On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on July 4 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 hoopsters 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 July 4 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JULY 4
Cleveland Indians 2B Bosey Berger (Maryland's first basketball All-American led Southern Conference in scoring in league competition in 1930-31) banged out four hits against the Detroit Tigers in the opener of a 1935 doubleheader.
1B-OF Larry Biittner (runner-up in scoring and rebounding for Buena Vista IA in 1966-67) hurled the final 1 1/3 innings for the Chicago Cubs in the opener of a 1977 doubleheader against the Montreal Expos.
Cleveland Indians SS Lou Boudreau (leading scorer for Illinois' 1937 Big Ten Conference co-champion) contributed four hits against the Detroit Tigers in the nightcap of a 1946 twinbill.
Pittsburgh Pirates 1B Donn Clendenon (four-sport letterman with Morehouse GA) cracked two homers against the Chicago Cubs in the nightcap of a 1966 doubleheader. Clendenon also homered each of the next two days against the Cubs.
Philadelphia Athletics C Mickey Cochrane (Boston University player in early 1920s) went 4-for-4, including three doubles and a homer, against the Boston Red Sox in the opener of a 1929 doubleheader. Six years later with the Detroit Tigers, Cochrane stroked four hits for the second time in a four-game span in 1935.
RHP Jack Coombs (captain and starting center for Colby ME) overcame seven Brooklyn Dodgers errors to nip the New York Giants, 4-3, in the nightcap of a 1918 twinbill. Coombs scored the winning run after drilling a 10th-inning triple (his third hit of contest).
In 1957, Cincinnati Reds 1B George Crowe (four-year letterman from 1939-40 through 1942-43 for Indiana Central after becoming first high schooler named state's "Mr. Basketball") went 5-for-5, driving in six runs, but it wasn't enough to prevent a 10-7 loss against his original team (the Milwaukee Braves).
New York Giants SS Alvin Dark (letterman for LSU and USL during World War II) delivered a homer in each end of a 1950 doubleheader split with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
St. Louis Cardinals CF Taylor Douthit (California letterman from 1922 through 1924) went 5-for-7 and scored five runs in a 1928 twinbill split against the Chicago Cubs.
Washington Senators LHP Joe Engel (played for Mount St. Mary's in 1910-11 and 1911-12) hurled a complete game but lost, 1-0, against the Boston Red Sox on an unearned run in the opener of a 1914 doubleheader.
Chicago Cubs LHP Darcy Fast (all-conference player for Warner Pacific OR in 1965-66 and 1966-67) lost his lone MLB decision (7-4 against the Philadelphia Phillies in the nightcap of a 1968 twinbill).
Boston Red Sox C Rick Ferrell (played forward for Guilford NC before graduating in 1928) went 4-for-4 against the Philadelphia Athletics in the nightcap of a 1933 doubleheader.
RHP Bob Garibaldi (starting forward for Santa Clara in 1961-62 when averaging 10.6 ppg and 5.6 rpg) signed with the San Francisco Giants for a $150,000 bonus in 1962 after receiving award as College World Series Most Outstanding Player.
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 1956 twinbill split against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Cincinnati Reds RHP Jay Hook (Northwestern's third-leading scorer as sophomore in 1955-56) hurled a four-hit shutout against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1960.
Los Angeles Dodgers RF Frank Howard (two-time All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection in 1956-57 and 1957-58) furnished five RBI against the Philadelphia Phillies in the opener of a 1962 twinbill.
Atlanta Braves 2B Davey Johnson (averaged 1.7 ppg with Texas A&M in 1961-62) laced two homers against the Houston Astros in the nightcap of a 1973 doubleheader.
New York Yankees RF Charlie Keller (Maryland three-year letterman from 1934-35 through 1936-37) clobbered two homers against the Boston Red Sox in the opener of a 1940 twinbill.
Cleveland Indians SS Jerry Kindall (averaged 6.9 ppg for Minnesota as junior in 1955-56) cracked a homer in both ends of a 1963 doubleheader sweep against the Boston Red Sox. Kindall collected a walk-off round-tripper in the bottom of the 14th inning in the opener.
Chicago Cubs OF Hank Leiber (played for Arizona in 1931) hammered three homers against the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a 1939 twinbill.
Cleveland Indians RHP Dutch Levsen (Iowa State letterman in 1918-19) tossed a two-hit shutout against the Chicago White Sox in the opener of a 1927 doubleheader.
Chicago White Sox 1B Tony Lupien (Harvard captain in 1938-39) went 7-for-10 in a 1948 doubleheader split against the Detroit Tigers.
Cleveland Indians rookie CF Ed Morgan (Tulane letterman from 1923-24 through 1925-26), raising his batting average to .378, had four hits against the Detroit Tigers in the opener of a 1928 twinbill.
Chicago Cubs RF Bill Nicholson (Washington College MD guard for two years in mid-1930s) whacked two homers against the Boston Braves in the nightcap of a 1945 doubleheader.
Oakland Athletics CF Billy North (played briefly for Central Washington in 1967-68) stole three bases against the California Angels in 1973.
Detroit Tigers RF Jim Northrup (second-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder for Alma MI in 1958-59) collected two homers, a triple and five RBI in a 13-10 victory over the California Angels in 1968.
LHP Preacher Roe (played for Harding AR in late 1930s) and RHP Ralph Branca (sixth-leading scorer for NYU in 1943-44) are the winning hurlers as the Brooklyn Dodgers sweep a 1951 doubleheader against the New York Giants.
RHP Jeff Shaw (freshman guard for 31-5 Rio Grande OH team participating in 1985 NAIA Tournament) traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1968. He became the first reliever in MLB history to lead two different clubs in saves in the same season (23 with the Reds and 25 with the Dodgers).
Boston Red Sox 3B Jim Tabor (Alabama letterman in 1936-37) socked four homers in a 1939 doubleheader against the Philadelphia Athletics, collecting 19 total bases and 11 RBI. Three of Tabor's round-trippers came in the nightcap, including a record-tying two grand slams in back-to-back innings.
New York Yankees LHP Ed Wells (multi-sport athlete graduated in 1924 from Bethany WV) incurred his lone defeat in the midst of 10 victories from the end of May to early August in 1930.
Boston Braves LF Ab Wright (Oklahoma A&M letterman in 1928-29) went hitless for the only time in a 14-game span in 1944.
Savoring General Ryan: Bo Knows Player Development in Power Conference
In the aftermath of Wisconsin's Bo Ryan announcing his retirement after next season, it's time to acknowledge him as perhaps the premier player-development coach from a power league. A UW player became an All-Big Ten Conference selection each of the previous five campaigns and seven of previous eight after averaging fewer than three points per game as a freshman. If not for missing half of this season because of a broken foot, point guard Traevon Jackson (1.1 in 2011-12) might have joined the following chronological list of Badgers becoming an all-league choice under Ryan after averaging fewer than 3 ppg as a freshman (all but one of them fewer than 2 ppg):
G Kammron Taylor (1.2 ppg in 2003-04 to 13.3 ppg in 2006-07)
G Michael Flowers (1.2 ppg in 2004-05 to 9.6 ppg in 2007-08)
G Trevon Hughes (1.4 ppg in 2006-07 to 15.3 ppg in 2009-10)
F Jon Leuer (2.9 ppg in 2007-08 to 18.3 ppg in 2010-11)
G Jordan Taylor (1.6 ppg in 2008-09 to 18.1 ppg in 2010-11 and 14.8 ppg in 2011-12)
C Jared Berggren (1.1 ppg in 2009-10 to 11 ppg in 2012-13)
C Frank Kaminsky (1.8 ppg in 2011-12 to 14.1 ppg in 2013-14 and 18.4 ppg in 2014-15)
"Saving" his program time and time again by turning scars into stars, it is no wonder Wisconsin won 50 consecutive contests under "General" Ryan in one stretch when the Badgers were ahead or tied with five minutes remaining in regulation. They never finished lower than fourth place in the Big Ten standings in his first 14 years at their helm. Kaminsky scored a school-record 43 points early in the 2013-14 campaign en route to pacing the team in scoring average. It is time to right "Ryan's Wrong" by firing national coach of the year voters. There is no satisfactory explanation why Ryan never has been named national COY. Adding insult to injury this past spring, George Raveling (2-6 NCAA playoff mark with Washington State, Iowa and USC plus losing record with Hawkeyes in three seasons of Big Ten competition) became an inductee to Basketball Hall of Fame over Ryan.
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on July 3 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 hoopsters 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 July 3 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JULY 3
In 1960, LHP Ray Blemker (two-time All-SEC second-team guard led Georgia Tech in scoring each basketball season from 1956-57 through 1958-59) made his lone MLB appearance with the Kansas City Athletics.
Kansas City Athletics LF Bob Cerv (ranked fourth on Nebraska's career scoring list in 1949-50 when finishing his career) cracked a grand slam before P Herb Score settled down and fanned 14 in the Cleveland Indians' 8-4 triumph in 1959.
In 1994, the Cleveland Indians retired the uniform number of OF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA titlist). Doby broke the A.L. color barrier in 1947.
California Angels RHP Dave Frost (averaged 10.5 ppg and 4 rpg for Stanford from 1971-72 through 1973-74) tossed a four-hit shutout against the Oakland Athletics in 1979.
Cincinnati Reds 1B Harvey Hendrick (Vanderbilt letterman in 1918) went 4-for-4 in a 4-2 win against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1932.
Cleveland Indians CF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling 35-3 record) went 4-for-4 against the Minnesota Twins in 1994.
RHP Roger Mason (multiple-year letterman for Saginaw Valley State MI in late 1970s) traded by the San Diego Padres to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1993.
In the midst of smacking six homers in a six-game span in 1974, Detroit Tigers RF Jim Northrup (second-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder for Alma MI in 1958-59) deposited two balls over the outfield fence against the New York Yankees.
In 1956, Pittsburgh Pirates 2B Johnny O'Brien (two-time All-American with Seattle was first college player to crack 1,000-point plateau in a season when he scored 1,051 in 37 games in 1951-52) became the last N.L. position player in the 20th Century to earn a victory on the mound.
Philadelphia Phillies RHP Ron Reed (Notre Dame's leading rebounder in 1963-64 and 1964-65) permitted an earned run for the only time in a span of 14 relief appearances in 1976.
In 1949, Philadelphia Phillies RHP Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) tossed his third shutout in less than a month.
Chicago Cubs LF Riggs Stephenson (Alabama letterman in 1920) contributed five RBI against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1928. The next day, Stephenson supplied five hits against the Cards in the nightcap of a doubleheader.
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on July 2 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 hoopsters 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 July 2 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JULY 2
Milwaukee Braves 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) homered in his fourth consecutive contest in 1955.
Detroit Tigers rookie 1B Dale Alexander (starting center in mid-1920s for Milligan TN) collected two homers and six RBI in a 10-4 win against the St. Louis Browns in 1929.
St. Louis Browns rookie RF Red Badgro (first-five pick on All-Pacific Coast Conference team in 1926-27 as USC's MVP) went hitless for the only time in an 18-game game span from mid-June to mid-July in 1929.
INF Jack Barry (letterman for Holy Cross in 1908) purchased from the Philadelphia Athletics by the Boston Red Sox in 1915.
Pittsburgh Pirates 1B Donn Clendenon (four-sport letterman with Morehouse GA) went 4-for-4 against the San Francisco Giants in 1964.
OF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA titlist) signed with the Cleveland Indians in 1947, becoming the first black player in the A.L. and second in MLB history.
Texas Rangers rookie 1B Mike Hargrove (Northwestern Oklahoma State letterman) went 4-for-4 against the Minnesota Twins in 1974.
LF Frank Howard (two-time All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection when he led Ohio State in scoring and rebounding in 1956-57 and 1957-58), CF Don Lock (led Wichita State in field-goal percentage in 1956-57 and 1957-58) and teammate Ken McMullen hit back-to-back-to-back homers in the sixth inning to power the Washington Senators to a 10-4 victory over the New York Yankees in 1966. Lock went 5-for-5.
Chicago Cubs 3B Davey Lopes (NAIA All-District 15 selection for Iowa Wesleyan averaged 16.9 ppg as freshman in 1964-65 and 12.1 ppg as sophomore in 1965-66) delivered a game-winning homer in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Montreal Expos in 1986.
Los Angeles Dodgers LF Wally Moon (averaged 4.3 ppg with Texas A&M in 1948-49 and 1949-50) went 4-for-4 against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1960.
A two-run pinch homer by RF Bill Nicholson (Washington College MD guard for two years in mid-1930s) propelled the Philadelphia Phillies to a 2-1 win against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1952.
Detroit Tigers RHP Joe Niekro (averaged 8.9 ppg and 3.8 rpg for West Liberty WV from 1963-64 through 1965-66) had his no-hit bid ended in the ninth inning in a 5-0 triumph against the New York Yankees in 1970. Fifteen years later, Niekro posted his 200th career victory when the Houston Astros edged the San Diego Padres.
New York Giants RHP Roy Parmelee (letterman for Eastern Michigan in 1924-25 and 1925-26) tossed a 1-0 shutout to beat the St. Louis Cardinals' Dizzy Dean in the nightcap of a 1933 doubleheader. Teammate Carl Hubbell hurled an 18-inning whitewash for the Giants in the opener.
Boston Red Sox LHP Gary Peters (played for Grove City PA in mid-1950s) fired the second of back-to-back shutouts in 1970.
In 1983, OF Gary Redus (J.C. player for Athens AL and father of Centenary/South Alabama guard) ripped a leadoff homer for the second consecutive game against the Atlanta Braves. Seven years later as a Pittsburgh Pirates 1B, Redus extended his career-high hitting streak to 12 straight outings in 1990.
Chicago White Sox C Leo Tankersley (TCU letterman in 1922-23 and 1923-24) appeared in his lone MLB game (against St. Louis Browns in 1925).
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) whacked a decisive two-run pinch homer against the St. Louis Cardinals in the top of the 11th inning in 2015.
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on July 1 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 hoopsters 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 July 1 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JULY 1
Chicago Cubs rookie 2B Glenn Beckert (three-year basketball letterman for Allegheny PA) belted two homers against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1965.
Pittsburgh Pirates LF Carson "Skeeter" Bigbee (Oregon letterman in 1915) collected four hits against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1919.
Brooklyn Dodgers RHP Roger Craig (forward with North Carolina State's 1949-50 freshman team) collected his sixth straight win in 1956 (4-1 nod over Philadelphia Phillies).
In 1943, Chicago White Sox LF Guy Curtright (two-time All-MIAA selection led Northeast Missouri State in scoring each of his four seasons in early 1930s) set a MLB rookie record (subsequently broken) with a 26-game hitting streak as a 30-year-old newcomer in his only season as a regular.
Boston Red Sox C Gene Desautels (Holy Cross letterman in 1929 and 1930) contributed three hits and four runs against the Philadelphia Athletics in 1938.
Cleveland Indians CF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA titlist) walked five times in a 19-inning, 4-3 victory over the St. Louis Browns in 1952.
C-OF Joe Ferguson (member of Pacific's 1967 NCAA playoff team) traded by the Houston Astros with cash to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1978.
St. Louis Cardinals 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham captain) scored four runs for the first of two times in a three-game span in 1930.
In his first game back following four years serving in the U.S. military during WWII, Detroit Tigers LF Hank Greenberg (enrolled at NYU on hoop scholarship in 1929 but attended college only one semester) pounded a homer against the Philadelphia Athletics in 1945.
Washington Senators LF Frank Howard (two-time All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection in 1956-57 and 1957-58 when leading Ohio State in scoring and rebounding) homered in both ends of a 1969 doubleheader sweep of the Detroit Tigers.
Cleveland Indians LF "Sweet" Lou Johnson (Kentucky State teammate of legendary coach Davey Whitney averaged 5.7 ppg and 2 rpg in 1951-52) whacked back-to-back homers against the Minnesota Twins in 1968.
Cleveland Indians CF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling 35-3 record) provided three hits and three stolen bases against the Milwaukee Brewers in 1998.
Boston Red Sox 3B Buddy Myer (Mississippi State letterman in 1923-24) supplied multiple hits in seventh consecutive contest, including three extra-base safeties in the opener of a 1928 twinbill against the Washington Senators. Eleven years later as a 2B with the Senators, Myer went 4-for-4 against the Philadelphia Athletics in 1939.
Washington Senators CF Irv Noren (player of the year for California community college state champion Pasadena City in 1945) collected a homer and two doubles but his output wasn't enough to prevent a 1951 doubleheader loss against the Philadelphia Athletics. The extra-base hits triggered a streak of four games in a row with three safeties.
RHP Elmer Ponder (Oklahoma letterman in 1914 and 1916) traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Chicago Cubs in 1921.
St. Louis Cardinals rookie C Dave Ricketts (three-year starter led Duquesne in scoring senior season with 17.9 ppg in 1956-57) contributed a career-high three hits against the New York Mets in 1967.
LHP Paul Splittorff (runner-up in scoring and rebounding for Morningside IA in 1967-68) retired in 1984. His 166 victories in 13 seasons are the most in Kansas City Royals history.
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 30 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 hoopsters 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 June 30 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 30
Cincinnati Reds LF Morrie Arnovich (played basketball for Wisconsin-Superior in early 1930s) went 4-for-4 in a 7-6 win against the Chicago Cubs in the nightcap of a 1940 doubleheader.
Chicago Cubs CF Frankie Baumholtz (MVP in 1941 NIT and first player in Ohio University history to score 1,000 career points) banged out four hits against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1953.
In 1960, Detroit Tigers 2B Frank Bolling (averaged 7.3 ppg for Spring Hill AL in 1950-51) had a streak of seven straight two-hit games, with an extra-base safety in all but one of them, halted when he went hitless against the Boston Red Sox.
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 1942.
Philadelphia Athletics C Mickey Cochrane (Boston University player in early 1920s) went 4-for-4 against the Detroit Tigers in 1930.
In 1978, Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA titlist) became the second black MLB manager, succeeding Bob Lemon as skipper of the Chicago White Sox.
Boston Red Sox C Rick Ferrell (played forward for Guilford NC before graduating in 1928) contributed three extra-base hits and four RBI against the Philadelphia Athletics in 1935.
St. Louis Cardinals 3B Jake Flowers (member of 1923 "Flying Pentagon" championship squad for Washington College MD) closed out the month with five straight multiple-hit games in 1932.
In 1940, Washington Senators SS Charlie Gelbert (scored at least 125 points each of last three seasons in late 1920s for Lebanon Valley PA) closed out the month hitting .474 in 11 games (18-of-38).
En route to hitting .303 in 1970, St. Louis Cardinals RHP Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer and rebounder in 1955-56 and 1956-57) supplied his fifth multiple-hit game of the month while winning seven starts during that span.
San Diego Padres RF Tony Gwynn (All-WAC second-team selection with San Diego State in 1979-80 and 1980-81) and two teammates each socked a three-run homer in a 15-6 rout of the Oakland A's in 1997.
Commencing the game by fanning the side on nine pitches in the opening inning, Los Angeles Dodgers LHP Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman squad in 1953-54) hurled a no-hitter against the New York Mets in 1962.
Minnesota Twins LHP Bill Krueger (led WCAC in free-throw percentage as freshman en route to averaging 5.1 ppg for Portland from 1975-76 through 1979-80) tossed a two-hit shutout against the California Angels in 1992.
In 1938, New York Giants CF Hank Leiber (played for Arizona in 1931) launched the final homer at Philadelphia's Baker Bowl before the Phillies moved to Shibe Park. Leiber finished the contest with three extra-base hits and five RBI.
Los Angeles Dodgers 2B Davey Lopes (NAIA All-District 15 selection for Iowa Wesleyan averaged 16.9 ppg as freshman in 1964-65 and 12.1 ppg as sophomore in 1965-66) went 4-for-4 against the San Diego Padres in 1975.
In the midst of a 10-game hitting streak, Philadelphia Athletics C Ed Madjeski (Seton Hall letterman from 1928-29 through 1930-31) manufactured five safeties in a 1933 doubleheader split against the St. Louis Browns.
RHP Nels Potter (leading scorer during two years attending Mount Morris IL in early 1930s) purchased from the Philadelphia Athletics by the Boston Red Sox in 1941.
Baltimore Orioles LF Larry Sheets (All-ODAC selection in 1981-82 and 1982-83 with Eastern Mennonite VA) collected four RBI while triggering a career-high 10-game hitting streak in 1987.
New York Mets LHP George Stone (averaged 14.7 ppg and 6.5 rpg for Louisiana Tech in 1964-65 and 1965-66) hurled his final MLB complete game when defeating the Chicago Cubs, 5-1, in 1975.
OF Kite Thomas (averaged 5.1 ppg for Kansas State in 1946-47) awarded on waivers from the Philadelphia Athletics to the Washington Senators in 1953.
Seattle Mariners LHP Matt Thornton (averaged 5.8 ppg and 2.4 rpg for Grand Valley State MI from 1995-96 through 1997-98) charged with a run for the first time in last 14 relief appearances in 2005.
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 29 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 hoopsters 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 June 29 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 29
Milwaukee Braves 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) smashed two homers in a 3-1 win against the Chicago Cubs in the nightcap of a 1960 twinbill.
RHP Jim Bibby (Fayetteville State NC backup player and brother of UCLA All-American Henry Bibby) secured his first win with the Texas Rangers by hurling a one-hit shutout against the Kansas City Royals in 1973.
New York Giants 2B Andy Cohen (Alabama letterman in 1924 and 1925) had an 11-game hitting streak snapped by the Philadelphia Phillies in the opener of a 1929 twin bill.
Boston Red Sox rookie RHP Boo Ferriss (Mississippi State letterman in 1941) contributed a run-scoring single and two-run, ninth-inning homer in a 4-2 decision over the Chicago White Sox in 1945.
Washington Senators SS Charlie Gelbert (scored at least 125 points each of last three seasons in late 1920s for Lebanon Valley PA) collected three hits for the third consecutive contest in 1940.
San Francisco Giants rookie LHP Atlee Hammaker (averaged 5.3 ppg as freshman in 1976-77 and 4.9 ppg as sophomore in 1977-78 under East Tennessee State coach Sonny Smith) fired his first MLB shutout, a four-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds in 1982.
Chicago Cubs LF Harvey Hendrick (Vanderbilt letterman in 1918) stroked three extra-base hits against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1933.
Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (played for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) smacked two homers against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 1956 game.
In the midst of 13 straight scoreless relief appearances covering 21 innings in 1954, Cincinnati Reds RHP Howie Judson (Illinois' third-leading scorer in 1944-45) earned a victory against the St. Louis Cardinals.
OF David Justice (led Thomas More KY in assists in 1984-85), acquired by the New York Yankees from the Cleveland Indians in 2000, went on to become the first player to garner more than 50 RBI in a single season with two different clubs.
OF Charlie Keller (three-year letterman with Maryland from 1934-35 through 1936-37) homered in the nightcap of a 1941 doubleheader sweep of the Washington Senators by the New York Yankees, extending the Bronx Bombers' streak to a MLB-record 25 consecutive contests with a round-tripper.
In 1931, Philadelphia Phillies rookie RF Fred Koster (four-year starting forward from 1923-24 through 1926-27 was Louisville's leading scorer as sophomore and senior) contributed three hits for the second time in three games.
Texas Rangers CF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling 35-3 record) went 4-for-4 against the Boston Red Sox in 2007.
St. Louis Cardinals RHP Lindy McDaniel (played for Oklahoma's 1954-55 freshman squad) registered his ninth save of the month en route to a league-high 27 in 1960.
Cleveland Indians rookie CF Ed Morgan (Tulane letterman from 1923-24 through 1925-26) had his fifth outing of the month with at least three hits in his last 13 games.
Washington Senators 2B Buddy Myer (Mississippi State letterman in 1923-24) provided multiple hits in seven consecutive contests in 1930.
Detroit Tigers RF Jim Northrup (second-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder for Alma MI in 1958-59) set a MLB mark with his third grand slam in a week in 1968. Three years later, Northrup smacked two homers against the Baltimore Orioles in 1971.
In the midst of a 10-game hitting streak after returning to the Chicago Cubs, 2B Paul Popovich (teammate of Jerry West for West Virginia's 1960 NCAA playoff team) scored four runs against the St. Louis Cardinals in the nightcap of a 1969 twinbill.
Philadelphia Phillies LHP Eppa Rixey (Virginia letterman in 1912 and 1914) fired a four-hit shutout against the New York Giants. The whitewash was one of 11 straight starts in 1916 where Rixey yielded fewer than three earned runs.
Brooklyn Dodgers 2B Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) whacked two homers against the New York Giants in a a 1950 game.
Baltimore Orioles RHP Tim Stoddard (starting forward opposite All-American David Thompson for North Carolina State's 1974 NCAA champion) finished the month with 10 consecutive scoreless relief appearances. Five years later in 1987 with the New York Yankees, Stoddard allowed his only earned run in a 14-game span until mid-July.
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 28 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 hoopsters 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 June 28 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 28
Chicago Cubs RF George Altman (appeared in 1953 and 1954 NAIA Basketball Tournament with Tennessee State) furnished five extra-base hits, including a homer in each game, in a 1961 doubleheader split against the Cincinnati Reds.
Detroit Tigers RHP Elden Auker (All-Big Six Conference first-five selection with Kansas State in 1931-32) won for the fifth time in as many decisions during the month in 1934.
In the midst of a career-high 23-game hitting streak, Pittsburgh Pirates LF Carson "Skeeter" Bigbee (Oregon letterman in 1915) went 7-for-10 against the Chicago Cubs in a 1921 twinbill.
Detroit Tigers 1B Tony Clark (San Diego State's leading scorer in WAC games in 1991-92) homered in his third consecutive contest in 2000.
Brooklyn Robins 3B Wally Gilbert (captain played for Valparaiso from 1918-19 through 1920-21) supplied four hits in a 10-4 win against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1931.
First MLB victory for Philadelphia Phillies rookie RHP Dallas Green (Delaware's second-leading scorer and rebounder in 1954-55) was a three-hit shutout against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1960.
Detroit Tigers 1B Hank Greenberg (enrolled at NYU on hoop scholarship in 1929 but attended college only one semester) blasted three homers in a 1935 doubleheader sweep of the St. Louis Browns.
LHP Steve Hamilton (All-OVC selection was Morehead State's leading scorer and rebounder in 1956-57 and 1957-58) allowed his only run in first 14 relief appearances with the Chicago Cubs in 1972.
In 1951, New York Giants OF Monte Irvin (played for Lincoln PA 1 1/2 years in late 1930s) swatted two homers off Brooklyn Dodgers RHP Ralph Branca (sixth-leading scorer for NYU in 1943-44) in same game.
LF "Sweet" Lou Johnson (Kentucky State teammate of legendary HBCU coach Davey Whitney averaged 5.7 ppg and 2 rpg in 1951-52) traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Cleveland Indians in 1968.
Chicago White Sox RHP Howie Judson (Illinois' third-leading scorer in 1944-45) lost his sixth decision of the month in 1949.
Detroit Tigers CF Harvey Kuenn (played briefly for Wisconsin in 1951-52 after competing on JV squad previous season) provided four hits against the Boston Red Sox in 1958.
Toronto Blue Jays RHP Dave Lemanczyk (averaged 4.5 ppg and 3.5 rpg for Hartwick NY teams compiling 51-21 record from 1969-70 through 1971-72) posted his fifth triumph of the month in 1977.
OF Don Lund (two-year starter for Michigan in mid-1940s) awarded on waivers from the Brooklyn Dodgers to the St. Louis Browns in 1948.
St. Louis Cardinals RHP Lindy McDaniel (played for Oklahoma's 1954-55 freshman squad) saved both ends of a 1959 doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds, giving him six saves and three victories in his last 12 relief appearances of the month.
New York Yankees SS Gene Michael (Kent State's leading scorer with 14 ppg in 1957-58) pulled hidden-ball trick against the Cleveland Indians in 1969.
Chicago Cubs RF Bill Nicholson (Washington College MD guard for two years in mid-1930s) collected two homers and five RBI against the Brooklyn Dodgers in the opener of a 1944 twinbill.
St. Louis Cardinals RHP Dick Ricketts (Duquesne's all-time leading scorer was second-team consensus All-American choice as junior in 1953-54 and first-five consensus selection as senior in 1954-55) registered his lone MLB victory (against Cincinnati Reds in 1959).
Cincinnati Reds LHP Eppa Rixey (Virginia letterman in 1912 and 1914) banged out four hits, including a homer and two doubles, in a 5-2 triumph over the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a 1924 doubleheader.
Chicago Cubs SS Roy Smalley Jr. (one of top scorers for Drury MO in 1942-43 and 1943-44) went for the cycle in a 15-3 romp over the St. Louis Cardinals in 1950.
In 2014, San Diego Padres LHP Eric Stults (played for 1999 NAIA D-II Tournament runner-up and 2000 NCCAA Tournament titlist with Bethel IN) lost for the sixth time in as many starts during the month.
Detroit Tigers RF Champ Summers (led SIUE in scoring in 1969-70 after doing same with Nicholls State in 1964-65) socked a homer in his third consecutive contest in 1979.
Chicago White Sox LHP Matt Thornton (averaged 5.8 ppg and 2.4 rpg for Grand Valley State MI from 1995-96 through 1997-98) posted his third relief victory during a span going unscored upon in last 12 appearances of the month in 2008.
Better Early Than Never: 22 Undergrad NBA Picks for UK in Last Six Years
Kentucky has a stunning 22 undergraduates selected in the NBA draft in the last six years under coach John Calipari. The remainder of the SEC supplied only 15 such selections during that span. As a further means of comparison, in-state rival Louisville has had only six such undergrads in the last 45 years after Montrezl Harrell bolted early for the pros.
UK is expected to increase its lead over runner-up North Carolina in this "defector" category in 2016 when the Wildcats should have multiple players leave school with eligibility remaining for the seventh straight season to declare for the NBA draft. It is debatable whether the undergrads should have returned to school for additional seasoning or even attended college in the first place. The following list of 14 schools have had more than 10 defectors since the introduction of hardship cases in 1971:
Kentucky (30) - Tom Payne (1971), Rex Chapman (1988), Jamal Mashburn (1993), Antoine Walker (1996), Ron Mercer (1997), Nazr Mohammed (1998), Rajon Rondo (2006), Jodie Meeks (2009), Eric Bledsoe (2010), DeMarcus Cousins (2010), Daniel Orton (2010), Patrick Patterson (2010), John Wall (2010), Brandon Knight (2011), DeAndre Liggins (2011), Anthony Davis (2012), Terrence Jones (2012), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (2012), Doron Lamb (2012), Marquis Teague (2012), Archie Goodwin (2013), Nerlens Noel (2013), Julius Randle (2014), James Young (2014), Devin Booker (2015), Willie Cauley-Stein (2015), Andrew Harrison (2015), Dakari Johnson (2015), Trey Lyles (2015), Karl-Anthony Towns (2015)
North Carolina (24) - Bob McAdoo (1972), James Worthy (1982), Michael Jordan (1984), J.R. Reid (1989), Jerry Stackhouse (1995), Rasheed Wallace (1995), Jeff McInnis (1996), Antawn Jamison (1998), Vince Carter (1998), Joseph Forte (2001), Raymond Felton (2005), Sean May (2005), Rashad McCants (2005), Marvin Williams (2005), Brandan Wright (2007), Wayne Ellington (2009), Ty Lawson (2009), Ed Davis (2010), Harrison Barnes (2012), John Henson (2012), Kendall Marshall (2012), Reggie Bullock (2013), P.J. Hairston (2014), J.P. Tokoto (2015)
UCLA (20) - Richard Washington (1976), Stuart Gray (1984), Tracy Murray (1992), Jelani McCoy (1998), Baron Davis (1999), Jerome Moiso (2000), Trevor Ariza (2004), Jordan Farmar (2006), Arron Afflalo (2007), Kevin Love (2008), Luc Mbah a Moute (2008), Russell Westbrook (2008), Jrue Holiday (2009), Tyler Honeycutt (2011), Malcolm Lee (2011), Shabazz Muhammad (2013), Jordan Adams (2014), Kyle Anderson (2014), Zach LaVine (2014), Kevon Looney (2015)
Kansas (18) - Norm Cook (1976), Darrin Hancock (1994), Paul Pierce (1998), Drew Gooden (2002), Julian Wright (2007), Darrell Arthur (2008), Mario Chalmers (2008), Brandon Rush (2008), Cole Aldrich (2010), Xavier Henry (2010), Marcus Morris (2011), Markieff Morris (2011), Josh Shelby (2011), Thomas Robinson (2012), Ben McLemore (2013), Joel Embiid (2014), Andrew Wiggins (2014), Kelly Oubre (2015)
Louisiana State (17) - DeWayne Scales (1980), Jerry Reynolds (1985), John Williams (1986), Chris Jackson (1990), Stanley Roberts (1991), Shaquille O'Neal (1992), Ronnie Henderson (1996), Randy Livingston (1996), Stromile Swift (2000), Brandon Bass (2005), Tyrus Thomas (2006), Glen Davis (2007), Anthony Randolph (2008), Justin Hamilton (2012), Johnny O'Bryant (2014), Jarell Martin (2015), Jordan Mickey (2015)
Arizona (16) - Eric Money (1974), Coniel Norman (1974), Brian Williams (1991), Mike Bibby (1998), Gilbert Arenas (2001), Richard Jefferson (2001), Michael Wright (2001), Andre Iguodala (2004), Marcus Williams (2006), Jerryd Bayless (2008), Derrick Williams (2011), Grant Jerrett (2013), Aaron Gordon (2014), Nick Johnson (2014), Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (2015), Stanley Johnson (2015)
Connecticut (16) - Donyell Marshall (1994), Ray Allen (1996), Richard Hamilton (1999), Khalid El-Amin (2000), Caron Butler (2002), Ben Gordon (2004), Emeka Okafor (2004), Charlie Villanueva (2005), Josh Boone (2006), Rudy Gay (2006), Marcus Williams (2006), Hasheem Thabeet (2009), Kemba Walker (2011), Andre Drummond (2012), Jeremy Lamb (2012), DeAndre Daniels (2014)
Duke (16) - William Avery (1999), Elton Brand (1999), Corey Maggette (1999), Carlos Boozer (2002), Mike Dunleavy Jr. (2002), Jay Williams (2002), Luol Deng (2004), Josh McRoberts (2007), Gerald Henderson (2009), Kyrie Irving (2011), Austin Rivers (2012), Rodney Hood (2014), Jabari Parker (2014), Tyus Jones (2015), Jahlil Okafor (2015), Justise Winslow (2015)
Michigan (15) - Campy Russell (1974), Tim McCormick (1984), Sean Higgins (1990), Chris Webber (1993), Jalen Rose (1994), Juwan Howard (1994), Maurice Taylor (1997), Robert Traylor (1998), Jamal Crawford (2000), Darius Morris (2011), Trey Burke (2013), Tim Hardaway Jr. (2013), Mitch McGary (2014), Glenn Robinson III (2014), Nik Stauskas (2014)
Memphis (13) - Larry Kenon (1973), William Bedford (1986), Vincent Askew (1987), Sylvester Gray (1988), Penny Hardaway (1993), David Vaughn III (1995), Lorenzen Wright (1996), Dajuan Wagner (2002), Shawne Williams (2006), Chris Douglas-Roberts (2008), Derrick Rose (2008), Elliot Williams (2010), Will Barton (2012)
Texas (13) - LaSalle Thompson (1982), Chris Mihm (2000), T.J. Ford (2003), LaMarcus Aldridge (2006), Daniel Gibson (2006), P.J. Tucker (2006), Kevin Durant (2007), D.J. Augustin (2008), Avery Bradley (2010), Jordan Hamilton (2011), Cory Joseph (2011), Tristan Thompson (2011), Myles Turner (2015)
Ohio State (12) - Clark Kellogg (1982), Jim Jackson (1992), Michael Redd (2000), Mike Conley Jr. (2007), Daequan Cook (2007), Greg Oden (2007), Kosta Koufos (2008), B.J. Mullens (2009), Evan Turner (2010), Jared Sullinger (2012), Deshaun Thomas (2013), D'Angelo Russell (2015)
Syracuse (12) - Pearl Washington (1986), Billy Owens (1991), Carmelo Anthony (2003), Donte Greene (2008), Johnny Flynn (2009), Wesley Johnson (2010), Fab Melo (2012), Dion Waiters (2012), Michael Carter-Williams (2013), Tyler Ennis (2014), Jerami Grant (2014), Chris McCullough (2015)
Georgia Tech (11) - Dennis Scott (1990), Kenny Anderson (1991), Stephon Marbury (1996), Dion Glover (1999), Chris Bosh (2003), Jarrett Jack (2005), Javaris Crittenton (2007), Thaddeus Young (2007), Derrick Favors (2010), Gani Lawal (2010), Iman Shumpert (2011)
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 27 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 hoopsters 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 June 27 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 27
INF Jack Barry (basketball letterman for Holy Cross in 1908) traded by the Boston Red Sox to the Philadelphia Athletics in 1919.
Seattle Mariners 1B Bruce Bochte (starting forward for Santa Clara's NCAA playoff team in 1969-70) supplied his ninth multiple-hit outing during an 11-game hitting streak in 1979.
2B Marv Breeding (played for Samford in mid-1950s) traded by the Houston Astros to the Chicago Cubs in 1967.
Detroit Tigers 1B Darrell Evans (member of Jerry Tarkanian-coached Pasadena City CA club winning 1967 state community college crown) registered his 2,000th career hit with a first-inning, two-run homer against the Baltimore Orioles in 1987.
St. Louis Cardinals 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham captain) stroked three doubles against the Brooklyn Dodgers in the nightcap of a 1931 doubleheader.
San Diego Padres RF Tony Gwynn (All-WAC second-team selection with San Diego State in 1979-80 and 1980-81) went 3-for-4 against the Atlanta Braves, raising his batting average in 1987 to .387 en route to finishing at .370.
LHP Mark Hendrickson (two-time All-Pacific-10 Conference selection paced Washington State four straight seasons in rebounding from 1992-93 through 1995-96) traded by the Tampa Devil Rays to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a five-player swap in 2006.
Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (played for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) smacked two homers against the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1954 game.
St. Louis Cardinals LF Danny Litwhiler (member of JV squad with Bloomsburg PA three years in mid-1930s) cracked two homers in a 3-2 win against the Chicago Cubs in the opener of a 1943 twinbill.
Chicago White Sox RHP Ted Lyons (two-time All-SWC first-team selection for Baylor in early 1920s) notched his eighth consecutive complete-game victory in 1939.
In the midst of a career-high 14-game hitting streak, Chicago Cubs CF Jerry Martin (1971 Southern Conference MVP after he was Furman's scoring runner-up in previous season) smashed a homer in fourth consecutive contest in 1979.
Cleveland Indians 2B Dutch Meyer (Texas Christian letterman in 1934-35 and 1935-36) collected four hits against the Philadelphia Athletics in a 1945 contest.
3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) belted a 14th-inning, two-run homer to give the New York Yankees a 6-4 victory against the Boston Red Sox in 1978. Two years earlier, Nettles went 4-for-4 with two homers and five RBI against the Milwaukee Brewers in a 1976 game.
Chicago Cubs RF Bill Nicholson (Washington College MD guard for two years in mid-1930s) provided his seventh straight two-hit game in 1942.
LHP Garry Roggenburk (led Dayton in scoring all three seasons from 1959-60 through 1961-62 and grabbed school-record 32 rebounds in his third varsity game en route to pacing Flyers in rebounding first two years) won his Seattle Pilots debut in 1969 by yielding only four hits and one run in 5 2/3 innings of relief against the California Angels.
LHP Matt Thornton (averaged 5.8 ppg and 2.4 rpg for Grand Valley State MI from 1995-96 through 1997-98) made his MLB debut in 2004, toiling four scoreless innings of relief with the Seattle Mariners against the San Diego Padres.
Philadelphia Phillies CF Cy Williams (Notre Dame forward in 1909-10) went 4-for-4 against the New York Giants in a 1921 game.
Bruised Egos: Nine Consensus All-Americans Go Undrafted in Last Six Years
Boasting fewer (NBA) assets than a MBA views Greece's shaky economy, what were they thinking? The misguided must not have taken an independent-study college course in deductive reasoning at their power conference school. Undergraduates Cliff Alexander (Kansas), Brandon Ashley (Arizona), Michael Frazier (Florida), Aaron Harrison (Kentucky), Trevor Lacey (North Carolina State), Terran Petteway (Nebraska), Robert Upshaw (Washington) and Chris Walker (Florida) - several of them potential All-Americans if they returned to college - were not among the chosen few in this year's NBA draft. Of course, the NBA is a difficult nut to crack. Even if they became All-Americans, there were no guarantees any of them would be selected in 2016. But now they're taking a crash-to-earth course at the school of hard knocks.
Northern Iowa's Seth Tuttle became the ninth NCAA consensus All-American to go undrafted in the last six seasons. Do you need any more evidence that the quality of play at the collegiate level has diminished in recent years? The NBA draft was reduced to seven rounds in 1985, three rounds in 1988 and to its present two rounds in 1989. Centers Bill Spivey of Kentucky and Sherman White of LIU, All-Americans in the early 1950s, went undrafted by the NBA allegedly because of possible repercussions stemming from a game-fixing scandal. A total of 26 All-Americans, including five in 2011, have gone undrafted by the NBA thus far in the 21st Century.
Five years ago, Sherron Collins (Kansas) and Scottie Reynolds (Villanova) became the initial NCAA consensus first-team All-Americans not to be selected in the NBA draft. Following is an alphabetical list of All-Americans who weren't selected in the NBA draft:
*NCAA consensus first-team All-American.
**NCAA consensus second-team All-American.
NOTE: Bell, Booker, Collins, Hansbrough, Haslem, Jennings, Jones, Lucas, McNeal, Ray, Sanchez and Smith went on to play in the NBA after signing as free agents. Pratt played in the ABA.
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 26 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 hoopsters 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 June 26 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 26
OF Bob Cerv (ranked fourth on Nebraska basketball career scoring list in 1949-50 when finishing his career) purchased from the New York Yankees by the Houston Colt .45's in 1962.
Pittsburgh Pirates 1B Donn Clendenon (four-sport letterman with Morehouse GA) collected four hits against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1965.
Los Angeles Dodgers C Joe Ferguson (played in 1967 NCAA playoffs with Pacific) pounded two homers, including a game-tying blast in the bottom of the ninth inning, in a 5-4 win against the Atlanta Braves in 1974.
Brooklyn Robins 2B Jake Flowers (member of 1923 "Flying Pentagon" championship squad for Washington College MD) contributed four hits against the Boston Braves in the opener of a 1928 doubleheader.
St. Louis Cardinals RHP Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer and rebounder in 1955-56 and 1956-57) hurled his fifth consecutive shutout (3-0 against the Pittsburgh Pirates) in the opener of a 1968 doubleheader.
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 a five-hit shutout against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1975. Two years later, Halicki spun his second shutout of the month that season.
In 1983, San Francisco Giants LHP Atlee Hammaker (averaged 5.3 ppg as freshman in 1976-77 and 4.9 ppg as sophomore in 1977-78 under East Tennessee State coach Sonny Smith) fired a four-hit shutout while fanning 12 San Diego Padres batters.
Los Angeles Dodgers rookie RF Frank Howard (two-time All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection in 1956-57 and 1957-58 when leading Ohio State in scoring and rebounding) whacked two homers against the Milwaukee Braves in 1960.
In 1966, Los Angeles Dodgers LHP Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman squad in 1953-54) matched his N.L. record of seven straight strikeouts in back-to-back nine-inning appearances en route to a 2-1 victory at Atlanta.
Detroit Tigers 1B-OF Rick Leach (averaged 15.5 ppg for Michigan's JV squad in 1975-76), mired in a 3-for-35 nosedive, broke up a no-hit bid by Baltimore's Storm Davis with a ninth-inning homer in 1983.
Milwaukee Braves SS Johnny Logan (played for Binghamton in 1948-49) had his second 14-game hitting streak of the 1958 campaign.
Oakland Athletics CF Billy North (played briefly for Central Washington in 1967-68) stole three bases against the California Angels in 1974.
San Diego Padres LHP Dennis Rasmussen (sixth-man for Creighton averaged 5.1 ppg from 1977-78 through 1979-80) tossed a shutout against the Houston Astros before losing nine of his next 10 decisions in the following two months of the 1990 campaign.
RHP Paul Reuschel (Western Illinois' leading rebounder in 1966-67 with 15.2 per game) traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Cleveland Indians in 1978.
Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) launched two homers against the Chicago Cubs in 1956.
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 25 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 hoopsters 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 June 25 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 25
Oakland A's rookie RHP Mark Acre (played basketball in 1990 NCAA Tournament with New Mexico State) earned his third relief victory in 11 days in 1994.
Houston Astros rookie C Mark Bailey (led Southwest Missouri State in rebounding and field-goal shooting in 1980-81) blasted two homers in an 8-5 win against the Atlanta Braves in 1984.
Baltimore Orioles rookie LF Al Bumbry (Virginia State's runner-up in scoring with 16.7 ppg as freshman in 1964-65) banged out five hits and scored the go-ahead run in the top of the 12th inning of a 4-3 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers in 1973.
New York Giants 2B Andy Cohen (Alabama letterman in 1924 and 1925) contributed four hits and scored three runs in a 12-4 triumph against the Philadelphia Phillies in the opener of a 1928 doubleheader.
Chicago White Sox 3B Gene Freese (West Liberty WV captain of 1952 NAIA Tournament team) manufactured four hits against the Boston Red Sox in 1960.
New York Giants 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham captain) collected four hits, four runs and three stolen bases against the Philadelphia Phillies in the nightcap of a 1921 twinbill. Eleven years later with the St. Louis Cardinals, Frisch furnished four hits against the Chicago Cubs in 1932.
Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (played for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) went for the cycle (including two homers) in a 17-10 triumph at Pittsburgh in 1949.
Philadelphia Phillies CF Don Lock (led Wichita State in field-goal percentage in 1956-57 and 1957-58 under coach Ralph Miller) went 6-for-8, homering in both ends of a 1967 twinbill sweep against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Pittsburgh Pirates SS Johnny Logan (played for Binghamton in 1948-49) went 4-for-4 in a 5-4 loss against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1963.
Rookie RF Bill Nicholson (two-year guard for Washington College MD in mid-1930s) purchased from the Washington Senators by the Chicago Cubs for $35,000 in 1939.
Montreal Expos RHP Steve Renko (averaged 9.9 ppg and 5.8 rpg as Kansas sophomore in 1963-64) tossed a one-hit shutout against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1974.
Baltimore Orioles DH Larry Sheets (All-ODAC selection in 1981-82 and 1982-83 with Eastern Mennonite VA) hammered two homers against the California Angels in 1989.
Los Angeles Dodgers LHP Eric Stults (played for 1999 NAIA D-II Tournament runner-up and 2000 NCCAA Tournament titlist with Bethel IN) fired a four-hit shutout against the Chicago White Sox in 2008.
New York Yankees RF Dave Winfield (starting forward with Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) stroked five singles and chipped in with four RBI against the Detroit Tigers in 1984. It was one of three five-hit games for Winfield this month, tying a mark set by Ty Cobb.
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 24 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 hoopsters 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 June 24 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 24
INF-OF Leo Burke (averaged 9.2 ppg for Virginia Tech basketball teams in 1952-53 and 1953-54) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Chicago Cubs for P Barney Schultz in 1963.
Detroit Tigers RHP Ownie Carroll (Holy Cross letterman in 1922), hurling his second shutout, allowed a total of four earned runs in his first eight victories of the 1928 campaign en route to leading the team with 16 triumphs.
Boston Braves SS Dick Culler (#9 jersey retired by High Point for Little All-American in 1935 and 1936) went 6-for-7 in a 1945 doubleheader split against the Brooklyn Dodgers.
1B Walt Dropo (Connecticut's first player ever to average 20 points for a season with 21.7 ppg in 1942-43) awarded on waivers from the Chicago White Sox to the Cincinnati Reds in 1958.
Houston Astros C Joe Ferguson (played in 1967 NCAA playoffs with Pacific) walked five times, including three intentional bases on balls, against the San Diego Padres in 1978.
RHP Eddie Fisher (played for Oklahoma's 1954-55 freshman squad) surrendered his only run in first 12 relief appearances with the Baltimore Orioles in 1966.
New York Giants 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham captain) went 5-for-5 and scored four runs against the Philadelphia Phillies in the opener of a 1926 doubleheader.
St. Louis Cardinals RHP Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer and rebounder in 1955-56 and 1956-57) ended a personal five-game losing streak with his final of 56 career shutouts (four-hitter against Pittsburgh Pirates in nightcap of 1974 twinbill).
New York Yankees LHP Steve Hamilton (Morehead State's leading scorer and rebounder in 1956-57 and 1957-58) struck out Cleveland Indians 1B Tony Horton with a couple of "Folly Floaters" as a reliever in the nightcap of a 1970 doubleheader.
Philadelphia Athletics 1B Tom Hamilton (member of Texas' 1947 Final Four team was SWC's leading scorer in league competition in 1949-50) supplied a career-high two hits in a 6-3 setback against the Detroit Tigers in 1953.
Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (played for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) homered three times in a 1951 doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Seven years later, Hodges hammered a round-tripper in both ends of a 1958 twinbill sweep of the Cincinnati Reds.
In 1944, Cincinnati Reds rookie RHP Jim Konstanty (member of 1937-38 and 1938-39 Syracuse teams) tossed a shutout in his second MLB start (1-0 against Chicago Cubs).
In 1958, New York Yankees INF Jerry Lumpe (member of Southwest Missouri State's 1952 NAIA Tournament championship team) smacked his first MLB homer (at Chicago off Early Wynn of the White Sox).
New York Yankees RF Bud Metheny (William & Mary letterman from 1935-36 through 1937-38) amassed two homers and six RBI in a 13-5 win against the Philadelphia Athletics in the opener of a 1945 twinbill.
Detroit Tigers RF Jim Northrup (second-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder for Alma MI in 1958-59) powered a grand slam in back-to-back innings (fifth and sixth) against the Cleveland Indians in 1968.
Cincinnati Reds LHP Eppa Rixey (Virginia letterman in 1911-12 and 1913-14) went into the eighth inning with a perfect game but wound up losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-3, in 1924.
In 1947, Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in PCC both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) swiped home in the fifth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates. It was the first of 19 times in Robinson's career he pilfered home. The next year, he went 7-for-9 in a 1948 doubleheader sweep of the Pirates.
Brooklyn Dodgers LHP Preacher Roe (played for Harding AR in late 1930s) twirled a shutout against the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a 1952 twinbill, giving him 30 victories in his last 33 decisions going back to the end of the 1950 campaign.
New York Giants C Wes Westrum (played for Bemidji State MN one season before serving in military) contributed a career game, hitting three homers plus a triple and scoring five runs in a 12-2 triumph against the Cincinnati Reds in 1950.
In 1991, California Angels RF-DH Dave Winfield (starting forward with Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) went 5-for-5 against the Kansas City Royals and became the oldest player in MLB history to go for the cycle (39).
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 23 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 hoopsters 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 June 23 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 23
Pittsburgh Pirates RF Clyde Barnhart (played basketball for Shippensburg PA predecessor Cumberland Valley State Normal School prior to World War I) went 4-for-4 against the Cincinnati Reds in 1923.
St. Louis Browns RF Beau Bell (two-year letterman for Texas A&M in early 1930s) banged out four hits in a 6-3 win against the New York Yankees in 1937.
In 1975, Chicago Cubs RHP Ray Burris (two-sport standout in Southwestern Oklahoma State Hall of Fame) tossed his first MLB shutout (against Montreal Expos).
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) went 4-for-4 with four RBI in a 5-3 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the opener of a 1957 doubleheader.
SS Alvin Dark (letterman for LSU and USL during World War II) traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the Milwaukee Braves in 1960.
OF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA titlist), retired from the Cleveland Indians, joined P Don Newcombe in 1962 as the first former MLB players to compete for a Japanese team. Doby's season batting average overseas will be a modest .225.
1B Walt Dropo (Connecticut's first player ever to average 20 points for a season with 21.7 ppg in 1942-43) and C Sammy White (All-PCC Northern Division first-five selection for Washington in 1947-48 and 1948-49) each homered when 12 consecutive Boston Red Sox players reached base in an 11-run, fourth-inning outburst at Detroit in 1952. Seven years later, Dropo was traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the Baltimore Orioles.
INF Howard Freigau (played for Ohio Wesleyan) purchased from the Brooklyn Robins by the Boston Braves in 1928.
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 against the Boston Braves in 1930.
New York Mets OF Jimmy Piersall celebrated by running around the bases backwards in 1963 after the free spirit hit the 100th homer of his MLB career and only one in the N.L. The round-tripper was yielded by Philadelphia Phillies RHP Dallas Green (Delaware's second-leading scorer and rebounder in 1954-55).
Cleveland Indians rookie 2B Jack Hammond (four-year letterman for Colgate from 1909-10 through 1912-13) supplied a career-high three hits against the Chicago White Sox in the nightcap of a 1915 doubleheader.
Boston Red Sox rookie RHP Herb Hash (three-year letterman averaged 6.4 ppg as junior center for Richmond's undefeated team in 1934-35) hurled his lone MLB shutout (2-0 against Cleveland Indians in 1940).
Chicago Cubs INF-OF Harvey Hendrick (Vanderbilt letterman in 1918) hammered a game-winning, pinch-hit grand slam in the 10th inning against the Philadelphia Phillies in the opener of a 1933 doubleheader.
Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (played for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) homered twice against the Cincinnati Reds in 1956.
LHP Bill Krueger (led WCAC in free-throw percentage as Portland freshman in 1975-76) traded by the Oakland Athletics to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1987.
In the midst of hitting safely in six of first eight contests with the Minnesota Twins in 1983, CF Rusty Kuntz (played J.C. hoops for Cuesta CA) led off the game against his original team (Chicago White Sox) with first MLB homer.
OF Sam Mele (NYU's leading scorer in 1943 NCAA playoffs) purchased from the Boston Red Sox by the Cincinnati Reds in 1955. Six years later, Mele became manager of the Minnesota Twins.
Boston Red Sox 1B Ed Morgan (Tulane letterman from 1923-24 through 1925-26) collected three hits and scored four runs in a 10-2 win against the Chicago White Sox in 1934.
Jim Riggleman (two-year letterman for Frostburg State MD averaged 7.2 ppg in early 1970s) resigned as Washington Nationals manager in 2011 on the heels of them winning 11 of 12 games when the franchise failed to give him a contract extension.
LHP Garry Roggenburk (led Dayton in scoring all three seasons from 1959-60 through 1961-62 and grabbed school-record 32 rebounds in third varsity game en route to pacing Flyers in rebounding his first two years) purchased from the Boston Red Sox by the Seattle Pilots in 1969.
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 22 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 hoopsters 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 June 22 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 22
San Diego Padres RHP Mike Adams (played basketball for Texas A&M-Kingsville in 1996-97) surrendered his only run (against Tampa Bay Rays) in a span of 20 relief appearances from mid-May to early July in 2010.
Philadelphia Phillies 1B-LF Harry Anderson (averaged 7.7 ppg and 8.9 rpg for West Chester PA in 1951-52) homered in both ends of a 1958 doubleheader against the San Francisco Giants.
Cleveland Indians SS Lou Boudreau (leading scorer for Illinois' 1937 Big Ten Conference co-champion) banged out four hits against the Boston Red Sox in 1940.
OF Billy Cowan (co-captain of Utah's 1960 NCAA playoff team) traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1966.
Cleveland Indians OF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA titlist) homered in both ends of a 1953 doubleheader against the Washington Senators.
St. Louis Browns C Rick Ferrell (played forward for Guilford NC before graduating in 1928) furnished four hits and four RBI against the New York Yankees in 1931.
San Francisco Giants RHP Eddie Fisher (played for Oklahoma's 1954-55 freshman squad) won his MLB debut by allowing only three hits and one run in seven innings in a 4-1 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1959.
St. Louis Cardinals 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham captain) stroked three extra-base hits against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1933. The next year, Frisch went 5-for-5 against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1934.
SS Dick Groat (NCAA unanimous first-team All-American for Duke in 1951-52 when national runner-up in scoring) purchased from the Philadelphia Phillies by the San Francisco Giants in 1967.
Los Angeles Dodgers C Tom Haller (backup forward for Illinois in 1956-57 and 1957-58 under coach Harry Combes) collected four hits against the Cincinnati Reds in 1969.
Pittsburgh Pirates 3B Lee Handley (Bradley letterman from 1932-33 through 1934-35) provided four hits against the New York Giants in 1939.
In 2003, LHP Mark Hendrickson (two-time All-Pacific-10 Conference selection paced Washington State four straight seasons in rebounding from 1992-93 through 1995-96) became the first Toronto Blue Jays hurler to hit a home run (against Montreal Expos).
In the midst of a career-high 11-game hitting streak, Chicago Cubs 2B Jerry Kindall (averaged 6.9 ppg for Minnesota as junior in 1955-56) contributed two doubles against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1960.
Setting a new record for a night game, Los Angeles Dodgers LHP Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman squad in 1953-54) fanned 16 Philadelphia Phillies in a 6-2 triumph in 1959.
RHP Dave Leonhard (averaged 4.8 ppg with Johns Hopkins MD in 1961-62), joining the Baltimore Orioles on a weekend leave from the National Guard, tossed a three-hit shutout against the Cleveland Indians in the nightcap of a 1969 doubleheader.
Cincinnati Reds CF Greasy Neale (hoopster graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan College in 1915) provided three hits in both ends of a 1918 twinbill split against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Pittsburgh Pirates rookie 2B Johnny O'Brien (consensus All-American second-team choice as junior and consensus first-team selection as senior averaged 25.8 ppg for Seattle from 1950-51 through 1952-53) manufactured back-to-back three-hit outings to cap off a nine-game hitting streak in 1953.
Atlanta Braves RHP Ron Reed (Notre Dame's leading rebounder in 1963-64 and 1964-65) spun a three-hit shutout against the Montreal Expos, igniting a streak where he permitted more than two earned runs only once in a span of nine straight starts.
In 1944, Pittsburgh Pirates INF Al Rubeling (played for Towson in early 1930s) ripped his second pinch-hit homer in four-game span.
In 1982, St. Louis Cardinals RHP John Stuper (two-time all-conference junior college player in mid-1970s for Butler County PA) surrendered Pete Rose's 3,772nd career hit. The third-inning double moved Rose past Hank Aaron into second place on MLB's all-time list.
Chicago White Sox RF Evar Swanson (played all five positions for Knox IL) collected four hits against the Boston Red Sox in 1934.
In 1969, Chicago White Sox rookie RHP Billy Wynne (one of prime Pfeiffer NC players in mid-1960s) hurled his lone MLB shutout (1-0 against California Angels).
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 21 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 hoopsters 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 June 21 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 21
Pittsburgh Pirates 3B Clyde Barnhart (played basketball for Shippensburg PA predecessor Cumberland Valley State Normal School prior to World War I) and LF Carson Bigbee (letterman with his brother on Oregon's squad in 1915) combined for nine hits against the Brooklyn Robins in 1922.
Detroit Tigers 1B Tony Clark (San Diego State's leading scorer in WAC games in 1991-92) collected five RBI against the Boston Red Sox in 1997. Two years later, Clark cracked three extra-base hits against the Oakland Athletics in 1999.
After registering five saves in less than a month, Cincinnati Reds LHP Joe Gibbon (two-time All-SEC forward for Ole Miss was nation's second-leading scorer as senior in 1956-57) notched his 11th straight scoreless relief appearance.
RHP Walt Huntzinger (All-EIBL second-five selection in 1921-22 with Penn) awarded on waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Chicago Cubs in 1926.
OF Rusty Kuntz (played J.C. hoops for Cuesta CA) traded by the Chicago White Sox to the Minnesota Twins in 1983.
Washington Senators CF Don Lock (led Wichita State in field-goal percentage in 1956-57 and 1957-58 under coach Ralph Miller) smashed two homers against the Kansas City Athletics in the opener of a 1964 doubleheader.
Chicago White Sox RHP Ted Lyons (two-time All-SWC first-team selection for Baylor in early 1920s) notched his 250th career win in 1942. Lyons finished the season hurling complete games in all 20 starts, led the A.L. with a 2.10 ERA, and then entered the U.S. Marine Corps at age 42.
Washington Senators rookie CF Irv Noren (player of year for California community college state champion Pasadena City in 1945) knocked in five runs against the Detroit Tigers in 1950.
Detroit Tigers RF Jim Northrup (second-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder for Alma MI in 1958-59) amassed two homers and five RBI against the Cleveland Indians in the nightcap of a 1970 twinbill.
Brooklyn Dodgers LHP Preacher Roe (played for Harding AR in late 1930s) won his first 10 decisions in 1951.
New York Yankees 3B Red Rolfe (played briefly with Dartmouth in 1927-28 and 1929-30) provided five hits against the Detroit Tigers in 1940.
As a pinch-hitter, New York Mets C John Stephenson (scored 1,361 points for William Carey MS in early 1960s) was the final out of P Jim Bunning's perfect game for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1964.
Chicago Cubs LF Riggs Stephenson (Alabama letterman in 1920) supplied four hits against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1932.
In 1973, San Diego Padres rookie LF Dave Winfield (starting forward with Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) whacked his first of 465 MLB homers (off Ken Forsch of Houston Astros).
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 20 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 hoopsters 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 June 20 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 20
Boston Red Sox 1B Dale Alexander (starting basketball center in mid-1920s for Milligan TN) contributed four hits in a 9-5 win against the Cleveland Indians in 1933.
LF Howie Bedell (averaged 3.5 ppg and 3.5 rpg for West Chester PA in 1955-56) traded by the Milwaukee Braves to the St. Louis Cardinals for P Bobby Tiefenauer in 1963.
Montreal Expos RHP Ray Burris (two-sport standout in Southwestern Oklahoma State Hall of Fame) tossed a three-hit shutout against the Philadelpia Phillies in 1983.
RHP Bob Chlupsa (led Manhattan in rebounding in 1965-66 and 1966-67) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the San Diego Padres in 1972.
1B Tony Clark (San Diego State's leading scorer in WAC games in 1991-92) clobbered two of Detroit's team-record eight homers in the Tigers' 18-6 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in 2000.
Hall of Fame C Mickey Cochrane (Boston University player in early 1920s) collected four of the Philadelphia Athletics' 26 hits in an 18-11 decision over the Chicago White Sox in 1932.
Lone MLB triumph for RHP Paul Edmondson (averaged 12.4 ppg and 6.6 rpg with Cal State Northridge from 1962-63 through 1964-65) came in his debut in 1969 when he hurled a two-hitter for the Chicago White Sox against the California Angels.
Detroit Tigers rookie 1B Hank Greenberg (enrolled at NYU on hoop scholarship in 1929 but attended college only one semester) went 4-for-4 against the Philadelphia Athletics in 1933.
RHP Ed Halicki (NAIA All-American third-team choice in 1971-72 when leading Monmouth in scoring with 21 ppg after setting school single-game rebounding record with 40 the previous season) awarded on waivers from the San Francisco Giants to the California Angels in 1980.
Los Angeles Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (played for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) homered twice against the Cincinnati Reds in 1959.
New York Yankees LF Charlie Keller (three-year letterman with Maryland from 1934-35 through 1936-37) homered in his fourth consecutive contest in 1941. Two years later, Keller connected for a circuit clout in both ends of a 1943 twinbill split against the Washington Senators.
San Francisco Giants OF Harvey Kuenn (played briefly for Wisconsin in 1951-52 after competing on JV squad previous season) collected five hits against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1964.
Chicago Cubs RF Bill Nicholson (Washington College MD guard for two years in mid-1930s) smacked two homers against the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a 1943 doubleheader.
In 1961, Baltimore Orioles rookie RF Earl Robinson (three-time All-PCC second-team selection for California under coach Pete Newell from 1955-56 through 1957-58) ripped first MLB homer, which was among his three hits against the Minnesota Twins.
New York Yankees 3B Red Rolfe (played briefly with Dartmouth in 1927-28 and 1929-30) registered three extra-base hits against the Chicago White Sox in 1939.
RHP Lee Smith (averaged 3.4 ppg and 1.9 rpg with Northwestern State in 1976-77) preserved the California Angels' 3-2 verdict over the Kansas City Royals in 1995, setting a MLB mark with his 18th save in 18 opportunities (record subsequently broken).
Hoops Legacy: Celebrating Father's Day Via Three Generations of Basketball
"It is much easier to become a father than to be one." - Letters to My Son: Reflections on Becoming a Man
A thorough check of an athlete's pedigree often is illuminating. Undeniably, it is also much easier to talk about becoming a prominent player than putting in the man hours necessary to earn your spurs and have an impact at a single university like the Guokas clan at Saint Joseph's. Matt Sr. and Matt Jr. went on to become the first father-son tandem to win NBA championships as players before Matt III competed four seasons with the Hawks from 1988-89 through 1991-92.
St. Joe's also supplied Vince Kempton, the only Hawks player to make more than 50% of his field goals in both of their Final Four games in 1961. He is the father of former NBA center Tim Kempton Sr., a starter for Notre Dame squads averaging 21 victories annually in the mid-1980s, and grandfather of Tim Kempton Jr., who could become a three-time Patriot League MVP for Lehigh.
Gifted by having a father and grandfather with hoop credentials is not a prerequisite for becoming a competent basketball player. Although some observers might think the last couple of generations in the following hoop families were groomed from birth, on-court excellence is earned not inherited.
Hoosier Hysteria's passion can't be denied when considering Indiana families including All-Americans Steve Alford, Eric Montross and Jack Parkinson plus significant DI contributors with last names like Dakich, Neal, Plumlee and Shepherd. In deference to Father's Day, following is an alphabetical list of the most accomplished father-son-grandson basketball combinations with at least one of them playing for or coaching a school from a power conference or in national postseason competition:
| Grandfather/Father | Father/Son | Grandson(s)/Son(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Sam Alford (Franklin IN '64) | Steve Alford (Indiana '87) | Kory Alford (UCLA '16) and Bryce Alford (UCLA '17) |
| Cleophus Banks (Southern LA '64) | Roman Banks (Northwestern State '92 | Tre'lun Banks (Southern LA '17) |
| Gary Bradds (Ohio State '64) | David Bradds (Dayton '91) | Evan Bradds (Belmont '17) |
| Tom Dakich (Bowling Green State '56) | Dan Dakich (Indiana '85) | Andrew Dakich (Michigan '17) |
| Lewis D'Antoni (Concord WV '37) | Dan D'Antoni (Marshall '69) | Nick D'Antoni (William & Mary '05) |
| Don Gatens (Notre Dame '46) | Mike Gatens (Iowa '76) | Matt Gatens (Iowa '12) |
| Matt Guokas Sr. (St. Joseph's '38) | Matt Guokas Jr. (St. Joseph's '66) | Matt Guokas III (St. Joseph's '92) |
| Bill Hosket Sr. (Ohio State '33) | Bill Hosket Jr. (Ohio State '68) | Brad Hosket (Ohio State '00) |
| Lake Kelly (Georgia Tech '56) | Brian Kelly (Morehead State '86) | Drew Kelly (Morehead State '14) |
| Vince Kempton (St. Joseph's '61) | Tim Kempton Sr. (Notre Dame '86) | Tim Kempton Jr. (Lehigh '17) |
| Press Maravich (Davis & Elkins WV '41) | Pete Maravich (Louisiana State '70) | Jaeson Maravich (Alabama, McNeese State and William Carey MS '04) and Josh Maravich (Louisiana State '05) |
| Johnny McConathy (Northwestern State '51) | Mike McConathy (Louisiana Tech '77) | Michael McConathy (Northwestern State '10) and Logan McConathy (Northwestern State '11) |
| Stan Neal (Ball State '65) | Craig Neal (Georgia Tech '88) and Shane Neal (Chattanooga '95) | Cullen Neal (New Mexico '17) |
| Jack Parkinson (Kentucky '48) | Bruce Parkinson (Purdue '77) | Austin Parkinson (Purdue '04) |
| Don Parsons (Rutgers '50) | Gary Parsons (Rollins FL '77) | Chandler Parsons (Florida '11) |
| Albert Schultz (Michigan Tech '44) | Perky Plumlee (Tennessee Tech '83) | Miles Plumlee (Duke '12), Mason Plumlee (Duke '13) and Marshall Plumlee (Duke '16) |
| Bill Reigel (Duquesne/Duke '53/McNeese State '56) | Ernie Reigel (Davidson '80) | Will Reigel (Davidson '12) |
| Danny Schultz (Tennessee '64) | Danny Schultz (Tennessee Tech '84) | Dan Schultz (Tennessee '08) |
| Bill Shepherd Sr. (Butler '49) | Billy Shepherd Jr. (Butler '72) | Scott Shepherd (Florida State '96) and Jeff Shepherd (Huntington IN '99) |
| John Townsend (Michigan '38) | Scott Montross (Michigan '68) | Eric Montross (North Carolina '94) |
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 19 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 hoopsters 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 June 19 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 19
Detroit Tigers 1B Dale Alexander (starting basketball center in mid-1920s for Milligan TN) had a 29-game hitting streak snapped by the New York Yankees in 1932. Two years later, Alexander was with the Boston Red Sox when he went 4-for-4 against the Cleveland Indians in the opener of a doubleheader.
Cleveland Indians RHP Jim Bibby (Fayetteville State NC backup player and brother of UCLA All-American Henry Bibby) tossed a four-hit shutout against the Detroit Tigers in the nightcap of a 1977 twinbill.
Chicago Cubs 1B Larry Biittner (runner-up in scoring and rebounding for Buena Vista IA in 1966-67) went 4-for-4 in the nightcap of a 1976 doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves.
New York Mets 1B Donn Clendenon (four-sport letterman with Morehouse GA) contributed three extra-base hits against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1971.
New York Giants OF Hoot Evers (starter for Illinois in 1939-40) climaxed a four-run, ninth-inning rally with a pinch-hit homer against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1954.
Los Angeles Dodgers C Joe Ferguson (played in 1967 NCAA playoffs with Pacific) provided a game-winning, pinch homer in the bottom of the 10th inning in a 5-3 win against the Montreal Expos in 1980.
3B Gene Freese (captain of 1952 NAIA Tournament team for West Liberty WV) went 7-for-8, sparking the Cincinnati Reds to a 1961 twinbill sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies.
Washington Senators 2B Buddy Myer (Mississippi State letterman in 1923-24) notched at least three hits for the fourth time in six-game span in 1935.
San Diego Padres 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) smacked two homers against the San Francisco Giants in 1986.
Brooklyn Dodgers LF Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) ripped two homers against the Chicago Cubs in 1954.
Baltimore Orioles RHP Tim Stoddard (starting forward opposite All-American David Thompson for North Carolina State's 1974 NCAA champion) yielded his only run in an 11-game stretch of relief appearances in 1979.
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 18 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 hoopsters 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 June 18 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 18
Philadelphia Phillies rookie LF Harry Anderson (averaged 7.7 ppg and 8.9 rpg for West Chester PA basketball squad in 1951-52) provided the game-winning hit with a fifth-inning grand slam in a 7-6 win against the Chicago Cubs in 1957.
Pittsburgh Pirates RF Clyde Barnhart (played for Shippensburg PA predecessor Cumberland Valley State Normal School prior to World War I) had five RBI against the Boston Braves in 1923.
Cincinnati Reds rookie RF Frankie Baumholtz (MVP in 1941 NIT and first player in Ohio University history to score 1,000 points in a career) collected four hits and 1B Babe Young (Fordham letterman in 1935-36) contributed a pair of three-run homers to support teammate Ewell Blackwell's no-hitter against the Boston Braves in 1947.
Cincinnati Reds 3B Gene Freese (West Liberty WV captain of 1952 NAIA Tournament team) collected seven hits in a 1961 doubleheader sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies.
Chicago White Sox RHP Jim Geddes (averaged 2.7 ppg for Ohio State from 1967-68 through 1969-70 under coach Fred Taylor) held the California Angels hitless for 4 2/3 innings but walked six in his 1973 debut. In his next appearance, Geddes held the Texas Rangers scoreless in 4 1/3 innings in the opener of a July 4 doubleheader.
1B Dick Gernert (Temple letterman in 1948-49) whacked the only homer for the Boston Red Sox while tallying 17 runs in the seventh inning of a 23-3 rout of the Detroit Tigers in 1953. C Sammy White (All-PCC Northern Division first-five selection for Washington in 1947-48 and 1948-49) tied a MLB single-inning record by scoring three runs during the explosive frame.
Brooklyn Robins 3B Wally Gilbert (captain played for Valparaiso from 1918-19 through 1920-21) went 4-for-4 and scored three runs in an 8-7 win against the New York Giants in the opener of a 1929 doubleheader.
Pittsburgh Pirates 1B Hank Greenberg (enrolled at NYU on hoop scholarship in 1929 but attended college only one semester) whacked two homers against the New York Giants in 1947.
In 1963, San Francisco Giants C Tom Haller (backup forward for Illinois in 1956-57 and 1957-58 under coach Harry Combes) homered in his third consecutive contest.
Cleveland Indians RHP Oral Hildebrand (Butler All-American in 1928-29 and 1929-30) hurled back-to-back shutouts in 1933, giving him five whitewash performances in less than a two-month span. Four years later with the St. Louis Browns, Hildebrand hurled a two-hit shutout against the Washington Senators in 1937.
Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (played for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) homered twice against the Chicago Cubs in 1954.
In 1962, Los Angeles Dodgers LHP Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman squad in 1953-54) outdueled St. Louis Cardinals RHP Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer and rebounder in 1955-56 and 1956-57). It marked the third time Koufax won a game, 1-0, on a Tommy Davis homer.
Chicago Cubs LF Hank Leiber (played for Arizona in 1931) smacked two homers against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1941.
Los Angeles Dodgers 2B Davey Lopes (NAIA All-District 15 selection for Iowa Wesleyan averaged 16.9 ppg as freshman in 1964-65 and 12.1 ppg as sophomore in 1965-66) stole four bases against the Montreal Expos in 1978.
Chicago Cubs RF Bill Nicholson (Washington College MD guard for two years in mid-1930s) smashed two homers against the Cincinnati Reds in the nightcap of a 1944 twinbill.
Spoiling the MLB debut of Hall of Fame RHP Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47), the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the Philadelphia Phillies, 2-0, in 1948.
Arizona Diamondbacks rookie 2B Junior Spivey (redshirted his only semester at Northwestern Oklahoma State on hoop scholarship before transferring to KS junior college) stroked five hits in a 14-5 thrashing of the Houston Astros in 2001.
In 1986, San Diego Padres RHP Tim Stoddard (starting forward opposite All-American David Thompson for North Carolina State's 1974 NCAA champion) slugged his first and only MLB homer. He appeared in another 128 games but never had another at-bat.
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 17 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 hoopsters 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 June 17 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 17
Milwaukee Brewers rookie RHP Mike Adams (played basketball for Texas A&M-Kingsville in 1996-97) scored upon for the only time in his first 14 MLB relief appearances in 2004.
Milwaukee Braves 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading scorer in 1945-46) swatted two homers in a 5-4 win against the Brooklyn Dodgers in the opener of a 1956 twinbill.
Detroit Tigers 1B Tony Clark (San Diego State's leading scorer in WAC games in 1991-92) clobbered two homers against the Minnesota Twins in 1998.
New York Giants SS Alvin Dark (letterman for LSU and USL during World War II) and C Wes Westrum (played for Bemidji State MN one season before serving in military during WWII) each collected four hits in a 1951 game against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Pittsburgh Pirates INF Gene Freese (West Liberty WV captain of 1952 NAIA Tournament team) went 4-for-4 against the Milwaukee Braves in 1957.
Boston Red Sox 1B Dick Gernert (Temple letterman in 1948-49) walloped two homers in a 17-1 romp over the Detroit Tigers in 1953.
San Diego Padres RF Tony Gwynn (All-WAC second-team selection with San Diego State in 1979-80 and 1980-81) went 4-for-4 against the Houston Astros in 1989.
San Francisco Giants LHP Atlee Hammaker (averaged 5.3 ppg as freshman in 1976-77 and 4.9 ppg as sophomore in 1977-78 under East Tennessee State coach Sonny Smith) tossed a four-hit shutout against the Cincinnati Reds in 1985.
Boston Braves 1B Buddy Hassett (played for Manhattan teams winning school-record 17 consecutive games in 1930 and 1931) banged out three hits in both ends of a 1940 doubleheader sweep against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Rookie RHP Wynn Hawkins (all-time leading scorer for Baldwin-Wallace OH upon graduation in 1957) yielded Boston Red Sox Hall of Famer Ted Williams' 500th home run (fourth player in MLB history to reach that plateau) at Cleveland in 1960.
In 1965, Chicago Cubs RHP Bobby Humphreys (four-year letterman graduated from Hampden-Sydney VA in 1958) yielded his only run in last 11 relief appearances of the month.
Chicago White Sox C Duane Josephson (led Northern Iowa in scoring in 1962-63 and 1963-64 under coach Norm Stewart) went 4-for-4 and scored three runs in a 6-3 triumph against the New York Yankees in 1970.
Chicago Cubs SS Don Kessinger (three-time All-SEC selection for Ole Miss from 1961-62 through 1963-64 while finishing among nation's top 45 scorers each year) went 6-for-6 in a 10-inning, 7-6 victory against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1971.
Milwaukee Brewers OF Joe Lahoud (letterman in mid-1960s for New Haven CT) contributed a grand slam en route to six RBI in a 15-5 rout of the Chicago White Sox in 1973.
New York Giants CF Hank Leiber (played for Arizona in 1931) logged four hits and five RBI against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1938.
Pittsburgh Pirates 1B Gary Redus (J.C. player for Athens AL and father of Centenary/South Alabama guard) provided three extra-base hits against the San Diego Padres in 1991.
Starting RHP Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) scored the winning run in the 15th inning to give the Philadelphia Phillies a 3-2 decision over the St. Louis Cardinals in 1954.
Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) left 13 runners stranded in a 1951 doubleheader against the Boston Braves. Three years later as a LF, Robinson provided two doubles and two homers against the Milwaukee Braves in 1954.
C John Stephenson (scored 1,361 points for William Carey MS in early 1960s) shipped from the New York Mets to the Chicago Cubs in 1967 as the player to be designated, completing an earlier deal that month.
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 16 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 hoopsters 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 June 16 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 16
Philadelphia Phillies LF Ethan Allen (Cincinnati basketball letterman in 1924-25 and 1925-26) contributed four hits in an 8-3 win against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1934.
In the midst of a 17-game hitting streak, St. Louis Cardinals RF George Altman (appeared in 1953 and 1954 NAIA Tournament with Tennessee State) went 5-for-7 in a 1963 doubleheader split against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
C Ferrell Anderson (Kansas letterman in 1936-37 and 1937-38) purchased from the Philadelphia Phillies by the St. Louis Browns in 1951.
In the midst of a career-high 15-game hitting streak, Chicago Cubs LF Larry Biittner (runner-up in scoring and rebounding for Buena Vista IA in 1966-67) had four safeties in a 13-inning, 7-6 win against the Houston Astros in 1978.
Detroit Tigers 1B Tony Clark (San Diego State's leading scorer in WAC games in 1991-92) homered in his fourth consecutive contest in 2001.
Hitting an anemic .128 entering the contest, Detroit Tigers LF Hoot Evers (Illinois starter in 1939-40) started a streak of seven straight multiple-hit games in 1951.
Boston Red Sox rookie RHP Boo Ferriss (Mississippi State letterman in 1941) lost against the New York Yankees, 3-2, in 1945 after starting his career with eight victories (four of them shutouts).
New York Giants INF Frankie Frisch (Fordham captain) collected five hits against the Chicago Cubs in 1921. Fourteen years later with the St. Louis Cardinals, Frisch furnished four hits against the Giants in 1935.
Baltimore Orioles 3B Wayne Gross (led Cal Poly Pomona in assists in 1974-75) whacked two homers for the second time in first 13 games of the month in 1985.
Pittsburgh Pirates 3B Lee Handley (Bradley letterman from 1932-33 through 1934-35) banged out three hits in both ends of a 1946 doubleheader split against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Philadelphia Phillies RHP Andy Karl (Manhattan letterman from 1933 through 1935) surrendered his first run after blanking opponents in previous eight relief appearances in 1946.
Light-hitting INF Jerry Kindall (averaged 6.9 ppg for Minnesota in 1955-56) connected for a game-winning two-run homer in the ninth inning to give the Cleveland Indians a 10-9 win over the New York Yankees in 1962.
New York Giants CF Hank Leiber (played for Arizona in 1931) launched two homers against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1935.
Cleveland Indians rookie 3B Ed Morgan (Tulane letterman from 1923-24 through 1925-26) stroked four extra-base hits in a 9-2 win against the Philadelphia Athletics in 1928.
Cleveland Indians 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) went 5-for-5 as leadoff hitter against the Minnesota Twins in 1971.
Detroit Tigers OF Jim Northrup (second-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder for Alma MI in 1958-59) provided three extra-base hits against the Boston Red Sox in 1966.
New York Yankees 3B Red Rolfe (played briefly with Dartmouth in 1927-28 and 1929-30) smacked three doubles against the St. Louis Browns in the opener of a 1940 twinbill.
Seattle Mariners RHP Chris Young (All-Ivy League first-team selection as Princeton's leading scorer and rebounder in 1999-00) hurled six shutout frames against the San Diego Padres in the first of his six straight starts allowing fewer hits than innings pitched in 2014.
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 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 hoopsters 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 June 15 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 15
Los Angeles Angels 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) homered in fourth consecutive contest in 1964.
LF-1B Harry Anderson (averaged 7.7 ppg and 8.9 rpg for West Chester PA in 1951-52) traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the Cincinnati Reds in 1960.
LF Morrie Arnovich (played for Wisconsin-Superior in early 1930s) traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the Cincinnati Reds in 1940.
OF Frankie Baumholtz (MVP in 1941 NIT and first player in Ohio University history to score 1,000 points in career) traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the Chicago Cubs in 1949.
In 1935, Cleveland Indians 2B Bosey Berger (Maryland's first All-American led Southern Conference in scoring in league competition in 1930-31) had two extra-base hits, triggering a 16-game hitting streak.
Cleveland Indians SS Lou Boudreau (leading scorer for Illinois' 1937 Big Ten Conference co-champion) supplied three extra-base hits against the St. Louis Browns in 1945. Two years later in the midst of his career-high 19-game hitting streak, Boudreau doubled in fourth consecutive contest in 1947.
1B Donn Clendenon (four-sport letterman for Morehouse GA) traded by the Montreal Expos to the New York Mets in 1969. Four years earlier with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Clendenon hammered two homers against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1965.
Philadelphia Athletics C Mickey Cochrane (Boston University player in early 1920s) manufactured four hits against the Detroit Tigers in 1930.
Cleveland Indians RHP Vince Colbert (averaged 14.3 ppg and 7.3 rpg for East Carolina in 1966-67 and 1967-68) tossed a five-hit shutout against the California Angels in 1972.
Boston Red Sox RHP Gene Conley (All-PCC first-team selection led North Division in scoring in 1949-50 as Washington State sophomore) tossed a six-hit shutout against the Detroit Tigers in 1962.
In 1931, the St. Louis Cardinals, in a move making room for Pepper Martin, traded CF Taylor Douthit (California letterman from 1922 through 1924) to the Cincinnati Reds for OF Wally Roettger (Illinois letterman in 1921-22 and 1922-23) in a swap one day after Douthit stroked seven straight hits in a doubleheader sweep over the Philadelphia Phillies.
San Francisco Giants 1B Darrell Evans (member of Jerry Tarkanian-coached Pasadena City CA club winning 1967 state community college crown) socked three homers in a 7-1 triumph against the Houston Astros in 1983.
Detroit Tigers OF Hoot Evers (starter for Illinois in 1939-40) had his 19-game hitting streak snapped by the Philadelphia Athletics in 1950.
C-OF Joe Ferguson (member of Pacific's 1967 NCAA playoff team) traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1976.
Boston Red Sox rookie RHP Boo Ferriss (Mississippi State letterman in 1941) toiled 14 innings to improve his mark to 9-1 in 1945.
INF Jake Flowers (member of 1923 "Flying Pentagon" championship squad for Washington College MD) awarded on waivers from the Brooklyn Robins to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1931.
Boston Red Sox rookie 1B Dick Gernert (Temple letterman in 1948-49 when averaging 2.7 ppg) launched a decisive homer in a 3-2 triumph against the Chicago White Sox in the nightcap of a 1952 twinbill.
Cleveland Indians 1B Mike Hargrove (Northwestern Oklahoma State letterman) stroked three doubles against the Minnesota Twins in 1980.
1B Gary Holle (Siena's scoring and rebounding leader in 1974-75 and 1975-76) traded by the Texas Rangers to the Chicago White Sox in 1979.
Atlanta Braves RF David Justice (led Thomas More KY in assists in 1984-85) jacked two homers against the Colorado Rockies in 1994.
In 1969, Chicago Cubs SS Don Kessinger (three-time All-SEC selection for Ole Miss from 1961-62 through 1963-64 while finishing among the nation's top 45 scorers each year) established a N.L. record with his 54th consecutive errorless contest to start a season.
Cleveland Indians 1B Ray Knode (played for Maryland in 1918-19) contributed four hits against the Philadelphia Athletics in 1925.
OF Joe Lahoud (New Haven CT letterman in mid-1960s) purchased from the California Angels by the Texas Rangers in 1976.
SS Johnny Logan (played for Binghamton in 1948-49) traded by the Milwaukee Braves to the Pittsburgh Pirates for OF Gino Cimoli in 1961.
Oakland Athletics 2B Davey Lopes (NAIA All-District 15 selection for Iowa Wesleyan averaged 16.9 ppg as freshman in 1964-65 and 12.1 ppg as sophomore in 1965-66) collected three extra-base hits and seven RBI against the Toronto Blue Jays in 1983.
Chicago White Sox RHP Ted Lyons (two-time All-SWC first-team selection for Baylor in early 1920s) notched his ninth straight complete-game victory in 1927. Lyons' two-run triple in the eighth inning broke a 4-4 deadlock against the Philadelphia Athletics.
OF Bake McBride (averaged 12.7 ppg and 8.1 rpg in 21 games with Westminster MO in 1968-69 and 1969-70) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1977. McBride went on to hit .339 the remainder of the season for Philly.
Chicago White Sox RF Danny Moeller (captain of Millikin IL squad in 1905-06) delivered four hits against the Cleveland Indians in 19114.
Chicago Cubs RF Bill Nicholson (Washington College MD guard for two years in mid-1930s) stroked two triples against the Boston Braves in 1940.
INF Johnny O'Brien (two-time All-American with Seattle was first college player to crack 1,000-point plateau in a single season when he scored 1,051 in 37 games in 1951-52) traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates with 3B Gene Freese (captain of 1952 NAIA Tournament team for West Liberty WV) to the St. Louis Cardinals for SS Dick Schofield and cash in 1958.
LHP Joe Ostrowski (led Scranton in scoring with 15.1 ppg in 1942-43) traded by the St. Louis Browns to the New York Yankees in 1950.
RHP Steve Renko (averaged 9.9 ppg and 5.8 rpg as Kansas sophomore in 1963-64) traded by the New York Mets to the Montreal Expos in 1969.
Detroit Tigers RHP Jeff Robinson (two-time NAIA All-District 3 honoree in early 1980s left Azusa Pacific CA as school's No. 9 all-time scorer) won his seventh straight decision with a five-hit shutout against the Baltimore Orioles in 1988.
Minnesota Twins rookie LHP Garry Roggenburk (led Dayton in scoring all three seasons from 1959-60 through 1961-62 and grabbed school-record 32 rebounds in his third varsity game en route to pacing Flyers in rebounding first two years) lost his first MLB start in 1963 after going scoreless in previous eight outings as a reliever.
OF Richie Scheinblum (averaged 6.1 ppg and 3.6 rpg in 1962-63 and 1963-64 with LIU-C.W. Post) traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the California Angels for two players to be designated in 1973.
RHP Don Schwall (All-Big Seven Conference second-team selection as sophomore in 1956-57 when leading Oklahoma in rebounding) traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Atlanta Braves for P Billy O'Dell in 1966.
In 1959, Detroit Tigers RHP Dave Sisler (All-Ivy League second-team selection for Princeton's first NCAA Tournament team in 1952) posted his fourth save in as many relief appearances in a nine-day span.
2B Wayne Terwilliger (two-year letterman for Western Michigan averaged 5.6 ppg in his final season in 1947-48) traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Brooklyn Dodgers in an eight-player swap in 1951.
1B-OF Preston Ward (second-leading scorer for Southwest Missouri State in 1946-47 and 1948-49) traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Kansas City Athletics in 1958.
C Sammy White (All-PCC Northern Division first-five selection for Washington in 1947-48) purchased from the Boston Red Sox by the Milwaukee Braves in 1961.
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 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 hoopsters 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 June 14 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 14
LF Babe Barna (West Virginia basketball letterman in 1936 and 1937) traded by the New York Giants to the Boston Red Sox in 1943.
Philadelphia Athletics SS Jack Barry (Holy Cross letterman in 1908) banged out four hits against the Chicago White Sox in 1914.
Cleveland Indians SS Lou Boudreau (leading scorer for Illinois' 1937 Big Ten Conference co-champion) went 5-for-5 against the Detroit Tigers in the nightcap of a 1944 twinbill.
Philadelphia Athletics C Mickey Cochrane (Boston University player in early 1920s) collected three extra-base hits and four RBI against the Cleveland Indians in 1928.
SS Alvin Dark (letterman for LSU and USL during World War II) traded with three additional players by the New York Giants in 1956 to the St. Louis Cardinals for future Hall of Fame 2B Red Schoendienst and three players.
In his final games with the St. Louis Cardinals, CF Taylor Douthit (California letterman from 1922 through 1924) went 7-for-8 in a 1931 doubleheader sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies before he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds.
Boston Red Sox LF Dick Gernert (Temple letterman in 1948-49 when averaging 2.7 ppg) delivered three hits and three runs for the second outing in a row against the Cleveland Indians in 1956.
1B Mike Hargrove (Northwestern Oklahoma State letterman) traded by the San Diego Padres to the Cleveland Indians in 1979.
Boston Bees 1B-OF Buddy Hassett (played for Manhattan teams that won a school-record 17 consecutive games in 1930 and 1931) fouled out late in a game against the Chicago Cubs after hitting safely in 10 straight at-bats over three contests in 1940.
New York Yankees LF Charlie Keller (three-year letterman with Maryland from 1934-35 through 1936-37) went 4-for-4 with two homers against the St. Louis Browns in 1940.
The Detroit Tigers scored on New York Yankees RHP Jim Konstanty (member of 1937-38 and 1938-39 Syracuse teams) for the only time in his first 13 relief appearances of the month in 1955.
In 1986, Toronto Blue Jays pinch-hitter Rick Leach (averaged 15.5 ppg for Michigan's JV squad in 1975-76) ripped a two-run homer off the Detroit Tigers' Jack Morris.
First MLB homer for RF Lyle Mouton (starter in LSU's backcourt with All-American Chris Jackson on 1989 NCAA playoff team) came as a pinch-hitter with the Chicago White Sox off Oakland Athletics reliever Rick Honeycutt in 1995.
New York Yankees LF Irv Noren (player of year for California community college state Pasadena City in 1945) pounded two homers against the Detroit Tigers in 1955.
RHP Roy Parmelee (letterman for Eastern Michigan in 1924-25 and 1925-26) purchased from the Philadelphia Athletics by the Boston Red Sox in 1939.
C Hugh Poland (Western Kentucky letterman from 1931-32 through 1933-34) traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the Cincinnati Reds in 1947.
New York Giants RHP Hal Schumacher (played for St. Lawrence NY in early 1930s) hurled a five-hit shutout against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1936.
Cincinnati Reds closer Jeff Shaw (freshman guard for 31-5 Rio Grande OH team participating in 1985 NAIA Tournament), entering the game with an 0.97 ERA, yielded five runs on seven hits in the ninth and 10th innings as the Houston Astros rallied to win, 6-3, in 1998.
Chicago Cubs LF Riggs Stephenson (Alabama letterman in 1920) whacked two homers in a 9-7 victory against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1926.
San Diego Padres LHP Eric Stults (played for 1999 NAIA D-II Tournament runner-up and 2000 NCCAA Tournament titlist with Bethel IN) fired a two-hit complete game in a 2-1 triumph against the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2013.
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