On This Date: Former College Hoopers Make Mark on April 16 MLB Games

April 16th, 2019 - 6:11

Extra! Extra! 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. Former San Diego State hoopers Tony Gwynn and Graig Nettles supplied significant MLB hitting performances as lefthanded batters 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 16 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

APRIL 16

  • Detroit Tigers 2B Frank Bolling (averaged 7.3 ppg for Spring Hill AL basketball team in 1950-51), en route to hitting .632 through first five games of the 1958 campaign, banged out four hits in a 5-4 win against the Chicago White Sox.

  • Kansas City Athletics LF Bob Cerv (ranked fourth on Nebraska's career scoring list in 1949-50 when finishing college career) collected three extra-base hits and five RBI in a 9-4 triumph against the Cleveland Indians in 1958.

  • Philadelphia Athletics starting LHP Chubby Dean (reserve guard for Duke in 1936) did not allow an earned run in 10 innings in a 2-1 win against the New York Yankees in 1940.

  • 1B Kerby Farrell (key hooper for couple of strong Freed-Hardeman TN squads in mid-1930s) purchased from the Boston Braves by the Chicago White Sox in 1945.

  • Houston Astros C Joe Ferguson (played in 1967 NCAA playoffs with Pacific) furnished three extra-base hits against the Atlanta Braves in a 1977 game.

  • Philadelphia Athletics RF Walt French (hoops letterman for Rutgers and Army) furnished four hits against the Washington Senators in a 1926 contest.

  • Debut with San Francisco Giants for RHP Rich Gale (led New Hampshire with 7.2 rpg in 1975-76) was a success, hurling a three-hit, 6-1 victory against the Cincinnati Reds in 1982.

  • St. Louis Cardinals RHP Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer and rebounder in 1955-56 and 1956-57) and Philadelphia Phillies P Cal McLish both fail to finish the first inning when each starter allowed six runs in the Cards' 12-6 win at Philly in 1962.

  • Chicago White Sox C Frank Grube (Lafayette starting hoops guard as senior in 1926-27) went 4-for-4 against the Cleveland Indians in a 1932 game.

  • 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 Los Angeles Dodgers in a 1987 contest en route to N.L.-high 218 hits.

  • Cleveland Indians CF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling 35-3 record) delivered three extra-base hits against the Toronto Blue Jays in a 1993 contest.

  • Milwaukee Braves SS Johnny Logan (Binghamton hooper in 1948-49) went 5-for-5 against the Cincinnati Reds in a 1955 game.

  • Final blast of 390 MLB career homers by 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) was a pinch-hit, game-tying round-tripper for the Montreal Expos against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1988.

  • RHP Roy Parmelee (hoops letterman for Eastern Michigan in 1924-25 and 1925-26) purchased from the Chicago Cubs by the Boston Red Sox in 1938.

  • In a 1931 contest, Cincinnati Reds RF Wally Roettger (Illinois hoops letterman in 1921-22 and 1922-23) went 5-for-5 against his original team (St. Louis Cardinals).

  • Texas Rangers RHP Mike Smithson (teammate of Tennessee All-American Ernie Grunfeld averaged 1.9 ppg and 1.6 rpg under coach Ray Mears in 1974-75 and 1975-76) won his first three starts in 1984.