On This Date: Ex-College Hoopers Make News in October 19 MLB Games

October 19th, 2020 - 8:36

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.

One former Southern college hooper (Don Kessinger/Ole Miss) replaced another (Larry Doby/Virginia Union) as MLB manager of the Chicago White Sox on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is an October 19 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

OCTOBER 19

  • RHP Bob Garibaldi (starting basketball forward for Santa Clara in 1961-62 when averaging 10.6 ppg and 5.6 rpg) traded by the San Francisco Giants to the Kansas City Royals in 1970.

  • Kansas City Royals LF Lynn Jones (averaged 10.4 ppg for Thiel PA from 1970-71 through 1973-74) contributed a pinch-hit triple against the St. Louis Cardinals in opener of 1985 World Series.

  • In 1978, 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) named player-manager of the Chicago White Sox after they dismissed Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA hoops titlist).

  • St. Louis Cardinals RHP John Stuper (two-time all-conference junior college hooper in mid-1970s with Butler County PA) tossed a four-hitter in a 13-1 romp over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 6 of 1982 World Series.