On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on May 13 MLB Games

May 13th, 2015 - 6:54

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

Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a May 13 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 13

  • Cincinnati Reds LF Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) socked two homers against the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a 1951 twinbill.

  • OF-1B Beau Bell (Texas A&M two-year letterman in early 1930s) traded by the St. Louis Browns to the Detroit Tigers in a 10-player deal in 1939.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers RHP Ownie Carroll (Holy Cross letterman in 1922), in the midst of winning five straight decisions, didn't allow an earned run in a 10-inning, 1-1 tie against the Cincinnati Reds in 1933.

  • OF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA titlist) purchased from the Detroit Tigers by the Chicago White Sox in 1959.

  • RF Hoot Evers (starter for Illinois in 1939-40) traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Baltimore Orioles in 1956.

  • Los Angeles Dodgers RF Joe Ferguson (played in 1967 NCAA playoffs with Pacific) smacked a homer in his third consecutive contest against the Montreal Expos in 1979.

  • Boston Red Sox rookie RHP Boo Ferriss (Mississippi State letterman in 1941) set an A.L. record for scoreless innings at the start of a MLB career by reaching 22 shutout frames before allowing a tally in 1945. Ferriss struck out Detroit Tigers 1B Rudy York four times - all on called third strikes in an 8-2 win in the opener of a doubleheader.

  • St. Louis Cardinals SS Charlie Gelbert (scored at least 125 points each of last three seasons in late 1920s for Lebanon Valley PA) contributed four hits in an 8-7 victory against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1932.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates SS Dick Groat (two-time All-American with Duke in 1950-51 and 1951-52 when finishing among nation's top five scorers each season) went 6-for-6 (including three doubles) in an 8-2 triumph over the Milwaukee Braves in 1960.

  • In 1984, 3B Wayne Gross (led Cal Poly Pomona in assists in 1974-75) knocked in all of the Baltimore Orioles' runs in a 5-1 win against his former team (the Oakland Athletics).

  • Chicago Cubs RF Harvey Hendrick (Vanderbilt letterman in 1918) banged out four hits in a 7-5 victory against the Philadelphia Phillies in the opener of a 1933 doubleheader.

  • Cleveland Indians 1B Doug Howard (second-team All-WAC choice for Brigham Young in 1968-69 and 1969-70) delivered a career-high three hits against the Boston Red Sox in 1976.

  • New York Yankees LF Charlie Keller (three-year letterman with Maryland from 1934-35 through 1936-37) clobbered two homers against the St. Louis Browns in 1947.

  • C Cal Neeman (Illinois Wesleyan's leading scorer in 1947-48 and 1948-49) traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Philadelphia Phillies in a four-player swap in 1960.

  • Philadelphia Phillies RHP Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) yielded a lead-off HR before retiring the next 27 Cincinnati Reds batters to prevail, 8-1, in 1954.

  • Baltimore Orioles LF Larry Sheets (All-ODAC selection in 1981-82 and 1982-83 with Eastern Mennonite VA) socked two homers against the Kansas City Royals in 1987.

  • In 1940, Cincinnati Reds 3B Billy Werber (first Duke All-American in 1929-30) became the only player to hit four consecutive doubles in a game in each league (8-8 tie with the St. Louis Cardinals).

  • In the midst of an eight-game hitting streak, Chicago Cubs RF Bob Will (all-league athlete was captain for Mankato State MN in 1954-55) supplied three hits against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1961.