On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Make Mark on May 15 MLB Games

May 15th, 2015 - 7:41

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 15 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

MAY 15

  • Chicago Cubs RF George Altman (appeared in 1953 and 1954 NAIA Tournament with Tennessee State basketball team) made an eighth-inning leaping catch in 1960 to help preserve Don Cardwell's no-hitter against the St. Louis Cardinals. It was Cardwell's first start for the Cubbies after he was acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies.

  • Kansas City Athletics LF Bob Cerv (ranked fourth on Nebraska's career scoring list in 1949-50 when finishing his career) blasted three homers against the Detroit Tigers in a 1960 doubleheader.

  • 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) collected five RBI in a 9-4 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1958.

  • RHP George Earnshaw (Swarthmore PA participant in 1922) purchased from the Chicago White Sox by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1935.

  • Los Angeles Dodgers C Joe Ferguson (played in 1967 NCAA playoffs with Pacific) furnished two homers and five RBI against the Houston Astros in 1974.

  • Hall of Fame C Rick Ferrell (played for Guilford NC in mid-1920s) traded by the Washington Senators to the St. Louis Browns in 1941.

  • Philadelphia Athletics 2B Gene Handley (Bradley letterman in 1932-33 and 1933-34) had four hits in a 14-inning game against the Detroit Tigers in 1947.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (played for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) homered twice against the Chicago Cubs in 1951.

  • Atlanta Braves RF David Justice (led Thomas More KY in assists in 1984-85) sidelined for the remainder of the 1996 campaign after dislocating his right shoulder swinging at a pitch.

  • Chicago White Sox RHP Bob Keegan (Bucknell letterman in 1941-42 and 1942-43) went the first 21 2/3 innings of the 1956 season without yielding an earned run.

  • 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 five hits against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1974.

  • New York Giants RHP Christy Mathewson (played for Bucknell at turn of 20th Century) tossed his third straight shutout in 1901.

  • In 1984, Philadelphia Phillies 1B Len Matuszek (starter for Toledo's 18-7 team in 1975-76) smashed a homer in his fourth game out of the last five contests.

  • The first MLB victory for San Francisco Giants rookie LHP Phil Nastu (averaged 13.6 ppg and 4.2 rpg as senior for Bridgeport CT 1976 DII Elite Eight team compiling 24-5 record) ended up as his lone complete game (8-1 nod over the Houston Astros in 1979).

  • New York Yankees LF Irv Noren (player of the year for California junior college state champion Pasadena City in 1945) stroked an inside-the-park grand slam in an 8-4 win over the Kansas City Athletics in 1955.

  • 2B Marv Olson (all-conference selection was team MVP for Luther IA) traded by the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees in 1933 but never played for the Bronx Bombers.

  • RHP Nels Potter (leading scorer during two years he attended Mount Morris IL in early 1930s) purchased from the St. Louis Browns by the Philadelphia Athletics for $17,500 in 1948.

  • San Diego Padres RF 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) banged out four hits in a 6-1 win against the Washington Nationals in 2012.