Musical Chairs: One-Third of Nation's DI Teams in New Leagues This Century
"Man, that's messed up!" This concise summation certainly depicts higher education, which simply isn't what it used to be. Keeping remedial mathematics in mind, the Atlantic 10 Conference has more than that number of members; the Big Ten has more than 10 members and the Big 12 has fewer than 12 members. With respect to precise directions and logistics, the Atlantic Coast features Boston, Indiana (Notre Dame), Louisville, Pittsburgh and Syracuse, much of the Big East absorbs flyover country and the Southeast(ern) extends to the Midlands (Missouri and Texas A&M).
Amid all of the bizarre trans this and trans that, the most ardent fan probably can't come anywhere close to naming half of the schools transferring conferences the last several years. Heaven knows how future generations will explain the Big East split. As NFL Hall of Famer Vince Lombardi, who coached freshman basketball with Fordham, would famously say: "What the hell is going on out here?"
When Appalachian State (Sun Belt), Elon (CAA) and Davidson (Atlantic 10) departed in recent years, they became the 32nd, 33rd and 34th schools to leave the Southern Conference. Following is a school-by-school look at league affiliations over the years after NJIT took Northern Kentucky's place in the Atlantic Sun Conference:
| School | Latest League | Previous DI Conference(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Abilene Christian | Southland (1969-73 and since 2014) | |
| Air Force | Mountain West (since 2000) | WAC (1981-99) |
| Akron | Mid-American (since 1993) | Ohio Valley (1981-87)/Mid-Continent (1991 and 1992) |
| Alabama | SEC (since 1933) | Southern (1922-32) |
| Alabama A&M | SWAC (since 2000) | |
| Alabama State | SWAC (since 1983) | |
| Albany | America East (since 2002) | |
| American | Patriot League (since 2002) | ECC (1967-84)/CAA (1985-2001) |
| Appalachian State | Sun Belt (since 2015) | Southern (1972-2014) |
| Arizona | Pac-12 (since 1979) | Border (1932-61)/ WAC (1963-78) |
| Arizona State | Pac-12 (since 1979) | Border (1932-62)/WAC (1963-78) |
| Arkansas | SEC (since 1992) | SWC (1924-91) |
| Arkansas State | Sun Belt (since 1992) | Southland (1969-87)/American South (1988-91) |
| Army | Patriot League (since 1991) | MAAC (1982-90) |
| Auburn | SEC (since 1933) | Southern (1922-32) |
| Austin Peay | Ohio Valley (since 1964) | |
| Ball State | Mid-American (since 1976) | |
| Baylor | Big 12 (since 1997) | SWC (1915-96) |
| Belmont | Ohio Valley (since 2013) | Atlantic Sun (2002-12) |
| Binghamton | America East (since 2002) | |
| Boise State | Big West (1997-2001 and since 2014) | Big Sky (1971-96)/WAC (2002-11)/Mountain West (2012 and 2013) |
| Boston College | ACC (since 2006) | Big East (1980-2005) |
| Boston University | Patriot League (since 2014) | Yankee (1973-76)/America East (1980-2013) |
| Bowling Green | Mid-American (since 1954) | |
| Bradley | Missouri Valley (1949-51 and since 1956) | |
| Brigham Young | West Coast (since 2012) | Rocky Mountain (1925-37)/Skyline (1938-62)/WAC (1963-99)/Mountain West (2000-11) |
| Brown | Ivy League (since 1954) | |
| Bucknell | Patriot League (since 1991) | ECC (1959-80) |
| Buffalo | Mid-American (since 1999) | ECC (1992 and 1994)/Mid-Continent (1995-98) |
| Butler | Big East (since 2014) | Missouri Valley (1933 and 1934)/Mid-American (1947-50)/Horizon League (1980-2012)/Atlantic 10 (2013) |
| California | Pac-12 (since 1916) | |
| UC Davis | Big West (since 2008) | |
| UC Irvine | Big West (since 1978) | |
| Cal Poly | Big West (since 1997) | American West (1995 and 1996) |
| UC Riverside | Big West (since 2002) | |
| UC Santa Barbara | Big West (1970-74 and since 1977) | West Coast Athletic (1965-69) |
| Cal State Bakersfield | WAC (since 2014) | |
| Cal State Fullerton | Big West (since 1975) | |
| Cal State Northridge | Big West (since 2002) | American West (1995 and 1996)/Big Sky (1997-2001) |
| Campbell | Big South (1986-94 and since 2012) | Atlantic Sun (1995-2011) |
| Canisius | MAAC (since 1990) | ECAC North Atlantic (1980-89) |
| Central Arkansas | Southland (since 2007) | |
| Central Connecticut State | Northeast (since 1998) | ECC (1991-94)/Mid-Continent (1995-97) |
| Central Florida | American Athletic (since 2014) | Sun Belt (1992)/Atlantic Sun (1994-2005)/C-USA (2006-2013) |
| Central Michigan | Mid-American (since 1973) | |
| Charleston Southern | Big South (since 1986) | |
| Charlotte | C-USA (1996-2005 and since 2014) | Sun Belt (1977-91)/Metro (1992-95)/Atlantic 10 (2006-13) |
| Chattanooga | Southern (since 1978) | |
| Chicago State | WAC (since 2014) | Mid-Continent (1995-2006)/Great West (2010-13) |
| Cincinnati | American Athletic (since 2014) | Mid-American (1947-53)/Missouri Valley (1958-70)/Metro (1976-91)/Great Midwest (1992-95)/C-USA (1996-2005)/Big East (2006-13) |
| The Citadel | Southern (since 1937) | |
| Clemson | ACC (since 1954) | Southern (1922-53) |
| Cleveland State | Horizon League (since 1995) | Mid-Continent (1983-94) |
| Coastal Carolina | Sun Belt (since 2017) | Big South (1986-2016) |
| Colgate | Patriot League (since 1991) | ECAC North Atlantic (1980-90) |
| College of Charleston | CAA (since 2014) | TAAC (1994-98)/Southern (1999-2013) |
| Colorado | Pac-12 (since 2012) | Rocky Mountain (1923-37)/Big Eight (1948-96)/Big 12 (1997-2011) |
| Colorado State | Mountain West (since 2000) | Rocky Mountain (1924-37)/Skyline (1938-62)/WAC (1970-99) |
| Columbia | EIBL/Ivy League (since 1902) | |
| Connecticut | American Athletic (since 2014) | New England/Yankee (1938-43 and 1946-76)/Big East (1980-2013) |
| Coppin State | MEAC (since 1986) | |
| Cornell | EIBL/Ivy League (since 1902) | |
| Creighton | Big East (since 2014) | Missouri Valley (1929-48 and 1977-2013) |
| Dartmouth | EIBL/Ivy League (since 1912) | |
| Davidson | Atlantic 10 (since 2015) | Southern (1937-88 and 1993-2014)/Big South (1991 and 1992) |
| Dayton | Atlantic 10 (since 1996) | Midwestern Collegiate (1989-93)/Great Midwest (1994 and 1995) |
| Delaware | CAA (since 2002) | ECC (1959-91)/America East (1992-2001) |
| Delaware State | MEAC (since 1972) | |
| Denver | Summit League (since 2014) | Rocky Mountain (1923-37)/Skyline (1938-62)/Sun Belt (2000-12)/WAC (2013) |
| DePaul | Big East (since 2006) | Great Midwest (1992-95)/C-USA (1996-2005) |
| Detroit | Horizon League (since 1981) | Missouri Valley (1950-57) |
| Drake | Missouri Valley (1908-51 and since 1957) | |
| Drexel | CAA (since 2002) | ECC (1959-91)/America East (1992-2001) |
| Duke | ACC (since 1954) | Southern (1929-53) |
| Duquesne | Atlantic 10 (since 1977 except for 1993) | Midwestern Collegiate (1993) |
| East Carolina | American Athletic (since 2015) | Southern (1966-77)/ECAC South/CAA (1983-2001)/C-USA (2002-14) |
| Eastern Illinois | Ohio Valley (since 1997) | Mid-Continent (1983-96) |
| Eastern Kentucky | Ohio Valley (since 1949) | |
| Eastern Michigan | Mid-American (since 1975) | |
| Eastern Washington | Big Sky (since 1988) | |
| East Tennessee State | Southern (1980-2005 and since 2015) | Ohio Valley (1959-78)/Southern (1980-2005)/Atlantic Sun (2006-14) |
| Elon | CAA (since 2015) | Big South (1998-2003)/Southern (2004-2014) |
| Evansville | Missouri Valley (since 1995) | Ohio Valley (1949-52)/Midwestern Collegiate (1980-94) |
| Fairfield | MAAC (since 1982) | |
| Fairleigh Dickinson | Northeast (since 1982) | Metropolitan Collegiate (1966-69) |
| Florida | SEC (since 1933) | |
| Florida A&M | MEAC (since 1980) | |
| Florida Atlantic | C-USA (since 2014) | Atlantic Sun (1996-2004)/Sun Belt (2005-13) |
| Florida Gulf Coast | Atlantic Sun (since 2008) | |
| Florida International | C-USA (since 2014) | TAAC (1992-98)/Sun Belt (1999-2013) |
| Florida State | ACC (since 1992) | Metro (1977-91) |
| Fordham | Atlantic 10 (since 1996) | MAAC (1982-90)/Patriot League (1991-95) |
| Fresno State | Mountain West (since 2013) | WCAC (1956 and 1957)/Big West (1970-92)/WAC (1993-2012) |
| Furman | Southern (since 1937) | |
| Gardner-Webb | Big South (since 2009) | Atlantic Sun (2003-08) |
| George Mason | Atlantic 10 (since 2014) | CAA (1983-2013) |
| Georgetown | Big East (since 1980) | |
| George Washington | Atlantic 10 (since 1977) | Southern (1942, 1943 and 1946-70) |
| Georgia | SEC (since 1933) | Southern (1922-32) |
| Georgia Southern | Sun Belt (since 2015) | TAAC (1981-92)/Southern (1993-2014) |
| Georgia State | Sun Belt (1977-81 and since 2014) | Atlantic Sun (1985-2005)/CAA (2006-13) |
| Georgia Tech | ACC (since 1980) | Southern (1922-32)/SEC (1933-64)/Metro (1976-78) |
| Gonzaga | West Coast (since 1980) | Big Sky (1964-79) |
| Grambling State | SWAC (since 1959) | |
| Grand Canyon | WAC (since 2014) | |
| Green Bay | Horizon League (since 1995) | Mid-Continent (1983-94) |
| Harvard | EIBL/Ivy League (1902-09 and since 1934) | |
| Hawaii | Big West (since 2013) | WAC (1980-2012) |
| High Point | Big South (since 2000) | |
| Hofstra | CAA (since 2002) | ECC (1966-94)/America East (1995-2001) |
| Holy Cross | Patriot League (since 1991) | ECAC North (1980-83)/MAAC (1984-90) |
| Houston | American Athletic (since 2014) | Missouri Valley (1951-60)/SWC (1976-96)/C-USA (1997-2013) |
| Houston Baptist | Southland (since 2014) | TAAC (1980-89)/Great West (2009-13) |
| Howard University | MEAC (since 1972) | |
| Idaho | Big Sky (1964-96 and since 2015) | Pacific Coast (1922-59)/Big Sky (1964-96)/Big West (1997-2005)/WAC (2006-14) |
| Idaho State | Big Sky (since 1964) | Rocky Mountain (1950-60) |
| Illinois | Big Ten (since 1896) | |
| Illinois-Chicago | Horizon League (since 1995) | Mid-Continent (1983-94) |
| Illinois State | Missouri Valley (since 1981) | |
| Incarnate Word | Southland (since 2014) | |
| Indiana | Big Ten (since 1899) | |
| Indiana State | Missouri Valley (since 1977) | |
| IPFW | Summit League (since 2008) | |
| IUPUI | Summit League (since 1999) | |
| Iona | MAAC (since 1982) | Metropolitan Collegiate (1966-69) |
| Iowa | Big Ten (since 1899) | |
| Iowa State | Big 12 (since 1997) | Missouri Valley (1908-28)/Big Eight (1929-96) |
| Jackson State | SWAC (since 1959) | |
| Jacksonville | Atlantic Sun (since 1999) | Sun Belt (1977-98) |
| Jacksonville State | Ohio Valley (since 2004) | TAAC/Atlantic Sun (1996-2003) |
| James Madison | CAA (since 1983) | |
| Kansas | Big 12 (since 1997) | Missouri Valley (1908-28)/Big Eight (1929-96) |
| Kansas State | Big 12 (since 1997) | Missouri Valley (1914-28)/Big Eight (1929-96) |
| Kennesaw State | Atlantic Sun (since 2006) | |
| Kent State | Mid-American (since 1952) | |
| Kentucky | SEC (since 1933) | Southern (1922-32) |
| Lafayette | Patriot League (since 1991) | ECC (1959-90) |
| Lamar | Southland (1969-87 and since 1999) | American South (1988-91)/Sun Belt (1992-98) |
| La Salle | Atlantic 10 (since 1996) | ECC (1959-83)/MAAC (1984-92)/Midwestern Collegiate (1993-95) |
| Lehigh | Patriot League (since 1991) | ECC (1959-90) |
| Liberty | Big South (since 1992) | |
| Lipscomb | Atlantic Sun (since 2004) | |
| Long Beach State | Big West (since 1970) | |
| Long Island | Northeast (since 1982) | Metropolitan Collegiate (1966-69) |
| Longwood | Big South (since 2013) | |
| Louisiana-Lafayette | Sun Belt (since 1992) | Southland (1972-82)/American South (1988-91) |
| Louisiana-Monroe | Sun Belt (since 2007) | TAAC (1980-82)/Southland (1983-2006) |
| Louisiana State | SEC (since 1933) | Southern (1923-32) |
| Louisiana Tech | C-USA (since 2014) | Southland (1972-87)/American South (1988-91)/Sun Belt (1992-2001)/WAC (2002-13) |
| Louisville | ACC (since 2015) | Missouri Valley (1965-75)/Metro (1976-95)/C-USA (1996-2005)/Big East (2006-13)/American Athletic (2014) |
| Loyola of Chicago | Missouri Valley (since 2014) | Horizon League (1980-2013) |
| Loyola (Md.) | Patriot League (since 2014) | Northeast (1982-89)/MAAC (1990-2013) |
| Loyola Marymount | West Coast (since 1956) | |
| Maine | America East (since 1980) | New England/Yankee (1938-43 and 1946-76) |
| Manhattan | MAAC (since 1982) | Metropolitan Collegiate (1966-69) |
| Marist | MAAC (since 1998) | Northeast (1982-97) |
| Marquette | Big East (since 2006) | Midwestern Collegiate (1990 & 1991)/Great Midwest (1992-95)/C-USA (1996-2005) |
| Marshall | C-USA (since 2006) | Ohio Valley (1949-52)/Mid-American (1954-69 and 1998-2005)/Southern (1978-97) |
| Maryland | Big Ten (since 2015) | Southern (1924-53)/ACC (1954-2014) |
| Maryland-Baltimore County | America East (since 2004) | ECC (1991 and 1992)/Big South (1993-98)/Northeast (1999-2003) |
| Maryland-Eastern Shore | MEAC (1972-79 and since 1983) | |
| Massachusetts | Atlantic 10 (since 1977) | New England/Yankee (1947-76) |
| Massachusetts-Lowell | America East (since 2014) | |
| McNeese State | Southland (since 1973) | |
| Memphis | American Athletic (since 2014) | Missouri Valley (1968-73)/Metro (1976-91)/Great Midwest (1992-95)/C-USA (1996-2013) |
| Mercer | Southern (since 2015) | Atlantic Sun (1980-2014) |
| Miami (Fla.) | ACC (since 2005) | Big East (1992-2004) |
| Miami (Ohio) | Mid-American (since 1948) | |
| Michigan | Big Ten (since 1896) | |
| Michigan State | Big Ten (since 1949) | |
| Middle Tennessee State | C-USA (since 2014) | Ohio Valley (1953-2000)/Sun Belt (2001-13) |
| Milwaukee | Horizon League (since 1995) | Mid-Continent (1993 and 1994) |
| Minnesota | Big Ten (since 1896) | |
| Mississippi | SEC (since 1933) | Southern (1923-32) |
| Mississippi State | SEC (since 1933) | Southern (1922-32) |
| Mississippi Valley State | SWAC (since 1969) | |
| Missouri | SEC (since 2013) | Missouri Valley (1908-28)/Big Eight (1929-96)/Big 12 (1997-2012) |
| Missouri-Kansas City | WAC (since 2014) | Summit League (1995-2013) |
| Missouri State | Missouri Valley (since 1991) | Mid-Continent (1983-90) |
| Monmouth | MAAC (since 2014) | Northeast (1986-2013) |
| Montana | Big Sky (since 1964) | Pacific Coast (1924-29)/Skyline (1952-62) |
| Montana State | Big Sky (since 1964) | Rocky Mountain (1925-57 except for 1948)/Skyline (1952-62) |
| Morehead State | Ohio Valley (since 1949) | |
| Morgan State | MEAC (1972-80 and since 1985) | |
| Mount St. Mary's | Northeast (since 1990) | |
| Murray State | Ohio Valley (since 1949 except for 1962) | |
| Navy | Patriot League (since 1992) | CAA (1983-91) |
| Nebraska | Big Ten (since 2012) | Missouri Valley (1908-28)/Big Eight (1929-96)/Big 12 (1997-2011) |
| Nebraska-Omaha | Summit League (since 2013) | |
| Nevada | Mountain West (2013) | WCAC (1970-79)/Big Sky (1980-92)/Big West (1993-2000)/WAC (2001-12) |
| New Hampshire | America East (since 1980) | New England/Yankee (1938-43 and 1946-76) |
| NJIT | Atlantic Sun (since 2016) | Great West (2009-13) |
| New Mexico | Mountain West (since 2000) | Border (1932-42 and 1945-51)/Skyline (1952-62)/WAC (1963-99) |
| New Mexico State | WAC (since 2006) | Border (1932-62)/Missouri Valley (1971-83)/Big West (1984-2000)/Sun Belt (2001-05) |
| New Orleans | Southland (since 2014) | Sun Belt (1977-80 and 1992-2011)/American South (1988-91) |
| Niagara | MAAC (since 1990) | ECAC North Atlantic (1980-89) |
| Nicholls State | Southland (since 1992) | Gulf Star (1985-87) |
| Norfolk State | MEAC (since 1998) | |
| North Carolina | ACC (since 1954) | Southern (1922-53) |
| UNC Asheville | Big South (since 1986) | |
| North Carolina A&T | MEAC (since 1972) | |
| North Carolina Central | MEAC (1972-80 and since 2012) | |
| UNC Greensboro | Southern (since 1998) | Big South (1993-97) |
| North Carolina State | ACC (since 1954) | Southern (1922-53) |
| UNC Wilmington | CAA (since 1985) | |
| North Dakota | Big Sky (since 2013) | |
| North Dakota State | Summit League (since 2008) | |
| Northern Arizona | Big Sky (since 1971) | Border (1932-53) |
| Northern Colorado | Big Sky (since 2007) | |
| Northern Illinois | Mid-American (1976-86 and since 1998) | Mid-Continent (1991-94)/Midwestern Collegiate (1995-97) |
| Northern Iowa | Missouri Valley (since 1992) | Mid-Continent (1983-91) |
| Northern Kentucky | Horizon League (since 2016) | Atlantic Sun (2013-15) |
| North Florida | Atlantic Sun (since 2006) | |
| North Texas | C-USA (since 2014) | Missouri Valley (1958-75)/Southland (1983-96)/Big West (1997-2000)/Sun Belt (2001-13) |
| Northwestern | Big Ten (since 1896) | |
| Northwestern State | Southland (since 1988) | TAAC (1981-84)/Gulf Star (1985-87) |
| Notre Dame | ACC (since 2014) | Big East (1996-2013) |
| Oakland | Horizon League (since 2014) | Summit League (1999-2013) |
| Ohio University | Mid-American (since 1947) | |
| Ohio State | Big Ten (since 1912) | |
| Oklahoma | Big 12 (since 1997) | Missouri Valley (1920-28)/Big Eight (1929-96) |
| Oklahoma State | Big 12 (since 1997) | SWC (1918 and 1922-25)/Missouri Valley (1926-57)/Big Eight (1959-96) |
| Old Dominion | C-USA (since 2014) | Sun Belt (1983-91)/CAA (1992-2013) |
| Oral Roberts | Summit League (1998-2012 and since 2015) | Midwestern Collegiate (1980-87)/Southland (2013 and 2014) |
| Oregon | Pac-12 (1916-59 and since 1965) | |
| Oregon State | Pac-12 (1916-59 and since 1965) | |
| Pacific | WCAC/WCC (1953-71 and since 2014) | Big West (1972-2013) |
| Penn | EIBL/Ivy League (since 1904) | |
| Penn State | Big Ten (since 1993) | Atlantic 10 (1977-79 and 1983-91) |
| Pepperdine | West Coast (since 1956) | |
| Pittsburgh | ACC (since 2014) | Eastern 8 (1977-82)/Big East (1983-2013) |
| Portland | West Coast (since 1977) | |
| Portland State | Big Sky (since 1997) | |
| Prairie View | SWAC (since 1921 except for 1991) | |
| Presbyterian | Big South (since 2010) | |
| Princeton | EIBL/Ivy League (since 1902) | |
| Providence | Big East (since 1980) | |
| Purdue | Big Ten (since 1896) | |
| Quinnipiac | MAAC (since 2014) | Northeast (1999-2013) |
| Radford | Big South (since 1986) | |
| Rhode Island | Atlantic 10 (since 1981) | New England/Yankee (1938-43 and 1946-76)/ECAC North (1980) |
| Rice | C-USA (since 2006) | SWC (1915-96)/WAC (1997-2005) |
| Richmond | Atlantic 10 (since 2002) | Southern (1937-76)/CAA (1983-2001) |
| Rider | MAAC (since 1998) | ECC (1967-92)/Northeast (1993-97) |
| Robert Morris | Northeast (since 1982) | |
| Rutgers | Big Ten (since 2015) | Middle Atlantic (1959-62)/Atlantic 10 (1977-95)/Big East (1996-2013)/American Athletic (2014) |
| Sacramento State | Big Sky (since 1997) | American West (1995 and 1996) |
| Sacred Heart | Northeast (since 2000) | |
| St. Bonaventure | Atlantic 10 (since 1980) | |
| St. Francis (N.Y.) | Northeast (since 1982) | Metropolitan Collegiate (1966-68) |
| Saint Francis (Pa.) | Northeast (since 1982) | |
| St. John's | Big East (since 1980) | |
| Saint Joseph's | Atlantic 10 (since 1983) | ECC (1959-82) |
| Saint Louis | Atlantic 10 (since 2006) | Missouri Valley (1938-74)/Metro (1976-82)/Midwestern Collegiate (1983-91)/Great Midwest (1992-95)/C-USA (1996-2005) |
| Saint Mary's | West Coast (since 1953) | |
| Saint Peter's | MAAC (since 1982) | Metropolitan Collegiate (1966-69) |
| Samford | Southern (since 2008) | Atlantic Sun (1980-2003)/Ohio Valley (2004-07) |
| Sam Houston State | Southland (since 1988) | Gulf Star (1985-87) |
| San Diego | West Coast (since 1980) | |
| San Diego State | PCAA/Big West (1970-78 and since 2014) | WAC (1979-99)/Mountain West (2000-13) |
| San Francisco | West Coast (since 1953) | |
| San Jose State | Mountain West (since 2014) | WCAC (1953-69)/Big West (1970-96)/WAC (1997-2013) |
| Santa Clara | West Coast (since 1953) | |
| Savannah State | MEAC (since 2012) | |
| Seattle | WAC (since 2013) | WCAC (1972-80) |
| Seton Hall | Big East (since 1980) | Metropolitan Collegiate (1966-69) |
| Siena | MAAC (since 1990) | Northeast (1982-84)/ECAC North Atlantic (1985-89) |
| South Alabama | Sun Belt (since 1977) | |
| South Carolina | SEC (since 1992) | Southern (1923-53)/ACC (1954-71)/Metro (1984-91) |
| South Carolina State | MEAC (since 1972) | |
| USC Upstate | Atlantic Sun (since 2008) | |
| South Dakota | Big Sky (since 2013) | Great West (2009-12) |
| South Dakota State | Summit League (since 2008) | |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Southland (since 1998) | Gulf Star (1985-87)/TAAC (1992-97) |
| Southeast Missouri State | Ohio Valley (since 1992) | |
| Southern (La.) | SWAC (since 1935) | |
| Southern California | Pac-12 (since 1922) | |
| Southern Illinois | Missouri Valley (since 1975) | |
| SIU-Edwardsville | Ohio Valley (since 2012) | |
| Southern Methodist | American Athletic (since 2014) | SWC (1919-96)/WAC (1997-2005)/C-USA (2006-13) |
| Southern Mississippi | C-USA (since 1996) | Metro (1983-95) |
| Southern Utah | Big Sky (since 2013) | American West (1995 and 1996)/Summit League (1998-2012) |
| South Florida | American Athletic (since 2014) | Sun Belt (1977-91)/Metro (1992-95)/C-USA (1996-2005)/Big East (2006-13) |
| Stanford | Pac-12 (since 1917) | |
| Stephen F. Austin | Southland (since 1988) | Gulf Star (1985-87) |
| Stetson | Atlantic Sun (since 1987) | |
| Stony Brook | America East (since 2002) | |
| Syracuse | ACC (since 2014) | Big East (1980-2013) |
| Temple | American Athletic (since 2014) | ECC (1959-82)/Atlantic 10 (1983-2013) |
| Tennessee | SEC (since 1933) | Southern (1922-32) |
| Tennessee-Martin | Ohio Valley (since 1993) | |
| Tennessee State | Ohio Valley (since 1988) | |
| Tennessee Tech | Ohio Valley (since 1949) | |
| Texas | Big 12 (since 1997) | SWC (1915-96) |
| Texas A&M | SEC (since 2013) | SWC (1915-96)/Big 12 (1997-2012) |
| Texas A&M-Corpus Christi | Southland (since 2007) | |
| Texas-Arlington | Sun Belt (since 2014) | Southland (1969-2012 except for 1987)/WAC (2013) |
| Texas Christian | Big 12 (since 2013) | SWC (1924-96)/WAC (1997-2001)/C-USA (2002-05)/Mountain West (2006-12) |
| Texas-El Paso | C-USA (since 2006) | Border (1936-62)/WAC (1970-2005) |
| Texas-Pan American | WAC (since 2014) | TAAC (1980)/American South (1988-91)/Sun Belt (1992-98)/Great West (2009-13) |
| Texas-San Antonio | C-USA (since 2014) | TAAC (1987-91)/Southland (1992-2012)/WAC (2013) |
| Texas Southern | SWAC (since 1955) | |
| Texas State | Sun Belt (since 2014) | Gulf Star (1985-87)/Southland (1988-2012)/WAC (2013) |
| Texas Tech | Big 12 (since 1997) | Border (1933-56)/SWC (1958-96) |
| Toledo | Mid-American (since 1952) | |
| Towson | CAA (since 2002) | Northeast (1982)/ECC (1983-92)/Big South (1993-95)/America East (1996-2001) |
| Troy | Sun Belt (since 2006) | ECC (1994)/Mid-Continent (1995-97)/Atlantic Sun (1998-2005) |
| Tulane | American Athletic (since 2015) | Southern (1923-32)/SEC (1933-66)/Metro (1976-85 and 1990-95)/C-USA (1996-2014) |
| Tulsa | American Athletic (since 2015) | Missouri Valley (1935-96)/WAC (1997-2005)/C-USA (2006-14) |
| UAB | C-USA (since 1996) | Sun Belt (1980-91)/Great Midwest (1992-95) |
| UALR | Sun Belt (since 1992) | TAAC (1981-91) |
| UCLA | Pac-12 (since 1928) | |
| UNLV | Mountain West (since 2000) | WCAC (1970-75)/Big West (1983-96)/WAC (1997-99) |
| Utah | Pac-12 (since 2012) | Rocky Mountain (1925-37)/Skyline (1938-62)/WAC (1963-99)/Mountain West (2000-11) |
| Utah State | Mountain West (since 2014) | Rocky Mountain (1925-37)/Skyline (1938-62)/Big West (1979-2005)/WAC (2006-13) |
| Utah Valley | WAC (since 2014) | Great West (2009-13) |
| Valparaiso | Horizon League (since 2008) | Mid-Continent (1983-2007) |
| Vanderbilt | SEC (since 1933) | Southern (1923-32) |
| Vermont | America East (since 1980) | New England/Yankee (1947-76) |
| Villanova | Big East (since 1981) | Eastern Athletic Association (1977-80) |
| Virginia | ACC (since 1954) | Southern (1922-37) |
| Virginia Commonwealth | Atlantic 10 (since 2013) | Sun Belt (1980-91)/Metro (1992-95)/CAA (1996-2013) |
| Virginia Military | Southern (1926-2003 and since 2015) | Big South (2004-14) |
| Virginia Tech | ACC (since 2005) | Southern (1922-65)/Metro (1979-95)/Atlantic 10 (1996-2000)/Big East (2001-04) |
| Wagner | Northeast (since 1982) | |
| Wake Forest | ACC (since 1954) | Southern (1937-53) |
| Washington | Pac-12 (since 1916) | |
| Washington State | Pac-12 (1917-59 and since 1964) | |
| Weber State | Big Sky (since 1964) | |
| Western Carolina | Southern (since 1978) | |
| Western Illinois | Summit League (since 1983) | |
| Western Kentucky | C-USA (since 2015) | Ohio Valley (1949-82)/Sun Belt (1983-2014) |
| Western Michigan | Mid-American (since 1948) | |
| West Virginia | Big 12 (since 2013) | Southern (1951-68)/Atlantic 10 (1977-95)/Big East (1996-2012) |
| Wichita State | Missouri Valley (since 1946) | |
| William & Mary | CAA (since 1983) | Southern (1937-77) |
| Winthrop | Big South (since 1986) | |
| Wisconsin | Big Ten (since 1896) | |
| Wofford | Southern (since 1998) | |
| Wright State | Horizon League (since 1995) | Mid-Continent (1992-94) |
| Wyoming | Mountain West (since 2000) | Rocky Mountain (1923-37)/Mountain States (1938-62)/WAC (1963-99) |
| Xavier | Big East (since 2014) | Midwestern Collegiate (1980-95)/Atlantic 10 (1996-2013) |
| Yale | EIBL/Ivy League (since 1902) | |
| Youngstown State | Horizon League (since 2002) | Ohio Valley (1982-88)/Mid-Continent (1992-2001) |
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 13 MLB Games
Extra! Extra! Read all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players! Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college 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 13 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 13
2B Jerry Adair (one of Oklahoma State's three leading basketball scorers in 1956-57 and 1957-58 while ranking among the nation's top 12 free-throw shooters each season) traded by the Baltimore Orioles to the Chicago White Sox in 1966.
1B Dale Alexander (starting center in mid-1920s for Milligan TN) traded by the Detroit Tigers to the Boston Red Sox in 1932.
RHP Jim Bibby (Fayetteville State NC backup player and brother of UCLA All-American Henry Bibby) traded by the Texas Rangers to the Cleveland Indians in 1975.
Philadelphia Athletics C Mickey Cochrane (Boston University player in early 1920s) manufactured three hits and four RBI for the second time in a four-game span in 1927. Two years later, Cochrane contributed four hits against the Cleveland Indians in 1929.
1B Darrell Evans (member of Jerry Tarkanian-coached Pasadena City CA club winning 1967 state community college crown) traded by the Atlanta Braves to the San Francisco Giants in 1976.
St. Louis Browns C Rick Ferrell (played forward for Guilford NC before graduating in 1928) went 3-for-3, including his lone homer in first 216 MLB games, and added four RBI in a 5-4 win against the Washington Senators in 1930.
RHP Eddie Fisher (played for Oklahoma's 1954-55 freshman squad) traded by the Chicago White Sox to the Baltimore Orioles in 1966.
Kansas City Royals rookie RHP Rich Gale (led New Hampshire with 7.2 rpg in 1975-76) hurled a one-hit shutout against the Texas Rangers in 1978.
In 1962, Los Angeles Dodgers LHP Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman squad in 1953-54) whacked his first MLB homer (off fellow Hall of Fame lefthander Warren Spahn of the Milwaukee Braves). Koufax went on to collect one more career round-tripper.
St. Louis Cardinals LF Danny Litwhiler (member of JV squad with Bloomsburg PA three years in mid-1930s) logged three doubles against the Chicago Cubs in 1944.
Milwaukee Braves SS Johnny Logan (played for Binghamton in 1948-49) contributed five RBI in a 12-5 win against the San Francisco Giants in 1960.
In 1979, 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) hammered a homer in the fifth game of his last seven contests.
Philadelphia Phillies 1B Tony Lupien (Harvard captain in 1938-39) lashed two triples among his four hits against the Boston Braves in the nightcap of a 1944 doubleheader.
A grand slam by rookie CF Jerry Martin (1971 Southern Conference MVP after he was Furman's runner-up in scoring in previous season) propelled the Philadelphia Phillies to a 5-1 triumph against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1975.
New York Giants RHP Christy Mathewson (played for Bucknell at turn of 20th Century) fired a no-hitter against Chicago in a 1-0 win in 1905.
OF Sam Mele (NYU's leading scorer in 1943 NCAA playoffs) traded by the Boston Red Sox to the Washington Senators in 1949.
New York Yankees SS Gene Michael (Kent State's leading scorer with 14 ppg in 1957-58) pulled hidden-ball trick for the first of two times in a six-week span in 1970.
St. Louis Cardinals LF Rip Repulski (started a few games for St. Cloud State MN) stroked two hits in each game of a 1954 doubleheader sweep against the Pittsburgh Pirates, triggering a streak of 10 consecutive contests with two or more safeties.
Philadelphia Phillies Hall of Fame RHP Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) yielded three consecutive triples to INF Danny O'Connell of the Milwaukee Braves in 1956.
Boston Red Sox RHP Don Schwall (All-Big Seven Conference second-team selection led Oklahoma in rebounding in 1956-57) tossed a two-hit shutout against the Baltimore Orioles in 1962.
RHP Rollie Sheldon (third-leading scorer as a sophomore for Connecticut's 1960 NCAA Tournament team) traded by the Kansas City Athletics to the Boston Red Sox in a six-player swap in 1966.
INF Gary Sutherland (Southern California's fifth-leading scorer in 1963-64 when he averaged 7.4 ppg) purchased from the Montreal Expos by the Houston Astros in 1972.
St. Louis Browns rookie SS Herb Upton (All-EIBL first-team selection with Penn in 1945-46 before pacing Southeast Missouri State in scoring three years last half of 1940s and finishing as SEMO's career scoring leader) provided two triples in a 6-1 win against the Washington Senators in the nightcap of a 1950 doubleheader.
Basketball Players Dominated in Formative Years of College World Series
Long before the ping was the thing, college cagers would bring their Hoop Dreams to the Field of Dreams. Three of the first four individuals earning the NCAA College World Series Most Outstanding Player award were also basketball players for the school. Following are athletic achievement summaries during the school year in question for the the five versatile performers in this hoop regular/CWS MOP category:
| Year | CWS MOP | College | Pos. | School Year Athletic Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | Tom Hamilton | Texas | 1B | #2 scorer for 17-7 hoops team before contributing home run and four RBI in CWS title-game victory against Wake Forest |
| 1950 | Ray Van Cleef | Rutgers | OF | averaged 2.8 ppg for 13-15 hoops team before going 7-for-9 in first two CWS outings for eventual 3rd-place finisher |
| 1952 | Jim O'Neill | Holy Cross | P | averaged 6.2 ppg for 24-4 NIT participant before 6-5 righthander tossed three CWS complete-game wins, striking out nine in championship contest |
| 1962 | Bob Garibaldi | Santa Clara | P | #2 scorer/rebounder for 19-6 hoops team before workhorse fanned 38 batters while appearing in five of six CWS games (27 2/3 innings after hurling eight frames in relief in 15-inning final-game loss against Michigan) |
| 1973 | Dave Winfield | Minnesota | OF-P | averaged 10.5 ppg and 6.1 rpg for 21-5 hoops team before eventual HOF outfielder fanned 29 batters in two pitching starts (14 vs. Oklahoma and 15 vs. USC) with club tying for third-place finish; in perhaps the most amazing game in CWS history, Winfield allowed only an infield single through eight innings before defending champion Trojans erased 7-0 deficit with eight runs in ninth frame |
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 12 MLB Games
Extra! Extra! Read all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players! Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college 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 12 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 12
Milwaukee Braves 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) produced four hits against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the nightcap of a 1953 doubleheader. Ten years later with the Cleveland Indians in 1963, Adcock homered for the fourth time in a five-game span.
Eighteen-year-old RHP Ralph Branca (sixth-leading scorer for NYU in 1943-44) made his Brooklyn Dodgers debut, striking out the first three New York Giants batters he faced in 1944.
A two-run, seventh-inning triple by pinch-hitter Grant Dunlap (Pacific letterman in 1942-43 and 1946-47) proved decisive as the St. Louis Cardinals edged the New York Giants, 3-1, in 1953.
San Francisco Giants 1B Darrell Evans (member of Jerry Tarkanian-coached Pasadena City CA club winning 1967 state community college crown) contributed a double and homer in the fourth inning when they scored all of their runs in an 8-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds in 1983.
LHP Johnny Gee (captain of Michigan's 16-4 team in 1936-37) purchased from the Pittsburgh Pirates by the New York Giants in 1944.
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 one-hit shutout against the Montreal Expos in 1978. Nine days later, he spun a three-hit whitewash against the Cincinnati Reds.
Brooklyn Dodgers 3B Harvey Hendrick (Vanderbilt letterman in 1918) stole second, third and home against the Chicago Cubs in the eighth inning in 1928.
Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (played for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) hammered a grand slam en route to amassing eight RBI in a 20-7 triumph over the Cincinnati Reds in 1949. Three years later, Hodges homered twice against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1952.
California Angels DH Joe Lahoud (New Haven CT letterman in mid-1960s) launched two homers against the Detroit Tigers in 1975.
St. Louis Cardinals SS Doc Lavan (played for Hope MI from 1908 through 1910) went 5-for-5 against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1922.
Washington Senators 3B Buddy Myer (Mississippi State letterman in 1923-24) went 4-for-4 with four RBI against the Detroit Tigers in 1938.
C-OF Don Padgett (participated in multiple sports as a freshman for Lenoir-Rhyne NC in 1934) purchased from the Brooklyn Dodgers by the Boston Braves in 1946.
Philadelphia Phillies LHP Eppa Rixey (Virginia letterman in 1912 and 1914) tossed the second of back-to-back shutouts in 1917. Eight years later with the Cincinnati Reds, Rixey fired a shutout amid a streak of seven straight wins in less than a month in 1925.
Brooklyn Dodgers LF Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) registered his seventh straight multiple-hit game in 1953.
In the midst of a career-high 16-game hitting streak in 1928, St. Louis Cardinals rookie LF Wally Roettger (Illinois letterman in 1921-22 and 1922-23) supplied his sixth straight multiple-hit outing.
An inside-the-park homer by Cincinnati Reds OF Champ Summers (led SIUE in scoring in 1969-70 after doing same with Nicholls State in 1964-65) represented his second pinch-hit round-tripper in less than a month in 1977. Three years later with the Detroit Tigers, Summers smashed two homers against the Minnesota Twins in 1980.
Detroit Tigers LHP Ed Wells (multi-sport athlete graduated in 1924 from Bethany WV) hurled his third straight shutout en route to six complete-game victories during the month in 1926.
In 1954, RHP Jim Wilson (letterman for San Diego State's 1942 NAIA Tournament participant) hurled a no-hitter for the Milwaukee Braves against Hall of Fame RHP Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) and the Philadelphia Phillies.
OF-3B Chuck Workman (All-MIAA selection was leading scorer in inaugural NAIA Tournament won by Central Missouri State in 1937) traded by the Boston Braves to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1946.
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 11 MLB Games
Extra! Extra! Read all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players! Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college 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 11 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 11
In 1927, Pittsburgh Pirates LF Clyde Barnhart (played basketball for Shippensburg PA predecessor Cumberland Valley State Normal School prior to World War I) supplied three extra-base hits against the Brooklyn Robins for his 10th consecutive multiple-hit contest.
In his final game with the Montreal Expos, 1B Donn Clendenon (four-sport letterman with Morehouse GA) stroked three extra-base hits against the San Diego Padres in 1969.
Hall of Fame C Rick Ferrell (played for Guilford NC in mid-1920s) traded with his brother (P Wes Ferrell) from the Boston Red Sox to the Washington Senators in 1937.
In the midst of a career-high 12-game hitting streak in 1961, Cincinnati Reds 3B Gene Freese (West Liberty WV captain of 1952 NAIA Tournament team) contributed four RBI for the second time in a five-outing span.
St. Louis Cardinals 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham captain) furnished four hits for the first of two times in a four-game span in 1929.
INF Jerry Kindall (averaged 6.9 ppg for Minnesota in 1955-56) traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Minnesota Twins in a three-team swap including the Los Angeles Angels in 1964.
Boston Red Sox RF Joe Lahoud (New Haven CT letterman in mid-1960s) smacked three homers against the Minnesota Twins in 1969.
LF Danny Litwhiler (member of JV squad with Bloomsburg PA three years in mid-1930s) among three St. Louis Cardinals who lashed back-to-back-to-back sixth-inning homers in the nightcaqp of a 1944 doubleheader.
Washington Senators 3B Buddy Myer (Mississippi State letterman in 1923-24) manufactured two hits in his sixth successive game in 1929.
In 1972, 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) homered for the Cleveland Indians and brother Jim Nettles homered for the Minnesota Twins in the same game. Four years later with the New York Yankees, Graig Nettles collected two homers and five RBI against the Texas Rangers in 1976.
INF Paul Popovich (averaged 3.3 ppg for West Virginia's 1960 NCAA playoff team) wound up with the Chicago Cubs in 1969 after he was traded twice on the same day (by Los Angeles Dodgers and Montreal Expos). Two years earlier as a Cubs rookie, Popovich went 5-for-9 in a 1967 twinbill sweep of the New York Mets.
Brooklyn Dodgers rookie 1B Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) went 4-for-4 against the Cincinnati Reds in 1947. Three days later, Robinson started a 21-game hitting streak.
New York Yankees 3B Red Rolfe (played briefly with Dartmouth in 1927-28 and 1929-30) supplied four extra-base hits against the Detroit Tigers in 1936.
In 1961, Boston Red Sox RHP Don Schwall (All-Big Seven Conference second-team selection led Oklahoma in rebounding in 1956-57) won his first five MLB starts, compiling a 1.31 ERA in that span.
In his first game with the Milwaukee Brewers, 2B Gary Sutherland (averaged 7.4 ppg with USC in 1963-64) knocked in the go-ahead run against Oakland Athletics P Vida Blue in a 4-2 win in 1976.
Boston Red Sox C Sammy White (All-PCC Northern Division first-five selection for Washington in 1947-48 and 1948-49) clobbered a ninth-inning grand slam off Satchel Paige to defeat the St. Louis Browns, 11-9, in 1952. White completed his HR trot by rounding third base and crawling from half-way home and kissing the plate.
Tribute to Bevo: Greatest Folk Hero in College Hoops History Passes Away
The greatest folk hero in college basketball history is recently-deceased small-school player Clarence "Bevo" Francis, who set the all-time collegiate scoring record with 113 points for Rio Grande (Ohio) College in a 134-95 victory over Hillsdale on February 2, 1954 until Grinnell's Jack Taylor exploded for 138 in mid-November 2012. Francis' revolutionary jump shot helped him average 46.5 points per game that season, when he earned spots on AP, UPI and NABC All-American teams as a small-college player.
Francis, distinguishing himself from Taylor's achievement, proved he could score against major-college opponents by pouring in 39 points vs. Villanova, 41 vs. Providence, 48 vs. Miami (Fla.), 34 vs. North Carolina State, 32 vs. Wake Forest, 48 vs. Butler and 49 and 41 vs. Creighton. Rio Grande won the Providence, Miami, Wake Forest and Butler games and the first Creighton contest.
"I really don't remember much about the 113-point game," said Francis, who was selected by the Philadelphia Warriors in the 1956 draft but couldn't reach a contract agreement with them and never played in the NBA. "It was just another time when I was double- and triple-teamed. Their coach told me after the game that if he could have dressed out, he would have guarded me, too."
No stat sheet exists to detail how many shots the 6-9 Francis attempted en route to his 37 field goals against Hillsdale. "Most of them were outside," he said. "With the three-pointer, I know I would have come close to 150 points."
The scoring outburst might not have had much of an impact on him because he scored even more points - 116 - as a freshman the previous season against Ashland (Ky.) Junior College when he erupted for 55 in the 10-minute fourth quarter. Francis averaged 50.1 points that year for a 39-0 team that reportedly generated sufficient gate receipts to save the school from bankruptcy. However, his single-game total against Ashland and his season average were later expunged from the NCAA record book because 27 of the opponents for Rio Grande (pronounced RYE-o Grand) were junior colleges, military teams and vocational schools.
Francis was outscored by a teammate only once (23-21 by Roy Moses at Bluefield). Among the coaches who tried to contain him was George Steinbrenner III, the eventual New York Yankees owner who piloted the airmen at Lockbourne Air Force base in Portsmouth, Ohio.
Bevo's nickname stemmed from his father's fondness for Beve Beer, a root beer-type soft drink. Francis rejected offers from larger universities to follow his Wellsville, Ohio, high school coach, Newt Oliver, to a college with an enrollment of 92 full-time students. Francis, who had a wife and an infant when he arrived at Rio Grande, left school after his sophomore season and signed a three-year contract worth $13,000 annually to play on a national barnstorming tour for a team opposing the Harlem Globetrotters.
Francis singlehandedly outscored the opposition eight times to spark Rio Grande (Ohio) to a 59-8 record in his two-year scoring orgy. Bevo supplied four of the following 19 scoring explosions of more than 75 points in games between two four-year colleges:
| Points | Player | College | Result | Opponent | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 138 | Jack Taylor | Grinnell | W/179-104 | Faith Baptist Bible | 11/20/12 |
| 113 | Bevo Francis | Rio Grande | W/150-85 | Hillsdale | 2/2/54 |
| 109 | Jack Taylor | Grinnell | W/173-123 | Crossroads | 11/17/13 |
| 100 | Frank Selvy | Furman | W/149-95 | Newberry | 2/13/54 |
| 96 | Ron Porter | Bliss | W/207-88 | Oberlin | 3/5/66 |
| 89 | Griffin Lentsch | Grinnell | W/145-97 | vs. Principia | 11/19/11 |
| 87 | Jack Duncan | Rio Grande | W/116-40 | Capital City | 2/14/41 |
| 85 | Paul Arizin | Villanova | W/117-25 | Philadelphia NAMC | 2/12/49 |
| 85 | Robert Sklarz | Franklin Pierce | L/117-118 | Windham State | 2/5/68 |
| 84 | Bevo Francis | Rio Grande | W/133-68 | Alliance | 1/16/54 |
| 83 | Ulyss Brock | Freed-Hardeman | W/101-21 | Bethel | 2/??/40 |
| 83 | Brownell Bryant | Lincoln Memorial | W/127-33 | Tennessee Wesleyan | 12/16/44 |
| 82 | Bevo Francis | Rio Grande | W/116-71 | at Bluffton | 12/11/53 |
| 81 | Freeman Williams | Portland State | W/133-110 | Rocky Mountain | 2/3/78 |
| 80 | Michael Anderson | Bucknell | W/159-5 | College of Pharmacy | 1/16/1903 |
| 80 | Paul Chrissman | Southern Cal College | unavailable | Pacific Christian | 2/18/66 |
| 77 | William English | Winston-Salem State | W/147-74 | Fayetteville State | 2/9/68 |
| 77 | Jeff Clement | Grinnell | W/149-144 | Illinois College | 2/18/98 |
| 76 | Bevo Francis | Rio Grande | W/102-64 | Lees | 1953 |
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 10 MLB Games
Extra! Extra! Read all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players! Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college 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 10 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 10
A pinch-hit single by Houston Colts .45s 2B Joey Amalfitano (played basketball for Loyola Marymount in 1952-53) triggered a 12-game hitting streak for him in 1962.
Pittsburgh Pirates LF Carson "Skeeter" Bigbee (Oregon letterman in 1915) provided four hits for the third time in a 19-game span in 1922.
Boston Braves SS Dick Culler (#9 jersey retired by High Point for Little All-American in 1935 and 1936) contributed four hits in a 10-5 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1946.
Chicago Cubs RHP Mark Freeman (LSU center averaged 3.6 ppg as senior in 1950-51) notched his only MLB complete game with a four-hit, 6-1 win against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1960.
Chicago White Sox 3B Gene Freese (West Liberty WV captain of 1952 NAIA Tournament team) went 4-for-4 against the Boston Red Sox in 1960.
Boston Red Sox 1B Dick Gernert (Temple letterman in 1948-49 when averaging 2.7 ppg) collected two homers and six RBI against the Kansas City Athletics in 1957.
LHP Joe Gibbon (two-time All-SEC forward for Ole Miss was nation's second-leading scorer as a senior in 1956-57) traded by the San Francisco Giants to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1969.
Detroit Tigers 1B Hank Greenberg (enrolled at NYU on hoop scholarship in 1929 but attended college only one semester) hammered a homer for the third consecutive contest in 1939.
Oakland Athletics rookie 3B Wayne Gross (led Cal Poly Pomona in assists in 1974-75) swatted two homers against the Detroit Tigers in 1977.
San Diego Padres RF Tony Gwynn (All-WAC second-team selection with San Diego State in 1979-80 and 1980-81) supplied a double, triple and homer against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1993.
Boston Braves 1B Buddy Hassett (played for Manhattan teams winning school-record 17 consecutive games in 1930 and 1931) went 4-for-4 against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1940.
Washington Senators LF Frank Howard (two-time All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection in 1956-57 and 1957-58 hammered two homers against the Boston Red Sox in 1967.
Chicago White Sox 3B Vance Law (averaged 6.8 ppg for Brigham Young from 1974-75 through 1976-77) launched two homers against the Minnesota Twins in 1984.
Philadelphia Phillies CF Jerry Martin (1971 Southern Conference MVP after he was Furman's runner-up in scoring the previous season) went 4-for-4 in a 7-5 triumph against the Atlanta Braves in 1977.
Recently-acquired RF-1B Sam Mele (NYU's leading scorer in 1943 NCAA playoffs) knocked in six fourth-inning runs (three-run HR and bases-loaded triple) for the Chicago White Sox in a 1952 game at Philadelphia.
Los Angeles Dodgers LF Wally Moon (averaged 4.3 ppg with Texas A&M in 1948-49 and 1949-50) smashed two homers against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1961.
Boston Braves LF Joe Mowry (Iowa letterman in 1929-30 and 1930-31) went 3-for-3 against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1933.
San Diego Padres 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) whacked two homers against the Cincinnati Reds in 1984.
Chicago Cubs SS Paul Popovich (teammate of Jerry West for West Virginia's 1960 NCAA playoff team) homered in back-to-back games against the San Diego Padres in 1970.
Oakland Athletics RHP Steve Renko (averaged 9.9 ppg and 5.8 rpg as Kansas sophomore in 1963-64) allowed only five earned runs in his first five starts of 1978 campaign covering 30 innings.
RHP Jeff Robinson (two-time NAIA All-District 3 honoree in early 1980s for Azusa Pacific CA) awarded off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Texas Rangers in 1992.
Cleveland Indians RHP Sonny Siebert (team-high 16.7 ppg for Missouri in 1957-58 as All-Big Eight Conference second-team selection) hurled a no-hitter against the Washington Senators in 1966.
2B Junior Spivey (redshirted his only semester at Northwestern Oklahoma State on a hoop scholarship before transferring to a KS junior college) traded by the Milwaukee Brewers to the Washington Nationals in 2005.
Chicago Cubs rookie 2B Jimmy Stewart (All-VSAC selection for Austin Peay's NCAA DII Tournament teams in 1959-60 and 1960-61) stroked four hits against the New York Mets in 1964.
INF Gary Sutherland (Southern California's fifth-leading scorer in 1963-64 when averaging 7.4 ppg) traded by the Detroit Tigers to the Milwaukee Brewers in 1976.
Ex-Cincy Frosh Hoopster Sandy Koufax Tossed No-Hitter Four Years in Row
In the aftermath of N.L. no-hitters by the San Francisco Giants' Chris Heston and Washington Nationals' Max Scherzer, it's time to take a look at former college hoopsters who went on to hurl a no-no at the major-league level. Brooklyn native Sandy Koufax attended Cincinnati one year on a combination baseball/basketball scholarship under coach Ed Jucker in both sports before signing a pro baseball contract. Koufax was the third-leading scorer with 9.7 ppg for the Bearcats' 12-2 freshman squad in 1953-54 before hurling no-hitters in four straight seasons the first half of the 1960s.
Two former Bucknell products - Bob Keegan and Christy Mathewson - are among the following ex-college basketball players who went on to toss a MLB no-hitter (listed in reverse order):
| Date | No-Hit Pitcher | Team | Opponent | Score | Basketball College |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-14-1977 | Jim Colborn | Kansas City Royals | Texas Rangers | 6-0 | Whittier CA |
| 8-24-1975 | Ed Halicki | San Francisco Giants | New York Mets | 6-0 | Monmouth NJ |
| 7-30-1973 | Jim Bibby | Texas Rangers | Oakland A's | 6-0 | Fayetteville State NC |
| 8-14-1971 | Bob Gibson | St. Louis Cardinals | Pittsburgh Pirates | 11-0 | Creighton |
| 9-18-1968 | Ray Washburn | St. Louis Cardinals | San Francisco Giants | 2-0 | Whitworth WA |
| 6-10-1966 | Sonny Siebert | Cleveland Indians | Washington Senators | 2-0 | Missouri |
| 9-9-1965 | Sandy Koufax | Los Angeles Dodgers | Chicago Cubs | 1-0* | Cincinnati |
| 6-4-1964 | Sandy Koufax | Los Angeles Dodgers | Philadelphia Phillies | 3-0 | Cincinnati |
| 5-11-1963 | Sandy Koufax | Los Angeles Dodgers | San Francisco Giants | 8-0 | Cincinnati |
| 6-30-1962 | Sandy Koufax | Los Angeles Dodgers | New York Mets | 5-0 | Cincinnati |
| 8-20-1957 | Bob Keegan | Chicago White Sox | Washington Senators | 6-0 | Bucknell |
| 6-12-1954 | Jim Wilson | Milwaukee Braves | Philadelphia Phillies | 2-0 | San Diego State |
| 9-3-1947 | Bill McCahan | Philadelphia Athletics | Washington Senators | 3-0 | Duke |
| 8-21-1926 | Ted Lyons | Chicago White Sox | Boston Red Sox | 6-0 | Baylor |
| 5-5-1917 | Ernie Koob | St. Louis Browns | Chicago White Sox | 1-0 | Western Michigan |
| 6-13-1905 | Christy Mathewson | New York Giants | Chicago Cubs | 1-0 | Bucknell |
| 7-15-1901 | Christy Mathewson | New York Giants | St. Louis Cardinals | 5-0 | Bucknell |
*Perfect game.
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 9 MLB Games
Extra! Extra! Read all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players! Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college 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 9 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 9
Chicago Cubs rookie CF George Altman (appeared in 1953 and 1954 NAIA Basketball Tournament with Tennessee State) went 4-for-4 in an 8-4 win against the Cincinnati Reds in 1959.
Detroit Tigers LF Hoot Evers (Illinois starter in 1939-40) went 5-for-5 against the New York Yankees in 1949.
Baltimore Orioles LHP Mike Flanagan (averaged 13.9 ppg for UMass' 15-1 freshman basketball squad in 1971-72) shut out the Detroit Tigers in 1984, beating them for the second time in a week.
New York Giants 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham captain) supplied four hits against the Chicago Cubs in 1922. Nine years later with the St. Louis Cardinals, Frisch furnished four safeties against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1931.
St. Louis Cardinals SS Charlie Gelbert (scored at least 125 points each of last three seasons in late 1920s for Lebanon Valley PA) had four hits against the Chicago Cubs in 1935.
In 2008, Florida Marlins LHP Mark Hendrickson (two-time All-Pacific-10 Conference selection paced Washington State in rebounding four straight seasons from 1992-93 through 1995-96) yielded the 600th home run of the career of Ken Griffey Jr.
The lone MLB safety for 1B Gary Holle (led Siena in scoring and rebounding in 1974-75)) was a pinch-hit double with the Texas Rangers against the Baltimore Orioles in 1979.
Atlanta Braves RF David Justice (led Thomas More KY in assists in 1984-85) smacked two homers against the Montreal Expos in 1991. Nine years later with the Cleveland Indians, Justice jacked two round-trippers against the Cincinnati Reds in 2000.
LF Danny Litwhiler (member of JV squad with Bloomsburg PA three years in mid-1930s) purchased from the St. Louis Cardinals by the Boston Braves in 1946.
Sam Mele (NYU's leading scorer in 1943 NCAA playoffs) replaced as manager of the Minnesota Twins by Cal Ermer in 1967.
Los Angeles Dodgers LF Wally Moon (averaged 4.3 ppg with Texas A&M in 1948-49 and 1949-50) homered in his fourth outing of a five-game span in 1960.
Montreal Expos RHP Steve Renko (averaged 9.9 ppg and 5.8 rpg as Kansas sophomore in 1963-64) hurled the first of his two one-hitters in a month in 1971 (against San Francisco Giants and Philadelphia Phillies).
In 1955, Philadelphia Phillies RHP Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) fired a three-hit shutout against the St. Louis Cardinals en route to leading the N.L. in wins for the fourth consecutive campaign.
Chicago White Sox RHP Art Smith (Columbia two-year letterman graduated in 1931) lost his lone MLB decision when dropping debut as a starter against the Washington Senators in 1932.
Training Ground: Murray State Among Six Schools Losing Seven Head Coaches
The departure of Steve Prohm to Iowa State enabled Murray State to join the list of schools losing at least seven head coaches over the years to other major colleges or the NBA. The Racers lost four coaches to other universities in a 14-year span from 1985 to 1998. Prohm could join three other former Murray coaches in the 2016 NCAA playoffs (North Carolina State's Mark Gottfried, Cincinnati's Mick Cronin and Texas A&M's Billy Kennedy).
Incredibly, Tulsa lost four coaches in a seven-year period from 1995 to 2001. Other schools losing coaches in comparable short spans include Idaho (11 years from 1983 to 1993), Princeton (12 years from 2000 to 2011), New Orleans (14 years from 1994 to 2007) and Penn (15 years from 1971 to 1985).
Unlike POTUS, at least some universities have a strategy to win their basketball wars by knowing where to go for a competent coach. Following is an alphabetical list of the six DI schools - five of them mid-major institutions - losing seven head coaches to other DI schools or the pros:
Idaho - Dave MacMillan (left for Minnesota/1927), Dave Strack (Michigan/1960), Joe Cipriano (Nebraska/1963), Don Monson (Oregon/1983), Tim Floyd (New Orleans/1988), Kermit Davis (Texas A&M/1990), Larry Eustachy (Utah State/1993)
Kansas State - Jack Gardner (Utah/1953), Tex Winter (Washington/1968), Cotton Fitzsimmons (Phoenix Suns/1970), Lon Kruger (Florida/1990), Dana Altman (Creighton/1994), Bob Huggins (West Virginia/2008), Frank Martin (South Carolina/2012)
Montana - Jud Heathcote (Michigan State/1976), Jim Brandenburg (Wyoming/1978), Mike Montgomery (Stanford/1986), Stew Morrill (Colorado State/1991), Pat Kennedy (Towson/2004), Larry Krystkowiak (assistant with Milwaukee Bucks/2006), Wayne Tinkle (Oregon State/2014)
Murray State - Ron Greene (Indiana State/1985), Steve Newton (South Carolina/1991), Scott Edgar (Duquesne/1995), Mark Gottfried (Alabama/1998), Mick Cronin (Cincinnati/2006), Billy Kennedy (Texas A&M/2011), Steve Prohm (Iowa State/2015)
Penn - Howie Dallmar (Stanford/1954), Jack McCloskey (Wake Forest/1966), Dick Harter (Oregon/1971), Chuck Daly (assistant with Philadelphia 76ers/1977), Bob Weinhauer (Arizona State/1982), Craig Littlepage (Rutgers/1985), Fran Dunphy (Temple/2006)
Tulsa - Ken Hayes (New Mexico State/1975), Nolan Richardson Jr. (Arkansas/1985), Tubby Smith (Georgia/1995), Steve Robinson (Florida State/1997), Bill Self (Illinois/2000), Buzz Peterson (Tennessee/2001), Danny Manning (Wake Forest/2014)
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 8 MLB Games
Extra! Extra! Read all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players! Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college 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 8 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 8
Chicago Cubs RF George Altman (appeared in 1953 and 1954 NAIA Basketball Tournament with Tennessee State) went 4-for-4 in a 4-3 loss against the New York Mets in the opener of a 1962 doubleheader.
In the midst of a career-high 13-game hitting streak, Philadelphia Phillies 1B Harry Anderson (averaged 7.7 ppg and 8.9 rpg for West Chester PA in 1951-52) supplied two homers among his four hits in the opener of a 1958 twinbill against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Detroit Tigers RHP Elden Auker (All-Big Six Conference first-five selection with Kansas State in 1931-32) tossed a one-hitter against the Philadelphia Athletics in 1937.
Posting his lone RBI with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1968, LF Howie Bedell (averaged 3.5 ppg and 3.5 rpg for West Chester PA in 1955-56) lofted a pinch-hit, sacrifice fly with one out in the fifth frame against the Los Angeles Dodgers, breaking P Don Drysdale's string of 58 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings.
Pittsburgh Pirates LF Carson "Skeeter" Bigbee (Oregon letterman in 1915) banged out at least three hits for the sixth time in a 13-game span in 1923.
Baltimore Orioles CF Al Bumbry (Virginia State's runner-up in scoring with 16.7 ppg as freshman in 1964-65) collected four hits and five RBI in a 13-8 win against the California Angels in 1980.
San Diego Padres 1B Tony Clark (San Diego State's leading scorer in WAC games in 1991-92) smacked a three-run pinch homer off P Billy Wagner in the bottom of the eighth inning in an 8-6 win against the New York Mets in 2008.
Cincinnati Reds CF Harry Craft (four-sport letterman with Mississippi College in early 1930s) went 5-for-5, hitting for the cycle, with six RBI in a 23-2 win against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1940.
Boston Red Sox 1B Walt Dropo (Connecticut's first player ever to average 20 points in single season with 21.7 ppg in 1942-43), en route to becoming 1950 A.L. Rookie of the Year, contributed two homers, seven RBI and five runs scored in a 29-4 romp over the St. Louis Browns in the most lopsided result in the 20th Century.
New York Yankees 1B-OF Buddy Hassett (played for Manhattan teams winning school-record 17 consecutive games in 1930 and 1931) extended his hit streak to 20 games with a pair of singles against the Cleveland Indians in 1942.
RHP Cal Koonce (standout for Campbell in 1960 and 1961 when North Carolina-based school was a junior college) purchased from the New York Mets by the Boston Red Sox in 1970.
Bonus baby LHP Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman squad in 1953-54) activated from the injury list by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1955. They made room for him by optioning P Tommy Lasorda, who eventually managed them for 21 years from 1976 to 1996.
Detroit Tigers SS Harvey Kuenn (played briefly for Wisconsin in 1951-52 after competing on JV squad previous season) collected four hits and four RBI against the New York Yankees in 1954.
In 1945, Cleveland Indians 2B Dutch Meyer (Texas Christian letterman in 1934-35 and 1935-36) supplied his third three-hit outing in the last four games.
LHP Dennis Rasmussen (sixth-man for Creighton averaged 5.1 ppg from 1977-78 through 1979-80) traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the San Diego Padres in 1988.
Cincinnati Reds 1B Eddie Shokes (Duke letterman in 1939-40 and 1940-41) supplied a career-high three hits against the Boston Braves in 1946.
Crossing Over: Ex-College Hoopsters Impact CWS as Championship Coaches
Florida State's Mike Martin, eliminated by long-time rival Florida, was again denied the possibility of becoming the latest former college basketball player to coach a school to a College World Series championship. One of the all-time five winningest college baseball coaches, he boasts the highest winning percentage among NCAA Division I mentors, winning almost three-fourths of his games. Martin, who has guided the Seminoles to the CWS a total of 15 times (1980-86-87-89-91-92-94-95-96-98-99-00-08-10-12), played basketball for Wingate (NC) in the mid-1960s before the institution became a four-year school. One of his junior college hoop teammates was Morris "Mo" McHone, who went on to coach the San Antonio Spurs in 1983-84. Martin coached basketball for Tallahassee (Fla.) Community College in the early 1970s.
Martin, runner-up in 1986 and 1999, isn't the only revered coach frustrated by not capturing a national title. Richard "Itchy" Jones, who averaged 8.9 ppg for Southern Illinois' basketball squad in 1956-57, established a baseball dynasty in 21-year coaching career at his alma mater before accepting a similar position with the Illini in Champaign in 1991. Jones compiled a 1,240-752-6 record before retiring in 2005. In 1971, his second year at Southern Illinois, Jones guided the Salukis to within one game of the national title, finishing second at the CWS. In 1974 and 1977, Jones brought SIU back to the CWS, placing third both times. Buoyed by 22 eventual major leaguers, he became the 18th coach in NCAA Division I history to win 1,000 games.
Stanford's Everett Dean, compiling a 3-0 basketball tournament record in 1942, is the only unbeaten coach in NCAA playoff history. He is also the only NCAA basketball championship coach to win a CWS baseball game for the same school as a coach (1953). Following is an alphabetical list of previous ex-college hoopsters who went the extra step and reached the milestone of coaching a CWS titlist:
JOHN "JACK" BARRY, Holy Cross
Infielder, primarily a shortstop, hit .243 with the Philadelphia Athletics and Boston Red Sox in 11 A.L. seasons from 1908 through 1919. Ranked fifth in the league in RBI in 1913 with 85 for the Athletics as a key component of Connie Mack's first dynasty. Participated in five World Series, four with the champion, in a six-year span from 1910 through 1915. Compiled a 90-62 managerial record with the Red Sox in 1917 before winning more than 80% of his games coaching his alma mater for 40 years (including capturing the 1952 College World Series). The 5-9 Barry was a basketball letterman for the Crusaders in 1908.
SAM BARRY, Wisconsin
Basketball Hall of Famer coached USC's 1948 baseball titlist. He is the Trojans' all-time winningest basketball coach.
RAY "PICK" FISHER, Middlebury (VT)
Righthander compiled a 100-94 record and 2.82 ERA with the New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds in 10 years from 1910 through 1920. Ranked among the A.L. top 10 in ERA and complete games in back-to-back seasons (1914 and 1915). Started one World Series game for the Reds against the Chicago White Sox in 1919. Won 14 Big Ten Conference championships as baseball coach at Michigan for 38 years until the late 1950s (including 1953 College World Series title). Became a spring training pitching instructor for the Detroit Tigers after being blacklisted for almost 40 years because of salary disputes with Cincinnati's owners. Fisher played "class" basketball (1910 graduate) before becoming his alma mater's first full-time salaried member of the Physical Education Department.
MARTIN KAROW, Ohio State
Coach of his alma mater's 1966 College World Series winner after the Buckeyes finished runner-up the previous year. He was a basketball letterman in 1925.
JERRY KINDALL, Minnesota
Infielder hit .213 in nine seasons (1956 through 1958 and 1960 through 1965) with the Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians and Minnesota Twins. Baseball coach at Arizona for more than 20 years, leading the Wildcats to three College World Series titles (1976, 1980 and 1986). He is the only player to hit for the cycle in the College World Series at Omaha (against Ole Miss on June 11, 1956). Kindall is the only individual to play for and coach
CWS champions. The 6-2 1/2, 175-pounder played two seasons of varsity basketball for Minnesota under coach Ozzie Cowles, averaging 1.4 ppg as a sophomore in 1954-55 and 6.9 ppg as a junior in 1955-56. Excerpt from school guide: "Exceptionally quick reflexes and a good eye are his main attributes although he also has tremendous spring making him a good rebounder."
DON LUND, Michigan
Outfielder hit .240 in a seven-year career (1945, 1947 through 1949 and 1952 through 1954) with the Brooklyn
Dodgers, St. Louis Browns and Detroit Tigers. His only season as a regular was 1953 when he was the Tigers' right fielder. Coached baseball at his alma mater, winning the national championship in 1962, before running the Tigers' farm system until 1970. First-round selection as a fullback/linebacker by the Chicago Bears in the 1945 NFL draft. Rejected $100 a game offer from the Bears and never played pro football. He was a 6-0, 200-pound starting guard as a junior for the Wolverines' basketball team and starting center as a senior. Averaged 4.4 ppg in 46 outings. In his history of Michigan basketball, Jeff Mortimer wrote of the school's World War II squads: "Lund, rejected for military service because of a trick knee, was the mainstay of these teams." Following his playing career, he served as baseball coach for his alma mater (won 1962 College World Series), farm system director for the Tigers and associate athletic director at his alma mater.
DICK SIEBERT, Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.)
Lefthanded first baseman hit .282 with the Brooklyn Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Athletics in 11 years in 1932 and from 1936 through 1945. All-Star in 1943 finished among the top Seven in the A.L. in batting average in 1941 and 1944. Minnesota's baseball coach for 31 years (753-361-8 record from 1948 through 1978) captured three CWS titles in a nine-year span from 1956 through 1964. His son, Paul, pitched with the Houston Astros, San Diego Padres and New York Mets for five years from 1974 to 1978. Siebert played two years of college basketball in 1929 and 1930. The March 1929 issue of the Concordia Comet mentions that, "Lefty Siebert, despite having never touched a basketball before enrolling at Concordia, was almost as good a basketball player as he was a baseball player."
JOHN "HI" SIMMONS, Northeast Missouri State
Missouri's all-time winningest baseball coach (481-284 record in 34 years) captured the 1954 NCAA title in one of his six College World Series appearances. One of his winning pitchers at the CWS was Norm Stewart, who went on to become Mizzou's all-time winningest basketball coach. School's baseball stadium is named after Simmons. All-conference center was senior captain of 1927-28 basketball squad.
BOBBY WINKLES, Illinois Wesleyan
Coached Arizona State to College World Series titles in 1965, 1967 and 1969 before managing the California Angels in 1973 and through the first 74 games of 1974 (170-213 major league record). Reggie Jackson, Rick Monday and Sal Bando were among the more than 20 future major leaguers he coached at ASU. Winkles led Illinois Wesleyan in scoring as a senior in 1950-51 (12 ppg). The 5-9, 170-pound guard was a first-team selection in the College
Conference of Illinois.
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 7 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 7 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 7
SS Bill Almon (averaged 2.5 ppg in half a season for Brown's 1972-73 team ending the Bears' streak of 12 straight losing basketball records) selected first overall in 1974 amateur draft featuring 12 of first 13 choices going on to become major leaguers. Almon was chosen by the San Diego Padres ahead of first-rounders Dale Murphy, Lance Parrish, Lonnie Smith, Rick Sutcliffe, Garry Templeton and Willie Wilson who eventually became All-Star honorees.
Seattle Mariners 1B Bruce Bochte (starting forward for Santa Clara's NCAA playoff team in 1969-70) provided four hits in a 5-4 win against the Cleveland Indians in 1981.
RHP Andrew Brackman (averaged 7.5 ppg and 3.5 rpg with North Carolina State in 2004-05 and 2005-06 for pair of NCAA playoff teams) selected in first round (30th pick overall) by the New York Yankees in 2007 amateur draft. Brackman was chosen ahead of supplemental first-rounders Todd Frazier and Justin Jackson. Other notable players picked who signed that year include Brandon Belt (11th round), Zack Cozart (2nd), Lucas Duda (7th), Greg Holland (10th), Freddie Freeman (2nd), Corey Kluber (4th), Jonathan Lucroy (3rd), Anthony Rizzo (6th), Giancarlo Stanton (2nd) and Jordan Zimmerman (2nd).
Brooklyn Robins RF Harvey Hendrick (Vanderbilt letterman in 1918) stroked three hits in third consecutive contest in 1927.
Philadelphia Phillies CF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling 35-3 record) logged three hits for the third time in a four-game span in 2005.
OF Jim Lyttle (led Florida State in free-throw shooting in 1965-66 when averaging 12.4 ppg) selected in first round (10th pick overall) by the New York Yankees in 1966 amateur draft. Lyttle was chosen ahead of fellow first-rounders John Curtis (did not sign that year), Richie Hebner, Carlos May and Gary Nolan.
New York Giants Hall of Fame RHP Christy Mathewson (played for Bucknell at turn of 20th Century) combined with teammate Joe McGinnity to surrender 11 runs in the opening inning of a 19-0 drubbing by the Chicago Cubs in 1906. It is the worst setback in Giants' history.
Len Matuszek (starter for Toledo's 18-7 team in 1975-76) smashed a three-run, pinch-hit homer for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Houston Astros in 1986.
RHP Joe Niekro (averaged 8.9 ppg and 3.8 rpg for West Liberty WV from 1963-64 through 1965-66) traded by the New York Yankees to the Minnesota Twins in 1987.
In the midst of a 12-game hitting streak, St. Louis Cardinals RF Don Padgett (freshman in 1934 with Lenoir-Rhyne NC excelled in multiple sports) pounded his fourth homer in last six contests.
Chicago Cubs RHP Claude Passeau (played for Millsaps MS in late 1920s and early 1930s) hurled a shutout against the Brooklyn Dodgers and supplied a two-run, game-ending homer in the ninth inning in 1946.
Detroit Tigers LF Curtis Pride (led William & Mary in steals three times and assists twice while averaging 5.6 ppg and 3.1 apg from 1986-87 through 1989-90) contributed a career-high four hits and scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning in a 6-5 triumph against the New York Yankees in 1996.
OF Dave Winfield (starting forward with Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) picked fourth overall by the San Diego Padres in 1973 amateur draft and goes straight to the majors.
1B Babe Young (Fordham letterman in 1935-36) traded by the New York Giants to the Cincinnati Reds in 1947.
Hoop Dreams to Field of Dreams: Ex-Hoopsters/#1 MLB Picks Reaching Bigs
Swingman Pat Connaughton, Notre Dame's runner-up in scoring and rebounding the last two seasons, was the most notable college basketball player selected last year in the 2014 MLB Amateur Draft. Connaughton, a pitcher, was picked in the fourth round by the Baltimore Orioles (121st choice overall) before losing his lone decision in the New York-Penn League (Class A).
In an era of increased specialization, the Orioles selected former LSU hoopster Ben McDonald with the first pick in the 1989 draft. McDonald, a part-time starter as a freshman forward under coach Dale Brown in 1986-87, went on to pitch in the starting rotation for the Orioles and Milwaukee Brewers for nine years from 1989 through 1997 before becoming an analyst for ESPN's CWS coverage.
Infielder-outfielder C.J. Henry, the 17th pick overall in the 2005 draft, hit an anemic .222 in four low-minors seasons in the New York Yankees' farm system before the brother of Kansas standout Xavier Henry averaged 3.1 ppg in 13 contests with the Jayhawks in 2009-10. But North Carolina State's Andrew Brackman, who pitched briefly for the Yankees in 2011, is the only DI basketball regular in the 21st Century to become a major leaguer after being selected in the opening round of the amateur draft. Brackman was chosen ahead of supplemental first-rounders Todd Frazier and Justin Jackson. Other notable players picked that year include Brandon Belt (11th round), Zack Cozart (2nd), Lucas Duda (7th), Freddie Freeman (2nd), Matt Harvey (3rd/did not sign), Greg Holland (10th), Craig Kimbrel (33rd/did not sign), Corey Kluber (4th), Jonathan Lucroy (3rd), Anthony Rizzo (6th), Chris Sale (21st/did not sign), Giancarlo Stanton (2nd) and Jordan Zimmerman (2nd).
Numerous universities have featured versatile athletes who played college basketball before going on to major league baseball careers. Connecticut's Scott Burrell, a three-time All-Big East Conference choice under Huskies coach Jim Calhoun, is the first athlete to become a first-round draft pick of two major sports organizations (MLB and NBA). The first-round selection of the Seattle Mariners in 1989 and fifth-round choice by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1990 never reached as high as Double A, compiling a 2-6 Class A pitching record in 14 starts in the Blue Jays' farm system 1990 and 1991. Burrell, a first-round pick by the Charlotte Hornets in 1993, averaged 6.9 ppg and 3.5 rpg with four different NBA franchises in eight seasons from 1993-94 through 2000-01.
In 1989, Burrell was picked ahead of supplemental first-rounder Todd Jones plus the following eventual MLB hurlers: Jerry Dipoto (3rd round), Alan Embree (5th), Scott Erickson (4th), Sterling Hitchcock (9th), Trevor Hoffman (11th), Curt Leskanie (8th), Denny Neagle (3rd), Paul Quantrill (6th), Pat Rapp (15th), Shane Reynolds (3rd), Russ Springer (7th), Mike Trombley (14th) and Tim Worrell (20th). In 1990, Burrell was chosen before eventual MLB pitchers Jason Bere (36th round), Eddie Guardado (21st), Mike Hampton (6th), Dave Mlicki (17th), Troy Percival (6th), Andy Pettitte (22nd), Rick White (15th) and Mike Williams (14th).
Lefthanded reliever Matt Thornton of the Washington Nationals averaged 5.8 points and 2.4 rebounds per game for Grand Valley State (MI) from 1995-96 through 1997-98, shooting 54.7% from the floor his last two seasons before becoming a first-round draft choice by the Seattle Mariners. Following is an alphabetical list including Thornton among the major leaguers who were first-round choices in the amateur baseball draft after playing varsity college basketball:
| First-Round Choice | Position | College(s) | MLB Team Selector | Pick Overall | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Almon | SS | Brown | San Diego Padres | 1st | 1974 |
| Andy Benes | RHP | Evansville | San Diego Padres | 1st | 1988 |
| Andrew Brackman | RHP | North Carolina State | New York Yankees | 30th | 2007 |
| Tony Clark | 1B | Arizona/San Diego State | Detroit Tigers | 2nd | 1990 |
| Cameron Drew | OF | New Haven CT | Houston Astros | 12th | 1985 |
| Atlee Hammaker | LHP | East Tennessee State | Kansas City Royals | 21st | 1979 |
| Rich Hand | RHP | Puget Sound WA | Cleveland Indians | 1st | 1969** |
| Jim Lyttle | OF | Florida State | New York Yankees | 10th | 1966 |
| Ben McDonald | RHP | Louisiana State | Baltimore Orioles | 1st | 1989 |
| Dennis Rasmussen | LHP | Creighton | California Angels | 17th | 1980 |
| Jeff Shaw | RHP | Rio Grande OH | Cleveland Indians | 1st | 1986** |
| *Mike Stenhouse | OF-1B | Harvard | Oakland Athletics | 26th | 1979 |
| Matt Thornton | LHP | Grand Valley State MI | Seattle Mariners | 22nd | 1998 |
| Dave Winfield | OF | Minnesota | San Diego Padres | 4th | 1973 |
| John Young | 1B | Chapman CA | Detroit Tigers | 16th | 1969** |
*Did not sign that year.
**January draft/secondary phase.
NOTES: 1B-OF Rick Leach (13th pick in 1979 by Detroit Tigers) was a JV player for Michigan and OF Ken Singleton (3rd selection in 1967 by New York Mets) was a freshman player for Hofstra. . . . Rasmussen and Stenhouse were compensation for signings of free-agent pitchers Nolan Ryan and Steve Renko, respectively.
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 6 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 6 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 6
Philadelphia Phillies RHP Mike Adams (played basketball for Texas A&M-Kingsville in 1996-97) notched 14 straight relief appearances without allowing an earned run before going on the disabled list in 2014.
RHP Mike Barlow (Syracuse substitute from 1967-68 through 1969-70) traded by the Houston Astros to the California Angels in 1976.
Cleveland Indians RF Beau Bell (two-year letterman for Texas A&M in early 1930s) went 4-for-4 in a 5-4 win against the Washington Senators in 1940.
RHP Jim Bibby (Fayetteville State NC backup player and brother of UCLA All-American Henry Bibby) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Texas Rangers in 1973.
Detroit Tigers 1B Tony Clark (San Diego State's leading scorer in WAC games in 1991-92) provided three extra-base hits against the Milwaukee Brewers in 1998.
San Diego Padres RF Tony Gwynn (All-WAC second-team selection with San Diego State in 1979-80 and 1980-81) stroked a ninth-inning single on a 3-0 delivery to end Tom Browning's bid for a perfect game with the Cincinnati Reds in 1988.
Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (played for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) hammered two homers against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1953.
LF Danny Litwhiler (member of JV squad with Bloomsburg PA three years in mid-1930s) notched the only for the Philadelphia Phillies off Johnny Vander Meer of the Cincinnati Reds in a 1941 outing three years to the month after Vander Meer became the only MLB hurler to toss back-to-back no-hitters.
In 1963, Chicago Cubs RHP Lindy McDaniel (played for Oklahoma's 1954-55 freshman squad), entering a contest against the San Francisco Giants as a reliever with the bases loaded and one out in the top of the 10th inning, promptly picked Hall of Fame CF Willie Mays off second base an then fanned C Ed Bailey before leading off the bottom of the frame with a game-winning homer.
New York Yankees 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) smacked two homers against the Seattle Mariners in 1983.
Chicago Cubs RF Bill Nicholson (Washington College MD guard for two years in mid-1930s) blasted two homers against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1940.
RHP Joe Niekro (averaged 8.9 ppg and 3.8 rpg for West Liberty WV from 1963-64 through 1965-66) traded by the New York Yankees to the Minnesota Twins in 1987.
RHP Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) registered his only victory in 1961 (3-2 at San Francisco). He finished with the worst-ever season record (1-10 in final year with Philadelphia Phillies) for a Hall of Fame hurler.
Brooklyn Dodgers LF Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) accounted for four hits in back-to-back games against the Chicago Cubs in 1954.
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 5 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 5 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 5
Cleveland Indians SS Lou Boudreau (leading scorer for Illinois' 1937 Big Ten Conference co-champion) went 4-for-4 against the Philadelphia Athletics in 1943.
Philadelphia Athletics C Mickey Cochrane (Boston University player in early 1920s) amassed four hits against the St. Louis Browns in 1926.
In the midst of a career-high 19-game hitting streak, Detroit Tigers LF Hoot Evers (Illinois starter in 1939-40) contributed five RBI in a 7-4 win against the Washington Senators in 1950.
Boston Red Sox 1B Dick Gernert (Temple letterman in 1948-49 when averaging 2.7 ppg) homered in his third consecutive contest against the Cleveland Indians in 1958.
LHP Atlee Hammaker (averaged 5.3 ppg as a freshman in 1976-77 and 4.9 ppg as a sophomore in 1977-78 under East Tennessee State coach Sonny Smith) selected in first round (21st pick overall) by the Kansas City Royals in 1979 amateur draft.
Brooklyn Robins LF Buddy Hassett (played for Manhattan teams winning school-record 17 consecutive games in 1930 and 1931) banged out four hits against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1938.
INF-OF Harvey Hendrick (Vanderbilt letterman in 1918) purchased from the St. Louis Cardinals by the Cincinnati Reds in 1932.
A three-run, pinch-hit homer by Gail Hopkins (averaged 2.5 ppg with Pepperdine in 1963-64) sparked the Kansas City Royals to an 11-7 triumph against the New York Yankees in 1971.
Cleveland Indians RF David Justice (led Thomas More KY in assists in 1984-85) jacked two homers against the Milwaukee Brewers in 2000.
Cleveland Indians CF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling 35-3 record) launched two homers against the Detroit Tigers in 1995.
Milwaukee Braves SS Johnny Logan (played for Binghamton in 1948-49) logged four hits in a 7-0 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1954.
St. Louis Cardinals RHP Lindy McDaniel (played for Oklahoma's 1954-55 freshman squad) notched his fifth complete-game victory in a five-week span in 1957.
RHP Ben McDonald (started six games as 6-6 freshman forward for Louisiana State in 1986-87) picked first overall by the Baltimore Orioles in the 1989 amateur draft. RHP Scott Burrell (three-time All-Big East Conference selection from 1990-91 through 1992-93 under coach Jim Calhoun) was the final choice in the opening round (26th by Seattle Mariners). Burrell was picked ahead of eventual MLB hurlers Jerry Dipoto, Alan Embree, Scott Erickson, Sterling Hitchcock, Trevor Hoffman, Todd Jones, Curt Leskanie, Denny Neagle, Paul Quantrill, Pat Rapp, Shane Reynolds, Russ Springer, Mike Trombley and Tim Worrell.
Washington Senators rookie CF Irv Noren (player of year for California community college state champion Pasadena City in 1945) went 4-for-4 against the Detroit Tigers in 1950.
Extending his hitting streak to 15 games, St. Louis Browns LF Ray Pepper (Alabama letterman in 1926-27) provided four safeties in a 10-5 win against the Chicago White Sox in the nightcap of a 1934 doubleheader.
Cincinnati Reds RF Wally Roettger (Illinois letterman in 1921-22 and 1922-23) registered two triples among his four hits against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1931.
RHP Lee Smith (averaged 3.4 ppg and 1.9 rpg with Northwestern State in 1976-77) fanned four of the last five Pittsburgh Pirates batters to earn a save for the Chicago Cubs in a 3-1 victory in 1983.
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 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 June 4 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 4
Chicago Cubs LF Ethan Allen (Cincinnati basketball letterman in 1924-25 and 1925-26) went 4-for-4 in an 8-5 win against the New York Giants in 1936.
Chicago Cubs RF George Altman (appeared in 1953 and 1954 NAIA Tournament with Tennessee State) notched his sixth straight multiple-hit game in 1961.
RHP Elden Auker (All-Big Six Conference first five selection with Kansas State in 1931-32), supported by an inside-the-park homer from player/manager Mickey Cochrane (Boston University player in early 1920s) during a 10-run third inning, earned the triumph in an 18-9 decision over the Philadelphia Athletics.
Seattle Mariners RHP Jim Beattie (Dartmouth's top rebounder in 1974-75 when selected team MVP and honorable mention All-Ivy League) tossed a two-hit shutout against the Detroit Tigers in 1982.
1B Tony Clark (San Diego State's leading scorer in WAC games in 1991-92) selected by the Detroit Tigers in first round (2nd pick overall) in 1990 amateur draft. Sixteen years later with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Clark cracked two homers among his four hits against the Atlanta Braves in 2006.
Cleveland Indians CF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA titlist) hit for the cycle against the Boston Red Sox in 1952.
St. Louis Cardinals 3B Howard Freigau (played for Ohio Wesleyan) collected four hits, four stolen bases and five RBI in a 12-5 win against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1924.
Pittsburgh Pirates LHP Joe Gibbon (two-time All-SEC forward for Ole Miss was nation's second-leading scorer as a senior in 1956-57) hurled his final MLB shutout (four-hitter against New York Mets in opener of 1967 twinbill).
Pinch-hitter Harvey Hendrick (Vanderbilt letterman in 1918) hammered a two-out, bases-loaded triple in the ninth inning to spark the Cleveland Indians to an 11-10 verdict over the St. Louis Browns in 1925. Four years later after having his career-high 25-game hitting streak snapped in the final contest of May, 1B Hendrick collected two homers and six RBI for the Brooklyn Robins in an 11-8 victory against the St. Louis Cardinals in the nightcap of a 1929 doubleheader.
RHP Jim Konstanty (Syracuse player in late 1930s) signed by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1956 after he was released by the New York Yankees.
Los Angeles Dodgers LHP Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman squad in 1953-54) became the fourth hurler to toss three no-hitters, blanking the N.L.-leading Philadelphia Phillies, 3-0, in 1964.
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) collected three hits and three stolen bases against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1974.
Cleveland Indians 1B Ed Morgan (Tulane letterman from 1923-24 through 1925-26) manufactured four hits in a 10-2 win against the Boston Red Sox in 1931.
Chicago White Sox OF Gary Redus (J.C. player for Athens AL and father of Centenary/South Alabama guard with same name) ripped a game-winning grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers in 1988.
New York Giants RHP Hal Schumacher (multiple-sport athlete for St. Lawrence NY in early 1930s) tossed his fourth shutout in less than a month en route to a total of seven whitewashes in 1933.
Cleveland Indians 3B Riggs Stephenson (Alabama letterman in 1920) went 4-for-4 against the Detroit Tigers in 1922. Eight years later as a Chicago Cubs LF, Stephenson amassed five hits, four runs and four RBI against the Boston Braves in 1930.
1B-OF Preston Ward (second-leading scorer for Southwest Missouri State in 1946-47 and 1948-49) traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 10-player swap in 1953.
California Angels 3B John Werhas (USC's leading scorer in 1958-59 and 1959-60) whacked a pinch-hit homer against the Minnesota Twins in 1967.
In 1986, New York Yankees RF Dave Winfield (starting forward with Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) homered twice in an 11-0 victory over the California Angels in support of RHP Joe Niekro (averaged 8.9 ppg and 3.8 rpg for West Liberty WV from 1963-64 through 1965-66), who hurled a no-hitter for 7 2/3 innings before yielding a safety.
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 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 June 3 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 3
Chicago Cubs 2B Glenn Beckert (three-year basketball letterman for Allegeny PA) drove in P Ken Holtzman with the only run of the game in Holtzman's no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds in 1971. The next year, Beckert banged out four hits against the San Diego Padres in 1972.
New York Giants SS Alvin Dark (letterman for LSU and USL during World War II) scored five runs in a 13-8 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in 1954.
OF Cameron Drew (NECC first-team selection in 1984-85 when he led New Haven CT in scoring and rebounding) selected by Houston Astros in first round (12th pick overall) in 1985 amateur draft. Drew was chosen ahead of fellow first-rounders Joey Cora, Gregg Jefferies, Joe Magrane, Brian McRae and Rafael Palmeiro.
1B Walt Dropo (Connecticut's first player ever to average 20 points for a season with 21.7 ppg in 1942-43) traded by the Boston Red Sox to the Detroit Tigers in a nine-player swap in 1952.
Overweight RHP George Earnshaw (competed with Swarthmore PA squad in 1922) fined by Philadelphia Athletics owner/manager Connie Mack in 1933.
OF Hoot Evers (starter for Illinois in 1939-40) traded by the Detroit Tigers to the Boston Red Sox in a nine-player swap in 1952.
Chicago White Sox RHP Eddie Fisher (played for Oklahoma's 1954-55 freshman squad) tossed a four-hit shutout against the Los Angeles Angels in 1963.
New York Giants C Paul Florence (Georgetown letterman from 1920-21 through 1922-23) furnished a career-high three hits in a 10-5 win against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1926.
In 1983, George Bamberger stepped down as manager of the New York Mets and was succeeded by Frank Howard (two-time All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection when leading Ohio State in scoring and rebounding in 1956-57 and 1957-58).
In 1978, Philadelphia Phillies 2B Davey Johnson (averaged 1.7 ppg with Texas A&M in 1961-62) became the first MLB player to smack two pinch-hit grand slams in a single season.
Chicago Cubs 3B Vance Law (averaged 6.8 ppg for Brigham Young from 1974-75 through 1976-77) logged four hits against the New York Mets in 1988. Law added three more safeties the next day.
San Francisco Giants RF Rick Leach (averaged 15.5 ppg for Michigan's JV squad in 1975-76) registered four hits against the Houston Astros in 1990.
RHP Dave Lemanczyk (participated in NCAA Division II Tournament in 1970 and 1971 with Hartwick NY) traded by the Toronto Blue Jays to the California Angels in 1980.
LHP Dennis Rasmussen (sixth-man for Creighton averaged 5.1 ppg in three seasons from 1977-78 through 1979-80) selected in first round (17th pick overall) by the California Angels in 1980 amateur draft. Rasmussen was compensation for signing of free-agent P Nolan Ryan.
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 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 June 2 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 2
2B Jerry Adair (one of Oklahoma State's top three basketball scorers in 1956-57 and 1957-58 while ranking among the nation's top 12 free-throw shooters each season) traded by the Chicago White Sox to the Boston Red Sox for reliever Don McMahon in 1967 and wound up playing in the World Series later that year against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Cleveland Indians SS Lou Boudreau (leading scorer for Illinois' 1937 Big Ten Conference co-champion) scored six runs in a 1940 doubleheader split against the Philadelphia Athletics.
Philadelphia Athletics rookie C Mickey Cochrane (Boston University player in early 1920s) collected five RBI against the Boston Red Sox in 1925.
In 1951, 1B Walt Dropo (Connecticut's first player ever to average 20 points for a single season with 21.7 ppg in 1942-43) demoted by the Boston Red Sox to the minors to regain his form after he was A.L. Rookie of the Year the previous campaign.
Pittsburgh Pirates 3B Lee Handley (Bradley letterman from 1932-33 through 1934-35) banged out four hits against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1945.
Kansas City Royals DH Gail Hopkins (averaged 2.5 ppg with Pepperdine in 1963-64) went 4-for-4 against the Cleveland Indians in 1973.
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) hammered two homers against the California Angels in the opener of a 1965 twinbill.
New York Yankees DH David Justice (led Thomas More KY in assists in 1984-85) jacked two homers against the Cleveland Indians in 2001.
Philadelphia Phillies LF Danny Litwhiler (member of JV squad with Bloomsburg PA three years in mid-1930s) launched two homers against the Chicago Cubs 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) tied a MLB mark by committing three errors in the first inning of a 6-3 setback against the Montreal Expos in 1973.
Chicago White Sox RHP Ted Lyons (two-time All-SWC first-team selection for Baylor in early 1920s) tossed a shutout against the Boston Red Sox in the opener of a 1940 doubleheader, notching his 225th career victory.
Chicago Cubs CF Jerry Martin (1971 Southern Conference MVP after he was Furman's runner-up in scoring the previous season) whacked two homers against the San Francisco Giants in 1979. Two years later as a member of the Giants, Martin capped off a nine-run, fourth-inning outburst with a grand slam against the Houston Astros in 1981.
C Cal Neeman (Illinois Wesleyan's leading scorer in 1947-48 and 1948-49) purchased from the St. Louis Cardinals by the Cleveland Indians in 1963.
Cleveland Indians 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) launched two homers against the Milwaukee Brewers in the nightcap of a 1970 twinbill.
San Francisco Giants CF Billy North (played briefly for Central Washington in 1967-68) went 3-for-3 with three steals in an 8-6 win against the Chicago Cubs in 1979.
Pittsburgh Pirates LF Wally Roettger (Illinois letterman in 1921-22 and 1922-23) knocked in five runs in the nightcap of a 1934 doubleheader against his original team (St. Louis Cardinals).
Baltimore Orioles LF Larry Sheets (All-ODAC selection in 1981-82 and 1982-83 with Eastern Mennonite VA) homered in his third consecutive contest in 1987.
Atlanta Braves LHP George Stone (averaged 14.7 ppg and 6.5 rpg for Louisiana Tech in 1964-65 and 1965-66) won his first six decisions in 1969.
LHP Matt Thornton (averaged 5.8 ppg and 2.4 rpg for Grand Valley State MI from 1995-96 through 1997-98) selected by Seattle Mariners in first round (22nd pick overall) in 1998 amateur draft.
Sharing the Wealth: Remote Chance of New Coach Inheriting All-American
Georges Niang will be Gorgeous Georges to new Iowa State coach Steve Prohm if Niang becomes a two-time All-American after Fred Hoiberg abandoned mayoral duties for old stomping grounds with the NBA's Chicago Bulls. An average of 50 schools annually have new bench bosses but the chances are rare for a coach such as Prohm to inherit an All-American in an era of players departing early for the NBA if they generate any success at all. Only two players since Navy's David Robinson (A-A center in 1986 and 1987) were All-Americans for two different coaches - North Carolina's Antawn Jamison (Dean Smith and Bill Guthridge in 1997 and 1998) and Notre Dame's Troy Murphy (Matt Doherty and Mike Brey in 2000 and 2001).
Yale's Tony Lavelli is the only player in NCAA history to become a major-college All-American under three different head coaches (Red Rolfe in 1946, Ivy Williamson in 1947 and Howard Hobson in 1948 and 1949). Ozzie Cowles and Buster Sheary were factors on both sides of the coaching an All-American equation (developing and inheriting). Following is an alphabetical list of major-college players earning All-American accolades at the same school under multiple mentors:
| Multiple-Year A-A Player | School | Coaches and All-American Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Ernie Andres | Indiana | Everett Dean (1938) and Branch McCracken (1939) |
| Gene Banks | Duke | Bill Foster (1979) and Mike Krzyzewski (1981) |
| Alfred "Butch" Beard | Louisville | Peck Hickman (1967) and John Dromo (1969) |
| Larry Bird | Indiana State | Bob King (1977 and 1978) and Bill Hodges (1979) |
| Charley Brown | Seattle | John Castellani (1958) and Vince Cazzetta (1959) |
| Bill Cartwright | San Francisco | Bob Gaillard (1977 and 1978) and Dan Belluomini (1979) |
| Kresimir Cosic | Brigham Young | Stan Watts (1972) and Glenn Potter (1973) |
| Bob Cousy | Holy Cross | Doggie Julian (1948) and Buster Sheary (1949 and 1950) |
| John "Hook" Dillon | North Carolina | Ben Carnevale (1946) and Tom Scott (1947) |
| Rod Foster | UCLA | Larry Farmer (1981) and Larry Brown (1983) |
| Artis Gilmore | Jacksonville | Joe Williams (1970) and Tom Wasdin (1971) |
| Jack Gray | Texas | Ed Olle (1934) and Marty Kanow (1935) |
| Tom Heinsohn | Holy Cross | Buster Sheary (1955) and Roy Leenig (1956) |
| Antawn Jamison | North Carolina | Dean Smith (1997) and Bill Guthridge (1998) |
| Ron Johnson | Minnesota | Ozzie Cowles (1959) and John Kundla (1960) |
| Leo Klier | Notre Dame | Moose Krause (1944) and Elmer Ripley (1946) |
| Tony Lavelli | Yale | Red Rolfe (1946), Ivy Williamson (1947) and Howard Hobson (1948 and 1949) |
| Alfred "Butch" Lee | Marquette | Al McGuire (1977) and Hank Raymonds (1978) |
| Mike Maloy | Davidson | Lefty Driesell (1968 and 1969) and Terry Holland (1970) |
| Dick McGuire | St. John's | Joe Lapchick (1947) and Frank McGuire (1949) |
| Jim McIntyre | Minnesota | Dave McMillan (1948) and Ozzie Cowles (1949) |
| Calvin Murphy | Niagara | Jim Maloney (1968) and Frank Layden (1969 and 1970) |
| Troy Murphy | Notre Dame | Matt Doherty (2000) and Mike Brey (2001) |
| Eddie Phillips | Alabama | C.M. Newton (1980) and Wimp Sanderson (1982) |
| David Robinson | Navy | Paul Evans (1986) and Pete Herrmann (1987) |
| Dave Schellhase | Purdue | Ray Eddy (1965) and George King (1966) |
| Dave Stallworth | Wichita | Ralph Miller (1963 and 1964) and Gary Thompson (1965) |
| Wes Unseld | Louisville | Peck Hickman (1966 and 1967) and John Dromo (1968) |
| Kenny Walker | Kentucky | Joe B. Hall (1985) and Eddie Sutton (1986) |
| Bryan Warrick | St. Joseph's | Jim Lynam (1981) and Jim Boyle (1982) |
| Richard Washington | UCLA | John Wooden (1975) and Gene Bartow (1976) |
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on June 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 June 1 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JUNE 1
Pittsburgh Pirates 1B Donn Clendenon (four-sport letterman including basketball with Morehouse GA) contributed four hits against the New York Mets in 1963.
Chicago White Sox CF Guy Curtright (two-time All-MIAA selection led Northeast Missouri State in scoring each of four seasons in early 1930s) scored four runs in an 11-9 win against the Washington Senators in 1945.
Brooklyn Robins 3B Wally Gilbert (Valparaiso captain from 1918-19 through 1920-21) stroked four hits in a 10-2 victory against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1930.
Cleveland Indians 1B Mike Hargrove (Northwestern Oklahoma State letterman) went 4-for-4 against the Seattle Mariners in 1983.
Cincinnati Reds 1B Harvey Hendrick (Vanderbilt letterman in 1918) went 5-for-5, including three doubles, against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1931. The previous day against the Cards, Hendrick secured four hits in the opener of a doubleheader.
Detroit Tigers RF Lynn Jones (averaged 10.4 ppg for Thiel PA from 1970-71 through 1973-74) supplied his second four-hit game against the Milwaukee Brewers in a span of eight days in 1981.
LF Danny Litwhiler (member of JV squad with Bloomsburg PA three years in mid-1930s) traded by Philadelphia Phillies to St. Louis Cardinals in 1943.
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) whacked two homers against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1979.
Philadelphia Phillies 1B Len Matuszek (starter for Toledo's 18-7 team in 1975-76) failed to notch a putout in a 12-3 defeat against the Chicago Cubs in 1984.
St. Louis Cardinals LF Wally Moon (averaged 4.3 ppg with Texas A&M in 1948-49 and 1949-50) had his 24-game hitting streak end against the Milwaukee Braves in 1957.
Boston Red Sox 1B Ed Morgan (Tulane letterman from 1923-24 through 1925-26) collected four hits and four RBI in a 13-1 win against the Washington Senators in 1934.
OF Lyle Mouton (starter in LSU's backcourt with All-American Chris Jackson for 1989 NCAA playoff team) traded by the Baltimore Orioles to the Milwaukee Brewers in 1999.
In 1962, Washington Senators RHP Ray Rippelmeyer (led SIU in scoring and rebounding in 1952-53 before transferring and pacing SEMO in scoring in 1953-54 and 1954-55 as All-MIAA first-team choice each year) registered his lone MLB victory (as reliever against Minnesota Twins).
New York Giants RF Wally Roettger (Illinois letterman in 1921-22 and 1922-23) went 4-for-4 against the Boston Braves in the opener of a 1930 twinbill.
Kansas City Athletics RHP Dave Thies (two-time all-conference selection finished St. Mary's MN career in 1959 as school's all-time leading scorer) lost his lone MLB decision (against the Washington Senators in 1963).
LHP Bob Veale (scored 1,160 points with Benedictine KS from 1955-56 through 1957-58) amassed 16 strikeouts in shutting out the Philadelphia Phillies, 4-0, for the Pittsburgh Pirates' 12th consecutive victory in 1965.
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on May 31 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 May 31 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
MAY 31
Milwaukee Braves 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) collected two homers and five RBI against the Chicago Cubs in 1956.
St. Louis Browns RHP Elden Auker (All-Big Six Conference first-five selection with Kansas State in 1931-32) registered his fifth straight win during the month in 1942. All of the victories were complete games.
St. Louis Browns RF Beau Bell (two-year letterman for Texas A&M in early 1930s) banged out four hits in an 11-10 triumph against the Detroit Tigers in 1936.
In 1979, Seattle Mariners 1B Bruce Bochte (starting forward for Santa Clara's NCAA playoff team in 1969-70) amassed three hits, three runs and five RBI in a 12-10 win against his original club (California Angels).
Kansas City Athletics LF Bob Cerv (ranked fourth on Nebraska's career scoring list in 1949-50 when finishing his career) clobbered a homer in back-to-back games for the third time this month in 1958.
Boston Red Sox rookie RHP Boo Ferriss (Mississippi State letterman in 1941) secured his sixth complete-game victory of the month in 1945.
Philadelphia Phillies 3B Gene Freese (captain of 1952 NAIA Tournament team for West Liberty WV) whacked his fifth pinch homer of the 1959 season. Two years later with the Cincinnati Reds, Freese smashed two round-trippers in an 8-7 triumph against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1961.
Buttressed by nine doubles from Pittsburgh Pirates teammates, LHP Joe Gibbon (two-time All-SEC forward for Ole Miss was the nation's second-leading scorer as a senior in 1956-57) hurled a complete-game, 9-1 victory against the Atlanta Braves in 1961.
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) delivered five hits in a 4-3 victory against the Cincinnati Reds in 1960.
Boston Red Sox RHP Tom Herrin (Louisiana Tech letterman in 1947-48 and 1948-49) notched his lone MLB victory (20-10 decision over the Philadelphia Athletics in 1954).
First victory of the 1957 campaign for Chicago White Sox RHP Bob Keegan (Bucknell letterman in 1941-42 and 1942-43) was a four-hit shutout against the Detroit Tigers.
New York Yankees LF Charlie Keller (three-year letterman with Maryland from 1934-35 through 1936-37) accumulated two homers and five RBI against the Cleveland Indians in 1947.
Pittsburgh Pirates CF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling a 35-3 record) had his 26-game hitting streak end in 2003, falling one contest short of the franchise record.
Los Angeles Dodgers 2B Davey Lopes (NAIA All-District 15 selection for Iowa Wesleyan averaged 16.9 ppg as a freshman in 1964-65 and 12.1 ppg as a sophomore in 1965-66) stroked three doubles against the San Francisco Giants in 1979.
Boston Red Sox 1B Tony Lupien (Harvard captain in 1938-39) provided four hits against the St. Louis Browns in the nightcap of a 1943 doubleheader. Five years later with the Chicago White Sox, Lupien went 6-for-8 in a 1948 doubleheader split against the Detroit Tigers.
Chicago White Sox RHP Ted Lyons (two-time All-SWC first-team selection for Baylor in the early 1920s) notched his fifth consecutive complete-game victory during the month in 1926.
Chicago White Sox RF Sam Mele (NYU's leading scorer in 1943 NCAA playoffs) smacked two homers against the Boston Red Sox in 1952.
Pittsburgh Pirates RHP Don Schwall (All-Big Seven Conference second-team selection led Oklahoma in rebounding in 1956-57) tossed his second shutout of the month in 1963.
Baltimore Orioles LF Larry Sheets (All-ODAC selection in 1981-82 and 1982-83 with Eastern Mennonite VA) supplied three doubles among his four hits against the Seattle Mariners in 1988.
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) went 4-for-4 in a 4-2 win against the Chicago White Sox in 2014.
Washington Senators RHP Monte Weaver (played center for Emory & Henry VA in mid-1920s) posted his fifth triumph of the month en route to eight straight victories in 1934.
What the Heel: Carolina Way Still Includes Stalling From All Corners
Did North Carolina hire Hillary Clinton's vigorous lawyers experienced at redacting documents before releasing NCAA allegations stemming from a shady African and Afro-American independent study course? Amid the "Four Corners" stalling (administration/coaching staff/press/politicians), could we at least have some pre-response entertainment such as a spirited dunk contest among foot-dragging Chancellor Carol Holt, Sgt. Schultz-like coach Roy "I Know Nothing" Williams, look-the-other-way media represented by Dick Vitale and mum state politicians more enthused about prospect of third NCAA championship in 12 years justifying contract extension for Williams? The dunk-a-thon should be conducted on a kids goal because that is the Sepp Blatter-like way principals involved in this ruse have played footsie with onlookers.
If the Heelhole of a selling-your-scholastic-soul scheme was solely for GPA boosting, Carolina's 2005 (10 of 15 members were AFAS majors with total of 35 "pretty doggone good" bogus classes over two semesters) and 2009 NCAA titles could be in jeopardy of being vacated. Shrouded in more secrecy than Area 51, candid commentary probably will hinge on subpoena-related deposition details emerging from suing players promised a good education but major-manipulated into AFAS, Communications plus Exercise and Sport Science.
At any rate, for the sake of supplying a good chuckle to offset a portion of the angst, the public should have an opportunity to digest a sampling of the pithy prose from those unread Prime Time 10-page papers (assigned mostly A grades with few B+ marks since a player or two may have misspelled his name). Pilfering POTUS lingo, pinhead purveyors simply seek to say: "You didn't write (or build) that!" UNC, admitting "regrettable actions" even before an academic accreditation sanction, may deserve the death penalty simply because disgraceful no-show classes came under the umbrella of a Center For Ethics. To date, there has been no delusional discrimination claim among UNC athletes or regular students failing to have access to Asian-American, Cuban-American, Irish-American, Latin-American or Mexican-American studies.
The university has paid in excess of $1 million in PR costs dealing with the scholastic scandal but that's an affordable expense insofar as there was significant savings over these many years when no faculty was necessary to actually provide instruction for bogus bookwork. Rather than learning classy pass fakes on the court, the courted players passed by "learning" in fake classes. It's no excuse but, if the let's-not-dwell-on-the-negative media would get off its royal cushion, how many other schools across the nation have comparable compromising courses? This is not exactly virgin territory among power-league members after a former Minnesota tutor claimed she wrote or helped write more than 400 papers or pieces of coursework for in excess of 20 Gophers players in the mid-1990s. Amid notice of allegations to UNC, the NCAA should remember: "If you don't stand for something (such as higher scholastic standards), you'll fall for anything (excessive number of suspect student-athletes)."
How in Heel is having athletic department personnel steering players into sham classes for 18 years not, at its core curriculum, a textbook definition of "lack of institutional control?" On the other hand, it may be the "institution (athletic department)" was very much in control and knew damn well it was playing puppeteer as much as POTUS using the "N" word in a radio interview. What exactly were the names of these equally undignified 101 classes? Perhaps the AFAS coloring-book syllabus included: Urban Riots Honoring Michael Brown, Freddie Gray and Trayvon Martin; Hands Off! Don't Loot!; Black Lives Matter Except For Aborted Innocent Babies; Rap is Crap But Deserves National Anthem; Cultural Impact of Hair Braiding and Pants On the Ground; Dignity and Ethics in Setting O.J. Free; Profiling Welfare Kings and Queens; Where's Your Baby Daddy?; Race-Hustling Leaders Rev Al, Jesse Jackson and Van Jones; Reasons Why Black Sheep Vote More Than 90% For Dimorats; Impact of Tattoo Misspellings; How Jailin' Rose Bombs Uncle Toms; Dancin' On Their Graves Like Ray Lewis; Breathing Around ESPN's Undefeated Post-Jason Whitlock, etc., etc., etc.
When will ESPN, while shedding influence of "right radicals" Mike Ditka and Curt Schilling, get to the bottom of the chicanery by giving truth serum to two of the network's college football commentators (former UNC coaches Mack Brown and Butch Davis) or yielding answers via another orchestrated interview with Coy Roy serving as master of "really-bothered-by-whole-thing" ceremonies featuring backdrop of supportive ex-players? ESPN, in a stimulating move as vital as the Bunny Ranch endorsing Shrillary Rotten, should have just gone ahead and issued Williams' support group some "Game Day" posters for their journalistic juvenile pep rally. Defining courage down via crass tabloidism, the network has gone so far let-it-be left it Jennerly defended decision to give ESPY Courage Award to Bruce or Caitlyn or whatever he or she is rather than infinitely more obvious choice of Army veteran Noah Galloway or the late women's hoopster Lauren Hill. At least ESPC, after first expressing laughable "piracy concerns," cancelled a 30 for 30 documentary fawning over sad-sack Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson.
What a surprise Brown's coaching career included Texas, which is also investigating reports of academic misconduct among Longhorns athletes. Amid all of the press posturing and Carolina's scholastic shenanigans, even if you have to fabricate, don't let integrity icon Dean Smith's last two Final Four teams in the mid-1990s be involved in any way or else no coach on the planet can be trusted. It seems totally out of character, but time will tell if liberal "do-anything-for-them" overkill via "fairness" control-freak tendencies polluted UNC's program at the genesis of the academic scandal and will eventually stain his legacy. If so, we'll all be weeping like a Villanova pep-band piccolo player before the Wildcats won it all a year later.
How difficult would it have been for Williams, instead of pleading educational mission ignorance, to take a few minutes out of his busy schedule per semester to assess academic progress of each of his players? Didn't he acknowledge there was "class clustering" early in his Carolina head coaching tenure? It is the height of hypocrisy for him and other "father-figure" DI mentors to have contract bonus provisions stemming from APR/graduation rates. Will UNC's extension into the next decade demand he apologize to whistle-blower tutor Mary "Just Keep My Players Eligible" Willingham? Didn't Williams figuratively assault her (triggering death threats in aftermath of additional administration admonishments) by impugning Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary's character saying her illiteracy claims were untrue and totally unfair about a striking number of scholars boasting middle-school reading skills?
Said Willingham prior to settling a lawsuit with UNC for $335,000 (about $1,000 per basketball player enrollment in paper class minus attorneys' fees): "I went to a lot of basketball games in the Dean Dome, but Roy never came and sat with me while I tutored his guys." Heaven help us if Williams' "sad-time" excuses, coupled with equally lame remarks from gridiron mentors Brown and Davis regarding the academic debris, are typical of the coaching community level of interest in authentic advancement toward a genuine diploma. Reminiscent of escaped convicts in New York deserving inclusion in a penitentiary honors program, two-time All-American Rashad McCants claims he made Dean's List at UNC one semester despite failing to attend any of the four classes in which he "earned" straight A's on his way out (at least not via manhole cover).
In this absence-of-standards era, Williams is virtually guaranteed a job with ESPN as an analyst if he fibs to NCAA investigators similar to certifiable liar Bruce Pearl. Amid the pimpish compartmentalization, there are also "clever" guys such as Oregon stemming from its timing in waiting to expel three players implicated in an alleged sexual assault in order to avoid a reduction in its Academic Progress Rate score. Meanwhile, fellow Pac-12 Conference member California adopted a stricter admissions policy when it comes to academics. Will Cal set a nationwide trend for increased scholastic standards or will majority of universities duck the issue? Not if the condescending NCAA headquarters appears much more concerned about Indian nicknames and total restroom access for transgenders.
Former Duke starter Jay Bilas, who succeeded Vitale as ESPN's Prime Time Performer in the GameDay color commentator role, has experiential ACC knowledge competing against colorful North Carolina State coach Jim Valvano's suspect squads (735 average SAT score - featuring Chris Washburn at 470 - and excessive number of positive drug tests during the 1980s). While pondering rigorous courses washout Washburn passed to remain academically eligible for more than a season, a cold-blooded question surfaces as to whether the academic anemia at UNC is worse than what occurred at N.C. State, which probably gains the negative nod if only because of Washburn teammate Charles Shackleford's following animal-expert quote: "Left hand, right hand, it doesn't matter. I'm amphibious." The "A" in "bring your A-game" in an ACC ad apparently doesn't stand for academics.
If bookish Bilas genuinely knows self-evaluation "toughness," he will maneuver upstream and shift his passion from lambasting the NCAA about paying these gentlemen and scholars to a lawyerly focus on stopping the NCAA from preying on players who have no business representing universities because they aren't authentic student-athletes. Granted, such an academic-values modification will translate into an inferior product for him and his network to promote (and for luminaries such as Jim Boeheim, John Calipari, Bob Huggins, Mike Krzyzewski, Rick Pitino plus Williams to coach for that matter). But does a mediocre Duke player such as Lance Thomas need more than $30,000 as down payment on jewelry? What about multiple Memphis players reporting they were robbed of more than $66,000 worth of vital items for Calipari-coached college students (mink coats, diamond earrings, stereo equipment, flat-screen TV)?
Moreover, Syracuse's Boeheim wouldn't have an opportunity to be "impressed" about one-and-done Carmelo Anthony's 1.8 gpa before failing to mention if Anthony attended more classes than games his second semester. Did BMOC Melo mellow out in Orange-hot Child and Family Studies? Too many self-serving schools and their athletic departments are living an academic lie as much as the white NAACP chapter president and are ignorant as much as CNN anchor calling Dallas gunman "brave and courageous" for shooting at police headquarters.
When there are games and national crowns to win, how interested could Bilas' alma mater and Carolina's chief rival possibly be in education these days, anyway? Three freshman sensations from this year's NCAA titlist give Duke six one-and-done "graduates" in a five-year span. After Julius Randle became the sixth Kentucky freshman in the previous five years to be among the NBA's top eight draft picks, the gifted group may have pooled credit-hour resources for a single shared diploma (hopefully not useless AFAS). Randle, breaking his right leg in NBA debut with the L.A. Lakers, and Duke All-American Jabari Parker, incurring a season-ending knee injury between Thanksgiving and Christmas, got prompt "nothing-lasts-forever" lessons that it might be prudent to pay a little attention to academic pursuits. What quality of classes are taken in college by mercenary professional-caliber athletes if a mind-numbing 60% of NBA players file for bankruptcy five years after retirement?
Openness in revealing UNC's academic allegations and the NCAA's mission-statement response to this subterfuge will determine how ethically bankrupt major-college athletics has become under the present leadership and corrosive press incompetently covering the corruption.
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on May 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 May 30 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
MAY 30
Boston Red Sox 1B Dale Alexander (starting basketball center for Milligan TN in mid-1920s) suffered a career-ending injury in 1933 (therapy for twisted knee sliding into home plate led to third-degree burns, gangrene and near loss of his leg). Four years earlier as a Detroit Tigers rookie, he launched a homer in both ends of a 1929 doubleheader split against the St. Louis Browns.
Pittsburgh Pirates LF Clyde Barnhart (played for Shippensburg PA predecessor Cumberland Valley State Normal School prior to World War I) collected four hits, four runs scored and five RBI against the St. Louis Cardinals in the nightcap of a 1925 doubleheader.
Detroit Tigers 2B Frank Bolling (averaged 7.3 ppg for Spring Hill AL in 1950-51) blasted two homers in a 3-2 win against the Kansas City Athletics in the nightcap of a 1957 twinbill.
RHP Ownie Carroll (Holy Cross letterman in 1922) traded with Harry Rice by the Detroit Tigers in 1930 to the New York Yankees for two members of the legendary 1927 squad featuring Murderers' Row (P Waite Hoyt and SS Mark Koenig).
In 1955, Milwaukee Braves 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) closed out the month with five multiple-hit games, homering in three of the contests.
3B Gene Freese (captain of 1952 NAIA Tournament team for West Liberty WV) whacked two homers, powering the Cincinnati Reds to a 1961 doubleheader sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Brooklyn Robins/Dodgers 3B Wally Gilbert (Valparaiso captain in early 1920s) supplied six straight safeties in a doubleheader sweep of the New York Giants in 1931.
Detroit Tigers 1B Hank Greenberg (enrolled at NYU on hoop scholarship in 1929 but attended college only one semester) went 5-for-5, including four runs, two homers and five RBI, against the St. Louis Browns in 1937.
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) went 4-for-4 and scored four runs in the nightcap of a 1958 twinbill against the Milwaukee Braves.
C Frank Grube (starting guard for Lafayette as a senior in 1926-27), two teammates and Chicago White Sox manager Lew Fonseca involved in a fight with an umpire under the stands after a doubleheader loss at Cleveland in 1932.
Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (played for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) knocked in eight runs against the Boston Braves in a 1952 doubleheader sweep. The next year, Hodges homered twice against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the opener of a 1953 twinbill. In 1958 after the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles, Hodges homered in both ends of a doubleheader against the Chicago Cubs. Four years later, Hodges homered three times in a 1962 twinbill against the New York Mets.
Washington Senators LF Frank Howard (two-time All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection when leading Ohio State in scoring and rebounding in 1956-57 and 1957-58) hammered two homers and chipped in with six RBI against the Kansas City Athletics in the opener of a 1967 twinbill.
New York Yankees LF Charlie Keller (three-year letterman with Maryland from 1934-35 through 1936-37) went 4-for-4 against the Philadelphia Athletics in the nightcap of a 1946 doubleheader.
RHP Cal Koonce (Campbell standout in 1960 and 1961 when North Carolina-based school was junior college), after helping the New York Mets sweep a twinbill against the Pittsburgh Pirates, didn't allow a run in his first 13 relief appearances in 1968.
St. Louis Cardinals SS Doc Lavan (played for Hope MI from 1908 through 1910) had six hits in a 1921 twinbill sweep of the Cincinnati Reds.
Baltimore Orioles rookie RHP Dave Leonhard (averaged 4.8 ppg with Johns Hopkins MD in 1961-62) tossed his second shutout of the month.
RF Sam Mele (NYU's leading scorer in 1943 NCAA playoffs) traded by the Washington Senators to the Chicago White Sox in 1952.
Cleveland Indians 1B Ed Morgan (Tulane letterman from 1923-24 through 1925-26) contributed five RBI in a 12-6 win against the Chicago White Sox in the opener of a 1932 doubleheader.
Washington Senators 3B Buddy Myer (Mississippi State letterman in 1923-24) hit safely in all 22 games of the month and 24 in a row overall in 1929.
Chicago Cubs rookie C Cal Neeman (Illinois Wesleyan's leading scorer in 1947-48 and 1948-49) hit safely in last 11 games of the month in 1957.
The Chicago Cubs went 32 games in 1943 before hitting a homer prior to RF Bill Nicholson (guard for Washington College MD two years in mid-1930s) knocking a couple of balls beyond the outfield barrier in a 5-1 victory over the Braves. His first of a pair of two-run blasts came in the team's 1,120th at-bat of the season.
1B Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) ripped a 13th-inning homer to give the Brooklyn Dodgers a 2-1 win over the New York Giants in the opener of a 1949 doubleheader.
On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on May 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 May 29 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
MAY 29
Rookie RHP Mark Acre (played in 1990 NCAA Basketball Tournament with New Mexico State) allowed his only run through 10 relief appearances to early June 1994 with the Oakland A's (0.82 ERA in first 3 1/2 weeks).
SS Bill Almon (averaged 2.5 ppg in half a season for Brown's 1972-73 team ending the Bears' streak of 12 straight losing records) traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates to the New York Mets in 1987.
Cleveland Indians RF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA titlist) launched the first MLB homer over the outer wall at Kansas City's Municipal Stadium in 1955.
Boston Red Sox RHP Boo Ferriss (Mississippi State letterman in 1941) hurled his third shutout of the month in 1946.
In the midst of a 20-game hitting streak, New York Yankees 1B-OF Buddy Hassett (played for Manhattan teams winning school-record 17 consecutive games in 1930 and 1931) contributed four hits in a 16-1 rout of Washington in 1942.
LF "Sweet" Lou Johnson (Kentucky State teammate of legendary HBCU coach Davey Whitney averaged 5.7 ppg and 2 rpg in 1951-52) swatted two homers in a 5-3 triumph against the Milwaukee Braves in 1965.
Chicago White Sox RHP Howie Judson (Illinois' third-leading scorer in 1944-45) ended a personal streak of 15 straight defeats with a 12-8 relief victory over the St. Louis Browns in 1950.
OF Jim Lyttle (led Florida State in free-throw shooting in 1965-66 when averaging 12.4 ppg) purchased from the Montreal Expos by the New York Mets in 1974.
RHP Christy Mathewson (played for Bucknell at turn of 20th Century) notched a 3-0 shutout over the Boston Braves in 1916, sparking the New York Giants to their 17th triumph in a row (all on the road).
New York Yankees 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) socked two homers against the Oakland Athletics in 1973.
Philadelphia Phillies RF Bill Nicholson (Washington College MD guard for two years in mid-1930s) provided his third consecutive three-hit contest in 1953. Nicholson supplied only one more safety in the final 40 at-bats of his 16-year MLB career.
Houston Astros RHP Joe Niekro (averaged 8.9 ppg and 3.8 rpg for West Liberty WV from 1963-64 through 1965-66) belted the only homer of his 22-year career in 1976. The round-tripper against the Atlanta Braves came at the expense of his brother (Phil).
RHP Claude Passeau (played for Millsaps MS in late 1920s and early 1930s) traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the Chicago Cubs in 1939.
LF Ray Pepper (Alabama letterman in 1926-27) banged out five hits, including two homers, and drove in five runs to boost the St. Louis Browns to a 12-7 victory over the Detroit Tigers in 1934.
OF Curtis Pride (led William & Mary in steals three times and assists twice while averaging 5.6 ppg and 3.1 apg from 1986-87 through 1989-90) pounded a pinch homer for the Atlanta Braves against the Chicago Cubs in 1998.
Philadelphia Phillies LHP Eppa Rixey (Virginia letterman in 1912 and 1914) yielded a ninth-inning inside-the-park homer but held on for a 4-3, 13-inning victory against Pittsburgh. It is the only homer Rixey allowed in 301 innings pitched.
Baltimore Orioles DH Larry Sheets (All-ODAC selection in 1981-82 and 1982-83 with Eastern Mennonite VA) smacked two homers in an 8-6 win against the Oakland Athletics in 1986. Three years later, Sheets socked a round-tripper in his third of last four outings.
In 1926, Cleveland Indians 2B Freddy Spurgeon (played for Kalamazoo MI in 1921-22) extended his hitting streak to 11 games in a row with eighth contest of the month boasting at least three safeties.
Chicago Cubs OF Bob Will (all-league athlete was Mankato State MN captain in 1954-55) slugged his second pinch-hit homer in an eight-game span in 1962.
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