Odds Were Against Nova Reaching F4 Let Alone Repeat as NCAA Champion
Someone has to be first but the odds were stacked against Villanova. The Wildcats, after losing three times this season as the nation's top-ranked team, faced an uphill battle reaching the Final Four, let alone repeating as NCAA champion. Nova became the 19th team to lose at least three times atop the national polls in the same campaign and subsequently fail to win the national title.
Many in the national media and NCAA Division I Committee simply showed their amateurish historical perspective when they hailed Nova as the best bet to capture the championship. Only four of the first 19 squads in this category reached the Final Four (including Michigan '65 and Georgetown '85 succumbing in national final). Following is a chronological look at NCAA playoff progress for schools with at least three defeats as the nation's top-ranked team in a single season:
Season | #1 Three-Time Loser | Opponents Beating Same #1 | What Happened to #1? |
---|---|---|---|
1951-52 | Kentucky | Minnesota/St. Louis/St. John's | UK lost in regional final |
1953-54 | Indiana | Oregon State/Northwestern/Notre Dame | IU lost in regional semifinals |
1964-65 | Michigan* | Nebraska/St. John's/Ohio State/UCLA | UM lost in national final |
1973-74 | UCLA | Notre Dame/Oregon State/Oregon | UCLA lost in national semifinals |
1983-84 | North Carolina | Arkansas/Duke/Indiana | UNC lost in regional semifinals |
1984-85 | Georgetown | St. John's/Syracuse/Villanova | Hoyas lost in national final |
1985-86 | North Carolina | Virginia/Maryland/North Carolina State | UNC lost in regional semifinals |
1989-90 | Kansas | Missouri (twice)/Oklahoma | KU lost in NCAA second round |
1992-93 | Indiana | Kansas (twice)/Ohio State | IU lost in regional final |
1993-94 | North Carolina* | UMass/Georgia Tech (twice)/Boston College | UNC lost in NCAA second round |
1997-98 | Duke | Michigan/North Carolina (twice) | Duke lost in regional final |
1997-98 | North Carolina | Maryland/North Carolina State/Utah | UNC lost in national semifinals |
1999-00 | Cincinnati | Xavier/Temple/Saint Louis | UC lost in NCAA second round |
2000-01 | Stanford | UCLA/Arizona/Maryland | Stanford lost in regional final |
2001-02 | Duke | Florida State/Maryland/Indiana | Duke lost in regional semifinals |
2002-03 | Arizona | Louisiana State/Stanford/UCLA | UA lost in regional final |
2005-06 | Duke | Georgetown/Florida State/North Carolina | Duke lost in regional semifinal |
2012-13 | Indiana | Butler/Illinois/Minnesota | IU lost in regional semifinal |
2016-17 | Villanova | Butler/Marquette/Wisconsin | Nova lost in NCAA second round |
*Michigan '65 and North Carolina '94 are the only teams to lose four times in a single season when ranked #1.
On This Date: Ex-College Hoopers Make Their Mark on May 15 MLB Games
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.
Beat 'Em, Then Join 'Em: Non-League Game Becomes Coaching Job Audition
"Success is simple. Do what's right, the right way, at the right time." - Arnold H. Glasow
Overlooked amid several coaching changes this year - LSU, New Mexico and Seattle - is possibility the job switches stemmed from a one- or two-game job audition. The shifts resemble 1970-71 when Digger Phelps guided Fordham to its winningest season in school history. But what likely really impressed Notre Dame's administration was a 94-88 victory that season over the Irish. He was UND's bench boss the next campaign and went on to win seven games against nationally top-ranked opponents in his career at South Bend.
Non-conference schedules frequently are frustrating for fans of power league schools because of what seems like feasting on a steady diet of cupcake opponents. But you never know when a single game can become a career changer. Similar to almost any job, timing is everything. Following is an alphabetical list of impressionable coaches such as Jim Hayford, Will Wade and Paul Weir generating such favorable reviews after defeating a school in a non-conference game they were hired by that institution in the same role before the next campaign:
*Competed in season-opening Military Classic before VMI defeated The Citadel twice in Southern Conference competition.
On This Date: Ex-College Hoopers Make Their Mark on May 14 MLB Games
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.
Young Shall Lead Them: Ball Latest Freshman Pacing Nation in Major Category
Questions linger as to whether UCLA's Lonzo Ball lives up to his father's expectations. But there is no questions about Lonzo finishing first nationally in assists per game, joining the following chronological list of freshmen leading the country in a major statistical category:
Season | Freshman NCAA Leader | School | Category | Statistic |
---|---|---|---|---|
1974-75 | Bernard King | Tennessee | Field-Goal Shooting | 62.2% |
1975-76 | Sidney Moncrief | Arkansas | Field-Goal Shooting | 66.5% |
1983-84 | Steve Alford | Indiana | Free-Throw Shooting | 91.3% |
1985-86 | Jim Barton | Dartmouth | Free-Throw Shooting | 94.2% |
1987-88 | Kenny Miller | Loyola of Chicago | Rebounding Average | 13.6 rpg |
1988-89 | Alonzo Mourning | Georgetown | Blocked Shots Average | 5 bpg |
1990-91 | Shawn Bradley | Brigham Young | Blocked Shots Average | 5.2 bpg |
1992-93 | Jason Kidd | California | Steals Average | 3.8 spg |
1994-95 | Keith Closs | Central Connecticut State | Blocked Shots Average | 5.4 bpg |
1996-97 | Joel Hoover | Maryland-Eastern Shore | Steals Average | 3.2 spg |
2001-02 | Jason Conley | Virginia Military | Scoring Average | 29.3 ppg |
2001-02 | T.J. Ford | Texas | Assists Average | 8.3 apg |
2003-04 | Blake Ahearn | Southwest Missouri State | Free-Throw Shooting | 97.5% |
2003-04 | Paul Millsap | Louisiana Tech | Rebounding Average | 12.5 rpg |
2006-07 | Mike Freeman | Hampton | Field-Goal Percentage | 67.8% |
2007-08 | Michael Beasley | Kansas State | Rebounding Average | 12.4 rpg |
2007-08 | Devin Gibson | Texas-San Antonio | Steals Average | 3.3 spg |
2009-10 | Hassan Whiteside | Marshall | Blocked Shots Average | 5.4 bpg |
2011-12 | Anthony Davis | Kentucky | Blocked Shots Average | 4.65 bpg |
2012-13 | Nerlens Noel | Kentucky | Blocked Shots Average | 4.5 bpg |
2013-14 | Monte Morris | Iowa State | Assist-to-Turnover Ratio | 4.79-to-1 |
2013-14 | Julius Randle | Kentucky | Double-Doubles | 24 |
2015-16 | Fletcher Magee | Wofford | Free-Throw Percentage | 92.5% |
2016-17 | Lonzo Ball | UCLA | Assists Average | 7.61 apg |
On This Date: Ex-College Hoopers Make Their Mark on May 13 MLB Games
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.
On This Date: Ex-College Hoopers Make Their Mark on May 12 MLB Games
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 had significant MLB 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.
Rare Air: 3 Different UK Coaches Posted Unbeaten SEC Mark in 20-Year Span
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:
Year | League | Unbeaten School | Coach (Overall Mark) | Leading Scorer | Leading Rebounder |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1978 | Pacific-8 | UCLA (14-0) | Gary Cunningham (25-3) | David Greenwood (17.5) | David Greenwood (11.4) |
1984 | ACC | North Carolina (14-0) | Dean Smith (28-3) | Michael Jordan (19.6) | Sam Perkins (9.6) |
1987 | ACC | North Carolina (14-0) | Dean Smith (32-4) | Kenny Smith (16.9) | J.R. Reid (7.4) |
1994 | Big Eight | Missouri (14-0) | Norm Stewart (28-4) | Melvin Booker (18.1) | Jevon Crudup (8) |
1996 | SEC | Kentucky (16-0/East) | Rick Pitino (34-2) | Tony Delk (17.8) | Antoine Walker (8.4) |
1999 | ACC | Duke (16-0) | Mike Krzyzewski (37-2) | Elton Brand (17.7) | Elton Brand (9.8) |
2002 | Big 12 | Kansas (16-0) | Roy Williams (33-4) | Drew Gooden (19.8) | Drew Gooden (11.4) |
2003 | SEC | Kentucky (16-0/East) | Tubby Smith (32-4) | Keith Bogans (15.7) | Chuck Hayes (6.8) |
2012 | SEC | Kentucky (16-0) | John Calipari (38-2) | Anthony Davis (14.2) | Anthony Davis (10.4) |
2014 | SEC | Florida (18-0) | Billy Donovan (36-3) | Casey Prather (13.8) | Dorian Finney-Smith (6.7) |
2015 | SEC | Kentucky (18-0) | John Calipari (38-1) | Aaron Harrison (11.0) | Karl-Anthony Towns (6.7) |
On This Date: Ex-College Hoopers Make Their Mark on May 11 MLB Games
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 performances as MLB outfielders on this date.
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.
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.
Preseason Treason: Duke Fourth PS #1 Posting More Than Eight Defeats
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:
PS #1 Team | Season | Coach | Record | Pct. | NCAA Tournament Summary |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kentucky | 2013-14 | John Calipari | 29-11 | .725 | Lost in NCAA title game against Connecticut, 60-54. |
Connecticut | 1999-00 | Jim Calhoun | 25-10 | .714 | Lost in Second Round against Tennessee, 65-61. |
Syracuse | 1987-88 | Jim Boeheim | 26-9 | .743 | Lost in Second Round against Rhode Island, 97-94. |
Duke | 2016-17 | Mike Krzyzewski | 28-9 | .757 | Lost in Second Round against South Carolina, 88-81. |
UCLA | 1965-66 | John Wooden | 18-8 | .692 | DNP after failing to win league title for only time in 18-year span. |
Indiana | 1979-80 | Bob Knight | 21-8 | .724 | Lost in Regional Semifinals against Purdue, 76-69. |
Duke | 1978-79 | Bill E. Foster | 22-8 | .733 | Lost playoff opener against St. John's, 80-78. |
North Carolina | 1977-78 | Dean Smith | 23-8 | .742 | Lost in First Round against San Francisco, 68-64. |
Cincinnati | 1996-97 | Bob Huggins | 26-8 | .765 | Lost in Second Round against Iowa State, 67-66. |
Arizona | 2000-01 | Lute Olson | 28-8 | .778 | Lost in Championship Game against Duke, 82-72. |
Duke | 1988-89 | Mike Krzyzewski | 28-8 | .778 | Lost at Final Four against Seton Hall, 95-78. |
On This Date: Ex-College Hoopers Make Their Mark on May 10 MLB Games
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 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.
UW Freshman Fultz Only Power-League Player Among Nation's Top 14 Scorers
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):
Season Leader Among Power Leagues School Avg. NCAA Ranking 2016-17 Markelle Fultz Washington 23.2 sixth 2015-16 Buddy Hield Oklahoma 25.0 second 2014-15 D.J. Newbill Penn State 20.7 eighth 2013-14 Doug McDermott Creighton 26.7 first 2012-13 Erick Green Virginia Tech 25.0 first 2011-12 Terrell Stoglin Maryland 21.6 sixth 2010-11 Marshon Brooks Providence 24.6 second 2009-10 Devan Downey South Carolina 22.5 fourth 2008-09 Jodie Meeks Kentucky 23.7 seventh 2007-08 Michael Beasley Kansas State 26.2 third 2006-07 Kevin Durant Texas 25.8 fourth 2005-06 J.J. Redick Duke 26.8 second 2004-05 Ike Diogu Arizona State 22.6 sixth 2003-04 Ike Diogu Arizona State 22.8 ninth 2002-03 Troy Bell Boston College 25.2 fifth 2001-02 Casey Jacobsen Stanford 21.9 14th 2000-01 Troy Murphy Notre Dame 21.8 13th 1999-00 Eddie House Arizona State 23 fifth 1998-99 Quincy Lewis Minnesota 23.1 sixth 1997-98 Cory Carr Texas Tech 23.3 sixth 1996-97 Ed Gray California 24.8 second 1995-96 Allen Iverson Georgetown 25 seventh 1994-95 Shawn Respert Michigan State 25.6 eighth
On This Date: Ex-College Hoopers Make Their Mark on May 9 MLB Games
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 had significant MLB performances 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) 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.
Winning Ways: Illini Nearly Had Third Instant Success Coach This Century
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:
NCAA Playoff Coach | First School (Year/Record) | Second School (Year/Record) |
---|---|---|
Tippy Dye | Ohio State (1950/1-1) | Washington (1951/2-1) |
Eddie Sutton | Arkansas (1985/1-1) | Kentucky (1986/3-1) |
Paul Evans | Navy (1986/3-1) | Pittsburgh (1987/1-1) |
Tom Penders | Rhode Island (1988/2-1) | Texas (1989/1-1) |
Tubby Smith | Tulsa (1995/2-1) | Georgia (1996/2-1) |
Ben Braun | Eastern Michigan (1996/1-1) | California (1997/2-1) |
Steve Robinson | Tulsa (1997/1-1) | Florida State (1998/1-1) |
Bill Self | Tulsa (2000/3-1) | Illinois (2001/3-1) |
Thad Matta | Butler (2001/1-1) | Xavier (2002/1-1) |
Bill Self | Illinois (2003/1-1) | Kansas (2004/3-1) |
Roy Williams | Kansas (2003/5-1) | North Carolina (2004/1-1) |
Bruce Pearl | Wisconsin-Milwaukee (2005/2-1) | Tennessee (2006/1-1) |
Trent Johnson | Stanford (2008/2-1) | Louisiana State (2009/1-1) |
John Calipari | Memphis (2009/2-1) | Kentucky (2010/3-1) |
John Groce | Ohio University (2012/2-1) | Illinois (2013/1-1) |
On This Date: Ex-College Hoopers Make Their Mark on May 8 MLB Games
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.
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.
Tagging Along With Departing Coach: From Shannon Evans to Marcus Evans
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:
Player Pos. Head Coach First School Second School Mike Aaman F Dan Hurley Wagner Rhode Island 13 Brent Arrington G Sean Woods Mississippi Valley State 12 Morehead State 14 Pasha Bains G Larry Shyatt Wyoming 99 Clemson 2000 C.J. Boyce G Kevin Keatts UNC Wilmington 16-17 North Carolina State Bill Brigham F Mike Jarvis Boston University 89-90 George Washington 92-93 Anthony Buford G Bob Huggins Akron 88-90 Cincinnati 92 Joe Bunn F Jeff Capel Jr. North Carolina A&T 94 Old Dominion 96 Keon Clergeot G Tubby Smith Texas Tech Memphis 17 Adrian Crawford G Steve Robinson Tulsa 97 Florida State 99-01 Greg Davis F Dave Bliss New Mexico 98-99 Baylor 01-02 *Nate Erdmann G Kelvin Sampson Washington State 94 Oklahoma 96-97 Marcus Evans G Mike Rhoades Rice 16-17 Virginia Commonwealth 19-20 Shannon Evans G Bobby Hurley Buffalo 14-15 Arizona State 17-18 Josh Fisher G Lorenzo Romar Pepperdine Saint Louis 01-04 Prince Fowler G Billy Tubbs Oklahoma 95 Texas Christian 97-99 John David Gardner G Brad Brownell UNC Wilmington 05 Wright State 08-10 Juan'ya Green G Joe Mihalich Niagara 12-13 Hofstra 15-16 R.T. Guinn C Dave Bliss New Mexico 00 Baylor 02 Kevin Henry G Dave Bliss New Mexico 98-00 Baylor 02 Denard Holmes F Abe Lemons Texas 82 Oklahoma City 85 Gary Hooker F Ron Greene Mississippi State 76-78 Murray State 80 Shawn James C Ron Everhart Northeastern 05-06 Duquesne 08 LeDarion Jones F Larry Shyatt Clemson 96-97 Wyoming 99-00 Thomas Kilgore G Ben Braun Eastern Michigan California 98-99 Mark Lyons G Sean Miller Xavier 09 Arizona 13 Mike Mitchell F Boyd Grant Fresno State 86-88 Colorado State 90 Nic Moore G Tim Jankovich Illinois State 12 Southern Methodist 14 Anthony Pendleton G George Raveling Iowa Southern California 88-89 Scoonie Penn G Jim O'Brien Boston College 96-97 Ohio State 99-00 Merle Rousey G Hank Iba Colorado 34 Oklahoma A&M 36-37 Ameen Tanksley G-F Joe Mihalich Niagara 12-13 Hofstra 15-16 Robert Vaden G-F Mike Davis Indiana 05-06 UAB 08 Ross Varner F Lorenzo Romar Pepperdine Saint Louis 02 Pax Whitehead G-F Jan van Breda Kolff Cornell 93 Vanderbilt 95-97 Sean Wightman F Bob Donewald Illinois State 89 Western Michigan 91-93 Jason Williams G Billy Donovan Marshall 95-96 Florida 98 Dedric Willoughby G Tim Floyd New Orleans 93-94 Iowa State 96-97 Jack Worthington G Abe Lemons Texas 82-83 Oklahoma City 85-86 Kyle Young F Chris Holtmann Butler signee Ohio State 18
*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.
On This Date: Ex-College Hoopers Make Their Mark on May 7 MLB Games
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.
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) 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.
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.
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).
Retirement Planners: Weep On It/Think On It/Sleep On It/Drink To It
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
On This Date: Ex-College Hoopers Make Their Mark on May 6 MLB Games
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.
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.
Stalking Tall: Ewing Operating in Shadows of John Thompson's Presence
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
On This Date: Ex-College Hoopers Make Their Mark on May 5 MLB Games
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.
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.
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) 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.
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: Ex-College Hoopers Make Their Mark on May 4 MLB Games
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.
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.
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.
Dead Teams Walking: Brown and Colgate Never Have Reached 20-Win Plateau
New Hampshire, after reaching the 20-win plateau for the first time in school history in 2015-16, duplicated the feat again in 2016-17. After UNH shed a big blemish on its hoops resume, Brown and Colgate remained as the only long-time NCAA Division I schools never to be part of a 20-win season at the major-college level. Harvard and Northwestern reached the 20-win plateau for the first time in school annals in 2009-10.
Following is a summary of how Brown and Colgate have been mired in mediocrity as the only institutions never to post a 20-win campaign despite participating at the NCAA Division I level more than 60 years:
School | Most Victories (Season/Coach) | Sizing Up Recent State of Longstanding Futility |
---|---|---|
Brown | 19-10 (2007-08/Craig Robinson) | two winning records in last 13 years |
Colgate | 18-10 (1992-93/Jack Bruen) and 18-14 (2007-08/Emmett Davis) | three winning records in last 22 years |
On This Date: Ex-College Hoopers Make Their Mark on May 3 MLB Games
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.
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 3 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
MAY 3
In 1977, Chicago Cubs RHP Ray Burris (basketball-baseball standout in Southwestern Oklahoma State Hall of Fame) fired a five-hit shutout against the Houston Astros for his first of five victories in the month.
Pittsburgh Pirates 1B Donn Clendenon (four-sport letterman with Morehouse GA) cracked two-run homers in the 8th and 12th innings in a 5-4 win against the Cincinnati Reds in 1966.
Detroit Tigers C Mickey Cochrane (five-sport athlete with Boston University) collected four hits, including three for extra bases, against the Chicago White Sox in a 1937 contest.
New York Yankees LHP Al Downing (attended Muhlenberg PA on hoops scholarship but left before ever playing) tossed a three-hit shutout in the opener of 1964 doubleheader against the Washington Senators, notching 13 of his A.L.-leading 217 strikeouts.
Boston Red Sox LF Hoot Evers (Illinois hoops starter in 1939-40) scored four runs against the St. Louis Browns in the opener of a 1953 doubleheader.
Washington Senators C Rick Ferrell (played forward for Guilford NC before graduating in 1928) registered four hits against the St. Louis Browns in a 1939 game.
First triumph in 1982 campaign for Baltimore Orioles LHP Mike Flanagan (averaged 13.9 ppg for UMass' freshman squad in 1971-72) was a three-hit shutout against the Seattle Mariners. Seven years later with the Toronto Blue Jays, Flanagan provided the final whitewash of his 18-year career (four-hitter against the Oakland Athletics in 1989).
INF Jake Flowers (member of 1923 "Flying Pentagon" championship hoops squad for Washington College MD) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Brooklyn Robins in 1927.
LHP Steve Hamilton (Morehead State's leading scorer and rebounder in 1956-57 and 1957-58) traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Washington Senators in 1962.
Teammates OF Irv Noren (hoops player of year for California junior college state champion Pasadena City in 1945) and INF Tommie Upton (led Southeast Missouri State in scoring three years last half of 1940s and was school's career scoring leader upon graduation; while serving in military, Upton was All-EIBL first-team selection with Penn in 1945-46) traded by the Washington Senators to the New York Yankees for promising OF Jackie Jensen and three other players in 1952. Upton never played for the Yanks.
RHP Steve Roser (hoops center for Clarkson NY before passing up senior season after signing professional baseball contract in 1940) purchased from the New York Yankees by the Boston Braves in 1946.
RHP Rollie Sheldon (third-leading scorer as sophomore for Connecticut's 1960 NCAA Tournament team) traded by the New York Yankees to the Kansas City Athletics in 1965.
Chicago Cubs SS Roy Smalley Jr. (one of top scorers for Drury MO in 1942-43 and 1943-44) went 4-for-4 against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 1950 contest.
Boston Red Sox 3B Jim Tabor (Alabama hoops letterman in 1936-37) jacked two homers against the St. Louis Browns in a 1940 outing.
St. Louis Cardinals RHP Ray Washburn (Whitworth WA scoring leader in 1958-59 and 1959-60 when named All-Evergreen Conference) tossed a two-hit shutout against the Cincinnati Reds in 1967.
Chicago Cubs RF Bob Will (all-league athlete was hoops captain for Mankato State MN in 1954-55) stroked two doubles in midst of four consecutive two-hit contests in 1960.
On This Date: Ex-College Hoopers Make Their Mark on May 2 MLB Games
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.
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 2 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
MAY 2
Chicago Cubs 2B Glenn Beckert (three-year basketball letterman for Allegheny PA) contributed three extra-base hits against the Atlanta Braves in a 1972 game.
Baltimore Orioles CF Al Bumbry (Virginia State's runner-up in scoring with 16.7 ppg as freshman in 1964-65) stroked four hits against the Seattle Mariners in a 1979 contest.
Chicago Cubs CF Billy Cowan (hoops co-captain of Utah's 1970 NCAA playoff team) knocked in five runs against the Houston Colt .45s in a 1964 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 the state's "Mr. Basketball") drove in six runs in a 7-3 victory at St. Louis in 1958.
Boston Red Sox C Gene Desautels (Holy Cross hoops letterman in 1929 and 1930) went 4-for-4 against the Philadelphia Athletics in a 1938 outing.
San Francisco Giants 3B Darrell Evans (member of Jerry Tarkanian-coached Pasadena City CA club winning 1967 state community college crown) homered in both ends of a 1981 doubleheader split against the Philadelphia Phillies.
After winning four straight starts in April, Florida Marlins LHP Mark Hendrickson (two-time All-Pacific-10 Conference selection paced Washington State four straight seasons in rebounding 1992-93 through 1995-96) earned the triumph in a 6-4 verdict over the San Diego Padres in 2008.
New York Yankees rookie LF Charlie Keller (three-year hoops letterman with Maryland from 1934-35 through 1936-37) scored four runs and chipped in with six RBI against the Detroit Tigers in a 1939 contest.
INF Buddy Myer (hoops letterman for Mississippi State in 1923-24) traded by the Washington Senators to the Boston Red Sox in 1927.
3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) swatted a pinch-hit grand slam for the Atlanta Braves in a 12-4 victory against the Houston Astros in 1987.
Philadelphia Phillies RHP Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) struck out 13 Chicago Cubs in a 4-2 triumph in 1957. No Philly infielder had an assist in the contest.
In 1958, Boston Red Sox RHP Dave Sisler (All-Ivy League second-team selection for Princeton's first NCAA Tournament team in 1952) fired his lone MLB shutout (against Detroit Tigers). The next year, Sisler was traded by the Red Sox to the Tigers on this date.
Chicago Cubs CF Cy Williams (Notre Dame forward in 1909-10) went 4-for-4 with two triples against the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1914 game.
First MLB win for RHP Jim Wilson (hoops letterman for San Diego State's 1942 NAIA Tournament participant) was a four-hit shutout for the Boston Red Sox against the Washington Senators in 1945.
Pages
