date. Ditto ex-Duke hoop teammates Dick Groat and Dick "Footer" Johnson plus ex-Minnesota hoopers Jerry Kindall and Dave Winfield. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a June 22 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JUNE 22

• San Diego Padres RHP Mike Adams (played basketball for Texas A&M-Kingsville in 1996-97) surrendered his only run (against Tampa Bay Rays) in a span of 20 relief appearances from mid-May to early July in 2010.

• Philadelphia Phillies 1B-LF Harry Anderson (averaged 7.7 ppg and 8.9 rpg for West Chester PA in 1951-52) homered in both ends of a 1958 doubleheader against the San Francisco Giants.

• Brooklyn Dodgers RHP Ray Benge (multi-year hoops letterman for Sam Houston State first half of 1920s) hurled a four-hit shutout against the Chicago Cubs in 1933. Whitewash was one of his six complete-game victories during the month.

• Cleveland Indians SS Lou Boudreau (leading scorer for Illinois' 1937 Big Ten Conference co-champion) banged out four hits against the Boston Red Sox in a 1940 contest.

• Minnesota Twins 3B John Castino (medical redshirt for Rollins FL in 1973-74 under coach Ed Jucker) contributed multiple hits for fourth time in five-game span in 1980.

• OF Billy Cowan (hoops co-captain for Utah's 1960 NCAA playoff team) traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1966.

• Cleveland Indians OF Larry Doby (reserve hoops guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA titlist) homered in both ends of a 1953 doubleheader against the Washington Senators.

• St. Louis Browns C Rick Ferrell (forward for Guilford NC before graduating in 1928) furnished four hits and four RBI against the New York Yankees in a 1931 game.

• San Francisco Giants RHP Eddie Fisher (hooper for Oklahoma's 1954-55 freshman squad) won his MLB debut by allowing only three hits and one run in seven innings in a 4-1 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1959.

• St. Louis Cardinals 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) stroked three extra-base hits against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 1933 outing. The next year, Frisch went 5-for-5 against the Brooklyn Dodgers in a 1934 contest.

• SS Dick Groat (NCAA unanimous first-team All-American for Duke in 1951-52 when national runner-up in scoring) purchased from the Philadelphia Phillies by the San Francisco Giants in 1967.

• Los Angeles Dodgers C Tom Haller (backup forward for Illinois in 1956-57 and 1957-58 under coach Harry Combes) collected four hits against the Cincinnati Reds in a 1969 contest.

• Pittsburgh Pirates 3B Lee Handley (Bradley hoops letterman from 1932-33 through 1934-35) provided four hits against the New York Giants in a 1939 game.

• In 2003, LHP Mark Hendrickson (two-time All-Pacific-10 Conference selection paced Washington State four straight seasons in rebounding from 1992-93 through 1995-96) became the first Toronto Blue Jays hurler to hit a home run (against Montreal Expos).

• Chicago Cubs rookie OF/1B Dick "Footer" Johnson (averaged 3.4 ppg for Duke in 1950-51 and 1951-52 under coach Harold Bradley) scored his only MLB tally as pinch-runner in a 1958 game against the Cincinnati Reds.

• In the midst of a career-high 11-game hitting streak, Chicago Cubs 2B Jerry Kindall (averaged 6.9 ppg for Minnesota as junior in 1955-56) contributed two doubles against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 1960 contest.

• Setting a new record for a night game, Los Angeles Dodgers LHP Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman hoops squad in 1953-54) fanned 16 Philadelphia Phillies in a 6-2 triumph in 1959.

• RHP Dave Leonhard (averaged 4.8 ppg with Johns Hopkins MD in 1961-62), joining the Baltimore Orioles on a weekend leave from the National Guard, tossed a three-hit shutout against the Cleveland Indians in the nightcap of a 1969 doubleheader.

• Cincinnati Reds CF Greasy Neale (hooper graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan College in 1915) provided three hits in both ends of a 1918 twinbill split against the St. Louis Cardinals.

• Pittsburgh Pirates rookie 2B Johnny O'Brien (consensus All-American second-team choice as junior and consensus first-team selection as senior averaged 25.8 ppg for Seattle from 1950-51 through 1952-53) manufactured back-to-back three-hit outings to cap off a nine-game hitting streak in 1953.

• In 1971, Atlanta Braves RHP Ron Reed (Notre Dame's leading rebounder in 1963-64 and 1964-65) spun a three-hit shutout against the Montreal Expos, igniting a streak where he permitted more than two earned runs only once in a span of nine starts to early August.

• In 1944, Pittsburgh Pirates INF Al Rubeling (Towson hooper in early 1930s) ripped his second pinch-hit homer in a four-game span.

• Montreal Expos rookie RHP Bill Sampen (MacMurray IL MVP in 1984-85 when averaging team-high 14.9 ppg) won his first six decisions in 1990 en route to leading team in victories with 12 despite starting only four times in 59 games.

• In 1982, St. Louis Cardinals RHP John Stuper (two-time all-conference junior college hooper in mid-1970s for Butler County PA) surrendered Pete Rose's 3,772nd career hit. The third-inning double moved Rose past Hank Aaron into second place on MLB's all-time list.

• Chicago White Sox RF Evar Swanson (five-position hooper for Knox IL) collected four hits against the Boston Red Sox in a 1934 game.

• Cleveland Indians 3B Jim Thome (played junior-college hoops for Illinois Central in 1988-89) hit two homers in a 1994 game against the Detroit Tigers. Twelve years later as DH, the Chicago White Sox's only hit off Anthony Reyes of the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1-0 victory was seventh-inning round-tripper by Thome in 2006.

• Toronto Blue Jays DH Dave Winfield (starting forward for Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) knocked in five runs in a 1992 outing against the Texas Rangers.

• In 1969, Chicago White Sox rookie RHP Billy Wynne (one of prime Pfeiffer NC hoopers in mid-1960s) hurled his lone MLB shutout (1-0 against California Angels).

• Washington Senators 3B Eddie Yost (NYU freshman hooper in 1943-44 under coach Howard Cann) stroked a triple in his third consecutive contest in 1948.

• Washington Senators LHP Tom Zachary (Guilford NC hoops letterman in 1916) notched his first of eight consecutive complete games in 1920.

Extra! Extra! If spittin' mad regarding COVID-19 season postponement and ineffectual negotiations commencing campaign, you have time to read news all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.

Former Alabama hoopers Riggs Stephenson (Chicago Cubs) and Jim Tabor (Boston Red Sox) turned the tide by delivering significant MLB outings on this date. Ex-juco hoopers Rusty Kuntz, Irv Noren and Jim Thome also made MLB news on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a June 21 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JUNE 21

• Pittsburgh Pirates 3B Clyde Barnhart (played basketball for Shippensburg PA predecessor Cumberland Valley State Normal School prior to World War I) and LF Carson Bigbee (hoops letterman with his brother on Oregon's squad in 1915) combined for nine hits against the Brooklyn Robins in a 1922 contest.

• Detroit Tigers 1B Tony Clark (San Diego State's leading scorer in WAC games in 1991-92) collected five RBI against the Boston Red Sox in a 1997 outing. Two years later, Clark cracked three extra-base hits against the Oakland Athletics in a 1999 outing.

• Chicago Cubs 3B Alvin Dark (hoops letterman for Louisiana State and Louisiana-Lafayette in mid-1940s) posted his third four-hit outing in a five-game span in 1958.

• Detroit Tigers 1B Walt Dropo (first player in Connecticut history to average 20 ppg in single season with 21.7 in 1942-43) homered in both ends of a 1953 twinbill against the New York Yankees.

• After registering five saves in less than a month, Cincinnati Reds LHP Joe Gibbon (two-time All-SEC forward for Ole Miss was nation's second-leading scorer as senior in 1956-57) notched his 11th straight scoreless relief appearance.

• St. Louis Cardinals RHP Bob Gibson (first Creighton hooper to average more than 20 ppg in career with 20.2 from 1954-55 through 1956-57) ripped a three-run homer en route to passing Jesse Haines (210 victories) and becoming the franchise's all-time winningest hurler.

• Cincinnati Reds RHP Ken Hunt (freshman hooper for Brigham Young in 1957-58) tossed his third complete-game triumph in less than a month in 1961.

• RHP Walt Huntzinger (All-EIBL second-five selection in 1921-22 with Penn) awarded on waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Chicago Cubs in 1926.

• OF Rusty Kuntz (J.C. hooper for Cuesta CA) traded by the Chicago White Sox to the Minnesota Twins in 1983.

• Washington Senators CF Don Lock (led Wichita State in field-goal percentage in 1956-57 and 1957-58 under coach Ralph Miller) smashed two homers against the Kansas City Athletics in the opener of a 1964 doubleheader.

• Chicago White Sox RHP Ted Lyons (two-time All-SWC first-team selection for Baylor in early 1920s) notched his 250th career win in 1942. Lyons finished the season hurling complete games in all 20 starts, led the A.L. with a 2.10 ERA, and then entered the U.S. Marine Corps at age 42.

• Washington Senators rookie CF Irv Noren (hoops player of year for California community college state champion Pasadena City in 1945) knocked in five runs against the Detroit Tigers in a 1950 contest.

• Detroit Tigers RF Jim Northrup (second-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder for Alma MI in 1958-59) amassed two homers and five RBI against the Cleveland Indians in the nightcap of a 1970 twinbill.

• Brooklyn Dodgers LHP Preacher Roe (Harding AR hooper in late 1930s) won his first 10 decisions in 1951.

• New York Yankees 3B Red Rolfe (played hoops briefly with Dartmouth in 1927-28 and 1929-30) provided five hits against the Detroit Tigers in a 1940 outing.

• As a pinch-hitter, New York Mets C John Stephenson (scored 1,361 points for William Carey MS in early 1960s) was the final out of P Jim Bunning's perfect game for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1964.

• Chicago Cubs LF Riggs Stephenson (Alabama hoops letterman in 1920) supplied four hits against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 1932 contest.

• Boston Red Sox 3B Jim Tabor (Alabama hoops letterman in 1936-37) knocked in five runs in a 1941 outing against the St. Louis Browns.

• Cleveland Indians 1B Jim Thome (played junior-college hoops for Illinois Central in 1988-89) whacked two homers in a 2000 game against the Chicago White Sox. Three years later with the Philadelphia Phillies, he smacked a pair of round-trippers against the Boston Red Sox.

• In 1973, San Diego Padres rookie LF Dave Winfield (starting forward with Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) whacked his first of 465 MLB homers (off Ken Forsch of Houston Astros).

Extra! Extra! If spittin' mad regarding COVID-19 season postponement and ineffectual negotiations commencing campaign, you have time to read news all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.

Former small-college hoopers Dick Siebert (Concordia-St. Paul MN/Minnesota) and Bobby Winkles (Illinois Wesleyan/Arizona State) guided major universities to College World Series championships on this date in the 1960s. Ex-NYU hoopers Hank Greenberg and Eddie Yost supplied significant American League performances on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a June 20 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JUNE 20

• Boston Red Sox 1B Dale Alexander (starting basketball center in mid-1920s for Milligan TN) contributed four hits in a 9-5 win against the Cleveland Indians in 1933.

• LF Howie Bedell (averaged 3.5 ppg and 3.5 rpg for West Chester PA in 1955-56) traded by the Milwaukee Braves to the St. Louis Cardinals for P Bobby Tiefenauer in 1963.

• Montreal Expos RHP Ray Burris (two-sport standout in Southwestern Oklahoma State Hall of Fame) tossed a three-hit shutout against the Philadelpia Phillies in 1983.

• RHP Bob Chlupsa (led Manhattan in rebounding in 1965-66 and 1966-67) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the San Diego Padres in 1972.

• 1B Tony Clark (San Diego State's leading scorer in WAC games in 1991-92) clobbered two of Detroit's team-record eight homers in the Tigers' 18-6 victory against the Toronto Blue Jays in 2000.

• Hall of Fame C Mickey Cochrane (Boston University hooper in early 1920s) collected four of the Philadelphia Athletics' 26 hits in an 18-11 decision over the Chicago White Sox in 1932.

• Lone MLB triumph for RHP Paul Edmondson (averaged 12.4 ppg and 6.6 rpg with Cal State Northridge from 1962-63 through 1964-65) came in his debut in 1969 when hurling a two-hitter for the Chicago White Sox against the California Angels.

• Detroit Tigers rookie 1B Hank Greenberg (enrolled at NYU on hoops scholarship in 1929 but attended college only one semester) went 4-for-4 against the Philadelphia Athletics in a 1933 contest.

• RHP Ed Halicki (NAIA All-American third-team choice in 1971-72 when leading Monmouth in scoring with 21 ppg after setting school single-game rebounding record with 40 the previous season) awarded on waivers from the San Francisco Giants to the California Angels in 1980.

• Los Angeles Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (hooper for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) homered twice against the Cincinnati Reds in a 1959 game.

• Toronto Blue Jays 3B Garth Iorg (juco hooper with College of the Redwoods CA in mid-1970s) went 3-for-3 and scored three runs in a 6-5 win against the Boston Red Sox in 1985.

• New York Yankees LF Charlie Keller (three-year hoops letterman with Maryland from 1934-35 through 1936-37) homered in his fourth consecutive contest in 1941. Two years later, Keller connected for a circuit clout in both ends of a 1943 twinbill split against the Washington Senators.

• San Francisco Giants OF Harvey Kuenn (played hoops briefly for Wisconsin in 1951-52 after competing on JV squad previous season) collected five hits against the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1964 contest.

• Chicago Cubs RF Bill Nicholson (Washington College MD hoops guard for two years in mid-1930s) smacked two homers against the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a 1943 doubleheader.

• Chicago White Sox RHP Johnny Rigney (top hoops center for St. Thomas MN in mid-1930s) tossed an 11-inning, 1-0 shutout against the New York Yankees in 1940. On the flip side, it was a season when he incurred 12 one-run defeats.

• In 1961 outing, Baltimore Orioles rookie RF Earl Robinson (three-time All-PCC second-team selection for California under coach Pete Newell from 1955-56 through 1957-58) ripped first MLB homer, which was among his three hits against the Minnesota Twins.

• New York Yankees 3B Red Rolfe (Dartmouth hooper in 1927-28 and 1929-30) registered three extra-base hits against the Chicago White Sox in a 1939 game.

• Baltimore Orioles 1B Norm Siebern (member of Southwest Missouri State squads capturing back-to-back NAIA Tournament hoops titles in 1952 and 1953) stroked three extra-base hits and scored four runs against the Washington Senators in a 1965 game.

• Eleven-year MLB 1B Dick Siebert (Concordia-St. Paul MN hooper in 1929 and 1930) coached Minnesota to his second of three College World Series championships with the Gophers by outlasting Southern California, 2-1, in 10 innings in 1960.

• Chicago Cubs SS Roy Smalley Jr. (one of top scorers for Drury MO in 1942-43 and 1943-44) supplied three extra-base hits off Johnny Sain in a 4-3 triumph against the Boston Braves in a 1950 contest.

• RHP Lee Smith (averaged 3.4 ppg and 1.9 rpg with Northwestern State in 1976-77) preserved the California Angels' 3-2 verdict over the Kansas City Royals in 1995, setting a MLB mark with his 18th save in 18 opportunities (record subsequently broken).

• Boston Red Sox 3B Jim Tabor (Alabama hoops letterman in 1936-37) jacked two homers against the Philadelphia Athletics in the opener of a 1943 twinbill.

• Former MLB manager Bobby Winkles (All-College Conference of Illinois first-team selection led Illinois Wesleyan in scoring with 12 ppg as senior in 1950-51) coached Arizona State to his third of three College World Series championships with the Sun Devils by trouncing Tulsa, 10-1, in 1969.

• Washington Senators 3B Eddie Yost (NYU freshman hooper in 1943-44 under coach Howard Cann) hammered a crucial two-run homer in 4-2 decision over the Detroit Tigers in 1950. It was his lone outing in a 14-game span when failing to be issued at least one walk.