On This Date: Ex-College Hoopers Made News in September 30 MLB Games

September 30th, 2021 - 8:59

Extra! Extra! Instead of cursing fascist "leaders" silencing Marine Lt. Colonel Stu Scheller by placing him in solitary confinement for simply defying gag order via seeking accountability regarding botched Afghanistan activity by his military superiors, you can read news 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 hoopers for three different Big Apple universities - Hank Greenberg (NYU), Buddy Hassett (Manhattan) and Joe Zapustas (Fordham) - plus two IL small four-year colleges (Bill Conroy of Illinois Wesleyan and Roe Skidmore of Millikin) and two Pasadena City Community College alums (Irv Noren and Jackie Robinson) made MLB news on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a September 30 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

SEPTEMBER 30

  • Detroit Tigers RHP Elden Auker (All-Big Six first-five basketball selection with Kansas State in 1931-32) closed out his 1933 rookie campaign with a four-hit shutout against the Cleveland Indians.

  • RHP Mike Barlow (Syracuse substitute from 1967-68 through 1969-70) shipped by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Houston Astros in 1975 to complete an earlier deal.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates 1B Donn Clendenon (four-sport letterman with Morehouse GA) collected four hits against the Cincinnati Reds in a 1961 game.

  • C Bill Conroy (Illinois Wesleyan hooper in early 1930s) selected by Boston Red Sox in 1941 Rule 5 draft.

  • In 1967, Houston Astros LHP Danny Coombs (Seton Hall's third-leading scorer and rebounder as sophomore in 1961-62) posted his third relief victory in as many decisions in a 19-day span.

  • Roger Craig (forward with North Carolina State's 1949-50 freshman hoops team) fired as San Diego Padres manager in 1979.

  • LF Hank Greenberg (enrolled at NYU on hoops scholarship in 1929 but attended college only one semester) smacked a ninth-inning grand slam against the St. Louis Browns on final day of 1945 campaign to clinch A.L. pennant for the Detroit Tigers.

  • New York Yankees 1B Buddy Hassett (hooper for Manhattan teams winning school-record 17 consecutive games in 1930 and 1931) twice knocked in Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio with safeties in a 7-4 win against the St. Louis Cardinals in opener of 1942 World Series.

  • In 1975, 1B-OF Doug Howard (All-WAC second-team selection with Brigham Young in 1968-69 and 1969-70) shipped by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Cleveland Indians to complete an earlier deal.

  • OF-1B Frank Howard (two-time All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection when leading Ohio State in scoring and rebounding in 1956-57 and 1957-58) hammered a homer against the New York Yankees in the Senators' final game in Washington in 1971.

  • Chicago Cubs RF Bill Nicholson (hoops guard for Washington College MD two years in mid-1930s) tripled twice against the Boston Braves in a 1943 contest.

  • OF Irv Noren (hooper of year for California junior college state champion Pasadena City in 1945) purchased from the Brooklyn Dodgers by the Washington Senators for $50,000 in 1949.

  • OF Curtis Pride (led William & Mary in steals three seasons and in assists twice from 1986-87 through 1989-90) smacked a pinch, two-run homer for the Montreal Expos in the top of ninth inning in 1993. Pride's blast was the difference in a 5-3 win against the Florida Marlins.

  • Setting the stage for a 1951 playoff with the New York Giants, INF Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in PCC both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) ripped an upper-deck homer in the 14th inning off Philadelphia Phillies Hall of Fame RHP Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47), giving the Brooklyn Dodgers a 9-8 victory. Five years later, New York Giants rookie 1B Bill White (played two years with Hiram OH in early 1950s) whacked two homers off Roberts in the opener of a 1956 twinbill while Robinson homered in his final MLB game.

  • New York Mets RF Ken Singleton (Hofstra freshman hoops team in mid-1960s) homered twice in the 1971 season finale against the St. Louis Cardinals.

  • Utilityman Roe Skidmore (scored 41 points for Millikin IL in game against Illinois College on 1-28-66) shipped by Cincinnati Reds to St. Louis Cardinals in 1973 to complete a deal made two months earlier.

  • Chicago White Sox DH Jim Thome (juco hooper for Illinois Central in 1988-89) accounted for the game's lone tally with solo homer in 2008 season finale against the Minnesota Twins.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates LHP Bob Veale (scored 1,160 points from 1955-56 through 1957-58 with Benedictine KS) amassed 16 strikeouts and eight walks in 12 1/3 innings against the Cincinnati Reds in 1964.

  • St. Louis Cardinals rookie RHP Ray Washburn (Whitworth WA scoring leader in 1958-59 and 1959-60 when named All-Evergreen Conference) earned his first MLB victory with a five-hit, complete-game 12-2 decision over the Philadelphia Phillies in 1961.

  • INF Whitey Wietelmann (hoops captain for Muskingum OH in mid-1940s) traded by the Boston Braves to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1946.

  • Philadelphia Phillies OF Cy Williams (Notre Dame forward in 1909-10) contributed two of his NL-leading 41 homers in a 6-4 win against the Brooklyn Robins in 1923.

  • San Francisco Giants CF Randy Winn (Santa Clara backcourtmate of eventual two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash in 1993-94) went 4-for-4 with two homers against the Arizona Diamondbacks in a 2005 game.

  • Philadelphia Athletics LF Joe Zapustas (Fordham hoops letterman in 1932-33) secured his lone MLB hit (single against Boston Red Sox in nightcap of 1933 doubleheader).