On This Date: Former College Hoopers Providing MLB Headlines on April 26

April 26th, 2023 - 8:03

Extra! Extra! As season shifts into high gear, you can read news 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 college hoopers Joe Adcock (Louisiana State), Lou Boudreau (Illinois), Gil Hodges (St. Joseph's IN/Oakland City IN) and Harvey Kuenn (Wisconsin) supplied significant MLB offensive performances on this date prior to becoming full-time MLB managers. 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 26 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

APRIL 26

  • Milwaukee Braves 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) collected two homers and five RBI against the Cincinnati Reds in a 1957 game.

  • Philadelphia Phillies LF Harry Anderson (averaged 7.7 ppg and 8.9 rpg for West Chester PA in 1951-52) went 4-for-4 against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the nightcap of a 1959 twinbill.

  • 1B Zeke Bonura (best basketball forward for Loyola LA in late 1920s and early 1930s) purchased from the New York Giants by the Washington Senators in 1940.

  • Cleveland Indians player-manager Lou Boudreau (leading scorer for Illinois' 1937 Big Ten Conference co-champion) banged out five hits, including a pair of doubles and pair of triples, in a 12-11, 14-inning victory against the Chicago White Sox in 1948.

  • Arizona Diamondbacks 1B Tony Clark (San Diego State's leading scorer in WAC games in 1991-92) cracked two homers for the second time in an eight-game span in 2007.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates SS Dick Groat (two-time All-American with Duke in 1950-51 and 1951-52 when finishing among nation's top five scorers each season) amassed four hits and five RBI in a 9-2 triumph against the Philadelphia Phillies in the opener of a 1959 doubleheader.

  • Cleveland Indians rookie RHP Wynn Hawkins (Little All-American was all-time leading scorer for Baldwin-Wallace OH upon graduation in 1957) toiled 11 innings in outdueling Jim Bunning in a 2-1 win against the Detroit Tigers in 1960.

  • Cleveland Indians RHP Oral Hildebrand (Butler hoops All-American in 1928-29 and 1929-30) fired a one-hitter against the St. Louis Browns in 1933, giving him back-to-back shutouts.

  • Los Angeles Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (hooper for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) contributed five RBI against the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1959 game.

  • Detroit Tigers CF Harvey Kuenn (briefly played hoops for Wisconsin in 1951-52 after competing on JV squad previous season) collected four hits against the Kansas City Athletics in a 1959 contest.

  • First start of 1947 season for Chicago White Sox LHP Thornton Lee (Cal Poly hooper in 1925-26) was a two-hit shutout against the St. Louis Browns.

  • Chicago Cubs LF Bill Nicholson (Washington College MD hoops guard for two years in mid-1930s) provided five RBI against the Cincinnati Reds in a 1940 game. Two years later in a 1942 outing, Nicholson amassed two triples and five RBI against the Reds.

  • First appearance of the 1933 campaign for New York Giants RHP Roy Parmelee (Eastern Michigan hoops letterman in 1924-25 and 1925-26) resulted in a one-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies.

  • OF Curtis Pride (led William & Mary in steals three times and assists twice from 1986-87 through 1989-90) shipped by the New York Mets to the Boston Red Sox as part of a conditional deal in 2000.

  • Baltimore Orioles DH Ken Singleton (Hofstra freshman hoops squad in mid-1960s) supplied three extra-base hits in a 1981 game against the Boston Red Sox.

  • 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) hurled his second complete-game victory in a week.

  • Montreal Expos 2B Gary Sutherland (averaged 7.4 ppg with Southern California in 1963-64) went 4-for-4 against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 1969 outing.

  • RHP Cecil Upshaw (led Centenary in scoring as junior while averaging 13.7 ppg and 6 rpg from 1961-62 through 1963-64) traded by the Cleveland Indians to the New York Yankees in 1974.

  • Detroit Tigers 3B Eddie Yost (NYU freshman hooper in 1943-44 under coach Howard Cann) drew four walks in a 1960 game against the Cleveland Indians en route to A.L.-leading 125 bases on balls.

  • New York Giants rookie 1B Babe Young (Fordham hoops letterman in 1935-36) manufactured multiple hits in his fifth consecutive contest in 1940.