On This Date: Former College Hoopers Supplying MLB Headlines on July 17

July 17th, 2024 - 11:34

Extra! Extra! Instead of debating why Secret Service slope dope/pitch witch hasn't already resigned stemming from incompetence regarding assassination attempt on Donald Trump, 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.

Multiple hoopers for current or former major universities - Joe Adcock (Louisiana State), Bruce Bochte (Santa Clara), Zeke Bonura (Loyola LA) and Tony Clark (San Diego State) - made news as MLB first basemen on this date. Ditto ex-small college hooper Bill White (Hiram OH). Joining Adcock and Bonura among ex-LA school hoopers generating MLB headlines was George Stone (Louisiana Tech). What was it with the Detroit Tigers and catchers? Check out offensive displays by ex-college hoopers Mickey Cochrane, Billy Sullivan Jr. and Birdie Tebbetts on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 17 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JULY 17

  • Cincinnati Reds LF Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) went 4-for-4, scored four runs and threw out a runner at home plate in the ninth inning in a 9-8 victory against the Philadelphia Phillies in the opener of a 1951 twinbill. Four years later as a Milwaukee Braves 1B in 1955, Adcock pounded two homers in an 8-7 win against the New York Giants in the lidlifter of a doubleheader.

  • San Diego Padres RHP Steve Arlin (played two basketball games for Ohio State in 1964-65 under coach Fred Taylor) spun his third shutout covering four starts in less than three weeks in 1973.

  • Texas Rangers RHP Jim Bibby (Fayetteville State NC backup hooper and brother of UCLA All-American Henry Bibby) fired a three-hit shutout against the New York Yankees in 1974.

  • Seattle Mariners 1B Bruce Bochte (starting forward for Santa Clara's NCAA playoff team in 1969-70 when averaging 7.4 ppg and 4 rpg) contributed a pinch-hit single for the A.L. in front of his hometown fans in the 1979 All-Star Game.

  • Chicago White Sox 1B Zeke Bonura (best basketball forward for Loyola LA in late 1920s and early 1930s) extended his hitting streak to a career-high 16 games in 1936.

  • Seattle Mariners CF Mickey Brantley (averaged 10 ppg, 6.8 rpg and 5.4 apg for Columbia-Greene Community College SC in 1979-80) banged out four hits in a 7-4 setback against the Cleveland Indians in 1988.

  • 1B Tony Clark (San Diego State's leading scorer in Western Athletic Conference games in 1991-92) traded by the San Diego Padres to the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2008.

  • Philadelphia Athletics C Mickey Cochrane (Boston University hooper in early 1920s) smacked three extra-base hits against the Detroit Tigers in a 1928 game.

  • In 1963, Chicago White Sox RHP Dave DeBusschere (All-American for Detroit from 1959-60 through 1961-62 while averaging 24.8 ppg and 19.4 rpg) stroked a single against the Washington Senators for his only MLB hit in 22 at-bats en route to his first of three major-league victories.

  • After tossing 5 1/3 innings of one-hit relief, New York Yankees LHP Steve Hamilton (All-OVC selection was Morehead State's leading scorer and rebounder in 1956-57 and 1957-58) won his first seven decisions in 1964.

  • Legendary Babe Ruth drew his 2,000th career base on balls in 1934 at Cleveland off RHP Oral Hildebrand (All-American hooper for Butler in 1928-29 and 1929-30).

  • Cleveland Indians OF Chuck Hinton (played multiple sports for Shaw NC) hammered three homers and a triple in a 1966 doubleheader sweep of the Detroit Tigers.

  • Washington Senators LF Don Lock (Wichita State field-goal percentage leader in 1956-57 and 1957-58 under coach Ralph Miller) homered in his first MLB game in the opener of a 1962 twinbill against the Chicago White Sox.

  • In 1934, New York Giants RHP Roy Parmelee (Eastern Michigan hoops letterman in 1924-25 and 1925-26) broke a 1-1 stalemate with seventh-inning grand-slam homer off Chicago Cubs All-Star Lon Warneke in 5-3 win.

  • St. Louis Cardinals LF Rip Repulski (occasional hoops starter for St. Cloud State MN in 1946-47) ripped two homers in opener of 1955 doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

  • In 1964, Baltimore Orioles RHP Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) hurled a 5-0 shutout against the Detroit Tigers despite yielding 11 hits.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers LF Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in PCC both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) ripped two homers against the St. Louis Cardinals in the nightcap of a 1953 twinbill.

  • New York Yankees rookie RHP Al Shealy (Newberry College SC hooper in early 1920s) twirled a complete-game, 4-2 victory with no earned runs allowed against the Cleveland Indians in 1928.

  • In the midst of four straight complete-game victories, Washington Senators rookie RHP Dave Stenhouse (three-time All-Yankee Conference hoops selection for Rhode Island from 1952-53 through 1954-55) spun a three-hit shutout against the Chicago White Sox in 1962.

  • In the midst of winning five straight starts in 1971, Atlanta Braves LHP George Stone (averaged 14.7 ppg and 6.5 rpg for Louisiana Tech in 1964-65 and 1965-66) tossed his second shutout in three weeks.

  • Detroit Tigers C Billy Sullivan Jr. (Portland hoops letterman in 1927-28) stroked three doubles against the Washington Senators in a 1941 game. The next year with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Sullivan contributed four RBI against the Chicago Cubs in a 1942 outing.

  • Detroit Tigers C Birdie Tebbetts (Providence hooper in 1932) knocked in five runs against the Boston Red Sox in a 1939 contest.

  • Chicago White Sox DH Jim Thome (played junior-college hoops for Illinois Central in 1988-89) collected two homers and seven RBI in 2009 game against the Baltimore Orioles.

  • Boston Red Sox 3B Billy Werber (first Duke hoops All-American in 1929-30) became the first A.L. player to hit four consecutive doubles in one game (opener of 1935 doubleheader against Cleveland Indians).

  • St. Louis Cardinals 1B Bill White (two-year Hiram OH hooper in early 1950s) went 8-for-10 in a 1961 twinbill sweep of the Chicago Cubs.