On This Date: Former College Hoopers Making Mark on April 8 MLB Games

April 8th, 2018 - 7:07

Extra! Extra! As a new season gains steam, read 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.

Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only 4% of active MLB players earned college diplomas. Two former small-college hoopers from Pennsylvania - Al Downing (Muhlenberg) and Pete Sivess (Dickinson) - made MLB news on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is an April 8 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

APRIL 8

  • OF Babe Barna (two-year West Virginia basketball letterman in mid-1930s) purchased from the Philadelphia Athletics by the Washington Senators in 1939.

  • In 1974, Los Angeles Dodgers LHP Al Downing (attended Muhlenberg PA on hoop scholarship but left school before playing) yielded Hank Aaron's 715th homer bypassing Babe Ruth.

  • RHP Mark Freeman (averaged 3.6 ppg for LSU as senior in 1950-51) traded by the New York Yankees to the Kansas City Athletics in 1959. Returned to Yankees a month later.

  • Cincinnati Reds rookie LF Gary Redus (J.C. hooper for Athens AL and father of Centenary/South Alabama guard) went 4-for-4 and chipped in with five RBI against the Chicago Cubs in 1983.

  • RHP Pete Sivess (Dickinson PA hooper in 1935-36) traded by the Philadelphia Phillies with cash to the New York Yankees in 1939.

  • New York Yankees RF Dave Winfield (starting forward for Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) whacked two homers against the Milwaukee Brewers, igniting his streak of seven consecutive multiple-hit contests in 1988.