On This Date: Ex-College Hoopers Make News in October 16 MLB Games

October 16th, 2020 - 9:41

Extra! Extra! Unless you're a cardboard cut-out, you can read news 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 hoopers had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history.

Former college hoopers Donn Clendenon (Morehouse GA) and Ken Singleton (Hofstra) supplied significant World Series hitting performances on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is an October 16 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

OCTOBER 16

  • In Game 5, 1B Donn Clendenon (played basketball for Morehouse GA) homered in his third consecutive appearance against the Baltimore Orioles to help power the New York Mets to 1969 World Series title.

  • Hall of Fame RHP Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) purchased from the Philadelphia Phillies by the New York Yankees in 1961.

  • 1B Dick Siebert (Concordia-St. Paul MN hooper in 1929 and 1930) traded by the Philadelphia Athletics to the St. Louis Browns in 1945.

  • Baltimore Orioles RF Ken Singleton (Hofstra freshman hoops squad in mid-1960s) supplied his second three-hit game in 1979 World Series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.