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.

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.

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-area 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) 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 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.

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 were premium MLB pitchers 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) 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.

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 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.

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.

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.

Projected preseason top-ranked Kentucky is the best bet to become the 11th member of a power conference to go undefeated in league play since Bob Knight-coached Indiana in 1975-76 was the nation's last team to go unscathed overall. With none of the squads featuring a team-leading scorer averaging as much as 16 ppg, the SEC is lone power league to supply an unbeaten squad in conference competition in the last 15 seasons.

The Big Ten Conference hasn't had a team go unbeaten in league competition since IU and the Big East never has had an undefeated club. Kentucky, under three different coaches, supplied three of the following 10 teams to go unbeaten in a power alliance in the last 41 years:

Duke (28-9) became the fourth Associated Press preseason No. 1 selection to suffer at least nine defeats after bowing to eventual Final Four participant South Carolina in the second round. Only three of the first 11 preseason #1 choices notching at least eight reversals - Duke '89, Arizona '01 and Kentucky '14 - compiled a winning NCAA Tournament record that year.

The lowest winning percentage for a preseason top-ranked squad was registered by John Wooden-coached UCLA, which was 18-8 (.692) in 1965-66 when the Bruins finished second in the AAWU behind Oregon State. Duke accounted for three of the following 11 preseason #1 choices compiling a minimum of eight setbacks since 1961-62:

Seth Greenberg missed on a couple of sizzling scorers for Virginia Tech when he failed to successfully recruit the sons of Gobblers great Dell Curry. Stephen Curry (Davidson) and Seth Curry (Liberty/Duke) went on to become the highest-scoring brother tandem in NCAA Division I history. But amid the fizzling program Greenberg left behind for ACC cellar dweller VT when he was fired as coach was guard Erick Green who paced the country with 25 ppg in 2012-13.

Green, who averaged only 2.6 ppg with the Hokies as a freshman in 2009-10, became the first player in 19 years from a power six conference to lead the nation in scoring. Glenn Robinson Jr. (30.3 ppg for Purdue in 1993-94) had been the only player from a power six league to pace the country in scoring in the previous 41 campaigns.

When Creighton's Doug McDermott finished atop the country in scoring in 2013-14, the Big East Conference's MVP combined with Green to become the first players from power leagues to lead the nation in scoring in back-to-back campaigns since Louisiana State's Pete Maravich (1969-70) and Ole Miss' Johnny Neumann (1970-71) from the SEC.

In the 2016-17 campaign, Washington freshman Markelle Fultz was the only power-league player among the nation's top 14 point producers. The scoring leaders among power leagues since Robinson included (in reverse order):

Most coaches leaving a school on heels of appearing in the NCAA playoffs are bound for a program in turmoil or requiring rehab. But Brad Underwood fell one field goal short of positioning himself to possibly becoming the 15th coach winning at least one NCAA Tournament game in back-to-back seasons with different schools. Underwood's Oklahoma State squad lost, 92-91, against Michigan before he departed for Illinois. His predecessor, John Groce, was the previous coach with this special distinction. Groce wasn't the first coach so far this century to enjoy immediate promising tourney results with the Illini. Kansas' Bill Self, the only individual to achieve the feat twice, is the lone mentor to reach a regional final in back-to-back seasons with two different schools (Tulsa in 2000 and Illinois in 2001).

Tippy Dye (Ohio State in 1950 and Washington in 1951) went 35 years as the only coach in this category until Eddie Sutton duplicated the achievement (Arkansas in 1985 and Kentucky in 1986). Similar to Self, Memphis' Tubby Smith (Tulsa in 1995 and Georgia in 1996) and Ohio State's Thad Matta (Butler in 2001 and Xavier in 2002) achieved the feat at previous pit stops. Following is a chronological list of coaches continuing their winning ways in the NCAA playoffs after switching jobs:

From Shannon Evans a couple of years ago (Buffalo to Arizona State with Bobby Hurley) to Marcus Evans this season (Rice to Virginia Commonwealth with Mike Rhoades). Tagging along with coach Kevin Keatts, UNC Wilmington top scorer Kevin Keatts joined the following alphabetical list of prominent players who transferred from one major college to another with the same head coach although he wasn't his biological father:

*Erdmann played for a junior college between four-year school stints.

NOTES: Aaman committed to Wagner before choosing to enroll with Hurley at Rhode Island, Fisher signed with Pepperdine but never played there before choosing to follow Romar to SLU, Kilgore never played for EMU after transferring there from Central Michigan, Lyons was an academic partial qualifier in 2008-09 and Pendleton signed with Iowa but never played for the Hawkeyes because of scholastic shortcomings. . . . Mitchell played two seasons at Fresno State under Grant's successor (Ron Adams). . . . Varner went on an LDS Mormon mission for two years between stints at Pepperdine and Saint Louis.

Steve Fisher came close by registering 12 consecutive winning campaigns, averaging more than 25 victories annually from 2005-06 through 2016-17 before retiring at San Diego State. But it's patently clear not every coach can depart with pomp-and-circumstance style such as luminaries John Wooden, Al McGuire, Ray Meyer and Dean Smith when they bowed out. From 1964 to 1975 with Wooden at the helm, UCLA won an NCAA-record 10 national titles, including seven straight from 1967 through 1973. McGuire's goodbye in 1977 with an NCAA title marked Marquette's eighth straight season finishing among the Top 10 in a final wire-service poll. Meyer directed DePaul to a Top 6 finish in a final wire-service poll six times in his final seven seasons from 1978 through 1984. Smith won at least 28 games with North Carolina in four of his final five seasons from 1992-93 through 1996-97.

But fond farewells such as UC Santa Barbara's Bob Williams winning at least 18 games eight of his final 11 campaigns are the exception, not the rule, in trying to cope with Father Time. How many school all-time winningest mentors rode off into the sunset donning at least a partial black rather than white hat? How much they may have tarnished their legacy is debatable but hanging around too long probably caused a few of the following celebrated coaches to lose portion of their luster:

• Dave Bike, Sacred Heart - four straight losing records from 2009-10 through 2012-13 at end of career

• Dale Brown, Louisiana State - 23 games below .500 with four straight losing campaigns after 10 consecutive NCAA playoff appearances from 1984 through 1993

• Howard Cann, NYU - 12 games below .500 in last six seasons after six national postseason tournament appearances from 1943 through 1952

• Ben Carnevale, Navy - four non-winning seasons after three national postseason tournament appearances in a four-year span from 1959 through 1962

• Everett Case, North Carolina State - only four games above .500 in final five full seasons after averaging 24.6 victories annually his first 13 campaigns from 1946-47 through 1958-59

• Gale Catlett, West Virginia - 11 games below .500 in last four seasons after 15 national postseason tournament appearances in an 18-year span from 1981 to 1998

• John Chaney, Temple - only 11 games above .500 in final five seasons after 17 NCAA playoff appearances in an 18-year span from 1984 through 2001

• Charlie Coles, Miami (OH) - 12 games below .500 in last five seasons after appearing in 2007 NCAA playoffs

• Denny Crum, Louisville - breakeven mark last four seasons while winless in national postseason play after missing national postseason competition only twice in his first 26 campaigns from 1972 through 1997

• Howie Dickenman, Central Connecticut State - five consecutive losing records from 2011-12 through 2015-16

• Ed Diddle, Western Kentucky - 5-16 mark each of his final two seasons after only one losing record in his previous 32 campaigns from 1930-31 through 1961-62

• Don Donoher, Dayton - 12 games below .500 with three straight losing campaigns after 15 national postseason tournament appearances in first 22 seasons from 1965 through 1986

• Fred Enke, Arizona - only four games above .500 in final five seasons after averaging more than 20 victories annually in nine campaigns from 1942-43 through 1950-51

• Jack Friel, Washington State - 71 games below .500 in final six seasons after averaging 19 victories annually with only one losing record in 23-year span from 1929-30 through 1951-52

• Taps Gallagher, Niagara - 17 games below .500 in final two seasons after only two losing records in first 29 campaigns from 1931-32 through 1962-63

• Tom Green, Fairleigh Dickinson - 30 games below .500 in final three seasons after appearing in NCAA playoffs and NIT in 2005 and 2006

• Jack Hartman, Kansas State - minimum of 14 defeats each of his last four seasons after 11 consecutive first-division finishes in the Big Eight Conference from 1971-72 through 1981-82

• Don Haskins, Texas-El Paso - three games below .500 in final four years after 16 consecutive winning campaigns (including 12 20-win seasons) from 1979-80 through 1994-95

• Nat Holman, CCNY - losing records each of final five seasons after incurring only two losing marks in first 32 campaigns from 1919-20 through 1950-51

• Hank Iba, Oklahoma State - 33 games below .500 his final five campaigns after last NCAA playoff appearance of 36-year tenure with the school in 1965

• George Ireland, Loyola of Chicago - 32 games below .500 his final seven campaigns after third NCAA playoff appearance in five years following 1963 NCAA title

• Doggie Julian, Dartmouth - seven straight losing campaigns with fewer than eight victories after five consecutive first- or second-place finishes in the Ivy League with three NCAA playoff appearances from 1955-56 through 1959-60

• Gene Keady, Purdue - eight games below .500 his final four seasons after 12 consecutive national postseason tournament appearances from 1990 through 2001

• Piggy Lambert, Purdue - three games below .500 his final four seasons after 23 consecutive winning records from 1920 through 1942

• Dave Loos, Austin Peay State - six consecutive non-winning seasons despite reaching NCAA tourney in 2016

• Don Maestri, Troy - total of 30 games below .500 over final three campaigns from 2010-11 through 2012-13

• Fang Mitchell, Coppin State - only one winning record in last 10 seasons from 2004-05 through 2013-14

• Speedy Morris, La Salle - 47 games below .500 his final six campaigns from 1995-96 through 2000-01 after appearing in national postseason competition each of his first six seasons from 1987 through 1992

• Gregg Nibert, Presbyterian - 10 losing records in as many seasons at NCAA Division I level through 2016-17

• Jim Phelan, Mount St. Mary's - 50 games below .500 his final four campaigns after reaching the 800-win plateau with an NCAA Division I Tournament appearance in 1999

• Digger Phelps, Notre Dame - five games below .500 his final two campaigns after averaging 21 victories annually in a 17-year span from 1972-73 through 1988-89

• Harry Rabenhorst, Louisiana State - 35 games below .500 in final three seasons after going undefeated in SEC competition in back-to-back years in 1952-53 and 1953-54

• Rick Samuels, Eastern Illinois - 21 games below .500 in final four seasons after appearing in 2001 NCAA playoffs

• Fred Taylor, Ohio State - 20 games below .500 in final three seasons after 11 top three finishes in Big Ten Conference standings in a 14-year span from 1959-60 through 1972-73

• M.K. Turk, Southern Mississippi - nine games below .500 in final five seasons after back-to-back NCAA playoff appearances in 1990 and 1991

• Ralph Underhill, Wright State - nine games below .500 in final three seasons after NCAA playoff appearance in 1993

• Mike Vining, Louisiana-Monroe - 22 games below .500 in final three seasons after sixth 20-win campaign in 2001-02

• Sox Walseth, Colorado - 40 games below .500 in final seven seasons after Big Eight Conference championship in 1969

• Clifford Wells, Tulane - 12 games below .500 in final six seasons after 12 non-losing campaigns from 1945-46 through 1956-57

• Carroll Williams, Santa Clara - eight games below .500 in final three seasons after five 20-win campaigns in seven years from 1982-83 through 1988-89

Lew Alcindor is the best player in college basketball history. But Kareem Abdul-Jabbar might be the worst analyst in college basketball annals. The three-time national player of the year was unimpressed with the state of affairs at his alma mater (UCLA) despite a couple of Top 10 recruiting classes paying dividends last season and likely to keep the Bruins in the national limelight next campaign.

The Ghost of Sugar Daddy Sam Gilbert and the fast times in Westwood in the late 1960s under Bruins coach John Wooden comes to mind when struggling to comprehend Jabbar's jaded view of their fast break under Steve Alford. Did Gilbert promise Kareem he would eventually become king (head coach) or, at least, act as pilot of their Airplane? Any suggestion along those lines would make as much sense as majority of Jabbar's TIME(-warped) whining columns on racism and other predictable liberal-drivel themes. The journalistic jewel probably needs to listen to some jazz and chill out a little.

If not pants on the ground, then it's brains in the clouds. In today's gimme-gimme-gimme culture, it always seems to be discrimination when something isn't handed to you. Numerous All-Americans have dabbled at coaching in the low minors or as an assistant but never been a DI bench boss. Incredibly, Patrick Ewing expounded on his belief employers are biased against tall coaches until he was hired by his alma mater to return them to Georgetown's glory days under John Thompson Jr. Ewing is an exception to his victim-hood rule, but following is a list of individuals such as Alcindor/Jabbar who might think they deserve to be guiding their alma mater if they weren't so damn tall:

• Mark Aguirre or Rod Strickland, DePaul
• Lew Alcindor, UCLA
• Bill Cartwright, San Francisco
• Leon Douglas, Alabama
• Stacey Augmon or Larry Johnson, UNLV
• Stacey King, Oklahoma
• Christian Laettner, Duke
• Anfernee Hardaway or Keith Lee, Memphis
• Bob McAdoo, North Carolina
• Johnny Neumann, Mississippi
• Anthony Peeler, Missouri
• Cazzie Russell, Michigan
• Herb Williams, Ohio State