Father Knows Best: Will Baldwin Unseat Davis as Best Son Playing Under Dad?

May 13th, 2021 - 7:41

Will Patrick Baldwin Jr. (Milwaukee) supplant Antoine Davis (Detroit) as the premier player currently performing under his father? Where will the Baldwin and Davis clans finish among the most successful father-son, coach-player combinations in NCAA annals? The Davis worksheet together (31-53 past three years) resembles the modest marks manufactured by the Houstons (Tennessee) and Berrys (San Jose State) more than the the regal records registered by the McDermotts (Creighton) and Drews (Valparaiso). Baldwin and Davis likely will crack the Top 10 on the following list of luminaries playing under dear old dad:

Rank Coach/Father School(s) Record Player/Son Pos. Son's Career Summary Under Father
1. Greg McDermott Creighton 107-38 Doug McDermott F Doug was three-time NCAA first-Team All-American from 2011-12 through 2013-14 after originally signing with old MVC rival Northern Iowa. As a sophomore and junior, he was MVC MVP before earning same award when Bluejays moved to the Big East Conference.
2. Press Maravich Louisiana State 49-35 Pete Maravich G Pete, a three-time unanimous NCAA first-team All-American, became the NCAA's career record holder for total points (3,667 in three years from 1967-68 through 1969-70) and scoring average (44.2 ppg). In his senior season, the Tigers had their highest SEC finish (2nd) and only postseason tournament appearance (NIT) in a 24-year span from 1955 through 1978.
3. Wade Houston Tennessee 60-68 Allan Houston G Allan, a four-time All-SEC first-team selection, averaged more than 20 ppg each of his four seasons en route to becoming the Volunteers' all-time leading scorer (2,801 points from 1989-90 through 1992-93). They participated in the NIT in his freshman and junior campaigns.
4. Bill Berry San Jose State 46-41 Ricky Berry G-F Ricky, after playing his freshman season with Oregon State, averaged 21 ppg, 5.6 rpg and 3.2 apg for the Spartans from 1985-86 through 1987-88 en route to becoming their all-time leading scorer (1,767 points). He was a three-time All-Big West Conference first-team selection.
5. Dick Acres Oral Roberts 47-34 Mark Acres C Dick coached his sons (including Jeff) from midway through the 1982-83 campaign through 1984-85. Mark, a three-time All-Midwestern City Conference first-team selection, averaged 18.5 ppg and 9.6 rpg and shot 56.4% from the floor. Mark was a two-time Midwestern City MVP who led the Titans in scoring and rebounding all four seasons. ORU participated in the 1984 NCAA Tournament.
6. Homer Drew Valparaiso 88-36 Bryce Drew G Bryce, who averaged 17.7 ppg, 5.2 apg and 1.5 spg from 1994-95 through 1997-98 en route to becoming the school's all-time leader in scoring and assists, was the Mid-Continent Conference MVP his last two seasons. The Crusaders won the MCC regular-season and league tournament championships all four years.
7. Dick Bennett Wisconsin-Green Bay 87-34 Tony Bennett G Tony, a three-time All-Mid-Continent Conference first-team selection, averaged 19.4 ppg and 5.1 apg from 1988-89 through 1991-92, finishing as UWGB's all-time leading scorer (2,285 points). He holds the NCAA career record for highest three-point field-goal percentage (.497/minimum of 200 made) and won the Frances Pomeroy Award his senior year as the nation's top player shorter than six feet tall. The Phoenix won the 1991 MCC Tournament and 1992 regular-season title.
8. Ron Hunter Georgia State 65-35 R.J. Hunter G R.J. became the most prolific freshman scorer in Panthers history, averaging 17 ppg in 2012-13. Finished his three-year career with averages of 18.4 ppg and 4.8 rpg before declaring early for the NBA draft.
9. Sonny Allen SMU/Nevada-Reno 64-48 Billy Allen G Billy averaged 13.1 ppg and 8.2 apg in 1981-82 and 1982-83 after transferring from SMU. The two-time All-Big Sky Conference selection set a UNR single-season record with 8.6 apg as a junior when he was a second-team choice before moving up to first-team status the next year. Billy led the SWC in assists as a freshman in 1978-79 (9 apg) and sophomore in 1979-80 (9.1 apg). He also paced the Mustangs in free-throw percentage both years. In his sophomore season, SMU tied its highest win total (16) in a 15-year span from 1967-68 through 1981-82.
10. Steve Alford UCLA 96-45 Bryce Alford G Won nearly 2/3 of games from 2013-14 through 2016-17 when Bryce averaged 13.7 ppg, 2.8 rpg and 3.9 apg. As part of the Alfords boosting the Bruins back to national prominence, Bryce supplied school-record nine three-pointers at Colorado.
11. Jerry Tarkanian UNLV 77-19 Danny Tarkanian G Danny led the Rebels in assists and steals each of his three seasons from 1981-82 through 1983-84 after transferring from Dixie Junior College (Utah). The All-Pacific Coast Athletic Association second-team selection finished second in the nation with 8.5 apg as a senior. UNLV participated in the NIT in 1982 and NCAA Tournament in 1983 and 1984. The Rebels captured the PCAA regular-season championship in 1983 and 1984.
12. Fred A. Enke Arizona 60-18 Fred W. Enke G Fred W., a future NFL quarterback, was a three-time All-Border Conference first-team selection from 1945-46 through 1947-48. The Wildcats participated in the 1946 NIT after their first of three consecutive league championships.

Ricky Berry, Allan Houston and Tony Bennett each averaged more than 20 points per game in at least two campaigns in six-year span from 1986-87 through 1991-92. Last season, dynamo Davis (playing under father Mike Davis) joined Maravich as the only individuals averaging at least 24 ppg in three years as a son playing under his father:

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in May 12 MLB Contests

May 12th, 2021 - 8:12

Extra! Extra! If your stuck at home donning mask like Michael Jackson impersonator, you have time to read news all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.

Former Washington State hoops starters Gene Conley and Ted Tappe contributed significant National League performances on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 12 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 12

  • In 1984, Seattle Mariners RHP Jim Beattie (Dartmouth's top rebounder in 1974-75 when selected basketball team MVP and honorable mention All-Ivy League) registered his second shutout in last four starts.

  • Baltimore Orioles CF Al Bumbry (Virginia State's runner-up in scoring with 16.7 ppg as freshman in 1964-65) suffered a broken leg sliding into second base, missing most of the remainder of the 1978 season.

  • Milwaukee Braves RHP Gene Conley (All-Pacific Coast Conference first-team selection led North Division in scoring as Washington State sophomore in 1949-50) toiled 12 innings in prevailing, 2-1, ending the Dodgers' streak from the start of the 1955 season of 25 consecutive contests where they led at some point in the game. It was one of five straight wins for Conley during the month following a setback when he went 11 1/3 innings at Brooklyn.

  • CF Billy Cowan (Utah letterman from 1957-58 through 1959-60 was co-captain of NCAA playoff team as senior) rapped a game-winning, two-run single in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the California Angels a 6-5 win against the Boston Red Sox in 1970.

  • In 1940, Cincinnati Reds CF Harry Craft (four-sport letterman with Mississippi College in early 1930s) contributed three hits in a game against the St. Louis Cardinals for the second straight day.

  • In 1930, Philadelphia Athletics RHP George Earnshaw (Swarthmore PA hooper in 1922) committed three balks and Cleveland Indians counterpart Milt Shoffner had five balks (three in third inning).

  • Los Angeles Dodgers RF Joe Ferguson (played in 1967 NCAA playoffs with Pacific) jacked a homer in his third consecutive contest against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1976.

  • St. Louis Cardinals 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) supplied four hits against the Brooklyn Robins in a 1929 game.

  • LHP Johnny Gee (sixth-leading scorer in Big Ten Conference for Michigan's 16-4 team in 1936-37) purchased from the Pittsburgh Pirates by the New York Giants in 1944.

  • Boston Red Sox LF Dick Gernert (Temple hoops letterman in 1948-49 when averaging 2.7 ppg) contributed two homers and six RBI but it wasn't enough to prevent a 12-9 reversal against the Washington Senators in 1956.

  • St. Louis Cardinals RHP Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer and rebounder in 1955-56 and 1956-57) struck out the side on nine pitches in the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1969. At the plate, Gibson went 3-for-3, knocked in two runs and walked once in a 6-2 triumph.

  • After seven scoreless relief appearances, Philadelphia Phillies RHP Dallas Green (Delaware's runner-up in scoring and rebounding in 1954-55) made his first start of 1963 campaign. The next year, Green yielded his only run covering first eight relief stints of 1964.

  • Washington Senators 3B Chuck Hinton (played multiple sports for Shaw NC before serving two years in U.S. Army in mid-1950s) hammered a homer for the Nats' lone safety in the nightcap of a 1963 twinbill at Boston.

  • New York Mets 1B Gil Hodges (hooper for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) hit a ninth-inning, game-ending HR in the nightcap of a 1962 doubleheader. Teammate Hobie Landrith did the same thing in the opener against the Milwaukee Braves.

  • Baltimore Orioles RHP Ben McDonald (started six games as 6-6 freshman for Louisiana State in 1986-87 under coach Dale Brown) squared off against 6-10 Randy Johnson of the Seattle Mariners in 1991 in the tallest starting pitching matchup in MLB history.

  • St. Louis Cardinals rookie CF Wally Moon (averaged 4.3 ppg with Texas A&M in 1948-49 and 1949-50) notched his second five-hit game and scored five runs in a 13-5 pounding of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1954.

  • Chicago Cubs RF Ted Tappe (leading scorer in 1949 NJCAA Tournament was Washington State's third-leading scorer following year) opened the game's scoring with an RBI double and closed scoring with a homer off Vern Law when Sam Jones no-hit the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-0, in 1955.

  • Washington Senators 2B Wayne Terwilliger (two-year hoops letterman for Western Michigan averaged 5.6 ppg in final season in 1947-48) stroked four hits against the Detroit Tigers in a 1953 outing.

  • Chicago White Sox DH Jim Thome (played junior-college hoops for Illinois Central in 1988-89) smacked two homers in a 2009 game against the Cleveland Indians.

  • SS Billy Werber (first Duke hoops All-American in 1929-30) purchased from the New York Yankees by the Boston Red Sox in 1933.

  • Boston Braves 3B Chuck Workman (two-time All-MIAA first-five selection was leading scorer in 1937 when Central Missouri won inaugural NAIA Tournament) slugged a homer in his third consecutive contest in 1945.

  • LHP Tom Zachary (Guilford NC hoops letterman in 1916) awarded on waivers from the New York Yankees to the Boston Braves in 1930.

Road Well-Traveled: ETSU is 10th DI Pit Stop for Head Coach Desmond Oliver

May 12th, 2021 - 7:52

Seems as if it took a vagabond to know one. When Tim Jankovich joined Larry Brown at Southern Methodist as coach-in-waiting before moving over one chair to become bench boss, it paired two wanderlust mentors. Florida A&M pilot Bobby McCullum is the only active coach to pack his suitcase as often for so many moves.

It is a battle of nomads when SEC head coaches Eric Musselman (Arkansas) and Buzz Williams (Texas A&M) oppose each other. SMU is the fifth different university Jankovich has worked for in the state of Texas (two shy of Texas' Chris Beard). East Tennessee State is the 10th NCAA Division I pit stop for Desmond Oliver as new bench boss joined the following list of 10 active head coaches working for a total of at least 10 different junior colleges, four-year universities and NBA franchises in a coaching capacity (listed chronologically):

Tim Jankovich (13) - Pan American, Kansas State, Texas, Colorado State, Baylor, Oklahoma State, *North Texas, *Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College, Vanderbilt, Illinois, Kansas, *Illinois State and *SMU.

Bobby McCullum (13) - South Alabama, Samford, Southern Illinois, Kansas State, Florida, Illinois, *Western Michigan, *South Florida, San Francisco, UCF, Georgia Tech, Oregon and *Florida A&M.

Chris Jans (11) - Elmhurst College (Ill.), Grand View College (Iowa), *Kirkwood (Iowa), *Independence (Kan.), Idaho, *Howard (Tex.), *Chipola (Fla.), Illinois State, Wichita State, *Bowling Green and *New Mexico State.

Chris Beard (10) - Texas, Incarnate Word (Tex.), Abilene Christian (Tex.), North Texas, *Fort Scott (Kan.), *Seminole State (Fla.), *Texas Tech, *McMurry (Tex.), *Angelo State (Tex.) and *UALR.

Lance Irvin (10) - Idaho, DePaul, Loyola of Chicago, Iowa State, Illinois State, Texas A&M, Missouri, SMU, Southern Illinois and *Chicago State.

Ritchie McKay (10) - Washington, Queens College (N.C.), Seattle Pacific, Bradley, *Portland State, *Colorado State, *Oregon State, *New Mexico, *Liberty and Virginia.

Eric Musselman** (10) - Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks, *Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies, *Sacramento Kings, Arizona State, Louisiana State, *Nevada and *Arkansas.

Desmond Oliver (10) - Niagara, Texas A&M, Cornell, St. Bonaventure, Rhode Island, Georgia, Canisius, Charlotte, Tennessee and *East Tennessee State.

Pat Skerry (10) - Tufts (Mass.), Stonehill (Mass.), *Curry (Mass.), Northeastern, William & Mary, College of Charleston, Rhode Island, Providence, Pittsburgh and *Towson.

Buzz Williams (10) - Navarro (Tex.), Oklahoma City, Texas-Arlington, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Northwestern State, Colorado State, *Texas A&M, *New Orleans, *Marquette and *Virginia Tech.

*Worked for team as head coach.
**Musselman also coached five different minor-league professional franchises.

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in May 11 MLB Contests

May 11th, 2021 - 7:58

Extra! Extra! While fans other than Texas Rangers and Atlanta Braves wait to attend games en masse, you can read news all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.

Former Texas A&M hoopers Beau Bell and Wally Moon supplied significant offensive performances as National League outfielders on this date. Ditto ex-Santa Clara hoopers Bruce Bochte and Randy Winn in the American League. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 11 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 11

  • Cincinnati Reds LF Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) cracked two homers against the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1952 game.

  • St. Louis Browns RF Beau Bell (two-year hoops letterman for Texas A&M in early 1930s) went 4-for-4 in a 7-5 win against the Washington Senators in 1937.

  • OF-1B Bruce Bochte (starting forward for Santa Clara's 1970 NCAA playoff team) traded by the California Angels to the Cleveland Indians in 1977.

  • Cleveland Indians SS Lou Boudreau (leading scorer for Illinois' 1937 Big Ten Conference co-champion) went 4-for-4 against the Philadelphia Athletics in a 1950 contest.

  • Hall of Fame C Rick Ferrell (Guilford NC hooper in mid-1920s) traded by the St. Louis Browns to the Boston Red Sox in 1933.

  • Detroit Tigers 1B Hank Greenberg (enrolled at NYU on hoop scholarship in 1929 but attended college only one semester) socked a homer in his third consecutive contest in 1935.

  • New York Mets 2B Tommy Herr (hooper with Delaware's freshman team in 1974-75) whacked a homer among his four hits in a 6-2 win against the San Francisco Giants in 1991.

  • Frank Howard (two-time All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection when leading Ohio State in scoring and rebounding in 1956-57 and 1957-58) hammered two homers for the Washington Senators but they weren't enough to prevent a 6-5 defeat at Seattle in 1969.

  • Los Angeles Dodgers LHP Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman hoops squad in 1953-54), continuing his comeback from a circulatory ailment in his left index finger, hurled a no-hitter against the San Francisco Giants in 1963.

  • INF Vance Law (averaged 6.8 ppg for Brigham Young from 1974-75 through 1976-77) contributed a 10th-inning squeeze bunt to give the Chicago Cubs a 1-0 victory against the San Diego Padres in 1988.

  • OF Danny Litwhiler (member of JV hoops squad with Bloomsburg PA in mid-1930s) traded by the Boston Braves to the Cincinnati Reds in 1948.

  • Washington Senators OF Don Lock (Wichita State field-goal percentage leader in 1956-57 and 1957-58 under coach Ralph Miller) banged out four hits against the California Angels in a 1966 outing.

  • St. Louis Cardinals LF Les Mann (Springfield MA hooper in 1913 and 1914) lashed two homers against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 1923 contest.

  • New York Yankees SS Gene Michael (Kent State scoring leader with 14 ppg in 1957-58) generated his fifth two-hit outing in first seven games of the month in 1973.

  • In the midst of a career-high 24-game hitting streak in 1957, St. Louis Cardinals LF Wally Moon (averaged 4.3 ppg with Texas A&M in 1948-49 and 1949-50) homered in four consecutive contests. Moon assembled a 20-game hitting string later in the season.

  • Boston Red Sox 1B Ed Morgan (Tulane hoops letterman from 1923-24 through 1925-26) manufactured four hits against the Cleveland Indians in a 1934 contest.

  • Chicago Cubs CF Dave Robertson (one of two reserves on North Carolina State's first basketball team in 1911) knocked in six runs in 1921 outing against the Philadelphia Phillies.

  • Philadelphia Phillies rookie LF Ted Savage (Lincoln MO scoring average leader in 1955-56) stroked four hits against the Chicago Cubs in a 1962 contest. Nine years later, Savage was traded by the Milwaukee Brewers to the Kansas City Royals in 1971.

  • Utilityman Roe Skidmore (scored 41 points for Millikin IL in game against Illinois College on 1-28-66) purchased from the St. Louis Cardinals by Houston Astros in 1974.

  • Boston Red Sox 3B Jim Tabor (Alabama hoops letterman in 1936-37) knocked in five runs against the New York Yankees in a 1941 game.

  • Philadelphia Phillies CF Cy Williams (Notre Dame forward in 1909-10) contributed three homers and seven RBI against the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1923 outing.

  • RF Dave Winfield (starting forward with Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972), citing a no-trade clause in his contract with the New York Yankees, refused to report to the Angels after being traded in 1990. Five days later, he accepted the deal.

  • RF Randy Winn (Santa Clara backcourtmate of eventual two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash in 1993-94) whacked a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning to give Tampa Bay a 6-4 victory over the Baltimore Orioles in 2002, snapping the Devil Rays' 15-game losing streak.

Breaking Up is Hard to Do: Joe Golding Latest Coach Departing Alma Mater

May 11th, 2021 - 7:44

We don't know if the song "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" was the background music when he made up his mind. But new Texas-El Paso mentor Joe Golding is the latest coach to make gut-wrenching decision to leave alma mater for a similar coaching position with another school or NBA franchise. Golding departed after 10 campaigns with Abilene Christian. Two years ago, Mick Cronin left following 13 seasons at Cincinnati - the same tenure Keith Dambrot had at Akron before abandoning ship for Duquesne. Following is an alphabetical list of active mentors who voluntarily left their Division I alma maters:

Active Coach Alma Mater (Coaching Years) Subsequent Job (Years)
Jamion Christian Mount St. Mary's '04 (2012-13 through 2017-18) Siena (since 2018-19)
Mick Cronin Cincinnati '96 (2006-07 through 2018-19) UCLA (since 2019-20)
Keith Dambrot Akron '82 (2004-05 through 2016-17) Duquesne (since 2017-18)
Ed DeChellis Penn State '82 (2003-04 through 2010-11) Navy (since 2011-12)
Bryce Drew Valparaiso '98 (2011-12 through 2015-16) Vanderbilt (2016-17 through 2018-19)
Joe Golding Abilene Christian '98 (2011-12 through 2020-21) Texas-El Paso (since 2021-22)
Mike Krzyzewski Army '69 (1975-76 through 1979-80) Duke (since 1980-81)
Chris Mack Xavier '92 (2009-10 through 2017-18) Louisville (since 2018-19)
Greg McDermott Northern Iowa '88 (2001-02 through 2005-06) Iowa State (2006-07 through 2009-10)
Nick McDevitt UNC Asheville '01 (2013-14 through 2017-18) Middle Tennessee State (since 2018-19)
Wayne Tinkle Montana '89 (2006-07 through 2013-14) Oregon State (since 2014-15)

NOTE: Christian (George Washington), Drew (Grand Canyon) and McDermott (Creighton) currently coach other colleges.

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in May 10 MLB Contests

May 10th, 2021 - 8:49

Extra! Extra! Amid excessive number of strikeouts, you have time to read news all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.

Two former hoopers from Minnesota small colleges - Rip Repulski (St. Cloud State) and Howie Schultz (Hamline) - made MLB news on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 10 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 10

  • Baltimore Orioles 2B Jerry Adair (one of Oklahoma State's top three basketball scorers in 1956-57 and 1957-58 under coach Hank Iba while ranking among nation's top 12 free-throw shooters each season) jacked two homers against the Minnesota Twins in a 1961 game.

  • Philadelphia Phillies RHP Ray Benge (multi-year hoops letterman for Sam Houston State first half of 1920s) tossed a five-hit shutout against the Cincinnati Reds in 1932.

  • Cleveland Indians RHP Jim Bibby (Fayetteville State NC backup player and brother of UCLA All-American Henry Bibby) hurled a 1-0 shutout against the Milwaukee Brewers in the opener of a 1977 doubleheader.

  • Cleveland Indians SS Lou Boudreau (leading scorer for Illinois' 1937 Big Ten Conference co-champion) banged out two hits in six straight games in 1942.

  • 1B Donn Clendenon (four-sport letterman with Morehouse GA) went hitless in his first 18 at-bats with the St. Louis Cardinals until stroking two safeties against the Houston Astros in 1972.

  • Philadelphia Athletics C Mickey Cochrane (five-sport athlete with Boston University) collected four hits against the St. Louis Browns in a 1928 contest.

  • St. Louis Cardinals RF Grant Dunlap (Pacific hoops letterman in 1942-43 and 1946-47) hammered a pinch-hit homer against the Cincinnati Reds in 1953. The circuit clout was Dunlap's lone MLB round-tripper.

  • Brooklyn Robins 2B Jake Flowers (member of 1923 "Flying Pentagon" championship squad for Washington College MD) contributed four hits against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 1930 outing.

  • 1B-OF Dick Gernert (hoops letterman with Temple in 1948-49 when he averaged 2.7 ppg) traded by the Detroit Tigers to the Cincinnati Reds in 1961.

  • The first MLB shutout supplied by Kansas City Athletics RHP Dick Hall (averaged 13.5 ppg from 1948-49 through 1950-51 with Swarthmore PA Southern Division champions in Middle Atlantic States Conference), 10-0 against the Baltimore Orioles, was one of three complete-game triumphs for him this month in 1960.

  • Utilityman Chuck Harmon (freshman starter was Toledo's second-leading scorer for 1943 NIT runner-up) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1957.

  • Cincinnati Reds LHP Bill Henry (hoops letterman for Houston's 1947 NAIA Tournament team featuring co-captain Guy Lewis) fanned three St. Louis Cardinals batters in one inning of relief in his seventh scoreless outing in first seven relief appearances of 1961.

  • Milwaukee Braves SS Johnny Logan (Binghamton hooper in 1948-49) went 4-for-4 with five RBI in a 10-5 win against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1957.

  • Boston Red Sox OF Rip Repulski (started several basketball games for St. Cloud State MN) ripped a grand slam against the Chicago White Sox in 1960.

  • 1B Howie Schultz (Hamline MN product played and coached professional basketball) purchased from the Brooklyn Dodgers by the Philadelphia Phillies for $50,000 in 1947.

  • Minnesota Twins 3B Jay Ward (McKendree IL hooper in 1956-57 before forgoing hoops to concentrate solely on pro baseball) accounted for both of game's tallies with a two-run double in 2-0 decision over the Kansas City Athletics in 1963.

  • 3B John Werhas (led Southern California in scoring average in 1958-59 and 1959-60) traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers to the California Angels for fellow USC product Len Gabrielson in 1967.

  • San Francisco Giants OF Randy Winn (Santa Clara backcourtmate of eventual two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash in 1993-94) collected four hits and scored four runs in a 7-5 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 2009 game. The next day, Winn chipped in with three hits and three runs against the Washington Nationals.

Men For All Seasons: Will Family Connection Help MEAC MVP Make NFL as TE?

May 10th, 2021 - 8:26

If you need more unassailable evidence proving who are the best team-sport athletes in the world, check out some of the premier tight ends in NFL history (past and present). Who will be the next former hardwood hero to become the a prominent hooper-turned-TE after stints learning their new craft? A striking number of the elite players at that rigorous position thus far this century have been former college basketball players. Could the next athlete in this category be 2019-20 MEAC Player of the Year Jibri Blount, who averaged 19.2 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 2.2 spg and 52.5 FG% as senior for North Carolina Central before son of Pittsburgh Steelers five-time Pro Bowl CB Mel Blount was signed as a free-agent tight end by the Miami Dolphins.

Decades ago, what kind of "picks" do you think imposing Mike Ditka (Pittsburgh) and John Mackey (Syracuse) set back in the day before the Big East Conference was formed? Wouldn't you love to see LeBron James maneuver down the field like Charles Atlas the same way he does when forcefully driving down the lane? It might be as entertaining as watching #TheDonald decide whether to have a New Jersey Generals (USFL) reunion or invite James and other NBA stars to Maralago for a social-engineering summit seeking scuttlebutt on all of their colleagues harassed by policemen.

There has been numerous Ivan Drago-like football specimens policing the gridiron after playing college hoops. Although ex-California hooper Tony Gonzalez failed to reach the 2013 postseason with the Atlanta Falcons in his quest to finally win a playoff game before retiring, succeeding in the NFL remains a "Battle of the Titans" at the TE position. Bursting on the scene at the same position was fellow ex-college hoopster Julius Thomas, the most sought-after free agent four years ago after originally being a relatively obscure player for the Denver Broncos until emerging as their runner-up in touchdowns with 12 and contributing a team-high eight pass receptions in an AFC title-game victory against the New England Patriots. Thomas, an All-Big Sky Conference hoopster with Portland State, flashed potential as the next game-changing tight end when he caught nine touchdown passes in the Broncos' first five games three seasons ago en route to signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars. A 74-yard TD strike to "It's So Easy" at San Diego in mid-season four years ago illustrated how QB Peyton Manning capitalized on Thomas' athleticism the same way he did ex-hooper Marcus Pollard (Bradley) with the Indianapolis Colts. Pollard, a J.C. transfer who was the Braves' leading rebounder in 1992-93, caught at least three touchdown passes each of Manning's first seven NFL seasons from 1998 through 2004.

Ditka, muzzled by ESPC for boasting sufficient fortitude to tackle mom-jeans POTUS, had a quality successor as an ex-hooper tight end with the Bears in Martellus Bennett (Texas A&M). Rather than fretting about #TheDonald nixing White House visit by Super Bowl LII champion (Philadelphia Eagles), consider the following list of Top 40 NFL/AFL tight ends who were former college basketball players:

Rank Former College Hooper Alma Mater Summary of NFL Tight End Career
1. Tony Gonzalez California First tight end in NFL history with 100 touchdowns completed his 17-year career in 2013 with 1,325 receptions for 15,127 yards and 111 TDs. He was 13-time Pro Bowl selection.
2. Antonio Gates Kent State Eastern Michigan transfer set an NFL single-season record with 13 TD receptions in 2004 en route to becoming San Diego Chargers' all-time leader for TD catches, receptions and receiving yards.
3. Mike Ditka Pittsburgh Five-time Pro Bowl selection caught 427 passes for 5,812 yards and 43 TDs in 12 seasons.
4. John Mackey Syracuse Hall of Famer caught 331 passes for 5,236 yards and 38 TDs in 10 seasons.
5. Jimmy Graham Miami (Fla.) Led New Orleans Saints in pass receptions in 2012 and 2013. Twice has had streaks of at least four games with more than 100 yards in pass receptions. After only four years, he ranked second all-time among New Orleans Saints' tight ends in receiving before five-time Pro Bowler transitioned to the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers.
6. Todd Heap Arizona State Caught 467 passes for 5,492 yards and 41 TDs with the Baltimore Ravens from 2001 through 2010, leading them in receptions in 2002 with 68.
7. Ben Coates Livingstone (N.C.) Established NFL single-season record for most receptions by a TE with 96 in 1994.
8. Marcus Pollard Bradley Finished his 13-year career with 349 receptions for 4,280 yards and 40 TDs (long of 86 yards in 2001 midway through stint as starter for the Indianapolis Colts).
9. Pete Metzelaars Wabash (Ind.) Played in more games at TE than any player in NFL history when he retired. Led the Buffalo Bills with 68 receptions in 1993.
10. Julius Thomas Portland State Began 2014 campaign with a bang by catching three first-half TD passes in season opener from Peyton Manning en route to nine TDs in first five games for the Denver Broncos. Thomas, Denver's runner-up with 12 TD receptions the previous year, went on to sign as a high-value free agent with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
11. Marcedes Lewis UCLA Led NFL TEs in average per catch in 2009 and 2010. Pro Bowl selection in 2010 campaign when posting career highs of 58 receptions, 700 receiving yards and 10 TDs.
12. Martellus Bennett Texas A&M Caught 433 passes for 4,573 yards and 30 TDs with four different teams in 10 years from 2008 through 2017.
13. Joe Senser West Chester State (Pa.) Caught 165 passes for 1,822 yards and 16 TDs in four-year career with the Minnesota Vikings in early 1980s.
14. Andrew Glover Grambling State Caught at least one TD pass each of his 10 pro seasons from 1991 through 2000, finishing with 208 receptions for 2,478 yards and 24 TDs.
15. Rich McGeorge Elon (N.C.) Caught 175 passes for 2,370 yards and 13 TDs with the Green Bay Packers in nine years from 1970 through 1978.
16. Rickey Dudley Ohio State Scored 29 TDs in five seasons with the Oakland Raiders before hooking on with two other teams.
17. Tom Mitchell Bucknell Caught 239 passes for 3,181 yards and 24 TDs with three different teams in 11 years from 1966 through 1977.
18. Derrick Ramsey Kentucky Caught 188 passes for 2,364 yards and 21 TDs with three different teams from 1978 to 1987.
19. Jordan Cameron BYU/Southern California Blossomed in third year with Cleveland Browns in 2013, catching 80 passes for 917 yards and seven TDs (three in game at Minnesota). He had three contests with at least nine receptions.
20. Jean Fugett Amherst (Mass.) Caught 156 passes for 2,270 yards and 28 TDs with the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins in eight years from 1972 through 1979.
21. Kevin Boss Western Oregon Caught 150 passes for 2,033 yards and 22 TDs with the New York Giants, Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs in six years from 2007 through 2012. His 45-yard pass reception sparked a fourth-quarter TD drive for the Giants in their 17-14 win against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.
22. Reuben Gant Oklahoma State Caught 127 passes for 1,850 yards and 15 TDs with the Buffalo Bills in seven seasons from 1974 through 1980.
23. Bob Windsor Kentucky Caught 185 passes for 2,307 yards and 14 TDs with the San Francisco 49ers and New England Patriots in nine years from 1967 through 1975.
24. Keith McKeller Jacksonville State (Ala.) Caught 124 passes for 1,464 yards and 11 TDs with the Buffalo Bills in seven years from 1987 through 1993.
25. Darren Fells UC Irvine Caught 123 passes for 1,483 yards and 21 TDs in his first seven seasons from 2014 through 2020.
26. Robert Royal Louisiana State Caught 128 passes for 1,271 yards and 14 TDs with three different teams from 2002 through 2010.
27. Jeff King Virginia Tech Registered 156 receptions for 1,323 yards and 12 TDs with the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals in seven years from 2006 through 2012.
28. Gene Prebola Boston University Caught 133 passes for 1,823 yards and six TDs with the Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos from 1960 through 1963.
29. Austin Seferian-Jenkins Washington Caught 116 passes for 1,160 yards and 11 TDs with three different teams from 2014 through 2018.
30. Greg Latta Morgan State (Md.) Caught 90 passes for 1,081 yards and seven TDs with the Chicago Bears in five years from 1975 through 1979.
31. Pat Richter Wisconsin Caught 99 passes for 1,315 yards and 14 TDs in nine seasons for the Washington Redskins after being their first-round pick in 1962.
32. Tom Rychlec American International MA Caught 87 passes for 1,089 yards and three TDs with three different NFL/AFL teams in late 1950s and early 1960s.
33. Al Dixon Iowa State Caught 84 passes for 1,248 yards and eight TDs with four different teams from 1977 through 1984.
34. Dee Mackey East Texas State Caught 94 passes for 1,352 yards and eight TDs in six NFL/AFL seasons from 1960 through 1965.
35. Mikhael Ricks Stephen F. Austin After switching from WR, he caught 64 passes for 773 yards and five TDs with the Detroit Lions in 2002 and 2003.
36. Ulysses Norris Georgia Best season of seven-year career was in 1983 when he had seven TDs with the Detroit Lions.
37. Ron Howard Seattle Caught 72 passes for 850 yards and two TDs with three different teams from 1974 through 1979. Appeared in Super Bowl X.
38. Oscar Roan Southern Methodist Caught 69 passes for 773 yards and nine TDs with the Cleveland Browns from 1975 through 1978.
39. Morris Stroud Jr. Clark Atlanta Believed to be the tallest TE (6-10) in NFL history, he caught 54 passes for 977 yards and seven TDs with the Kansas City Chiefs in five years from 1970 through 1974.
40. Jimmie Johnson Howard University Caught 61 passes for 723 yards and five TDs with four different teams from 1989 to 1998.

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in May 9 MLB Contests

May 9th, 2021 - 9:39

Extra! Extra! As season continues to unfold with more vaccinated traveling on Mother's Day, you can read news all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.

Former Louisiana State hoopers Joe Adcock and Alvin Dark delivered significant MLB performances on this date. Elsewhere in National League games, lefthanded ex-college cagers Danny Coombs (Seton Hall) and Eric Stults (Bethel IN) hurled shutouts on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 9 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 9

  • Milwaukee Braves 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) clobbered two homers against the Chicago Cubs in a 1961 game.

  • In his final game with the California Angels, DH Bruce Bochte (starting forward for Santa Clara's NCAA playoff team in 1969-70) collected four hits in a 5-3 win against the Kansas City Royals in 1977.

  • New York Giants 2B Andy Cohen (Alabama hoops letterman in 1924 and 1925) cracked a leadoff homer but they wound up losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates, 3-2, in 1929.

  • Houston Astros LHP Danny Coombs (Seton Hall's third-leading scorer and rebounder as sophomore in 1961-62) tossed his lone MLB shutout (two-hitter against Montreal Expos in 1970).

  • New York Giants SS Alvin Dark (hoops letterman for LSU and USL in mid-1940s) amassed four hits and four RBI for the second time in a four-game span in 1951.

  • St. Louis Cardinals CF Taylor Douthit (California hoops letterman from 1922 through 1924) stroked four hits against the Boston Braves in a 1930 contest.

  • Hall of Fame C Rick Ferrell (Guilford NC hooper in mid-1920s) traded by the St. Louis Browns to the Boston Red Sox in 1933.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates 3B Lee Handley (Bradley hoops letterman from 1932-33 through 1934-35) banged out four hits against the Boston Braves in a 1938 outing.

  • Cleveland Indians 1B Mike Hargrove (Northwestern Oklahoma State hoops letterman) supplied five RBI against the Oakland Athletics in a 1982 game.

  • Atlanta Braves RF David Justice (Thomas More KY assists leader in 1984-85 while averaging 9.3 ppg) collected two homers and five RBI against the Colorado Rockies in a 1993 contest.

  • St. Louis Cardinals CF Lynn King (All-Missouri Valley Conference second-team hoops selection with Drake from 1928-29 through 1930-31) collected a career-high three hits against the Chicago Cubs in 1936.

  • OF Wally Moon (averaged 4.3 ppg with Texas A&M in 1948-49 and 1949-50) reached base in his first six pinch-hit appearances for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1965.

  • C Cal Neeman (Illinois Wesleyan's leading scorer in 1947-48 and 1948-49) purchased from the Philadelphia Phillies by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1962.

  • Washington Senators RF Carl Reynolds (Southwestern TX hoops MVP and captain in mid-1920s) registered multiple safeties in his sixth successive contest and 11th time in 13-game span in 1932.

  • INF-OF Mel Roach (averaged 9.3 ppg in 1952-53 in Virginia's final season prior to helping form ACC) traded by the Milwaukee Braves to the Chicago Cubs for OF-INF Frank Thomas in 1961.

  • New York Giants RF Dave Robertson (one of two reserves on North Carolina State's first basketball team in 1911) delivered four hits and scored three runs in 1916 game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

  • In his first game outside of New York City, Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) collected two hits and scored two runs in a 6-5 loss at Philadelphia in 1947.

  • RHP Sonny Siebert (team-high 16.7 ppg for Missouri in 1957-58 as All-Big Eight Conference second-team selection) homered for the Cleveland Indians in the nightcap of a 1965 doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox.

  • Los Angeles Dodgers LHP Eric Stults (hooper for 1999 NAIA D-II Tournament runner-up and 2000 NCCAA Tournament titlist with Bethel IN) fired a four-hit shutout against the San Francisco Giants in 2009.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates RHP Kent Tekulve (freshman hooper for Marietta OH in mid-1960s) won for the fourth time in first five relief appearances of the month in 1980.

  • New York Yankees CF Dave Winfield (starting forward for Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) delivered three extra-base hits against the Cleveland Indians in a 1984 game.

  • Washington Senators 3B Eddie Yost (NYU freshman hooper in 1943-44 under coach Howard Cann) provided multiple hits in his fifth consecutive contest in 1950. Seven years later, he went 4-for-4 in a 1957 game against the Detroit Tigers.

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in May 8 MLB Contests

May 8th, 2021 - 7:37

Extra! Extra! As "no-hit" season unfolds sans Albert Pujols, you can read news all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.

Former Duke basketball All-Americans Dick Groat and Billy Werber supplied significant performances as MLB infielders on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 8 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 8

  • Jerry Adair (one of Oklahoma State's three leading basketball scorers in 1956-57 and 1957-58 under coach Hank Iba while ranking among the nation's top 12 free-throw shooters each season) committed an eighth-inning miscue for the Baltimore Orioles against the Detroit Tigers in 1965, ending his MLB-record streaks for consecutive errorless games by a 2B (89) and consecutive chances handled without an error (458).

  • San Diego Padres RHP Mike Adams (Texas A&M-Kingsville hooper in 1996-97) notched his fourth hold in nine days but was scored upon for the first time in last 16 relief appearances in 2011.

  • Philadelphia Phillies CF Ethan Allen (Cincinnati hoops letterman in 1924-25 and 1925-26) supplied five RBI in a 13-6 triumph against the Chicago Cubs in 1934.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers C Ferrell Anderson (Kansas hoops letterman in 1936-37 and 1937-38) furnished four hits in an 8-5 win against the Cincinnati Reds in 1946.

  • Washington Senators 1B Zeke Bonura (best basketball forward for Loyola LA in late 1920s and early 1930s) banged out three hits for third time in four-game span in 1938.

  • LF Bob Cerv (ranked fourth on Nebraska's career scoring list in 1949-50 at conclusion of career) acquired from the Los Angeles Angels by the New York Yankees in 1961 for his third tour of duty in pinstripes.

  • Philadelphia Athletics C Mickey Cochrane (five-sport athlete with Boston University) collected three doubles against the Cleveland Indians in a 1932 game.

  • Cincinnati Reds 1B George Crowe (four-year letterman from 1939-40 through 1942-43 for Indiana Central after becoming first high school player named state's Mr. Basketball) clobbered two homers in a 7-6 victory against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1957.

  • In 1948, Cleveland Indians RF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA titlist) whacked the longest home run at Washington's Griffith Stadium since Babe Ruth in 1922.

  • St. Louis Cardinals CF Taylor Douthit (California hoops letterman from 1922 through 1924) contributed four hits against the Boston Braves in the first of six straight outings with multiple safeties in 1929.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates SS Dick Groat (two-time All-American with Duke in 1950-51 and 1951-52 when finishing among nation's top five scorers each season) provided three hits in each game of a 1955 doubleheader split against the New York Giants.

  • After dismal debut in 1976, California Angels rookie RHP Paul Hartzell (averaged 5.9 ppg and 3.4 rpg for Lehigh in 1972-73) yielded only one earned run in seven-game span covering 23 1/3 innings.

  • Philadelphia Phillies 1B Harvey Hendrick (Vanderbilt hoops letterman in 1918) went 4-for-4 against the Chicago Cubs in a 1934 contest.

  • RHP Jay Hook (Northwestern's third-leading scorer with 10.7 ppg as a sophomore in 1955-56) traded by the New York Mets to the Milwaukee Braves in 1964.

  • Atlanta Braves 2B Davey Johnson (averaged 1.7 ppg for Texas A&M in 1961-62) delivered two homers and five RBI against the New York Mets in a 1973 outing.

  • LF "Sweet" Lou Johnson (Kentucky State hoops teammate of legendary HBCU coach Davey Whitney averaged 5.7 ppg and 2 rpg in 1951-52) traded by the Milwaukee Braves with cash to the Detroit Tigers in 1963.

  • Chicago White Sox RHP Bob Keegan (Bucknell hoops letterman in 1941-42 and 1942-43) yielded three homers to Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame OF Ted Williams in a 4-1 defeat in 1957.

  • Detroit Tigers SS Harvey Kuenn (played briefly for Wisconsin in 1951-52 after competing on JV hoops squad previous season) registered his second four-hit outing in a six-game span in 1956.

  • Chicago Cubs 3B Vance Law (averaged 6.8 ppg for Brigham Young from 1974-75 through 1976-77) went 3-for-3 with six RBI against the San Francisco Giants in a 1988 game.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates SS Johnny Logan (Binghamton hooper in 1948-49) hit safely as a pinch-hitter for the third straight time in 1963.

  • Chicago Cubs CF Jerry Martin (1971 Southern Conference MVP after he was Furman's runner-up in scoring previous season) stroked four hits against the Cincinnati Reds in a 1979 contest.

  • Baltimore Orioles RHP Ben McDonald (started six times as freshman forward for Louisiana State in 1986-87 under coach Dale Brown) won his first seven starts in 1994.

  • Philadelphia Phillies RF Bill Nicholson (Washington College MD hoops guard for two years in mid-1930s) provided five RBI against the Cincinnati Reds in the nightcap of a 1949 twinbill.

  • Boston Red Sox 2B Marv Olson (All-Iowa Conference hoops selection in 1929-30 with Luther IA) manufactured four hits in a 7-5 win against the St. Louis Browns in 1932.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers C-OF Don Padgett (freshman in 1934 excelled in multiple sports for Lenoir-Rhyne NC) smacked a decisive three-run pinch homer in an 8-5 triumph against the Cincinnati Reds in 1946.

  • Philadelphia Athletics 3B Billy Werber (first Duke hoops All-American in 1929-30) supplied five RBI in a 7-6 victory against the Detroit Tigers in 1938.

  • New York Giants rookie 1B Babe Young (Fordham hoops letterman in 1935-36) collected four hits and four RBI against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 1940 game.

How Will Garrett Be Gauged as MLB Hurler Following College Hoops Career?

May 8th, 2021 - 7:31

Boom or bust? How will history determine the impact of lefthander Amir Garrett on the Cincinnati Reds? The former St. John's hooper excelled in his first three starts four years ago with 1.83 ERA before struggling mightily majority of next nine starts, leaving him with an ERA of 7.41 two months later in mid-June. Three seasons ago as a reliever, Garrett got off to a grand beginning again, notching a 1.35 ERA through his first 21 appearances prior to coming back to Earth. Ditto two campaigns ago, compiling a 1.33 ERA through 25 stints following fanning the side against the Milwaukee Brewers in late May. But Garrett is struggling this season with ERA in excess of 10 when suspended for seven games as a result of inciting an adolescent incident with the Chicago Cubs.

Sandy Koufax, perhaps the finest lefty in MLB history, was a freshman basketball player with the University of Cincinnati in 1953-54 prior to walking 12 opponents in first four relief appearances covering 9 2/3 innings for Brooklyn Dodgers in 1955. The greatest beginning of a MLB pitching career by an ex-college hooper was assembled by Mississippi State's David "Boo" Ferriss, who hurled 22 scoreless innings and won his his first eight starts with the Boston Red Sox in 1945.

Following is a comprehensive summary of early rookie performances by other MLB pitchers who played varsity basketball for a school presently or formerly at the NCAA Division I level:

College Hooper Current/Former DI School Summary of Early MLB Pitching Career
Mark Acre New Mexico State held foes scoreless in first five games as Athletics reliever in 1994 and yielded only one ER in first 10 appearances (0.82 ERA)
Elden Auker Kansas State 8.07 ERA through first 10 games (including four starts) with Tigers in 1933
Curt Barclay Oregon 5.01 ERA in first three starts with New York Giants in 1957
Mike Barlow Syracuse allowed four earned runs covering three innings in his first two relief appearances with St. Louis Cardinals in 1975
Stan Baumgartner University of Chicago 4.82 ERA in first nine games with Philadelphia Phillies in 1914
Jim Beattie Dartmouth 4.70 ERA in first five starts with New York Yankees in 1978
Carl Bouldin Cincinnati 15.43 ERA in first six games with Washington Senators in 1961 and 1962
Ralph Branca NYU 8.41 ERA in first nine games with Brooklyn Dodgers in 1944
Ownie Carroll Holy Cross 0-2 mark in first three starts with Tigers in 1925, allowing 19 runs in 17 innings
Marty Clary Northwestern 6.14 ERA in seven games after September call-up by Atlanta Braves in 1987
Vince Colbert East Carolina 10.02 ERA in first 16 relief appearances with Cleveland Indians in 1970
Gene Conley Washington State lost first two starts with Boston Braves, surrendering 10 earned runs in 7 1/3 innings in 1952
Danny Coombs Seton Hall 8.74 ERA in first six games with Houston Colt .45's in 1963 and 1964
Bill Crouch Eastern Michigan won all four verdicts in September and compiled 2.58 ERA in six games with Brooklyn Dodgers in 1939
Dave "Boo" Ferriss Mississippi State won first eight decisions, including four shutouts, while manufacturing microscopic 0.74 ERA with Boston Red Sox in 1945
Dave Frost Stanford 2.68 ERA in 15 games with Chicago White Sox and California Angels in 1977 and 1978
Rich Gale New Hampshire won 13 of first 16 decisions while compiling 2.59 ERA in first 21 starts with Kansas City Royals in 1978
Johnny Gee Michigan lost four of five decisions while posting 4.67 ERA in first six outings with Pittsburgh Pirates in 1939 and 1941
Joe Gibbon Mississippi won first two relief appearances with Pirates covering five innings in 1960
Bob Gibson Creighton yielded HR to first batter he faced in 1959 en route to allowing five hits and three earned runs in 2 1/3 innings in first two relief appearances with St. Louis Cardinals
Dave Giusti Syracuse lost first three starts and compiled 7.49 ERA in first eight games with Houston Colt .45's in 1962
Dallas Green Delaware 5.45 ERA in first five starts with Phillies, allowing 35 hits and 18 walks in 34 2/3 innings
Paul Gregory Mississippi State unscored upon in first four relief appearances covering 6 1/3 innings with Chicago White Sox in 1932
Ed Halicki Monmouth (N.J.) lost eight of nine decisions as San Francisco Giants rookie in 1974
Steve Hamilton Morehead State 2.94 ERA in first 15 games covering 33 2/3 innings with Cleveland Indians and Washington Senators in 1961 and 1962
Atlee Hammaker East Tennessee State 5.68 ERA in first nine games with Kansas City Royals in 1981
Paul Hartzell Lehigh after dismal debut with California Angels in early 1976, yielded only one earned run in seven-game span covering 23 1/3 innings
Jim Hearn Georgia Tech lowered ERA to 2.44 after hurling first MLB shutout in 16th appearance with St. Louis Cardinals in 1947
Mark Hendrickson Washington State 5.91 ERA in 12 relief appearances with Toronto Blue Jays in 2002 before lowering mark to 2.45 at season's end by winning three of four September starts
Bill Henry Houston won first four starts with Boston Red Sox in 1952, hurling complete games in last three of said assignments
Oral Hildebrand Butler 8.38 ERA covering 9 2/3 innings in first three relief appearances with Cleveland Indians in September 1931
Jay Hook Northwestern 6.23 ERA covering 13 innings with Cincinnati Reds in 1957 and 1958
Walt Huntzinger Penn 5.13 ERA covering 40 1/3 innings with New York Giants in 1923 and 1924
Andy Karl Manhattan 1.37 ERA in first eight relief appearances with Boston Red Sox in 1943
Bob Keegan Bucknell 6.59 ERA in first seven games with Chicago White Sox in 1953
Jim Konstanty Syracuse 2.17 ERA in first 10 games, including seven starts, with Cincinnati Reds in 1944
Bill Krueger Portland 2.54 ERA in first seven starts with Oakland Athletics in 1983
Ted Lyons Baylor eventual Hall of Famer posted 10.12 ERA in first five games as Chicago White Sox reliever in 1923
Dave Madison Louisiana State yielded two earned runs in three innings in debut with New York Yankees in 1950 before going scoreless in first eight relief appearances covering 14 innings with St. Louis Browns in 1952
Bill McCahan Duke 1.23 ERA in first five games with Philadelphia Athletics in 1946 and 1947
Ben McDonald Louisiana State won first six decisions while notching 2.52 ERA in first 17 games covering 53 2/3 innings with Baltimore Orioles in 1989 and 1990
Jim Mooney East Tennessee State won first six decisions while posting 1.13 ERA in first eight games, including five complete games, with New York Giants in 1931
Roy Parmelee Eastern Michigan 9.32 ERA in 13 games with New York Giants in 1929 and 1930
Dennis Rasmussen Creighton 1.27 ERA in first five games covering 21 2/3 innings with San Diego Padres and New York Yankees in 1983 and 1984
Ron Reed Notre Dame won first six starts in initial full season with Atlanta Braves in 1968
Paul Reuschel Western Illinois 2.22 ERA in first 20 relief appearances with Chicago Cubs in 1975
Denny Riddleberger Old Dominion 0.82 ERA in first 10 relief appearances covering 11 innings with Washington Senators in 1970 and 1971
Eppa Rixey Virginia eventual Hall of Famer registered 2.50 ERA in 23 games (including 20 starts) with Philadelphia Phillies in 1912
Robin Roberts Michigan State eventual Hall of Famer registered 2.50 ERA in first 15 starts with Philadelphia Phillies in 1948
Garry Roggenburk Dayton 1.44 ERA in 34 relief appearances with Minnesota Twins in 1963 (also lost two starts)
Marius Russo NYU won last eight starts of rookie season while compiling 2.41 ERA in 21 games covering 116 innings with New York Yankees in 1939
Don Schwall Oklahoma All-Star as rookie posted 1.31 ERA in winning first five starts with Boston Red Sox in 1961
Rollie Sheldon Connecticut 2.28 ERA in first 18 games upon winning six straight decisions after firing back-to-back shutouts with New York Yankees in 1961
Sonny Siebert Missouri 5.67 ERA in first 12 games with Cleveland Indians in 1964
Lee Smith Northwestern State 1.26 ERA in first 12 relief appearances with Chicago Cubs in 1980
Mike Smithson Tennessee 5.01 ERA in eight starts as Texas Rangers rookie in 1982
Dave Stenhouse Rhode Island All-Star as Senators rookie compiled 0.88 ERA in seven games after winning first three starts in 1962
Tim Stoddard North Carolina State 8.78 ERA in first eight relief appearances with Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles in 1975 and 1978
George Stone Louisiana Tech 2.85 ERA in first 11 games covering 41 innings with Atlanta Braves in 1967 and 1968
Darrell Sutherland Southern California 9.15 ERA in first eight games covering 20 2/3 innings with New York Mets in 1964
Cecil Upshaw Centenary 1.95 ERA covering 37 1/3 innings in first 24 relief appearances with Atlanta Braves in 1966 and 1967
Jim Wilson San Diego State 2.08 ERA in first six games covering 30 1/3 innings with Boston Red Sox in 1945
Chris Young Princeton 5.85 ERA in first four starts with Texas Rangers in 2004

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in May 7 MLB Contests

May 7th, 2021 - 7:52

Extra! Extra! As season shifts into high gear, you can read news all about memorable major league baseball achievements, moments and transactions involving former college basketball players. Numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games and dates in MLB history.

Two former Michigan small-college hoopers - Freddy Spurgeon (Kalamazoo) and Matt Thornton (Grand Valley State) - manufactured significant MLB performances on this date, joining ex-University of Michigan hooper Leon Roberts. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 7 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 7

  • Baltimore Orioles DH Al Bumbry (Virginia State's runner-up in basketball scoring with 16.7 ppg as freshman in 1964-65) provided four hits for the second time in a four-game span in 1975.

  • Minnesota Twins 3B John Castino (medical redshirt for Rollins FL in 1973-74 under coach Ed Jucker) hit safely in all eight games of his final MLB season in 1984 before retiring because of chronic spine issues.

  • INF-OF Harvey Hendrick (Vanderbilt hoops letterman in 1918) traded by the Brooklyn Robins to the Cincinnati Reds in 1931.

  • Boston Red Sox LHP Bill Henry (hoops letterman for Houston's 1947 NAIA Tournament team featuring co-captain Guy Lewis) won his first four MLB starts, hurling complete games in last three of outings. Henry hit safely in all four contests.

  • LF David Justice (Thomas More KY assists leader in 1984-85 while averaging 9.3 ppg) jacked two homers while going 4-for-4 to help the Cleveland Indians erase a 9-1 deficit and defeat the Tampa Devil Rays, 20-11, in 1999. The next year, Justice provided three extra-base hits and five RBI against the Toronto Blue Jays in a 2000 contest.

  • In 1946, Philadelphia Athletics 1B Bruce Konopka (Southern California hoops letterman in 1940-41) collected his third extra-base pinch-hit the first week of the month.

  • Detroit Tigers SS Harvey Kuenn (played briefly for Wisconsin in 1951-52 after competing on JV hoops squad previous season) contributed four hits against the Chicago White Sox in a 1955 outing.

  • Boston Braves LF Les Mann (Springfield MA hooper in 1913 and 1914) notched multiple-hit games in his first five outings of the month in 1920.

  • 1B Ed Morgan (Tulane hoops letterman from 1923-24 through 1925-26) hit safely in first 14 starts of the 1934 campaign with the Boston Red Sox before he was blanked by the Detroit Tigers.

  • New York Giants RF Red Murray (played hoops for Lock Haven PA in early 1900s) banged out four hits in a 1910 game against the Philadelphia Phillies.

  • RHP Jack Ogden (Swarthmore PA hooper in 1918) traded by the Cincinnati Reds with Leo Durocher to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1933.

  • Seattle Mariners RF Leon Roberts (grabbed one rebound in four basketball games for Michigan in 1970-71 under coach Johnny Orr) collected six RBI in 9-7 win against the Toronto Blue Jays in 1978. The next year, Roberts contributed three extra-base hits in a 12-4 victory against the New York Yankees in 1979.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers 2B Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) amassed multiple-hit outings in 13 of first 19 games in 1951.

  • RHP Hal Schumacher (St. Lawrence NY hooper) combined with New York Giants teammate Carl Hubbell to toss back-to-back shutouts in a 1932 doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds.

  • Cleveland Indians rookie 3B Freddy Spurgeon (Kalamazoo MI hooper in 1921-22) went 4-for-4 against the Chicago White Sox in a 1925 game.

  • Chicago White Sox LHP Matt Thornton (averaged 5.8 ppg and 2.4 rpg for Grand Valley State MI from 1995-96 through 1997-98) fanned five Toronto Blue Jays in two innings as he went unscored upon in 10 relief appearances during the month in 2010.

  • 1B-OF Preston Ward (second-leading hoops scorer for Southwest Missouri State in 1946-47 and 1948-49) tripled after three teammates walked to spur the Brooklyn Dodgers to a 9-5 victory at Chicago in 1948.

  • New York Giants 1B Bill White (two-year hooper with Hiram OH in early 1950s) homered in his first MLB at-bat in 1956 (against St. Louis Cardinals).

Paying Their Dues: Lloyd, Oliver and Wulbrun Were Long-Time Assistants

May 7th, 2021 - 7:23

Has there ever been an individual spend as long a time as an assistant (32 years) as Brian Dutcher before moving over a chair and becoming San Diego State's head coach several years ago? Exercising patience to the max as world became full of masked Michael Jackson impersonators, three new bench bosses (Tommy Lloyd, Desmond Oliver and Jeff Wulbrun) joined the following list of 10 active mentors toiling more than 20 seasons as a college aide:

Active Head Coach (Years as Aide) Current School 20-Season-Plus Background as Assistant Coach
Brian Dutcher (32) San Diego State Illinois in 1983-84 and 1984-85, South Dakota State in 1986-87 and 1987-88, Michigan from 1989-90 through 1997-98 and San Diego State from 1999-00 through 2016-17.
Desmond Oliver (27) East Tennessee State Niagara from 1994-95 through 1996-97, Texas A&M in 1997-98, Cornell in 1998-99 and 1999-00, St. Bonaventure in 2000-01, Rhode Island from 2001-02 through 2003-04, Georgia from 2004-05 through 2008-09, Canisius in 2009-10, Charlotte from 2010-11 through 2014-15 and Tennessee from 2015-16 through 2020-21
Matt Figger (24) Texas-Rio Grande Valley Wabash Valley Junior College (Ill.) in 1993-94, Vincennes College (Ind.) from 1994-95 through 1998-99, Odessa College (Tex.) from 1999-00 through 2001-02, South Alabama from 2002-03 through 2006-07, Kansas State from 2007-08 through 2011-12 and South Carolina from 2012-13 through 2016-17.
Greg Gard (23) Wisconsin Wisconsin-Platteville from 1993-94 through 1998-99, Milwaukee in 1999-00 and 2000-01 and Wisconsin from 2001-02 to 2015-16.
Glenn Braica (22) St. Francis (N.Y.) New York City Tech in 1988-89, St. Francis (N.Y.) from 1989-90 through 2003-04 and St. John's from 2004-05 through 2009-10.
Ron Sanchez (22) Charlotte SUNY Oneonta from 1996-97 through 1998-99, SUNY Delhi in 1999-00 and 2000-01, Indiana in 2001-02 and 2002-03, Washington State from 2003-04 through 2008-09 and Virginia from 2009-10 through 2017-18.
Jeff Boals (21) Ohio University Ohio University in 1995-96, Charleston (W. Va.) from 1996-97 through 1998-99, Marshall from 1999-00 through 2002-03, back at Charleston (W. Va.) in 2003-04, Robert Morris in 2004-05 and 2005-06, Akron from 2006-07 through 2008-09 and Ohio State from 2009-10 through 2015-16.
Mike Hopkins (21) Washington Syracuse from 1996-97 through 2016-17.
Tommy Lloyd (21) Arizona Gonzaga from 2000-01 through 2020-21
Jeff Wulbrun (21) Denver California from 1986-87 through 1992-93, Illinois State from 1993-94 through 1996-97, Virginia Tech in 2011-12, UAB from 2012-13 through 2015-16 and Stanford from 2016-17 through 2020-21

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in May 6 MLB Contests

May 6th, 2021 - 8:30

Extra! Extra! As season shifts into high gear, you can read news all about memorable major league baseball achievements, moments and transactions involving former college basketball players. Numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games and dates in MLB history.

Former college hoopers Mike Hargrove (Northwestern Oklahoma State) and Graig Nettles (San Diego State) each delivered three doubles as lefthanded hitters for the Cleveland Indians in a MLB game on this date. Ex-NYU hoopers Hank Greenberg and Eddie Yost provided outstanding offensive outputs in the American League on this date. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 6 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 6

  • Hall of Fame C Mickey Cochrane (Boston University basketball player in early 1920s) clobbered his first MLB homer with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1925.

  • Los Angeles Dodgers LHP Al Downing (attended Muhlenberg PA on hoops scholarship but left before ever playing) tossed a two-hit shutout against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1973.

  • Boston Red Sox rookie RHP Boo Ferriss (Mississippi State hoops letterman in 1941) hurled his second straight shutout in 1945, whitewashing the New York Yankees, 5-0.

  • New York Giants 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) furnished four hits against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 1924 game.

  • RF Jim Gleeson (NAIA Hall of Famer was all-league hoops pick for Rockhurst MO in early 1930s) traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1942.

  • Detroit Tigers LF Hank Greenberg (enrolled at NYU on hoop scholarship in 1929 but attended college only one semester) contributed three extra-base hits in a 6-4 victory against the New York Yankees in 1940.

  • Cleveland Indians 1B Mike Hargrove (Northwestern Oklahoma State hoops letterman) collected three doubles against the Chicago White Sox in a 1983 outing.

  • Milwaukee Braves SS Johnny Logan (Binghamton hooper in 1948-49) supplied at least three hits for the third consecutive contest in 1959.

  • In 1968, San Francisco Giants RHP Lindy McDaniel (Oklahoma's 1954-55 freshman squad) established a N.L. record with his 225th consecutive errorless game.

  • New York Yankees LF Bud Metheny (William & Mary hoops letterman from 1935-36 through 1937-38) stroked four hits in a 4-3 win against the Boston Red Sox in 1944.

  • In 1967, 1B Cotton Nash (three-time All-American averaged 22.7 ppg and 12.3 rpg for Kentucky from 1961-62 through 1963-64) traded by the California Angels with cash to the Chicago White Sox for 1B Bill "Moose" Skowron (scored 18 points in eight games for Purdue in 1949-50).

  • Cleveland Indians 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) stroked three doubles against the Chicago White Sox in a 1972 game.

  • A two-out, seventh-inning single by CF Jim Northrup (second-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder for Alma MI in 1958-59) was the Detroit Tigers' lone safety when they were blanked, 4-0, by Dave Leonard of the Baltimore Orioles in 1968.

  • Chicago White Sox rookie LHP Gary Peters (Grove City PA hooper in mid-1950s) won his first MLB start in 1963, limiting the Kansas City Athletics to four hits and one run over eight innings.

  • Oakland Athletics 3B Tony Phillips (New Mexico Military juco hooper in 1977-78 as teammate of eventual Drake All-American Lewis Lloyd) banged out four hits, scored three runs and chipped in with three RBI in a 1986 game against the Toronto Blue Jays.

  • LF Rip Repulski (started handful of hoops games for St. Cloud State MN) traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Boston Red Sox in 1960.

  • Los Angeles Angels RHP Jack Spring (freshman hooper for Washington State in 1951-52) hurled 4 2/3 innings of hitless relief in posting victory against the Baltimore Orioles in 1962.

  • Cincinnati Reds 1B Champ Summers (led SIUE in scoring in 1969-70 after doing same with Nicholls State in 1964-65) went 4-for-4 and chipped in with five RBI against the Houston Astros in the opener of a 1979 doubleheader.

  • Boston Red Sox C Birdie Tebbetts (Providence hooper in 1932) blasted two homers against the Chicago White Sox in a 1950 game.

  • Cleveland Indians 1B Jim Thome (played junior-college hoops for Illinois Central in 1988-89) provided three extra-base hits (two doubles/one homer) and five RBI in a 1998 game against the Baltimore Orioles. Five years later with the Philadelphia Phillies, he hammered a pair of round-trippers in 2003 game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

  • Philadelphia Phillies CF Cy Williams (Notre Dame forward in 1909-10) homered twice in a 5-4 win against the New York Giants in 1924.

  • Washington Senators 3B Eddie Yost (NYU freshman hooper in 1943-44 under coach Howard Cann) knocked in four runs in opener of a 1951 twinbill against the Cleveland Indians, igniting a career-long 16-game hitting streak.

Humble Backgrounds: Small-College Grads Coaching Power-League Members

May 6th, 2021 - 8:20

In a caste-like era separating the haves from the have-nots, imperial universities are seeking mega-conferences and, perhaps in the near future, a restrictive upper division. But the socially elite won't ever be able to exclude small schools from making a big impact among power-conference members, including two mentors in Pac-12 from Eastern New Mexico.

Smaller colleges, many of them in the hinterlands, have supplied a striking number of the biggest names in coaching. From 1995 through 2000, five of the six NCAA Tournament championship coaches (Jim Calhoun, Jim Harrick, Tom Izzo, Lute Olson and Tubby Smith) graduated from obscure colleges with smaller enrollments. In fact, it is a rarity for a Final Four not to feature at least one coach who graduated from a non-NCAA Division I school.

John Calipari, a graduate of Clarion (Pa.) State, guided Kentucky to the 2012 national championship before Michigan's John Beilein (Wheeling Jesuit NY) and Wichita State's Gregg Marshall (Randolph-Macon VA) directed teams to the Final Four the second half of the previous decade. After six such bench bosses were hired since the conclusion of last campaign, following is an alphabetical list of fraternity of active power-league mentors working their way up the ladder after graduating from a small school:

Current Head Coach Power-League Member Small-College Alma Mater
Dana Altman Oregon Eastern New Mexico '80
Rick Barnes Tennessee Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) '76
Brad Brownell Clemson DePauw (Ind.) '91
John Calipari Kentucky Clarion (Pa.) State '82
Ed Cooley Providence Stonehill (Mass.) '94
Andy Enfield Southern California Johns Hopkins (Md.) '91
Steve Forbes Wake Forest Southern Arkansas '88
Mark Fox California Eastern New Mexico '91
Greg Gard Wisconsin Wisconsin-Platteville '95
Earl Grant Boston College Georgia College '00
Leonard Hamilton Florida State Tennessee-Martin '71
Chris Holtmann Ohio State Taylor (Ind.) '94
Tom Izzo Michigan State Northern Michigan '77
Kevin Keatts North Carolina State Ferrum (Va.) '95
Tommy Lloyd Arizona Whitman College (Wash.) '98
Nate Oats Alabama Maranatha Baptist (Wis.) '97
T.J. Otzelberger Iowa State Wisconsin-Whitewater '01
Micah Shrewsberry Penn State Hanover College (Ind.) '99
Shaka Smart Marquette Kenyon (Ohio) '99
Craig Smith Utah North Dakota '96
Kyle Smith Washington State Hamilton (N.Y.) College '92
Tony Stubblefield DePaul Nebraska-Omaha '93
Brent "Buzz" Williams Texas A&M Oklahoma City '94
Mike Young Virginia Tech Emory & Henry (Va.) '86

NOTE: Nebraska-Omaha, North Dakota and Tennessee-Martin subsequently were classified as NCAA DI universities. OCU previously was designated as a major college.

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in May 5 MLB Contests

May 5th, 2021 - 7:43

Extra! Extra! As season shifts into high gear, you have time to read news all about memorable major league baseball achievements, moments and transactions involving former college basketball players. Numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games and dates in MLB history.

Former college hoopers Joe Adcock (Louisiana State), Zeke Bonura (Loyola LA), Gil Hodges (St. Joseph's IN/Oakland City IN) and Bill White (Hiram OH) each hit two homers as a MLB first baseman on this date. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 5 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 5

  • Los Angeles Angels 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) launched two homers against the Kansas City Royals in a 1964 game.

  • San Diego Padres RHP Steve Arlin (played two basketball games for Ohio State in 1964-65 under coach Fred Taylor) tossed his second of back-to-back shutouts in 1972.

  • Chicago White Sox SS Bosey Berger (Maryland's first hoops All-American led Southern Conference in scoring in league competition in 1930-31) banged out four hits against the Philadelphia Athletics in a 1938 contest.

  • Seattle Mariners 1B Bruce Bochte (starting forward for Santa Clara's NCAA playoff team in 1969-70) contributed four hits against the Boston Red Sox in a 1979 outing.

  • Chicago White Sox 1B Zeke Bonura (best basketball forward for Loyola LA in late 1920s and early 1930s) whacked two homers in an 8-5 setback against the Philadelphia Athletics in 1936.

  • In 1943, New York Giants LF Vic Bradford (Alabama hoops letterman in 1937) supplied his lone MLB hit with a single against the Boston Braves.

  • 2B Marv Breeding (Samford hooper in mid-1950s) traded by the Atlanta Braves to the San Francisco Giants in 1966.

  • Boston Braves SS Dick Culler (#9 jersey retired by High Point for hoops Little All-American in 1935 and 1936) went 5-for-6 in a 1945 doubleheader against the New York Giants.

  • New York Giants SS Alvin Dark (hoops letterman for LSU and USL in mid-1940s) went 4-for-4 and chipped in with four RBI in a 1951 game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

  • After two shaky starts in 1951, Pittsburgh Pirates RHP Con Dempsey (played hoops for San Francisco during Golden Age of athletics on Hilltop) tossed two shutout innings of relief against the New York Giants in his third and final MLB appearance.

  • RHP George Earnshaw (Swarthmore PA hooper in 1922) ignited a 17-game winning streak for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1931 with a 4-1 triumph over the Boston Red Sox.

  • St. Louis Browns C Rick Ferrell (played forward for Guilford NC before graduating in 1928) furnished four hits for the second time in a three-game span in 1931.

  • Oakland Athletics 3B Wayne Gross (led Cal Poly Pomona in assists in 1974-75) went 4-for-4, including three extra-base hits, in a 6-2 win against the Detroit Tigers in 1981.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (hooper for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) homered twice against the Cincinnati Reds in a 1951 contest.

  • Atlanta Braves RF David Justice (led Thomas More KY in assists in 1984-85 while averaging 9.3 ppg) smacked two homers against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 1996 game.

  • St. Louis Browns LHP Ernie Koob (Western Michigan hoops letterman in 1914) hurled a no-hitter against the Chicago White Sox in 1917.

  • OF Don Lock (led Wichita State in field-goal percentage in 1956-57 and 1957-58) traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the Boston Red Sox in 1969.

  • In a twinbill sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals LF Wally Moon (averaged 4.3 ppg with Texas A&M in 1948-49 and 1949-50) began a 24-game hitting streak, the longest of the 1957 season in the N.L.

  • Utilityman Bob Oliver (All-Valley Conference basketball choice for American River Community College CA in 1962) traded by the Kansas City Royals to California Angels in 1972.

  • Chicago White Sox LHP Gary Peters (Grove City PA hooper in mid-1950s) pounded a grand slam off Al Downing (attended Muhlenberg PA on hoops scholarship) in a 5-1 win against the New York Yankees in opener of 1968 twinbill.

  • In the midst of a career-high 17-game hitting streak at start of 1934 campaign, Boston Red Sox CF Carl Reynolds (Southwestern TX hoops MVP and captain in mid-1920s) went 4-for-4 against the St. Louis Browns. It was the first of three consecutive contests where he secured two extra-base hits among at least three safeties.

  • Philadelphia Phillies LHP Eppa Rixey (Virginia hoops letterman in 1911-12 and 1913-14) went 3-for-3 at the plate in game against the Boston Braves. Outburst was one of eight multiple-hit outings for him in 1920.

  • Kansas City Athletics 1B Norm Siebern (member of Southwest Missouri State's back-to-back NAIA Tournament titlists in 1952 and 1953) went 5-for-6 and scored five runs in an 18-6 romp over the Cleveland Indians in the opener of a 1962 doubleheader.

  • Detroit Tigers SS Ken Szotkiewicz (Georgia Southern hoops letterman in 1966-67) supplied career highs of two hits and two RBI against the Minnesota Twins in a 1970 contest.

  • San Diego Padres OF Will Venable (All-Ivy League first-team selection as junior and second-team choice as senior averaged 9.3 ppg under Princeton coach John Thompson III from 2001-02 through 2004-05) stroked a game-winning, two-run single in bottom of 12th inning in a 6-5 win against the Kansas City Royals in 2014.

  • St. Louis Cardinals 1B Bill White (two-year hooper with Hiram OH in early 1950s) belted two homers against the San Francisco Giants in a 1965 contest.

  • Philadelphia Phillies RF Cy Williams (Notre Dame forward in 1909-10) homered twice against the New York Giants in a 1925 game.

  • San Diego Padres RF Dave Winfield (starting forward for Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) delivered two homers against the Montreal Expos in a 1979 outing.

  • Chicago Cubs RHP Zip Zabel (premier hooper for Baker KS from 1913 to 1915) hurled his second shutout and third complete-gave victory in nine-day span in 1915.

Been Around Block: Beard Stays and Heath Returns At Old Stomping Grounds

May 5th, 2021 - 7:35

Porter Moser coached two schools in the Missouri Valley Conference (Illinois State and Loyola of Chicago) before aligning with Oklahoma. But Chris Beard (Texas) and Stan Heath (Eastern Michigan) joined the following alphabetical list of active coaches who were bench bosses of two different members in the same league:

Active Coach Conference Previous School Present School
Duggar Baucom Southern Virginia Military (2014-15) The Citadel (since 2015-16)
Chris Beard Big 12 Texas Tech (2016-17 through 2020-21) Texas (since 2021-22)
Steve Donahue Ivy League Cornell (2000-01 through 2009-10) Penn (since 2015-16)
Cliff Ellis Sun Belt South Alabama (1976-77 through 1983-84) Coastal Carolina (since 2007-08)
John Groce Mid-American Ohio University (2008-09 through 2011-12) Akron (since 2017-18)
Stan Heath Mid-American Kent State (2001-02) Eastern Michigan (since 2021-22)
Bill Herrion North Atlantic/America East Drexel (1991-92 through 1998-99) New Hampshire (since 2006-07)
Bob Huggins Big 12 Kansas State (2006-07) West Virginia (since 2012-13)
Cuonzo Martin Southeastern Tennessee (2011-12 through 2013-14) Missouri (since 2017-18)
Bruce Pearl SEC Tennessee (2005-06 through 2010-11) Auburn (since 2014-15)
Keith Richard Sun Belt Louisiana Tech (1998-99 through 2000-01) Louisiana-Monroe (since 2010-11)
Sean Woods SWAC Mississippi Valley State (2008-09 to 2011-12) Southern LA (since 2018-19)

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in May 4 MLB Contests

May 4th, 2021 - 8:07

Extra! Extra! As season shifts into high gear, you can read news all about memorable major league baseball achievements, moments and transactions involving former college basketball players. Numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games and dates in MLB history.

Former Notre Dame hoopers Ron Reed and Cy Williams made National League news in games involving the Philadelphia Phillies on this date. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 4 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 4

  • Milwaukee Braves 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) cracked a grand slam in the bottom of the 10th inning of a 10-6 triumph against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1961.

  • RHP Ray Benge (multi-year hoops letterman for Sam Houston State first half of 1920s) won his first four appearances with the Boston Bees in 1936.

  • Chicago Cubs 1B Larry Biittner (runner-up in scoring and rebounding for Buena Vista IA in 1966-67) banged out four hits against the Cincinnati Reds in the nightcap of a 1980 doubleheader.

  • Boston Red Sox 2B Denny Doyle (averaged 2.7 ppg for Morehead State in 1962-63) delivered four hits against the Kansas City Royals in a 1976 game.

  • Oakland Athletics 3B Wayne Gross (led Cal Poly Pomona in assists in 1974-75) contributed two homers and five RBI in an 11-5 win against the New York Yankees in 1979.

  • In the midst of a career-high 23-game hitting streak in 1980, Cleveland Indians 1B Mike Hargrove (Northwestern Oklahoma State hoops letterman) supplied at least one RBI in his eighth consecutive contest.

  • LHP Bill Henry (hoops letterman for Houston's 1947 NAIA Tournament team featuring co-captain Guy Lewis) traded by the Cincinnati Reds to San Francisco Giants in 1965.

  • Los Angeles Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (hooper for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 plus Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) went 4-for-4, including two homers and two doubles, against the Milwaukee Braves in a 1959 game.

  • In 1927, New York Giants RHP Mul Holland (Virginia hoops letterman from 1923-24 through 1926-27 was All-Southern Conference Tournament selection as sophomore) posted his lone MLB victory.

  • Chicago White Sox 3B Irv Jeffries (posted team-high scoring average of 11.5 ppg for Kentucky in 1927-28) hit safely in his first five starts in 1931.

  • Milwaukee Braves SS Johnny Logan (Binghamton hooper in 1948-49) logged three doubles in a 9-4 win against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1953.

  • San Diego Padres 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) whacked two homers against the Chicago Cubs in a 1985 contest.

  • Kansas City Royals rookie CF Bob Oliver (All-Valley Conference basketball choice for American River Community College CA in 1962) went 6-for-6 against the California Angels in 1969. Four years later as an Angels 1B, Oliver provided the contest's lone RBI against the Baltimore Orioles while supplying three hits for second time in a three-game span.

  • St. Louis Browns LHP Joe Ostrowski (leading scorer in 1942-43 for Scranton PA) tossed his second complete-game victory in as many starts in 1950.

  • Atlanta Braves RHP Ron Reed (Notre Dame's leading rebounder in 1963-64 and 1964-65) incurred the defeat in a 20-inning marathon against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1973.

  • In 1966, Houston Astros RHP Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) tossed the last of 45 MLB shutouts in his 19-year Hall of Fame career.

  • RHP Sonny Siebert (team-high 16.7 ppg for Missouri in 1957-58 as All-Big Eight Conference second-team selection) shipped by the Boston Red Sox to the Texas Rangers as part of a conditional deal in 1973.

  • RHP Lee Smith (averaged 3.4 ppg and 1.9 rpg with Northwestern State in 1976-77) traded by the Boston Red Sox to the St. Louis Cardinals for OF Tom Brunansky in 1990.

  • Cleveland Indians 2B Freddy Spurgeon (Kalamazoo MI hooper in 1921-22) supplied four hits and four RBI against the St. Louis Browns in a 1926 outing.

  • Detroit Tigers 2B Gary Sutherland (averaged 7.4 ppg with Southern California in 1963-64) stroked four hits against the Minnesota Twins in a 1976 contest.

  • Philadelphia Phillies CF Cy Williams (Notre Dame forward in 1909-10) collected three extra-base hits against the New York Giants in a 1923 game.

Twin Peaks: OU (Groves) and OSU (Boones) Boast Sets of Frontcourt Twins

May 4th, 2021 - 7:56

The Bedlam Series rivalry in state of Oklahoma is slated to boast a set of twin killings after standout NCAA playoff performers Tanner and Jacob Groves transferred from Eastern Washington to OU. This past campaign, Oklahoma State twins Kalib and Keylan Boone competently complemented freshman phenom Cade Cunningham. Another set of transfer twins touted to make an impact are Makhi and Makhel Mitchell (from Maryland to Rhode Island).

The Groves, Boones and/or Mitchells could break into the following Top 15 most influential sets of twins at same school in NCAA history: 1. Van Arsdale (Indiana); 2. O'Brien (Seattle); 3. Lopez (Stanford); 4. Morris (Kansas); 5. Collins (Stanford); 6. Graham (UCF/Oklahoma State); 7. Martin (North Carolina State/Nevada); 8. Hughes (Wisconsin); 9. Holmes (VMI); 10. Hayes (Western Carolina/Georgia); 11. Williams (VMI); 12. Kerr (Colorado State); 13. Stanley (Texas A&M); 14. Nelson (Duquesne); 15. Harrison (Kentucky).

Following is a chronological list of nation's 40 most outstanding sets of twins who played together at least one season on the same team:

  • George and Francis Coakley were members of Clemson's 1939 Southern Conference Tournament championship team. It is the Tigers' only league tourney title.
  • Howie and Lenny Rader competed for LIU in 1941-42. Howie was a starter but served in the U.S. Army the next year. Each of them went on to play multiple seasons in the NBL.
  • Clifford and Beauford Minx combined for 10.9 ppg for Missouri's 1944 NCAA Tournament team.
  • Forwards John and Rupe Ricksen combined to average 9.7 ppg for California in 1950-51, 15.9 ppg in 1951-52 and 18.4 ppg in 1952-53. The Bears won at least 16 games each of their seasons together. They were co-captains as seniors when Cal captured the PCC South Division title and John earned first-team all-conference status.
  • Bantam-sized Johnny and Eddie O'Brien were the top two scorers for Seattle (26-3 record) when it reached the 1953 NCAA Tournament in the Chieftains' first season at the major-college level. They also were infielders for the Pittsburgh Pirates the same year. Johnny O'Brien, a 5-8 unanimous first-team All-American who played center on offense, is the only player to score more than 40 points in his first NCAA Tournament game (42 in an 88-77 victory against Idaho State). Eddie contributed 21 in the same playoff contest.
  • Bob (8.6 ppg in 63 games) and Bill (7.5 ppg in 40 games) Gaines played together for Furman from 1954-55 through 1956-57. Each of them averaged 10.3 ppg as a senior.
  • Don and Pat Stanley combined for 17.3 ppg and 10.2 rpg in 1959-60 and 24.8 ppg and 11.7 rpg in 1960-61 for Texas A&M. They earlier played at Kilgore when it won a national J.C. title.
  • Don and Doug Clemetson combined for 9.5 ppg with Stanford in 1960-61 and 11 ppg in 1961-62. The 16-6 Cardinal finished AAWU runner-up to UCLA, which wound up at the 1962 Final Four.
  • Tom and Dick Van Arsdale ranked sixth and seventh on Indiana's list of all-time leading scorers when they graduated in 1965. They were among the nation's top 60 point producers as juniors in 1963-64 and combined for 76 points in a 108-102 neutral court victory against Notre Dame. The Hoosiers went 19-5 their senior campaign. They each played 12 seasons in the NBA, where they both scored more than 14,200 points.
  • Lloyd and Floyd Kerr were swingmen who combined to average 25.3 ppg and 10.7 rpg for Colorado State from 1966-67 through 1968-69. Brothers Kerr each scored more than 10 points in all three NCAA playoff games when the Rams reached the Midwest Regional final their senior season (17-7 record) before becoming NBA third-round draft choices.
  • Barry and Garry Nelson combined for 21.7 ppg and 16.9 rpg for Duquesne teams compiling a 59-16 record from 1968-69 through 1970-71. Garry led the team in field-goal percentage all three seasons and in rebounding as a sophomore and junior.
  • In 1974, seniors Kim and Kerry Hughes carried Wisconsin to its only winning record in Big Ten Conference competition (8-6; 16-8 overall) in a 34-year span from 1963 through 1996. Kim was the Badgers' top rebounder as a sophomore. The 6-11 identical twins combined for 27 ppg and 22 rpg in their junior season and 26 ppg and 20.3 rpg in their final year. Kerry had 21 points and Kim contributed 20 in a home game versus Northwestern their senior year.
  • Billy and Bobby Martin excelled for UNC-Wilmington in 1976-77 and 1977-78 after transferring from junior college. Bobby and Billy still rank among the school's all-time leaders in assists.
  • Harvey and Horace Grant combined for 16.4 ppg and 11.1 rpg as sophomores for Clemson's 16-13 NIT team in 1984-85. Harvey transferred after the season to a junior college before enrolling at Oklahoma. Each of them had long NBA careers.
  • Wichita State's Dwayne and Dwight Praylow combined for 16.3 ppg in 1987-88 (20-10 record) and 20.1 ppg and 8.8 rpg in 1988-89 (19-11 record).
  • Victor and Vincent Lee played for Northeast Louisiana from 1986-87 through 1988-89. Their best season was 1988-89 when they were juniors (9.1 ppg and 4.7 rpg).
  • Terry and Perry Dozier combined for 9.1 ppg and 3.5 rpg with South Carolina from 1986-87 through 1988-89.
  • Damon and Ramon Williams combined for 28.9 ppg in their four-year VMI careers from 1986-87 through 1989-90. They were All-Southern Conference Tournament first-team selections as sophomores in 1988. Ramon was an all-league first-team pick as a junior and Damon achieved the feat as a senior. They rank among the school's all-time top scorers.
  • Carl and Charles Thomas were among the top 40 scorers in Eastern Michigan history when they finished their careers following the 1990-91 campaign. They combined to average 16.9 ppg and 7.2 rpg in college before making brief stints in the NBA.
  • Sean and Shawn Wightman played together with Western Michigan for three years (1990-91 through 1992-93) after transferring from Illinois State. They combined for 17.9 ppg as juniors. Sean was the nation's top three-point marksman as a junior and led the Mid-American Conference in free-throw shooting as a senior.
  • Joe and Jon Ross played together with Notre Dame from 1990-91 through 1993-94. They combined for more than eight rebounds per game their last two seasons.
  • Sammie and Simeon Haley combined for 12.5 ppg and 8.8 rpg with Missouri's NCAA Tournament team in 1994-95 (20-9 record) and 14.6 ppg and 9.2 rpg for an NIT team in 1995-96 (18-15 record) after transferring from junior college.
  • Jim and David Jackson combined for 7.7 ppg and 3.6 rpg with Virginia Tech's NCAA Tournament team in 1995-96 (23-6 record) and 13.4 ppg and 4.8 rpg in 1996-97 (15-16).
  • Bill and Bob Jenkins combined for 14.9 ppg and 12.5 rpg with Valparaiso's NCAA playoff Sweet 16 team in 1997-98 (23-10 record).
  • Stanford's Jarron and Jason Collins combined for 19.3 ppg and 12.6 rpg in 1999-2000 before powering the Cardinal to a 31-3 record in 2000-01 with 27.3 ppg and 14.5 rpg.
  • Jarvis and Jonas Hayes combined for 25.1 ppg as freshmen with Western Carolina in 1999-2000. They transferred to Georgia after Jarvis led the Southern Conference in scoring with 17.1 ppg. With the Bulldogs, the twins teamed for 25.8 ppg and 10.3 rpg in 2001-02 and 25 ppg and 8.8 rpg in 2002-03.
  • Joey and Stevie Graham combined for 25.3 ppg and 9.5 rpg as sophomores with Central Florida in 2001-02 before transferring to Oklahoma State. They collaborated for 15.2 ppg and 6.6 rpg in 2003-04 and 24.2 ppg and 9.4 rpg in 2004-05 for two OSU NCAA playoff teams.
  • Errick and Derrick Craven combined for 17.6 ppg and 7.5 rpg with Southern California in 2002-03, 17.2 ppg and 5.2 rpg in 2003-04 and 10.4 ppg and 4.5 rpg in 2004-05.
  • Yale swingmen Caleb and Nick Holmes combined for 12.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg and 3.2 apg from 2004-05 through 2007-08.
  • Travis and Chavis Holmes combined for 18.7 ppg with VMI in 2005-06, 34.2 ppg in 2006-07 and 34 ppg in 2007-08. They colloborated for 57 points in a 156-95 victory against Virginia Intermont in 2006-07 when they each ranked among the nation's top five in steals (placed 1-2 in the Big South Conference). Finished 1-2 nationally in thefts their senior season.
  • Centers Brook and Robin Lopez combined for 20.2 ppg, 11.5 rpg and 4.1 bpg with Stanford as freshmen in 2006-07 and 29.4 ppg, 13.8 rpg and 4.4 bpg as sophomores in 2007-08 before they both left school early and became NBA first-round draft choices.
  • La Salle's Jerrell and Terrell Williams combined for 12.3 ppg and 8.5 rpg from 2007-08 to 2009-10.
  • Charles and Philip Tabet combined for 7.2 ppg and 3 rpg with South Alabama in 2008-09 before falling off to 2.8 ppg with 4.5 rpg in 2009-10.
  • Philadelphia natives Markieff and Marcus Morris combined for 12 ppg and 9.2 rpg with Kansas in 2008-09, 19.5 ppg and 11.4 rpg in 2009-10 and 30.8 ppg and 15.9 rpg as All-Big 12 Conference selections in 2010-11 before they both left school early and became NBA first-round draft choices. Marcus was KU's leading scorer (17.2) and Markieff its leading rebounder (8.3) for the Jayhawks' 2011 Big 12 champion.
  • David and Travis Wear combined for 6.5 ppg and 3.8 rpg as freshmen for North Carolina in 2009-10 before transferring to UCLA, where they collaborated for 18 ppg and 10.2 rpg in 2012-13 and 13.8 ppg and 7 rpg in 2013-14.
  • Charlie (freshman RS in 2009-10) and Colin Reddick combined for 7.7 ppg and 6.1 rpg with Furman in 2010-11, 14.8 ppg and 8.1 rpg in 2011-12 and 22.1 ppg and 11.5 rpg in 2012-13.
  • Aaron and Andrew Harrison combined for 24.6 ppg as freshmen in 2013-14 and 20.3 ppg as sophomores on a couple of Kentucky Final Four squads.
  • Marcus and Michael Weathers combined for 26.4 ppg and 10.2 rpg with Miami OH in 2016-17 before transferring to different schools.
  • Jacob and Kalob Ledoux combined for 19.5 ppg and 5.6 rpg for McNeese State in 2016-17 and 2017-18 before transferring.
  • Caleb and Cody Martin propelled Nevada to a national ranking in 2017-18 by combining for more than 33 ppg after transferring from North Carolina State. Caleb became Mountain West Conference player and newcomer of the year while Cody was named league defensive player of the year before making colossal contributions in Nevada setting an NCAA playoff-record comeback (erasing 22-point second-half deficit against Cincinnati).

NOTE: Triplets Kameron (Brown)/Kendall/Kyle Chones started college in 2003-04. Kendall and Kyle combined for 14.7 ppg and 8 rpg with Colgate in that initial season and from 2005-06 through 2007-08.

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in May 3 MLB Contests

May 3rd, 2021 - 8:31

Extra! Extra! As season shifts into high gear, you can read news all about memorable major league baseball achievements, moments and transactions involving former college basketball players. Numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games and dates in MLB history.

Former NCAA Tournament hoop starters Steve Hamilton (Morehead State) and Rollie Sheldon (Connecticut) became MLB pitchers involved in American League trades on this date during first half of 1960s. Ex-Penn hoopers Fritz Knothe and Tommie Upton also made MLB news on this date. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 3 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 3

  • En route to hitting safely in 15 of his first 18 MLB starts, Philadelphia Phillies rookie 1B Ed Bouchee (freshman hooper for Washington State in 1951-52) went 4-for-4 in a 9-6 win against the Chicago Cubs in 1957 outing.

  • In 1977, Chicago Cubs RHP Ray Burris (basketball-baseball standout in Southwestern Oklahoma State Hall of Fame) fired a five-hit shutout against the Houston Astros for his first of five victories in the month.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates 1B Donn Clendenon (four-sport letterman with Morehouse GA) cracked two-run homers in the 8th and 12th innings in a 5-4 win against the Cincinnati Reds in 1966.

  • Detroit Tigers C Mickey Cochrane (five-sport athlete with Boston University) collected four hits, including three for extra bases, against the Chicago White Sox in a 1937 contest.

  • New York Yankees LHP Al Downing (attended Muhlenberg PA on hoops scholarship but left before ever playing) tossed a three-hit shutout in the opener of 1964 doubleheader against the Washington Senators, notching 13 of his A.L.-leading 217 strikeouts.

  • Boston Red Sox LF Hoot Evers (Illinois hoops starter in 1939-40) scored four runs against the St. Louis Browns in the opener of a 1953 doubleheader.

  • Washington Senators C Rick Ferrell (played forward for Guilford NC before graduating in 1928) registered four hits against the St. Louis Browns in a 1939 game.

  • First triumph in 1982 campaign for Baltimore Orioles LHP Mike Flanagan (averaged 13.9 ppg for UMass' freshman squad in 1971-72) was a three-hit shutout against the Seattle Mariners. Seven years later with the Toronto Blue Jays, Flanagan provided the final whitewash of his 18-year career (four-hitter against the Oakland Athletics in 1989).

  • INF Jake Flowers (member of 1923 "Flying Pentagon" championship hoops squad for Washington College MD) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Brooklyn Robins in 1927.

  • LHP Steve Hamilton (Morehead State's leading scorer and rebounder in 1956-57 and 1957-58) traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Washington Senators in 1962.

  • Boston Braves 3B Fritz Knothe (member of Penn's freshman hoops squad in 1923-24) knocked a go-ahead, two-run homer in bottom of the eighth inning in 6-4 win against the Cincinnati Reds in 1933.

  • Teammates OF Irv Noren (hoops player of year for California junior college state champion Pasadena City in 1945) and INF Tommie Upton (led Southeast Missouri State in scoring three years last half of 1940s and was school's career scoring leader upon graduation; while serving in military, Upton was All-EIBL first-team selection with Penn in 1945-46) traded by the Washington Senators to the New York Yankees for promising OF Jackie Jensen and three other players in 1952. Upton never played for the Yanks.

  • New York Giants RF Dave Robertson (one of two reserves on North Carolina State's first basketball team in 1911) went 4-for-4 and swiped two bases in a 3-2 win against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1915.

  • RHP Steve Roser (hoops center for Clarkson NY before passing up senior season after signing professional baseball contract in 1940) purchased from the New York Yankees by the Boston Braves in 1946.

  • RHP Rollie Sheldon (third-leading scorer as sophomore for Connecticut's 1960 NCAA Tournament team) traded by the New York Yankees to the Kansas City Athletics in 1965.

  • Chicago Cubs SS Roy Smalley Jr. (one of top scorers for Drury MO in 1942-43 and 1943-44) went 4-for-4 against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 1950 contest.

  • Boston Red Sox 3B Jim Tabor (Alabama hoops letterman in 1936-37) jacked two homers against the St. Louis Browns in a 1940 outing.

  • St. Louis Cardinals RHP Ray Washburn (Whitworth WA scoring leader in 1958-59 and 1959-60 when named All-Evergreen Conference) tossed a two-hit shutout against the Cincinnati Reds in 1967.

  • Chicago Cubs RF Bob Will (all-league athlete was hoops captain for Mankato State MN in 1954-55) stroked two doubles in midst of four consecutive two-hit contests in 1960.

Billy Gillispie Has Coached Four Different NCAA Division I Universities in Texas

May 3rd, 2021 - 8:19

Billy Gillispie (Tarleton) is coaching his fourth different university in Texas. He previously was mentor at Texas-El Paso (2002-03 and 2003-04), Texas A&M (2004-05 through 2006-07) and Texas Tech (2011-12). But Gillispie isn't the only individual in multiple-school category. He is joined by the following alphabetical list of other active NCAA DI coaches presently serving as bench boss in same state (five in Texas) where they previously piloted another DI school:

Head Coach State Current DI School Previous DI School in Same State
Casey Alexander TN Belmont (since 2019-20) Lipscomb (2013-14 through 2018-19)
Chris Beard TX Texas (since 2021-22) Texas Tech (2016-17 through 2020-21)
Tad Boyle CO Colorado (since 2010-11) Northern Colorado (2006-07 through 2009-10)
Alvin Brooks TX Lamar (since 2021-22) Houston (1993-94 through 1997-98)
Cliff Ellis* SC Coastal Carolina (since 2007-08) Clemson (1984-85 through 1993-94)
Joe Golding TX Texas-El Paso (since 2021-22) Abilene Christian (2011-12 through 2020-21)
John Groce OH Akron (since 2017-18) Ohio University (2008-09 through 2011-12)
Leonard Hamilton FL Florida State (since 2002-03) Miami FL (1990-91 through 1999-00)
Jim Hayford WA Seattle (since 2017-18) Eastern Washington (2011-12 through 2016-17)
Darrin Horn KY Northern Kentucky (since 2019-20) Western Kentucky (2003-04 through 2007-08)
Donnie Jones FL Stetson (since 2019-20) UCF (2010-11 through 2015-16)
Jeff Jones VA Old Dominion (since 2013-14) Virginia (1990-91 through 1997-98)
Johnny Jones TX Texas Southern (since 2018-19) North Texas (2001-02 through 2011-12)
Kevin Keatts NC North Carolina State (since 2017-18) UNC Wilmington (2014-15 through 2016-17)
Pat Kelsey SC College of Charleston (since 2021-22) Winthrop (2012-13 through 2020-21)
Todd Lickliter IN Evansville (since middle of 2019-20) Butler (2001-02 through 2006-07)
Bobby McCullum FL Florida A&M (since 2017-18) South Florida (2003-04 through 2006-07)
Mark Pope UT Brigham Young (since 2019-20) Utah Valley (2015-16 through 2018-19)
Keith Richard LA Louisiana-Monroe (since 2010-11) Louisiana Tech (1998-99 through 2006-07)
Joe Scott CO Air Force (2000-01 through 2003-04 and since 2020-21) Denver (2007-08 through 2015-16)
Marty Simmons IL Eastern Illinois (since 2021-22) SIU-Edwardsville (2002-03 through 2006-07)
Craig Smith UT Utah (since 2021-22) Utah State (2018-19 through 2020-21)
Reggie Witherspoon NY Canisius (since 2016-17) Buffalo (1999-00 through 2012-13)

*Ellis also coached two DI schools in Alabama (South Alabama and Auburn).

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in May 2 MLB Contests

May 2nd, 2021 - 7:40

Extra! Extra! If you're not a fan in Texas planning to fill up the Rangers' stadium, you have time to read news all about memorable major league baseball achievements, moments and transactions involving former college basketball players. Numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games and dates in MLB history.

Graig Nettles, John Wathan and Jim Wilson - former hoopers from San Diego-based universities - supplied significant MLB performances on this date. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 2 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 2

  • Chicago Cubs 2B Glenn Beckert (three-year basketball letterman for Allegheny PA) contributed three extra-base hits against the Atlanta Braves in a 1972 game.

  • Baltimore Orioles CF Al Bumbry (Virginia State's runner-up in scoring with 16.7 ppg as freshman in 1964-65) stroked four hits against the Seattle Mariners in a 1979 contest.

  • Chicago Cubs CF Billy Cowan (hoops co-captain of Utah's 1970 NCAA playoff team) knocked in five runs against the Houston Colt .45s in a 1964 game.

  • Cincinnati Reds 1B George Crowe (four-year letterman from 1939-40 through 1942-43 for Indiana Central after becoming first high school player named the state's "Mr. Basketball") drove in six runs in a 7-3 victory at St. Louis in 1958.

  • Boston Red Sox C Gene Desautels (Holy Cross hoops letterman in 1929 and 1930) went 4-for-4 against the Philadelphia Athletics in a 1938 outing.

  • San Francisco Giants 3B Darrell Evans (member of Jerry Tarkanian-coached Pasadena City CA club winning 1967 state community college crown) homered in both ends of a 1981 doubleheader split against the Philadelphia Phillies.

  • After winning four straight starts in April, Florida Marlins LHP Mark Hendrickson (two-time All-Pacific-10 Conference selection paced Washington State four straight seasons in rebounding 1992-93 through 1995-96) earned the triumph in a 6-4 verdict over the San Diego Padres in 2008.

  • Philadelphia Phillies 2B Tommy Herr (hooper with Delaware's freshman team in 1974-75) went 4-for-4 (including three doubles) along with five RBI in a 1990 game against the Houston Astros.

  • New York Yankees rookie LF Charlie Keller (three-year hoops letterman with Maryland from 1934-35 through 1936-37) scored four runs and chipped in with six RBI against the Detroit Tigers in a 1939 contest.

  • INF Buddy Myer (hoops letterman for Mississippi State in 1923-24) traded by the Washington Senators to the Boston Red Sox in 1927.

  • 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) swatted a pinch-hit grand slam for the Atlanta Braves in a 12-4 victory against the Houston Astros in 1987.

  • Kansas City Royals LF Lou Piniella (averaged 2.5 ppg and 1.4 rpg for Tampa as freshman in 1961-62) provided three safeties for the third time in a four-game span in 1972.

  • Philadelphia Phillies RHP Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) struck out 13 Chicago Cubs in a 4-2 triumph in 1957. No Philly infielder had an assist in the contest.

  • In 1958, Boston Red Sox RHP Dave Sisler (All-Ivy League second-team selection for Princeton's first NCAA Tournament team in 1952) fired his lone MLB shutout (against Detroit Tigers). The next year, Sisler was traded by the Red Sox to the Tigers on this date.

  • Kansas City Royals C John Wathan (averaged 3.7 ppg in 11 games for San Diego in 1968-69) went 4-for-5 against the Boston Red Sox in 1980.

  • Chicago Cubs CF Cy Williams (Notre Dame forward in 1909-10) went 4-for-4 with two triples against the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1914 game.

  • First MLB win for RHP Jim Wilson (hoops letterman for San Diego State's 1942 NAIA Tournament participant) was a four-hit shutout for the Boston Red Sox against the Washington Senators in 1945.

  • Washington Senators 3B Eddie Yost (NYU freshman hooper in 1943-44 under coach Howard Cann) drew four walks in a game for the second time in less than two weeks in 1951.

College Intelligence Agency: Former Hooper Helped Track Down Terrorist UBL

May 2nd, 2021 - 7:27

Do you want to be an authentic hero or a zero resembling petty politicians, press pestilent pundits and big tech termites futilely trying to intimidate resourceful Conservatives? For several years, Fox News aired a riveting two-part program featuring Navy SEAL Team 6 member Robert O'Neill (senior chief petty officer is recipient of two Silver and five Bronze Stars) as "The Man Who Killed Usama Bin Laden." Amid focusing on the 10th anniversary ridding Planet Earth of UBL, it seems we should also be celebrating authentic courage from the college basketball ranks stemming from an individual instrumental in tracking down the terrorist ringleader of 9/11 attack. But the selfless ex-athlete from a Midwest university hasn't "come out of the closet" for security reasons and might be underground with a fake identification unless, of course, ax-grinding Left Coast Sen. Dianne Feinstein rats him out amid another of her vendettas or some sycophant from the old Obama Administration eventually unmasks him via a smut merchant Michelle Wolf monologue while Lurch Kerry exhibits loose lips with the Iranians.

In the documentation about dispatching UBL to hell (equivalent status even if nonsense about satisfying 72 virgins transpired in some towelhead aspirational dream), the White House unveiled a photograph of President Barack Obama and his Cabinet inside the Situation Room, watching the daring commando raid unfold on May 1, 2011. But POTUS (JV player for Occidental CA) apparently wasn't the tallest ex-college hooper in the room. Standing just outside the frame of that famous pic was an anonymous Central Intelligence Agency officer ("CIA John") who pursued UBL as a dogmatic deputy chief and reportedly was also influential as one of the principal proponents of drone deterrence. Two days after the world's most-wanted man was transformed into marine treat when deposited in the North Arabian Sea, "CIA John" accompanied then CIA Director Leon Panetta to Capitol Hill, where the Senate Intelligence Committee received a full briefing on the mission.

According to AP accounts at the time, the meticulous senior intelligence analyst was the first individual to put in writing that a legitimate CIA lead had been assembled on possibly locating UBL. He spearheaded the collection of clues for nearly 10 years, leading the agency to a fortified compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, and its epic counter-terrorism success. Our freedom-loving nation is eternally grateful that his manhunt accuracy as a deep-cover agent in pinpointing UBL's whereabouts stood in stark contrast to his free-throw marksmanship as a deep-bench player (barely over 30%) as a member of multiple NCAA playoff teams.

Sy Hersh muckraking notwithstanding, box-office hit "Zero Dark Thirty" was an inspiring movie focusing on a young female CIA operative allegedly also from flyover country. She exhibited her tenacity, dedication and courage in primarily monitoring a vital courier for al-Qaeda's upper brass. According to Esquire, the shooter who killed UBL (subsequently acknowledged as Butte MT native O'Neill) gave the magazine out of his gun as a souvenir to bloodhound "Maya." While the film doesn't do justice to the male super spy, the patriot is likely to defer anyway to the concept "there is no 'I' in team" insofar as it was a remark his college hoops coach frequently cited. Naturally, Langley issued a perfunctory "no comment" because concern exists about publishing his name and running biographical details might make him a target for Muslim radical retribution.

Over the decades, there have been other notable "Secret Agent Men" in the CIA who were former college hoopsters. In fact, a Final Four player isn't required to hit a decisive basket or be selected Most Outstanding Player to be a hero. He doesn't even need to participate on the court. Bob Ames, a member of the Tom Gola-led La Salle teams in 1954 (national champion) and 1955 (runner-up to San Francisco), never got off the bench at the Final Four those two years although he was the only La Salle player to hit more than three-fourths of his free throws the season the Explorers won the NCAA title.

"Our coach, Ken Loeffler, only used seven guys, and Bob was the eighth man," said Frank Blatcher, a starter for the Explorers each season and their leading scorer with a total of 42 points at the Final Four on the championship team. "He had the talent. He just never got a chance to show it."

Ames, a pre-law major who scored a total of eight points in three NCAA playoff games in 1955, did have an opportunity to show his ability in another more vital endeavor, however. He joined the CIA and worked his way up the chain of command to become the Director of the CIA's Office of Analysis of the Near East and South Asia. "The Spy Who Loved Basketball" worked closely with both the Carter and Reagan administrations.

Regrettably, Ames was killed in Beirut in 1983. A truck loaded with TNT on a suicide mission rammed into the facility where Ames was staying while serving as a liaison trying to allay contacts among the Lebanese, Syrians and Israelis in hopes of calming the escalating discord.

"Here was a guy that turned out to have had a greater influence on our lives than just about any 1,000 other basketball players you can name," Blatcher said. "It just shows you that you don't have to be a star to accomplish something." Something like becoming a genuine American hero.

Elsewhere, the CIA's deputy director under George Bush in 1976 was Hank Knoche, the leading scorer in the Mountain States (Big Seven) Conference with 16.4 points per game for Colorado's 1946 NCAA Tournament team. Knoche, the father of former American University coach Chris Knoche, reputedly was the first player selected in the NBA's first college draft in 1947 after enrolling at Washington and Jefferson (Pa.) to play on a 16-4 team with two of his brothers. But he never appeared in the then-fledgling league, which doesn't have any official draft records prior to 1949. The franchise that selected him, the Pittsburgh Ironmen, folded shortly after the draft, and his rights reverted to the New York Knicks.

"I didn't know I was the first No. 1 pick until a writer from Atlanta called me for a story," Knoche said. "An NBA historian had informed him of my alleged status."

The elder Knoche, who went to live in the Denver area, chose not to play in an uncertain situation for little money. "I never received any contact from the Ironmen," he said. "The Knicks sent a contract offer in the mail, but it was for just $3,500 and that's if I made the team (many NBA standouts earn five times that amount every quarter).

"I chose to play industrial basketball, where I remember playing six times one year against seven-footer Bob Kurland (Oklahoma State three-time first-team All-American who never played in the NBA). That wasn't much fun going against Kurland because I was just a 6-4 center."

Knoche was recalled to the military during the Korean War, where he was assigned to intelligence work for the Navy and later embarked on a civilian career leading to a job with the CIA.

Another former college hooper who carved out a CIA career was Pete Sivess, a center for Dickinson PA in 1935-36 before compiling a 7-11 record as a righthanded pitcher with the Philadelphia Phillies in three years from 1936 through 1938. While Moe Berg is the most famous MLB player linked with the CIA, his career as a spy pales in comparison to baseball contemporary Sivess, who is credited with defining CIA policy for handling Eastern Bloc defectors. During the height of the Cold War, Sivess conducted a "first haven" on Maryland's Eastern Shore where defectors were shipped to be debriefed. Probably the highest-profile spy Sivess monitored was "notorious double agent" Nicholas Shadrin, who died on a trip to Vienna in 1975 in a kidnapping attempt by Moscow's counterspies.

In the shadowy world of the CIA, no precise clues exist as to whether a basketball background for "CIA John" contributed to helping POTUS develop a comfort-zone bond with him similar to other ex-college hoopers in his inner circle - Secretary of Education Arne Duncan (Harvard), Attorney General Eric Holder (Columbia), "body man" Reggie Love (Duke) and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen (Navy). But it isn't ridiculous to suggest there might not have been a second inauguration for President Obama if he didn't trust "CIA John."

A vital hurdle approving the raid came when the SEAL Squadron leader briefed Mullen on merits of the mission. According to O'Neill's anonymous interview with Esquire, Vice Admiral William McRaven, head of Joint Special Ops Command, compared the raid and its fighters to the basketball movie Hoosiers in a final briefing with the participants in Operation Neptune's Spear.

A pithy precept occasionally surfaces in basketball trash talking that "some talk a good game and some play a good game." Depending upon your point of view, Time's Person of the Year in 2011 and each subsequent year could have been "CIA John." Surely, ex-Time managing editor Rick Stengel, a backup for Pete Carril-coached Princeton in the mid-1970s, would have encouraged co-workers to give "CIA John" special consideration after the White House acknowledged him and his colleagues as "unbelievably competent professionals" prior to joining Obama's State Department.

The dumber-than-doorknob Obama Administration admitted doctoring State Department videos. Wanna bet whether "CIA John" was photo-shopped out of the famous Situation Room pic? Perhaps Vice Plagiarist Scranton Joe Bi-dumb of Logan Act lore was involved in similar General Flynn intrigue while donning aviator sunglasses and profanely instruct his German Shepherd (Major) to bite underlings annoying him. In midst of feeling so clever switching from unmasking opponents to masking entire nation, "the big guy's" alleged e-mail pseudonym - Peter Henderson - seems to have been "borrowed" straight from KGB mole in Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan series.

Deserved or not, other ex-college hoopers may get the bulk of the glory ranging from taking credit for UBL's demise to some searing social issue actually paling in comparison. When, if ever, will our nation get the opportunity to pay homage to a genuine hoop hero comparable to Ames, Knoche and Sivess? Heaven only knows we need an authentic hero these days to offset riots in major U.S. cities, lying by eventual Presidential nominee in front of caskets as server-swiping Secretary of State, lawless #Demonrat West Wings supported by ideologically-driven lame-stream media, punk politicians peppering opposing views with inane questions plus collegiate academic scandals and athletes treating women as bad as Sharia-Law zealot Islamic radicals. But at the moment, the stirring tale will simply be "The Greatest Hoop Story Never Fully Told."

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in May 1 MLB Contests

May 1st, 2021 - 14:13

Extra! Extra! As a new season reaches its second month, you can read news all about memorable major league baseball achievements, moments and transactions involving former college basketball players. Numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games and dates in MLB history.

Former New England university hoopers Jim Beattie (Dartmouth) and Rollie Sheldon (Connecticut) hurled MLB shutouts on this date. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 1 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 1

  • Seattle Mariners RHP Jim Beattie (Dartmouth's top rebounder in 1974-75 when selected basketball team MVP and honorable mention All-Ivy League) hurled a four-hit shutout against the Boston Red Sox in 1985.

  • After teammate Bill Parsons walked the first three Oakland A's batters, RHP Jim Colborn (Whittier CA in mid-1960s before studying for master's at Edinburgh where he was All-Scotland in basketball) came in and pitched a complete-game 4-3 victory for the Milwaukee Brewers in 1973.

  • California Angels RHP Eddie Fisher (hooper for Oklahoma's 1954-55 freshman squad) permitted his lone earned run in first 12 relief appearances in the 1970 campaign.

  • St. Louis Cardinals 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) furnished three extra-base hits and four RBI against the Cincinnati Reds in a 1927 contest.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates 3B Lee Handley (Bradley hoops letterman from 1932-33 through 1934-35) banged out four hits against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 1941 outing.

  • St. Louis Cardinals 2B Tommy Herr (hooper with Delaware's freshman team in 1974-75) contributed four hits, three RBI and two stolen bases in a 1984 confrontation against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

  • Cleveland Indians LF David Justice (Thomas More KY assists leader in 1984-85 while averaging 9.3 ppg) delivered two homers against the Oakland Athletics in a 1997 game.

  • New York Yankees LF Charlie Keller (three-year hoops letterman with Maryland from 1934-35 through 1936-37) collected seven RBI against the St. Louis Browns in a 1941 contest.

  • Detroit Tigers RF Rusty Kuntz (J.C. hooper for Cuesta CA) went 3-for-3 with three RBI against the Boston Red Sox in a 1984 outing.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates SS Johnny Logan (Binghamton hooper in 1948-49) went 4-for-4 in a 4-2 loss against the San Francisco Giants in 1962.

  • Kansas City Athletics RHP Rollie Sheldon (third-leading scorer as sophomore for Connecticut's 1960 NCAA Tournament team) hurled a three-hit shutout against his original team (New York Yankees) in the opener of 1966 doubleheader.

  • Kansas City Athletics 1B Norm Siebern (member of Southwest Missouri State squads capturing back-to-back NAIA Tournament hoop titles in 1952 and 1953) smacked two homers against the Cleveland Indians in the opener of a 1960 doubleheader, igniting a streak of five consecutive two-hit contests.

  • 3B Billy Werber (first Duke hoops All-American in 1929-30) contributed a homer and double for the Cincinnati Reds during their eight-run fourth inning in 1940 when they defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers, 9-2.

  • A seventh-inning single by Boston Red Sox C Sammy White (All-PCC Northern Division first-five selection for Washington in 1947-48 and 1948-49) represented the only hit Hall of Fame P Bob Feller yielded in a 2-0 win for the Cleveland Indians in the opener of a doubleheader in 1955. It was Feller's MLB-record 12th one-hitter.

  • Philadelphia Phillies CF Cy Williams (Notre Dame forward in 1909-10) homered twice among his four hits and scored four runs against the Boston Braves in a 1923 game.

  • INF Dib Williams (Hendrix AR hooper in mid-1920s) purchased from the Philadelphia Athletics by the Boston Red Sox in 1935.

Happy Birthday! May Celebration Dates for All-Americans and HOF Mentors

May 1st, 2021 - 11:27

Four Notre Dame players named All-American in 20-year span from 1936 through 1955 were born this month. The Fighting Irish and Kentucky are tied for most A-As born this month with five apiece. May 9 is the day to celebrate the most birthdays this month for former All-Americans. Syracuse (May 10), UK (May 12) and Michigan State (May 18) each had two A-As born on the same day. Following are birthdates in May for All-Americans and Hall of Fame coaches:

MAY

1: All-Americans Billy Owens (born in 1969/attended Syracuse) and Alan Seiden (1937/St. John's) plus Hall of Fame coach Amory "Slats" Gill (1901/bench boss at Oregon State).
2: All-Americans Troy Murphy (1980/Notre Dame), William "Red" Stroud (1941/Mississippi State) and Keith Wilkes (1953/UCLA).
3: All-Americans Ken Owens (1959/Idaho) and Kelvin Ransey (1958/Ohio State).
4: All-Americans Sam Clancy Jr. (1980/Southern California), Johnathan Motley (1995/Baylor) and Kyle Singler (1988/Duke).
5: All-Americans Alfred "Butch" Beard (1947/Louisville), Bill Buntin (1942/Michigan), Bill Haarlow (1913/Chicago), Paul Hoffman (1925/Purdue), Harold Miner (1971/Southern California), Mike Silliman (1944/Army) and Anthony "P.J." Tucker (1985/Texas).
6: All-American Chris Paul (1985/Wake Forest).
7: All-Americans Ethan Happ (1996/Wisconsin), Jerry Harkness (1940/Loyola of Chicago) and Paul Unruh (1928/Bradley).
8: All-Americans Quentin Grimes (2000/Houston), Juan "Pepe" Sanchez (1977/Temple) and Kemba Walker (1990/Connecticut).
9: All-Americans Ed Beisser (1919/Creighton), Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell (1993/Indiana), Erick Green (1991/Virginia Tech), Howard "Butch" Komives (1941/Bowling Green State), Calvin Murphy (1948/Niagara), Chris Porter (1978/Auburn), Elmore Smith (1949/Kentucky State) and George Wilson (1942/Cincinnati).
10: All-Americans Eddie Finnigan (1911/Western Reserve OH), Malachi Flynn (1998/San Diego State), Rudy Hackett (1953/Syracuse), Mike Maloy (1949/Davidson) and Rony Seikaly (1965/Syracuse) plus Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun (1942/Northeastern and Connecticut).
11: All-Americans Leo Barnhorst (1924/Notre Dame), Price Brookfield (1920/West Texas State), Darrell Floyd (1932/Furman), Ed Gayda (1927/Washington State) and Barry Parkhill (1951/Virginia).
12: All-Americans Keith Bogans (1980/Kentucky), Jack Gray (1911/Texas), Kevin Grevey (1953/Kentucky) and Gene Tormohlen (1937/Tennessee) plus Hall of Fame coach Everett Shelton (1898/Wyoming).
13: All-Americans Louis "Bosey" Berger (1910/Maryland), Mike Bibby (1978/Arizona), Wayne Estes (1943/Utah State), Trajan Langdon (1976/Duke) and Dean Meminger (1948/Marquette).
14: All-Americans Jim Ashmore (1935/Mississippi State), Walter Berry (1964/St. John's) and Vern Gardner (1925/Utah).
15: All-Americans Gene Banks (1959/Duke), Don Nelson (1940/Iowa), Freeman Williams (1956/Portland State) and Nate Wolters (1991/South Dakota State).
16: All-Americans Charles "Tub" Bradley (1959/Wyoming) and John Salley (1964/Georgia Tech).
17: All-Americans Winford Boynes (1957/San Francisco), Bill "Pickles" Kennedy (1938/Temple), Jon Koncak (1963/Southern Methodist) and Danny Manning (1966/Kansas).
18: All-Americans Chester "Chet" Aubuchon (1916/Michigan State), Donyell Marshall (1973/Connecticut), Ron Mercer (1976/Kentucky), John "Jack" Stephens (1933/Notre Dame) and Sam Vincent (1963/Michigan State).
19: All-Americans Michael Smith (1965/Brigham Young) and Jarrod Uthoff (1993/Iowa).
20: All-Americans Larry Hennessy (1929/Villanova), Howard Wood (1959/Tennessee) and Julian Wright (1987/Kansas).
21: All-Americans James Bailey (1957/Rutgers), Isaiah Canaan (1991/Murray State), Leo Klier (1923/Notre Dame) and Jack Twyman (1934/Cincinnati) plus Hall of Fame coaches Clarence "Big House" Gaines (1923/Winston-Salem State) and Gene Keady (1936/Western Kentucky and Purdue).
22: All-Americans Lauri Markkanen (1997/Arizona), John Moir (1915/Notre Dame) and Larry Siegfried (1939/Ohio State).
23: All-American Rod Thorn (1941/West Virginia) and Hall of Fame coach Tom Penders (1945/Columbia, Fordham, Rhode Island, Texas, George Washington and Houston).
24: All-Americans Howie Dallmar (1922/Penn), Irwin Dambrot (1928/CCNY) and Mitch Kupchak (1954/North Carolina).
25: All-Americans Chester "Chet" Giermak (1927/William & Mary), Kendall Gill (1968/Illinois), K.C. Jones (1932/San Francisco), Bill Sharman (1926/Southern California) and Derrick Williams (1991/Arizona).
26: All-American Tom McMillen (1952/Maryland).
27: All-Americans David Greenwood (1957/UCLA), George McCloud (1967/Florida State) and Dick Schnittker (1928/Ohio State) plus Hall of Fame coach George "Jud" Heathcote (1927/Montana and Michigan State).
28: All-Americans Bob Brannum (1925/Kentucky), Armon Gilliam (1964/UNLV), Glen Rice Sr. (1967/Michigan), Elwood "Woody" Romney (1911/Brigham Young) and Jerry West (1938/West Virginia) plus Hall of Fame coach Ward "Piggy" Lambert (1888/Purdue).
29: All-Americans Carmelo Anthony (1984/Syracuse), Bob Burrow (1934/Kentucky), Bill Curley (1972/Boston College), Markelle Fultz (1998/Washington), Stanley Johnson (1996/Arizona) and Raef LaFrentz (1976/Kansas).
30: All-Americans Harrison Barnes (1992/North Carolina), Evan Eschmeyer (1975/Northwestern), Morris "Moe" Goldman (1913/CCNY), Bob Mattick (1933/Oklahoma A&M) and Billy McCaffrey (1971/Vanderbilt).
31: All-Americans Ron Bonham (1942/Cincinnati), Bob Ferry (1937/St. Louis), Matt Harpring (1976/Georgia Tech) and Nate Robinson (1984/Washington).

Birthdays in January for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in February for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in March for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in April for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in May for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in June for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in July for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in August for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in September for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in October for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in November for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in December for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in April 30 MLB Contests

April 30th, 2021 - 8:35

Extra! Extra! As this season shifts into high gear, you can read news all about memorable major league baseball achievements, moments and transactions involving former college basketball players. Numerous ex-college hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games and dates in MLB history.

Former Big Ten Conference hoopers Frank Howard (Ohio State), Harvey Kuenn (Wisconsin) and Dave Winfield (Minnesota) provided significant MLB performances on this date. Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is an April 30 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

APRIL 30

  • California Angels 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) contributed four hits against the Boston Red Sox in a 1966 outing.

  • Detroit Tigers 1B Dale Alexander (starting hoops center for Milligan TN in mid-1920s) supplied his sixth straight multiple-hit game and 10th in last 17 contests to finish the first month of the 1931 season with a .519 batting average.

  • Philadelphia Phillies CF Ethan Allen (Cincinnati hoops letterman in 1924-25 and 1925-26) went 4-for-4 in a 5-4 win against the Boston Braves in 1934.

  • Chicago White Sox CF Ken Berry (freshman hooper for Wichita in 1959-60) collected four straight singles in a 1968 game against the Washington Senators.

  • Chicago White Sox rookie 1B Zeke Bonura (best basketball forward for Loyola LA in late 1920s and early 1930s) knocked in five runs in a 20-10 win against the Cleveland Indians in 1934.

  • New York Giants 2B Pat Crawford (Davidson hoops captain in early 1920s) went 3-for-3 with two extra-base hits in a 1930 game against the Brooklyn Robins.

  • California Angels 2B Denny Doyle (averaged 2.7 ppg for Morehead State in 1962-63) delivered five hits in a 1974 contest against the Boston Red Sox.

  • San Diego Padres RF Tony Gwynn (All-WAC second-team selection with San Diego State in 1979-80 and 1980-81) went 5-for-5 against the New York Mets in a 1993 game before adding four safeties against the Mets the next day.

  • Chicago Cubs LHP Bill Henry (hoops letterman for Houston's 1947 NAIA Tournament team featuring co-captain Guy Lewis) won his first two of N.L.-high 65 relief appearances during 1959 season.

  • Los Angeles Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN hooper in 1947 and 1948) homered in fifth of last seven games of the month in 1958.

  • Washington Senators LF Frank Howard (two-time All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection in 1956-57 and 1957-58 when leading Ohio State in scoring and rebounding) closed out the month by homering in three consecutive contests against the Milwaukee Brewers in 1970.

  • Baltimore Orioles rookie 2B Davey Johnson (averaged 1.7 ppg with Texas A&M in 1961-62) jacked two homers against the Detroit Tigers in a 1966 game. Twelve years later with the Philadelphia Phillies, Johnson whacked a pinch grand slam against the San Diego Padres in 1978.

  • Chicago Cubs SS Don Kessinger (three-time All-SEC selection for Mississippi from 1961-62 through 1963-64 while finishing among nation's top 45 scorers each year) contributed his 10th multiple-hit outing in April of 1968.

  • Detroit Tigers SS Harvey Kuenn (played briefly for Wisconsin in 1951-52 after competing on JV squad previous season) went 5-for-5 against the Washington Senators in a 1955 game.

  • Los Angeles Dodgers 2B Davey Lopes (NAIA All-District 15 selection for Iowa Wesleyan averaged 16.9 ppg as freshman in 1964-65 and 12.1 ppg as sophomore in 1965-66 before transferring with his coach to Washburn KS) stole four bases against the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1978 contest.

  • In 1937, Philadelphia Athletics INF Clarence "Ace" Parker (Duke hoops letterman in 1935-36) became the first A.L. player to hit a pinch-hit homer in his MLB debut (against Wes Ferrell of Boston Red Sox).

  • 1B Jack Phillips (leading scorer for 14-1 Clarkson NY in 1942-43) traded by the Detroit Tigers to the Boston Red Sox in 1957.

  • Oakland Athletics OF 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 13-9 victory against the Boston Red Sox in 1999.

  • Four days removed from his initial MLB victory, Chicago White Sox rookie RHP Charlie Robertson (Austin College TX hooper before joining U.S. Army during WWI) hurled a perfect game in 2-0 decision against Hall of Famer Ty Cobb's Detroit Tigers in 1922. Detroit set an A.L. single-season team record for batting average (.316) the previous year and went on to have six starters finish with marks over .300 this campaign.

  • RF Richie Scheinblum (averaged 6.1 ppg and 3.6 rpg for C.W. Post NY in 1962-63 and 1963-64) traded by the California Angels to the Kansas City Royals in 1974.

  • SS Roy Smalley Jr. (one of top hoops scorers for Drury MO in 1942-43 and 1943-44) purchased from the Milwaukee Braves by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1955.

  • RHP Lee Smith (averaged 3.4 ppg and 1.9 rpg with Northwestern State in 1976-77) posted saves in his first 12 relief appearances with the Baltimore Orioles in 1994 by failing to permit an earned run in a span covering 10 2/3 innings.

  • Rookie SS-LF Gary Sutherland (averaged 8.1 ppg and 2.2 rpg for Stanford from 1960-61 through 1962-63) smacked a two-run pinch double in the top of the ninth inning to give the Philadelphia Phillies a 6-4 win against the Atlanta Braves in 1967.

  • RF Dave Winfield (starting forward with Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972), who was on base at least once in every game this month, tied a MLB record for RBI in April with 29 for the New York Yankees in 1988.

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