On This Date: Former College Hoopers Supplying MLB Headlines on July 27
Extra! Extra! Rather than wonder if narcissistic flim-flam First Son "Have You No Shame?" Hunter has transitioned from smartest guy human pandemic Plagiarist Biledumb knows amid suspicious activity reports to best aging juvenile painter hair-sniffing Mr. Clarity knows (although cute granddaughter sired by hideous grifter with former college hooper-turned-stripper probably is as competent as artist despite "the big guy" never hugging her and likely not knowing little one's name), you can read news about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.
Former college hoopers Frankie Frisch (Fordham), Wally Moon (Texas A&M) and Ray Washburn (Whitworth WA) supplied significant MLB performances on this date for the St. Louis Cardinals. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 27 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JULY 27
Milwaukee Brewers LHP Rick Austin (member of Washington State's freshman basketball team in 1965-66) didn't allow an earned run in his first nine relief appearances of the month in 1975.
RHP Ray Benge (multi-year hoops letterman for Sam Houston State first half of 1920s) awarded off waivers to the Philadelphia Phillies from Boston Bees in 1936.
Chicago Cubs RHP Ray Burris (basketball standout in Southwestern Oklahoma State Hall of Fame) capped off a streak of six straight winning starts in 1976 with his second shutout in that span.
Brooklyn Dodgers RHP Roger Craig (forward with North Carolina State's 1949-50 freshman hoops team) hurled one of his four shutouts in 1959.
St. Louis Cardinals 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) contributed four hits against the Cincinnati Reds in a 1933 contest.
In an 8-0 victory against the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres RF Tony Gwynn (All-Western Athletic Conference second-team selection with San Diego State in 1979-80 and 1980-81) secured five hits in a game for the third time in the 1993 campaign.
Los Angeles LHP Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman hoops squad in 1953-54) fanned 16 Philadelphia Phillies in 11 innings before the Dodgers prevailed in 16 frames, 2-1, in 1966.
Boston Red Sox rookie OF Joe Lahoud (hoops letterman for New Haven CT) hammered a two-run homer in the top of the 20th inning in a 5-3 win at Seattle in 1969.
Toronto Blue Jays DH Rick Leach (averaged 15.5 ppg for Michigan's junior varsity team in 1975-76) singled in the go-ahead run in a 10-8 triumph against the Boston Red Sox in 1987.
Washington Senators CF Don Lock (Wichita State field-goal percentage leader in 1956-57 and 1957-58 under coach Ralph Miller) launched back-to-back homers and had five RBI in an 8-4 victory against the Detroit Tigers in 1963.
CF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling a 35-3 record) traded by the Texas Rangers to the Cleveland Indians in 2007.
Cleveland Indians RF Bake McBride (averaged 12.7 ppg and 8.1 rpg in 21 games with Westminster MO in 1968-69 and 1969-70) went 4-for-4 against the Kansas City Royals in a 1983 game.
In the ninth inning against the California Angels, New York Yankees SS Gene Michael (Kent State's leading scorer with 14 ppg in 1957-58) pulled the hidden-ball trick for the second time in six weeks in 1970.
St. Louis Cardinals rookie CF Wally Moon (averaged 4.3 ppg with Texas A&M in 1948-49 and 1949-50) manufactured four hits for the third time in a 17-game span in 1954.
Philadelphia Phillies RHP Bobby Munoz (scored 35 points for Polk Community College FL in game against Palm Beach in mid-November 1986) hurled a two-hitter in 3-1 win against the Florida Marlins for his seventh victory in eight decisions during stretch of strike-shortened season.
LF Greasy Neale (hooper graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan College in 1915) supplied three of the Cincinnati Reds' eight stolen bases in a 14-5 triumph against the Philadelphia Phillies in the opener of a 1918 doubleheader.
In 1940, Chicago White Sox RHP Johnny Rigney (starting center with St. Thomas MN in 1932-33 and 1933-34) registered three hits at the plate for second time in last three starts.
Chicago Cubs LF Riggs Stephenson (Alabama hoops letterman in 1920) incurred a season-ending broken ankle stepping on first base against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1931.
Chicago White Sox rookie 3B Billy Sullivan Jr. (Portland hoops letterman in 1927-28) collected three hits and four RBI in an 8-7 victory against the New York Yankees in opener of 1931 twinbill.
St. Louis Cardinals RHP Ray Washburn (Whitworth WA leading scorer as All-Evergreen Conference pick in 1958-59 and 1959-60) won for the fifth time in as many starts during the month in 1966.
New York Yankees LHP Ed Wells (multi-sport athlete for Bethany WV in early 1920s) provided two safeties in all three of his starts this month in 1931. Two years later with the St. Louis Browns, Wells assembled a six-game hitting streak.
Chicago White Sox 2B Frank Whitman (one of leading scorers with Eureka IL as freshman in 1942-43) stroked a single for his lone MLB hit (against New York Yankees in 1946).
New York Yankees RF Dave Winfield (starting forward for Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) collected two homers and five RBI for the second time in a five-game span in 1988. Seven years as a DH for the Cleveland Indians in 1995, he walloped his final of 465 MLB career round-trippers.
On This Date: Former College Hoopers Supplying MLB Headlines on July 26
Extra! Extra! Instead of wondering why Out House halted construction of gas-costs saving Keystone XL pipeline linking U.S. with Canada while simultaneously emboldening Russia by allowing pipeline connecting Communists to Germany (hideous First Son Hunter must have multi-tasked during his primitive painting-by-sniffing by serving as energy-expert consultant for both rotten executive orders by Plagiarist "Suspicious Activity" Biledumb), you can read about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.
Former Duke hoops All-Americans Dick Groat and Billy Werber went a combined 9-for-9 as infielders in MLB games on this date. Ex-Fordham hoopers Frankie Frisch and Babe Young plus ex-juco hoopers Bob Oliver (American River CA), Jim Perry (Campbell NC) and Tony Phillips (New Mexico Military) also made MLB news on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 26 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JULY 26
Philadelphia Phillies LF Morrie Arnovich (Wisconsin-Superior hooper in early 1930s) went 4-for-4 in a 3-1 setback against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1939.
Chicago Cubs 2B Glenn Beckert (three-year hoops letterman for Allegheny PA) banged out five straight hits in a 7-6 decision over the Atlanta Braves in nightcap of a 1970 doubleheader.
Cleveland Indians SS Lou Boudreau (leading scorer for Illinois' 1937 Big Ten Conference co-champion) went 4-for-4 against the Washington Senators in a 1940 game.
In midst of career-high 13-game hitting streak, Minnesota Twins 3B John Castino (medical redshirt for Rollins FL in 1973-74 under coach Ed Jucker) knocked in winning run in bottom of ninth inning in 6-5 win against the Milwaukee Brewers in 1983.
After incurring a 13-3 defeat against the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox RHP Gene Conley (All-PCC first-team selection led North Division in scoring in 1949-50 as Washington State sophomore) and teammate Pumpsie Green mysteriously disappeared in 1962. Conley wanted to fly to Israel and went to the airport but was denied a ticket because he didn't have a visa.
OF Billy Cowan (hoops co-captain of Utah's 1960 NCAA playoff team) purchased from the New York Yankees by the California Angels in 1969.
RHP Skip Dowd (12 field goals in January 1909 set Holy Cross single-game record standing for 41 years until broken by All-American Bob Cousy) purchased from the Pittsburgh Pirates by Indianapolis (American Association).
Boston Red Sox C Rick Ferrell (played forward for Guilford NC before graduating in 1928) stroked four hits against the Detroit Tigers in a 1934 contest.
Chicago White Sox 3B Gene Freese (West Liberty WV hoops captain of 1952 NAIA Tournament team) collected five hits (including three for extra bases), four runs and four RBI against the Boston Red Sox in a 1960 game.
Acting St. Louis Cardinals manager Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) contributed four hits but they weren't enough to prevent a 6-5 setback at Boston in the nightcap of 1930 twinbill against the Braves.
New York Giants LHP Johnny Gee (Michigan hoops captain was Big Ten Conference's sixth-leading scorer in 1936-37) hurled a complete-game, 3-2 win against the Cincinnati Reds in 1946.
St. Louis Cardinals RHP Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer with 22 ppg in 1955-56) belted a grand slam in 1973 contest against the New York Mets.
Chicago White Sox CF Mark Gilbert (Florida State hooper in 1974-75 under coach Hugh Durham) smacked a two-run double - his lone MLB extra-base hit - off Dennis Martinez to help fuel comeback in 9-8 triumph against the Baltimore Orioles in 1985.
Pittsburgh Pirates rookie SS Dick Groat (two-time All-Ameican with Duke in 1950-51 and 1951-52 when finishing among nation's top five scorers each season) ended an 0-for-19 slump by going 5-for-5 in 6-4 win against the Boston Braves in 1952.
New York Mets CF Jim Hickman (freshman hooper for Ole Miss in 1955-56) homered in both ends of a 1964 doubleheader against the Milwaukee Braves.
Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (hooper for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) knocked in five runs against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 1958 game.
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) homered in his third consecutive contest against the California Angels in 1970. Three years later with the Detroit Tigers, Howard connected for round-trippers in both at-bats against the Boston Red Sox in a 1973 contest.
Atlanta Braves 2B Davey Johnson (averaged 1.7 ppg with Texas A&M in 1961-62) homered in both ends of a 1973 twinbill split against the Cincinnati Reds.
New York Yankees LF Charlie Keller (Maryland three-year hoops letterman from 1934-35 through 1936-37) clobbered two homers against the Detroit Tigers in a 1942 game.
New York Giants LF Hank Leiber (Arizona hooper in 1931) started a fourth-inning triple play with a brilliant catch near the wall in 5-4 verdict over the Cincinnati Reds in 1936.
New York Giants RHP Christy Mathewson (Bucknell hooper at turn of 20th Century) won his 21st consecutive contest from the Cincinnati Reds in 1911.
Philadelphia Phillies rookie 2B Moon Mullen (backup guard for Oregon's legendary "Tall Firs" team winning inaugural NCAA tourney in 1939) manufactured four straight safeties in a 1944 game against the St. Louis Cardinals.
In the midst of a career-high 15-game hitting streak in 1973, Oakland Athletics CF Billy North (played briefly for Central Washington in 1967-68) supplied multiple safeties for the sixth time in last nine outings.
1B Bob Oliver (All-Valley Conference basketball choice for American River Community College CA in 1962) drove in all of the Kansas City Royals' runs in a 6-5 setback against the Cleveland Indians in opener of 1970 doubleheader.
Cleveland Indians rookie RHP Jim Perry (averaged more than 20 ppg in late 1950s for former juco Campbell) fired a two-hit shutout against the Washington Senators in opener of 1959 twinbill.
Chicago White Sox LHP Gary Peters (Grove City PA hooper from 1955-57) pounded out three hits, including a three-run homer, in opener of 1964 twinbill against the Minnesota Twins.
Detroit Tigers RF Tony Phillips (New Mexico Military juco hooper in 1977-78 as teammate of eventual Drake All-American Lewis Lloyd) banged out four hits in a 1992 game against the California Angels.
Baltimore Orioles RF Ken Singleton (Hofstra freshman hoops squad in mid-1960s) knocked in five runs against the Seattle Mariners in a 1979 game.
Cleveland Indians LF Leon Wagner (Tuskegee AL hooper in 1952-53) homered twice in a 7-4 win against the Baltimore Orioles in 1966.
INF Jay Ward (McKendree IL hooper in 1956-57 before concentrating solely on pro baseball) traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers to Minnesota Twins in 1962.
Kansas City Royals C John Wathan (averaged 3.7 ppg in 11 games for San Diego in 1968-69) provided his fifth consecutive multiple-hit game in 1980.
Boston Red Sox 3B Billy Werber (first Duke hoops All-American in 1929-30) went 4-for-4 against the Detroit Tigers in a 1934 contest.
1B Babe Young (Fordham hoops letterman in 1935-36) traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1948.
Justice K: From Yale Benchwarmer to Receiving Cacklin' Kamala's Political Ire
Progressive pestilence such as 'fake" Border Czar Cacklin' Kamala probably will be party to super-spreader combination of enduring COVID-19 confinement and coast-to-coast "righteous" riots as we eventually endure demonic #Dimorat "Borking" demonstrations again after assassination attempts on Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and President Donald Trump. Many observers, particularly those with functioning brains, believe basketball-connected survivor Kavanaugh - a first-in-his-class student from first-class family - doesn't deserve to be run out of steakhouse restaurant by progressive puke. Apparently sidetracked by latest round of "collusion" involving Trump, why hasn't DOJ enforced a federal law prohibiting intimidation of Supreme Court Justices or adequately dealt with Hamas-loving rioters? Is AG Merrick Garland sitting on his hands on that and thoroughly investigating hideous Hunter as retribution for those on other side of aisle previously rejecting him as a nominee or participating in offering bounty for location of conservatives?
Orange-man impeachment-obsessed dissenters, the woke-manipulating "mob" from left ignited by New York Slimes' contrived commentary, tried to portray Kavanaugh as old/white/man equivalent of Bill Cosby wannabee or Otis Campbell, the town drunk in fictitious Mayberry, N.C., on TV sitcom The Andy Griffith Show including dopey Obie director Ron Howard. In summation, to what extent did athletic participation possibly supply Yale graduate Kavanaugh with the guile and tenacity to Bull-doggedly compete against obscene opponents such as creepy porn lawyer #Avenaughty and multiple smear-merchant #Dimorat presidential candidates? Do self-anointed geniuses from press pestilence at CNN and MSNBC, irrationally demanding donning of masks as if we all were Muslim women needing hijabs, still "feel" #Avenaughty should have run for POTUS? Will anal anchors call NYC's tattle-tale line if someone disagrees?
Taking their defamation cue from uncivil #ShrillaryRotten, myopic #MaxMaxine, "prayerful"/spark-of-divinity (of criminal illegal aliens)/punch-drunk (for the children) #NannyPathetic, evolving chameleon Cursin' Kirsten Gillibrand, socialist legislative genius/gaffe machine/DNC dues deadbeat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, PTSD-afflicted Omar, Dominican Republic villa-loving Robert Menendez and fake squaw Lie-alotta (Elizabeth Warren), libnut panels decried former President Trump apologizing to Justice K. But Kavanaugh boasts more honor and integrity in his appendage "pesky" Jimmy Kimmel wants severed than #Hollyweird, #MessMedia, Yale law school graduate #SickWillie, #Demonrats on Senate Judiciary Committee and pink-cap protestor puke collectively accrue. While wondering how much more Liz and Bernie can give us, it was too bad #TheDonald couldn't tell majority of leftist mob that "You're Fired!" before public-shaming scumbags shifted their ire to Kanye West when rapper/evangelist wandered off their polluted plantation or anyone disputed hoax assembled by incandescent imbeciles linked to Fusion GPS.
Dr. Fraudci's orchestrated testimony completely devoid of corroborative evidence (a/k/a credibility) and acceptance of GoFundMe donations ($647,610) appealed only to progressive blockade manned by ships of fools including ACLU bestowing Courage Award upon her. How many card-carrying members of the faith-demonizing fourth-rate estate have utilized basic tenets of journalism (Who? What? When? Why? Where?) to "judge" her Christine-come-lately assertions of incidents occurring decades ago? Is afraid-of-flying "Blaze" a political activist-turned-actress who knew nothing about polygraphs? While Kavanaugh's adorable 10-year-old daughter prayed for forlorn accuser violated principally by her purported proponents from whom unlicensed psychologist sought anonymity, 10 truly deplorable #Demonrat swamp-creature vermin on Committee preyed on the youngster's fine family.
Facts are Kavanaugh's college days included playing for JV squad and genesis of his extra-judicial writing stems from serving as a wordsmith for Yale Daily News sports department. Then-sports editor Dan Levy said Kavanaugh's drafts were dry, but thorough, and editors "were very happy to have someone reliable covering a big sport like basketball (in 1985-86)." He is certainly more familiar with thoroughness and reliability than Yale political-elite failures and media misfits Chris "CNN Fredo" Cuomo, Professor Pamela "Brain Barren" Karlan, Amy Klobuchar, Paul "Computer Hacked" Krugman and Ben "Elevator" Sasse. What phony Midwestern values did Klobuchar exhibit treating her staff when she finally saw writing on the wall and exited presidential race?
Disoriented from inhaling too much of Eric "The Grate" Swalwell's farting after him eating too much Chinese food post-excursions with Chinese "Check-her-out" spy, it's too bad today's lame-stream press puke covering big stories is so unreliable as journalistic jackals and anal analysts across the country looked under every rock, yearbook blurb and piece of ice for anything negative to brutalize Kavanaugh and his family. The "ene-media" bile encouraged rage and revenge over Justice K, who may need to switch benevolence gears and offer brain-cell injections to the witless (misguided media and putrid politicians) rather than serving meals to the homeless. Why hasn't Yale grad Bob Woodward defended his alma mater's honor by setting the record straight on Kavanaugh via authoring more award-winning investigative prose? Wordsmith Woodward must be in the woods wired for wispy words from wicked Yale Law School grad #ShrillaryRotten, the Marine wannabe ass who grotesquely assassinated character of Army veteran Tulsi Gabbard by claiming Major in National Guard is a Russian asset. California man accused of attempting to murder Kavanaugh left a paper trail of internet "assassin skills" research before showing up outside the judge's Maryland home.
At the conclusion of 1985-86 season, Tom Brennan departed Yale to eventually become Vermont's all-time winningest coach. In Kavanaugh's final post for the Daily News, he noted the mentor "left amidst a storm of controversy that included team disunity and doubts about his coaching ability." Justice K endured excessive disunity and doubts from Super Sleuth #Swinestein, fake soldier Blumenthal, Leaker Leahy, Turban "Fake White House Meetings" Durbin, Groper Booker with fake Newark friend T-Bone serving as Jiminy Cricket-like chip on his shoulder and #SanFranFreakshow's laughing hyena Kamala "What Can Sugar Daddy Willie Brown Do For Me?" Harris. It wouldn't be surprising if Kavanaugh's latest calendar includes a similar "Sinator" assessment and that he "left (hearing) questioning amidst a storm of controversy including Committee disunity and doubts about George Soros-loving Democrats' mental stability (especially Yale graduates Blumenthal and Booker; neither of whom bright enough to discern who left brown tread marks in their underwear during a Spartacus moment)." Meanwhile, haughty henchwoman Hirono is so obsessed with sexual assault that perhaps she can divulge which of her colleagues benefitted from Congressional slush fund.
In college, Kavanaugh described a Bulldogs' defeat against DIII Clark MA as "one of worst showings in years" and "embarrassing." Coupled with another non-DI opponent defeat against Trinity CT, Yale hoops seemed as inept as Justice K-hating media flushing due process down the toilet. "I do remember he was a happy kid, a nice kid," Brennan told Yahoo Sports after keeping him off the Elis' varsity bench. "You'd have thought he was a freshman at Auburn, not Yale. He was happy all the time. All those (Yale) people had furrowed brows. I didn't meet many happy people at Yale." The unhappy throng probably resembles unseemly leftist exploitation of children and aging actress (Hanoi Jane) during climate-change protests (including nixing Thanksgiving) plus Tweet stupidity of meddlesome Mitt "Pierre Delecto" Romney with his Mormon special underwear on a mite too tight.
Chris Dudley, a three-time All-Ivy League first-team selection, said he regularly drank with Kavanaugh but "never, ever saw him blacked out" drunk. Dudley's description deviates from teammate Charles "Chad" Ludington, a seldom-used forward (1.1 ppg from 1983-84 through 1986-87) who said he often drank with Kavanaugh and that the ex-beat man "has not told the truth."
In a he-said/he-said standoff, do you believe Dudley or Ludington? In typical "unbiased" fashion, USA Today devoted more than 12 times as many words in one article to Ludington's view than to Dudley's stance. USA Today probably feels it deserves an award for objectivity because the negative-to-positive ratio of stories on Kavanaugh across the country was 15:1. How long before USA Today and #BSLSD possibly editorialize that remaining "vulnerable" left-leaning ladies Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomoyor (first Hispanic and Latina Justice received J.D. from Yale Law School) deserve extra Supreme Court security because Justice K is near them with ice in his veins, solo-cup drinks and male basketball tales? Ludington's perspective portrayed Kavanaugh in such a negative light that the Justice seemed to be worthy of becoming hazing member of Kentucky's cheerleading squad.
Since Ludington is also from left-infested academia (associate professor of history at North Carolina State), odds are he uses vulnerable adolescent-sounding voice to try to win friends and influence enemies (with aversion to evaluating genuine evidence). Amid all of the wild speculation, perhaps Ludington still bears a grudge that Kavanaugh didn't author a story clamoring for him to get more playing time. Seems as if Ludington, who said he couldn't sleep for days, should don some googly eyes glasses and be a mite more closer-to-home concerned about NCSU, the most penalized ACC school in NCAA history, never again duplicating recruiting scholars such as Jim Valvano's most sought-after prospect (Chris Washburn of 470 SAT score fame), versatile Charles Shackleford credited with claim he could shoot with either hand because he was "amphibious" or illicit sneaker-related payment this decade to lure Dennis Smith Jr. to try to revive David Thompson glory years. Let's hope Ludington didn't have former Wolfpack frontcourter J.J. Hickson use a knife as a Southern student preparing vittles in "A Global History of American Food" course years before Hickson was charged with armed robbery while reportedly wielding knife in home invasion in the Atlanta metropolitan area.
DC Swamp-based USA Today, with its print edition understandably on life support, also carried a disgusting sports column about whether Kavanaugh should continue coaching a girls' basketball team, outrageously adding pedophilia angle to sorry saga. USELESS Today, leaning as far left as church-taxing Beto the Bozo and rooftop-dancing bartender AOC, probably thinks desperate columnist Kirsten Powers, former flame of disgraced Demonrat Congressman Anthony Weiner, should be giving dating tips to Kavanaugh-coached hoops squad and perhaps fellow lefty lunatic/#NannyPathetic Left Coast Fav Katie "Throuple" Hill (D-Calif.). Powers' fascination with #CarlosDanger exhibited as much wisdom as Beto's juvenile fantasy about confiscating guns with tough-guy approach comparable to hack(er)'s short story gunning car engine running over children. His "a-dolt" short story or song for grunge band likely is fantasizing about running over Christians in general with "courageous" Mayor Pete as sidekick.
What's next amid Yale grad John "Lurch" Kerry's climate-change claptrap and Yale students protesting free speech? Will USELESS Today blame Kavanaugh for Dudley's dismal free-throw shooting (51.2% with Yale; 45.8% in 16-year NBA career) and torturing his girls' basketball team 10 weekends by having Dudley serve as their charity-stripe instructor if they didn't join him in his Catholic Charities' volunteer work? This is a vital inquiry; especially when taking bags of ice to high school and college students might be at stake to help revive them from hangovers and excessive flatulence or headache stress connected to intense FBI interviews for anyone with a pulse and tall tale to tell and sell to the left. Exhibit A for juvenile foul shooting from the "petty parody" hip is Supreme stupidity exhibited by Congressman Adam Schiff-ty during his Russian collusion pranking as nauseous as any underhanded intimidation conducted by pathetic progressives coupled with compromised bug-eyed "Sack of Schiff" cowardly and falsely claiming his committee did not speak in advance to a biased hearsay whistle-blower.
After the "Swet-hog" venom partially orchestrated by creepy porn lawyer Anal Avenatti, while also working himself to the bone(r) for stripper Stormy, dried up when exposed to purifying light, Kavanaugh prevailed because he is more strong-willed and infinitely smarter than unhinged leftists impaired by cow farting. Justice K's supreme traits take you to the top of your class and pinnacle of your profession. As a result, right-thinking individuals are now positioned to drink "American Stout" beer and throw elephant-shaped confetti plus perhaps idealistic ice to celebrate Justice K's backbone enduring this abuse. Meanwhile, smear-merchant foes can cry in their loser lager figuring out how to pay #TheDonald's legal fees after #Avenaughty's firm was evicted and shake in their bellicose boots about someone eventually connecting the dots on what the Obama Administration NSA Susan "Dirty" Rice meant about "do everything by the book." Is that the same blow-hard book (Wanna bet if it contains name of Ukraine-call CIA-connected alleged Yalie corridor gossip boasting Russian Studies major and/or his coup-obsessed attorney?) let alone internet video Rice misled nation about as then UN Ambassador in 2012 when weighing in on Sunday talk shows about terrorist attack on diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya? Perhaps Kavanaugh didn't write enough glowing articles about Rice's brother when guard was a Yale undergraduate. Did #DirtyRice, becoming more unglued as a probe into the handling of the Russia investigation rose to level of criminal inquiry, also call Kavanaugh "a piece of s_it" like #Demonrat chronic liar despicably proclaimed about Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC)? It's a small world after all! John Rice, sibling of Netflix member of board of directors (cashing in by tagging along with Obamas), was runner-up for the Elis in scoring, assists, steals and FG% as a senior in 1987-88. Compare the female job performances as U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. of ruthless "unmasking" Dirty Rice and Samantha Power (another Yale grad) to the dignity demonstrated by Nikki Haley. No word whether the Obamas and Rice approved of Netflix's child-exploiting "Cuties" movie, which was clearly a piece of spit.
Inebriated or not, the ceremonial lead prosecutor of press protocol should fire myriad of #MessMedia members failing to "blow whistle" on Hunter Biledumb, who received law degree from Kavanaugh's old stomping grounds (Yale). Right campus; wrong guy probed since Arkansas woman/GWU student's claim that DNA testing confirmed he fathered her baby. Does creepy Grandpa know name of granddaughter as well as he knows more than a dozen of hideous Hunter's suspect overseas business associates? Discharged from the Navy Reserve in 2014 after testing positive for cocaine, the petty Plagiarist's ne'er-do-well son with no background in private equity or energy magically became Ukrainian gas production "expert" worth $83,333 a month. Beneficiary of credit-card booty at least boasted the resources to carry on romantic relationship with his sister-in-law while ex-wife claimed in court filing during divorce proceedings he was "spending extravagantly on his own interests including drugs, alcohol, prostitutes, strip clubs, and gifts for women with whom he has sexual relations." By the way, did lapdog offspring leave his "corrupted" laptop at computer repair shop before or after latest lap-dance? Hair-sniffing Joe "You're Full of Spit" Biden, during his 36 years of braggadocio in the Senate, contributed to crafting anti-drug legislation among the strictest during the 1980s and 1990s. But drug reform advocates contend his own children (including daughter Ashley) were able to circumvent brunt of these laws due to double standard favoring white and wealthy featuring kiddos exhibiting expertise principally in sniffing white powder. We should listen to Biledumb and his "Binder Babe" press secretary as much as he and cover girl "Dr." Jill hug seventh grandchild (cute girl Navy from rural Arkansas). Perhaps the First Couple will attempt to patch things up with her by putting little one in charge of one of numerous shell corporations shielding funds via off-shore accounts.
In regard to exposing naked truth, self-revered Regular Joe regularly indulged in skinny-dipping in his pool according to skinny on him from female Secret Service agents who found his behavior "offensive" as described in book The First Family Detail. Let's hope hairy-legged Quid Pro Quo Joe's hands-on approach issuing boastful answers to bright/articulate/clean "right questions" concerning any Con(stitutional) corruption don't reek again of plagiarism like Lying Liz lifting "crabby" recipe in Pow Wow Chow cookbook. Getting in line behind Canadian Prime Minister for an Obama endorsement while his finger-licking-good puppeteer spouse props him up similar to a marionette, buffoonish Biden should keep "entertaining" the nation with Tara Reede abuse explanations, super predator racial-jungle dialogue and resurrecting "The Big Guy's" disconcerting bathhouse dialogue/softball town-hall questions with CNN haughty host Anderson Pooper around the same period an authentic whistle-blower turned the tables via inside job on the shameless "Most Distrusted Name in News." Will anyone among #MessMedia focus on how in hell miserly #HidenBiden "earned" $11 million in 2017 if not in business with his offensive offspring or his pathetic performances as Judiciary Committee chairman of Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas hearings before Ginsburg was appointed to Supreme Court about a quarter century before #AudacityofHype inquired about aging Ginsburg departing early to install a younger leftist Justice? "C'mon man!"
On This Date: Former College Hoopers Supplying MLB Headlines on July 25
Extra! Extra! Instead of debating whether first "positive results" of departing Plagiarist Biledumb's tenure could have been avoided by a sixth, seventh or eighth COVID jab from Dr. Fraudci or the Scarf Lady, you might want to read news about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.
Former Alabama hoopers Riggs Stephenson and Jim Tabor each contributed four hits in a MLB game on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 25 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JULY 25
Joey Amalfitano (Loyola Marymount hooper in 1952-53) became manager of the Chicago Cubs in 1980.
OF Ken Berry (freshman hooper for Wichita in 1959-60) belted a game-winning, two-run homer in bottom of 16th inning to give the Chicago White Sox a 6-5 success against the Cleveland Indians in 1967.
In his second MLB start, California Angels 1B Bruce Bochte (starting forward for Santa Clara's NCAA playoff team in 1969-70 when averaging 7.4 ppg and 4 rpg) banged out four hits against the Kansas City Royals in a 1974 game.
Brooklyn Dodgers RHP Ralph Branca (sixth-leading scorer for NYU in 1943-44) banged out two hits at the plate in his third straight start in 1948.
Detroit Tigers 1B Tony Clark (San Diego State's leading scorer in WAC games in 1991-92) homered from each side of the plate for the second time in 1999 season in a 9-1 triumph against the Boston Red Sox.
LHP Patrick Corbin (hooper for Mohawk Valley Community College NY in 2007-08) traded by the Los Angeles Angels to Arizona Diamondbacks in 2010.
In first inning (seventh) of his lone MLB game, Chicago White Sox C Bill "Dutch" Fehring (teammate of hoop All-Americans Norm Cottom, Ed Shaver and John Wooden averaged 4.7 ppg for Purdue from 1931-32 through 1933-34) tagged out New York Yankees Hall of Fame 1B Lou Gehrig attempting an inside-the-park homer in 1934.
Los Angeles Dodgers RF Joe Ferguson (hooper in 1967 NCAA playoffs with Pacific) knocked in five runs against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 1979 contest.
Philadelphia Athletics RF Walt French (hoops letterman for Rutgers and Army) supplied four hits against the Detroit Tigers in a 1927 outing.
St. Louis Cardinals rookie SS Charlie Gelbert (scored at least 125 points each of last three seasons in late 1920s for Lebanon Valley PA) went 4-for-4 against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 1929 game.
RF David Justice (Thomas More KY assists leader in 1984-85 while averaging 9.3 ppg and 3.5 rpg) jacked a home run to account for the Atlanta Braves' lone hit and game's only run in a 1-0 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1992.
San Francisco Giants rookie RHP Frank Linzy (listed on Oklahoma State's freshman hoops roster in 1959-60) posted his third of back-to-back-to-back saves in 1965 against the Milwaukee Braves featuring a lineup including Henry Aaron/Joe Torre/Eddie Mathews.
Boston Red Sox 1B Tony Lupien (Harvard hoops captain in 1938-39) went 5-for-6, including three extra-base hits, in a 9-8 win against the Louis Browns in 1942.
Cleveland Indians rookie 1B Ed Morgan (Tulane hoops letterman from 1923-24 through 1925-26) manufactured five RBI in a 15-5 win against the Boston Red Sox in the nightcap of a 1928 doubleheader.
Detroit Tigers RF Jim Northrup (second-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder for Alma MI in 1958-59) launched two homers against the Washington Senators in a 1968 contest.
New York Yankees rookie LHP Dennis Rasmussen (sixth-man for Creighton averaged 5.1 ppg from 1977-78 through 1979-80) blanked the Milwaukee Brewers over seven innings en route to one of his six straight winning decisions in 1984.
Seattle Mariners RF Leon Roberts (grabbed one rebound in four basketball games for Michigan in 1970-71 under coach Johnny Orr) lashed a decisive two-run homer in top of ninth inning in 4-2 win against the Toronto Blue Jays in 1978.
Philadelphia Phillies RHP Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) fired the second of back-to-back shutouts in 1951.
OF Dave Robertson (one of two reserves on North Carolina State's first basketball team in 1911) traded by the New York Giants to Chicago Cubs in 1919.
Cleveland Indians 2B Freddy Spurgeon (Kalamazoo MI hooper in 1921-22) stroked four hits against the St. Louis Browns in 1926. The next year, Spurgeon extended his career-high hitting streak to 14 games in a row.
Chicago Cubs INF-OF Riggs Stephenson (Alabama hoops letterman in 1920) contributed four hits in a 9-5 win against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1930.
Cleveland Indians C Billy Sullivan Jr. (Portland hoops letterman in 1927-28) collected four safeties against the Philadelphia Athletics in a 1936 contest.
Cincinnati Reds rookie LF Evar Swanson (played all five positions for Knox IL) went 5-for-6 against the Boston Braves in a 1929 outing.
Boston Red Sox 3B Jim Tabor (Alabama hoops letterman in 1936-37) blasted two homers against the Chicago White in a 1940 game and the Cleveland Indians in a 1941 contest. In a 1944 outing, Tabor went 4-for-4 against the Detroit Tigers.
Olympian Athletes: Track and Field Participants Who Were Ex-College Hoopers
There is no higher accolade than designation as an Olympian. Texas A&M had a couple of All-Southwest Conference basketball selections go on to earn Olympic goal medals in track and field events - Walter "Buddy" Davis (high jump in 1952) and Randy Matson (shot put in 1968). A striking number of college hoopers participated in track and field for the U.S. in the Olympics. Consider the following alphabetical list of versatile athletes:
WALTER ASHBAUGH, Cornell
Won the IC4A 120-high hurdles championship in 1951. In addition, he won the outdoor Heptagonal 120-hurdles title in 1949 and again in 1950. Placed fourth in the triple jump at the 1952 Olympic Games. . . . All-Ivy League (EIBL) second-team selection in 1949-50 and 1950-51 when he was runner-up in scoring with the Big Red both seasons.
JEFF BANNISTER, New Hampshire
Won U.S. Olympic Trials in decathlon in 1979 Olympic Trials and placed 21st at 1972 Olympics. Won the AAU pentathlon title in 1966. In the decathlon, he finished third in 1969 and second in 1972. . . . All-Yankee Conference second-team selection in 1968-69 as a junior.
JIM BAUSCH, Kansas
Olympic decathlon champion in 1932 won the Sullivan Award that year as the nation's outstanding amateur athlete. Member of College Football Hall of Fame and Track and Field Hall of Fame played in the NFL in 1933. . . . Starter for 1929-30 Jayhawks basketball team compiling a 13-game winning streak on its way to a 14-4 record and second-place finish in the Big Six Conference. The Spalding Official Basketball Guide said that the Wichita transfer "solved the center problem which had bothered Kansas for several seasons." Older brother of eight-year NFL center-linebacker Frank Bausch.
SID BOWMAN, Louisiana State
Finished seventh at 1932 Olympics after winning triple jump at AAU meet, the Penn Relays and U.S. Olympic Trials. Also made 1928 Olympic squad (tying for ninth place) by placing second at the AAU meet, which double as the Olympic Trials. . . . Hoops letterman as a forward in 1929 and 1930.
SOL BUTLER, Dubuque (Iowa)
In 1914, he broke the National Interscholastic record for the 60-yard dash. In 1919, he won both the 100-yard dash and broad jump at the Penn Relays. He won the national AAU championship in 1920 by broad jumping 24-8. Butler went to Antwerp for the Olympics, but on his very first jump in the preliminaries he pulled a tendon and was forced to withdraw. . . . He was a center in basketball. Football teammate of the legendary Jim Thorpe with the Canton Bulldogs.
PRESTON CARRINGTON, Washburn (Kan.)/Wichita State
Finished fifth in long jump at 1972 Munich Olympics with a leap of 26-2 1/2 inches after placing runner-up in the qualifying. Twice placed in the NCAA long jump - third in 1970 and sixth in 1971. . . . Juco recruit after starting his college career with Washburn (Kan.) was a two-year starter with the Shockers, averaging more than 10 ppg each season in 1969-70 and 1970-71.
TOM CHURCHILL, Oklahoma
Three-year letterman in football played in the 1929 East-West Shrine Game. He also competed in boxing and won the decathlon at the 1928 Kansas Relays. Earned a place on the U.S. Olympic team, finishing fifth in a field of 38 at the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam. Pitched for the Sooners and signed a contract with the New York Yankees before ending his baseball career because of a damaged shoulder. . . . Forward-center averaged 12.4 ppg in Big Six Conference competition in 1929 when he was a consensus basketball All-American.
OTIS DAVIS, Oregon
Double gold-medal winner in track and field in the 1960 Olympic Games. Won the 400 meters with a world record time of 44.9 seconds and anchored the 1600-meter relay team as it set a world record of 3.02.2. . . . The 6-1 Davis collected 18 points and 13 rebounds in 15 basketball games in 1957-58 after transferring from Los Angeles City College.
WALTER "BUDDY" DAVIS, Texas A&M
Winner of gold medal in 1952 Olympic Games high jump with a leap of 6'-8 1/2". Won AAU high jump titles in 1952 and 1953. Set then world high-jump record of 6'-11 1/2" in 1953. . . . Played three seasons of varsity basketball with the Aggies, averaging 9.9 ppg as a sophomore, 12.1 as a junior (NCAA Tournament team) and 15.1 as a senior. First five selection on All-Southwest Conference team as both a junior and senior. Held school season (362 points) and career (952 points) scoring records when he graduated in 1952. Named to Helms Foundation All-American third team as a junior. The 6-8, 210-pound center-forward averaged 4.8 ppg and 4.3 rpg in five seasons (1953-54 through 1957-58) in the NBA with the Philadelphia Warriors and St. Louis Hawks. Member of two NBA championship teams (Warriors in 1956 and Hawks in 1958).
DWIGHT "DIKE" EDDLEMAN, Illinois
Member of 1948 U.S. Olympic track and field team finished fourth in the high jump with a mark of 6-4 3/4. Won 1948 NCAA high jump title (6-7), placed fourth in 1946 and tied for second in 1947. Held Illini football records for highest punting average in a season (43 yards per kick in 1948), longest punt (88 yards vs. Iowa in 1948), punt return average in a season (32.8 in 1948) and longest punt return (92 yards vs. Western Michigan in 1947). . . . Led Illini basketball squad in scoring in 1947-48 (13.9 ppg) and 1948-49 (13.1). The 6-3, 180-pound guard-forward was named to the second five on Associated Press All-American team in 1947-48 and 1948-49 and first team on Converse All-America team in 1948-49. Played four seasons in the NBA.
STEVE FRITZ, Kansas State
Decathlete was runner-up to Jim O'Brien in the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1996 before finishing fourth at the Olympics in Atlanta. Won the Big Eight Conference decathlon title in 1989 and 1990 prior to finishing runner-up in 1994 Goodwill Games at St. Petersburg, Russia. His wife, Suzie, became coach of women's volleyball team at K-State. . . . The 6-4, 190-pound forward scored seven points in 12 games for the Wildcats in 1988-89 (played briefly for coach Lon Kruger in NCAA playoff loss against Minnesota) and 81 points in 26 games in 1990-91. He hit the game-winning basket for Hutchinson (Kan.) in the 1988 NJCAA Tournament final.
JIM GERHARDT, Rice
Finished 11th in the triple jump in 1952 Olympics in Helsinki after a second-place finish in the U.S. trials with a career-best mark of 49-7.75. . . . Averaged 6.3 ppg from 1948-49 through 1950-51. He was runner-up in team scoring as senior with 12.3 ppg.
RAFER JOHNSON, UCLA
Former world record holder in the decathlon was called the "world's greatest all-round athlete" at the time. Brother of All-Pro cornerback Jimmy Johnson won gold medal in the decathlon in the 1955 Pan American Games and the 1960 Olympic Games and was runner-up in the 1956 Olympics. Awarded Sullivan Award in 1960 as the nation's No. 1 amateur athlete. His daughter, Jenny Johnson Jordan, and Annett Davis finished fifth in beach volleyball competition at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. . . . Lettered in basketball with the Bruins two seasons as a 6-3 forward-guard. Student body president averaged 2.5 ppg in 1957-58 and 8.2 ppg in 1958-59 under coach John Wooden. Third-leading scorer and rebounder (6.6 rpg) on 1958-59 team he led in field-goal shooting (50.7%). Sketch in school guide: "Had to miss practice sessions because of his duties as the Associated Students (student body) president, and, as a result, hasn't come along as fast as hoped for. But this great athlete figures to be mighty valuable."
JAMES "RANDY" MATSON, Texas A&M
Former world record holder in the shot put became first shot putter to exceed 70 feet with a toss of 70'-7 1/4" in 1965. Won gold medal in shot put in 1968 Olympic Games and silver medal in 1964. Won both shot put and discus in the 1966 and 1967 NCAA and AAU meets. Sullivan Award winner in 1967 as the nation's outstanding amateur athlete. . . . In his only season of varsity basketball (1965-66), the 6-6 1/2, 250-pound forward-center averaged 8.2 ppg and 10.1 rpg. In Southwest Conference competition, he finished third in field-goal shooting (54.9%) and fifth in rebounding (10 rpg) to become an all-league second-team selection. Matson was an 11th-round choice by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1967 NBA draft.
RALPH MAUGHAN, Utah State
Longtime track coach at his alma mater won three conference championships in the Hammer (1946-48) and two league titles in the javelin (1947 and 1948). He won the 1946 AAU national title in the hammer and also qualified for the event in the 1948 Olympics. Finished fifth in the javelin at the 1947 NCAA Championships. . . . Second-team All-Mountain States Conference selection in basketball in 1943. Two-time all-conference center in football (1946 and 1947).
JOHN RAMBO, Utah State/Long Beach State
Bronze medal winner in the high jump in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics with a jump of 7-1, which was two inches under his career best mark. NCAA high jump champion in 1964 before winning the AAU indoor high jump championships in 1967 and 1969. . . . Attended Utah State in 1962-63 before the 6-7, 195-pound forward averaged 19.8 ppg and 11 rpg in two years as California Collegiate Athletic Association first-team all-star choice in 1963-64 and 1964-65. He led the 49ers in scoring (20.3 ppg) and rebounding (12.7 rpg) in his second season. Rambo had a 42-point, 31-rebound outing against San Diego. Rambo was a sixth-round choice of the St. Louis Hawks in the 1965 NBA draft.
IRVIN "BO" ROBERSON, Cornell
In February 1960, he broke Jesse Owens' 25-year-old world indoor record in the broad jump when he leaped 25-9 1/2 at the National AAU Track and Field Championships. Roberson won the silver medal in the broad jump at the 1960 Olympic Games with a leap of 26-7 3/8, finishing narrowly behind gold medalist Ralph Boston's distance of 26-7 3/4. He won five Heptagonal (the Ivy League schools plus Army and Navy) titles, winning two indoor Heps titles in the long jump (1957 and 1958) and one in the 60-yard dash (1958), and outdoor Heps championships in the long jump (1958) and 220-yard low hurdles (1956). . . . Roberson was also a standout football player, leading the team in rushing as a sophomore and junior. He scored 10 touchdowns in his three-year varsity career, rushing for 1,175 yards on 348 carries and catching 16 passes for 224 yards. He holds the school record for longest kickoff return (100 yards vs. Colgate in 1956). Roberson went on to play flanker for seven seasons in the AFL with the Los Angeles Chargers, Oakland Raiders, Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins. His only basketball season was as a 6-1 sophomore center in 1955-56 when he was the second-leading scorer for the Big Red (14.9 ppg) and finished among the national leaders in rebounding (15th with 17.6 rpg) and field-goal shooting (sixth at 52.2%). Roberson scored 27 of his career-high 31 points in the first half of a game against Penn.
HARLOW ROTHERT, Stanford
Member of two U.S. Olympic track and field teams placed seventh in the shot put in 1928 and won silver medal in the event in 1932. NCAA shot put champion in 1928, 1929 and 1930. Second in discus in 1930 AAU meet and fourth in 1930 AAU decathlon. . . . A 6-2, 225-pounder, he was named to the 10-man Helms Foundation 1928-29 All-American team selected in 1943. Excerpt from Spalding Basketball Guide: "The opinion seemed to be nearly unanimous that Rothert is the best guard in the (Pacific Coast) conference. Rangy and aggressive, he is clever at getting the ball off the backboard and putting it back in play, and is a dangerous scorer when in shooting distance."
EUIL SNIDER, Auburn
Qualified for the 1928 Olympic Games by setting a national record of 48 seconds flat in the 400 meters. . . . Basketball letterman in 1926.
GEORGE STANICH, UCLA
Won a bronze medal in the high jump in the 1948 Olympic Games. Also reached the AAA level as a pitcher in the New York Yankees' organization. . . . The 6-3 guard was an All-PCC South Division selection in 1948-49 and 1949-50 in John Wooden's first two seasons as coach of the Bruins. UCLA captured the league playoff in his final season when he was named a first-team All-American by Converse (7.9 ppg).
WILLIE STEELE, San Diego State
Won long jump at the 1948 London Olympics (25 feet 8 inches) despite hampered by an ankle injury. Twice won the NCAA long jump title. . . . Earned basketball letter with the Aztecs in 1946-47 when he averaged 5.2 points in 13 games.
KEN WIESNER, Marquette
Won three NCAA high jump championships from 1944 through 1946 before winning a silver medal in the event at the 1952 Olympics. In 1953, he broke the world indoor record three times. . . . Three-year basketball letterman with Marquette from 1945 through 1947. He scored 189 points in the 1945-46 season.
On This Date: Former College Hoopers Supplying MLB Headlines on July 24
Extra! Extra! Rather than instructions retrieving illegal firearm, extracting pervert from ritzy hotel with latest hooker or tracking down daughter's inappropriate diary, outgoing Plagiarist Biledumb could go long way to preventing monkey-pox from spreading in U.S. by issuing in his waning months an executive order for Secret Service/FBI/personal attorney to help keep hideous Hunter's snake in his pants in order for appendage not to become a Congressional hearing exhibit. Instead of debating this obvious observation, you can read about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.
Former college hoopers Morrie Arnovich (Wisconsin-Superior), Joe Ferguson (Pacific), Dick Groat (Duke), Frank Grube (Lafayette), Harvey Kuenn (Wisconsin), Tony Lupien (Harvard) and Carl Reynolds (Southwestern TX) accrued more than three hits in a MLB game on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 24 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JULY 24
Philadelphia Phillies LF Morrie Arnovich (Wisconsin-Superior hooper in early 1930s) went 4-for-4 and scored four runs in a 13-11 win against the Cincinnati Reds in 1937.
Philadelphia Athletics LHP Stan Baumgartner (hooper for Western Conference champion for University of Chicago in 1914) hurled a shutout against the St. Louis Browns in 1924.
New York Yankees Hall of Fame LF Earle Combs (three-year hoops captain for Eastern Kentucky) crashed into the wall in St. Louis in 1934, incurring a broken collarbone and fractured skull.
St. Louis Cardinals SS Alvin Dark (hoops letterman for Louisiana State and Southwestern Louisiana in mid-1940s) stroked two triples in a 1957 game against the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Cleveland Indians CF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA hoops titlist) smashed a decisive 10th-inning, two-run homer at New York in 1954. The blast was Doby's third round-tripper in two days at Yankee Stadium.
Los Angeles Dodgers RF Joe Ferguson (hooper in 1967 NCAA playoffs with Pacific) delivered four hits against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 1979 game.
A four-hitter against the Seattle Mariners in 1988 was the first shutout with the Toronto Blue Jays by LHP Mike Flanagan (averaged 13.9 ppg for UMass' freshman squad in 1971-72).
Pittsburgh Pirates SS Dick Groat (two-time All-American with Duke in 1950-51 and 1951-52 when finishing among nation's top five scorer each season) went 4-for-4 against the Cincinnati Reds in a 1957 contest.
Chicago White Sox C Frank Grube (Lafayette starting hoops guard as senior in 1926-27) went 7-for-10 in a 1932 doubleheader against the Cleveland Indians.
In his MLB debut, Pittsburgh Pirates RHP Dick Hall (averaged 13.5 ppg from 1948-49 through 1950-51 for Swarthmore PA Southern Division champions in Middle Atlantic States Conference) fanned 11 opposing batters in a complete-game, 12-5 win against the Chicago Cubs in the opener of a 1955 twinbill.
Boston Red Sox LHP Bill Henry (hoops letterman for Houston's 1947 NAIA Tournament team featuring co-captain Guy Lewis) hurled his first of two MLB shutouts (opener of 1953 doubleheader against St. Louis Browns) before becoming reliever majority of career.
The lone MLB homer for Doug Howard (second-team All-Western Athletic Conference choice for Brigham Young in 1968-69 and 1969-70) was a pinch-hit circuit clout for the St. Louis Cardinals off Burt Hooton of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1975.
San Francisco Giants OF Harvey Kuenn (played hoops briefly for Wisconsin in 1951-52 after competing on JV squad previous season) collected three doubles among his four hits against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 1964 game.
Texas Rangers DH Rick Leach (averaged 15.5 ppg for Michigan's junior varsity hoops team in 1975-76) logged six hits in last seven at-bats after going 3-for-4 against the Toronto Blue Jays in 1989.
Chicago White Sox LHP Thornton Lee (Cal Poly hooper in 1925-26) tossed his second of back-to-back, 10-inning victories in 1937.
Washington Senators CF Don Lock (Wichita State field-goal percentage leader in 1956-57 and 1957-58 under coach Ralph Miller) lashed back-to-back homers against the Kansas City Athletics in a 1965 contest.
Chicago White Sox 1B Tony Lupien (Harvard hoops captain in 1938-39) stroked five hits in an 8-4 win against the New York Yankees in the nightcap of a 1948 doubleheader.
Kansas City Royals 1B Bob Oliver (All-Valley Conference basketball choice for American River Community College CA in 1962) belted a homer in both ends of 1970 twinbill split against the Cleveland Indians.
Detroit Tigers RHP Clarence "Red" Phillips (East Central OK hooper from 1927-28 through 1930-31) won his MLB debut in 1934 with 4 1/3 innings of scoreless relief against the Boston Red Sox.
Toronto Blue Jays OF Tony Phillips (New Mexico Military juco hooper in 1977-78 as teammate of eventual Drake All-American Lewis Lloyd) banged out three safeties in his third consecutive contest in 1998.
Chicago White Sox RF Carl Reynolds (Southwestern TX hoops MVP and captain in mid-1920s) registered two triples among his four hits in a 1930 outing against the Washington Senators.
St. Louis Cardinals RF Wally Roettger (Illinois hoops letterman in 1921-22 and 1922-23) contributed four RBI in a 6-4 triumph against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1929.
Boston Red Sox 3B Jim Tabor (Alabama hoops letterman in 1936-37) knocked in six runs against the Chicago White Sox in a 1941 game.
Olympian Feats: History of U.S. Men's Basketball From Berlin to Paris
Summary of U.S. Men's Involvement in Olympics
Year | Site | U.S. Head Coach | Record | Medal |
---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | Paris | Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors | TBD | TBD |
2021 | Tokyo | Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs | 5-1 | Gold |
2016 | Rio de Janeiro | Mike Krzyzewski, Duke | 8-0 | Gold |
2012 | London | Mike Krzyzewski, Duke | 8-0 | Gold |
2008 | Beijing | Mike Krzyzewski, Duke | 8-0 | Gold |
2004 | Athens | Larry Brown, Detroit Pistons | 5-3 | Bronze |
2000 | Melbourne | Rudy Tomjanovich, Houston Rockets | 8-0 | Gold |
1996 | Atlanta | Lenny Wilkens, Atlanta Hawks | 8-0 | Gold |
1992 | Barcelona | Chuck Daly, New Jersey Nets | 8-0 | Gold |
1988 | Seoul | John Thompson Jr., Georgetown | 7-1 | Bronze |
1984 | Los Angeles | Bob Knight, Indiana | 8-0 | Gold |
1980 | Moscow | Dave Gavitt, Providence | U.S. did not compete | |
1976 | Montreal | Dean Smith, North Carolina | 7-0 | Gold |
1972 | Munich | Hank Iba, Oklahoma State | 8-1 | Silver |
1968 | Mexico City | Hank Iba, Oklahoma State | 9-0 | Gold |
1964 | Tokyo | Hank Iba, Oklahoma State | 9-0 | Gold |
1960 | Rome | Pete Newell, California | 8-0 | Gold |
1956 | Melbourne | Gerald Tucker, Phillips 66ers | 8-0 | Gold |
1952 | Helsinki | Warren Womble, Peoria Caterpillars | 8-0 | Gold |
1948 | London | Omar Browning, Phillips 66ers | 8-0 | Gold |
1936 | Berlin | James Needles, Universal Pictures | 5-0 | Gold |
Genesis of Olympic Basketball Participation
Dr. James Naismith is credited for inventing the game of basketball in 1891, but it wasn't until June, 1932, in Geneva, Switzerland that an international federation was formed to focus solely on basketball. Three years later, the International Basketball Federation (FIBB) was officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), helping pave the path for men's basketball to be implemented at the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympic Games. The FIBB is the forerunner of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).
Naismith's protege, Dr. F.C. "Phog" Allen, was the driving force behind the addition of basketball to the Olympic Games. During the late 1920s and early 1930s, he conducted a personal crusade trying to coax Olympic officials to include the sport before it finally paid off.
In 1904, basketball was a new demonstration sport at the Summer Olympics in St. Louis, which also was part of the World's Fair the same year. Hiram College (Ohio), Wheaton College (Illinois) and the University of Latter Day Saints (known today as Brigham Young) were the three college teams invited to compete in what was officially called the "Olympic Collegiate Basketball Championship." Hiram finished the round-robin tournament 2-0 and was declared the champion and awarded the first Olympic gold medal in basketball.
The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) was recognized as the organization that would be responsible for United States teams in international competitions when the U.S joined FIBA as a member in 1934. Various committees controlled the selection of the U.S. Olympic teams and coaching staffs. For instance, the Games Committee selected from eight teams at the 1960 Olympics Trials - three AAU squads, the NCAA Tournament champion, an NCAA university all-star team, an NCAA college all-star team, an Armed Forces all-star team, and a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) all-star team.
Just prior to the 1972 Olympics, FIBA revoked its recognition of the AAU and instructed the U.S. to form a new organization containing representation from the numerous basketball outlets in the country. In 1974, the Amateur Basketball Federation of the United States of America (ABAUSA) was formed. ABAUSA changed its name to USA Basketball in October, 1989. Shortly thereafter FIBA modified its rules to allow professional basketball players to participate in international competitions, allowing the National Basketball Association to assemble a series of "Dream Teams".
The U.S. Women's National Team created what it hoped was a blueprint for success by fielding its squad more than a year in advance of the 1996 Olympics, paying players an annual salary of $50,000. The ladies also became a "dream team" of sorts, winning their first 39 exhibition games against U.S. colleges and foreign opponents by an average margin of almost 35 points. The $3 million long-range project enabled the U.S. to assemble a more mature female roster (average age of 27 compared to 21 in the '76 and '80 Olympics). After the formation of the WNBA, professional players also dominated the U.S. women's squad.
Three-time Olympian Dawn Staley carried the flag for the remainder of the U.S. Olympic delegation at the 2004 Opening Ceremonies in Athens. Following is a summary of U.S. involvement in previous Olympiads:
1936
Berlin, Germany (IX)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (5-0); 2. Canada (5-1); 3. Mexico (5-2).
U.S. Coach: James Needles, Universal Pictures (Calif.).
Did You Know?: Each basketball team was limited to seven players per game, which were played on an outdoor tennis court on a surface of clay and sand. A rule banning players taller than 6-2 was rescinded only after the U.S. complained. Forward Frank Lubin, a 1931 UCLA graduate of Lithuanian ancestry, played and coached Lithuania to the 1939 European Cup Tournament title. Lubin, the second-leading scorer for the '36 U.S. squad, scored the game-winning basket for Lithuania against Latvia. Third-leading scorer Francis Johnson was a younger brother of assistant U.S. coach Gene Johnson (Globe Oilers, Kan.). Fourth-leading scorer Sam Balter went on to become a broadcaster for the Mutual Network and sports columnist for the Los Angeles Herald-Express before gaining membership in the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. Legendary Kansas coach Phog Allen conceived a plan that had each high school and college withhold one cent from the price of each admission to one game played during the week of February 9-15 to finance the trip to Germany for Dr. James Naismith, the game's inventor. LIU's undefeated team (25-0) coached by Hall of Famer Clair Bee boycotted the Olympic Games. The LIU roster, comprised of sons and grandsons of Jewish and Italian immigrants, decided that if one team member chose not to participate, they all would refuse to compete in Hitler's Berlin.
U.S. Results
U.S. 2, Spain 0*
U.S. 52, Estonia 28
U.S. 56, Philippines 23
U.S. 25, Mexico 10
U.S. 19, Canada 8
*The U.S. was awarded a forfeit victory when its first opponent (Spain) didn't show up because of the Spanish civil war.
U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics
Player | Pos. | Affiliation/School | PPG. |
---|---|---|---|
Sam Balter | G | Universal Pictures (UCLA) | 8.5 |
Ralph "Stork" Bishop | C-F | Washington | 2.0 |
Joe Fortenberry | C | Globe Oilers (Wichita) | 14.5 |
John Gibbons | G | Globe Oilers (Southwestern KS) | 6.0 |
Francis Johnson | G | Globe Oilers (Wichita) | 10.0 |
Carl Knowles | F | Universal Pictures (UCLA) | 3.0 |
Frank Lubin | F | Universal Pictures (UCLA) | 11.0 |
Art Mollner | G | Universal Pictures (Los Angeles J.C.) | 2.0 |
Don Piper | G | Universal Pictures (UCLA) | 2.0 |
Jack Ragland | G | Globe Oilers (Wichita) | 3.5 |
Willard Schmidt | C | Globe Oilers (Creighton) | 8.0 |
Carl Shy | G | Universal Pictures (UCLA) | 5.0 |
Dwayne Swanson | F | Universal Pictures (Southern California) | 2.0 |
William Wheatley | F | Globe Oilers (Kansas Wesleyan) | 4.5 |
NOTE: The team was divided into two seven-man units that played one game and then sat out the next contest.
1948
London, England (XIV)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (8-0); 2. France (5-2); 3. Brazil (7-1).
U.S. Coach: Omar Browning, Phillips Oilers (Okla.).
Did You Know?: The Phillips Oilers, winners of the national AAU title, defeated Kentucky, the 1948 NCAA champion, in the final game of the U.S. Olympic Trials (53-49). Each of the finalists wound up with five representatives on the U.S. squad. NIT champion St. Louis rejected an invitation to the eight-team Olympic Trials because the school's administration believed the players would miss too much class time. Former Oklahoma A&M All-American guard Jesse "Cab" Renick, one of the U.S. team members from the Oilers, was inducted into the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame in 1973 (1/4 Chickasaw and 1/4 Choctaw). Don Barksdale, a second-team selection in 1946-47, was the first African-American player named to an NCAA consensus All-American squad. Before serving a three-year stint in the U.S. Army, Barksdale's 18-point effort in 1942-43 helped UCLA end USC's 42-game winning streak in their intracity rivalry. In 1946-47, Ralph Beard and Alex Groza were Kentucky sophomores when they became the only set of underclassmen teammates named NCAA consensus first-team All-Americans in the same year since the start of the NCAA Tournament. Ken Rollins, the lone senior among UK coach Adolph Rupp's "Fabulous Five," held standout guard Bob Cousy, the leading scorer for defending champion Holy Cross, to just five points in the 1948 NCAA Tournament semifinals. Wallace "Wah Wah" Jones lettered as a two-way end on three UK football teams coached by the legendary Bear Bryant and lettered three times for the Wildcats' baseball team.
U.S. Results
U.S. 86, Switzerland 21
U.S. 53, Czechoslovakia 28
U.S. 59, Argentina 57
U.S. 66, Egypt 28
U.S. 61, Peru 33
U.S. 63, Uruguay 28
U.S. 71, Mexico 40
U.S. 65, France 21
U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics
Player | Pos. | Affiliation/School | PPG. |
---|---|---|---|
Cliff Barker | F | Kentucky | 3.8 |
Don Barksdale | C | Oakland Bittners (UCLA) | 9.0 |
Ralph Beard | G | Kentucky | 3.7 |
Lew Beck | G | Phillips Oilers (Oregon State) | 4.7 |
Vince Boryla* | G | Denver Nuggets (Notre Dame/Denver) | 5.6 |
Gordon Carpenter | C-F | Phillips Oilers (Kansas) | 7.0 |
Alex Groza | C | Kentucky | 11.1 |
Wallace "Wah Wah" Jones | C-F | Kentucky | 7.2 |
Bob Kurland | C | Phillips Oilers (Oklahoma A&M) | 9.3 |
Ray Lumpp | G | New York University | 7.2 |
R.C. Pitts | F | Phillips Oilers (Arkansas) | 7.8 |
Jesse "Cab" Renick | G | Phillips Oilers (Oklahoma A&M) | 5.6 |
R. Jack Robinson | G | Baylor | 2.6 |
Ken Rollins | G | Kentucky | 4.0 |
*Boryla played two seasons at Notre Dame (1944-45 and 1945-46) and then served in the military for two years before finishing his college career at the University of Denver (1948-49).
1952
Helsinki, Finland (XV)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (8-0); 2. Soviet Union (6-2); 3. Uruguay (5-3).
U.S. Coach: Warren Womble, Peoria Caterpillars (IL).
Did You Know?: U.S. Olympic team captain Ron Bontemps was a high school (Taylorville, Ill.) and college (Illinois and Beloit, Wis.) teammate of former Massachusetts, Michigan and Iowa State coach Johnny Orr. Their 1944 state high school championship team compiled a 45-0 record. Bontemps averaged a team-high 22 points per game for a Beloit squad that earned a bid to the 1951 NIT after defeating larger schools such as Washington State, Marshall, San Jose State and Loyola of Chicago. Beloit had an enrollment of 1,060 students. Guard Dean Kelley is the only player to have season scoring averages of fewer than 10 points per game in back-to-back years when he was named to the All-NCAA Tournament team (1952 and 1953 with Kansas). Charlie Hoag, one of seven KU players on the U.S. roster, was also a running back and captain of the Jayhawks' 1952 football squad and 26th-round draft choice of the Cleveland Browns in 1953.
U.S. Results
U.S. 66, Hungary 48
U.S. 72, Czechoslovakia 47
U.S. 57, Uruguay 44
U.S. 86, USSR 58
U.S. 103, Chile 55
U.S. 57, Brazil 53
U.S. 85, Argentina 76
U.S. 36, USSR 25
U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics
Player | Pos. | Affiliation/School | PPG. |
---|---|---|---|
Ron Bontemps | G | Peoria Caterpillars (Illinois/Beloit WI) | 7.1 |
Marcus Freiberger | C | Peoria Caterpillars (Oklahoma) | 6.3 |
Victor "Wayne" Glasgow | G-F | Phillips 66ers (Oklahoma) | 4.5 |
Charlie Hoag | G-F | Kansas | 2.9 |
Bill Hougland | G | Kansas | 6.0 |
John Keller | G-F | Kansas | 1.5 |
Dean Kelley | G | Kansas | 0.7 |
Bob Kenney | F | Kansas | 10.9 |
Bob Kurland | C | Phillips 66ers (Oklahoma A&M) | 9.6 |
Bill Lienhard | F | Kansas | 4.0 |
Clyde Lovellette | C-F | Kansas | 14.1 |
Frank McCabe | F | Peoria Caterpillars (Marquette) | 3.0 |
Dan Pippin | G | Peoria Caterpillars (Missouri) | 7.0 |
Howie Williams | G | Peoria Caterpillars (Purdue) | 3.4 |
1956
Melbourne, Australia (XVI)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (8-0); 2. Soviet Union (5-3); 3. Uruguay (6-2).
U.S. Coach: Gerry Tucker, Phillips 66ers (Okla.).
Did You Know?: The XVIth Olympiad, conducted during the U.S.'s winter time (Nov. 22-Dec. 1) because the seasons are reversed in Australia, delayed Bill Russell's NBA debut. Forward Dick Boushka, named president of Vickers Petroleum Corporation in 1963 at the age of 29, became the ninth president of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and swingman Gib Ford became president of Converse after serving in the Air Force. Coach Gerry Tucker had been an NCAA consensus first-team All-American in 1947 when the 6-4 center was the leading scorer for Oklahoma's NCAA Tournament runner-up. Tucker, an Army veteran from Winfield, Kan., originally attended Kansas State. Carl Cain, who sustained a herniated disc after entering the Army, played sparingly and was almost replaced by alternate Willie Naulls of UCLA. Cain was second-leading scorer and rebounder for Iowa team losing to USF and Russell in 1956 NCAA Tournament championship game.
U.S. Results
U.S. 98, Japan 40
U.S. 101, Thailand 29
U.S. 121, Philippines 53
U.S. 85, Bulgaria 44
U.S. 113, Brazil 51
U.S. 85, USSR 55
U.S. 101, Uruguay 38
U.S. 89, USSR 55
U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics
Player | Pos. | Affiliation/School | PPG. |
---|---|---|---|
Dick Boushka | F | Wichita Vickers (St. Louis University) | 8.0 |
Carl Cain | F | Iowa | 1.5 |
Chuck Darling | C | Phillips 66ers (Iowa) | 9.3 |
Bill Evans | G | U.S. Armed Forces (Kentucky) | 6.8 |
Gib Ford | G-F | U.S. Armed Forces (Texas) | 4.9 |
Burdette Haldorson | F | Phillips 66ers (Colorado) | 8.6 |
Bill Hougland | F | Phillips 66ers (Kansas) | 5.8 |
Bob Jeangerard | F | Phillips 66ers (Colorado) | 12.5 |
K.C. Jones | G | San Francisco | 10.9 |
Bill Russell | C | San Francisco | 14.1 |
Ron Tomsic | G | U.S. Armed Forces (Stanford) | 11.1 |
Jim Walsh | G | Phillips 66ers (Stanford) | 9.1 |
1960
Rome, Italy (XVII)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (8-0); 2. Soviet Union (6-2); 3. Brazil (6-2).
U.S. Coach: Pete Newell, California.
Did You Know?: Ohio State guard John Havlicek didn't make the cut but eight members of the 12-man U.S. roster in 1960 went on to play at least nine seasons in the NBA. Jay Arnette, one of the four who didn't have a prolonged NBA career (three years with the Cincinnati Royals after a brief minor league baseball career in the Los Angeles Dodgers' farm system), was a Texas teammate and Olympic opponent of Albert Almanza, the third-leading scorer for the Mexican team that finished 11th. West Virginia two-time first-team All-America swingman Jerry West was denied an NCAA championship ring in 1959 when California center Darrall Imhoff, West's teammate with the Los Angeles Lakers for four seasons in the mid-1960s, tipped in a basket with 17 seconds remaining. Imhoff's high school coach was Bob Boyd, who went on to guide Southern California and Mississippi State. Allen Kelley and fellow guard Dean Kelley, a 1952 Olympian, are the only set of brothers to play together in two NCAA playoff title games (1952 and 1953 with Kansas). Walt Bellamy, Jerry Lucas' backup center, was named NBA Rookie of the Year after averaging 31.6 points and 19 rebounds per game in 1961-62. Lucas, a memory expert and motivational speaker, worked on educational programs while living in Compton, Calif.
U.S. Results
U.S. 88, Italy 54
U.S. 125, Japan 66
U.S. 107, Hungary 63
U.S. 104, Yugoslavia 42
U.S. 108, Uruguay 50
U.S. 81, USSR 57
U.S. 112, Italy 81
U.S. 90, Brazil 63
U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics
Player | Pos. | Affiliation/School | PPG. |
---|---|---|---|
Jay Arnette | F | Texas | 2.9 |
Walt Bellamy | C | Indiana | 7.9 |
Bob Boozer | F | Peoria Caterpillars (Kansas State) | 6.8 |
Terry Dischinger | F | Purdue | 11.8 |
Burdette Haldorson | F | Phillips 66ers (Colorado) | 2.9 |
Darrall Imhoff | C | California | 4.8 |
Allen Kelley | G | Peoria Caterpillars (Kansas) | 0.8 |
Lester Lane | G | Wichita Vickers (Oklahoma) | 5.9 |
Jerry Lucas | F-C | Ohio State | 17.0 |
Oscar Robertson | F | Cincinnati | 17.0 |
Adrian "Odie" Smith | G | U.S. Armed Forces (Kentucky) | 10.9 |
Jerry West | G | West Virginia | 13.8 |
1964
Tokyo, Japan (XVIII)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (9-0); 2. Soviet Union (8-1); 3. Brazil (6-3).
U.S. Coach: Hank Iba, Oklahoma State.
Did You Know?: Former UNC Charlotte coach and NBA standout Jeff Mullins compiled the lowest scoring average on the 12-man U.S. roster despite averaging 24.2 points per game for NCAA runner-up Duke. Mullins, who scored 14 of his 18 points against Puerto Rico in the semifinals, was one of eight major-college roster members to go on and play at least seven seasons in the NBA/ABA. But the squad's leading scorer was from a small college - SE Oklahoma State's Jerry Shipp. Walt Hazzard became the only Final Four Most Outstanding Player (UCLA '64) to later coach his alma mater in the tournament (1-1 playoff record with Bruins in 1987). Larry Brown, who also coached UCLA, became the only mentor to leave an NCAA champion before the next season for another coaching job when he quit Kansas before the start of next NCAA probation-marred campaign to return to the NBA after winning the 1988 title with the Jayhawks. Brown, coach of the 2004 U.S. Olympic team, is a former father-in-law of ex-Missouri coach Quin Snyder, a Duke teammate of '92 Olympian Christian Laettner in 1988-89. Joe Caldwell played for Brown in his first two seasons as a pro head coach (ABA's Carolina Cougars in 1972-73 and 1973-74). Princeton's Bill Bradley, a U.S. Senator from New Jersey who ran for the Democratic nomination for president in 2000, is probably the most famous politician to play college basketball. Michigan sophomore sensation Cazzie Russell was handicapped by an ankle injury in his bid for a spot on the roster. Dick Davies' brother, Bob, was an All-American for Seton Hall before earning recognition as a first-team all-star in the NBL, BAA and NBA. Dick went on to become Goodyear's vice president of manufacturing.
U.S. Results
U.S. 78, Australia 45
U.S. 77, Finland 51
U.S. 60, Peru 45
U.S. 83, Uruguay 28
U.S. 69, Yugoslavia 61
U.S. 86, Brazil 53
U.S. 116, South Korea 50
U.S. 62, Puerto Rico 42
U.S. 73, USSR 59
U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics
Player | Pos. | Affiliation/School | PPG. |
---|---|---|---|
Jim "Bad News" Barnes | C | Texas Western | 8.5 |
Bill Bradley | G-F | Princeton | 10.1 |
Larry Brown | G | Goodyear Wingfoots (North Carolina) | 4.1 |
Joe Caldwell | G-F | Arizona State | 9.0 |
Mel Counts | C | Oregon State | 6.6 |
Dick Davies | G | Goodyear Wingfoots (Louisiana State) | 3.4 |
Walt Hazzard | G-F | UCLA | 3.8 |
Luke Jackson | F | Pan American TX | 10.0 |
Pete McCaffrey | F | Goodyear Wingfoots (St. Louis University) | 5.1 |
Jeff Mullins | G-F | Duke | 2.3 |
Jerry Shipp | G | Phillips 66ers (Southeastern Oklahoma State) | 12.4 |
George Wilson | F-C | Chicago Jamaco Saints (Cincinnati) | 5.4 |
1968
Mexico City, Mexico (XIX)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (9-0); 2. Yugoslavia (7-2); 3. Soviet Union (8-1).
U.S. Coach: Hank Iba, Oklahoma State.
Did You Know?: Spencer Haywood, the leading scorer for the U.S. squad, was at that time the youngest player (19) ever to earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic basketball team. The U.S. team probably would have featured a different leading scorer and most assuredly would have averaged more than 67 points in its last three games if any or all of the following sophomore scoring sensations had been named to the squad: LSU's Pete Maravich (43.8 ppg), Niagara's Calvin Murphy (38.2) and Purdue's Rick Mount (28.5). Ken Spain was selected as an end by the Detroit Lions in the 16th round of the 1969 NFL draft and also had tryouts with the Houston Oilers, Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders. Mike Silliman's coach at Army was Bob Knight, who was in charge of the U.S. gold medal-winning squad in 1984. Bill Hosket's father, Wilmer, was named to the third five on College Humor Magazine's All-American team in 1932-33 when he was the fourth-leading scorer in the Big Ten Conference (8 ppg) as a member of Ohio State's league co-champions. Northeast Louisiana's Glynn Saulters scored 30 or more points in 21 college games including a school-record 51 against Nicholls State as a senior.
U.S. Results
U.S. 81, Spain 46
U.S. 93, Senegal 36
U.S. 96, Philippines 75
U.S. 73, Yugoslavia 58
U.S. 95, Panama 60
U.S. 100, Italy 61
U.S. 61, Puerto Rico 56
U.S. 75, Brazil 63
U.S. 65, Yugoslavia 50
U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics
Player | Pos. | Affiliation/School | PPG. |
---|---|---|---|
Mike Barrett | G | U.S. Armed Forces (West Virginia Tech) | 6.2 |
John Clawson | G | U.S. Armed Forces (Michigan) | 3.6 |
Don Dee | F | St. Mary of the Plains KS | 4.7 |
Calvin Fowler | G | Goodyear Wingfoots (St. Francis PA) | 6.4 |
Spencer Haywood | C | Trinidad State Junior College CO | 16.1 |
Bill Hosket | F | Ohio State | 8.6 |
Jim King | F | Goodyear Wingfoots (Oklahoma State) | 1.8 |
Glynn Saulters | G | Northeast Louisiana | 5.3 |
Charlie Scott | F-G | North Carolina | 8.0 |
Mike Silliman | F | U.S. Armed Forces (Army) | 9.0 |
Ken Spain | C | Houston | 4.4 |
Joseph "Jo Jo" White | G | Kansas | 11.7 |
1972
Munich, West Germany (XX)
Medal Winners: 1. Soviet Union (9-0); 2. U.S. (8-1); 3. Cuba (7-2).
U.S. Coach: Hank Iba, Oklahoma State.
Did You Know?: A 62-game Olympic winning streak for the U.S. ended in the most controversial game in
international basketball history. Three seconds were put back on the clock on two separate occasions in the final before the Soviet's Aleksander Belov received a length-of-the-court pass between two American players and converted a game-winning layup. UCLA's Bill Walton became a post-defeat whipping boy in some quarters for not playing for the team. Swen Nater, Walton's backup with the Bruins, made the Olympic roster but quit during three-a-day workouts at Pearl Harbor. Iba, the only individual to coach three different U.S. Olympic squads, had seven of his former Oklahoma A&M players eventually coach teams into the NCAA playoffs: John Floyd (Texas A&M), Jack Hartman (Kansas State), Don Haskins (Texas-El Paso), Moe Iba (Nebraska), Bud Millikan (Maryland), Doyle Parrack (Oklahoma City) and Eddie Sutton (Creighton/Arkansas/Kentucky/Oklahoma State). Tom McMillen became co-chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness under Bill Clinton after serving as a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland. The U.S., which trailed the USSR by eight points with less than six minutes left, led only once, 49-48, on Doug Collins' two free throws with three seconds remaining. Collins is the only former NCAA consensus All-American and Olympian to have a son participate in an NCAA Tournament championship game (guard Chris Collins of Duke '94).
U.S. Results
U.S. 66, Czechoslovakia 35
U.S. 81, Australia 55
U.S. 67, Cuba 48
U.S. 61, Brazil 54
U.S. 96, Egypt 31
U.S. 72, Spain 56
U.S. 99, Japan 33
U.S. 68, Italy 38
USSR 51, U.S. 50
U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics
Player | Pos. | Affiliation/School | PPG. |
---|---|---|---|
Mike Bantom | F | St. Joseph's | 7.7 |
Jim Brewer | F-C | Minnesota | 7.6 |
Tom Burleson | C | North Carolina State | 3.4 |
Doug Collins | G | Illinois State | 7.3 |
Kenny Davis | G | Marathon Oil (Georgetown College KY) | 1.8 |
Jim Forbes | F | Texas-El Paso | 5.1 |
Tom Henderson | G | San Jacinto Junior College TX | 9.2 |
Bobby Jones | F | North Carolina | 4.1 |
Dwight Jones | C | Houston | 9.2 |
Kevin Joyce | G | South Carolina | 5.3 |
Tom McMillen | F | Maryland | 6.8 |
Ed Ratleff | F-G | Long Beach State | 6.4 |
1976
Montreal, Canada (XXI)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (7-0); 2. Yugoslavia (5-2); 3. Soviet Union (5-2).
U.S. Men's Coach: Dean Smith, North Carolina.
Did You Know?: Seven members of the 12-man U.S. roster were from coach Dean Smith's conference, including four from his school (North Carolina), although the Atlantic Coast Conference didn't notch a victory in the 1976 NCAA Tournament. One of the non-ACC players (at the time) was Notre Dame forward Adrian Dantley, who managed the highest-ever scoring average for a U.S. player in a single Olympiad (19.3 points per game). Ernie Grunfeld (New York Knicks) and Mitch Kupchak (Los Angeles Lakers) went on to become general managers for NBA franchises while Quinn Buckner became an NBA head coach (Dallas Mavericks). Buckner was selected by the Washington Redskins in 14th round of 1976 NFL draft as a defensive back.
U.S. Men's Results
U.S. 106, Italy 86
U.S. 95, Puerto Rico 94
U.S. 112, Yugoslavia 93
U.S. 2, Egypt 0*
U.S. 81, Czechoslovakia 76
U.S. 95, Canada 77
U.S. 95, Yugoslavia 74
*The U.S. was awarded a forfeit victory when Egypt withdrew for political reasons.
U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics
Player | Pos. | School | PPG. | RPG. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Tate Armstrong | G | Duke | 2.7 | 0.4 |
Quinn Buckner | G | Indiana | 7.3 | 3.0 |
Kenny Carr | F | North Carolina State | 6.8 | 3.2 |
Adrian Dantley | F | Notre Dame | 19.3 | 5.7 |
Walter Davis | F-G | North Carolina | 4.3 | 1.7 |
Phil Ford | G | North Carolina | 11.3 | 2.2 |
Ernie Grunfeld | F | Tennessee | 3.5 | 0.7 |
Phil Hubbard | F | Michigan | 4.7 | 3.8 |
Mitch Kupchak | C | North Carolina | 12.5 | 5.7 |
Tom LaGarde | C | North Carolina | 6.7 | 1.8 |
Scott May | F | Indiana | 16.7 | 6.2 |
Steve Sheppard | F-G | Maryland | 1.5 | 1.0 |
1980
Moscow, Soviet Union (XXII)
Medal Winners: 1. Yugoslavia (8-0); 2. Italy (5-3); 3. Soviet Union (6-2).
U.S. Men's Coach: Dave Gavitt, Providence.
Did You Know?: Argentina, Canada, China, Mexico and Puerto Rico all qualified for the Olympics along with the U.S., but they boycotted the Moscow Games in protest of the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan. Each of the 12 U.S. team members became NBA first-round draft choices. A key member of the gold-medal winning Yugoslavian team was Kresimir Cosic, who led Brigham Young in scoring in 1971-72 (22.3 ppg) and 1972-73 (20.2 ppg) before becoming Deputy Ambassador to the United States for Croatia. Cosic died of cancer in May, 1995, at the age of 46. Playmaker Isiah Thomas went on to spark Indiana to 1981 NCAA Tournament title as Final Four Most Outstanding Player and assemble a prolific pro career but wasn't named to the 1992 "Dream Team."
U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics
Player | Pos. | School | PPG. | RPG. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mark Aguirre | F | DePaul | 11.3 | 5.0 |
Rolando Blackman | G-F | Kansas State | 8.0 | 4.7 |
Sam Bowie | C | Kentucky | 11.8 | 6.9 |
Michael Brooks | F | La Salle | 13.2 | 6.0 |
Bill Hanzlik | G | Notre Dame | 1.8 | 1.0 |
Alton Lister | C | Arizona State | 1.7 | 1.0 |
Rodney McCray | F | Louisville | 0.6 | 0.8 |
Isiah Thomas | G | Indiana | 9.5 | 2.0 |
Darnell Valentine | G | Kansas | 5.7 | 2.0 |
Danny Vranes | F | Utah | 6.8 | 2.8 |
Charles "Buck" Williams | F | Maryland | 4.9 | 4.0 |
Al Wood | F-G | North Carolina | 10.0 | 2.9 |
NOTE: Statistics are for six games (5-1 record) in the "Gold Medal Series" in various U.S. cities against NBA All-Star teams.
1984
Los Angeles, California, USA (XXIII)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (8-0); 2. Spain (6-2); 3. Yugoslavia (7-1).
U.S. Men's Coach: Bob Knight, Indiana.
Did You Know?: Political repercussions persisted as the Soviet bloc countries boycotted the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Holy Cross coach Jack Donohue, who guided the Canadian National Team to a fourth-place finish, previously piloted Power Memorial Academy in New York to a 163-30 record, including 71 consecutive victories with center Lew Alcindor manning the middle for him. Chris Mullin and Sam Perkins became teammates with the Indiana Pacers in 1998-99 after Vern Fleming and Wayman Tisdale were teammates with the same franchise for four seasons in the late 1980s. Steve Alford coached against Knight in the Big Ten Conference after becoming Iowa's bench boss. NBA all-time assists and steals leader John Stockton was cut in favor of Leon Wood, who became an NBA referee after his playing career.
U.S. Men's Results
U.S. 97, China 49
U.S. 89, Canada 68
U.S. 104, Uruguay 68
U.S. 120, France 62
U.S. 101, Spain 68
U.S. 78, F.R. Germany 67
U.S. 78, Canada 59
U.S. 96, Spain 65
U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics
Player | Pos. | School | PPG. | RPG. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Steve Alford | G | Indiana | 10.3 | 3.3 |
Patrick Ewing | C | Georgetown | 11.0 | 5.6 |
Vern Fleming | G | Georgia | 7.7 | 2.7 |
Michael Jordan | G-F | North Carolina | 17.1 | 3.0 |
Joe Kleine | C | Arkansas | 3.4 | 2.0 |
Jon Koncak | C | Southern Methodist | 3.3 | 2.4 |
Chris Mullin | G-F | St. John's | 11.6 | 2.5 |
Sam Perkins | F-C | North Carolina | 8.1 | 5.4 |
Alvin Robertson | G | Arkansas | 7.8 | 2.8 |
Wayman Tisdale | F | Oklahoma | 8.6 | 6.4 |
Jeff Turner | F | Vanderbilt | 1.6 | 2.1 |
Osie "Leon" Wood | G | Cal State Fullerton | 5.9 | 2.0 |
1988
Seoul, South Korea (XXIV)
Medal Winners: 1. Soviet Union (7-1); 2. Yugoslavia (6-2); 3. U.S. (7-1).
U.S. Men's Coach: John Thompson Jr., Georgetown.
Did You Know?: Hersey Hawkins, the team's top outside threat, was sidelined because of an injury when the U.S. sustained a semifinal loss to the USSR in the first Olympic matchup between the superpowers since the controversial 1972 final in Munich. Guard Charles E. Smith, Thompson's star player for Georgetown, was the only member of the 12-man Olympic squad undrafted by an NBA team. Smith subsequently served prison time for vehicular homicide and later was found shot in the upper body in Bowie, Md., in a house where a significant amount of cocaine and evidence of a gambling operation were found. In the fall of 2003, Willie Anderson reportedly lost almost all of the $1.75 million he was to receive from a deferred 10-year contract with the San Antonio Spurs to the IRS and three women who said he did not pay child support. Dan Majerle (Grand Canyon) and Danny Manning (Tulsa and Wake Forest) went on to become NCAA Division I head coaches.
U.S. Men's Results
U.S. 97, Spain 53
U.S. 76, Canada 70
U.S. 102, Brazil 87
U.S. 108, China 57
U.S. 102, Egypt 35
U.S. 94, Puerto Rico 57
USSR 82, U.S. 76
U.S. 78, Australia 49
U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics
Player | Pos. | School | PPG. | RPG. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Willie Anderson | G | Georgia | 5.0 | 1.9 |
Stacey Augmon | F | UNLV | 1.2 | 1.8 |
Vernell "Bimbo" Coles | G | Virginia Tech | 7.1 | 1.8 |
Jeff Grayer | F-G | Iowa State | 6.9 | 3.4 |
Hersey Hawkins | G | Bradley | 8.8 | 1.0 |
Dan Majerle | F-G | Central Michigan | 14.1 | 4.8 |
Danny Manning | F | Kansas | 11.4 | 6.0 |
J.R. Reid | F-C | North Carolina | 6.0 | 3.3 |
Mitch Richmond | G-F | Kansas State | 8.9 | 3.4 |
David Robinson | C | Navy | 12.8 | 6.8 |
Charles D. Smith | F | Pittsburgh | 7.8 | 4.1 |
Charles E. Smith | G | Georgetown | 8.6 | 1.3 |
1992
Barcelona, Spain (XXV)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (8-0); 2. Croatia (6-2); 3. Lithuania (6-2).
U.S. Men's Coach: Chuck Daly, New Jersey Nets.
Did You Know?: "Dream Team I," winning its eight games by an average of 43.8 points, was assembled after international rules, which previously prevented only NBA players from being eligible for Olympic basketball, were changed by the FIBA membership on April 7, 1989, by virtue of a 56-13 vote in favor of "open competition." Three University of Houston products participated in the 1992 Games - David Diaz (Venezuela), Clyde Drexler (U.S.) and Carl Herrera (Venezuela) and a fourth, Rolando Ferreira, was cut by the Brazilian squad just prior to the competition.
U.S. Men's Results
U.S. 116, Angola 48
U.S. 103, Croatia 70
U.S. 111, Germany 68
U.S. 127, Brazil 83
U.S. 122, Spain 81
U.S. 115, Puerto Rico 77
U.S. 127, Lithuania 76
U.S. 117, Croatia 85
U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics
Player | Pos. | NBA Team (Major College) | PPG. | RPG. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Charles Barkley | F | Phoenix Suns (Auburn) | 18.0 | 4.1 |
Larry Bird | F | Boston Celtics (Indiana State) | 8.4 | 3.8 |
Clyde Drexler | G | Portland Trail Blazers (Houston) | 10.5 | 3.0 |
Patrick Ewing | C | New York Knicks (Georgetown) | 9.5 | 5.3 |
Earvin "Magic" Johnson | G | Los Angeles Lakers (Michigan State) | 8.0 | 2.3 |
Michael Jordan | G | Chicago Bulls (North Carolina) | 14.9 | 2.4 |
Christian Laettner* | F | Duke | 4.8 | 2.5 |
Karl Malone | F | Utah Jazz (Louisiana Tech) | 13.0 | 5.3 |
Chris Mullin | F-G | Golden State Warriors (St. John's) | 12.9 | 1.6 |
Scottie Pippen | F | Chicago Bulls (Central Arkansas) | 9.0 | 2.1 |
David Robinson | C | San Antonio Spurs (Navy) | 9.0 | 4.1 |
John Stockton | G | Utah Jazz (Gonzaga) | 2.8 | 0.3 |
*Selected in first round of NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
1996
Atlanta, Georgia, USA (XXVI)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (8-0); 2. Yugoslavia (7-1); 3. Lithuania (5-3).
U.S. Men's Coach: Lenny Wilkens, Atlanta Hawks.
Did You Know?: Dream Team III averaged fewer points per game during the Olympics (101.8) than the U.S. women's squad (102.4). David Robinson, the first three-time U.S. Olympian in men's basketball, became the all-time leading scorer for the U.S. in Olympic competition (record subsequently broken). Robinson remains the only three-time hoops Olympian who attended a non-power conference member. Reggie Miller's sister, Cheryl, was the leading scorer for the 1984 U.S. women's squad.
U.S. Men's Results
U.S. 96, Argentina 68
U.S. 87, Angola 54
U.S. 104, Lithuania 82
U.S. 133, China 70
U.S. 102, Croatia 71
U.S. 98, Brazil 75
U.S. 101, Australia 73
U.S. 95, Yugoslavia 69
U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics
Player | Pos. | NBA Team (Four-Year College) | PPG. | RPG. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Charles Barkley | F | Phoenix Suns (Auburn) | 12.4 | 6.6 |
Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway | G | Orlando Magic (Memphis State) | 9.0 | 2.8 |
Grant Hill | F-G | Detroit Pistons (Duke) | 9.7 | 2.8 |
Karl Malone | F | Utah Jazz (Louisiana Tech) | 8.4 | 4.5 |
Reggie Miller | G | Indiana Pacers (UCLA) | 11.4 | 1.0 |
Hakeem Olajuwon | C | Houston Rockets (University of Houston) | 4.7 | 3.4 |
Shaquille O'Neal | C | Orlando Magic (Louisiana State) | 9.3 | 5.3 |
Gary Payton Sr. | G | Seattle Sonics (Oregon State) | 5.1 | 3.1 |
Scottie Pippen | F | Chicago Bulls (Central Arkansas) | 11.0 | 3.9 |
Mitch Richmond | G | Sacramento Kings (Kansas State) | 9.6 | 1.6 |
David Robinson | C | San Antonio Spurs (Navy) | 12.0 | 4.6 |
John Stockton | G | Utah Jazz (Gonzaga) | 3.8 | 0.8 |
2000
Sydney, Australia (XXVII)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (8-0); 2. France (4-4); 3. Lithuania (5-3).
U.S. Men's Coach: Rudy Tomjanovich, Houston Rockets.
Did You Know?: Grant Hill and Gary Payton were members of the 1996 U.S. Olympic Team. Hill (three times with Duke) and Vince Carter (twice with North Carolina) were the only members of the 12-man squad to have participated in the NCAA Final Four. Payton (winless in three NCAA playoff games with Oregon State) was involved in a trade for Ray Allen midway through the 2002-03 season. Assistant coach Larry Brown played for the 1964 U.S. squad that included eventual Democratic Presidential candidate Bill Bradley. Lithuania forced the U.S. into its two closest margins (nine and two) since NBA players began competing in 1992.
U.S. Men's Results
U.S. 119, China 72
U.S. 93, Italy 61
U.S. 85, Lithuania 76
U.S. 102, New Zealand 56
U.S. 106, France 94
U.S. 85, Russia 70
U.S. 85, Lithuania 83
U.S. 85, France 75
U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics
Player | Pos. | NBA Team (Four-Year College) | PPG. | RPG. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Shareef Abdur-Rahim | F | Vancouver Grizzlies (California) | 6.4 | 3.3 |
Ray Allen | G | Milwaukee Bucks (Connecticut) | 9.8 | 1.9 |
Vin Baker | F | Seattle Sonics (Hartford) | 8.0 | 3.0 |
Vince Carter | F-G | Toronto Raptors (North Carolina) | 14.8 | 3.6 |
Kevin Garnett | F | Minnesota Timberwolves (N/A) | 10.8 | 9.1 |
Tim Hardaway Sr. | G | Miami Heat (Texas-El Paso) | 5.5 | 1.4 |
Allan Houston | G | New York Knicks (Tennessee) | 8.0 | 1.9 |
Jason Kidd | G | Phoenix Suns (California) | 6.0 | 5.3 |
Antonio McDyess | F-C | Denver Nuggets (Alabama) | 7.6 | 5.9 |
Alonzo Mourning | C | Miami Heat (Georgetown) | 10.2 | 4.2 |
Gary Payton Sr. | G | Seattle Sonics (Oregon State) | 5.5 | 2.1 |
Steve Smith | G | Portland Trail Blazers (Michigan State) | 6.1 | 2.4 |
2004
Athens, Greece (XXVIII)
Medal Winners: 1. Argentina (6-2); 2. Italy (5-3); 3. U.S. (5-3).
U.S. Men's Coach: Larry Brown, Detroit Pistons.
Did You Know?: Following a slew of withdrawals and rejected invitations, the U.S. roster included only Tim Duncan and Allen Iverson from the star-studded squad that won the Tournament of the Americas the previous summer. Mike Bibby, Jason Kidd, Karl Malone, Tracy McGrady and Jermaine O'Neal were named to the team, but withdrew because of injuries or personal reasons. After 24 consecutive victories, the pros incurred their first Olympic defeat (worst in U.S. history) when Puerto Rico jumped to a 22-point, first-half cushion en route to a 92-73 opening-round decision. The U.S. also lost to Lithuania before failing to overcome a 16-point, third-quarter deficit in a semifinal defeat against Argentina. U.S. star Tim Duncan, playing less than half of the game because of foul problems, scored only 10 points while San Antonio Spurs teammate Manu Ginobili poured in 29 for Argentina. The average age of the U.S. roster was 23.6, with nine of the players attending college two or fewer years. Despite hitting seven of eight three-pointers down the stretch in a bronze-medal game victory over Lithuania, the U.S. shot a meager 31.4% from beyond the arc over eight games.
U.S. Men's Results
Puerto Rico 92, U.S. 73
U.S. 77, Greece 71
U.S. 88, Australia 79
Lithuania 94, U.S. 90
U.S. 89, Angola 53
U.S. 102, Spain 94
Argentina 89, U.S. 81
U.S. 104, Lithuania 96
U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics
Player | Pos. | NBA Team (Four-Year College) | PPG. | RPG. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Carmelo Anthony | F | Denver Nuggets (Syracuse) | 2.4 | 1.6 |
Carlos Boozer | F-C | Cleveland Cavaliers/Utah Jazz (Duke) | 7.6 | 6.1 |
Tim Duncan | F-C | San Antonio Spurs (Wake Forest) | 12.9 | 9.1 |
Allen Iverson | G | Philadelphia 76ers (Georgetown) | 13.8 | 1.6 |
LeBron James | G-F | Cleveland Cavaliers (N/A) | 5.4 | 1.0 |
Richard Jefferson | G-F | New Jersey Nets (Arizona) | 6.8 | 2.8 |
Stephon Marbury | G | New York Knicks (Georgia Tech) | 10.5 | 1.3 |
Shawn Marion | F | Phoenix Suns (UNLV) | 9.9 | 5.9 |
Lamar Odom | F | Miami Heat (Rhode Island) | 9.3 | 5.8 |
Emeka Okafor | F-C | Charlotte Bobcats (Connecticut) | 0.0 | 1.5 |
Amare Stoudemire | F | Phoenix Suns (N/A) | 2.8 | 1.8 |
Dwyane Wade | G-F | Miami Heat (Marquette) | 7.3 | 1.9 |
2008
Beijing, China (XXIX)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (8-0); 2. Spain (6-2); 3. Argentina (6-2).
U.S. Men's Coach: Mike Krzyzweski, Duke.
Did You Know?: The "Redeem Team" captured the American's first gold medal in a major international
competition in eight years (since the 2000 Sydney Olympics). Dwyane Wade finished as the leading scorer for the U.S. with 16 ppg after scoring a team-high 27 points in the gold medal game against defending world champion Spain, which trailed by only two points early in the fourth quarter. Three of the U.S. squad's top five scorers did not attend college.
U.S. Men's Results
U.S. 101, China 70
U.S. 97, Angola 76
U.S. 92, Greece 69
U.S. 119, Spain 82
U.S. 106, Germany 57
U.S. 116, Australia 85
U.S. 101, Argentina 81
U.S. 118, Spain 107
U.S. Men's Roster and Statistics
Player | Pos. | NBA Team (Four-Year College) | PPG. | RPG. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Carmelo Anthony | F | Denver Nuggets (Syracuse) | 11.5 | 4.3 |
Carlos Boozer | F | Utah Jazz (Duke) | 3.3 | 1.9 |
Chris Bosh | F-C | Toronto Raptors (Georgia Tech) | 9.1 | 6.1 |
Kobe Bryant | F | Los Angeles Lakers (N/A) | 15.0 | 2.8 |
Dwight Howard | C | Orlando Magic (N/A) | 10.9 | 5.8 |
LeBron James | G-F | Cleveland Cavaliers (N/A) | 15.5 | 5.3 |
Jason Kidd | G | Dallas Mavericks (California) | 1.6 | 2.6 |
Chris Paul | G | New Orleans Hornets (Wake Forest) | 8.0 | 3.6 |
Tayshaun Prince | F | Detroit Pistons (Kentucky) | 4.3 | 1.9 |
Michael Redd | G | Milwaukee Bucks (Ohio State) | 3.1 | 1.1 |
Dwyane Wade | G | Miami Heat (Marquette) | 16.0 | 4.0 |
Deron Williams | G | Utah Jazz (Illinois) | 8.0 | 2.3 |
2012
London, England (XXX)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (8-0); 2. Spain (5-3); 3. Russia (6-2).
U.S. Men's Coach: Mike Krzyzweski, Duke.
Did You Know?: The 12-man roster and three alternates had been undergraduate selections in the NBA draft. Deron Williams is the only roster member with as many as three seasons of college experience. Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James and Chris Paul were playing for different NBA teams than when they competed for the 2008 U.S. squad. Anthony and James joined David Robinson as three-time U.S. hoop Olympians. Anthony Davis replaced Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers/Oklahoma) on roster after Griffin incurred a knee injury. Margin of victory over Nigeria (83) was highest in Olympic history when Anthony scored a U.S.-record 37 points in only 14 minutes. James passed Michael Jordan on the all-time Olympic scoring list for Team USA while Kevin Durant passed Spencer Haywood for most points in a single Olympiad. James Harden averaged a modest 5.5 ppg for the U.S. squad before finishing among the NBA's top five scorers each of the next eight seasons by averaging 29.6 ppg over that span. Nonetheless, the U.S. won six of its eight contest by more than 25 points.
U.S. Men's Results
U.S. 98, France 71
U.S. 110, Tunisia 63
U.S. 156, Nigeria 73
U.S. 99, Lithuania 94
U.S. 126, Argentina 97
U.S. 119, Australia 86
U.S. 109, Argentina 83
U.S. 107, Spain 100
U.S. Men's Roster
Player | Pos. | NBA Team (Four-Year College) | PPG. | RPG. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Carmelo Anthony | F | New York Knicks (Syracuse) | 16.3 | 4.8 |
Kobe Bryant | F | Los Angeles Lakers (N/A) | 12.1 | 1.8 |
Tyson Chandler | C | New York Knicks (N/A) | 4.0 | 4.0 |
Anthony Davis | C | New Orleans Hornets (Kentucky) | 3.7 | 2.7 |
Kevin Durant | F | Oklahoma City Thunder (Texas) | 19.5 | 5.8 |
James Harden | G | Oklahoma City Thunder (Arizona State) | 5.5 | 0.6 |
Andre Iguodala | F | Philadelphia 76ers (Arizona) | 4.3 | 2.8 |
LeBron James | G-F | Miami Heat (N/A) | 13.3 | 5.6 |
Kevin Love | F | Minnesota Timberwolves (UCLA) | 11.6 | 7.6 |
Chris Paul | G | Los Angeles Clippers (Wake Forest) | 8.3 | 2.5 |
Russell Westbrook | G | Oklahoma City Thunder (UCLA) | 8.5 | 1.6 |
Deron Williams | G | New Jersey Nets (Illinois) | 9.0 | 1.5 |
2016
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (XXXI)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (8-0); 2. Serbia (4-4); 3. Spain (5-3).
U.S. Men's Coach: Mike Krzyzweski, Duke.
Did You Know?: Carmelo Anthony, the first American to be selected to four Olympic basketball teams, passed LeBron James as Team USA's all-time leading scorer. TMZ reported that a group of players, staying on a 500-foot cruise ship (Silver Cloud with 196 cabins), "accidentally" visited a famed brothel.
U.S. Men's Results
U.S. 119, China 62
U.S. 113, Venezuela 69
U.S. 98, Australia 88
U.S. 94, Serbia 91
U.S. 100, France 97
U.S. 105, Argentina 78
U.S. 82, Spain 76
U.S. 96, Serbia 66
U.S. Men's Roster
Player | Pos. | NBA Team (Four-Year College) | PPG. | RPG. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Carmelo Anthony | F | New York Knicks (Syracuse) | 12.1 | 5.3 |
Harrison Barnes | F | Golden State Warriors (North Carolina) | 4.3 | 1.8 |
Jimmy Butler | G | Chicago Bulls (Marquette) | 5.6 | 2.5 |
DeMarcus Cousins | F | Sacramento Kings (Kentucky) | 9.1 | 5.8 |
DeMar DeRozan | G | Toronto Raptors (Southern California) | 6.6 | 1.4 |
Kevin Durant | F | Oklahoma City Thunder (Texas) | 19.4 | 5.0 |
Paul George | F | Indiana Pacers (Fresno State) | 11.3 | 4.5 |
Draymond Green | F | Golden State Warriors (Michigan State) | 1.9 | 2.1 |
Kyrie Irving | G | Cleveland Cavaliers (Duke) | 11.4 | 2.5 |
DeAndre Jordan | C | Los Angeles Clippers (Texas A&M) | 7.4 | 6.1 |
Kyle Lowry | G | Toronto Raptors (Villanova) | 5.0 | 3.3 |
Klay Thompson | G | Golden State Warriors (Washington State) | 9.9 | 2.5 |
2021
Tokyo, Japan (XXXII)
Medal Winners: 1. U.S. (5-1); 2. France (5-1); 3. Australia (5-1).
U.S. Men's Coach: Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs.
Did You Know?: Event was delayed a year because of coronavirus pandemic. After U.S. lost an exhibition game against Nigeria (a country the Americans defeated by 83 points in 2012 Olympics), it lost Olympic opener to France, snapping a 25-game Olympic winning streak prior to coming back to defeat France in gold-medal final. Keldon Johnson and JaVale McGee replaced Bradley Beal (tested positive for COVID-19) and Kevin Love (lingering calf injury) on roster. In his Olympic debut, Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks scored 48 points for Slovenia against Argentina. Kevin Durant surpassed Carmelo Anthony to become all-time leading scorer for U.S. Olympic team.
U.S. Men's Results
France 83, U.S. 76
U.S. 120, Iran 66
U.S. 119, Czechoslovakia 84
U.S. 95, Spain 81
U.S. 97, Australia 78
U.S. 87, France 82
U.S. Men's Roster
Player | Pos. | NBA Team (Four-Year College) | PPG. | RPG. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bam Adebayo | F | Miami Heat (Kentucky) | 6.3 | 5.7 |
Devin Booker | G | Phoenix Suns (Kentucky) | 9.3 | 3.2 |
Kevin Durant | F | Brooklyn Nets (Texas) | 20.7 | 5.3 |
Jerami Grant | F | Detroit Pistons (Syracuse) | 1.3 | 0.8 |
Draymond Green | F | Golden State Warriors (Michigan State) | 3.5 | 2.7 |
Jrue Holiday | G | Milwaukee Bucks (UCLA) | 11.8 | 4.8 |
Keldon Johnson | F | San Antonio Spurs (Kentucky) | 1.0 | 0.8 |
Zach LaVine | G-F | Chicago Bulls (UCLA) | 9.7 | 2.0 |
Damian Lillard | G | Portland Trail Blazers (Weber State) | 11.2 | 2.7 |
JaVale McGee | C | Denver Nuggets (Nevada) | 6.3 | 1.3 |
Khris Middleton | F | Milwaukee Bucks (Texas A&M) | 5.8 | 1.8 |
Jayson Tatum | F | Boston Celtics (Duke) | 15.2 | 3.3 |
U.S. Men's All-Time Olympic Games Roster
Player | College | Olympic Year(s) |
---|---|---|
Shareef Abdur-Rahim | California | 2000 |
Bam Adebayo | Kentucky | 2021 & 2024 |
Mark Aguirre | DePaul | 1980 |
Steve Alford | Indiana | 1984 |
Ray Allen | Connecticut | 2000 |
Willie Anderson | Georgia | 1988 |
Carmelo Anthony | Syracuse | 2004, 2008, 2012 & 2016 |
Tate Armstrong | Duke | 1976 |
Jay Arnette | Texas | 1960 |
Stacey Augmon | UNLV | 1988 |
Vin Baker | Hartford | 2000 |
Sam Balter* | UCLA | 1936 |
Mike Bantom | St. Joseph's | 1972 |
Cliff Barker | Kentucky | 1948 |
Charles Barkley | Auburn | 1992 & 1996 |
Don Barksdale* | UCLA | 1948 |
Jim "Bad News" Barnes | Texas Western | 1964 |
Harrison Barnes | North Carolina | 2016 |
Mike Barrett* | West Virginia Tech | 1968 |
Ralph Beard | Kentucky | 1948 |
Lew Beck* | Oregon State | 1948 |
Walt Bellamy | Indiana | 1960 |
Larry Bird | Indiana State | 1992 |
Ralph "Stork" Bishop | Washington | 1936 |
Rolando Blackman | Kansas State | 1980 |
Ron Bontemps | Illinois/Beloit (Wis.) | 1962 |
Devin Booker | Kentucky | 2021 & 2024 |
Bob Boozer* | Kansas State | 1960 |
Carlos Boozer | Duke | 2004 & 2008 |
Vince Boryla* | Notre Dame/Denver | 1948 |
Chris Bosh | Georgia Tech | 2008 |
Dick Boushka* | St. Louis | 1956 |
Sam Bowie | Kentucky | 1980 |
Bill Bradley | Princeton | 1964 |
Jim Brewer | Minnesota | 1972 |
Michael Brooks | La Salle | 1980 |
Larry Brown* | North Carolina | 1964 |
Kobe Bryant | N/A | 2008 & 2012 |
Quinn Buckner | Indiana | 1976 |
Tom Burleson | North Carolina State | 1972 |
Jimmy Butler | Marquette | 2016 |
Carl Cain | Iowa | 1956 |
Joe Caldwell | Arizona State | 1964 |
Gordon Carpenter* | Kansas | 1948 |
Kenny Carr | North Carolina State | 1976 |
Vince Carter | North Carolina | 2000 |
Tyson Chandler | N/A | 2012 |
John Clawson* | Michigan | 1968 |
Vernell "Bimbo" Coles | Virginia Tech | 1988 |
Doug Collins | Illinois State | 1972 |
Mel Counts | Oregon State | 1964 |
DeMarcus Cousins | Kentucky | 2016 |
Stephen Curry | Davidson | 2024 |
Adrian Dantley | Notre Dame | 1976 |
Chuck Darling* | Iowa | 1956 |
Dick Davies* | Louisiana State | 1964 |
Anthony Davis | Kentucky | 2012 & 2024 |
Kenny Davis* | Georgetown College (Ky.) | 1972 |
Walter Davis | North Carolina | 1976 |
Don Dee | St. Mary of the Plains (Kan.) | 1968 |
DeMar DeRozan | Southern California | 2016 |
Terry Dischinger | Purdue | 1960 |
Clyde Drexler | Houston | 1992 |
Tim Duncan | Wake Forest | 2004 |
Kevin Durant | Texas | 2012, 2016, 2021 & 2024 |
Anthony Edwards | Georgia | 2024 |
Joel Embiid | Kansas | 2024 |
Bill Evans* | Kentucky | 1956 |
Patrick Ewing | Georgetown | 1984 & 1992 |
Vern Fleming | Georgia | 1984 |
Jim Forbes | Texas-El Paso | 1972 |
Gilbert "Gib" Ford* | Texas | 1956 |
Phil Ford | North Carolina | 1976 |
Joe Fortenberry* | Wichita | 1936 |
Calvin Fowler* | St. Francis (Pa.) | 1968 |
Marcus Freiberger* | Oklahoma | 1952 |
Kevin Garnett | N/A | 2000 |
Paul George | Fresno State | 2016 |
John Gibbons* | Southwestern College (Kan.) | 1936 |
Wayne Glasgow* | Oklahoma | 1952 |
Jerami Grant | Syracuse | 2021 |
Jeff Grayer | Iowa State | 1988 |
Draymond Green | Michigan State | 2016 & 2021 |
Alex Groza | Kentucky | 1948 |
Ernie Grunfeld | Tennessee | 1976 |
Burdette Haldorson* | Colorado | 1956 & 1960 |
Tyrese Haliburton | Iowa State | 2024 |
Bill Hanzlik | Notre Dame | 1980 |
Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway | Memphis State | 1996 |
Tim Hardaway Sr. | Texas-El Paso | 2000 |
James Harden | Arizona State | 2012 |
Hersey Hawkins | Bradley | 1988 |
Spencer Haywood | Trinidad State J.C. (Colo.) | 1968 |
Walt Hazzard | UCLA | 1964 |
Tom Henderson | San Jacinto J.C. (Tex.) | 1972 |
Grant Hill | Duke | 1996 |
Charles Hoag | Kansas | 1952 |
Jrue Holiday | UCLA | 2021 & 2024 |
Bill Hosket | Ohio State | 1968 |
Bill Hougland* | Kansas | 1952 & 1956 |
Allan Houston | Tennessee | 2000 |
Dwight Howard | N/A | 2008 |
Phil Hubbard | Michigan | 1976 |
Andre Iguodala | Arizona | 2012 |
Darrall Imhoff | California | 1960 |
Kyrie Irving | Duke | 2016 |
Allen Iverson | Georgetown | 2004 |
Luke Jackson | Pan American (Tex.) | 1964 |
LeBron James | N/A | 2004, 2008, 2012 & 2024 |
Bob Jeangerard* | Colorado | 1956 |
Richard Jefferson | Arizona | 2004 |
Francis Johnson* | Wichita | 1936 |
Earvin "Magic" Johnson | Michigan State | 1992 |
Keldon Johnson | Kentucky | 2021 |
Bobby Jones | North Carolina | 1972 |
Dwight Jones | Houston | 1972 |
K.C. Jones | San Francisco | 1956 |
Wallace "Wah Wah" Jones | Kentucky | 1948 |
DeAndre Jordan | Texas A&M | 2016 |
Michael Jordan | North Carolina | 1984 & 1992 |
Kevin Joyce | South Carolina | 1972 |
John Keller | Kansas | 1952 |
Allen Kelley* | Kansas | 1960 |
Dean Kelley | Kansas | 1952 |
Bob Kenney | Kansas | 1952 |
Jason Kidd | California | 2000 & 2008 |
Jimmy King* | Oklahoma State | 1968 |
Joe Kleine | Arkansas | 1984 |
Carl Knowles* | UCLA | 1936 |
Jon Koncak | Southern Methodist | 1984 |
Mitch Kupchak | North Carolina | 1976 |
Bob Kurland* | Oklahoma State | 1948 & 1952 |
Christian Laettner | Duke | 1992 |
Tom LaGarde | North Carolina | 1976 |
Lester Lane* | Oklahoma | 1960 |
Zach LaVine | UCLA | 2021 |
Bill Lienhard | Kansas | 1952 |
Damian Lillard | Weber State | 2021 |
Alton Lister | Arizona State | 1980 |
Kevin Love | UCLA | 2012 |
Clyde Lovellette | Kansas | 1952 |
Kyle Lowry | Villanova | 2016 |
Frank Lubin* | UCLA | 1936 |
Jerry Lucas | Ohio State | 1960 |
Ray Lumpp | New York University | 1948 |
Dan Majerle | Central Michigan | 1988 |
Karl Malone | Louisiana Tech | 1992 & 1996 |
Danny Manning | Kansas | 1988 |
Stephon Marbury | Georgia Tech | 2004 |
Shawn Marion | UNLV | 2004 |
Scott May | Indiana | 1976 |
Frank McCabe* | Marquette | 1952 |
Pete McCaffrey* | St. Louis | 1964 |
Rodney McCray | Louisville | 1980 |
Antonio McDyess | Alabama | 2000 |
JaVale McGee | Nevada | 2021 |
Tom McMillen | Maryland | 1972 |
Khris Middleton | Texas A&M | 2021 |
Reggie Miller | UCLA | 1996 |
Art Moliner* | Los Angeles J.C. | 1936 |
Alonzo Mourning | Georgetown | 2000 |
Chris Mullin | St. John's | 1984 & 1992 |
Jeff Mullins | Duke | 1964 |
Lamar Odom | Rhode Island | 2004 |
Emeka Okafor | Connecticut | 2004 |
Hakeem Olajuwon | Houston | 1996 |
Shaquille O'Neal | Louisiana State | 1996 |
Chris Paul | Wake Forest | 2008 & 2012 |
Gary Payton Sr. | Oregon State | 1996 & 2000 |
Sam Perkins | North Carolina | 1984 |
Don Piper* | UCLA | 1936 |
Scottie Pippen | Central Arkansas | 1992 & 1996 |
Dan Pippin* | Missouri | 1952 |
R.C. Pitts* | Arkansas | 1948 |
Tayshaun Prince | Kentucky | 2008 |
Jack Ragland* | Wichita | 1936 |
Ed Ratleff | Long Beach State | 1972 |
Michael Redd | Ohio State | 2008 |
Herman "J.R." Reid | North Carolina | 1988 |
Jesse "Cab" Renick* | Oklahoma State | 1948 |
Mitch Richmond | Kansas State | 1988 & 1996 |
Alvin Robertson | Arkansas | 1984 |
Oscar Robertson | Cincinnati | 1960 |
David Robinson | Navy | 1988, 1992 & 1996 |
Jack Robinson | Baylor | 1948 |
Ken Rollins | Kentucky | 1948 |
Bill Russell | San Francisco | 1956 |
Glynn Saulters | Northeast Louisiana | 1968 |
Willard Schmidt* | Creighton | 1936 |
Charlie Scott | North Carolina | 1968 |
Steve Sheppard | Maryland | 1976 |
Jerry Shipp* | Southeastern Oklahoma State | 1964 |
Carl Shy* | UCLA | 1936 |
Mike Silliman | Army | 1968 |
Adrian "Odie" Smith* | Kentucky | 1960 |
Charles D. Smith | Pittsburgh | 1988 |
Charles E. Smith | Georgetown | 1988 |
Steve Smith | Michigan State | 2000 |
Ken Spain | Houston | 1968 |
John Stockton | Gonzaga | 1992 & 1996 |
Amare Stoudemire | N/A | 2004 |
Dwayne Swanson* | Southern California | 1936 |
Jayson Tatum | Duke | 2021 & 2024 |
Isiah Thomas | Indiana | 1980 |
Klay Thompson | Washington State | 2016 |
Wayman Tisdale | Oklahoma | 1984 |
Ron Tomsic* | Stanford | 1956 |
Jeff Turner | Vanderbilt | 1984 |
Darnell Valentine | Kansas | 1980 |
Danny Vranes | Utah | 1980 |
Dwyane Wade | Marquette | 2004 & 2008 |
Jim Walsh* | Stanford | 1956 |
Jerry West | West Virginia | 1960 |
Russell Westbrook | UCLA | 2012 |
William Wheatley* | Kansas Wesleyan | 1936 |
Derrick White | Colorado | 2024 |
Joseph "Jo Jo" White | Kansas | 1968 |
Charles "Buck" Williams | Maryland | 1980 |
Deron Williams | Illinois | 2008 & 2012 |
Howie Williams* | Purdue | 1952 |
George Wilson* | Cincinnati | 1964 |
Al Wood | North Carolina | 1980 |
Osie "Leon" Wood | Cal State Fullerton | 1984 |
*Played for an armed services or independent team when named an Olympian.
Schools With Most Different U.S. Basketball Olympians: 14 - Kentucky; 13 - Kansas; 13 - North Carolina; 12 - UCLA; 7 - Duke; 5 - Indiana and Oklahoma; 4 - Georgetown and Houston.
Major Schools Never to Have a Men's U.S. Basketball Olympian: Boston College, Brigham Young, Clemson, Dayton, Florida, Florida State, Miami (Fla.), Mississippi, Mississippi State, New Mexico, Northwestern, Oregon, Providence, Seton Hall, Temple, Texas Christian, Texas Tech, Tulane, Tulsa, Virginia, Western Kentucky, Xavier.
On This Date: Former College Hoopers Supplying MLB Headlines on July 23
Extra! Extra! Instead of wondering how economists factor in shoplifting inflation as #Dimorat-dominated municipalities influenced by George Soros donations give no-bail free reign to thieves and thugs via defunding police while whining about Southern border governors shipping illegal aliens to sanctuary cities, you can read news about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.
Former Southwest Missouri State hoopers Mark Bailey, Jerry Lumpe and Norm Siebern manufactured meaningful moments in their MLB careers on this date. Ditto ex-Alabama hoopers Whitey Campbell and Riggs Stephenson plus ex-Louisiana State hoopers Joe Adcock and Alvin Dark. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 23 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JULY 23
Milwaukee Braves 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) contributed four hits against the Brooklyn Dodgers in a 1955 game.
C Mark Bailey (led Southwest Missouri State in rebounding and field-goal shooting in 1980-81) traded by the Houston Astros to the Montreal Expos in 1988.
Washington Senators RHP Whitey Campbell (Alabama forward was hoops letterman from 1927 through 1929) made his lone MLB appearance (one inning with no earned runs against Detroit Tigers in 1933).
OF Bob Cerv (ranked fourth on school all-time scoring list in 1949-50 when finishing Nebraska career) and C Elston Howard socked back-to-back pinch-hit homers for the New York Yankees in the ninth inning in 1955 but they still lost to the Kansas City Athletics, 8-7, in 11 frames.
Los Angeles Dodgers RHP Roger Craig (forward with North Carolina State's 1949-50 freshman hoops team) fired a three-hit shutout against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1960.
Boston Braves rookie SS Alvin Dark (hoops letterman for Louisiana State and Southwestern Louisiana in mid-1940s) manufactured four safeties to cap off a nine-game hitting streak in 1948 after having his career-high 23-game hitting skein end in the opener of July 15 doubleheader.
Boston Red Sox LF Hoot Evers (Illinois hoops starter in 1939-40) supplied three extra-base hits in a 4-3 victory against the Chicago White Sox in 1953. Two years later, Evers' two-run, pinch-hit homer powered the Cleveland Indians to a 3-2 triumph against the Baltimore Orioles, who had traded him earlier in the month.
New York Giants 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) went 4-for-4 against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 1943 contest.
Pittsburgh Pirates LHP Johnny Gee (Michigan captain was Big Ten Conference's sixth-leading scorer in 1936-37) yielded only two hits in seven innings of scoreless relief to notch a 3-2 win against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1943.
Pittsburgh Pirates SS Dick Groat (two-time All-American with Duke in 1950-51 and 1951-52 went 4-for-4 against the Chicago Cubs in a 1955 outing.
Pittsburgh Pirates 2B Howdy Groskloss (five-sport participant voted most outstanding Amherst MA athlete of first half of 20th Century) contributed career-high four RBI in a 17-6 rout of the Brooklyn Robins in 1931.
Rookie RHP Bill Harman (Virginia's hoop co-captain in 1940-41) provided his lone scoreless outing in five relief appearances for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1941.
Utilityman Harvey Hendrick (Vanderbilt hoops letterman in 1918) provided a pinch-hit grand slam in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Chicago Cubs a 9-5 win in the opener of a 1933 doubleheader against the Philadelphia Phillies.
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) homered for the A.L. off Philadelphia Phillies P Steve Carlton in the 1969 All-Star Game.
Chicago Cubs SS Don Kessinger (three-time All-SEC selection for Mississippi from 1961-62 through 1963-64 while finishing among nation's top 45 scorers each year) smacked a triple off Oakland A's P Rollie Fingers in the 1974 All-Star Game.
Brooklyn Dodgers 2B Barney Koch (Oregon hoops letterman in 1943-44) contributed a career-high three hits in his MLB debut in the opener of a 1944 twinbill against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Detroit Tigers RF Harvey Kuenn (played hoops briefly for Wisconsin in 1951-52 after competing on JV squad previous season) went 4-for-4 and scored four runs against the Washington Senators in a 1959 game.
New York Yankees 3B Jerry Lumpe (member of Southwest Missouri State's 1952 NAIA Tournament championship hoops team) logged his third consecutive contest with three hits in 1958.
Chicago White Sox RF Danny Moeller (Millikin IL hoops captain in 1905-06) had a 12-game hitting streak snapped by the Detroit Tigers in 1915.
Chicago Cubs RF Bill Nicholson (hooper for Washington College MD in mid-1930s), after swatting four consecutive homers in two 1944 games (three in opener of doubleheader against New York Giants), received the ultimate compliment. In the nightcap of the twinbill, Nicholson is issued an intentional walk forcing in a run.
Harry "Porky" O'Neill (leading scorer for Gettysburg PA hoops champions in Eastern Pennsylvania Conference in 1938 and 1939) played one inning as a substitute catcher for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1939 game against the Detroit Tigers. O'Neill went on to serve in U.S. Marines as a 1st Lieutenant when killed at Iwo Jima on March 6, 1945, during WWII.
In 1962, Brooklyn Dodgers INF Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) became the first African-American inductee to Baseball Hall of Fame. Twelve years earlier, 2B had three extra-base hits among his five safeties in 1950 game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
In the midst of nine multiple-hit outings in a 10-game span, New York Yankees 3B Red Rolfe (played hoops briefly with Dartmouth in 1927-28 and 1929-30) provided two of his A.L.-leading 15 triples in a 1936 contest.
Philadelphia Athletics rookie 3B Al Rubeling (Towson hooper in early 1930s) went hitless for the only time in a 19-game span in 1940.
Kansas City Athletics 1B Norm Siebern (member of Southwest Missouri State squads capturing back-to-back NAIA Tournament titles in 1952 and 1953) went 8-for-12 in a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers in 1961.
Cleveland Indians 2B Riggs Stephenson (Alabama hoops letterman in 1920) went 4-for-4 against the Boston Red Sox in a 1924 contest. Eight years later as Chicago Cubs LF, Stephenson contributed four hits against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 1932 outing.
Pittsburgh Pirates CF Bill Virdon (Drury MO hooper in 1949) scored four runs against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opener of a 1958 twinbill. Ten years later in 1968, Virdon's two-run pinch homer in the bottom of ninth inning was his final MLB hit (after activated from coaching staff).
Philadelphia Athletics 3B Billy Werber (first Duke hoops All-American in 1929-30) provided at least three hits for the fourth time in a seven-game span in 1937.
Washington Senators 3B Eddie Yost (NYU freshman hooper in 1943-44 under coach Howard Cann) drew at least three walks for the third time in a five-game span en route to A.L.-leading 123 bases on balls in 1953.
Double Duty: Hoops Hardwood Fosters Numerous Secondary-Sport Athletes
Collegehoopedia.com frequently focuses on former college hoopers who wound up playing professional baseball and football. Their wherewithal supports the theory in some quarters that basketball players are the most versatile team-sport athletes in the world. What other sport demands such an abundance of speed, strength, stamina, coordination, quickness, jumping ability, teamwork, timing, guile and creativity? In deference to Arizona standout Chase Budinger reaching beach volleyball Round of 16 in 2024 Paris Olympics, following is an alphabetical list of additional "secondary-sport" standouts - excluding baseball, football, golf, tennis and track - who also exhibited their athletic prowess in college basketball:
RICK ABRAHAMSON, Oregon
Handball player competed in Summer Olympics in 1972 (American team finished 14th) and 1976 (10th). . . . Abrahamson averaged 7.8 ppg and 2.1 rpg from 1966-67 through 1968-69.
DIRK ANDROFF, Eastern Illinois
Major Softball League player posted 10 consecutive .700-plus batting averages between 1988 and 1997. After swatting 14 homers in 29 plate appearances in 1996 National Softball Association World Series in Johnson City, Tenn., he met an untimely death in the fall of 1997 while working out on an exercise bike. . . . The 6-7 Androff, a three-year starting power forward from 1982-83 through 1984-85, averaged 8 ppg and 5.9 rpg while shooting 61% from the floor. He also was a tight end for EIU when eventual New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton was the Panthers' quarterback.
BILL ATKINSON, Florida
Introduced to the sport of of polo at age 27, track athlete commenced a 43-year career, winning the U.S. Open Polo Championship in 1969 and 1973. . . . Averaged 6 ppg as senior captain for the Gators in 1948-49.
DENNIS BERKHOLTZ, Kansas State
Backcourt player in handball captained the U.S. team at the 1972 Olympics in Munich (scored six goals in three matches for 14th-place finisher). Also played at the 1970 and 1974 World Championships. He later coached the U.S. team at the 1976 Olympics and became President of the USA Handball in the late 1970s. . . . Averaged 9.2 ppg and 3.1 rpg for K-State from 1964-65 through 1966-67 under coach Tex Winter. Berkholtz led the Wildcats in total points as a senior.
JIM BERKMAN, St. Lawrence (N.Y.)
First-team All-American in lacrosse as a senior played in four NCAA tourneys. . . . Averaged 8.2 ppg in the mid-1980s. Set school free-throw shooting records for single season and career accuracy. Also established all-time assists standard.
PAUL BILBO, Hofstra/Mercyhurst (Pa.)
Professional wrestler with ring name of Pretty Boy Smooth or P.B. Smooth (a/k/a Urban Playboy). He was also involved in the comedy-horror anthology called Shingles. . . . The 6-8 Bilbo played in 12 games for Hofstra as a freshman in 2010-11 before transferring to Mercyhurst, where he averaged 5.5 ppg and 3.2 rpg from 2011-12 through 2013-14.
DAVE BOLLMAN, Iowa
IGA Player of the Year in 1964 before earning PGA tour card in the fall of 1968. He subsequently became a professional pool player (ranked third nationally in 1981). . . . The 6-4 Bollman scored five points in four basketball games with the Hawkeyes in 1961-62.
DAVID BRADFIELD, Cornell
Midfielder was lacrosse's team MVP in 1954. . . . All-Ivy League second-team selection in basketball in 1953-54 with conference-leading 5.8 apg.
TRAVIS "HAPA" BROWNE, Palomar Community College (Calif.)
After a dozen UFC victories, the 6-7, 250-pound Hawaiian incurred his first UFC defeat, after popping a hamstring, in early October 2012 against Bigfoot Silva. . . . The mixed martial artist said basketball honed his footwork, movement and feints, giving him an advantage against similar-sized opponents.
CHASE BUDINGER, Arizona
First individual to play in the NBA (seven seasons from 2009-10 through 2015-16) and compete in an Olympic beach volleyball match (2024 Paris Games). Budinger joined the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) in 2018, and promptly earned Rookie of the Year and Most Improved Players awards. He won his first AVP crown in 2019. Budinger's older sister and brother also played professional volleyball. . . . Pacific-10 Conference Rookie of the Year under coach Lute Olson before becoming two-time all-league selection under two different mentors. He averaged 17 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 2.8 apg and 1.3 spg from 2006-07 through 2008-09 before declaring as an undergraduate for the NBA draft. Devin Booker, a 2024 hoops Olympian, was a Phoenix Suns rookie teammate of Budinger in his final NBA campaign.
MARK CALOWAY, Texas Wesleyan
Known as "The Undertaker," he is a multiple-time champion in the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment). The Houston native won his first 12 Wrestle Mania events. . . . The 6-10, 300-pounder played basketball for the Rams in the mid-1980s.
GREG CLAUSEN, Marquette
Body builder competed on regional level and national stage in the Men's Physique classification. He ballooned to 340 pounds before shedding 100 and slimming down to only 5% body fat. . . . The 6-11 Clausen averaged 2.1 ppg and 2.4 rpg from 1997-98 through 2000-01 under coaches Mike Deane and Tom Crean.
BOB CLEM, San Diego State
One of the most consistent players on the Open circuit was inducted into the Beach Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2014. His place in beach volleyball history was cemented with a 1971 victory at the Manhattan Open. . . . Clem averaged 13.5 ppg and 4.3 rpg for the Aztecs in 1967-68.
CHRIS CLEVELAND, St. Lawrence (N.Y.)
Goaltender set a school record for shutouts in his sophomore season with seven as the soccer squad posted its second straight 11-1 ledger. . . . The 6-1 Cleveland captained 1973-74 hoops team (4.2 ppg) going undefeated in league competition and earning the first NCAA bid in school history. He averaged 6.1 ppg over the previous two campaigns.
JONATHAN COACHMAN, McPherson (Kan.)
Known as "Coach," he is the cocky young announcer for WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment). . . . Two-time KCAC Most Valuable Player was his alma mater's all-time leading scorer (1,782 points) and rebounder (722) when his career ended in 1995.
MARK CONNOLLY, Oklahoma State/Long Beach State
Son of Olga and Harold Connolly, gold medalists in the discus and hammer in 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, compiled an 8-2-1 professional boxing record from 1993 to 2000 (lost last two bouts). Connolly advanced to the super heavyweight title bout in the 1990 U.S. Olympic Festival in St. Paul, Minn., and notched a 15-5 record with six knockouts as an amateur. . . . The 6-6 Connolly averaged 4 ppg and 3.6 rpg for OSU from 1978-79 through 1980-81 before transferring to LBSU, where he averaged 2 ppg and 1.8 rpg in 1982-83 under coach Tex Winter. Olga, who competed in five Olympics, was a member of the Czechoslovakian national basketball team in 1957.
BEN CRENCA, Vermont
Boasting stage name of "Big Trouble" Ben Bishop, he took up professional wrestling in 2019 after dabbling at Australian Rules Football. . . . The 6-9 Crenca averaged 2.8 ppg and 2 rpg from 2009-10 through 2012-13, participating in NCAA tourney as a junior.
RAY CRITTENDEN IV, Virginia Tech
Set former school single-season soccer records for goals (15) and points (34) in 1988. Went on to play as a wide receiver in the NFL. . . . Scored total of four points in four basketball games as a freshman in 1988-89.
WESLEY "VEGAS" DAVIS, Tennessee
Competed in World Beauty Fitness and Fashion Shows in Hollywood and Las Vegas. . . . Member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes averaged 2.8 ppg and 1.7 rpg from 1996-97 through 1999-00. Scored three points against Southwest Missouri State in 1999 NCAA playoffs.
BOB DJOKOVICH, Air Force
Team captain scored 18 goals competing in the 1984 Summer Olympics in handball. Most notable victories for member of national handball team from 1977 to 1987 were the Gold medal at the 1987 Pan American Games and Silver medal at the 1986 Goodwill Games. Sixth President of the U.S. Team Handball Federation from 2001 to 2004. . . . Averaged 10.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg and 4.2 apg from 1974-75 through 1977-78. Led USAF in assists each of his last three seasons.
MIKE DODD, San Diego State
He aligned with Mike Whitmarsh in 1993 and they subsequently became one of the premier pairs on the pro volleyball tour before earning a silver medal in the 1996 Olympics when two-man beach volleyball made its debut. . . . The 6-5, 175-pound guard averaged 10.2 points and three assists per game from 1975-76 through 1978-79, helping the Aztecs capture PCAA titles in 1977 and 1978. Dodd led the PCAA in free-throw percentage as a sophomore (.839). The NBA ninth-round draft choice of the San Diego Clippers in 1979 was a hoop teammate of future baseball sensation Tony Gwynn. Excerpt from school guide: "Shown more year-to-year improvement than anyone on the squad. Has been the 'guts' of the Aztec fast break with his pull-up jumpers and effective drives."
JAMES "BUSTER" DOUGLAS, Coffeyville CC (Kan.)/Sinclair CC (Ohio)
Won world heavyweight boxing title with a 10th-round knockout of Mike Tyson in Tokyo on February 10, 1990. Lost title to Evander Holyfield on a third-round KO in Las Vegas on October 23, 1990. . . . A 6-4, 210-pound forward, the Columbus, Ohio, product averaged 9 ppg and 8 rpg for the 1978-79 Coffeyville team that compiled a 25-8 record. He scored 20 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in an 89-65 rout of Tunxis County CC (Conn.) in the NJCAA national tournament. The next year, he averaged 21.2 ppg and 9 rpg as the starting center for Sinclair. Following his days with the Sinclair Tartans, he accepted a basketball scholarship to Mercyhurst College (Pa.). Mercyhurst's 1980-81 media guide said the law enforcement major "is a great offensive player. His strength and size will provide a much needed dimension to the Laker rebounding efforts."
TIM DYKSTRA, Eastern Illinois
Relinquished a year of college hoops eligibility to play on the 16-man U.S. handball team in 1984 Olympics. . . . The 6-4 Dykstra averaged 8 ppg, 3.5 rpg and 2.9 apg for EIU from 1981-82 through 1984-85.
DERRELL EDWARDS, High Point
In a sport dominated by Caucasians, Edwards became a NASCAR pit crew member. "I don't get in awe about a lot of things, but looking up in those stands (at Daytona) and seeing them packed, you get the chills through your body," said the Baltimore product. . . . Juco recruit averaged 4.2 ppg, 2 rpg and 1.7 apg for HPU in 2012-13 and 2013-14.
HARVEY EDWARDS, Bucknell
Won three Masters World Championships the first half of the 1990s en route to induction to the Ultimate Frisbee Hall of Fame. He was attracted to the sport because of the athleticism it took to play and simplicity of the game. . . . Recruited to Bucknell by Jim Valvano before coach left for Iona, Edwards collected four points, three rebounds and two assists in eight basketball games in 1975-76.
ARI FELDMAN, Cal State Northridge
Middle blocker stopped playing volleyball due to shoulder pain. . . . Part-time hoops starter averaged 3.9 ppg and 1.9 rpg in 2011-12.
DICK FINLEY, Syracuse
Midfielder was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1999. He is credited with being the first player to use the over-the-head and wrap checks, which are still prominent maneuvers in contemporary game. . . . Hofstra transfer averaged 5.4 ppg and 4.2 rpg in 29 basketball games in 1961-62 and 1962-63.
JORDAN FITHIAN, Binghamton/Emporia State (Kan.)
Professional handball player in Germany until choosing to move back to U.S. to start a family. Won USATH Open National Championships/Elite Division in 2013 and 2016. . . . The 6-6 Fithian averaged 3.5 ppg and 3.4 rpg as a part-time starting forward with Binghamton in 2004-05 and 2005-06 before transferring to Emporia State, where he averaged 7.8 ppg and 5.1 rpg in 2006-07 and 2007-08.
STEVE FLORENTINE, UC Irvine
Held the school solo block mark of 97 from 1989 through 1991 until it was broken in 2021. . . . Averaged 2.2 ppg and 1.2 rpg for UCI in 1986-87 and 1987-88.
HUDSON FRICKE, Florida/Milligan (Tenn.)
Twice ranked as #1 CrossFit athlete in South Carolina (workout regimen incorporating elements of high-intensity interval training, Olympic weightlifting, plyometrics and calisthenics). . . . Walk-on guard at UF from 2007-08 through 2009-10 under coach Billy Donovan before becoming Appalachian Athletic Conference Player of the Year with Milligan in 2010-11 (17.2 ppg and nation-leading four three-pointers per game).
BRENDAN GAUGHAN, Georgetown
NASCAR racer earned the Winston West championship in 2000 and again in 2001 before moving to the Craftsman Truck Series in 2002. His first NCTS win came at Texas Motor Speedway en route to winning rookie of the year honors. The 2003 campaign was Gaughan's coming-out party, winning six times in 25 starts and finishing fourth in the series title race. . . . The 5-9, 180-pounder collected four points and three rebounds in 14 games as a junior teammate of Allen Iverson in 1996-97. The son of Las Vegas hotel and casino magnate Michael Gaughan was scoreless in three outings as a sophomore and garnered one point and four rebounds in eight contests as a senior.
MYRL GOODWIN, New Mexico/Idaho State
Winner of Seniors World Championship Steer Roper titles in 1992, 1998 and 2000. . . . Averaged 12.2 ppg and 7.5 rpg as runner-up in scoring and rebounding averages for New Mexico in 1956-57 and 1957-58 before transferring to Idaho State, where he averaged team-high 16.4 ppg for 1960 NCAA tourney participant.
HUGH GREENWOOD, New Mexico
Australian Rules Football player in his native country since 2017. Inside midfielder led the AFL in total tackles and tackles per game in 2020. . . . Averaged 7.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg and 2.9 apg with the Lobos from 2011-12 through 2014-15. He scored a career-high 24 points against Boston College. Participated in NCAA Tournament each of his first three seasons.
PAUL GROFFSKY, Michigan
Entering his first triathlon in 2001, he became one of the top "senior" age-group triathletes in the country. . . . Averaged 11.5 ppg for the Wolverines from 1951-52 through 1954-55, leading them in rebounding as a junior and senior.
LUKE GROSS, Indiana State/Marshall
Inducted into U.S. Rugby Hall of Fame in 2019. Taking up the sport at age of 24, he earned 62 caps for U.S. from 1996 to 2003, remaining all-time caps leader until 2011. . . . Averaged 3.8 ppg and 4.6 rpg for the Sycamores in 1988-89 and 1989-90 before transferring to Marshall, where he averaged 5.9 ppg and 4.8 rpg in 1991-92 and 1992-93.
DICK HAMMER, Southern California
Volleyball player in 1964 Olympics in Tokyo. Moonlighting in film work, he portrayed the Marlboro Man in cigarette advertisements in the 1970s. . . . Fifth-leading scorer for the Trojans' 1954 national fourth-place team.
WALT HARRIS, Jacksonville State
Mixed martial artist competes in heavyweight division of UFC, ranking ninth at the end of 2019. . . . The 6-5 Harris averaged 2.3 ppg and 1.5 rpg for OVC member in 2003-04.
JOHN "JAY" HEAPS, Duke
First-team All-American was the No. 2 pick in the 1999 Major League Soccer (MLS) college draft before becoming the league's rookie of the year with the Miami franchise. Earned the Missouri Athletic Club Sports Foundation Collegiate Men's Soccer Player of the Year Award. Heaps, a four-time All-ACC selection, tallied 45 goals during his college career. Won Defender of the Year in 2009 for the New England Revolution. Coached the Revolution from 2011 to 2017 before serving as president and general manager of Birmingham Legion FC. . . . The 5-9, 155-pound walk-on point guard from Longmeadow, Mass., played in four seasons for the Blue Devils' basketball team from 1995-96 through half of the 1998-99 campaign. Scored a basket in the 1998 NCAA playoffs against Radford in South Regional opener before playing against Jim Boeheim-coached Syracuse in Sweet 16.
PHIL HEATH, Denver
Seven-time Mr. Olympia bodybuilder nicknamed "The Gift." . . . Guard averaged 1.3 ppg from 1998-99 through 2001-02.
GREG "STRIDER" HUMMEL, UC Santa Barbara
In summer of 1977, hiking legend walked the entire 2,650-mile length of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) starting at Mexican border in early April before stepping into Canada in early September. . . . The 6-9 backup center went on to collect 10 points and 18 rebounds in 18 basketball games in 1977-78.
GLENN JACOBS, Northeast Missouri State
Three-time world wrestling champion, inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2021, played various characters until repackaged with ring name of Kane in 1997. He defeated "Attitude Era" poster boy Stone Cold Steve Austin for the WWF title in his first pay-per-view main event in June 1998. Became the Republican Mayor of Knox County, Tenn., in 2018 and was reelected in 2022. . . . The 6-8 Jacobs averaged 12.8 ppg and 7 rpg in 1987-88 and 1988-89 for school now known as Truman State.
RALPH JOHNSON, Baylor
Fast-pitch softball hurler for several teams in the Houston area. Pitched for squads advancing to the Softball World Championships on four different occasions. In 1999, he was honored by being inducted into the local Softball Hall of Fame. . . . Johnson averaged 10.3 ppg for Baylor from 1949-50 through 1951-52 under coach Bill Henderson. Participated in Final Four as a sophomore before earning All-SWC first-team acclaim his last two years as the Bears' top scorer.
GERALD "WIMPY" JONES, Arizona State
Hurled 45 no-hitters in fast-pitch softball and participated in 10 world championship tournaments in 31-year career. . . . All-Border Conference first-team selection in basketball in 1941-42.
JON KEDROWSKI, Valparaiso
Ski-mountaineer known for summitting and camping overnight on the summit of all 55 of Colorado's Fourteeners (mountains more than 14,000 feet) over course of 95 days in 2011. The next year, Kedrowski successfully climbed Mount Everest. In 2014, he skied 20 Cascade Volcanoes in 30 days. . . . Collected 18 points and 7 rebounds in 18 basketball games in 2000-01 and 2001-02.
JIMMY KEENAN, Notre Dame
Three-time honorable mention All-American as lacrosse midfielder. . . . Played in five basketball games for the Fighting Irish in 1995-96 under coach John MacLeod.
MATT KORCHECK, Arizona
Australian Rules Football player scored nine goals in VFL in 2016-17. . . . Juco recruit averaged 1.2 ppg and 1.1 rpg for UA in 2013-14 and 2014-15 under coach Sean Miller.
ROLLO KUEBLER, Loyola of Chicago
Inducted into Chicago 16-inch Softball Hall of Fame in 2009. . . . Averaged 1.6 ppg for the Ramblers in 1948-49 (NIT runner-up) and 1950-51.
GREG LEE, UCLA
Combined with Jim Menges to dominate the pro beach volleyball circuit with 13 straight tournament victories in the mid-1970s. He was inducted into the CBVA Beach Volleyball Hall of Fame in 1997. . . . Averaged 5.8 ppg with the Bruins from 1971-72 through 1973-74 as two-time NCAA champion teammate of national player of year Bill Walton.
JEFF LIPSCOMB, San Diego State/UC Santa Barbara
Top beach volleyball player placed 100th in 1996 Boston Marathon and competed in local triathlons in California. . . . The 6-7 Lipscomb averaged 2.3 ppg and 1.4 rpg for SDSU in 1972-73 before averaging 4.2 ppg and 2.8 rpg for UCSB in 1974-75 and 1975-76.
CHARLIE LOCKWOOD, Syracuse
MILL Rookie of the Year in 1995. Played lacrosse for U.S. in the World Games in 1994 and 1998. . . . Scored six points in six games in 1993-94, sinking a three-pointer on his first field-goal attempt.
KIRK LUCHMAN, Florida State
Bodybuilder won Super Heavyweight class in 2014. . . . The 6-10 Luchman averaged 6.8 ppg and 5 rpg from 1993-94 through 1996-97 under coach Pat Kennedy.
CARL MANISCALCO, Bradley
Member of Chicago 16 Inch Softball Hall of Fame. . . . Juco recruit averaged 9.2 ppg and 5.1 apg in 1978-79 and 1979-80 under coach Dick Versace, leading the Braves in assists his first season.
CHRIS MARLOWE, San Diego State
Network volleyball commentator was captain of the U.S. gold medal-winning volleyball team at the 1984 Olympics. One of his teammates was eventual broadcast partner Paul Sunderland, who succeeded Lakers legendary announcer Chick Hearn. . . . The 6-3, 190-pound guard was in the Aztecs' regular rotation in three varsity basketball seasons from 1970-71 through 1972-73, averaging 5 ppg and 3.3 rpg. Marlowe grabbed 12 rebounds in a game against San Diego as a sophomore when he was a teammate of eventual NFL defensive back Joe Lavender.
MIKE MASTERS, Williams (Mass.)
First pro American soccer player to score a goal in London's Wembley Stadium. Member of U.S. National Soccer squad. . . . The 6-4 forward, a part-time starter, averaged 10.6 ppg and 5.1 rpg as a junior in 1987-88 and 5.1 ppg and 3 rpg as a senior in 1988-89.
SEAMUS "SHAE" McNAMARA, Marist
First American to play in the Australian Football League. Signed a two-year international rookie contract and was selected by the Collingwood Football Club in 2009 draft at pick 47. . . . The 6-8 McNamara averaged 3.5 ppg and 2.2 rpg from 2004-05 through 2007-08.
DENNIS MEPHAM, Bowling Green State
Soccer defender played professionally in the NASL, American Soccer League, United Soccer League and MISL (Buffalo Stallions and Cleveland Force/Crunch from 1980 to 1990). He was named to the 1981 ASL All-Star Team with the Rochester Flash. . . . Played in a total of five basketball games with the Falcons in 1976-77 and 1977-78.
DICK MITCHELL, San Diego State
National caliber badminton player ranked as high as second in the nation in the mid-1950s. Selected to the Badminton Hall of Fame in 1974. . . . Center for NAIB champion in 1941 was an All-Tournament selection despite missing the national final because of a back injury. He earned all-conference first-team honors the next year en route to finishing his career as the third-highest scorer in Aztecs history.
PATRICK MITCHELL, North Dakota
Hooked on with the Sydney Swans of the Australian Football League as a Ruckman, where the job is to jump and catch the ball when it's in the air. . . . The 6-8, 220-pound Mitchell averaged 10.1 ppg and 4.6 rpg while shooting 37.3% from three-point range from 2009-10 through 2011-12.
ARTHUR "DAN" MORGAN, South Carolina
Named to All-World slow-pitch softball team three times in seniors age group. . . . Averaged 1.2 ppg for the Gamecocks in 1958-59.
GLEN MUELLER, Cornell
Lacrosse team captain as a senior collected 55 goals and 42 assists in 62 career games, posting at least 30 points in each campaign. The 1971 squad won the sport's inaugural NCAA DI championship. . . . The 6-3 Mueller averaged 4.5 ppg and 2.8 rpg from 1969-70 through 1971-72.
ELIJAH "EZ" MUHAMMAD, Tennessee Tech
CrossFit Games athlete ranked 95th in the U.S. and 192nd worldwide in 2020. He fell short of qualifying for Regionals in 2018 for the first time in eight years in the sport. . . . Native of Columbus, Ohio, averaged 5.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.8 apg and 1.3 spg in 2008-09.
TIM MULQUEEN, St. Joseph's
Head coach of Memphis 901 FC in the USL Championship after serving as goalkeeper coach for the U.S. National Soccer Team at the 2004 Summer Olympics qualifying tournament. U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard credited Mulqueen with helping to establish his career. . . . Played in two basketball games with the Hawks in 1986-87.
VIC NAPOLITANO, Temple
Goalie for the school's undefeated squad in 1951, winning the Owls' first of two national championships. The regal run climaxed in front of the largest crowd ever to attend a soccer game in U.S. history with a 2-0 triumph over San Francisco, ending the Dons' 40-game winning streak. . . . Averaged 2.3 ppg in 11 basketball games for the Owls in 1949-50. He also hit .255 in the St. Louis Cardinals' farm system in three years from 1954 to 1956.
KEVIN NASH, Tennessee
Known as "Diesel" when he won the World Wrestling Federation championship in a record-setting eight-second bout in 1994. The former bouncer went from a hanger-on to a 6-10, 350-pound hero in about seven months. His pin of Bob Backlund completed an unprecedented trifecta, giving him the WWF World tag team title, International title, and World title in the same calendar year. One of the most popular figures in recent wrestling history quietly began his career in 1990 as a WCW under-card wrestler, including billing as Oz (dressed in green cape and claimed to be "great and powerful") and Vinnie Vegas (wise guy in a pink suit and sunglasses). He was known as "Big Sexy" when he played a Russian in a movie "The Punisher." . . . He weighed about 225 pounds in college as a center who averaged 5.1 ppg and 4.2 rpg in a three-year varsity career (1977-78 through 1979-80) marred by weight problems and injuries. Earned a starting spot as a freshman and had a 13-point, 12-rebound game against Northwestern. Nash contributed a 16-point, 10-rebound outing against Niagara as a sophomore. He collected a total of 19 points and 14 rebounds in just 36 minutes in four NCAA Tournament games in 1979 and 1980. Described in school guide as a "crowd favorite" and a player with "unfailing hustle."
JEFF NATTANS, Loyola (Md.)
Soccer defender who played professionally in the American Professional Soccer League and USISL Pro League. . . . The 6-3 Nattans averaged 2.8 ppg from 1985-86 through 1988-89.
JOE BOB NEELY, Arizona State
Inducted into International Softball Congress fast-pitch Hall of Fame in 1977. ISC All-World Team selection in 1951 and 1955 played for three national tournament runners-up. Hit five consecutive home runs in Major League play. . . . Played hoops for the Suns Devils in 1945-46.
KADEEM PANTOPHLET, Duquesne
Striker was an All-Atlantic 10 Conference second-team selection in 2014 with team-high eight goals. He tied school single-game record with three assists the same year. . . . The 6-7 native of the Netherlands averaged 4.2 ppg and 3 rpg as a part-time starter for basketball squad in 2011-12 and 2012-13.
GORDY PFEIFER, Puget Sound (Wash.)
Inducted into the U.S. Handball Association's Hall of Fame in 2023, he played professionally until the age of 42 after taking up the sport at 27. Pfeifer won 15 World, National or Professional handball tiles including back-to-back U.S. Handball singles championships in 1971 and 1972. Along with Fred Lewis, they comprised what many regard as the best doubles team in history. Downstairs in the house Pfeifer designed is a full-sized handball court with glass on one end and a hardwood floor. He was also the first slow-pitch player inducted into the Northwest Softball Hall of Fame in 1993. . . . Multi-sport athlete was a three-year hoops letterman in the 1960s.
MATT POPLAWSKI, Penn
Four-year soccer letterman from 2013 through 2016 was an All-Ivy League first-team selection as senior. . . . Averaged 1.2 ppg in 21 basketball games in 2013-14 and 2014-15.
RON REIS JR., Santa Clara
Best known for his appearances with WCW in the late 1990s under ring names The Yeti and Reese. . . . The 7-1 center averaged 10.7 ppg and 7.4 rpg from 1988-89 through 1991-92. He is the son of a member of back-to-back NCAA basketball titlists with Cincinnati in 1961 and 1962.
GARY RICH, Ohio State/Richmond
Seven-footer spent 14 years as a professional wrestler (most as The Dragon Master) before retiring in 2005. . . . Averaged 0.7 ppg and 1 rpg in a total of 17 DI basketball games in the late 1980s.
TOM SCHNEEBERGER, Air Force
Handball player competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics, where he scored 21 goals. Won Gold Medal at the Pan American Games in 1987. . . . Averaged 11.9 ppg and 5.7 rpg for USAF from 1974-75 through 1977-78. He led the Falcons in scoring each of his last two seasons. Selected by the Denver Nuggets in ninth round of 1978 NBA draft.
ROBERT SHAW, Cornell
Lacrosse midfielder was a three-time All-Ivy League first-team selection, compiling a 34-4 varsity record. The Big Red captured the 1971 NCAA title by defeating Maryland, 12-6, in title tilt. . . . Played in 11 basketball games in 1969-70.
KEVIN SHEPPARD, Jacksonville
Striker played soccer for the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2002 Gold Cup qualification match against the Dominican Republic. . . . Averaged 11.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg and 3.7 apg from 1998-99 through 2002-03 under coach Hugh Durham. Sheppard led the Dolphins in assists and minutes played each of his last two seasons as an All-Atlantic Sun Conference second-team selection. He had a starring role in "The Iran Job," a documentary following him as he played for a basketball team in the Middle Eastern nation.
ANDY SLOCUM, Texas A&M
Better known for his time in WWE under the ring name Jackson Andrews, where he acted as Tyson Kidd's enforcer while on the Raw brand. The WWE reportedly eventually refused to work with him after revelations he was abusing his fiancee. . . . The seven-footer averaged 6.4 ppg and 6 rpg from 1999-00 through 2003-04. He led the Aggies in rebounding average as a sophomore and senior.
PAT SPENCER, Northwestern
No. 1 pick in 2019 Premier Lacrosse League. In 2019, the four-time Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year with Loyola (Md.) had 49 goals and 65 assists to finish as the conference's all-time scoring leader. . . . Runner-up in scoring for Northwestern with 10.4 ppg in 2019-20 (career-high 23 points against Bradley) while leading the Wildcats in assists and steals.
STEVE STIELPER, James Madison
In 2016, he was inducted into the Maryland Slow-Pitch Softball Hall of Fame. . . . The 6-8 Stielper averaged 20.4 ppg and 8.8 rpg from 1976-77 through 1979-80 under coach Lou Campanelli. JMU's all-time scoring leader tallied 51 points in a single game against Robert Morris.
PAUL SUNDERLAND, Oregon/Loyola Marymount
Member of U.S. gold medal-winning volleyball team at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. One of his teammates was eventual broadcast partner Chris Marlowe. Sunderland, a three-time Player of the Year (1978-79-82) during his 10-year stint on the U.S. National Volleyball squad, went on to succeed Los Angeles Lakers legendary announcer Chick Hearn and toiled as a broadcaster for both Fox Sports Net and NBC Sports. . . . Basketball letterman with Oregon in 1971-72 (3.2 ppg and 2.2 rpg under coach Dick Harter) before transferring and averaging 9.2 ppg and 6.4 rpg with LMU in 1973-74.
MIKE TETI, St. Joseph's
Internationally-renowned rower earned a bronze medal as member of the men's eight at the 1988 Olympics and also won gold at 1987 World Championships. Fixture in U.S. rowing coached American squad to seven gold medals at World Championships (including three in row from 1997 through 1999) and a bronze medal at 1996 Olympics in lightweight four. At the 2004 Summer Games in Athens, he led the men's eight to a world record in its heat, and an eventual gold medal, marking the first time the U.S. captured the men's eight since 1964. Guided the U.S. men's eight to a bronze medal at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing. Also served as assistant coach for the varsity eight at 2012 Olympics in London. . . . Played in one basketball game for the Hawks in 1977-78.
STEVE TIMMONS, Orange Coast Community College (Calif.)
The powerful and flamboyant redhead joined the U.S. national volleyball team in 1981 after helping USC capture the NCAA title the previous year. He led the U.S. Olympic team to volleyball gold medals in 1984 (Los Angeles) and 1988 (Seoul). . . . Starting center for Orange Coast's 27-5 state championship team in 1978-79.
ERIC WALLACE, Ohio State/DePaul/Seattle
Spent three years as a ruckman with the North Melbourne Kangaroos (Australian Rules Football) before a tryout in 2016 with the NFL's Carolina Panthers. . . . The 6-6 1/2, 230-pounder averaged 6.5 ppg and 5.3 rpg with three different colleges in 2007-08, 2009-10 and 2011-12 (career highs of 9.4 ppg and 7.9 rpg for Seattle).
MIKE WHITMARSH, San Diego
Joined Miller Lite/AVP Professional Beach Volleyball Tour in 1989, when he was rookie of the year. He aligned with Mike Dodd in 1993 and they subsequently became one of the premier pairs on the volleyball tour before earning a silver medal in the 1996 Olympics when two-man beach volleyball made its debut. Committed suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning at age 46 in 2009 after inhaling car-exhaust fumes in the garage of a friend's home. . . . Played two years of basketball for Grossmont (Calif.) Community College before moving up to Division I. Whitmarsh is tied for the USD DI single-game records for points (37 vs. Loyola Marymount) and assists (12 vs. Gonzaga). He led the Toreros in scoring (15.3 ppg) and was second in rebounding (5.3 rpg) as a junior in 1982-83. The next year, he led the team in scoring (18.8 ppg), rebounding (7.3 rpg) and assists (6 apg). Whitmarsh scored a team-high 17 points in a 65-56 loss to Princeton in the preliminary round of 1984 NCAA Tournament. Picked by the Portland Trail Blazers in the fifth round of the 1984 NBA draft, but never played in the league. He participated in three games with Rapid City in the CBA in 1988-89.
PAUL WIGHT, Wichita State/Southern Illinois-Edwardsville
Known as the "The Big Show" in World Wrestling Entertainment circles because of his size (7-0, 500-plus pounds). The native of Aiken, S.C., has won the WWE title on multiple occasions. . . . Northern Oklahoma Junior College transfer averaged 2 ppg and 2.3 rpg for Wichita State as a sophomore in 1991-92 before transferring to SIUE, where he averaged 3.5 ppg and 1.5 rpg in 11 games in 1992-93.
HARRY WINKLER, Florida
Member of U.S. Men's Handball Team at the 1972 Olympics and 1976 Olympics before coaching the U.S. Women's Handball Team at the 1984 Olympics (Los Angeles). Served as an officer (first lieutenant) in the U.S. Army at Ft. Campbell, Ky., where he learned team handball. . . . The 6-3 Winkler averaged 4.4 ppg and 1.6 rpg for the Gators from 1965-66 through 1967-68.
VERN WOODWARD, Wisconsin-River Falls
Head boxing coach of the Pan-American Team in 1963 and 1975. . . . Basketball letterman in the early 1930s.
ALAN YOUNG, Brown
Held the school's single-game soccer scoring record with five goals against Connecticut en route to compiling a three-year varsity total of 32. Served as captain in both soccer and baseball, earning All-Ivy League first-team acclaim in both sports. . . . Averaged 8.5 ppg and 3.4 rpg from 1961-62 through 1963-64.
On This Date: Former College Hoopers Supplying MLB Headlines on July 22
Extra! Extra! Instead of wondering if elder abuser/schoolmarm/inept shower monitor/cover girl "Dr." Jill or interview-less Secret Service unable to discern cocaine intruder lay those old pandemic social-distancing arrows found in aisles of stores around the White House to steer departing and meandering Plagiarist Biledumb to and from his next incoherent word salad and shaking hands with invisible person, you can read news about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.
Former SEC hoopers Joe Adcock (Louisiana State), Boo Ferriss (Mississippi State) and Riggs Stephenson (Alabama) supplied significant MLB performances on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 22 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JULY 22
Milwaukee Braves 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) homered in both ends of a 1956 doubleheader against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Chicago Cubs 2B Glenn Beckert (three-year hoops letterman for Allegheny PA) chipped in with four hits against the Cincinnati Reds in a 1970 game.
St. Louis Browns C Benny Bengough (Niagara hoops letterman from 1916-17 through 1918-19) went 4-for-4 against the Washington Senators in a 1931 contest.
In the midst of six straight victories, RHP Jim Bibby (Fayetteville NC hooper first half of 1960s) belted a two-run homer to power the Pittsburgh Pirates to 3-2 win against the Atlanta Braves in nightcap of 1979 twinbill.
Usually a reliever, Cincinnati Reds RHP Joe Black (Morgan State hooper in mid-1940s) toiled 10 frames as starter in eventual 14-inning defeat for them against the New York Giants in 1955.
1B Zeke Bonura (best basketball forward for Loyola LA in late 1920s and early 1930s) purchased from the Washington Senators by the Chicago Cubs in 1940.
Philadelphia Athletics C Mickey Cochrane (Boston University hooper in early 1920s) hit for the cycle against the Washington Senators in a 1932 outing.
Cincinnati Reds CF Harry Craft (four-sport letterman with Mississippi College in early 1930s) had his 15-game hitting streak snapped by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1939.
Boston Red Sox rookie RHP Boo Ferriss (Mississippi State hoops letterman in 1941) posted his second eight-game winning streak in the 1945 campaign.
A two-run, 13th-inning homer by Boston Red Sox rookie 1B Dick Gernert (Temple hoops letterman in 1948-49 when averaging 2.7 ppg) proved to be the difference in a 4-2 win against the Chicago White Sox in 1952.
RHP Dallas Green (Delaware's runner-up in scoring and rebounding In 1954-55) purchased from the Philadelphia Phillies by the New York Mets in 1966. Green was returned to Philly three weeks later.
In 1999, Cleveland Indians manager Mike Hargrove (Northwestern Oklahoma State hoops letterman) accidentally handed in an incorrect lineup card against the Toronto Blue Jays, forcing the Tribe to forfeit the DH and bat their pitcher in the seventh spot in the batting order.
Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (hooper for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) homered in both ends of a 1953 doubleheader against the Chicago Cubs.
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) smashed a pinch homer in the 11th inning to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 win against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1961.
Detroit Tigers SS Harvey Kuenn (played hoops briefly for Wisconsin in 1951-52 after competing on JV squad previous season) delivered four hits against the Washington Senators in a 1955 game.
Chicago Cubs 3B Vance Law (averaged 6.8 ppg for Brigham Young from 1974-75 through 1976-77) whacked two homers against the San Francisco Giants in a 1989 contest.
Baltimore Orioles RHP Dave Leonhard (averaged 4.8 ppg for Johns Hopkins MD in 1961-62) tossed a five-hit shutout against the Kansas City Royals in 1971.
CF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling a 35-3 record) traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Chicago Cubs in 2003. Nine years earlier, Lofton pilfered four bases with the Cleveland Indians against the Chicago White Sox in a 1994 contest.
Philadelphia Phillies rookie 2B Moon Mullen (backup guard for Oregon's legendary "Tall Firs" team winning inaugural NCAA tourney in 1939) manufactured four safeties in a 1944 outing against the Cincinnati Reds.
In the midst of closing out the month with eight saves in as many appearances, Los Angeles Dodgers RHP Jeff Shaw (freshman guard for Rio Grande OH hoops squad compiling 31-5 record and reaching second round of 1985 NAIA Tournament) allowed a run for the only time in a span of 17 games in 1998.
Baltimore Orioles RF Larry Sheets (All-ODAC hoops selection in 1981-82 and 1982-83 with Eastern Mennonite VA) contributed four RBI in the second of back-to-back games with three hits against the Chicago White Sox in 1987.
Kansas City Royals LHP Paul Splittorff (runner-up in scoring and rebounding for Morningside IA in 1967-68) won his eighth decision in a row in 1976.
Chicago Cubs LF Riggs Stephenson (Alabama hoops letterman in 1920) went 4-for-4 against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1927, including two of his N.L.-high 46 doubles. Three years later, Stephenson raised his 1930 batting average to .391 by extending a career-high hitting streak to 16 in a row.
Cleveland Indians 3B Jim Thome (played junior-college hoops for Illinois Central in 1988-89) whacked three taters in a 1994 game against the Chicago White Sox.
Pittsburgh Pirates LHP Bob Veale (scored 1,160 points from 1955-56 through 1957-58 as center for Benedictine KS) went 5-for-9 at the plate as a switch-hitter in back-to-back complete-game victories against the Milwaukee Braves and St. Louis Cardinals in 1964.
Washington Senators 3B Eddie Yost (NYU freshman hooper in 1943-44 under coach Howard Cann) drew three walks in both ends of a 1951 doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox.
On This Date: Former College Hoopers Supplying MLB Headlines on July 21
Extra! Extra! Instead of debating whether departing Plagiarist Biledumb is conversant on "code red" climate change less than creepy asthma-ridden hair-sniffer admits knowing about cancer-causing windshield wipers, issuing weather reports, COVID-preventing vaccinations/masks and "smartest guy I know" son hideous happy-to-be-with hooker Hunter's foreign business shenanigans an IRS whistleblower estimated to be worth $17 million, you can read news about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.
Former major-college hoopers Frankie Frisch (Fordham), Bob Gibson (Creighton), Hank Greenberg (NYU), Robin Roberts (Michigan State) and Jackie Robinson (UCLA) supplied significant MLB performances on this date en route to becoming Hall of Famers. Also making MLB news on this date were the following ex-hoopers from PA small colleges: Glenn Beckert (Allegheny), Kevin Gryboski (Wilkes), Dick Hall (Swarthmore) and Red Murray (Lock Haven). Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 21 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JULY 21
Chicago Cubs 2B Glenn Beckert (three-year basketball letterman for Allegheny PA) contributed four safeties for the second time during a career-high 27-game hitting streak in 1968.
Pittsburgh Pirates RHP Jim Bibby (Fayetteville State NC backup hooper and brother of UCLA All-American Henry Bibby) tossed a six-hit shutout against the San Francisco Giants in 1978.
St. Louis Cardinals 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) homered in both ends of a 1930 doubleheader split against the Brooklyn Robins.
St. Louis Cardinals RHP Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer and rebounder in 1955-56 and 1956-57) smacked his fourth homer in a span of nine starts in 1972. The round-tripper accounted for decisive run in a 2-1 verdict over the Atlanta Braves to earn his 11th consecutive triumph.
Detroit Tigers 1B Hank Greenberg (enrolled at NYU on hoop scholarship in 1929 but attended college only one semester) went 4-for-4, including three extra-base hits, against the Philadelphia Athletics in a 1934 contest.
RHP Kevin Gryboski (backup hooper for Wilkes PA in 1991-92 and 1992-93) traded by the Atlanta Braves to Texas Rangers in 2005.
Baltimore Orioles RHP Dick Hall (averaged 13.5 ppg from 1948-49 through 1950-51 for Swarthmore PA Southern Division champions in Middle Atlantic States Conference) fanned three of four Minnesota Twins batters he faced in his 11th straight scoreless relief appearances in 1962.
Brooklyn Dodgers INF-OF Harvey Hendrick (Vanderbilt hoops letterman in 1918) hammered a game-winning, three-run homer in the ninth inning of a 9-8 decision over the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a 1930 doubleheader. Hendrick's decisive blast was one of four pinch-hit round-trippers during the twinbill (two for each team).
In 2003, Toronto Blue Jays LHP Mark Hendrickson (two-time All-Pacific-10 Conference selection paced Washington State in rebounding four straight seasons from 1992-93 through 1995-96) hurled his first MLB shutout (against New York Yankees).
Chicago White Sox RHP Bart Johnson (averaged 30.5 ppg for Brigham Young's freshman squad in 1967-68) tossed his second shutout of the month in 1976, winning for sixth time in span of seven starts.
First MLB hit for LF Hal Lee (Mississippi College hooper in mid-1920s before coaching basketball at Auburn and Louisiana Tech was a pinch-hit, three-run homers with the Brooklyn Robins in nightcap of a 1930 twinbill against St. Louis Cardinals.
Cleveland Indians RHP Dutch Levsen (Iowa State hoops letterman in 1918-19) hurled the second of back-to-back shutouts in 1926.
Milwaukee Braves SS Johnny Logan (Binghamton hooper in 1948-49) went 5-for-5 in a 7-4 win against the New York Giants in the nightcap of a 1957 doubleheader.
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 before transferring with his coach to Washburn KS where he was an All-CIC selection with 1968 NAIA Tournament team) traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Houston Astros in 1986.
Philadelphia Phillies RF Jerry Martin (1971 Southern Conference Tournament MVP after finishing as Furman's runner-up in scoring previous season), pinch-hitting for Bake McBride (averaged 12.7 ppg and 8.1 rpg in 21 games with Westminster MO in 1968-69 and 1969-70), manufactured the game-winning hit with a bases-loaded triple in a 9-6 verdict over the San Francisco Giants in 1977.
St. Louis Cardinals RHP Lindy McDaniel (freshman team hooper for Oklahoma in 1954-55) banged out four hits at the plate, including a pair of doubles, in 11-2 pounding of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1957.
In his first MLB start, Baltimore Orioles RHP Ben McDonald (started six games as 6-6 freshman forward for LSU in 1986-87 under coach Dale Brown) blanked the Chicago White Sox, 2-0, in 1990.
In the midst of a 10-game hitting streak, New York Yankees RF Bud Metheny (hoops letterman for William & Mary from 1935-36 through 1937-38) went 4-for-4 against the St. Louis Browns in a 1943 game. Two years later, Metheny homered in a 12-3 romp over the Chicago White Sox in 1945.
New York Giants RF Red Murray (played hoops for Lock Haven PA in early 1900s) stole three bases in a 1909 contests against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Pittsburgh Pirates bonus-baby rookie SS Eddie O'Brien (third-team All-American selection as Seattle senior in 1952-53 when finishing second in nation in field-goal percentage) went 3-for-4 in the midst of a seven-game hitting streak in 1953.
Philadelphia Athletics RHP Cotton Pippen (Texas Western hoops letterman in 1929-30) posted his second complete-game victory in less than a month in 1939.
In the midst of 11 consecutive scoreless relief appearances in 1963, Boston Red Sox RHP Dick Radatz (center on Michigan State's freshman hoops squad in 1955-56) improved his won-loss record to 12-1.
In 1960, Philadelphia Phillies RHP Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) hurled his third career one-hitter.
Brooklyn Dodgers 2B Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in PCC both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) went 4-for-4 against the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1951 outing.
Chicago Cubs C El Tappe (two-time All-Pioneer Conference first-team selection scored 921 points for Quincy College IL from 1946-47 through 1949-50) contributed a career-high three hits in 1960 game against the Cincinnati Reds.
Peaks & Valleys: McNeese State's Stunning 19-Game Improvement in 1 Year
Under the best of circumstances, it usually takes at least multiple seasons to turn around a program coming off a 20-loss season. That fact is what makes McNeese State's stunning 19-game turnaround under new coach Will Wade so improbable when the Cowboys went from their all-time most defeats in a single year (11-23 in 2022-23) to all-time winningest campaign (30-4).
No school had more of a roller coaster ride earlier this century than Siena, which went from a 6-24 record in 2004-05 to 27-8 in 2008-09 before going from 27-7 in 2009-10 to 8-24 in 2012-13. In the last decade, Tennessee State traveled a similar turbulent path in short span going from 20-13 in 2011-12 to 5-26 in 2014-15 to 20-11 in 2015-16.
There is a normal ebb and flow (good/bad/ugly) to a basketball game and season. But what is rare is Kennesaw State's wild-swing achievement two seasons ago when the Owls reached the NCAA playoffs with a 26-win team only three years removed from a dreadful 1-28 ledger. Kennesaw's difference in games from worst to winningest NCAA Division I season (+22) tied Toledo and Towson with Towson achieving outhouse-to-penthouse feat only two campaigns removed from woeful 1-31 worksheet.
Clearly, there is more short-term seasonal stability among power-conference members. Colorado was the only power-league member among schools posting their existing DI best/worst seasons in a span of fewer than four years until South Carolina's 14-game improvement last season.
What goes up like McNeese State must come down on college hoopdom's elevator ride. Central Michigan incurred the most dramatic single-season downfall after center Chris Kaman left school early to become the sixth pick overall in 2003 NBA draft and have a 13-year pro career. Following is a DI level summary of the best to worst or vice versa in a stretch of fewer than four seasons (all this century at least in part):
SHORT RIDE GOING UP
DI School | Most DI Defeats Before Winningest Season | Games Improved |
---|---|---|
Kennesaw State | 1-28 in 2019-20 to 26-9 in 2022-23 | +22 |
Toledo | 4-28 in 2010-11 to 27-7 in 2013-14 | +22 |
Towson | 1-31 in 2011-12 to 25-11 in 2013-14 | +22 |
Wagner | 5-26 in 2009-10 to 25-6 in 2011-12 | +20 |
UC Davis | 5-26 in 2011-12 to 25-7 in 2014-15 | +19 1/2 |
McNeese State | 11-23 in 2022-23 to 30-4 in 2023-24 | +19 |
Maryland-Baltimore County | 4-26 in 2014-15 to 25-11 in 2017-18 | +18 |
UCF | 8-23 in 2000-01 to 25-6 in 2003-04 | +17 |
Albany | 7-25 in 2009-10 to 24-11 in 2012-13 | +15 1/2 |
Lipscomb | 12-21 in 2015-16 to 29-8 in 2018-19 | +15 |
Tennessee State | 5-26 in 2014-15 to 20-11 in 2015-16 | +15 |
Northern Kentucky | 9-21 in 2015-16 to 26-9 in 2018-19 | +14 1/2 |
South Carolina | 11-21 in 2022-23 to 26-8 in 2023-24 | +14 |
South Florida | 8-25 in 2015-16 to 24-14 in 2018-19 | +13 1/2 |
Utah Valley | 11-19 in 2019-20 to 28-9 in 2022-23 | +13 1/2 |
Boise State | 13-20 in 2018-19 to 27-8 in 2021-22 | +13 |
Central Arkansas | 2-27 in 2014-15 to 18-17 in 2017-18 | +13 |
Norfolk State | 12-20 in 2010-11 to 26-10 in 2011-12 | +12 |
Wright State | 11-20 in 2014-15 to 25-10 in 2017-18 | +12 |
Colorado | 9-22 in 2008-09 to 24-14 in 2010-11 | +11 1/2 |
SHORT RIDE GOING DOWN
DI School | Winningest DI Season Before Most Defeats | Games Declined |
---|---|---|
Marist | 25-9 in 2006-07 to 1-29 in 2009-10 | -22 |
Little Rock | 30-5 in 2015-16 to 7-25 in 2017-18 | -21 1/2 |
Binghamton | 23-9 in 2008-09 to 2-29 in 2011-12 | -20 1/2 |
Middle Tennessee State | 31-5 in 2016-17 to 8-23 in 2019-20 | -20 1/2 |
Central Michigan | 25-7 in 2002-03 to 6-24 in 2003-04 | -18 |
Siena | 27-7 in 2009-10 to 8-24 in 2012-13 | -18 |
Boston University | 25-5 in 1996-97 to 7-22 in 1999-00 | -17 1/2 |
Fairfield | 25-8 in 2010-11 to 7-25 in 2013-14 | -17 1/2 |
Tennessee-Martin | 22-10 in 2008-09 to 4-27 in 2011-12 | -17 1/2 |
St. Francis (N.Y.) | 23-12 in 2014-15 to 4-27 in 2016-17 | -17 |
Gardner-Webb | 23-9 in 2001-02 to 5-24 in 2002-03 | -16 1/2 |
Florida Gulf Coast | 26-8 in 2016-17 to 10-22 in 2019-20 | -15 |
Northern Arizona | 23-15 in 2014-15 to 5-27 in 2017-18 | -15 |
Omaha | 21-11 in 2018-19 to 5-25 in 2021-22 | -15 |
Tennessee State | 20-13 in 2011-12 to 5-26 in 2014-15 | -14 |
Bellarmine | 20-13 in 2021-22 to 8-23 in 2023-24 | -11 |
NOTE: St. Francis (N.Y.) dropped all sports following this past season.
On This Date: Former College Hoopers Supplying MLB Headlines on July 20
Extra! Extra! Instead of trying to decide whether #ShrillaryRotten, VP Cacklin' Kamala, ex-Speaker #NannyPathetic, elder abuser "Dr." Jill, #MadMaxine Waters or #Dimorat Odd Squad member is biggest empty pants suit, you can read news about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.
Former Fordham hoopers Frankie Frisch and Babe Young had outstanding offensive outputs in National League games on this date. Ex-Wisconsin hoopers Harvey Kuenn and Stu Locklin also made MLB news on this date as did ex-PA small-college hoopers Charlie Gelbert (Lebanon Valley), Kevin Gryboski (Wilkes), Monte Irvin (Lincoln) and Christy Mathewson (Bucknell). Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 20 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JULY 20
Philadelphia Athletics rookie RHP Bill Beckmann (Washington MO hooper in late 1920s) went 3-for-3 from the plate against the Cleveland Indians en route to going 6-for-8 in his last three starts of the month in 1939.
St. Louis Browns RF Beau Bell (two-year basketball letterman for Texas A&M in early 1930s) banged out three hits in both ends of a 1937 doubleheader against the New York Yankees.
Minnesota Twins 3B John Castino (medical redshirt for Rollins FL in 1973-74 under coach Ed Jucker) accounted for decisive run with solo homer in top of seventh inning of 5-4 victory against the Boston Red Sox in 1980.
Pittsburgh Pirates 1B Donn Clendenon (four-sport letterman with Morehouse GA) collected five RBI, including a decisive three-run homer in the seventh inning, in an 8-5 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1966.
Boston Red Sox LF Hoot Evers (Illinois hoops starter in 1939-40) scored four runs in an 8-7 win against the Cleveland Indians in 1952.
St. Louis Cardinals 3B Jake Flowers (member of Washington College MD "Flying Pentagon" hoops squad in 1923) furnished five hits in a 16-5 romp over the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1932.
3B Gene Freese (captain of 1952 NAIA Tournament hoops team for West Liberty WV) traded by the Chicago White Sox to the Houston Astros for P Jim Mahoney and cash in 1966.
St. Louis Cardinals 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) contributed six RBI against the Brooklyn Robins in a 1930 game.
St. Louis Cardinals SS Charlie Gelbert (scored at least 125 points each of last three seasons in late 1920s for Lebanon Valley PA) delivered four hits against the Brooklyn Robins in a 1930 contest. Two years later, Gelbert collected three safeties, three runs and three RBI against the same opponent to trigger a career-high 12-game hitting streak in 1932.
Detroit Tigers LF Hank Greenberg (enrolled at NYU on hoop scholarship in 1929 but attended college only one semester) went 4-for-4 in a 3-1 victory against the New York Yankees in 1940.
Atlanta Braves RHP Kevin Gryboski (backup hooper for Wilkes PA in 1991-92 and 1992-93) notched his eighth scoreless relief outing in first eight appearances of month in 2003.
Toronto Blue Jays 2B Garth Iorg (juco hooper with College of the Redwoods CA in mid-1970s) smacked two homers in a 1987 game against the Texas Rangers.
In a 1956 contest, Chicago Cubs LF Monte Irvin (Lincoln PA hooper 1 1/2 years in late 1930s) mashed two homers against his original team (New York Giants).
San Francisco Giants OF Harvey Kuenn (played hoops briefly for Wisconsin in 1951-52 after competing on JV squad previous season) contributed four hits against the Chicago Cubs in a 1964 game.
OF Stu Locklin (played one basketball game for Wisconsin in 1947-48 under coach Bud Foster) traded by the Cleveland Indians to Boston Red Sox in 1958.
Cleveland Indians CF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling a 35-3 record) provided five hits in a 6-5 win against the Minnesota Twins in 1996.
Milwaukee Braves SS Johnny Logan (Binghamton hooper in 1948-49) logged three doubles in a 4-3 loss against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1955.
RHP Christy Mathewson (Bucknell hooper at turn of 20th Century) traded by the New York Giants to the Cincinnati Reds in 1916.
Baltimore Orioles RHP Ben McDonald (started six games as a 6-6 freshman forward for LSU in 1986-87) hurled a one-hit shutout against the Kansas City Royals in 1993.
Minnesota Twins RHP Jim Perry (averaged more than 20 ppg in late 1950s for former juco Campbell) tossed a shutout against the Seattle Pilots en route to winning all six of his decisions this month in 1969.
LHP Dennis Rasmussen (sixth-man for Creighton averaged 5.1 ppg from 1977-78 through 1979-80) bowed against the Pittsburgh Pirates, 3-2, for his lone setback in first 11 decisions with the San Diego Padres in 1988.
Cincinnati Reds rookie LF Evar Swanson (played all five positions for Knox IL) went 6-for-9 in a 1929 doubleheader against the Philadelphia Phillies.
In 1955, Preston Ward (second-leading scorer for Southwest Missouri State in 1946-47 and 1948-49) whacked a key three-run pinch homer for the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 4-3 win against a Milwaukee Braves squad featuring second baseman Hank Aaron.
Cincinnati Reds 1B Babe Young (Fordham hoops letterman in 1935-36) homered in both ends of a 1947 twinbill for the third time this month.
On This Date: Former College Hoopers Supplying MLB Headlines on July 19
Extra! Extra! Plagiarist Biledumb's hideous son Hunter could probably do better while stoned on cocaine whether or not ingested at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. As shooting-from-the-hip successor Ka-ringe "Binder Babe" Jean-Pierre tries defending creep in his waning days along with Secret Service "slope dope" Kimberly Cheatle, you can read news about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.
Former Arizona hoopers Hank Leiber and Kenny Lofton supplied significant games as MLB center fielders on this date. Ditto Ivy Leaguers Bill Almon (Brown), Tony Lupien (Harvard), Red Rolfe (Dartmouth) and Chris Young (Princeton) making MLB news along with Louisiana State's Joe Adcock, who homered twice in a game in each league. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 19 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JULY 19
Milwaukee Braves 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) went 4-for-4 with two homers and eight RBI against the New York Giants in a 1956 game. Eight years later with the Los Angeles Angels in 1964, Adcock homered twice in a 4-0 victory against the Minnesota Twins in the nightcap of a twinbill.
New York Mets SS Bill Almon (averaged 2.5 ppg in half a season for Brown's 1972-73 team ending school's streak of 12 straight losing records) amassed four hits and scored four runs in a 13-3 win against the Cincinnati Reds in 1980.
Cleveland Indians SS Lou Boudreau (leading scorer for Illinois' 1937 Big Ten Conference co-champion) contributed three hits in both ends of a 1942 doubleheader sweep against the Boston Red Sox.
Washington Senators SS Tim Cullen (starting guard for Santa Clara in 1962-63 when averaging 10 ppg and 3.4 rpg) collected four hits in a 4-2 victory against the Detroit Tigers in 1967.
Boston Braves rookie 2B Jack Dittmer (Iowa hooper in 1949-50), entering the game hitting .150, erupted for three safeties and five RBI in a 6-2 triumph against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1952.
Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame C Rick Ferrell (Guilford NC hooper in mid-1920s) launched a homer off his brother (Wes Ferrell of Cleveland Indians) in 1933. Wes, who whacked a round-tripper in the same inning (fourth), finished his career with 38 HRs in 548 games while Rick had 28 in 1,884 contests.
In 1982, San Diego Padres OF Tony Gwynn (All-Western Athletic Conference second-team selection with San Diego State in 1979-80 and 1980-81 who twice led league in assists) posted his first of 3,141 hits in 20-year MLB career.
Houston Astros reliever Buddy Harris (Philadelphia Textile hoops letterman in 1965-66 and 1966-67) posted his lone MLB victory (against Philadelphia Phillies in 1971).
Cincinnati Reds LHP Bill Henry (hoops letterman for Houston's 1947 NAIA Tournament team featuring co-captain Guy Lewis) allowed his only earned run in final 22 relief appearances of 1964 season in which he posted a microscopic 0.87 ERA.
Los Angeles Dodgers RF 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) whacked two homers against the Milwaukee Braves in a 1963 contest.
Chicago White Sox C Duane Josephson (Northern Iowa scoring leader in 1962-63 and 1963-64 under coach Norm Stewart) went 4-for-4 in a 6-3 success against the Baltimore Orioles in the nightcap of a 1970 doubleheader.
LHP Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman hoops squad in 1953-54) started a second straight game for the last-place Los Angeles Dodgers in 1958. Koufax was lifted after walking four batters in the first inning the previous day.
New York Giants CF Hank Leiber (Arizona hooper in 1931) knocked in five runs against the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1938 game.
Washington Senators CF Don Lock (Wichita State field-goal percentage leader in 1956-57 and 1957-58 under coach Ralph Miller) went 4-for-4 with two homers and five RBI against the Boston Red Sox in the opener of a 1964 doubleheader.
Chicago White Sox CF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling a 35-3 record) lashed a leadoff homer for the second straight game against the Kansas City Royals in 2002.
Boston Red Sox 1B Tony Lupien (Harvard hoops captain in 1938-39) tripled in both ends of a 1942 twinbill against the Cleveland Indians.
Washington Senators RF Danny Moeller (Millikin IL hoops captain in 1905-06) stole second, third and home in the opening inning before doubling and tripling later in the game against the Cleveland Indians in 1915.
Minnesota Twins RHP Jim Perry (averaged more than 20 ppg in late 1950s for former juco Campbell) fired a two-hit shutout against the Washington Senators in nightcap of 1966 doubleheader.
LHP Gary Peters (Grove City PA hooper in mid-1950s) whacked a 13th-inning pinch-hit homer to give the Chicago White Sox a 3-2 win against the Kansas City Athletics in 1964. Circuit clout was one of three for Peters in a two-week span with at least one runner on base.
Detroit Tigers DH Tony Phillips (New Mexico Military juco hooper in 1977-78 as teammate of eventual Drake All-American Lewis Lloyd) knocked in five runs with two extra-base hits in a 1991 assignment against the Kansas City Royals.
Atlanta Braves RF 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) scored four runs against the Milwaukee Brewers in a 1998 outing.
New York Yankees 3B Red Rolfe (played hoops briefly with Dartmouth in 1927-28 and 1929-30) homered in his fourth consecutive contest in 1942.
OF Ted Savage (Lincoln MO scoring average leader in 1955-56) knocked in the game-winning run in the 11th inning as the Cincinnati Reds overcame a 9-0 deficit to edge the Houston Astros, 10-9, in 1969.
New York Giants RHP Hal Schumacher (St. Lawrence NY hooper in early 1930s) hurled a 12-hit shutout against the Cincinnati Reds in 1934. The whitewash was Schumacher's ninth straight winning decision.
New York Yankees 1B-OF Norm Siebern (member of Southwest Missouri State's back-to-back NAIA Tournament hoops titlists in 1952 and 1953) notched his second five-hit game of the month in 1958 (against Kansas City Athletics).
In the midst of a career-high 17-game hitting streak, Baltimore Orioles RF Ken Singleton (Hofstra freshman hoops squad in mid-1960s) provided four safeties in a 1978 contest against the Chicago White Sox.
New York Yankees 1B Bill "Moose" Skowron (scored 18 points in eight games for Purdue in 1949-50) stroked a decisive ninth-inning, bases-loaded double in the ninth inning after previously providing two homers in a 13-11 triumph against the Cleveland Indians in 1960.
Chicago Cubs LF Riggs Stephenson (Alabama hoops letterman in 1920) went 4-for-4 against the New York Giants in a 1926 game.
Cleveland Indians 1B Jim Thome (played junior-college hoops for Illinois Central in 1988-89) smacked two homers for second time in a three-game span in 2000. The next year, he swatted a pair of round-trippers in 2001 contest against the Chicago White Sox.
In the midst of a 15-game hitting streak in 1962, St. Louis Cardinals LF-1B Bill White (two-year hooper for Hiram OH in early 1950s) supplied multiple safeties in his fifth consecutive contest.
In 1977, San Diego Padres LF Dave Winfield (starting forward with Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) went 2-for-2, including a two-run single off Sparky Lyle, in Winfield's first of 12 consecutive All-Star Game appearances.
Washington Senators 3B Eddie Yost (NYU freshman hooper in 1943-44 under coach Howard Cann) homered twice in a 5-4 win against the Cleveland Indians in 1956.
San Diego Padres RHP Chris Young (All-Ivy League first-team selection for Princeton in 1999-00) earned his fifth straight victory, surrendering only two hits in seven innings of a 1-0 verdict over the Philadelphia Phillies in 2007.
King James Changed Uniform # Back to 23 to Honor Legendary Bill Russell
You can quibble with LeBron James regarding some of his inane social-warrior stances and perhaps nepotism securing guaranteed contract from the Los Angeles Lakers for his less-than-impactful son. But you can't criticize him for honoring Bill Russell by changing his uniform number from #6 back to #23 to honor him. Russell, who passed away last year, was the ultimate championship basketball player, winning a total of 13 titles with the University of San Francisco (two NCAA) and Boston Celtics (11 NBA). Russell is among 10 All-Americans boasting at least six NCAA/NBA crowns with at least one college title. Five of Russell's Celtic teammates are among the following hoopers with the most NBA and NCAA championships:
No. | All-American | NBA Titles | NCAA Titles |
---|---|---|---|
13 | Bill Russell | 11 with Boston Celtics (1957-59-60-61-62-63-64-65-66-68-69) | two with San Francisco (1955 and 1956) |
9 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | six with Milwaukee Bucks (1971) and Los Angeles Lakers (1980-82-85-87-88) | three with UCLA (1967 through 1969) when his name was Lew Alcindor |
9 | John Havlicek | eight with Boston Celtics (1963-64-65-66-68-69-74-76) | one with Ohio State (1960) |
9 | K.C. Jones | eight with Boston Celtics (1959-60-61-62-63-64-65-66) | one with San Francisco (1955) |
8 | Frank Ramsey | seven with Boston Celtics (1957-59-60-61-62-63-64) | one with Kentucky (1951) |
7 | Bob Cousy | six with Boston Celtics (1957-59-60-61-62-63) | one with Holy Cross (1947) |
7 | Michael Jordan | six with Chicago Bulls (1991-92-93-96-97-98) | one with North Carolina (1982) |
6 | Magic Johnson | five with Los Angeles Lakers (1980-82-85-87-88) | one with Michigan State (1979) |
6 | Larry Siegfried | five with Boston Celtics (1964-65-66-68-69) | one with Ohio State (1960) |
6 | Keith Wilkes | four with Golden State Warriors (1975) and Los Angeles Lakers (1980-82-85) | two with UCLA (1972 and 1973) |
NOTE: USF's K.C. Jones was ineligible to compete in 1956 NCAA Tournament because he was playing his fifth season of college basketball.
On This Date: Former College Hoopers Supplying MLB Headlines on July 18
Extra! Extra! If Donald Trump is as horrific as Plagiarist Biledumb and other #Demonrat political/press pestilence say - tyrant resembling Hitler - then why would they bother to express gratitude to hear he's safe and doing well following assassination attempt? While questioning whether their characterizations or sympathy was false, you can read news about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.
Former NYU hoopers Ralph Branca and Sam Mele supplied significant MLB achievements on this date. Ditto ex-Ohio State hoopers Steve Arlin and Frank Howard in N.L. outings plus ex-Toledo hoopers Chuck Harmon and Pinky Pittenger as MLB infielders. Eventual ACC members Boston College (Luke Urban), Florida State (Jim Lyttle), Notre Dame (Cy Williams) and Virginia (Eppa Rixey) also had ex-hoopers make MLB news on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 18 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JULY 18
RHP Mike Adams (played basketball for Texas A&M-Kingsville in 1996-97) traded by the Cleveland Indians to the San Diego Padres in 2006.
Philadelphia Phillies LF Ethan Allen (Cincinnati hoops letterman in 1924-25 and 1925-26) delivered four hits and four RBI in a 9-8 loss against the Cincinnati Reds in 1934. The next year, Allen stroked three doubles in an 11-3 defeat against the Chicago Cubs in 1935.
San Diego Padres RHP Steve Arlin (played two basketball games for Ohio State in 1964-65 under coach Fred Taylor) supplied his fifth complete-game start yielding fewer than three hits in a one-month span in 1972.
Cincinnati Reds CF Frankie Baumholtz (MVP in 1941 NIT and first player in Ohio University history to score 1,000 career points) went 4-for-4 against the New York Giants in the opener of a 1948 doubleheader. It was Baumholtz's third consecutive contest with at least three safeties.
Brooklyn Dodgers RHP Ralph Branca (sixth-leading scorer for NYU in 1943-44) hurled a one-hitter in a 7-0 win against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1947.
New York Yankees LHP Al Downing (attended Muhlenberg PA on hoops scholarship but left before ever playing), in the midst of posting six straight triumphs, toiled 10 innings in a no-decision outing against the Cleveland Indians in 1964.
Philadelphia Phillies rookie 2B Denny Doyle (averaged 2.7 ppg for Morehead State in 1962-63) delivered his fifth consecutive two-hit game in 1970.
Los Angeles Dodgers C-OF Joe Ferguson (hooper for Pacific's 1967 NCAA playoff team) broke up a no-hit bid by Luke Walker of the Pittsburgh Pirates with a ninth-inning homer in the nightcap of a 1971 twinbill.
St. Louis Cardinals 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) smacked two homers but they were in vain in an 8-7 setback against the New York Giants in 1930.
All-time hits leader Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds hit the only grand slam of his career with the homer yielded in 1964 by Philadelphia Phillies RHP Dallas Green (Delaware's second-leading scorer and rebounder in 1954-55).
Cincinnati Reds rookie 3B Chuck Harmon (second-leading scorer for Toledo in 1946-47 and 1947-48) stroked four hits against the New York Giants in the opener of a 1954 doubleheader.
Los Angeles Dodgers RF 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 against the Cincinnati Reds in a 1962 game (including decisive blast in top of ninth inning).
Chicago Cubs SS Don Kessinger (three-time All-SEC selection for Mississippi from 1961-62 through 1963-64 while finishing among nation's top 45 scorers each year) collected four hits and five RBI against the Atlanta Braves in a 1967 contest.
OF Jim Lyttle (led Florida State in free-throw shooting in 1965-66 when he averaged 12.4 ppg) purchased from the Chicago White Sox by the Montreal Expos in 1975.
OF Les Mann (Springfield MA hooper in 1913 and 1914) awarded on waivers to the New York Giants from the Boston Braves in 1927.
New York Giants RHP Christy Mathewson (Bucknell hooper at turn of 20th Century) blanked the St. Louis Cardinals, 5-0, in the nightcap of a 1913 doubleheader but his record string of 68 walkless innings came to a halt.
Baltimore Orioles RHP Ben McDonald (started six times as freshman forward for LSU in 1986-87 under coach Dale Brown) tossed a two-hit shutout against the Texas Rangers in 1992.
LF Sam Mele (NYU's leading scorer in 1943 NCAA playoffs) managed the only hit for the Baltimore Orioles against Boston Red Sox P Russ Kemmerer in the opener of a 1954 twinbill.
Boston Red Sox SS Buddy Myer (Mississippi State hoops letterman in 1923-24) went 4-for-4 against the Cleveland Indians in the nightcap of a 1927 doubleheader. Thirteen years later as a Washington Senators 2B, Myer went 4-for-4 against the Chicago White Sox in 1940.
Boston Red Sox 2B Pinky Pittenger (set Toledo's single-game scoring record with 49 points in 1918-19) went 4-for-4 against the Chicago White Sox in the nightcap of a 1923 twinbill.
Boston Braves RHP Nels Potter (leading scorer two seasons in early 1930s for Mount Morris IL/Manchester IN) went 3-for-3 at the plate including a two-run double in 10-2 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1948.
Cincinnati Reds LHP Eppa Rixey (Virginia hoops letterman in 1912 and 1914) fired his second shutout in less than a week en route to a N.L. leading four whitewashes in 1924.
After speaking out against racial discrimination testifying in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee, Brooklyn Dodgers INF Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) scored twice, once on a steal of home in the sixth inning, in a 3-0 triumph against the Chicago Cubs in 1949.
New York Giants RHP Hal Schumacher (multiple-sport athlete for St. Lawrence NY in early 1930s) allowed fewer than two earned runs in his seventh straight start in 1933.
Kansas City Athletics 1B Norm Siebern (member of Southwest Missouri State squads capturing back-to-back NAIA Tournament hoops titles in 1952 and 1953) smashed two homers against the Boston Red Sox in a 1963 game.
In the midst of a career-high 10-game hitting streak in a one-week span in 1955 (including three twinbills), Philadelphia Phillies SS Roy Smalley Jr. (one of top scorers in 1942-43 and 1943-44 for Drury MO) whacked a homer for the third time in a four-game stretch.
C Luke Urban (player-coach for Boston College's hoops squad from 1918-19 through 1920-21) purchased from Toledo (American Association) by the Boston Braves in 1927.
St. Louis Cardinals 1B Bill White (two-year hooper with Hiram OH in early 1950s) went 3-for-4 in each end of a twinbill sweep of the Chicago Cubs in 1961. White tied Ty Cobb's 49-year-old record of 14 hits in back-to-back doubleheaders. Three years later, White went 4-for-4 with three extra-base safeties against the New York Mets in a 1964 outing.
The Philadelphia Phillies lost, 7-6, to the Chicago Cubs in 1925 despite grand slam by RF Cy Williams (Notre Dame forward in 1909-10) in bottom of 10th inning.
Baltimore Orioles RHP Jim Wilson (hoops letterman for San Diego State's 1942 NAIA Tournament participant) fired his second shutout in a 13-day span in 1955.
Give Up the Ghost: Schools That Should Consider De-Emphasizing From DI
You cannot be serious! What's the point if you're going to be this inept? Army hasn't had a single-digit defeat season since 1977-78. After St. Francis (N.Y.) dropped all sports last year, biting the big-time dust after winning only 36.4% of its basketball games covering the previous seven seasons, Army was left with two other schools (The Citadel plus William & Mary) as the only longstanding major-college programs failing to compete in the NCAA Tournament since the first year of the national playoffs in 1939.
At any rate, the trio of never-been-there schools shouldn't exit Division I because they've been around from the start. Dartmouth, despite no winning record overall or in Ivy League competition thus far in 21st Century (23 seasons), also gets a pass because last year's cellar dweller is a member of a prestigious conference. But are there other schools that should consider de-emphasizing?
There's always a Colgate in the mix making one hesitate kicking a program to the lower-level curb. The Raiders registered at least 23 victories five of the last six seasons (going 14-2 in COVID-ridden 2020-21) after suffering nine consecutive losing campaigns from 2008-09 through 2016-17. There also were a couple of other feel-good, rags-to-riches stories. How about Fordham posting a gaudy 25-8 record two seasons ago after only two winning marks (2006-07 and 2015-16) in previous 30 seasons and Kennesaw State going 26-9 two years ago in the wake of all losing records in its first 16 seasons competing at the DI level.
But most of the newcomers recently moving up to DI aren't like California Baptist, which posted winning records each of its first five seasons at higher level before falling just under .500 a year ago. For some institutions, it can't get much worse and they should strongly consider returning to a lower classification such as what Hartford did. After Stetson, Western Carolina and Western Illinois won more than 20 games last season, following is an alphabetical list of more than 20 schools that probably should give up the DI ghost:
Struggling School | Summary of Dismal Performance at NCAA DI Level |
---|---|
Arkansas-Pine Bluff | 11 straight overall losing records of at least five games below .500 |
Binghamton | 14 consecutive overall losing records of at least five games below .500 before going .500 last season |
Cal Poly | nine straight 20-loss seasons and 10 in last 11 |
Cal State Northridge | 14 consecutive overall losing records with eight of them reaching 20-loss plateau before going 19-15 last year |
Cal State Sacramento | only two overall winning records in 33 seasons since moving up to NCAA DI status in 1991-92 |
Central Arkansas | only one winning record (18-17 in 2017-18) in first 18 seasons competing in DI conference |
Charleston Southern | averaged 18 defeats annually in last 27 seasons with only four winning records in that span |
Chicago State | only one winning record (19-13 in 2008-09) in last 38 seasons with 28 years of at least 20 setbacks in that span |
Coppin State | only one winning record (16-14 in 2010-11) in last 20 seasons including eight straight campaigns of at least 20 setbacks from 2012-13 through 2019-20 (thank you COVID in 2020-21) |
Delaware State | 12 consecutive non-winning seasons with each of last six of them failing to win more than 20% of games |
Florida A&M | 17 consecutive losing records |
Houston Christian | only one winning record (17-14 in 2016-17) in last 16 seasons since returning to NCAA DI status |
Idaho State | two barely winning records (total of three games above .500 in 2015-16 and and 2020-21) in last 21 seasons |
Illinois-Chicago | no season in last 20 with fewer than 13 defeats (COVID-shortened 2020-21) |
Maine | 14 consecutive non-winning campaigns and 19 in last 20 |
Marist | only twoe winning records in last 16 seasons |
Mississippi Valley State | 12 consecutive seasons with at least 22 defeats and failing to reach double digits in victories |
Northern Illinois | two winning records in last 18 seasons (21-13 in 2015-16 and 18-13 in 2019-20) |
South Carolina State | one non-losing record in last 14 seasons (19-15 in 2015-16) |
Southeast Missouri State | no season with fewer than 14 defeats in last 23 years (since 18-12 mark in 2000-01) |
Texas-Rio Grande Valley | one winning record in last 16 seasons (20-17 in 2018-19), two winning records in last 22 seasons and three winning records in last 30 seasons |
On This Date: Former College Hoopers Supplying MLB Headlines on July 17
Extra! Extra! Instead of debating why Secret Service slope dope/pitch witch hasn't already resigned stemming from incompetence regarding assassination attempt on Donald Trump, you can read news about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.
Multiple hoopers for current or former major universities - Joe Adcock (Louisiana State), Bruce Bochte (Santa Clara), Zeke Bonura (Loyola LA) and Tony Clark (San Diego State) - made news as MLB first basemen on this date. Ditto ex-small college hooper Bill White (Hiram OH). Joining Adcock and Bonura among ex-LA school hoopers generating MLB headlines was George Stone (Louisiana Tech). What was it with the Detroit Tigers and catchers? Check out offensive displays by ex-college hoopers Mickey Cochrane, Billy Sullivan Jr. and Birdie Tebbetts on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 17 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JULY 17
Cincinnati Reds LF Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) went 4-for-4, scored four runs and threw out a runner at home plate in the ninth inning in a 9-8 victory against the Philadelphia Phillies in the opener of a 1951 twinbill. Four years later as a Milwaukee Braves 1B in 1955, Adcock pounded two homers in an 8-7 win against the New York Giants in the lidlifter of a doubleheader.
San Diego Padres RHP Steve Arlin (played two basketball games for Ohio State in 1964-65 under coach Fred Taylor) spun his third shutout covering four starts in less than three weeks in 1973.
Texas Rangers RHP Jim Bibby (Fayetteville State NC backup hooper and brother of UCLA All-American Henry Bibby) fired a three-hit shutout against the New York Yankees in 1974.
Seattle Mariners 1B Bruce Bochte (starting forward for Santa Clara's NCAA playoff team in 1969-70 when averaging 7.4 ppg and 4 rpg) contributed a pinch-hit single for the A.L. in front of his hometown fans in the 1979 All-Star Game.
Chicago White Sox 1B Zeke Bonura (best basketball forward for Loyola LA in late 1920s and early 1930s) extended his hitting streak to a career-high 16 games in 1936.
Seattle Mariners CF Mickey Brantley (averaged 10 ppg, 6.8 rpg and 5.4 apg for Columbia-Greene Community College SC in 1979-80) banged out four hits in a 7-4 setback against the Cleveland Indians in 1988.
1B Tony Clark (San Diego State's leading scorer in Western Athletic Conference games in 1991-92) traded by the San Diego Padres to the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2008.
Philadelphia Athletics C Mickey Cochrane (Boston University hooper in early 1920s) smacked three extra-base hits against the Detroit Tigers in a 1928 game.
In 1963, Chicago White Sox RHP Dave DeBusschere (All-American for Detroit from 1959-60 through 1961-62 while averaging 24.8 ppg and 19.4 rpg) stroked a single against the Washington Senators for his only MLB hit in 22 at-bats en route to his first of three major-league victories.
After tossing 5 1/3 innings of one-hit relief, New York Yankees LHP Steve Hamilton (All-OVC selection was Morehead State's leading scorer and rebounder in 1956-57 and 1957-58) won his first seven decisions in 1964.
Legendary Babe Ruth drew his 2,000th career base on balls in 1934 at Cleveland off RHP Oral Hildebrand (All-American hooper for Butler in 1928-29 and 1929-30).
Cleveland Indians OF Chuck Hinton (played multiple sports for Shaw NC) hammered three homers and a triple in a 1966 doubleheader sweep of the Detroit Tigers.
Washington Senators LF Don Lock (Wichita State field-goal percentage leader in 1956-57 and 1957-58 under coach Ralph Miller) homered in his first MLB game in the opener of a 1962 twinbill against the Chicago White Sox.
In 1934, New York Giants RHP Roy Parmelee (Eastern Michigan hoops letterman in 1924-25 and 1925-26) broke a 1-1 stalemate with seventh-inning grand-slam homer off Chicago Cubs All-Star Lon Warneke in 5-3 win.
St. Louis Cardinals LF Rip Repulski (occasional hoops starter for St. Cloud State MN in 1946-47) ripped two homers in opener of 1955 doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
In 1964, Baltimore Orioles RHP Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) hurled a 5-0 shutout against the Detroit Tigers despite yielding 11 hits.
Brooklyn Dodgers LF Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in PCC both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) ripped two homers against the St. Louis Cardinals in the nightcap of a 1953 twinbill.
New York Yankees rookie RHP Al Shealy (Newberry College SC hooper in early 1920s) twirled a complete-game, 4-2 victory with no earned runs allowed against the Cleveland Indians in 1928.
In the midst of four straight complete-game victories, Washington Senators rookie RHP Dave Stenhouse (three-time All-Yankee Conference hoops selection for Rhode Island from 1952-53 through 1954-55) spun a three-hit shutout against the Chicago White Sox in 1962.
In the midst of winning five straight starts in 1971, Atlanta Braves LHP George Stone (averaged 14.7 ppg and 6.5 rpg for Louisiana Tech in 1964-65 and 1965-66) tossed his second shutout in three weeks.
Detroit Tigers C Billy Sullivan Jr. (Portland hoops letterman in 1927-28) stroked three doubles against the Washington Senators in a 1941 game. The next year with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Sullivan contributed four RBI against the Chicago Cubs in a 1942 outing.
Detroit Tigers C Birdie Tebbetts (Providence hooper in 1932) knocked in five runs against the Boston Red Sox in a 1939 contest.
Chicago White Sox DH Jim Thome (played junior-college hoops for Illinois Central in 1988-89) collected two homers and seven RBI in 2009 game against the Baltimore Orioles.
Boston Red Sox 3B Billy Werber (first Duke hoops All-American in 1929-30) became the first A.L. player to hit four consecutive doubles in one game (opener of 1935 doubleheader against Cleveland Indians).
St. Louis Cardinals 1B Bill White (two-year Hiram OH hooper in early 1950s) went 8-for-10 in a 1961 twinbill sweep of the Chicago Cubs.
Gazing at the Stars: Ex-College Hoopers Shining Bright in MLB All-Star Games
When compared to NBA and NFL physical specimens, there is a tendency to undervalue baseball players as versatile athletes. But such a viewpoint shouldn't be prevalent. In deference to 2024 festivities in Arlington, Tex., following is a ranking of the top 10 former college hoopers who performed best as non-pitchers in multiple MLB All-Star Game appearances:
Rank | MLB All-Star | MLB Team(s) | Pos. | All-Star Season(s) | College(s) Where Played Hoops | MLB All-Star Game Summary |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Dave Winfield | Padres/Yankees | OF | 1977 through 1988 | Minnesota | Eight-time starter went 13-for-36 (.361) with seven doubles and five RBI in 12 games. |
2. | Frankie Frisch | Cardinals | INF | 1933 through 1935 | Fordham | Two-time starter went 4-for-7 (.571) with two HRs and four runs scored in three games. |
3. | Jackie Robinson | Dodgers | INF-OF | 1949 through 1954 | UCLA | Five-time starter went 6-for-18 (.333) with two doubles, one homer, four RBI and seven runs scored in seven games. |
4. | Kenny Lofton | Indians/Braves | OF | 1994 through 1999 | Arizona | Four-time starter went 5-for-14 (.357) with two RBI and five stolen bases in six games. |
5. | Leon Wagner | Angels | OF | 1962 and 1963 | Tuskegee AL | Three-game starter went 5-for-11 (.455). Only former college hooper named All-Star Game MVP (second contest in 1962). |
6. | Davey Lopes | Dodgers | 2B | 1978 through 1981 | Iowa Wesleyan/Washburn KS | Three-time starter went 2-for-5 (.400) with one RBI in four games. |
7. | Red Rolfe | Yankees | 3B | 1937 through 1940 | Dartmouth | Two-time starter went 3-for-8 (.375) with a triple and two RBI in four games. |
8. | Dick Groat | Pirates/Cardinals | SS | 1959-60-62-63-64 | Duke | Four-time starter went 5-for-15 (.333) with one double and five RBI in eight games. |
9. | Gil Hodges | Dodgers | 1B | 1949 through 1955 and 1957 | St. Joseph's IN/Oakland City IN | Starter in 1951 went 4-for-12 (.333) with one homer and three runs scored in six games (DNP in 1950 and 1952). |
10. | Lou Boudreau | Indians | SS | 1940-41-42-43-44-47-48 | Illinois | Three-time starter went 4-for-12 (.333) with one HR in eight games. |
On This Date: Former College Hoopers Supplying MLB Headlines on July 16
Extra! Extra! Bike-rider and stair-climber extraordinaire Plagiarist Biledumb, a lost "big guy" coin in tall grass, was at his "Making America Worst" when interviewed by NBC's Lester Holt in national spotlight looking as if he needed a dunce cap. Instead of debating creepy hair sniffer's incoherence and incompetence while wondering if he'll patch things up with shunned granddaughter Navy by putting her in charge of one of those off-shore shell corporations, you can read news about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.
Jerry Lumpe (New York Yankees) and Norm Siebern (Kansas City Athletics) - hoop teammates for Southwest Missouri State's 1952 NAIA Tournament titlist - provided significant American League performances on this date against the Detroit Tigers. Ditto Darrell Evans and Irv Noren for separate CA community college champions at Pasadena City. Former Mississippi College hoopers Harry Craft and George Gill also made MLB news on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 16 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JULY 16
Cincinnati Reds rookie LF Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) collected two homers and five RBI against the New York Giants in the nightcap of a 1950 twinbill. Eleven years later as a Milwaukee Braves 1B in a 1961 game, Adcock swatted two homers against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Pittsburgh Pirates LF Clyde Barnhart (hooper for Shippensburg PA predecessor Cumberland Valley State Normal School prior to World War I) provided four hits, including three doubles, against the Philadelphia Phillies in the opener of a 1927 doubleheader.
Chicago Cubs 2B Glenn Beckert (three-year hoops letterman for Allegheny PA) stretched his hitting streak to 21 games with a decisive 12th-inning double in a 4-3 victory against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1968. Three years later in a 1971 contest, Beckert banged out four hits against the Phillies.
Philadelphia Athletics rookie C Mickey Cochrane (Boston University hooper in early 1920s) contributed at least three hits for the fifth time in a seven-game span in 1925.
CF Harry Craft (four-sport letterman with Mississippi College in early 1930s) traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the New York Yankees in 1942 although he never played for the Yanks.
St. Louis Cardinals CF Taylor Douthit (California hoops letterman from 1922 through 1924) tallied four hits against the New York Giants in the midst of four consecutive contests with at least three safeties in 1929.
Detroit Tigers 1B Walt Dropo (Connecticut's first hooper to average 20 points for single season with 21.7 ppg in 1942-43) delivered two more hits, giving him an A.L. record-tying 15 safeties over a four-game span in 1952.
Atlanta Braves 1B Darrell Evans (member of Jerry Tarkanian-coached Pasadena City CA club winning 1967 state community college crown) homered twice in a 1989 game against the New York Mets.
Philadelphia Athletics RF Walt French (hoops letterman for Rutgers and Army) furnished four hits against the St. Louis Browns in the nightcap of a 1926 doubleheader.
After 16 scoreless innings, New York Giants 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) stroked a bases-loaded triple to ignite a 7-0 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1920.
St. Louis Browns RHP George Gill (Mississippi College hooper in early 1930s) secured his lone victory among 14 decisions in 1939.
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 previous season) hurled back-to-back shutouts in a six-day span in 1976.
Los Angeles Dodgers C Tom Haller (backup forward for Illinois in 1956-57 and 1957-58 under coach Harry Combes) amassed four hits and four RBI against the Cincinnati Reds in a 1968 game.
Cleveland Indians rookie RHP Rich Hand (averaged 6.2 ppg for Puget Sound WA in 1967-68) hurled a four-hit shutout against the Kansas City Royals in 1970.
Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (hooper for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) collected two homers and five RBI against the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1953 contest.
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Davey Johnson (averaged 1.7 ppg with Texas A&M in 1961-62) hospitalized in 2000 after experiencing dizziness as a result of an irregular heartbeat.
California Angels LF Joe Lahoud (New Haven CT hoops letterman in mid-1960s) launched a pair of two-run homers against the Cleveland Indians in a 1974 outing.
New York Giants CF Hank Leiber (Arizona hooper in 1931) logged three extra-base hits against the Cincinnati Reds in a 1935 game.
A three-run homer by 3B Jerry Lumpe (member of Southwest Missouri State's 1952 NAIA Tournament hoops championship team) gave the New York Yankees a 3-2 win against the Detroit Tigers in 1958.
New York Yankees RF Irv Noren (hooper of year for California community college state champion Pasadena City in 1945) went 4-for-4, including game-winning homer in the bottom of the ninth inning, against the Baltimore Orioles in 1954.
Kansas City Athletics 1B Norm Siebern (member of Southwest Missouri State squads capturing back-to-back NAIA Tournament titles in 1952 and 1953) went 4-for-4 against the Detroit Tigers in the nightcap of a 1961 doubleheader.
Chicago Cubs SS Roy Smalley Jr. (one of top scorers in 1942-43 and 1943-44 for Drury MO) homered in each end of a 1950 twinbill sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies.
Boston Braves OF Ab Wright (Oklahoma A&M hoops letterman in 1928-29) whacked a three-run, pinch-hit homer against the Brooklyn Dodgers in the nightcap of a 1944 doubleheader.
Inclusivity: 13 Ex-College Hoopers Played in All-Star Game More Than 5 Years
It is odd that the 2024 MLB All-Star Game will be conducted in the ballpark of the defending World Series champion (Texas Rangers in Arlington). But what also is weird has been "cancellation" over the years of former college basketball regulars playing in the extravaganza. Four such versatile athletes - Rick Ferrell (Guilford NC), Frankie Frisch (Fordham), Oral Hildebrand (Butler) and Hal Schumacher (St. Lawrence NY) - appeared in the inaugural major league baseball All-Star Game in 1933 and at least one ex-college hooper participated in every All-Star extravaganza through the remainder of the 20th Century.
An annual average of seven former college hoopsters were MLB All-Stars the first half of the 1950s (including Hall of Famers Monte Irvin, Robin Roberts and Jackie Robinson). That's a higher figure that the total number of ex-college hoopers competing at the MLB level the past several seasons. In an era of specialization, fewer and fewer individuals are opening themselves up to learning its more difficult to earn a spot on a MLB 40-man roster than a college hoops roster. Evidence of the recent reduction of dual-sport athletes is exhibited by the fact pitchers Chris Young (2007) and Matt Thornton (2010) are the only players in this unique category since outfielder Randy Winn (2002). Ferrell, Roberts and Robinson are among 13 former college hoopers participating in All-Star games in more than five years.
Four franchises - Braves, Cardinals, Cubs and Giants - have had eight different ex-college hoopers become a MLB All-Star. Arizona, Illinois, San Diego State and Texas A&M each had three former hoopers go on to become MLB All-Stars. Reliever Lee Smith (Northwestern State) is the only MLB All-Star for as many as four different franchises after playing NCAA Division I hoops. Leon Wagner (Tuskegee AL) is the only former college hooper named MVP (second game in 1962) among the following alphabetical list of MLB All-Star selections who played varsity basketball as a regular for a four-year college:
All-Star Player | MLB Team(s) When Named All-Star | Pos. | All-Star Season(s) | Hoops College |
---|---|---|---|---|
Joe Adcock | Milwaukee Braves | 1B | 1960 | Louisiana State |
George Altman | Chicago Cubs | OF | 1961 and 1962 | Tennessee State |
Glenn Beckert | Chicago Cubs | 2B | 1969 through 1972 | Allegheny PA |
R.C. "Beau" Bell | St. Louis Browns | OF | 1937 | Texas A&M |
Bruce Bochte | Seattle Mariners | 1B | 1979 | Santa Clara |
Frank Bolling | Milwaukee Braves | 2B | 1961 and 1962 | Spring Hill AL |
Lou Boudreau* | Cleveland Indians | SS | 1940-41-42-43-44-47-48 | Illinois |
Ralph Branca | Brooklyn Dodgers | RHP | 1947 through 1949 | New York University |
Al Bumbry | Baltimore Orioles | OF | 1980 | Virginia State |
Bob Cerv | Kansas City Athletics | LF | 1958 | Nebraska |
Tony Clark | Detroit Tigers | 1B | 2001 | Arizona/San Diego State |
Mickey Cochrane* | Detroit Tigers | C | 1934 and 1935 | Boston University |
Gene Conley | Milwaukee Braves/Philadelphia Phillies | RHP | 1954-55-59 | Washington State |
George Crowe | Cincinnati Reds | 1B | 1958 | Indiana Central |
Alvin Dark | New York Giants | SS | 1951-52-54 | LSU/Southwestern Louisiana |
Larry Doby | Cleveland Indians | OF | 1949 through 1955 | Virginia Union |
Walt Dropo | Boston Red Sox | 1B | 1950 | Connecticut |
Walter "Hoot" Evers | Detroit Tigers | OF | 1948 and 1950 | Illinois |
Rick Ferrell* | Boston Red Sox/Washington Senators | C | 1933 through 1938 and 1944 | Guilford NC |
David "Boo" Ferriss | Boston Red Sox | RHP | 1946 | Mississippi State |
Frankie Frisch* | St. Louis Cardinals | INF | 1933 through 1935 | Fordham |
Bob Gibson* | St. Louis Cardinals | RHP | 1962-65-66-67-68-69-70-72 | Creighton |
Dick Groat | Pittsburgh Pirates/St. Louis Cardinals | SS | 1959-60-62-63-64 | Duke |
Wayne Gross | Oakland Athletics | 3B | 1977 | Cal Poly Pomona |
Tony Gwynn* | San Diego Padres | OF | 1984 through 1999 (except for 1988) | San Diego State |
Tom Haller | San Francisco Giants/Los Angeles Dodgers | C | 1966 through 1968 | Illinois |
Atlee Hammaker | San Francisco Giants | LHP | 1983 | East Tennessee State |
Mike Hargrove | Texas Rangers | OF-1B | 1975 | Northwestern Oklahoma State |
Jim Hearn | New York Giants | RHP | 1952 | Georgia Tech |
Bill Henry | Cincinnati Reds | LHP | 1960 | Houston |
Oral Hildebrand | Cleveland Indians | RHP | 1933 | Butler |
Chuck Hinton | Washington Senators | OF | 1964 | Shaw NC |
Gil Hodges | Brooklyn Dodgers | 1B | 1949 through 1955 and 1957 | St. Joseph's IN/Oakland City IN |
Frank Howard | Washington Senators | OF | 1968 through 1971 | Ohio State |
Billy Hunter | St. Louis Browns | SS | 1953 | Indiana PA |
Monte Irvin* | New York Giants | OF | 1952 | Lincoln PA |
Davey Johnson | Baltimore Orioles/Atlanta Braves | 2B | 1968-69-70-73 | Texas A&M |
Duane Josephson | Chicago White Sox | C | 1968 | Northern Iowa |
David Justice | Atlanta Braves/Cleveland Indians | OF | 1993-94-97 | Thomas More KY |
Bob Keegan | Chicago White Sox | RHP | 1954 | Bucknell |
Charlie Keller | New York Yankees | OF | 1940-41-43-46-47 | Maryland |
Vern Kennedy | Chicago White Sox/Detroit Tigers | RHP | 1936 and 1938 | Central Missouri State |
Don Kessinger | Chicago Cubs | SS | 1968-69-70-71-72-74 | Mississippi |
Jim Konstanty | Philadelphia Phillies | RHP | 1950 | Syracuse |
Vance Law | Chicago Cubs | 3B | 1988 | Brigham Young |
Thornton Lee | Chicago White Sox | LHP | 1941 and 1945 | Cal Poly |
Hank Leiber | New York Giants/Chicago Cubs | OF | 1938-40-41 | Arizona |
Dave Lemanczyk | Toronto Blue Jays | RHP | 1979 | Hartwick NY |
Danny Litwhiler | Philadelphia Phillies | OF | 1942 | Bloomsburg PA |
Kenny Lofton | Cleveland Indians/Atlanta Braves | OF | 1994 through 1999 | Arizona |
Johnny Logan | Milwaukee Braves | SS | 1955-57-58-59 | Binghamton |
Davey Lopes | Los Angeles Dodgers | 2B | 1978 through 1981 | Iowa Wesleyan/Washburn KS |
Jerry Lumpe | Detroit Tigers | 2B | 1964 | Southwest Missouri State |
Ted Lyons* | Chicago White Sox | RHP | 1939 | Baylor |
Arnold "Bake" McBride | St. Louis Cardinals | OF | 1976 | Westminster MO |
Wallace "Wally" Moon | St. Louis Cardinals/Los Angeles Dodgers | OF | 1957 and 1959 | Texas A&M |
Charles "Buddy" Myer | Washington Senators | 2B | 1935 and 1937 | Mississippi State |
Graig Nettles | New York Yankees/San Diego Padres | 3B | 1975-77-78-79-80-85 | San Diego State |
Bill Nicholson | Chicago Cubs | RF | 1940-41-43-44 | Washington College MD |
Joe Niekro | Houston Astros | RHP | 1979 | West Liberty WV |
Claude Passeau | Chicago Cubs | RHP | 1941-42-43-45-46 | Millsaps MS |
Gary Peters | Chicago White Sox | LHP | 1964 and 1967 | Grove City PA |
Lou Piniella | Kansas City Royals | OF | 1972 | Tampa |
Ron Reed | Atlanta Braves | RHP | 1968 | Notre Dame |
Eldon "Rip" Repulski | St. Louis Cardinals | OF | 1956 | St. Cloud State MN |
Robin Roberts* | Philadelphia Phillies | RHP | 1950 through 1956 | Michigan State |
Jackie Robinson* | Brooklyn Dodgers | INF-OF | 1949 through 1954 | UCLA |
Elwin "Preacher" Roe | Brooklyn Dodgers | LHP | 1949 through 1952 | Harding AR |
Robert "Red" Rolfe | New York Yankees | 3B | 1937 through 1940 | Dartmouth |
Marius Russo | New York Yankees | LHP | 1941 | Long Island |
Richie Scheinblum | Kansas City Royals | OF | 1972 | LIU-C.W. Post NY |
Hal Schumacher | New York Giants | RHP | 1933 and 1935 | St. Lawrence NY |
Don Schwall | Boston Red Sox | RHP | 1961 | Oklahoma |
Jeff Shaw | Los Angeles Dodgers | RHP | 1998 and 2001 | Rio Grande OH |
Norm Siebern | Kansas City Athletics | 1B | 1962 through 1964 | Southwest Missouri State |
Dick Siebert | Philadelphia Athletics | 1B | 1943 | Concordia-St. Paul MN |
Wilfred "Sonny" Siebert | Cleveland Indians/Boston Red Sox | RHP | 1966 and 1971 | Missouri |
Lee Smith* | Chicago Cubs/St. Louis Cardinals/Baltimore Orioles/California Angels | RHP | 1983-87-91-92-93-94-95 | Northwestern State |
Dave Stenhouse | Washington Senators | RHP | 1962 | Rhode Island |
Matt Thornton | Chicago White Sox | LHP | 2010 | Grand Valley State MI |
Bob Veale | Pittsburgh Pirates | LHP | 1965 and 1966 | Benedictine KS |
Leon Wagner | Los Angeles Angels | OF | 1962 and 1963 | Tuskegee AL |
Wes Westrum | New York Giants | C | 1952 and 1953 | Bemidji State MN |
Bill White | St. Louis Cardinals | 1B | 1959-60-61-63-64 | Hiram OH |
Sammy White | Boston Red Sox | C | 1953 | Washington |
Dave Winfield* | San Diego Padres/New York Yankees | OF | 1977 through 1988 | Minnesota |
Randy Winn | Tampa Bay Devil Rays | OF | 2002 | Santa Clara |
Eddie Yost | Washington Senators | 3B | 1952 | New York University |
Chris Young | San Diego Padres | RHP | 2007 | Princeton |
*Baseball Hall of Famers.
On This Date: Former College Hoopers Supplying MLB Headlines on July 15
Extra! Extra! If hideous Hunter is smartest guy Plagiarist Biledumb knows amid all of "Let's Go Brandon" pronoun-chasing #Dimorats assassinating #TheDonald's character by labeling him as Hitler, are loose cannon/top advisor's vile comments about stepmom "Dr." Jill accurate? Instead of debating this inquiry, you can read news about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.
Former Swarthmore PA hoopers George Earnshaw and Jack Ogden made news as National League pitchers on this date. Ex-Eastern Michigan hoopers Bill Crouch and Jim Snyder also made MLB news on this date. Former Evansville hooper Andy Benes owned the New York Mets the first half of July in 1994 as ace for the San Diego Padres. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 15 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JULY 15
En route to leading N.L. in strikeouts, San Diego Padres RHP Andy Benes (joined Evansville's shorthanded basketball squad in 1985-86 under coach Jim Crews) fanned 14 batters and permitted only two hits in eight innings against the New York Mets in nightcap of 1994 twinbill. Twelve days earlier, Benes whiffed 13 batters in tossing a one-hit shutout against the Mets.
In 1939, a disputed home run down the LF foul line into the upper deck at the Polo Grounds by Cincinnati Reds CF Harry Craft (four-sport letterman including basketball with Mississippi College in early 1930s) hastened the advent of "fair" pole screens.
RHP Bill Crouch (Eastern Michigan hoops captain in 1927-28) hurled the first 10 frames for the St. Louis Cardinals in their 16-inning, 3-2 win against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1941.
Boston Braves SS Dick Culler (#9 jersey retired by High Point for hoops Little All-American in 1935 and 1936) went 4-for-4 in a 3-2 triumph against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1946.
Detroit Tigers 1B Walt Dropo (first Connecticut's hooper to average 20 points for single season with 21.7 ppg in 1942-43) tied a MLB record with 12 consecutive hits before his streak was snapped in the nightcap of a doubleheader against the Washington Senators in 1952.
RHP George Earnshaw (Swarthmore PA hooper in 1922) traded by the Brooklyn Dodgers to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1936.
Chicago Cubs 3B Howard Freigau (hooper for Ohio Wesleyan) had his 21-game hitting streak snapped by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1925.
Boston Red Sox 1B Dick Gernert (Temple letterman in 1948-49 when averaging 2.7 ppg) collected two homers and five RBI in a 7-5 win against the Chicago White Sox in 1952.
In 1967, a line drive by Pittsburgh Pirates RF Roberto Clemente broke the right leg of St. Louis Cardinals RHP Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer and rebounder in 1955-56 and 1956-57). But Gibson returned from the injury to lead the Cards to the World Series championship.
Philadelphia Phillies RHP Andy Karl (Manhattan hoops letterman from 1933 through 1935) registered the lone complete game in his MLB career in a 3-1 defeat against the Cincinnati Reds in 1945.
New York Giants RHP Christy Mathewson (Bucknell hooper at turn of 20th Century) hurled a no-hitter against St. Louis with a 5-0 win in 1901. Twelve years later, he used only 70 pitches to outduel Cincinnati Reds P Three Finger Brown, 4-2, extending Mathewson's streak of innings without issuing a walk to 61.
St. Louis Cardinals RF Wally Moon (averaged 4.3 ppg with Texas A&M in 1948-49 and 1949-50) smacked two triples in the nightcap of a 1956 twinbill against the Philadelphia Phillies.
1B Cotton Nash (three-time All-American averaged 22.7 ppg and 12.3 rpg in Kentucky career from 1961-62 through 1963-64) traded by the Chicago White Sox to the Minnesota Twins in 1969.
Cincinnati Reds RHP Jack Ogden (Swarthmore PA hooper in 1918) hurled a five-hit shutout against the Boston Braves in 1931.
In midst of A.L. All-Star losing eight consecutive verdicts in 1971, Minnesota Twins RHP Jim Perry (averaged more than 20 ppg in late 1950s for former juco Campbell) tossed 10 scoreless innings in a no-decision outing against the Boston Red Sox.
In 1963, Chicago White Sox LHP Gary Peters (Grove City PA hooper from 1955-57) fanned 13 Baltimore Orioles batters while hurling a one-hitter - third-inning single by Robin Roberts (one of Michigan State's top three scorers from 1944-45 through 1946-47) - in the first of back-to-back shutouts for Peters, who was in midst of winning 11 straight decisions.
OF Leon Roberts (grabbed one rebound in four basketball games for Michigan in 1970-71 under coach Johnny Orr) was sold by the Texas Rangers to the Toronto Blue Jays in 1982.
1B-OF Norm Siebern (member of Southwest Missouri State's back-to-back NAIA Tournament hoops titlists in 1952 and 1953) purchased from the San Francisco Giants by the Boston Red Sox in 1967.
In 1997, the Montreal Expos announced the retirement of closer Lee Smith (averaged 3.4 ppg and 1.9 rpg with Northwestern State in 1976-77).
Minnesota Twins 2B Jim Snyder (Eastern Michigan hoops letterman in 1951-52) jacked his lone MLB homer (against Washington Senators in 1964).
Montreal Expos rookie LF Mike Stenhouse (averaged 4.1 ppg for Harvard in 1977-78) smacked a homer in back-to-back games against the Cincinnati Reds in 1984.
C John Stephenson (scored 1,361 points for William Carey MS in early 1960s) hit a pinch two-run homer in the ninth inning to carry the California Angels to a 4-3 win against the Milwaukee Brewers in 1972.
Philadelphia Athletics rookie RF Kite Thomas (averaged 5.1 ppg for Kansas State in 1946-47) supplied a career-high three hits, including a double and homer, in the opener of a 1952 doubleheader against the St. Louis Browns.
Boston Red Sox 3B Billy Werber (first Duke hoops All-American in 1929-30) amassed four hits and four runs in the opener of a 1934 twinbill against the St. Louis Browns.
A three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning by RF Chuck Workman (All-MIAA first-five selection for Central Missouri State as sophomore and junior in mid-1930s) proved to be the difference as the Boston Braves beat the Brooklyn Dodgers, 6-3, in 1944.
Home Run Derby: Nine Ex-College Hoopers Swatted > 300 MLB Career Clouts
In deference to the Home Run Derby during All-Star Game break festivities, following is a rundown of nine former college hoopers (four-year schools and jucos) swatting more than 300 MLB career homers:
Former College Hooper | MLB HRs | Summary of MLB Round-Tripper Achievements | Summary of College Hoops Career |
---|---|---|---|
Jim Thome | 612 | Led N.L. with 47 homers for Philadelphia Phillies in 2003 - the third of four straight seasons with them and Cleveland Indians when finishing with more than 40 (career-high 52 in 2002 with Tribe). 1B-3B finished eight seasons among top five in circuit clouts - six in A.L. and two in N.L. Thome is MLB's all-time leader in walk-off homers with 13 (eight of them in extra innings). He went yard for his 300th, 400th, 500th and 600th homer with four different franchises. Thome amassed a total of 48 multi-homer outings. | "About a mile from our (Peoria, IL) house was the ghetto," Thome said. "It was where the best basketball games were played. I'd go over there all the time. I usually was the only white kid in the games, and they respected me because I kept coming back." He played for local junior college Illinois Central in 1988-89. "My father was tough on me, pushing me," Thome said. "I remember when I scored 36 points in a state tournament basketball game. It was one point off a school record. I thought my dad would be happy, but that night he talked about the mistakes I made on defense and in rebounding." According to ICC's athletic department, "People weren't sure which sport, basketball or baseball, was Jim's best." ICC hoops coach Carroll Herman said: "He (Thome) was a plugger, strong on the boards and gave us toughness inside. He could have gone on and played at a four-year school. He was good enough." |
Dave Winfield | 465 | Eleven seasons with at least 24 big flys. OF finished among top five in homers in a league three times - 1979 with San Diego Padres and 1982 (career-high 37) and 1983 with New York Yankees. | Played two seasons of varsity basketball as a 6-6, 220-pound forward with Minnesota, averaging 6.9 ppg and 5.4 rpg as a junior in 1971-72 and 10.5 ppg and 6.1 rpg as a senior in 1972-73. He played the entire game, collecting eight points and eight rebounds against eventual Final Four participant Florida State, in the Gophers' first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1972 under coach Bill Musselman. Selected by the Atlanta Hawks in fifth round of 1973 NBA draft and the Utah Stars in sixth round of 1973 ABA draft. Didn't play college football, but was chosen in the 17th round of the 1973 NFL draft by the Minnesota Vikings. Excerpt from school guide: "Recruited out of intramural ranks to lend depth, became a starter and was a giant in the stretch drive. Amazing athlete leaps like a man catapulted. Soft touch from medium range." |
Darrell Evans | 414 | Led A.L. with 40 homers for Detroit Tigers in 1985. Swatted career-high 41 with the Atlanta Braves in 1973 when he outhomered teammate Henry Aaron (40). He also went deep more often than Aaron the next season, 25-20. 3B-1B finished five seasons among top six in going yard - three in N.L. and two in A.L. His first MLB dinger came off St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Famer Bob Gibson, a former hoops standout with Creighton. Evans walloped his first and last round-tripper with the Braves 18 years apart. | As a sophomore for Pasadena (Calif.) City College in 1966-67, the 6-2 Evans was a member of a Jerry Tarkanian-coached club winning the state junior college crown. |
Graig Nettles | 390 | Led the A.L. with 32 homers for the New York Yankees in 1976 - the fourth of seven straight seasons blasting at 20 (career-high 37 in 1977). 3B also finished among the top six in circuit clouts three other times in the 1970s. | Averaged 5.3 ppg while earning basketball letters in his hometown for San Diego State in 1963-64 and 1964-65. The 6-0 Nettles shot 87.8% from the free-throw line (36-of-41) as a sophomore in 1963-64. |
Frank Howard | 382 | Led the A.L. with 44 homers in 1968 and 1970 for the Washington Senators sandwiched around a career-high 48 in 1969. OF-1B finished five seasons among the top five in circuit clouts - once in N.L. and four times in A.L. Hammered four of his first five MLB dingers off former hoopers from power conferences (Michigan State's Robin Roberts, Oklahoma's Lindy McDaniel, Georgia's Jim Umbricht and Louisiana State's Mark Freeman). | Two-time All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection averaged 17.4 ppg and 13.9 rpg for Ohio State from 1955-56 through 1957-58, leading the Buckeyes in both scoring and rebounding as a junior (20.1 ppg and 15.3 rpg) and senior (16.9 ppg and 13.6 rpg). The 6-5, 220-pounder grabbed a still existing school single-game record of 32 rebounds against Brigham Young his junior season. It was one of 10 times he retrieved 20 or more missed shots. Howard finished his college career as OSU's third-leading career scorer and leading rebounder. He was a first-team All-American selection by the USBWA, Look Magazine, Converse and NEA as a junior when ranking eighth in the nation in rebounding. Third-round choice of the Philadelphia Warriors in the 1958 NBA draft. Excerpt from school guide: "One of the strongest players in college basketball and one of the top rebounders. Shoots very well from the outside." |
Gil Hodges | 370 | Supplied 11 consecutive campaigns with at least 22 homers for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1949 through 1959 (including career-high 42 in 1954 when 1B finished among the top three in N.L. in circuit clouts for fourth time in five-year span). Walloped his 100th dinger off the Boston Braves' Jim Wilson, a former hooper with San Diego State. | Gil and his brother (Bob), natives of Petersburg, Ind., enrolled at St. Joseph's (Ind.) in the fall of 1941 and played for the Pumas in 1942-43. Gil, a Marine who spent 18 months in the Pacific with 80 of those days in combat on Okinawa, later attended Oakland City, where he played basketball in 1947 and 1948. Morris Klipsch, a Petersburg auto dealer, says Gil may have liked basketball as much as baseball. "I recall him saying one fall after the Dodgers season was over that he would like to join a pro basketball team," Klipsch said. |
Joe Adcock | 336 | Jolted career-high 38 homers (runner-up in N.L.) with the Milwaukee Braves in 1956 when outhomering teammate Hank Aaron (26). 1B-LF also finished fourth in the N.L. with 35 big flys in 1961. He smashed homers against four different Brooklyn Dodgers pitchers in a single game on July 31, 1954. Belted a couple of milestone dingers off former freshman hoopers for power-conference members - North Carolina State's Roger Craig (100th) and Oklahoma's Lindy McDaniel (200th). | Played for Louisiana State from 1944-45 through 1946-47 as a 6-4, 190-pound center. Leading scorer with 18.6 ppg for the 1945-46 Tigers team compiling an 18-3 record and losing against Kentucky in the Southeastern Conference Tournament final. All-SEC second-team selection set SEC Tournament record with 15 field goals in a game against Tulane in 1946 (subsequently broken by UK's Melvin Turpin with 18 vs. Georgia in 1984). |
Hank Greenberg | 331 | Hammered 40 or more homers in four seasons with the Detroit Tigers. 1B-LF led the A.L. in circuit clouts in four campaigns (1935-38-40-46) despite missing three years serving in U.S. Army Air Forces during WWII. | The 6-3 Greenberg enrolled at NYU on a basketball scholarship in 1929 but attended college only one semester. |
David Justice | 305 | Jacked career-high 41 homers in 2000 (fourth in A.L.) when splitting season between the Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees. OF led the Atlanta Braves by depositing 40 beyond the outfielder barrier in 1993 (runner-up in N.L.). | Averaged 6.4 ppg and 2.3 rpg for Thomas More College (Ky.) in 1983-84 and 1984-85. In his second and final year, the 6-3 Justice led the team with 92 assists while averaging 9.3 ppg and 3.5 rpg. |
On This Date: Former College Hoopers Supplying MLB Headlines on July 14
Extra! Extra! Instead of trying to debunt whether #Demonrat rhetoric triggered assassination attempt on Donald Trump and if granddaughter-ignoring Plagiarist Biledumb should join his hideous son on Sex Offender Registry for highlighting a one-source story about 10-year-old seeking an out-of-state abortion while failing to point out she was raped by an illegal alien, you can read news about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.
Chicago Cubs teammates and ex-Mississippi hoopers Jim Hickman and Don Kessinger helped propel the National League to victory in 1970 All-Star Game on this date. Former Illinois hoopers Lou Boudreau and Tom Haller made significant American League news on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 14 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JULY 14
Cleveland Indians player-manager Lou Boudreau (leading basketball scorer for Illinois' 1937 Big Ten Conference co-champion) banged out five extra-base hits - four doubles and a homer - but it wasn't enough to prevent an 11-10 defeat in the opening game of a 1946 doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox, which got three homers for eight RBI from Hall of Fame OF Ted Williams.
St. Louis Cardinals SS Alvin Dark (hoops letterman for Louisiana State and Southwestern Louisiana in mid-1940s) went 9-for-11 in a three-game series against opponent (New York Giants) trading him to the Cards a month earlier.
Boston Red Sox C Gene Desautels (Holy Cross hoops letterman in 1929 and 1930) went 4-for-4 against the St. Louis Browns in a 1937 game.
Detroit Tigers 1B Walt Dropo (Connecticut's first player ever to average 20 points for season with 21.7 ppg in 1942-43) stroked five singles in an 8-2 win over the New York Yankees in 1952.
Boston Red Sox C Rick Ferrell (forward for Guilford NC before graduating in 1928) amassed four hits and four runs against the Cleveland Indians in the opener of a 1935 twinbill.
St. Louis Cardinals SS Jake Flowers (member of Washington College MD "Flying Pentagon" hoops squad in 1923) went 4-for-4 in a 3-2 victory against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1931.
San Diego Padres RF Tony Gwynn (All-Western Athletic Conference second-team selection with San Diego State in 1979-80 and 1980-81 who twice led league in assists) extended his hitting streak to 19 games with three safeties against the San Francisco Giants in a 1977 contest, raising his batting average to .402.
In a MLB first, Tom Haller (backup forward for Illinois in 1956-57 and 1957-58 under coach Harry Combes) was the Detroit Tigers' catcher in 1972 when his brother, Bill, umpired behind the plate.
Chicago Cubs SS Don Kessinger (three-time All-SEC selection for Mississippi from 1961-62 through 1963-64 while finishing among nation's top 45 scorers each year) went 2-for-2 to help the N.L. edge the A.L., 5-4, in 12 innings in the 1970 All-Star Game. Cubbies teammate Jim Hickman (freshman hooper for Ole Miss in 1955-56) drove in Pete Rose with a single to center field as part of the famous play where Rose Barreled into catcher Ray Fosse at home plate to score winning run in bottom of 12th.
St. Louis Browns LHP Ernie Koob (Western Michigan hoops letterman in 1914) hurled a 17-inning shutout in a scoreless tie against the Boston Red Sox in 1916.
Philadelphia Phillies LF Danny Litwhiler (member of JV hoops squad with Bloomsburg PA in mid-1930s) went 4-for-4 against the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1941 game.
In 1935, Chicago White Sox RHP Ted Lyons (two-time All-SWC first-team selection for Baylor in early 1920s) hurled his second of back-to-back shutouts.
Kansas City Athletics 1B Irv Noren (hooper of year for California community college state champion Pasadena City in 1945) launched two homers against the Washington Senators in the nightcap of a 1957 doubleheader.
RHP Curly Ogden (Swarthmore PA hoops center in 1919, 1920 and 1922) tossed his third shutout in first seven starts with the Washington Senators in 1924.
New York Yankees LF Lou Piniella (averaged 2.5 ppg and 1.4 rpg with Tampa as freshman in 1961-62) provided three extra-base hits (two doubles/one homer) in a 7-6 win against the Chicago White Sox in 1978.
Chicago Cubs INF Paul Popovich (teammate of Jerry West for West Virginia's 1960 NCAA playoff team) delivered a game-winning, pinch single in the bottom of the ninth inning in a 9-8 triumph against the Atlanta Braves in 1972.
Cincinnati Reds LHP Eppa Rixey (Virginia hoops letterman in 1912 and 1914) fired a six-hit shutout against Brooklyn amid a streak of eight straight wins en route to a N.L.-high 25 triumphs in 1922.
New York Yankees 1B Bill "Moose" Skowron (scored 18 points in eight games for Purdue in 1949-50) socked his second pinch-hit grand slam of the 1957 season.
Chicago Cubs RHP Lee Smith (averaged 3.4 ppg and 1.9 rpg with Northwestern State in 1976-77) earned the victory in the 1987 All-Star Game with three innings of scoreless relief for the N.L.
Chicago White Sox LHP Matt Thornton (averaged 5.8 ppg and 2.4 rpg for Grand Valley State MI from 1995-96 through 1997-98) scored upon for the only time in a 16-game span through the end of the month in 2006.
Boston Red Sox LHP Bob Veale (scored 1,160 points for Benedictine KS from 1955-56 through 1957-58) notched his fourth straight save in 1973.
RF Dave Winfield (starting forward with Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) walloped two homers for the California Angels in an 8-7 triumph against the Toronto Blue Jays in 1990.
San Francisco Giants RF Randy Winn (Santa Clara backcourtmate of eventual two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash in 1993-94) knocked in five runs against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 2007 game.
On This Date: Former College Hoopers Supplying MLB Headlines on July 13
Extra! Extra! Instead of debating why BLM rioters secure bail from woke celebs and left-wing politicians such as Cacklin' Kamala while once-proud FBI probes J6 trespasser's unconstructed U.S. Capitol Lego set (1,032 pieces probably pilfered from #NannyPathetic's prayer closet) and wily WY carpetbagger Liz Cheney joined forces with apparent soulmate #SackofSchiff to try diminishing #TheDonald, you can read news about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.
Former Manhattan hoopers Buddy Hassett and Andy Karl provided significant performances in National League games on this date. Ditto ex-Louisiana State hoopers Joe Adcock and Alvin Dark. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 13 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:
JULY 13
Milwaukee Braves 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) clobbered two homers, including a grand slam, in a 1956 doubleheader sweep of the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Stretching his hitting streak to 18 games, Chicago Cubs 2B Glenn Beckert (three-year hoops letterman for Allegheny PA) supplied a decisive single in the 11th inning of 2-1 victory against the New York Mets in 1968.
In 1964, RHP Carl Bouldin (starting guard and co-captain for Cincinnati's 1961 NCAA champion) traded with 1B Bill "Moose" Skowron (scored 18 points in eight games for Purdue in 1949-50) by the Washington Senators to the Chicago White Sox for 1B Joe Cunningham and a player to be designated (P Frank Kreutzer). But Bouldin never pitched for the White Sox.
Brooklyn Dodgers RHP Ralph Branca (sixth-leading scorer for NYU in 1943-44) started the 1948 All-Star Game for the N.L. but surrendered a second-inning homer to Detroit Tigers CF Hoot Evers (starter for Illinois in 1939-40) as the A.L. rallied to prevail, 5-2. Seven years later in 1955, Evers was traded by the Baltimore Orioles to the Cleveland Indians.
Pittsburgh Pirates 1B Donn Clendenon (four-sport letterman with Morehouse GA) clobbered two homers against the Houston Colt .45s in a 1963 game.
Philadelphia Athletics C Mickey Cochrane (Boston University hooper in early 1920s) collected four hits against the Chicago White Sox in a 1927 contest.
In the 1954 All-Star Game, Milwaukee Braves RHP Gene Conley (All-PCC first-team selection led North Division in scoring in 1949-50 as Washington State sophomore) yielded a pinch-hit, game-tying homer to Cleveland Indians CF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA hoops titlist) in the bottom of the eighth inning for the A.L. before Conley was charged with two more runs for the N.L. and incurred an 11-9 setback. Chicago White Sox RHP Bob Keegan (Bucknell hoops letterman in 1941-42 and 1942-43) surrendered a two-run, pinch homer by Cincinnati Reds CF Gus Bell in the top of the eighth.
Washington Senators RHP Casey Cox (juco recruit averaged 1.7 ppg and 1.2 rpg for Cal State Los Angeles in 1961-62) won his seventh of first eight decisions in 1969.
Chicago Cubs 3B Alvin Dark (hoops letterman for Louisiana State and Southwestern Louisiana in mid-1940s) went 4-for-4 in the opener of a 1958 twinbill against the Philadelphia Phillies.
St. Louis Cardinals CF Taylor Douthit (California hoops letterman from 1922 through 1924) contributed four hits in a 12-10 win against the Brooklyn Robins in 1926.
St. Louis Cardinals SS Jake Flowers (member of Washington College MD "Flying Pentagon" hoops squad in 1923) contributed three extra-base hits and four RBI in a 12-5 win against the Chicago Cubs in 1931.
St. Louis Cardinals RHP Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer and rebounder in 1955-56 and 1956-57) earned a save with two innings of scoreless relief for the N.L. in the 1965 All-Star Game. Chicago White Sox RHP Eddie Fisher (played for Oklahoma's 1954-55 freshman squad) hurled two scoreless innings for the A.L.
In 1972, Texas Rangers RHP Rich Hand (averaged 6.2 ppg for Puget Sound WA in 1967-68) hurled a six-hit shutout against his original team (Cleveland Indians). In his next start five days later, Hand allowed only one run in 10 innings against the Baltimore Orioles.
Boston Braves 1B Buddy Hassett (hooper for Manhattan teams winning school-record 17 consecutive games in 1930 and 1931) went 5-for-5 against the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a 1939 doubleheader.
RHP Andy Karl (Manhattan hoops letterman from 1933 through 1935), the N.L. leader in appearances (67) and saves (15) in 1945, registered one of his saves in an 11-9 win for the Philadelphia Phillies against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the resumption of a previously-suspended contest.
New York Yankees RF Charlie Keller (Maryland three-year hoops letterman from 1934-35 through 1936-37) knocked in five runs against the St. Louis Browns in the nightcap of a 1940 twinbill.
In 1962, Chicago Cubs rookie RHP Cal Koonce (hoops standout for Campbell in 1960 and 1961 when North Carolina-based school was junior college) hurled a one-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds to give him eight victories in his first 10 decisions.
In a 1974 outing, California Angels LF Joe Lahoud (New Haven CT hoops letterman in mid-1960s) went 4-for-4, including three extra-base hits, against his original team (Boston Red Sox).
Kansas City Athletics 2B Jerry Lumpe (member of Southwest Missouri State's 1952 NAIA Tournament championship hoops team) provided at least three hits for the fifth time in a nine-game span in 1962. Lumpe assembled a career-high 20-game hitting streak later in the campaign.
In his first at-bat with the Montreal Expos, OF Jim Lyttle (led Florida State in free-throw shooting in 1965-66 when he averaged 12.4 ppg) slugged a pinch-hit homer against the Atlanta Braves in the opener of a 1973 doubleheader.
New York Giants RHP Christy Mathewson (Bucknell hooper at turn of 20th Century) tossed an 11-hit shutout in a 4-0 verdict against the Cincinnati Reds in 1907.
St. Louis Cardinals RHP Lindy McDaniel (hooper for Oklahoma's 1954-55 freshman squad) hurled a scoreless ninth inning for the N.L. in a 6-0 win against the A.L. in the second 1960 All-Star Game.
San Diego Padres RHP Joe Niekro (averaged 8.9 ppg and 3.8 rpg for West Liberty WV from 1963-64 through 1965-66) outdueled his brother, Phil Niekro of the Atlanta Braves, 1-0, in 1969.
Kansas City Royals LF Lou Piniella (averaged 2.5 ppg and 1.4 rpg for Tampa as freshman in 1961-62) provided multiple hits in his fifth consecutive contest in 1969.
Boston Red Sox rookie RHP Dick Radatz (center on Michigan State's freshman hoops squad in 1955-56) concluded tossing a two-day total of 12 innings of relief in registering back-to-back victories against the Kansas City Athletics in 1962.
Boston Red Sox RHP Steve Renko (averaged 9.9 ppg and 5.8 rpg as a Kansas sophomore in 1963-64) had a no-hitter with one out in the ninth inning against the Oakland A's in 1979 before yielding a safety to Rickey Henderson.
New York Giants RF Dave Robertson (one of two reserves on North Carolina State's first basketball team in 1911) registered three safeties in both ends of a 1916 doubleheader split against the Cincinnati Reds.
Baltimore Orioles RF Ken Singleton (Hofstra freshman hoops squad in mid-1960s) socked two homers against the Minnesota Twins in a 1978 contest.
Cleveland Indians rookie 3B Freddy Spurgeon (Kalamazoo MI hooper in 1921-22) supplied four hits against the Boston Red Sox in a 1925 game.
New York Giants C Wes Westrum (hooper for Bemidji State MN one season before serving in military during WWII) whacked a grand slam against the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1951 contest.
St. Louis Cardinals 1B Bill White (two-year hooper for Hiram OH in early 1950s) banged out three hits in both ends of a 1964 doubleheader sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Chicago Cubs CF Cy Williams (Notre Dame forward in 1909-10) went 4-for-4 against the Philadelphia Phillies in the opener of a 1917 twinbill.
San Diego Padres RF Dave Winfield (starting forward for Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) homered in both ends of a 1979 doubleheader against the Montreal Expos.