On This Date: Former College Hoopers Make Mark on May 17 MLB Games

May 17th, 2019 - 6:45

Extra! Extra! Read all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players! Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.

Several former hoopers from Michigan colleges - Ron Jackson (Western Michigan), Jim Northrup (Alma) and Roy Parmelee (Eastern Michigan) - made MLB news on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 17 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 17

  • Milwaukee Brewers 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) collected a homer among his four hits in a 9-4 triumph against the New York Giants in 1955.

  • Philadelphia Phillies LF Morrie Arnovich (Wisconsin-Superior hooper in early 1930s) went 5-for-5, raising his batting average to .426, in a 7-3 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1939.

  • Chicago Cubs 2B Glenn Beckert (three-year hoops letterman for Allegheny PA) went 4-for-4 against the St. Louis Cardinals in the midst of a 26-game hitting streak in 1973.

  • 1B-OF Larry Biittner (runner-up in scoring and rebounding for Buena Vista IA in 1966-67) traded with RHP Steve Renko (averaged 9.9 ppg and 5.8 rpg as a Kansas sophomore in 1963-64) by the Montreal Expos to the Chicago Cubs for 1B Andre Thornton in 1976. The next year, Biittner belted two of the Cubs' seven homers in a 23-6 romp over the San Diego Padres.

  • Detroit Tigers 2B Frank Bolling (averaged 7.3 ppg for Spring Hill AL in 1950-51) swatted a homer in his third consecutive contest in 1958.

  • Detroit Tigers 1B Tony Clark (San Diego State's leading scorer in WAC games in 1991-92) socked two homers for the second time in a six-game span in 1997.

  • New York Mets 1B Donn Clendenon (four-sport letterman with Morehouse GA) clubbed two homers against the Atlanta Braves in a 1971 outing.

  • California Angels OF Billy Cowan (Utah hoops letterman from 1957-58 through 1959-60 was co-captain of NCAA playoff team as senior) hit safely for the fourth time in a span of five pinch-hit appearances in 1970.

  • Boston Braves SS Dick Culler (#9 jersey retired by High Point for Little All-American in 1935 and 1936) went 4-for-4 in a 3-2 victory against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1947.

  • Detroit Tigers CF Hoot Evers (hoops starter for Illinois in 1939-40) broke up a scoreless duel with a two-run homer in the ninth inning against the Philadelphia Athletics in 1947.

  • Boston Red Sox 1B Dick Gernert (Temple letterman in 1948-49 when averaging 2.7 ppg) went 4-for-4 in a 10-1 triumph against the Detroit Tigers in 1959.

  • San Francisco Giants 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) hurled his second straight two-hitter in 1979.

  • 1B Ron Jackson (All-MAC second-team choice from 1951-52 through 1953-54 led Western Michigan in scoring his last two seasons) traded by the Boston Red Sox to the Milwaukee Braves for INF Ray Boone in 1960.

  • Atlanta Braves CF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling a 35-3 record) supplied his third five-hit game of the 1997 campaign in an 11-6 triumph against the St. Louis Cardinals. Three years earlier with the Cleveland Indians, Lofton smacked two homers against the Milwaukee Brewers in 1994.

  • RHP Ted Lyons (two-time All-SWC first-team hoops selection for Baylor in early 1920s) started the first of eight straight doubleheader openers for the Chicago White Sox in 1942.

  • Washington Senators 1B Sam Mele (NYU's leading hoops scorer in 1943 NCAA playoffs) supplied two triples among his four hits in 1951 game against the Detroit Tigers.

  • CF Billy North (played four basketball games with Central Washington in 1967-68) traded by the Oakland Athletics to the Los Angeles Dodgers for OF Glenn Burke in 1978.

  • CF Jim Northrup (second-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder for Alma MI in 1958-59) drilled a game-winning grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Detroit Tigers a 7-3 victory over the Washington Senators. It was one of Northrup's five grand slams in 1968.

  • In 1935, New York Giants RHP Roy Parmelee (Eastern Michigan hoops letterman in 1924-25 and 1925-26) lost for the only time in his first 10 decisions to early July.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers 2B Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) supplied three extra-base safeties against the Chicago Cubs in 1949, triggering a streak where he had multiple-hit outings in 2/3 of his next 39 contests en route to a N.L.-high .342 batting average. Two years later, Robinson went 4-for-4 against the Cubs in 1951.

  • Chicago Cubs SS Roy Smalley Jr. (one of top scorers for Drury MO in 1942-43 and 1943-44) went 4-for-5 against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 1953 doubleheader.

  • LHP Eric Stults (hooper for 1999 NAIA D-II Tournament runner-up and 2000 NCCAA Tournament titlist with Bethel IN) awarded on waivers from the Chicago White Sox to the San Diego Padres in 2012.

  • CF Bill Virdon (Drury MO hooper in 1949) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1956 only one year after being named N.L. Rookie of the Year. He finished runner-up in the N.L. batting race with a .319 mark (.211 for Cards and .334 for Pirates).

  • Chicago Cubs CF Cy Williams (Notre Dame forward in 1909-10) went 4-for-4 with five RBI in a 7-2 win against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1916.

  • New York Yankees LF Dave Winfield (starting forward for Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) cracked two homers against the Detroit Tigers in a 1983 game.

  • In the midst of a career-high 20-game hitting streak in 2007, San Francisco Giants CF Randy Winn (Santa Clara backcourtmate of eventual two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash in 1993-94) drove in the decisive run in the 12th inning of a 2-1 triumph against the Houston Astros.

  • In 1925, Washington Senators LHP Tom Zachary (Guilford NC hoops letterman in 1916) yielded the 3,000th hit of Cleveland Indians OF Tris Speaker's Hall of Fame career.

Never-Never Land: None of Duke's 42 All-Americans Are From North Carolina

May 17th, 2019 - 6:31

Brandon Ingram (Kinston, NC) came close to becoming an All-American selection for Duke three years ago but fell short; especially following a 10-turnover outing at Louisville. A couple of years ago, Harry Giles (Winston-Salem, NC) was hyped as a freshman phenom but averaged an anemic 3.9 ppg and 3.8 rpg while contributing only nine assists in 26 games after incurring a knee injury. Neither Giles nor Ingram achieved a distinction generated by no other A-A in the school's illustrious history.

This season, South Carolina product Zion Williamson (born in NC) and Canadian R.J. Barrett became the 41st and 42nd different individual to become an All-American for Duke (31 under coach Mike Krzyzewski). Incredibly, none of them spent their formative years in any of North Carolina's 100 counties and can be counted as in-state recruits. It doesn't seem possible, but North Carolina laid a Blue Devils' goose egg while states such as Alaska, Connecticut, Louisiana, Montana, Oklahoma and Oregon also contributed to their list of All-Americans.

By contrast, the North Carolina Tar Heels had in-state talent account for multiple-year All-Americans such as Phil Ford, Antawn Jamison, Michael Jordan, Rashad McCants and James Worthy. The official web site of the State of North Carolina says the state is "a better place." But it hasn't been for Duke in regard to securing premium players prior to Ingram. Following is an alphabetical list detailing the hometowns of Duke's 42 All-Americans coming from 21 different states plus the District of Columbia and Canada:

Duke All-American Pos. A-A Season(s) Hometown
Mark Alarie F 1986 Phoenix, AZ
Grayson Allen G 2016 Jacksonville, FL
Tommy Amaker G 1987 Fairfax, VA
Marvin Bagley III C 2018 Phoenix, AZ
Gene Banks F 1979 and 1981 Philadelphia, PA
R.J. Barrett G 2018-19 Toronto, Ontario
Shane Battier F 2000 and 2001 Birmingham, MI
Carlos Boozer C 2002 Juneau, AK
Elton Brand C 1999 Peekskill, NY
Chris Carrawell F 2000 St. Louis, MO
Johnny Dawkins G 1985 and 1986 Washington, DC
Chris Duhon G 2004 Slidell, LA
Mike Dunleavy F 2002 Lake Oswego, OR
Danny Ferry F-C 1988 and 1989 Hyattsville, MD
Mike Gminski C 1978 through 1980 Monroe, CT
Dick Groat G 1951 and 1952 Swissvale, PA
Gerald Henderson G-F 2009 Merion, PA
Art Heyman F 1961 through 1963 Oceanside, NY
Grant Hill F-G 1992 through 1994 Reston, VA
Bobby Hurley G 1992 and 1993 Jersey City, NJ
Luke Kennard G-F 2017 Franklin, OH
Ed Koffenberger F-C 1946 and 1947 Wilmington, PA
Christian Laettner C-F 1991 and 1992 Buffalo, NY
Trajan Langdon G 1998 and 1999 Anchorage, AK
Mike Lewis C 1968 Missoula, MT
Jack Marin F 1966 Farrell, PA
Jeff Mullins F 1963 and 1964 Lexington, KY
DeMarcus Nelson G-F 2008 Elk Grove, CA
Jahlil Okafor C 2015 Chicago, IL
Jabari Parker F 2014 Chicago, IL
Mason Plumlee C 2013 Warsaw, IN
Jonathan "J.J." Redick G 2004 through 2006 Roanoke, VA
Austin Rivers G 2012 Winter Park, FL
Jon Scheyer G 2010 Northbrook, IL
Kyle Singler F 2011 Medford, OR
Nolan Smith G 2011 Upper Marlboro, MD
Jim Spanarkel G 1978 and 1979 Jersey City, NJ
Jim Thompson F 1934 Washington, DC
Bob Verga G 1966 and 1967 Belmar, NJ
Jason "Jay" Williams G 2001 and 2002 Plainfield, NJ
Shelden Williams C 2005 and 2006 Forest Park, OK
Zion Williamson F 2018-19 Spartanburg, SC

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Make Mark on May 16 MLB Games

May 16th, 2019 - 6:37

Extra! Extra! Read all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players! Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.

Springfield, MO-based small college Drury had two former hoopers - Roy Smalley Jr. and Bill Virdon - impact MLB on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 16 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 16

  • Chicago Cubs RF Frankie Baumholtz (MVP in 1941 NIT and first player in Ohio University history to score 1,000 career points) banged out three extra-base hits in a 14-4 rout of the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1951.

  • Cleveland Indians SS Lou Boudreau (leading scorer for Illinois' 1937 Big Ten Conference co-champion) went 4-for-4 against the Chicago White Sox in the nightcap of a 1948 twinbill.

  • St. Louis Cardinals CF Taylor Douthit (California hoops letterman from 1922 through 1924) amassed five hits and four RBI in a 9-8 win against the Chicago Cubs in 1930.

  • Los Angeles Dodgers RF-C Joe Ferguson (hooper in 1967 NCAA playoffs with Pacific) furnished four hits, including a game-winning homer, in an 8-6 triumph against the Cincinnati Reds in 1973.

  • St. Louis Cardinals SS Charlie Gelbert (scored at least 125 points each of last three seasons in late 1920s for Lebanon Valley PA) went 5-for-5 and scored four runs in 9-8 victory against the Chicago Cubs in 1930.

  • Cleveland Indians rookie RF Jim Gleeson (hoops captain and all-league honoree graduated in 1933 from Rockhurst MO) registered four hits in a 10-3 victory against the Brooklyn Dodgers in the opener of a 1940 doubleheader.

  • Utilityman Chuck Harmon (freshman starter was Toledo's second-leading scorer for 1943 NIT runner-up) traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the St. Louis Cardinals for INF Alex Grammas and OF Joe Frazier in 1956.

  • Washington Senators LF Frank Howard (two-time All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection when leading Ohio State in scoring and rebounding in 1956-57 and 1957-58) notched his third two-homer contest in a four-game span in 1968.

  • Atlanta Braves 1B Davey Johnson (averaged 1.7 ppg for Texas A&M in 1961-62) smacked two homers against the San Diego Padres in a 1974 contest.

  • Atlanta Braves RF David Justice (Thomas More KY assists leader in 1984-85 while averaging 9.3 ppg) stroked three extra-base hits against the Colorado Rockies in a 1995 outing.

  • Boston Braves RHP Andy Karl (Manhattan letterman from 1933 through 1935) sustained his first defeat of the 1947 season after failing to allow a run in first six relief appearances.

  • Chicago Cubs SS Don Kessinger (three-time All-SEC selection for Mississippi from 1961-62 through 1963-64 while finishing among nation's top 45 scorers each year) went 4-for-4 against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 1972 game.

  • A bases-loaded pinch triple by Rick Leach (averaged 15.5 ppg for Michigan's JV hoops squad in 1975-76) put the Toronto Blue Jays ahead to stay in an 8-7 triumph against the Minnesota Twins in 1984.

  • New York Giants RHP Christy Mathewson (Bucknell hooper at turn of 20th Century) had his string of 47 straight innings without issuing a walk end against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1913.

  • St. Louis Cardinals RHP Lindy McDaniel (hooper for Oklahoma's 1954-55 freshman squad) fired a four-hit shutout against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1957.

  • New York Yankees 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) whacked two homers against the Detroit Tigers in a 1979 contest.

  • Philadelphia Phillies LHP Eppa Rixey (Virginia hoops letterman in 1912 and 1914) hurled a 15-inning complete game at Cincinnati and won, 3-2, via his sacrifice fly in 1920.

  • Detroit Tigers RF Leon Roberts (grabbed one rebound in four basketball games for Michigan in 1970-71 under coach Johnny Orr) provided three safeties against the Texas Rangers to extend his career-high hitting streak to 17 games since the opening of 1975 campaign. Nine years later as LF with the Kansas City Royals, Roberts drilled a decisive run-scoring triple in 7-6 win against the Chicago White Sox in 1984.

  • Detroit Tigers RHP Jeff Robinson (two-time NAIA All-District 3 hoops honoree in early 1980s left Azusa Pacific CA as school's No. 9 all-time scorer) hurled a four-hit shutout against the Texas Rangers in 1990.

  • Cincinnati Reds RHP Jeff Shaw (freshman guard for Rio Grande OH squad compiling 31-5 record and reaching second round of 1985 NAIA Tournament) allowed his only earned run in 13 relief appearances during the month in 1997.

  • RHP Sonny Siebert (team-high 16.7 ppg for Missouri in 1957-58 as All-Big Eight Conference second-team selection) traded by the San Diego Padres to the Oakland Athletics in 1975.

  • Washington Senators RHP Dave Sisler (All-Ivy League second-team selection for Princeton's first NCAA Tournament team in 1952) didn't allow an earned run in his first 12 relief appearances of the 1961 campaign.

  • In his debut with the Milwaukee Braves, SS Roy Smalley Jr. (one of top scorers for Drury MO in 1942-43 and 1943-44) smacked a pinch homer against the New York Giants in the nightcap of a 1954 doubleheader.

  • Washington Senators rookie RHP Dave Stenhouse (three-time All-Yankee Conference hoops selection for Rhode Island from 1952-53 through 1954-55), lowering his ERA to 0.88 through initial seven outings, won first three MLB starts in 1962.

  • Cincinnati Reds utilityman Jimmy Stewart (All-VSAC hoops selection for Austin Peay's NCAA DII Tournament teams in 1959-60 and 1960-61) contributed a pinch-hit, three-run homer against the New York Mets in a 1969 game.

  • Boston Red Sox rookie 3B Jim Tabor (Alabama hoops letterman in 1936-37) knocked in five runs against the Chicago White Sox in a 1939 contest.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates CF Bill Virdon (Drury MO hooper in 1949) stroked two triples against the Milwaukee Braves in a 1962 outing.

  • 1B-OF Preston Ward (second-leading scorer for Southwest Missouri State in 1946-47 and 1948-49) traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Cleveland Indians in 1956.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers LHP Tom Zachary (Guilford NC hoops letterman in 1916) hurled a 13-inning shutout against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1935 after allowing one earned run in each of his previous two complete-game starts.

Lost in Shuffle: All-Time Winningest Coaches Totally Obscure Predecessors

May 16th, 2019 - 6:26

Departing John Beilein (278 victories with Michigan) fell way short (comparable to group-think #MessMedia), but more than 40 current NCAA Division I schools feature all-time winningest coaches boasting in excess of 400 triumphs. The length of tenure necessary to win so many games makes it almost impossible to remember their predecessors. Anyone who can name 1/4 of the mentors they succeeded goes straight to the Trivia Hall of Fame.

Beilein's success with the Wolverines after current Harvard coach Tommy Amaker posted a 108-84 record in six seasons from 2001-02 through 2006-07 triggers a question as to what other individuals are completely overshadowed as successor to a coaching legend. Beilein combined with fellow record holders Phog Allen, Dale Brown, Gale Catlett, Denny Crum, Ed Diddle, Hec Edmundson, Jack Friel, Don Haskins, Lou Henson, Hank Iba, Frank Keaney, Bob Knight, Bob McKillop, Ray Meyer, Lute Olson, Alex Severance, Norm Stewart, Bob Thomason, John Thompson Jr., Gary Williams, John Wooden and Ned Wulk for more than 12,500 victories at their respective schools where they established new standards. Who would have thought such achievements were in store after their predecessors collaborated to go more than 300 games below .500 over a collective 100-plus seasons?

One of the predecessor names in particular should surprise you. Incredibly, the only one of Kansas' 10 head coaches with a career losing record is the inventor of the sport (Dr. James Naismith). Naismith is among the following coaches who were succeeded by individuals posting more than 400 wins to become the all-time winningest mentor at the same institution:

School All-Time Winningest Coach Predecessor (W-L Record During Tenure)
Arizona Lute Olson (590 victories) Ben Lindsey (4-25 in 1982-83)
Arizona State Ned Wulk (405) Bill Kajikawa (88-137 from 1948-49 through 1956-57)
Austin Peay Dave Loos (402) Howard Jackson (19-35 in 1983-84 and 1984-85
Butler Tony Hinkle (549) Harlan O. "Pat" Page (94-29 from 1920-21 through 1925-26)
California Clarence "Nibs" Price (449) Earl Wright (60-20 from 1920-21 through 1923-24)
Connecticut Jim Calhoun (626) Dom Perno (139-114 from 1977-78 through 1985-86)
Davidson Bob McKillop (578) Bobby Hussey (107-126 from 1981-82 through 1988-89)
Dayton Don Donoher (437) Tom Blackburn (352-141 from 1947-48 through 1963-64)
DePaul Ray Meyer (724) Bill Wendt (23-20 in 1940-41 and 1941-42)
Duke Mike Krzyzewski (1,059) Bill E. Foster (113-64 from 1974-75 through 1979-80)
Florida Billy Donovan (467) Lon Kruger (104-80 from 1990-91 through 1995-96)
Georgetown John Thompson Jr. (596) Jack Magee (69-80 from 1966-67 through 1971-72)
Houston Guy Lewis (592) Alden Pasche (135-116 from 1945-46 through 1955-56)
Illinois Lou Henson (421) Gene Bartow (8-18 in 1974-75)
Indiana Bob Knight (659) Lou Watson (62-60 from 1965-66 through 1968-69 and 1970-71)
Kansas Phog Allen (590) Dr. James Naismith (55-60 from 1899 through 1907)
Kentucky Adolph Rupp (875) John Mauer (40-14 from 1927-28 through 1929-30)
Louisiana State Dale Brown (448) Press Maravich (76-86 from 1966-67 through 1971-72)
Louisville Denny Crum (675) Howard Stacey (12-8 in 1970-71)
Maryland Gary Williams (461) Bob Wade (36-50 from 1986-87 through 1988-89)
Missouri Norm Stewart (634) Bob Vanatta (42-80 from 1962-63 through 1966-67)
Niagara Taps Gallagher (465) Bill McCarthy (44-35 from 1927-28 through 1930-31)
North Carolina Dean Smith (879) Frank McGuire (164-58 from 1952-53 through 1960-61)
Oklahoma State Hank Iba (655) Harold James (13-41 from 1931-32 through 1933-34)
Oregon State Slats Gill (599) Robert Hager (115-53 from 1922-23 through 1927-28)
Pacific Bob Thomason (414) Tom O'Neill (51-110 from 1982-83 through 1987-88)
Princeton Pete Carril (514) Butch van Breda Kolff (103-31 from 1962-63 through 1966-67)
Purdue Gene Keady (512) Lee Rose (50-18 in 1978-79 and 1979-80)
Rhode Island Frank Keaney (403) Fred Murray (9-8 in 1920-21)
St. John's Lou Carnesecca* (526) Frank Mulzoff (56-27 from 1970-71 through 1972-73)
Syracuse Jim Boeheim (1,047) Roy Danforth (148-71 from 1968-69 through 1975-76)
Temple John Chaney (516) Don Casey (151-94 from 1973-74 through 1981-82)
Texas A&M Shelby Metcalf (438) Bobby Rogers (92-52 from 1957-58 through 1962-63)
Texas-El Paso Don Haskins (719) Harold Davis (18-30 in 1959-60 and 1960-61)
UCLA John Wooden (620) Wilbur Johns (93-120 from 1939-40 through 1947-48)
UNLV Jerry Tarkanian (509) John Bayer (44-36 from 1970-71 through 1972-73)
Villanova Alex Severance (413) Doc Jacobs (62-56 from 1929-30 through 1935-36)
Washington Hec Edmundson (488) Stub Allison (7-8 in 1919-20)
Washington State Jack Friel (495) Karl Schlademan (18-27 in 1926-27 and 1927-28)
West Virginia Gale Catlett (439) Joedy Gardner (59-53 from 1974-75 through 1977-78)
Western Kentucky Ed Diddle (759) L.T. Smith (3-1 in 1922)

*Carnesecca succeeded Joe Lapchick when he served his first stint with St. John's from 1965-66 through 1969-70

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Make Mark on May 15 MLB Games

May 15th, 2019 - 7:00

Extra! Extra! Read all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players! Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.

Former Bucknell hoopers Bob Keegan and Christy Mathewson provided premium MLB pitching performances on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 15 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 15

  • Chicago Cubs RF George Altman (appeared in 1953 and 1954 NAIA Tournament with Tennessee State basketball team) made an eighth-inning leaping catch in 1960 to help preserve Don Cardwell's no-hitter against the St. Louis Cardinals. It was Cardwell's first start for the Cubbies after he was acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies.

  • Kansas City Athletics LF Bob Cerv (ranked fourth on Nebraska's career scoring list in 1949-50 when finishing his career) blasted three homers against the Detroit Tigers in a 1960 doubleheader.

  • Cincinnati Reds 1B George Crowe (four-year letterman from 1939-40 through 1942-43 for Indiana Central after becoming first high school player named state's Mr. Basketball) collected five RBI in a 9-4 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1958.

  • RHP George Earnshaw (Swarthmore PA hooper in 1922) purchased from the Chicago White Sox by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1935.

  • Los Angeles Dodgers C Joe Ferguson (hooper in 1967 NCAA playoffs with Pacific) furnished two homers and five RBI against the Houston Astros in a 1974 game.

  • Hall of Fame C Rick Ferrell (Guilford NC hooper in mid-1920s) traded by the Washington Senators to the St. Louis Browns in 1941.

  • Philadelphia Athletics 2B Gene Handley (Bradley hoops letterman in 1932-33 and 1933-34) had four hits in a 14-inning game against the Detroit Tigers in 1947.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (hooper for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) homered twice against the Chicago Cubs in a 1951 contest.

  • Atlanta Braves RF David Justice (Thomas More KY assists leader in 1984-85 while averaging 9.3 ppg) sidelined for the remainder of the 1996 campaign after dislocating his right shoulder swinging at a pitch.

  • Chicago White Sox RHP Bob Keegan (Bucknell hoops letterman in 1941-42 and 1942-43) went the first 21 2/3 innings of the 1956 season without yielding an earned run.

  • Chicago Cubs SS Don Kessinger (three-time All-SEC selection for Mississippi from 1961-62 through 1963-64 while finishing among nation's top 45 scorers each year) contributed five hits in a 14-inning outing against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1974, triggering a 13-game hitting streak.

  • New York Giants RHP Christy Mathewson (Bucknell hooper at turn of 20th Century) tossed his third straight shutout in 1901.

  • In 1984, Philadelphia Phillies 1B Len Matuszek (starter for Toledo's 18-7 team in 1975-76) smashed a homer in his fourth contest in a five-game span.

  • The first MLB victory for San Francisco Giants rookie LHP Phil Nastu (averaged 13.6 ppg and 4.2 rpg as senior for Bridgeport CT 1976 DII Elite Eight team compiling 24-5 record) ended up as his lone complete game (8-1 nod over Houston Astros in 1979).

  • New York Yankees LF Irv Noren (hoops player of year for California junior college state champion Pasadena City in 1945) stroked an inside-the-park grand slam in an 8-4 win over the Kansas City Athletics in 1955.

  • 2B Marv Olson (all-conference hoops selection was team MVP for Luther IA) traded by the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees in 1933 but never played for the Bronx Bombers.

  • RHP Nels Potter (leading scorer during two years attended Mount Morris IL in early 1930s) purchased from the St. Louis Browns by the Philadelphia Athletics for $17,500 in 1948.

  • Kansas City Athletics 1B Norm Siebern (member of Southwest Missouri State squads capturing back-to-back NAIA Tournament hoops titles in 1952 and 1953) smashed two homers against the Cleveland Indians in a 1962 game.

  • San Diego Padres RF Will Venable (All-Ivy League first-team selection as junior and second-team choice as senior averaged 9.3 ppg under Princeton coach John Thompson III from 2001-02 through 2004-05) banged out four hits in a 6-1 win against the Washington Nationals in 2012.

  • Chicago White Sox RHP Jim Wilson (hoops letterman for San Diego State's 1942 NAIA Tournament participant) tossed his second of back-to-back shutouts en route to an AL-leading five whitewashes in 1957.

  • Minnesota Twins DH Dave Winfield (starting forward for Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) smacked two homers against the Boston Red Sox in a 1993 contest.

Deal or No Deal: Long-Term Contracts Don't Mean Squat to Many DI Mentors

May 15th, 2019 - 6:53

Should I stay or should I go? It's a good thing universities play in mammoth arenas because the egos of their "Pompous Pilots" wouldn't fit any other place.

Much of the excess in the canonization of coaches is perpetuated by coaches-turned-television commentators who shamelessly fawn over their former colleagues. Instead, the analysts should be more concerned about encouraging mentors to spare fans the pious blather about school loyalty and the sanctity of a contract.

Granted, it's survival of the fittest amid the offer-you-can't-refuse backdrop. But in many instances, schools have been little more than convenient steppingstones for "larger-than-life" coaches along their one-way street to success. It's understandable in many instances why mercenaries are leaving the minute they're appointed because coaches are in a distasteful "hired-to-be-fired" vocation, where a pink slip is only one losing season or poor recruiting class away.

Nevertheless, it's a black eye on the sport when loyalty seems to have become too much of a one-way street. At times, it makes one wonder how the bench bosses can look themselves in the mirror. Five of Tulsa's six coaches in one stretch - Nolan Richardson, Tubby Smith, Steve Robinson, Bill Self and Buzz Peterson - abandoned ship for more prestigious positions despite each of them having at least three years remaining on their deals.

More than 70 different active coaches had at least three years remaining on their pacts when leaving for greener pastures. Recently-departed John Beilein (Michigan to Cleveland Cavaliers) is among the following alphabetical list of mentors departing three or four schools before their contracts expired:

Deal or no deal? The length of contracts doesn't seem to carry any weight as a factor in the equation as long as your brain cells or ethical standards don't put any stock into length of an existing pact. Following is an alphabetical list detailing coaches such as Beilein reportedly still having contractual obligations of more than five seasons when they left a school for greener pastures during their careers:

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Make Mark on May 14 MLB Games

May 14th, 2019 - 6:22

Extra! Extra! Read all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players! Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.

Ex-Fordham hoopers Frankie Frisch and Babe Young were full of MLB extra-base hits on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 14 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 14

  • In 1977, RHP Jim Colborn (attended Whittier CA in mid-1960s before studying for master's at Edinburgh where he was All-Scotland in basketball) hurled the first no-hitter at Royals Stadium by a Kansas City pitcher (6-0 win against Texas Rangers).

  • New York Giants SS Alvin Dark (hoops letterman for LSU and USL in mid-1940s) went 5-for-5 in a 1954 game against the Chicago Cubs.

  • San Francisco Giants 3B Darrell Evans (member of Jerry Tarkanian-coached Pasadena City CA club winning 1967 state community college basketball crown) homered twice for the second time in a six-game span in 1983.

  • Boston Red Sox RHP Boo Ferriss (Mississippi State hoops letterman in 1941) threw only 78 pitches in a 3-0 shutout against the Chicago White Sox in 1946.

  • Baltimore Orioles LHP Mike Flanagan (averaged 13.9 ppg for UMass' freshman hoops squad in 1971-72) fired his first MLB shutout, a five-hitter against the Oakland Athletics in 1977. Four years later, Flanagan hurled his second whitewash in a little over two weeks in 1981.

  • St. Louis Cardinals 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) supplied three extra-base hits against the New York Giants in a 1930 contest.

  • One of five victories by Kansas City Royals RHP Rich Gale (led New Hampshire with 7.2 rpg in 1975-76) during the month in 1979 was a five-hit shutout against the Seattle Mariners.

  • Detroit Tigers 1B Hank Greenberg (enrolled at NYU on hoops scholarship in 1929 but attended college only one semester) whacked two homers against the St. Louis Browns in the opener of a 1939 doubleheader.

  • Philadelphia Phillies 1B Davey Johnson (averaged 1.7 ppg for Texas A&M in 1961-62) jacked two homers against the San Diego Padres in a 1977 game.

  • Detroit Tigers RF Rusty Kuntz (J.C. hooper for Cuesta CA) registered two extra-base hits among his three safeties against the Seattle Mariners in a 1984 outing.

  • SS Doc Lavan (Hope MI hooper from 1908 through 1910) purchased from the Washington Senators by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1919.

  • Chicago White Sox RHP Ted Lyons (two-time All-SWC first-team hoops selection for Baylor in early 1920s) hurled a shutout against the New York Yankees. The whitewash was one of four triumphs for Lyons in a 12-day span in 1925.

  • Mel McGaha (first Arkansas player to earn four letters from 1943-44 through 1946-47) fired as manager of the Kansas City Athletics by owner Charlie Finley in 1965.

  • New York Yankees 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) smashed two homers against the California Angels in a 1977 game.

  • Chicago Cubs rookie SS Paul Popovich (teammate of Jerry West for West Virginia's 1960 NCAA playoff team) stroked four hits and scored three runs in a 6-3 victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the nightcap of a 1967 twinbill.

  • OF Ted Savage (Lincoln MO scoring average leader in 1955-56) purchased from the St. Louis Cardinals by the Chicago Cubs in 1967.

  • 1B Dick Siebert (Concordia-St. Paul MN hooper in 1929 and 1930) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Philadelphia Athletics in 1938.

  • Chicago Cubs rookie 2B Wayne Terwilliger (two-year letterman for Western Michigan averaged 5.6 ppg in final season in 1947-48) stroked two doubles in each end of a 1950 doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

  • Minnesota Twins DH Dave Winfield (starting forward for Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) collected two homers and five RBI against the Baltimore Orioles in a 1994 contest.

  • PH Babe Young (Fordham hoops letterman in 1936) contributed a double and triple in a 10-run, eighth-inning explosion propelling the New York Giants to a 12-6 triumph against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1942.

Professional Grade: Uphill Battle for Beilein to Be Like Brown With Lowly Cavs

May 13th, 2019 - 21:46

Will John Beilein, who directed Michigan to Final Fours in 2013 and 2018, find out it's a star-crossed crossing over from college to the NBA (Cleveland Cavaliers)? Did he ask eventual successor Juwan Howard for his opinion on the lowly Cavs while serving as an assistant much of this decade with the Miami Heat? Will Beilein be more like Nebraska's Fred Hoiberg, who returned to his old college stomping grounds (previously with Iowa State) following a mediocre NBA stint with the Chicago Bulls, or a rarity such as Larry Brown. Just ask Detroit dumpster-diver director Dick Vitale if it takes more than a fresh or "pretty" face to make a successful transition. Only a handful of NBA coaches boast tenures as long as Beilein's new contract with the Cavs (five seasons). Brad Stevens, who guided Butler to back-to-back NCAA playoff championship games in 2010 and 2011, has a losing NBA playoff record with the Boston Celtics (27-29). Ditto Billy Donovan with the Oklahoma City Thunder (15-19) after piloting Florida to back-to-back NCAA titles in 2006 and 2007.

Brown, one of the first six men to be hired by an NBA team after winning an NCAA championship, is the only individual in this category to compile a winning NBA playoff record. Three other coaches directed teams to the NCAA Final Four and the NBA championship series - Jack Ramsay (St. Joseph's 1961 and Portland Trail Blazers 1977), Fred Schaus (West Virginia 1959 and the Los Angeles Lakers 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966) and Butch van Breda Kolff (Princeton 1965 and the Lakers 1968, 1969). Neither Ramsay (8-11) nor Schaus (6-7) finished their collegiate coaching careers with winning NCAA playoff records, however.

Only Phil Jackson and Pat Riley coached in and won more NBA playoff games than Brown. Following is an alphabetical list summarizing the NBA careers of Brown and 17 additional individuals who aligned with NBA franchises as head coaches (10 of them lasting fewer than four seasons in the pros) after guiding at least one college team to the Final Four:

Coach NCAA Final Four Team(s) NBA Years Regular-Season Playoff Record
Larry Brown UCLA '80/Kansas '86 & '88 27 1,098-904 100-93
John Calipari Massachusetts '96/Memphis '08/Kentucky '11, '12, '14 & '15 3 72-112 0-3
P.J. Carlesimo Seton Hall '89 9 239-315 6-13
Billy Donovan Florida '06 & '07 4 199-129 15-19
*Bob Feerick Santa Clara '52 2 63-74 0-2
Ed Jucker Cincinnati '61, '62 & '63 2 80-84 0-0
Doggie Julian Holy Cross '47 & '48 2 47-81 0-0
Lon Kruger Florida '94/Oklahoma '16 3 69-122 0-0
Frank McGuire St. John's '52/North Carolina '57 1 49-31 6-6
Mike Montgomery Stanford '98 2 68-96 0-0
Harold Olsen Ohio State '39, '44, '45 & '46 3 95-63 7-11
Rick Pitino PC '87/Kentucky '93, '96 & '97/Louisville '05, '12 & '13 6 192-220 6-7
Jack Ramsay St. Joseph's '61 21 864-783 44-58
Fred Schaus West Virginia '59 7 315-245 23-38
Brad Stevens Butler '10 & '11 6 270-222 27-29
Jerry Tarkanian UNLV '77, '87, '90 & '91 1 9-11 0-0
Butch van Breda Kolff Princeton '65 9 266-253 21-12
Tex Winter Kansas State '58 & '64 2 51-78 0-0

*Feerick's NBA record includes one season with the Washington Capitols (1949-50) before he was named coach at Santa Clara.

NOTES: Jucker (Rollins), Julian (Dartmouth), Kruger (UNLV and Oklahoma), McGuire (South Carolina), Olsen (Northwestern), Pitino (Kentucky and Louisville), Schaus (Purdue), Tarkanian (Fresno State), van Breda Kolff (Lafayette and Hofstra) and Winter (Northwestern and Long Beach State) returned to college as head coaches after their stints in the NBA. . . . Ken Loeffler was coach of the St. Louis Bombers and Providence Steamrollers for three seasons (1946-47 through 1948-49) before directing La Salle to back-to-back Final Fours (1954 champion and 1955 runner-up). . . . Phil Woolpert, coach of San Francisco's back-to-back NCAA champions (1955 and 1956), coached the San Francisco Saints for one season in the old American Basketball League.

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Make Mark on May 13 MLB Games

May 13th, 2019 - 6:38

Extra! Extra! Read all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players! Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.

Former college hoopers Beau Bell (Texas A&M), Larry Doby (Virginia Union), Hoot Evers (Illinois) and Cal Neeman (Illinois Wesleyan) were involved in MLB transactions on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 13 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 13

  • Cincinnati Reds LF Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) socked two homers against the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a 1951 twinbill.

  • OF-1B Beau Bell (Texas A&M two-year hoops letterman in early 1930s) traded by the St. Louis Browns to the Detroit Tigers in a 10-player deal in 1939.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers RHP Ownie Carroll (Holy Cross hoops letterman in 1922), in the midst of winning five straight decisions, didn't allow an earned run in a 10-inning, 1-1 tie against the Cincinnati Reds in 1933.

  • OF Larry Doby (reserve hoops guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA titlist) purchased from the Detroit Tigers by the Chicago White Sox in 1959.

  • RF Hoot Evers (hoops starter for Illinois in 1939-40) traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Baltimore Orioles in 1956.

  • Los Angeles Dodgers RF Joe Ferguson (hooper in 1967 NCAA playoffs with Pacific) smacked a homer in his third consecutive contest against the Montreal Expos in 1979.

  • Boston Red Sox rookie RHP Boo Ferriss (Mississippi State hoops letterman in 1941) set an A.L. record for scoreless innings at the start of a MLB career by reaching 22 shutout frames before allowing a tally in 1945. Ferriss struck out Detroit Tigers 1B Rudy York four times - all on called third strikes in an 8-2 win in the opener of a doubleheader.

  • St. Louis Cardinals SS Charlie Gelbert (scored at least 125 points each of last three seasons in late 1920s for Lebanon Valley PA) contributed four hits in an 8-7 victory against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1932.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates SS Dick Groat (two-time hoops All-American with Duke in 1950-51 and 1951-52 when finishing among nation's top five scorers each season) went 6-for-6 (including three doubles) in an 8-2 triumph over the Milwaukee Braves in 1960.

  • In 1984, 3B Wayne Gross (led Cal Poly Pomona in assists in 1974-75) knocked in all of the Baltimore Orioles' runs in a 5-1 win against his former team (Oakland Athletics).

  • Chicago Cubs RF Harvey Hendrick (Vanderbilt hoops letterman in 1918) banged out four hits in a 7-5 victory against the Philadelphia Phillies in the opener of a 1933 doubleheader.

  • Cleveland Indians 1B Doug Howard (second-team All-WAC choice for Brigham Young in 1968-69 and 1969-70) delivered a career-high three hits against the Boston Red Sox in 1976.

  • New York Yankees LF Charlie Keller (three-year hoops letterman with Maryland from 1934-35 through 1936-37) clobbered two homers against the St. Louis Browns in a 1947 game.

  • C Cal Neeman (Illinois Wesleyan's leading hoops scorer in 1947-48 and 1948-49) traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Philadelphia Phillies in a four-player swap in 1960.

  • Philadelphia Phillies RHP Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) yielded a lead-off HR before retiring the next 27 Cincinnati Reds batters to prevail, 8-1, in 1954.

  • Baltimore Orioles LF Larry Sheets (All-ODAC hoops selection in 1981-82 and 1982-83 with Eastern Mennonite VA) socked two homers against the Kansas City Royals in a 1987 outing.

  • Baltimore Orioles DH Ken Singleton (Hofstra freshman hoops squad in mid-1960s) cracked two homers against the Texas Rangers in a 1983 game.

  • In 1940, Cincinnati Reds 3B Billy Werber (first Duke hoops All-American in 1929-30) became the only player to hit four consecutive doubles in a game in each league (14-inning, 8-8 tie with St. Louis Cardinals).

  • In the midst of an eight-game hitting streak, Chicago Cubs RF Bob Will (all-league athlete was hoops captain for Mankato State MN in 1954-55) supplied three hits against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 1961 contest.

Brey May Join Luminary List of Celebrated Coaches Never Reaching Final Four

May 13th, 2019 - 6:25

The Final Four microscope is focusing on Notre Dame's Mike Brey as the best active power-league coach participating in more than 10 tourneys never to reach the national semifinals. Brey is in same AWOL category with all-time greats John Chaney, Fran Dunphy, Lefty Driesell, Gene Keady and Norm Stewart - five retired luminaries failing to advance to the national semifinals in a total of 81 NCAA Tournaments. "It's so difficult not being able to make that final step," said Chaney, who lost five regional finals with Temple.

Driesell made 11 NCAA playoff appearances with Davidson and Maryland from 1966 through 1986. "I always wanted to get to the Final Four, but not as much as some people think," said Driesell, who lost four regional finals. "I'm not obsessed with it."

Only four schools - North Carolina, Duke, Georgetown and Syracuse - supplied more NCAA consensus first- and second-team All-Americans from 1982 through 1992 than Stewart-coached Missouri (seven). It must have been particularly frustrating for Mizzou fans when the Tigers compiled a 4-8 NCAA tourney worksheet in that span. Speaking of exasperation, UCLA jettisoned Steve Alford for another coach (Mick Cronin) who also never has advanced to a regional final.

But some mentors never will receive the accolades they deserve because of failing to reach the Promised Land, including maligned Dave Bliss, who resurfaced as coach of an NAIA school in Texas. There were 100,000 reasons Sean Miller joined this dubious list after dismal first-round loss against Buffalo in 2018 despite bringing freshman phenom Deandre Ayton to Arizona in some form or fashion (cause or no cause). Miller may need a safe space on campus to curl up in a fetal position depending upon fallout from a FBI probe, but the following "Generation Hex" list includes prominent coaches without a Final Four berth on their resume despite more than 10 NCAA Tournament appearances:

Coach NCAA Tourneys Playoff Record (Pct.) Closest to Reaching Final Four
Gene Keady 18 19-18 (.514) regional runner-up with Purdue in 1994 and 2000
John Chaney 17 23-17 (.575) regional runner-up with Temple five times (1988-91-93-99-01)
Fran Dunphy 17 3-17 (.150) won three opening-round games with Penn and Temple (1994, 2011 and 2013)
Norm Stewart 16 12-16 (.429) regional runner-up with Missouri in 1976 and 1994
Mike Brey 14 13-14 (.481) regional runner-up with Notre Dame in 2015 and 2016
Lefty Driesell 13 16-14 (.533) regional runner-up four times with Davidson and Maryland (1968-69-73-75)
Steve Alford 11 11-11 (.500) Sweet 16 on four occasions (once with Southwest Missouri State and three times with UCLA)
Dave Bliss 11 8-11 (.421) regional semifinals with Oklahoma in 1979
Pete Carril 11 4-11 (.267) won two games with Princeton in 1983
Gale Catlett 11 7-11 (.389) regional semifinals with West Virginia in 1998
Tom Davis 11 18-11 (.621) regional runner-up with Boston College in 1982 and Iowa in 1987
Jamie Dixon 11 12-11 (.522) regional runner-up with Pittsburgh in 2009
Mark Gottfried 11 10-11 (.476) regional final with Alabama in 2004
Sean Miller 11 19-11 (.633) four regional finals (with Arizona this decade)
Matt Painter 11 15-12 (.556) regional final with Purdue in 2019
Tom Penders 11 12-11 (.522) regional final with Texas in 1990

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Make Mark on May 12 MLB Games

May 12th, 2019 - 10:28

Extra! Extra! Read all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players! Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history. Former Washington State hoops starters Gene Conley and Ted Tappe contributed significant National League performances on this date.

Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 12 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 12

  • In 1984, Seattle Mariners RHP Jim Beattie (Dartmouth's top rebounder in 1974-75 when selected basketball team MVP and honorable mention All-Ivy League) registered his second shutout in last four starts.

  • Baltimore Orioles CF Al Bumbry (Virginia State's runner-up in scoring with 16.7 ppg as freshman in 1964-65) suffered a broken leg sliding into second base, missing most of the remainder of the 1978 season.

  • Milwaukee Braves RHP Gene Conley (All-Pacific Coast Conference first-team selection led North Division in scoring as Washington State sophomore in 1949-50) toiled 12 innings in prevailing, 2-1, ending the Dodgers' streak from the start of the 1955 season of 25 consecutive contests where they led at some point in the game. It was one of five straight wins for Conley during the month following a setback when he went 11 1/3 innings at Brooklyn.

  • CF Billy Cowan (Utah letterman from 1957-58 through 1959-60 was co-captain of NCAA playoff team as senior) rapped a game-winning, two-run single in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the California Angels a 6-5 win against the Boston Red Sox in 1970.

  • In 1940, Cincinnati Reds CF Harry Craft (four-sport letterman with Mississippi College in early 1930s) contributed three hits in a game against the St. Louis Cardinals for the second straight day.

  • In 1930, Philadelphia Athletics RHP George Earnshaw (Swarthmore PA hooper in 1922) committed three balks and Cleveland Indians counterpart Milt Shoffner had five balks (three in third inning).

  • Los Angeles Dodgers RF Joe Ferguson (played in 1967 NCAA playoffs with Pacific) jacked a homer in his third consecutive contest against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1976.

  • St. Louis Cardinals 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) supplied four hits against the Brooklyn Robins in a 1929 game.

  • LHP Johnny Gee (sixth-leading scorer in Big Ten Conference for Michigan's 16-4 team in 1936-37) purchased from the Pittsburgh Pirates by the New York Giants in 1944.

  • Boston Red Sox LF Dick Gernert (Temple hoops letterman in 1948-49 when averaging 2.7 ppg) contributed two homers and six RBI but it wasn't enough to prevent a 12-9 reversal against the Washington Senators in 1956.

  • St. Louis Cardinals RHP Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer and rebounder in 1955-56 and 1956-57) struck out the side on nine pitches in the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1969.

  • After seven scoreless relief appearances, Philadelphia Phillies RHP Dallas Green (Delaware's runner-up in scoring and rebounding in 1954-55) made his first start of 1963 campaign. The next year, Green yielded his only run covering first eight relief stints of 1964.

  • Washington Senators 3B Chuck Hinton (played multiple sports for Shaw NC before serving two years in U.S. Army in mid-1950s) hammered a homer for the Nats' lone safety in the nightcap of a 1963 twinbill at Boston.

  • New York Mets 1B Gil Hodges (hooper for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) hit a ninth-inning, game-ending HR in the nightcap of a 1962 doubleheader. Teammate Hobie Landrith did the same thing in the opener against the Milwaukee Braves.

  • Baltimore Orioles RHP Ben McDonald (started six games as 6-6 freshman for Louisiana State in 1986-87 under coach Dale Brown) squared off against 6-10 Randy Johnson of the Seattle Mariners in 1991 in the tallest starting pitching matchup in MLB history.

  • St. Louis Cardinals rookie CF Wally Moon (averaged 4.3 ppg with Texas A&M in 1948-49 and 1949-50) notched his second five-hit game and scored five runs in a 13-5 pounding of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1954.

  • Chicago Cubs RF Ted Tappe (leading scorer in 1949 NJCAA Tournament was Washington State's third-leading scorer following year) opened the game's scoring with an RBI double and closed scoring with a homer off Vern Law when Sam Jones no-hit the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-0, in 1955.

  • Washington Senators 2B Wayne Terwilliger (two-year hoops letterman for Western Michigan averaged 5.6 ppg in final season in 1947-48) stroked four hits against the Detroit Tigers in a 1953 outing.

  • SS Billy Werber (first Duke hoops All-American in 1929-30) purchased from the New York Yankees by the Boston Red Sox in 1933.

  • Boston Braves 3B Chuck Workman (two-time All-MIAA first-five selection was leading scorer in 1937 when Central Missouri won inaugural NAIA Tournament) slugged a homer in his third consecutive contest in 1945.

  • LHP Tom Zachary (Guilford NC hoops letterman in 1916) awarded on waivers from the New York Yankees to the Boston Braves in 1930.

Zilch/Zero/Nada: None of Ex-NBA Coaches in DI Compiled Winning Pro Mark

May 12th, 2019 - 9:52

A total of 10 active NCAA Division I coaches are former NBA bench bosses after Michael Curry, Mike Dunleavy Sr., Tim Floyd, Avery Johnson, Rick Pitino and Reggie Theus departed in the past couple of years. Of the 10 ex-NBA mentors in this group, none of them posted a winning career record as an NBA mentor. New Mississippi Valley State pilot Lindsey Hunter Jr. joined Kentucky's John Calipari among seven of the 10 bench bosses failing to win as much as 40% of their NBA outings. Winning at the collegiate level is a different story as Calipari, Leonard Hamilton (Florida State) and Eric Musselman (Nevada before moving to Arkansas) each compiled at least 29 triumphs in 2018-19.

This professional downgrade is not a new trend. Former Final Four coaches P.J. Carlesimo, Lou Carnesecca, Ed Jucker, Doggie Julian, Mike Montgomery, Pitino, Jerry Tarkanian, Butch van Breda Kolff and Tex Winter also compiled sub-.500 worksheets in the NBA/ABA. Memphis assistant Sam Mitchell assembled a 185-242 mark (.433) in six NBA seasons as bench boss of the Toronto Raptors and Minnesota Timberwolves. Calipari (one), Fred Hoiberg (one) and Terry Porter (one) accounted for the three winning campaigns in a total of 24 NBA seasons among the following active DI mentors:

Head Coach Current School Career College Mark NBA Record Winning NBA Years
John Calipari Kentucky 709-209 (.772) 72-112 (.391) 1 of 3
Mike Dunlap Loyola Marymount 398-192 (.675) 21-61 (.256) 0 of 1
Leonard Hamilton Florida State 554-426 (.565) 19-63 (.232) 0 of 1
Fred Hoiberg Nebraska 115-56 (.673) 115-155 (.426) 1 of 4
Lindsey Hunter Jr. Mississippi Valley State TBD 12-29 (.293) 0 of 1
Lon Kruger Oklahoma 639-409 (.610) 69-122 (.361) 0 of 3
Larry Krystkowiak Utah 197-131 (.601) 31-69 (.310) 0 of 2
Eric Musselman Arkansas 110-34 (.764) 108-138 (.439) 0 of 3
Terry Porter Portland 28-69 (.289) 99-116 (.460) 1 of 3
Darrell Walker UALR 55-39 (.585) 56-113 (.331) 0 of 3

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Make Mark on May 11 MLB Games

May 11th, 2019 - 7:43

Extra! Extra! Read all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players! Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history. Former Texas A&M hoopers Beau Bell and Wally Moon had significant offensive performances as National League outfielders on this date. Ditto ex-Santa Clara hoopers Bruce Bochte and Randy Winn in the American League.

Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 11 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 11

  • Cincinnati Reds LF Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) cracked two homers against the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1952 game.

  • St. Louis Browns RF Beau Bell (two-year hoops letterman for Texas A&M in early 1930s) went 4-for-4 in a 7-5 win against the Washington Senators in 1937.

  • OF-1B Bruce Bochte (starting forward for Santa Clara's 1970 NCAA playoff team) traded by the California Angels to the Cleveland Indians in 1977.

  • Cleveland Indians SS Lou Boudreau (leading scorer for Illinois' 1937 Big Ten Conference co-champion) went 4-for-4 against the Philadelphia Athletics in a 1950 contest.

  • Hall of Fame C Rick Ferrell (Guilford NC hooper in mid-1920s) traded by the St. Louis Browns to the Boston Red Sox in 1933.

  • Detroit Tigers 1B Hank Greenberg (enrolled at NYU on hoop scholarship in 1929 but attended college only one semester) socked a homer in his third consecutive contest in 1935.

  • Frank Howard (two-time All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection when leading Ohio State in scoring and rebounding in 1956-57 and 1957-58) hammered two homers for the Washington Senators but they weren't enough to prevent a 6-5 defeat at Seattle in 1969.

  • Los Angeles Dodgers LHP Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman hoops squad in 1953-54), continuing his comeback from a circulatory ailment in his left index finger, hurled a no-hitter against the San Francisco Giants in 1963.

  • INF Vance Law (averaged 6.8 ppg for Brigham Young from 1974-75 through 1976-77) contributed a 10th-inning squeeze bunt to give the Chicago Cubs a 1-0 victory against the San Diego Padres in 1988.

  • OF Danny Litwhiler (member of JV hoops squad with Bloomsburg PA in mid-1930s) traded by the Boston Braves to the Cincinnati Reds in 1948.

  • Washington Senators OF Don Lock (Wichita State field-goal percentage leader in 1956-57 and 1957-58 under coach Ralph Miller) banged out four hits against the California Angels in a 1966 outing.

  • St. Louis Cardinals LF Les Mann (Springfield MA hooper in 1913 and 1914) lashed two homers against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 1923 contest.

  • New York Yankees SS Gene Michael (Kent State scoring leader with 14 ppg in 1957-58) generated his fifth two-hit outing in first seven games of the month in 1973.

  • In the midst of a career-high 24-game hitting streak in 1957, St. Louis Cardinals LF Wally Moon (averaged 4.3 ppg with Texas A&M in 1948-49 and 1949-50) homered in four consecutive contests. Moon assembled a 20-game hitting string later in the season.

  • Boston Red Sox 1B Ed Morgan (Tulane hoops letterman from 1923-24 through 1925-26) manufactured four hits against the Cleveland Indians in a 1934 contest.

  • Philadelphia Phillies rookie LF Ted Savage (Lincoln MO scoring average leader in 1955-56) stroked four hits against the Chicago Cubs in a 1962 contest. Nine years later, Savage was traded by the Milwaukee Brewers to the Kansas City Royals in 1971.

  • Boston Red Sox 3B Jim Tabor (Alabama hoops letterman in 1936-37) knocked in five runs against the New York Yankees in a 1941 game.

  • Philadelphia Phillies CF Cy Williams (Notre Dame forward in 1909-10) contributed three homers and seven RBI against the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1923 outing.

  • RF Dave Winfield (starting forward with Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972), citing a no-trade clause in his contract with the New York Yankees, refused to report to the Angels after being traded in 1990. Five days later, he accepted the deal.

  • RF Randy Winn (Santa Clara backcourtmate of eventual two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash in 1993-94) whacked a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning to give Tampa Bay a 6-4 victory over the Baltimore Orioles in 2002, snapping the Devil Rays' 15-game losing streak.

For Love of the Game: Calhoun Fifth NCAA DI Titlist Coach at Small College

May 11th, 2019 - 7:39

When former UConn mentor Jim Calhoun took the plunge and became bench boss for Saint Joseph CT, he emerged as the third coach to win multiple NCAA Division I championships before guiding a non-DI institution and fifth to win at least one DI title prior to moving down the ladder. Following is an alphabetical list of the coaches in this unique category:

Title Coach NCAA DI Titlist (Year) Subsequent Non-DI School Coaching Summary
Jim Calhoun Connecticut (1999 and 2004) 16-12 with Saint Joseph CT in 2018-19
Ed Jucker Cincinnati (1961 and 1962) 81-42 record with Rollins FL from 1972-73 through 1976-77
Rollie Massimino Villanova (1985) 301-71 with Northwood/Keiser FL from 2006-07 through 2016-17
Everett Shelton Wyoming (1943) 118-118 with Sacramento State from 1959-60 through 1967-68
Phil Woolpert San Francisco (1955 and 1956) 86-86 with San Diego from 1962-63 through 1968-69

NOTE: Sacramento State and San Diego subsequently moved up to NCAA DI status.

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Make Mark on May 10 MLB Games

May 10th, 2019 - 7:34

Extra! Extra! Read all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players! Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.

Two former hoopers from Minnesota small colleges - Rip Repulski (St. Cloud State) and Howie Schultz (Hamline) - made MLB news on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 10 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 10

  • Baltimore Orioles 2B Jerry Adair (one of Oklahoma State's top three basketball scorers in 1956-57 and 1957-58 while ranking among nation's top 12 free-throw shooters each season) jacked two homers against the Minnesota Twins in a 1961 game.

  • Cleveland Indians RHP Jim Bibby (Fayetteville State NC backup player and brother of UCLA All-American Henry Bibby) hurled a 1-0 shutout against the Milwaukee Brewers in the opener of a 1977 doubleheader.

  • Cleveland Indians SS Lou Boudreau (leading scorer for Illinois' 1937 Big Ten Conference co-champion) banged out two hits in six straight games in 1942.

  • 1B Donn Clendenon (four-sport letterman with Morehouse GA) went hitless in his first 18 at-bats with the St. Louis Cardinals until stroking two safeties against the Houston Astros in 1972.

  • Philadelphia Athletics C Mickey Cochrane (five-sport athlete with Boston University) collected four hits against the St. Louis Browns in a 1928 contest.

  • St. Louis Cardinals RF Grant Dunlap (Pacific hoops letterman in 1942-43 and 1946-47) hammered a pinch-hit homer against the Cincinnati Reds in 1953. The circuit clout was Dunlap's lone MLB round-tripper.

  • Brooklyn Robins 2B Jake Flowers (member of 1923 "Flying Pentagon" championship squad for Washington College MD) contributed four hits against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 1930 outing.

  • 1B-OF Dick Gernert (hoops letterman with Temple in 1948-49 when he averaged 2.7 ppg) traded by the Detroit Tigers to the Cincinnati Reds in 1961.

  • The first MLB shutout supplied by Kansas City Athletics RHP Dick Hall (averaged 13.5 ppg from 1948-49 through 1950-51 with Swarthmore PA Southern Division champions in Middle Atlantic States Conference), 10-0 against the Baltimore Orioles, was one of three complete-game triumphs for him this month in 1960.

  • Utilityman Chuck Harmon (freshman starter was Toledo's second-leading scorer for 1943 NIT runner-up) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1957.

  • Milwaukee Braves SS Johnny Logan (Binghamton hooper in 1948-49) went 4-for-4 with five RBI in a 10-5 win against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1957.

  • Boston Red Sox OF Rip Repulski (started several basketball games for St. Cloud State MN) ripped a grand slam against the Chicago White Sox in 1960.

  • 1B Howie Schultz (Hamline MN product played and coached professional basketball) purchased from the Brooklyn Dodgers by the Philadelphia Phillies for $50,000 in 1947.

  • 3B John Werhas (led Southern California in scoring average in 1958-59 and 1959-60) traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers to the California Angels for fellow USC product Len Gabrielson in 1967.

  • San Francisco Giants OF Randy Winn (Santa Clara backcourtmate of eventual two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash in 1993-94) collected four hits and scored four runs in a 7-5 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 2009 game. The next day, Winn chipped in with three hits and three runs against the Washington Nationals.

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Make Mark on May 9 MLB Games

May 9th, 2019 - 7:24

Extra! Extra! Read all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players! Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history. Former LSU hoopers Joe Adcock and Alvin Dark delivered significant MLB performances on this date. Ex-cagers Danny Coombs (Seton Hall) and Eric Stults (Bethel IN) hurled shutouts in National League games on this date.

Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 9 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 9

  • Milwaukee Braves 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) clobbered two homers against the Chicago Cubs in a 1961 game.

  • In his final game with the California Angels, DH Bruce Bochte (starting forward for Santa Clara's NCAA playoff team in 1969-70) collected four hits in a 5-3 win against the Kansas City Royals in 1977.

  • New York Giants 2B Andy Cohen (Alabama hoops letterman in 1924 and 1925) cracked a leadoff homer but they wound up losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates, 3-2, in 1929.

  • Houston Astros LHP Danny Coombs (Seton Hall's third-leading scorer and rebounder as sophomore in 1961-62) tossed his lone MLB shutout (two-hitter against Montreal Expos in 1970).

  • New York Giants SS Alvin Dark (hoops letterman for LSU and USL in mid-1940s) amassed four hits and four RBI for the second time in a four-game span in 1951.

  • St. Louis Cardinals CF Taylor Douthit (California hoops letterman from 1922 through 1924) stroked four hits against the Boston Braves in a 1930 contest.

  • Hall of Fame C Rick Ferrell (Guilford NC hooper in mid-1920s) traded by the St. Louis Browns to the Boston Red Sox in 1933.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates 3B Lee Handley (Bradley hoops letterman from 1932-33 through 1934-35) banged out four hits against the Boston Braves in a 1938 outing.

  • Cleveland Indians 1B Mike Hargrove (Northwestern Oklahoma State hoops letterman) supplied five RBI against the Oakland Athletics in a 1982 game.

  • Atlanta Braves RF David Justice (Thomas More KY assists leader in 1984-85 while averaging 9.3 ppg) collected two homers and five RBI against the Colorado Rockies in a 1993 contest.

  • St. Louis Cardinals CF Lynn King (All-Missouri Valley Conference second-team hoops selection with Drake from 1928-29 through 1930-31) collected a career-high three hits against the Chicago Cubs in 1936.

  • Wally Moon (averaged 4.3 ppg with Texas A&M in 1948-49 and 1949-50) reached base in his first six pinch-hit appearances for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1965.

  • C Cal Neeman (Illinois Wesleyan's leading scorer in 1947-48 and 1948-49) purchased from the Philadelphia Phillies by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1962.

  • INF-OF Mel Roach (averaged 9.3 ppg in 1952-53 in Virginia's final season prior to helping form ACC) traded by the Milwaukee Braves to the Chicago Cubs for OF-INF Frank Thomas in 1961.

  • In his first game outside of New York City, Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) collected two hits and scored two runs in a 6-5 loss at Philadelphia in 1947.

  • RHP Sonny Siebert (team-high 16.7 ppg for Missouri in 1957-58 as All-Big Eight Conference second-team selection) homered for the Cleveland Indians in the nightcap of a 1965 doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox.

  • Los Angeles Dodgers LHP Eric Stults (hooper for 1999 NAIA D-II Tournament runner-up and 2000 NCCAA Tournament titlist with Bethel IN) fired a four-hit shutout against the San Francisco Giants in 2009.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates RHP Kent Tekulve (freshman hooper for Marietta OH in mid-1960s) won for the fourth time in first five relief appearances of the month in 1980.

  • New York Yankees CF Dave Winfield (starting forward for Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) delivered three extra-base hits against the Cleveland Indians in a 1984 game.

English Coarse: Overseas Entertainment Connected to Hoops Instead of Baby

May 9th, 2019 - 7:20

Cheerio! As an American (Meghan Markle) stole the show by having a baby boy (Archie) seventh in line to the throne, call a timeout to break away temporarily from overdosing on royalty. Compared to many European countries, England is more mediocre than hardwood haughty. The increasingly global NBA showcased its talent across the pond this decade but where were the Brits on NBA rosters? Supplementing the obsessive focus on England recently, following is an alphabetical list of NCAA Division I players from that nation:

English Native Pos. College Summary of NCAA Division I Playing Career
Ogo Adegboye G St. Bonaventure Averaged 8.4 ppg, 2.1 rpg and 2.9 apg in 2009-10 and 2010-11.
Daniel Akin F Maryland-Baltimore County Averaged 4.1 ppg and 4.1 rpg in 2017-18 and 2018-19.
Fahro Alihodzic F-C Fordham Averaged 4.5 ppg and 4 rpg as freshman in 2009-10.
David Aliu F Morehead State Averaged 4.2 ppg and 2.8 rpg from 2000-01 through 2003-04.
Ben Allison F Davidson Averaged 4.4 ppg and 3 rpg from 2008-09 to 2010-11.
John Amaechi C Penn State Vanderbilt transfer averaged 15.6 ppg and 8.9 rpg in three years with PSU from 1992-93 through 1994-95. All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection as senior after earning third-team status the previous two seasons.
Kene Anusionwu F Bethune-Cookman Averaged 1.5 ppg and 1.6 rpg in 2008-09 and 2009-10.
Olu Babaloa F Clemson Averaged 7.6 ppg and 3.7 rpg as sophomore in 2002-03, 9 ppg and 4.6 rpg as junior in 2003-04 and 6.8 ppg and 3.7 rpg as senior in 2004-05.
Devan Bailey G Central Connecticut State Averaged 2.5 ppg and 2.5 apg as freshman in 2009-10.
Alan Bannister C Oklahoma State/Arkansas State Led the Big Eight Conference in blocked shots per league game with OSU in 1985-86 before transferring to Arkansas State.
Mike Bernard C South Florida J.C. recruit averaged 4 ppg and 1.8 rpg in 2000-01 and 2001-02.
Andrew Betts C Long Beach State C.W. Post transfer erupted for 31 points and nine rebounds in an 81-71 upset win over USC in just his second-ever Division I game. He finished his only season with the 49ers in 1997-98 with team-high averages of 18.7 ppg and 10.1 rpg as All-Big West Conference first-team selection.
Kavell Bigby-Williams F-C Oregon/LSU J.C. recruit averaged 5.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg and 1.3 bpg for two different NCAA playoff participants in 2017 and 2019.
Eric Boateng C Arizona State Duke transfer averaged 3.9 ppg and 2.6 rpg with team-high 61.5% field-goal shooting as sophomore in 2007-08 before his averages fell to 1.8 ppg and 2 rpg as junior in 2008-09. Rebounded with 8.8 ppg and team highs of 7.2 rpg, 26 blocked shots and 66.5% field-goal shooting as senior in 2009-10.
Matthew Bryan-Amaning F Washington Averaged 4.2 ppg and 3.2 rpg with team-high 18 blocked shots as freshman in 2007-08, 6 ppg and 4 rpg as sophomore in 2008-09 and 8.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg with team highs of 1.5 bpg and 54% field-goal shooting as junior in 2009-10.
Steve Bucknall G North Carolina Averaged 13.1 ppg as senior in 1988-89 when he was All-ACC second-team selection, finishing his four-year career with 7.5 ppg, 3 rpg and 2.9 apg.
Mantia Callender C Middle Tennessee State J.C. recruit averaged 4.7 ppg and 4.7 rpg in 1996-97 and 1997-98. He had team-high 1.5 bpg as senior.
Danny Carter F-C Stony Brook Averaged 3.4 ppg and 2.4 rpg from 2008-09 to 2010-11.
Silas Cheung G Mount St. Mary's One of the top 10 three-point shooters in school history averaged 9.4 ppg as junior in 1995-96 after averaging 6.1 ppg as sophomore.
Martin Clark F Boston College Selected to the Big East's All-Freshman Team in 1980-81. He led the Eagles in rebounding his freshman and sophomore seasons.
Jason Crump C-F Towson State Bowling Green transfer averaged 9 ppg and 6 rpg for Towson as senior in 1994-95.
Robert Dalley C The Citadel Averaged 8.5 ppg and 6.5 rpg for the Bulldogs in 1989-90 and 11 ppg and 5.6 rpg in 1991-92. Missed 1990-91 season because of broken leg.
Luol Deng F Duke Born in Sudan, he averaged 15.1 ppg and 6.9 rpg as All-ACC third-team selection in 2003-04.
Spencer Dunkley C Delaware Finished fifth in the nation with 3.2 bpg in 1992-93 when becoming an All-NAC first-team selection by leading the league in rebounding (12.2 rpg). Paced the Blue Hens in scoring as senior (19.2 ppg) and led them in rebounding three consecutive seasons.
Shaun Durant C Lipscomb Averaged 7.5 ppg and 6.5 rpg in 2004-05 and 2005-06. He led the Bison with 7.2 rpg in 2005-06.
Ben Eaves F Rhode Island UConn transfer averaged 3.4 ppg with URI as sophomore in 2008-09, 3.1 ppg as junior in 2009-10 and 3.5 ppg and 3.1 rpg as senior in 2010-11.
R.J. Etyle-Rock G Maryland-Baltimore County Averaged 5.1 ppg and 2.7 rpg in 2018-19.
Ekechi Ezugwu C-F Eastern Michigan Averaged 7.7 ppg and 6.1 rpg as senior starter for EMU's NCAA playoff team in 1998.
Oladapo Fagbenle C Campbell Led team with 30 blocked shots as freshman in 2005-06 and 24 in 2007-08.
Neil Fingleton C Holy Cross Redshirt with North Carolina in 2000-01 before transferring. Averaged 2.9 ppg with the Crusaders in 2002-03.
Tom Frederick F Morgan State Averaged 3.5 ppg and 2.2 rpg in 1999-00 and 2000-01.
Nick George F Virginia Commonwealth CAA Rookie of the Year in 2002-03 when averaging 8.7 ppg and 6.7 rpg. Contributed 9.2 ppg and 5.9 rpg the next season before becoming an all-league first-team choice in 2004-05 (team highs of 16.8 ppg and 5.8 rpg) and 2005-06 (team-high 16.9 ppg and 5.1 rpg).
Paul Guede G-F Portland Averaged 4.5 ppg and 3.3 rpg from 2008-09 to 2010-11.
Ashley Hamilton F Loyola Marymount Averaged 8.3 ppg and 4.6 rpg in 2008-09 and 2009-10.
Martin Henlan C Virginia Commonwealth Led the Rams in rebounding in 1988-89 (9 rpg) and 1989-90 (7.7 rpg).
Delme Herriman F Wright State Averaged 9.9 ppg and 5.4 rpg in 1994-95 and 9.3 ppg and 6.1 rpg in 1995-96.
Shaun James F Canisius J.C. recruit averaged 3.1 ppg and 3.6 rpg in 2006-07 and 2007-08.
Dazflo Larkai F La Salle Averaged 4.4 ppg and 4 rpg as freshman in 2002-03 and started eight games as sophomore in 2003-04.
Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye G-F Bradley Averaged 8.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg and 2.4 apg from 2015-16 through 2018-19.
Andrew Lawrence G College of Charleston Averaged 4.7 ppg as freshman in 2009-10.
Josh McSwiggan F Portland Averaged 10 ppg and 3.7 rpg in 2017-18 and 2018-19.
Matt Meakin C Mount St. Mary's Averaged 2.9 ppg and 3.2 rpg from 1991-92 through 1994-95. Member of school's first NCAA Division I team as senior.
Kojo Mensah-Bonsu F Washington State J.C. recruit averaged 9.2 ppg and 4.5 rpg with team-high 51.5% shooting from the floor as junior in 1997-98 before averaging 13.1 ppg and team-high 6 rpg in 1998-99.
Pops Mensah-Bonsu F George Washington Averaged 10.1 ppg and 5.7 rpg while shooting team-high 58.5% from the floor as a freshman in 2002-03 and 11.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg and team-high 61.6% field-goal shooting as a sophomore in 2003-04. Became an All-Atlantic 10 Conference second-team selection as junior in 2004-05 when he averaged 12.6 ppg and 6.6 while shooting team-high 57.1% from the floor and first-team choice as senior in 2005-06 with 12.6 ppg and 6.7 rpg plus team highs of 1.7 bpg and 56.4 FG%.
Alan Metcalfe F Vanderbilt Averaged 3.2 ppg and 1.8 rpg from 2004-05 through 2007-08.
Richard Midgley G California Averaged 10.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.5 apg and 1 spg from 2002-03 through 2005-06.
Ben Mockford G Iona Averaged 1.9 ppg as freshman in 2009-10.
Will Ohuaregbe F UNC Wilmington Averaged 4 ppg and 4.8 rpg as freshman in 2009-10.
Michael Olowokandi C Pacific Averaged 10.9 ppg and 6.6 rpg with 57% field-goal shooting in 1996-97 before becoming Big West Conference player of the year the next season as senior when posting team highs of 22.2 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 2.8 bpg and 60.8% from the floor.
Ugonna Onyekwe F Penn Averaged 14.9 ppg and 6.4 rpg while hitting 50.6% of his field-goal attempts from 1999-00 through 2002-03. Ivy League player of the year as junior (17.5 ppg, 6 rpg) and senior (16.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg). Led the Quakers in rebounding (7.5 rpg) as sophomore.
Chris Pearson F Davidson Averaged 7.8 ppg and team-high 6.8 rpg as sophomore in 2000-01. All-Southern Conference second-team selection the next year when averaging 11.7 ppg and 8.4 rpg, finishing his career with 7.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg and 1.2 bpg.
Liam Potter C Sacred Heart Averaged 4.7 ppg and 3.9 rpg from 2005-06 through 2009-10. Shot team-high 65.9% from the floor as sophomore in 2006-07 and paced the Pioneers in rebounding (8.3 rpg) and blocks (2 bpg) as senior. Named Most Improved Player in the Northeast Conference in 2009-10 after redshirting the previous season.
Marc Pratt F Towson Averaged 3.7 ppg and 2.2 rpg in 2005-06 and 2006-07.
Robert Reed F-C Rider Averaged 4.5 ppg and 4.4 rpg from 1999-00 through 2002-03. Posted career-high 7.8 ppg and team-high 6.8 rpg as senior.
Justin Robinson G Rider Averaged 11.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg and 3 apg from 2007-08 to 2010-11. Led the Broncs with 2.8 apg, 1.5 spg, 64 three-pointers and 88.3% free-throw shooting as junior.
Sam Robson C UC Santa Barbara UNC Charlotte transfer was senior starter in 1991-92 when averaging 4.2 ppg and 3.2 rpg.
Ovie Soko F UAB Averaged 4.6 ppg and 3.3 rpg in 2009-10and 2010-11.
Andrew Sullivan F Villanova Averaged 3.9 ppg and 3.4 rpg from 1999-00 through 2002-03.
Chris Timms C Denver J.C. recruit averaged 2.6 ppg and shot team-high 59.1% from the floor in 2006-07.
Shane Walker F Loyola (Md.) Played sparingly with Maryland in 2007-08 before transferring to Loyola (Md.), where he averaged 8.7 ppg with team highs of 6.6 rpg and 1.5 bpg as sophomore in 2009-10 before contributing 11 ppg, 7.6 rpg and 1.9 bpg as junior in 2010-11.
Shaquille Walters G-F Santa Clara/Northeastern Averaged 3.1 ppg in 2017-18 and 2018-19.
Akwasi Yeboah F Stony Brook Averaged 13.9 ppg and 6 rpg from 2016-17 through 2018-19.

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Make Mark on May 8 MLB Games

May 8th, 2019 - 7:25

Extra! Extra! Read all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players! Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.

Former Duke basketball All-Americans Dick Groat and Billy Werber had significant performances as MLB infielders on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 8 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 8

  • Jerry Adair (one of Oklahoma State's three leading basketball scorers in 1956-57 and 1957-58 while ranking among the nation's top 12 free-throw shooters each season) committed an eighth-inning miscue for the Baltimore Orioles against the Detroit Tigers in 1965, ending his MLB-record streaks for consecutive errorless games by a 2B (89) and consecutive chances handled without an error (438).

  • San Diego Padres RHP Mike Adams (Texas A&M-Kingsville hooper in 1996-97) notched his fourth hold in nine days but was scored upon for the first time in last 16 relief appearances in 2011.

  • Philadelphia Phillies CF Ethan Allen (Cincinnati hoops letterman in 1924-25 and 1925-26) supplied five RBI in a 13-6 triumph against the Chicago Cubs in 1934.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers C Ferrell Anderson (Kansas hoops letterman in 1936-37 and 1937-38) furnished four hits in an 8-5 win against the Cincinnati Reds in 1946.

  • Washington Senators 1B Zeke Bonura (best basketball forward for Loyola LA in late 1920s and early 1930s) banged out three hits for third time in four-game span in 1938.

  • LF Bob Cerv (ranked fourth on Nebraska's career scoring list in 1949-50 at conclusion of career) acquired from the Los Angeles Angels by the New York Yankees in 1961 for his third tour of duty in pinstripes.

  • Philadelphia Athletics C Mickey Cochrane (five-sport athlete with Boston University) collected three doubles against the Cleveland Indians in a 1932 game.

  • Cincinnati Reds 1B George Crowe (four-year letterman from 1939-40 through 1942-43 for Indiana Central after becoming first high school player named state's Mr. Basketball) clobbered two homers in a 7-6 victory against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1957.

  • In 1948, Cleveland Indians RF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA titlist) whacked the longest home run at Washington's Griffith Stadium since Babe Ruth in 1922.

  • St. Louis Cardinals CF Taylor Douthit (California hoops letterman from 1922 through 1924) contributed four hits against the Boston Braves in the first of six straight outings with multiple safeties in 1929.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates SS Dick Groat (two-time All-American with Duke in 1950-51 and 1951-52 when finishing among nation's top five scorers each season) provided three hits in each game of a 1955 doubleheader split against the New York Giants.

  • Philadelphia Phillies 1B Harvey Hendrick (Vanderbilt hoops letterman in 1918) went 4-for-4 against the Chicago Cubs in a 1934 contest.

  • RHP Jay Hook (Northwestern's third-leading scorer with 10.7 ppg as a sophomore in 1955-56) traded by the New York Mets to the Milwaukee Braves in 1964.

  • Atlanta Braves 2B Davey Johnson (averaged 1.7 ppg for Texas A&M in 1961-62) delivered two homers and five RBI against the New York Mets in a 1973 outing.

  • 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 Milwaukee Braves with cash to the Detroit Tigers in 1963.

  • Chicago White Sox RHP Bob Keegan (Bucknell hoops letterman in 1941-42 and 1942-43) yielded three homers to Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame OF Ted Williams in a 4-1 defeat in 1957.

  • Detroit Tigers SS Harvey Kuenn (played briefly for Wisconsin in 1951-52 after competing on JV hoops squad previous season) registered his second four-hit outing in a six-game span in 1956.

  • Chicago Cubs 3B Vance Law (averaged 6.8 ppg for Brigham Young from 1974-75 through 1976-77) went 3-for-3 with six RBI against the San Francisco Giants in a 1988 game.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates SS Johnny Logan (Binghamton hooper in 1948-49) hit safely as a pinch-hitter for the third straight time in 1963.

  • Chicago Cubs CF Jerry Martin (1971 Southern Conference MVP after he was Furman's runner-up in scoring previous season) stroked four hits against the Cincinnati Reds in a 1979 contest.

  • Baltimore Orioles RHP Ben McDonald (started six times as freshman forward for LSU in 1986-87 under coach Dale Brown) won his first seven starts in 1994.

  • Philadelphia Phillies RF Bill Nicholson (Washington College MD hoops guard for two years in mid-1930s) provided five RBI against the Cincinnati Reds in the nightcap of a 1949 twinbill.

  • Boston Red Sox 2B Marv Olson (All-Iowa Conference hoops selection in 1929-30 with Luther IA) manufactured four hits in a 7-5 win against the St. Louis Browns in 1932.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers C-OF Don Padgett (freshman in 1934 excelled in multiple sports for Lenoir-Rhyne NC) smacked a decisive three-run pinch homer in an 8-5 triumph against the Cincinnati Reds in 1946.

  • Philadelphia Athletics 3B Billy Werber (first Duke hoops All-American in 1929-30) supplied five RBI in a 7-6 victory against the Detroit Tigers in 1938.

  • New York Giants rookie 1B Babe Young (Fordham hoops letterman in 1935-36) collected four hits and four RBI against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 1940 game.

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Make Mark on May 7 MLB Games

May 7th, 2019 - 7:29

Extra! Extra! Read all about memorable major league baseball achievements, moments and transactions involving former college basketball players! Numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games and dates in MLB history. Two former Michigan small-college hoopers - Freddy Spurgeon (Kalamazoo) and Matt Thornton (Grand Valley State) - manufactured significant MLB performances on this date, joining ex-University of Michigan hooper Leon Roberts.

Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 7 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 7

  • Baltimore Orioles DH Al Bumbry (Virginia State's runner-up in basketball scoring with 16.7 ppg as freshman in 1964-65) provided four hits for the second time in a four-game span in 1975.

  • INF-OF Harvey Hendrick (Vanderbilt hoops letterman in 1918) traded by the Brooklyn Robins to the Cincinnati Reds in 1931.

  • LF David Justice (Thomas More KY assists leader in 1984-85 while averaging 9.3 ppg) jacked two homers while going 4-for-4 to help the Cleveland Indians erase a 9-1 deficit and defeat the Tampa Devil Rays, 20-11, in 1999. The next year, Justice provided three extra-base hits and five RBI against the Toronto Blue Jays in a 2000 contest.

  • In 1946, Philadelphia Athletics 1B Bruce Konopka (Southern California hoops letterman in 1940-41) collected his third extra-base pinch-hit the first week of the month.

  • Detroit Tigers SS Harvey Kuenn (played briefly for Wisconsin in 1951-52 after competing on JV hoops squad previous season) contributed four hits against the Chicago White Sox in a 1955 outing.

  • Boston Braves LF Les Mann (Springfield MA hooper in 1913 and 1914) notched multiple-hit games in his first five outings of the month in 1920.

  • 1B Ed Morgan (Tulane hoops letterman from 1923-24 through 1925-26) hit safely in first 14 starts of the 1934 campaign with the Boston Red Sox before he was blanked by the Detroit Tigers.

  • RHP Jack Ogden (Swarthmore PA hooper in 1918) traded by the Cincinnati Reds with Leo Durocher to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1933.

  • Seattle Mariners RF Leon Roberts (grabbed one rebound in four basketball games for Michigan in 1970-71 under coach Johnny Orr) collected six RBI in 9-7 win against the Toronto Blue Jays in 1978. The next year, Roberts contributed three extra-base hits in a 12-4 victory against the New York Yankees in 1979.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers 2B Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) amassed multiple-hit outings in 13 of first 19 games in 1951.

  • RHP Hal Schumacher (St. Lawrence NY hooper) combined with New York Giants teammate Carl Hubbell to toss back-to-back shutouts in a 1932 doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds.

  • Cleveland Indians rookie 3B Freddy Spurgeon (Kalamazoo MI hooper in 1921-22) went 4-for-4 against the Chicago White Sox in a 1925 game.

  • 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) fanned five Toronto Blue Jays in two innings as he went unscored upon in 10 relief appearances during the month in 2010.

  • 1B-OF Preston Ward (second-leading hoops scorer for Southwest Missouri State in 1946-47 and 1948-49) tripled after three teammates walked to spur the Brooklyn Dodgers to a 9-5 victory at Chicago in 1948.

  • New York Giants 1B Bill White (two-year hooper with Hiram OH in early 1950s) homered in his first MLB at-bat in 1956 (against St. Louis Cardinals).

Buyer's Remorse: What Will Buzz Be After Williams' Stint With Texas A&M?

May 6th, 2019 - 20:14

It doesn't always pan out for a big-time university after hiring a coach from a fellow power league member. Naturally, it's too early to judge Chris Mack although he compiled a mediocre 20-14 mark (.588) with Louisville in 2018-19 after departing Xavier. It was the worst winning percentage for the Cardinals since Denny Crum's final campaign in 2000-01 (12-19). Upon leaving Virginia Tech for Texas A&M, will Buzz Williams join the following alphabetical list of prominent coaches who struggled in their new digs after bolting one power conference member for another?

Coach Summary of Career After Switching Jobs Between Current Power-League Members
Tom Davis 58-59 record with Stanford from 1982-83 through 1985-86 after leaving Boston College
Bill E. Foster 54-141 with Northwestern from 1986-87 through 1992-93 after leaving South Carolina
Pat Kennedy 67-85 with DePaul from 1997-98 through 2001-02 after leaving Florida State
Dave Leitao 63-60 with Virginia from 2005-06 through 2008-09 after leaving DePaul
Kevin O'Neill 36-47 with Tennessee from 1994-95 through 1996-97 after leaving Marquette
Oliver Purnell 54-105 with DePaul from 2010-11 through 2014-15 after leaving Clemson
George Raveling 115-118 with Southern California from 1986-87 through 1993-94 after leaving Iowa
Tubby Smith 46-50 with Texas Tech from 2013-14 through 2015-16 after leaving Minnesota
Kevin Stallings 24-41 with Pittsburgh in 2016-17 and 2017-18 after leaving Vanderbilt
Bob Weltlich 77-98 with Texas from 1982-83 through 1987-88 after leaving Mississippi

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Make Mark on May 6 MLB Games

May 6th, 2019 - 7:33

Extra! Extra! Read all about memorable major league baseball achievements, moments and transactions involving former college basketball players! Numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games and dates in MLB history. Former college hoopers Mike Hargrove (Northwestern Oklahoma State) and Graig Nettles (San Diego State) each delivered three doubles as lefthanded hitters for the Cleveland Indians in a MLB game on this date.

Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 6 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 6

  • Hall of Fame C Mickey Cochrane (Boston University basketball player in early 1920s) clobbered his first MLB homer with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1925.

  • Los Angeles Dodgers LHP Al Downing (attended Muhlenberg PA on hoops scholarship but left before ever playing) tossed a two-hit shutout against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1973.

  • Boston Red Sox rookie RHP Boo Ferriss (Mississippi State hoops letterman in 1941) hurled his second straight shutout in 1945, whitewashing the New York Yankees, 5-0.

  • New York Giants 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) furnished four hits against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 1924 game.

  • RF Jim Gleeson (NAIA Hall of Famer was all-league hoops pick for Rockhurst MO in early 1930s) traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1942.

  • Detroit Tigers LF Hank Greenberg (enrolled at NYU on hoop scholarship in 1929 but attended college only one semester) contributed three extra-base hits in a 6-4 victory against the New York Yankees in 1940.

  • Cleveland Indians 1B Mike Hargrove (Northwestern Oklahoma State hoops letterman) collected three doubles against the Chicago White Sox in a 1983 outing.

  • Milwaukee Braves SS Johnny Logan (Binghamton hooper in 1948-49) supplied at least three hits for the third consecutive contest in 1959.

  • In 1968, San Francisco Giants RHP Lindy McDaniel (Oklahoma's 1954-55 freshman squad) established a N.L. record with his 225th consecutive errorless game.

  • New York Yankees LF Bud Metheny (William & Mary hoops letterman from 1935-36 through 1937-38) stroked four hits in a 4-3 win against the Boston Red Sox in 1944.

  • In 1967, 1B Cotton Nash (three-time All-American averaged 22.7 ppg and 12.3 rpg for Kentucky from 1961-62 through 1963-64) traded by the California Angels with cash to the Chicago White Sox for 1B Bill "Moose" Skowron (scored 18 points in eight games for Purdue in 1949-50).

  • Cleveland Indians 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) stroked three doubles against the Chicago White Sox in a 1972 game.

  • A two-out, seventh-inning single by CF Jim Northrup (second-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder for Alma MI in 1958-59) was the Detroit Tigers' lone safety when they were blanked, 4-0, by Dave Leonard of the Baltimore Orioles in 1968.

  • Chicago White Sox rookie LHP Gary Peters (Grove City PA hooper in mid-1950s) won his first MLB start in 1963, limiting the Kansas City Athletics to four hits and one run over eight innings.

  • LF Rip Repulski (started handful of hoops games for St. Cloud State MN) traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Boston Red Sox in 1960.

  • Cincinnati Reds 1B Champ Summers (led SIUE in scoring in 1969-70 after doing same with Nicholls State in 1964-65) went 4-for-4 and chipped in with five RBI against the Houston Astros in the opener of a 1979 doubleheader.

  • Boston Red Sox C Birdie Tebbetts (Providence hooper in 1932) blasted two homers against the Chicago White Sox in a 1950 game.

  • Philadelphia Phillies CF Cy Williams (Notre Dame forward in 1909-10) homered twice in a 5-4 win against the New York Giants in 1924.

Currying Favor: Selective Criticism of Stephen by Alleged Experts is Misplaced

May 6th, 2019 - 7:22

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player when shattering the league's record for most three-pointers, neither is too small nor too fragile despite missing portion of the regular-season because of injury. A 33-point second-half explosion at Houston in eliminating the Rockets showed again what is too small and fragile are the brains of any genius who overlooked the Davidson All-American for significantly inferior performers as a high school recruit, those who subsequently bypassed him in a similar fashion in the NBA draft and blabbermouth such as Charles Barkley claiming Curry is "just a shooter." Whether or not it's simply superficial envy because Curry continues his reign as the best-selling NBA jersey, even LeBron James and Russell Westbrook appeared annoyed with his hype.

Legendary Oscar Robertson came close to joining the condemnation chorus by saying "coaches today don't know anything about defenses." The Big O scored more valid points than Sir Charles on the state of the game but their "mid-major" mistake was including Curry in any critique. By any measure, Curry can compete in any era against anybody after becoming the first unanimous MVP in NBA history. Knuckleheads offended by Curry's dynamo daughter at a post-game press conference podium should have saved their angst for those individuals on a basketball payroll despite shunning Curry - occasionally including media or front-office colleagues.

In retrospect, it defies belief ESPN "expert" Seth Greenberg wasn't among their series of layoffs after boasting the gall to patronize Virginia Tech All-American Dell Curry's son by offering a spot on the Hokies' roster as a walk-on before the Minnesota Timberwolves picked long-forgotten Jonny Flynn one slot ahead of the incomparable Curry in 2009. In other words, Greenberg and the Timberwolves are the only individual and pro team capable of stopping Curry. Of course, Loyola (Md.) is the only college capable of containing Curry, holding the nation's top point producer scoreless in a 2008-09 contest.

In a previous non-sexist straightforward generation when announcers were significantly more knowledgeable about hoops than ESPN's Michelle Beadle and Rachel Nichols, Stockton-to-Malone could have been a hallmark of the Washington Bullets/Wizards rather than the Utah Jazz if there were more astute judgments made in 1984 and 1985 between mid-major and SEC/ACC players. Smug egghead prosecutors seeking face time appealing to low-information voters by indicting hard-working policemen probably would have more stature probing low-intelligence individuals previously laying an egg bypassing workmanlike Curry. Following is an alphabetical list of mid-major standouts selected behind players from current power conference members before they became league MVP such as Curry, Finals MVP, appeared in five or more All-Star Games or all-time Top 10 in assists, blocked shots, rebounds or steals:

Mid-Major Standout (Draft Pick Overall) College Year Players From Current Power League Member Chosen Ahead of Standout
Tiny Archibald (19) Texas-El Paso 1970 Jim Ard (Cincinnati)/Gary Freeman (Oregon State)/Al Henry (Wisconsin)/Mike Price (Illinois)/John Vallely (UCLA)
Maurice Cheeks (36) West Texas State 1978 Marty Byrnes (Syracuse)/Harry Davis (Florida State)/Jack Givens (Kentucky)/Butch Lee (Marquette)/Wayne Radford (Indiana)/Raymond Townsend (UCLA)/Rick Wilson (Louisville)
Larry Costello (12) Niagara 1954 Ed Kalafat (Minnesota)/Bob Mattick (Oklahoma State)/Dick Rosenthal (Notre Dame)
Stephen Curry (7) Davidson 2009 Jonny Flynn (Syracuse)/Hasheem Thabeet (Connecticut)
Joe Dumars (18) McNeese State 1985 Uwe Blab (Indiana)/Kenny Green (Wake Forest)/Keith Lee (Memphis State)
Wayne Embry (23) Miami (Ohio) 1958 Pete Brennan (North Carolina)/Archie Dees (Indiana)/Roy DeWitz (Kansas State)/Vern Hatton (Kentucky)/Frank Howard (Ohio State)/John Nacincik (Maryland)/Joe Quigg (North Carolina)/Lamar Sharrar (West Virginia)
Walt Frazier (5) Southern Illinois 1967 Sonny Dove (St. John's)
Hal Greer (14) Marshall 1958 Pete Brennan (North Carolina)/Archie Dees (Indiana)/Vern Hatton (Kentucky)/Joe Quigg (North Carolina)/Lamar Sharrar (West Virginia)
Richie Guerin (17) Iona 1954 Dick Farley (Indiana)/Ed Kalafat (Minnesota)/Bob Mattick (Oklahoma State)/Dick Rosenthal (Notre Dame)
Dennis Johnson (29) Pepperdine 1976 Bob Carrington (Boston College)/Norm Cook (Kansas)/Jacky Dorsey (Georgia)/Scott Lloyd (Arizona State)/Willie Smith (Missouri)/Chuckie Williams (Kansas State)
Gus Johnson (11) Idaho 1963 Art Heyman (Duke)/Tom Hoover (Villanova)/Tom Thacker (Cincinnati)/Gerry Ward (Boston College)
Sam Jones (8) North Carolina Central 1957 George BonSalle (Illinois)/Lennie Rosenbluth (North Carolina)/Win Wilfong (Memphis State)
Rudy LaRusso (12) Dartmouth 1959 Don Goldstein (Louisville)/John Richter (North Carolina State)/Joe Ruklick (Northwestern)
Karl Malone (13) Louisiana Tech 1985 Kenny Green (Wake Forest)/Keith Lee (Memphis State)
Cedric "Cornbread" Maxwell (12) UNC Charlotte 1977 Tom LaGarde (North Carolina)
Steve Nash (15) Santa Clara 1996 Todd Fuller (North Carolina State)
Willis Reed (10) Grambling 1964 Gary Bradds (Ohio State)/George Wilson (Cincinnati)
John Stockton (16) Gonzaga 1984 Lancaster Gordon (Louisville)/Terence Stansbury (Temple)/Melvin Turpin (Kentucky)
Nate Thurmond (4) Bowling Green 1963 Art Heyman (Duke)/Tom Thacker (Cincinnati)
Chet Walker (14) Bradley 1962 Paul Hogue (Cincinnati)/John Rudometkin (Southern California)

NOTE: Drafts in 1958, 1959, 1962, 1963 and 1964 included territorial picks.

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Make Mark on May 5 MLB Games

May 5th, 2019 - 7:19

Extra! Extra! Read all about memorable major league baseball achievements, moments and transactions involving former college basketball players! Numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games and dates in MLB history. Former college hoopers Joe Adcock (LSU), Zeke Bonura (Loyola LA), Gil Hodges (St. Joseph's IN/Oakland City IN) and Bill White (Hiram OH) each hit two homers as a MLB first baseman on this date.

Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 5 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 5

  • Los Angeles Angels 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) launched two homers against the Kansas City Royals in a 1964 game.

  • Chicago White Sox SS Bosey Berger (Maryland's first hoops All-American led Southern Conference in scoring in league competition in 1930-31) banged out four hits against the Philadelphia Athletics in a 1938 contest.

  • Seattle Mariners 1B Bruce Bochte (starting forward for Santa Clara's NCAA playoff team in 1969-70) contributed four hits against the Boston Red Sox in a 1979 outing.

  • Chicago White Sox 1B Zeke Bonura (best basketball forward for Loyola LA in late 1920s and early 1930s) whacked two homers in an 8-5 setback against the Philadelphia Athletics in 1936.

  • In 1943, New York Giants LF Vic Bradford (Alabama hoops letterman in 1937) supplied his lone MLB hit with a single against the Boston Braves.

  • 2B Marv Breeding (Samford hooper in mid-1950s) traded by the Atlanta Braves to the San Francisco Giants in 1966.

  • Boston Braves SS Dick Culler (#9 jersey retired by High Point for hoops Little All-American in 1935 and 1936) went 5-for-6 in a 1945 doubleheader against the New York Giants.

  • New York Giants SS Alvin Dark (hoops letterman for LSU and USL in mid-1940s) went 4-for-4 and chipped in with four RBI in a 1951 game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

  • After two shaky starts in 1951, Pittsburgh Pirates RHP Con Dempsey (played hoops for San Francisco during Golden Age of athletics on Hilltop) tossed two shutout innings of relief against the New York Giants in his third and final MLB appearance.

  • RHP George Earnshaw (Swarthmore PA hooper in 1922) ignited a 17-game winning streak for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1931 with a 4-1 triumph over the Boston Red Sox.

  • St. Louis Browns C Rick Ferrell (played forward for Guilford NC before graduating in 1928) furnished four hits for the second time in a three-game span in 1931.

  • Oakland Athletics 3B Wayne Gross (led Cal Poly Pomona in assists in 1974-75) went 4-for-4, including three extra-base hits, in a 6-2 win against the Detroit Tigers in 1981.

  • Brooklyn 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 1951 contest.

  • Atlanta Braves RF David Justice (led Thomas More KY in assists in 1984-85 while averaging 9.3 ppg) smacked two homers against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 1996 game.

  • St. Louis Browns LHP Ernie Koob (Western Michigan hoops letterman in 1914) hurled a no-hitter against the Chicago White Sox in 1917.

  • OF Don Lock (led Wichita State in field-goal percentage in 1956-57 and 1957-58) traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the Boston Red Sox in 1969.

  • In a twinbill sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals LF Wally Moon (averaged 4.3 ppg with Texas A&M in 1948-49 and 1949-50) began a 24-game hitting streak, the longest of the 1957 season in the N.L.

  • Utilityman Bob Oliver (All-Valley Conference basketball choice for American River Community College CA in 1962) traded by the Kansas City Royals to California Angels in 1972.

  • Kansas City Athletics 1B Norm Siebern (member of Southwest Missouri State's back-to-back NAIA Tournament titlists in 1952 and 1953) went 5-for-6 and scored five runs in an 18-6 romp over the Cleveland Indians in the opener of a 1962 doubleheader.

  • Detroit Tigers SS Ken Szotkiewicz (Georgia Southern hoops letterman in 1966-67) supplied career highs of two hits and two RBI against the Minnesota Twins in a 1970 contest.

  • San Diego Padres OF Will Venable (All-Ivy League first-team selection as junior and second-team choice as senior averaged 9.3 ppg under Princeton coach John Thompson III from 2001-02 through 2004-05) stroked a game-winning, two-run single in the bottom of the 12th inning in a 6-5 win against the Kansas City Royals in 2014.

  • St. Louis Cardinals 1B Bill White (two-year hooper with Hiram OH in early 1950s) belted two homers against the San Francisco Giants in a 1965 contest.

  • Philadelphia Phillies RF Cy Williams (Notre Dame forward in 1909-10) homered twice against the New York Giants in a 1925 game.

  • San Diego Padres RF Dave Winfield (starting forward for Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) delivered two homers against the Montreal Expos in a 1979 outing.

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Make Mark on May 4 MLB Games

May 4th, 2019 - 7:42

Extra! Extra! Read all about memorable major league baseball achievements, moments and transactions involving former college basketball players! Numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games and dates in MLB history. Former Notre Dame hoopers Ron Reed and Cy Williams made National League news in games involving the Philadelphia Phillies on this date.

Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 4 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 4

  • Milwaukee Braves 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) cracked a grand slam in the bottom of the 10th inning of a 10-6 triumph against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1961.

  • Chicago Cubs 1B Larry Biittner (runner-up in scoring and rebounding for Buena Vista IA in 1966-67) banged out four hits against the Cincinnati Reds in the nightcap of a 1980 doubleheader.

  • Boston Red Sox 2B Denny Doyle (averaged 2.7 ppg for Morehead State in 1962-63) delivered four hits against the Kansas City Royals in a 1976 game.

  • Oakland Athletics 3B Wayne Gross (led Cal Poly Pomona in assists in 1974-75) contributed two homers and five RBI in an 11-5 win against the New York Yankees in 1979.

  • In the midst of a career-high 23-game hitting streak in 1980, Cleveland Indians 1B Mike Hargrove (Northwestern Oklahoma State hoops letterman) supplied at least one RBI in his eighth consecutive contest.

  • Los Angeles Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (hooper for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 plus Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) went 4-for-4, including two homers and two doubles, against the Milwaukee Braves in a 1959 game.

  • In 1927, New York Giants RHP Mul Holland (Virginia hoops letterman from 1923-24 through 1926-27 was All-Southern Conference Tournament selection as sophomore) posted his lone MLB victory.

  • Milwaukee Braves SS Johnny Logan (Binghamton hooper in 1948-49) logged three doubles in a 9-4 win against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1953.

  • San Diego Padres 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) whacked two homers against the Chicago Cubs in a 1985 game.

  • Kansas City Royals rookie CF Bob Oliver (All-Valley Conference basketball choice for American River Community College CA in 1962) went 6-for-6 against the California Angels in 1969. Four years later as an Angels 1B, Oliver provided the contest's lone RBI against the Baltimore Orioles while supplying three hits for second time in a three-game span.

  • St. Louis Browns LHP Joe Ostrowski (leading scorer in 1942-43 for Scranton PA) tossed his second complete-game victory in as many starts in 1950.

  • Atlanta Braves RHP Ron Reed (Notre Dame's leading rebounder in 1963-64 and 1964-65) incurred the defeat in a 20-inning marathon against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1973.

  • In 1966, Houston Astros RHP Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) tossed the last of 45 MLB shutouts in his 19-year Hall of Fame career.

  • RHP Sonny Siebert (team-high 16.7 ppg for Missouri in 1957-58 as All-Big Eight Conference second-team selection) shipped by the Boston Red Sox to the Texas Rangers as part of a conditional deal in 1973.

  • RHP Lee Smith (averaged 3.4 ppg and 1.9 rpg with Northwestern State in 1976-77) traded by the Boston Red Sox to the St. Louis Cardinals for OF Tom Brunansky in 1990.

  • Cleveland Indians 2B Freddy Spurgeon (Kalamazoo MI hooper in 1921-22) supplied four hits and four RBI against the St. Louis Browns in a 1926 outing.

  • Detroit Tigers 2B Gary Sutherland (averaged 7.4 ppg with USC in 1963-64) stroked four hits against the Minnesota Twins in a 1976 contest.

  • Philadelphia Phillies CF Cy Williams (Notre Dame forward in 1909-10) collected three extra-base hits against the New York Giants in a 1923 game.

Star Light: No Chance UVa Reaches NCAA Tourney Regional Final Next Year

May 4th, 2019 - 7:29

Each Final Four since 1995 had at least one school promptly lose a minimum of one player early to the NBA, including all four participants in 2007 (Florida, Georgetown, Ohio State and UCLA). But what happened to those national semifinal schools such as champion Virginia with as many as three undergraduates declaring for the NBA? It's no great mystery as to why Villanova failed to reach the 2019 NCAA Sweet 16 as Nova became the latest of 12 schools in this "denuclearized" category not to advance as far as a regional final.

Is there any doubt UVa will be #13 following the early departures of Kyle Guy, De'Andre Hunter and Ty Jerome? Check out the following chronological look at how Final Four schools fared the year after having three or more players renounce their college eligibility (averaging 10 defeats among them):

Year Final Four Team Three or More Undergraduates Declaring For NBA Draft Record Postseason Outcome Next Season
1999 Duke (3) William Avery (14th pick overall), Elton Brand (1st), Corey Maggette (13th) 29-5 Lost NCAA regional semifinal
2001 Arizona (3) Gilbert Arenas (31st), Richard Jefferson (13th), Michael Wright (39th) 24-10 Lost NCAA regional semifinal
2005 North Carolina (4) Raymond Felton (5th), Sean May (13th), Rashad McCants (14th), Marvin Williams (2nd) 23-8 Lost in NCAA second round
2007 Florida (4) Corey Brewer (7th), Taurean Green (52nd), Al Horford (3rd), Joakim Noah (9th) 24-12 Reached NIT semifinals
2007 Ohio State (3) Mike Conley Jr. (4th), Daequan Cook (21st), Greg Oden (1st) 24-13 Won NIT
2008 Kansas (3) Darrell Arthur (27th), Mario Chalmers (34th), Brandon Rush (13th) 27-8 Lost NCAA regional semifinal
2008 UCLA (3) Kevin Love (5th), Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (37th), Russell Westbrook (4th) 26-9 Lost in NCAA second round
2012 Kentucky (5) Anthony Davis (1st), Terrence Jones (18th), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (2nd), Doron Lamb (42nd), Marquis Teague (29th) 21-12 Lost in NIT first round
2015 Duke (3) Tyus Jones (24th), Jahlil Okafor (3rd), Justise Winslow (10th) 25-11 Lost NCAA regional semifinal
2015 Kentucky (6) Devin Booker (13th), Willie Cauley-Stein (6th), Andrew Harrison (44th), Dakari Johnson (48th), Trey Lyles (12th), Karl-Anthony Towns (1st) 27-9 Lost in NCAA second round
2017 Oregon (3) Jordan Bell (38th), Dillon Brooks (45th), Tyler Dorsey (41st) 23-13 Lost in NIT second round
2018 Villanova (4) Mikal Bridges (10th), Jalen Brunson (33rd), Donte DiVincenzo (17th), Omari Spellman (30th) 26-10 Lost in NCAA second round
2019 Virginia (3) Kyle Guy (TBD), De'Andre Hunter (TBD), Ty Jerome (TBD) TBD TBD

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