On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on May 1 MLB Games

May 1st, 2015 - 6:45

Extra! Extra! Read all about memorable major league baseball achievements, moments and transactions involving former college basketball players! Numerous ex-college hoopsters had front-row seats to many of the most notable games and dates in MLB history.

Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 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 (played 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 captain) furnished three extra-base hits and four RBI against the Cincinnati Reds in 1927.

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

  • Cleveland Indians LF David Justice (led Thomas More KY in assists in 1984-85) delivered two homers against the Oakland Athletics in 1997.

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

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

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

  • 3B Billy Werber (first Duke hoop 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.

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