Long before kneeling knuckleheads, the NCAA Tournament commenced in 1939, which was one year after the NIT triggered national postseason competition. An overlooked "versatile athlete" feat occurring in 1938 likely never to be duplicated took place at Arkansas, where the quarterback for the football squad (Jack Robbins) repeated as an All-SWC first-team basketball selection, leading the Razorbacks (19-3) to the league title. After the season, Robbins became an NFL first-round draft choice by the Chicago Cardinals (5th pick overall) and senior football/basketball teammates Jim Benton (11th pick by Cleveland Rams) and Ray Hamilton (41st pick by Rams) went on to become wide receivers for at least six years in the NFL. Yes, they created a kneeling-in-admiration shatterproof achievement - three do-everything members of a league championship basketball squad who promptly were among the top 41 selections in the same NFL draft.

Two years later, All-SWC first-team hoop selection Howard "Red" Hickey was instrumental in Arkansas reaching the 1941 Final Four before becoming an end for the Cleveland Rams' 1945 NFL titlist. Two-sport college teammate and fellow end O'Neal Adams scored five touchdowns for the New York Giants the first half of the 1940s. Another two-sport Hog who played for the Giants in the mid-1940s was Harry Wynne. An earlier versatile Razorback was Jim Lee Howell, who was an All-SWC first five hoop selection in 1935-36 before becoming a starting end for the Giants' 1938 NFL titlist and Pro Bowl participant the next year. Adams, Benton, Hamilton, Hickey and Howell combined for 77 touchdowns in an 11-year span from 1938 through 1948 when at least one of the ex-Razorback hoopers scored a TD in each of those seasons.

Hickey and ex-Hog All-SWC second-team hooper in 1929-30/NFL end Milan Creighton each coached NFL franchises. Many other ex-college hoopers also displayed their wares on the gridiron. Following is research you can tackle regarding former college basketball players who made a name for themselves in football on September 2 at the professional level (especially in 1979):

SEPTEMBER 2

• Philadelphia Eagles WR Harold Carmichael (basketball starter two seasons for Southern LA averaged 9.8 ppg and 10.6 rpg in 1969-70) caught two second-quarter touchdown passes from Ron Jaworski in a 23-17 win against the New York Giants in 1979 season opener.

• Washington Redskins TE Jean Fugett (leading scorer and rebounder for Amherst MA as junior in 1970-71) caught two touchdown passes from Joe Theismann in a 29-27 setback against the Houston Oilers in 1979 season opener.

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 Guilford NC hoopers Rick Ferrell and Tom Zachary supplied significant American League performances on this date. Ex-LSU hoopers Joe Adcock and Alvin Dark did likewise in National League contests. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a September 1 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

SEPTEMBER 1

• Milwaukee Braves 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) swatted two homers against the Chicago Cubs in a 1960 game.

• Chicago Cubs LF Ethan Allen (Cincinnati hoops letterman in 1924-25 and 1925-26) supplied four hits against the New York Giants in a 1936 contest.

• Chicago White Sox CF Ken Berry (freshman hooper for Wichita in 1959-60) went 4-for-4 in a 1966 game against the Detroit Tigers.

• Baltimore Orioles LF Al Bumbry (Virginia State's runner-up in scoring with 16.7 ppg as freshman in 1964-65) banged out four hits against the Kansas City Royals in a 1974 outing.

• Arizona Diamondbacks 1B Tony Clark (San Diego State's leading scorer in WAC competition in 1991-92) collected five RBI against the Colorado Rockies in a 2007 game.

• Philadelphia Athletics rookie RHP Jack Coombs (hoops captain and starting center for Colby ME) went the distance in a 24-inning, 4-1 win against the Washington Senators in 1906. Coombs tossed two more complete-game victories in the next 10 days.

• New York Giants SS Alvin Dark (hoops letterman for Louisiana State and Southwestern Louisiana in mid-1940s) manufactured four hits in his second game in a row against the Chicago Cubs in 1953.

• Milwaukee Braves 2B Jack Dittmer (Iowa hooper in 1949-50), entering the game with a .180 batting average, started a streak of six consecutive multiple-hit contests in 1954. Dittmer homered in three of the tilts.

• Closing in on the conclusion of an 18-year Hall of Fame career, Washington Senators C Rick Ferrell (hoops forward for Guilford NC before graduating in 1928) furnished four hits against the Philadelphia Athletics in a 1947 contest.

• In 1976, Baltimore Orioles rookie LHP Mike Flanagan (averaged 13.9 ppg for UMass' freshman squad in 1971-72) registered his first of 167 MLB career victories (six-hit, 7-1 nod over Kansas City Royals).

• Pittsburgh Pirates rookie 3B Gene Freese (West Liberty WV hoops captain of 1952 NAIA Tournament team) stroked four hits against the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1955 outing.

• 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) received bases-loaded walk in the 21st inning to give the San Francisco Giants a 1-0 victory at Cincinnati in 1967.

• Chicago Cubs SS 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) went 4-for-4 against the Houston Astros in a 1968 game.

• Detroit Tigers RF Harvey Kuenn (hooper played briefly for Wisconsin in 1951-52 after competing on JV squad previous season) contributed four hits against the Chicago White Sox in a 1959 contest.

• Washington Senators SS Doc Lavan (Hope MI hooper from 1908 through 1910) went 4-for-4 against the New York Yankees in a 1918 outing.

• In 1931, New York Giants rookie LHP Jim Mooney (played for East Tennessee State) notched his fourth win and second shutout since being summoned from the minors three weeks earlier.

• Washington Senators rookie SS Buddy Myer (Mississippi State hoops letterman in 1923-24) went 4-for-5 for the second time in an eight-game span in 1926.

• Cincinnati Reds CF Greasy Neale (hooper graduated in 1915 from West Virginia Wesleyan) went 5-for-5 against the St. Louis Cardinals in the nightcap of a 1918 doubleheader.

• OF-1B John Poff (member of Duke's freshman basketball squad in 1970-71) awarded off waivers from the Philadelphia Phillies to the Milwaukee Brewers in 1980.

• Brooklyn Dodgers LHP Preacher Roe (Harding AR hooper in late 1930s) yielded five solo homers but the St. Louis Cardinals still were soundly defeated, 12-5, in 1953. Five years earlier, Roe tossed his second of back-to-back shutouts in 1948.

• New York Yankees rookie LHP Marius Russo (member of LIU teams compiling 50-2 record in 1934-35 and 1935-36 under legendary coach Clair Bee) earned a save against the Cleveland Indians in the midst of seven straight complete-game victories to close out 1939 campaign.

• Baltimore Orioles RF Ken Singleton (played for Hofstra freshman hoops team in mid-1960s) homered twice against the Seattle Mariners in a 1980 contest.

• Cleveland Indians 2B Riggs Stephenson (Alabama hoops letterman in 1920) collected two homers and six RBI against the St. Louis Browns in the nightcap of a 1924 twinbill.

• Philadelphia Phillies RHP Kent Tekulve (freshman hooper for Marietta OH in mid-1960s) won his sixth game as reliever in span of a month in 1986.

• LHP Bob Veale (scored 1,160 points from 1955-56 through 1957-58 with Benedictine KS) made relief appearance for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1971 when they started what is believed to be the first all-black lineup (including several Latinos) in MLB history (against Philadelphia Phillies).

• Pittsburgh Pirates CF Bill Virdon (Drury MO hooper in 1949) belted a two-out, game-ending grand slam in 6-4 verdict over the Cincinnati Reds in 1963.

• New York Yankees LHP Tom Zachary (Guilford NC letterman in 1916) yielded his most earned runs of the year (four against Boston Red Sox) en route to a 12-0 worksheet in 1929.

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.

Ed Morgan (Tulane), Lyle Mouton (Louisiana State) and Lee Smith (Northwestern State) - former major-college hoopers from Pelican State universities - supplied significant moments in their MLB careers on this date. Ditto ex-Pasadena City CA community college hoopers Darrell Evans and Irv Noren. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is an August 31 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

AUGUST 31

• New York Giants LF Babe Barna (West Virginia basketball letterman in 1936 and 1937) provided a career-high four hits in 7-6 win against the Chicago Cubs in 1942.

• Chicago Cubs 2B Glenn Beckert (three-year hoops letterman for Allegheny PA) supplied four safeties against the Atlanta Braves in a 1969 game.

• California Angels rookie LF Bruce Bochte (starting forward for Santa Clara's NCAA playoff team in 1970 averaged 7.4 ppg and 4 rpg) belted two homers against the Milwaukee Brewers in a 1974 contest.

• In 1954, Milwaukee Braves rookie RHP Gene Conley (All-PCC first-team selection led North Division in scoring in 1949-50 as Washington State sophomore) hurled a three-hit shutout against the Brooklyn Dodgers. The whitewash was Conley's fifth win of the month.

• Milwaukee Braves 1B George Crowe (four-year letterman from 1939-40 through 1942-43 for Indiana Central after becoming first high school player named state's Mr. Basketball) smacked two homers against the Brooklyn Dodgers in a 1955 outing.

• Boston Braves SS Dick Culler (#9 jersey retired by High Point for hoops Little All-American in 1935 and 1936) contributed four hits against the Philadelphia Phillies in nightcap of a 1946 doubleheader.

• San Francisco Giants LF Darrell Evans (member of Jerry Tarkanian-coached Pasadena City CA club winning 1967 state community college crown) went 4-for-4 against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 1977 outing.

• Los Angeles Dodgers C Joe Ferguson (hooper in 1967 NCAA playoffs with Pacific) launched two homers against the Montreal Expos in a 1980 game.

• LHP Mike Flanagan (averaged 13.9 ppg for Massachusetts' 15-1 freshman squad in 1971-72) traded by the Baltimore Orioles to the Toronto Blue Jays in 1987. Toronto released knuckleballer Phil Niekro to make room on roster for Flanagan.

• 1B-OF Dick Gernert (Temple letterman in 1948-49 when averaging 2.7 ppg) purchased from the Chicago Cubs by the Detroit Tigers in 1960.

• St. Louis Cardinals RHP Bob Gibson (first Creighton hooper to average more than 20 ppg in career with 20.2 from 1954-55 through 1956-57) belted his second homer of the month in 1965.

• Dallas Green (Delaware's second-leading scorer and rebounder in 1954-55) named Philadelphia Phillies manager in 1979.

• In 1934, St. Louis Browns C Frank Grube (Lafayette starting hoops guard as senior in 1926-27) closed out the month with his seventh multiple-hit contest in an eight-game span.

• Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (hooper for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) swatted four homers, accounting for nine RBI, in a 19-3 romp over the Boston Braves in 1950. Seven years later, Hodges homered in his fifth of final six games of the month in 1957.

• 1B-OF 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) purchased from the Texas Rangers by the Detroit Tigers in 1972.

• Pittsburgh Pirates LHP Herb Kelly (hooper for Notre Dame from 1911-12 through 1913-14) notched his lone MLB victory (against Brooklyn Robins in 1915).

• Chicago Cubs SS 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) collected five hits against the Montreal Expos in the opener of a 1971 doubleheader.

• Philadelphia Phillies RHP Jim Konstanty (member of 1937-38 and 1938-39 Syracuse hoop teams) hurled a three-hit shutout against the Boston Braves in the nightcap of a 1952 twinbill.

• LHP Bill Krueger (led WCAC in free-throw percentage in 1975-76 with Portland) traded by the Minnesota Twins to Montreal Expos in 1992. It is one of four seasons Krueger split time between the A.L. and N.L. during his career.

• 2B Davey Lopes (NAIA All-District 15 selection for Iowa Wesleyan averaged 16.9 ppg as freshman in 1964-65 and 12.1 as sophomore in 1965-66 before transferring with his coach to Washburn KS) shipped by the Oakland Athletics to the Chicago Cubs in 1984 to complete an earlier deal.

• Chicago White Sox RHP Ted Lyons (two-time All-SWC first-team selection for Baylor in early 1920s) lifted after seven innings and 15 hits opposing the St. Louis Browns in 1941. It is Lyons' final incomplete MLB game as he finished three subsequent starts in 1941, all 20 in 1942 and all five in 1946 (after serving in U.S. military during World War II).

• SS Gene Michael (Kent State's leading scorer with 14 ppg in 1957-58) banged out a career-high four of the New York Yankees' 25 hits in an 18-6 romp over the Chicago White Sox in 1974.

• A three-run, ninth-inning homer by RF Wally Moon (averaged 4.3 ppg with Texas A&M in 1948-49 and 1949-50) gave the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-2 victory against the San Francisco Giants in 1959 when teammate Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman squad in 1953-54) broke Dizzy Dean's N.L. mark and tied Bob Feller's MLB record of 18 strikeouts in a single game.

• In the midst of a career-high 12-game hitting streak, Chicago White Sox rookie 2B Ray Morehart (Austin College TX hoops letterman in early 1920s) went 9-for-10 with eight RBI in a 1926 doubleheader split against the Detroit Tigers.

• In 1930, Cleveland Indians 1B Ed Morgan (Tulane hoops letterman from 1923-24 through 1925-26) collected four hits and four RBI for the second time in last four games of the month.

• In the midst of a 10-game hitting streak, Chicago White Sox rookie OF Lyle Mouton (starter in Louisiana State's backcourt with All-American Chris Jackson for 1989 NCAA playoff team) went 4-for-4 against the Detroit Tigers in a 1995 contest. Six years later, Mouton was shipped by the Tigers to the Houston Astros as part of a conditional deal in 2001.

• 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) belted two homers to power the New York Yankees to a 5-4 victory against Seattle in 1977.

• Chicago Cubs RF Bill Nicholson (hoops guard for Washington College MD two years in mid-1930s) had his 21-game hitting streak snapped by the Cincinnati Reds in 1943.

• OF Irv Noren (hooper of year for California junior college state champion Pasadena City in 1945) awarded off waivers from the Kansas City Athletics to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1957. Two years earlier with the New York Yankees, Noren went 3-for-3 and scored four runs against the Athletics in a 1955 contest.

• Chicago White Sox LHP Gary Peters (Grove City PA hooper in mid-1950s) allowed fewer than three runs in his eighth straight start en route to pacing the A.L. with a 1.98 ERA in 1966.

• INF-OF Tony Phillips (New Mexico Military juco hooper in 1977-78 as teammate of eventual Drake All-American Lewis Lloyd) traded by the Montreal Expos with cash to the San Diego Padres in 1980.

• LHP Denny Riddleberger (averaged 5.7 ppg and 2.5 rpg for Old Dominion in 1965-66) traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates with cash to the Washington Senators for P George Brunet in 1970.

• RHP Lee Smith (averaged 3.4 ppg and 1.9 rpg with Northwestern State in 1976-77) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the New York Yankees in 1993.

• Philadelphia Phillies 3B Jim Tabor (Alabama hoops letterman in 1936-37) provided three extra-base hits and five RBI against the Boston Braves in the opener of a 1946 twinbill.

• New York Yankees LHP Ed Wells (multi-sport athlete graduated in 1924 from Bethany WV) hurled a one-hit shutout against the Washington Senators in the opener of a 1929 doubleheader.

• Boston Red Sox rookie 3B Billy Werber (first Duke hoops All-American in 1929-30) knocked in five runs against the New York Yankees in a 1933 outing.

• Chicago Cubs RF Bob Will (all-league athlete was hoops captain for Mankato State MN in 1954-55) contributed two safeties in both ends of a 1960 twinbill against the Milwaukee Braves. He had 11 multiple-hit games during the month.

• DH Dave Winfield (starting forward with Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) purchased from the Minnesota Twins by the Cleveland Indians in 1994.

In the aftermath of Lucas Giolito's no-hitter for the Chicago White Sox, it's time to take a look at former college hoopers who went on to hurl a no-no at the major-league level. Brooklyn native Sandy Koufax attended Cincinnati one year on a combination baseball/basketball scholarship under coach Ed Jucker in both sports before signing a pro baseball contract. Koufax was the third-leading scorer with 9.7 ppg for the Bearcats' 12-2 freshman squad in 1953-54 before hurling no-hitters in four straight seasons the first half of the 1960s.

Two former Bucknell products - Bob Keegan and Christy Mathewson - are among the following ex-college basketball players going on to toss a MLB no-hitter (listed in reverse order):

*Perfect game.

"Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally." - Abraham Lincoln

Walking off a TNT plantation set akin to Kenny "The Jet" Smith is anything but courageous; especially when compared to African-American hoopers staying strong by breaking color barrier a half-century ago. Smells as if no restraining order could stop Smith from jetting off to Wisconsin to preserve evidence of creep's knife and earlier sexual assault. Face it, Kenny! Unless you were also too busy as journalistic jewel jetting off to big screen to explain how fentanyl impacted Minneapolis mess, intestinal fortitude would have been jettisoning ties with your alma mater until "The Carolina Way" included reeducating your successors coasting through eligibility process via no-show classes. Absence of scholastic standards tarring program probably paved way for excessive off-the-court indiscretions over last 25 years. Instead of focusing on educational main mission, the color-blind citadel of learning was more concerned with Twitter removing doctored parody video featuring MAGA red hats involving a juvenile Tar Heels' locker-room dance.

Bravery would have been exhibited encouraging communities to cooperate with law enforcement by ending snitches-get-stitches code-of-silence culture, admonishing sperminators that 25% fatherhood is unacceptable and calling for reducing black genocide via #PlannedMurderhood abortions (if indeed #BLM regarding innocent babies). There was little to no valor displayed when NBA scholars boycotted playoff games in YMCA setting for three days and NCAA coaches held players' hands to reinforce one-way voting bloc plus NABC de-emphasizing ACT/SAT results dramatically diminishing academic integrity to pacify pipeline of talent.

Unless you're a devotee of #MSLSD haughty host Joy-less Reid or ex-#Dimorat presidential candidate Spartacus/Mr. Groper (a/k/a T-Bone's friend), certainly it's not a Jussie Smollett hate-crime to also claim "White Players Matter." But when Martin Luther King's DC speech is celebrated, accompanying these benchmarks are an assortment of facts and opinions acknowledging positive contributions African-Americans have made to the American landscape. Granted, Robin Roberts' lame circling-the-drain ABC interview of Smollett, Michael Vick's fondness for dogs plus traction-less presidential campaigns of Cory Booker and Kamela Harris aren't among them. Still, taking more than 100 years after emancipator Abraham Lincoln to make a nationwide transition, nowhere is that emphasis more evident than in an athletic world bereft of quotas and unconnected to alleged Oscar-snubbing. Rest assured civil rights stories such as high school coach Ken Zacher are plentiful. There clearly is more evidence of joyful honor in basketball arenas than in the Smollett-hoax political arena, where a tax cheat such as Al "Not So" Sharpton has been given a freeloader forum by Mess-LSD and brotherly backdoor free-pass entrance to previous POTUS' Oval Office (perhaps skinny-jeans version of H&R Block seminar from #AudacityofHype to set him lien free at last). Frankly, if U.S. soil soils your precious Commie consciousness, then any reparations should be paying for one-way ticket back to whatever hell-hole your ancestors originated.

Letting authentic freedom ring a mite more than "The View" host-ettes, frisky billionaire Michael "Throw Them Up Against the Wall" Bloomberg and CNN's identity politics exemplified by entitled snot-nosed Joe Lockhart, every sports fan acknowledges the cultural significance of Jackie Robinson (180 degrees removed from smug Smollett's nutrition plan). A movie (42) debuted several springs ago regarding Robinson beginning his major league baseball career, but it is easy to forget there was a time when the now 75% black National Basketball Association was 100% white. Like remembering Dems largely opposed the 13th Amendment, it's also easy to forget how Robinson was instrumental in college basketball's "civil rights" movement long before agitator tourism.

Before Robinson arrived on the scene in the National League, however, there was Columbia's George Gregory, who became the first African-American to gain college All-American honors in 1930-31. In an era of low scoring, he was the team's second-leading scorer with a 9.2-point average. But he was proudest of his defense, and a statistic that is no longer kept: "goals against." In 10 games, Gregory held rival centers to only eight baskets. "That's less than one goal a game," he told the New York Times. "I think they should have kept that statistical category. Nowadays, one guy scores 40 points but his man scores 45. So what good is it?

"It's funny, but even though I was the only black playing for Columbia, and there was only one other black playing in the Ivy League - Baskerville of Harvard - I really didn't encounter too much trouble from opponents. Oh, I got into a couple of fights. And one time a guy called me 'Nigger,' and a white teammate said, 'Next time, you hit him high and I'll hit him low.' And we did, and my teammate, a Polish guy named Remy Tys, said to that other player, 'That's how we take care of nigger callers.'"

As pitiful as a New York Slimes dual endorsement and "courteous" #NannyPathetic's prayerful paper shredding, Gregory said the worst racial incident he encountered was at his own school. "After our last game in my junior year, the team voted me captain for the next season. Well, there was a hell of a battle when this came out. Columbia didn't want a black captain, or a Jewish captain, either, I learned. The dean was against it, and the athletic director was against it, and even the coach was against it.

"The coach told me, 'Get yourself together, Gregory, or I'll take your scholarship away.' They were worried that if we played a school in the South and met the other captain before the game, the guy would refuse to come out and it would embarrass the school. But the campus was split 50-50 on whether to have a black captain for its basketball team.

"The fight went on for three or four weeks. The school insisted that the team vote again. We did, and I won again. One of my teammates said, 'You forced the school to enter the 20th Century.'"

Harrison "Honey" Fitch, Connecticut's first black player, was center stage during a racial incident delaying a game at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy for several hours in late January 1934. Coast Guard officials entered a protest against Fitch, arguing that because half of the Academy's student body was from southern states, they had a tradition "that no Negro players be permitted to engage in contests at the Academy." Eventually, UConn's coach kept Fitch on the bench the entire contest and never explained why.

The first black to appear in the NBA didn't occur until a couple of decades after Gregory graduated and Fitch transferred to American International. UCLA's first basketball All-American Don Barksdale, one of the first seven African-Americans to play in the NBA, was the first black U.S. Olympic basketball player (1948) as well as the first black to play in an NBA All-Star Game (as a rookie in 1952).

Inspired by the black labor movement in the 1930s, Barksdale said, "I made up my mind that if I wanted to do something, I was going to try to do it all the way, no matter the obstacles."

As a 28-year-old rookie with the Baltimore Bullets, he was paid $20,850 (one of the NBA's top salaries) to play and host a postgame radio show, but that notoriety also put extra pressure on him. Forced to play excessive minutes during the preseason, he sustained ankle injuries that plagued him the remainder of his four-year NBA career (11 ppg and 8 rpg).

Why play so many minutes? "It's Baltimore, which is considered the South," said Barksdale, who wound up back in the Bay Area as a well-known jazz disc jockey. "So the South finally signed a black man, and he's going to play whether he could walk or crawl." Barksdale boasted a decidedly different perspective than Kentucky freshman playmaker Ashton "Out For Personal Reasons" Hagans with his wad-of-cash video. What's the over/under as to whether Hagans' hubris was flashing $20,850? UK players now seek to change name of Rupp Arena. Impressionable know-nothings infected by grievance industry probably want name changed to school's first African-American hooper (criminal Tom Payne who blamed his abhorrent behavior on lashing out about racism).

Chuck Cooper, who attended Duquesne on the GI Bill, was the first black player drafted by an NBA franchise. "I don't give a damn if he's striped or plaid or polka-dot," were the history-making words of Boston Celtics Owner Walter Brown when he selected Cooper, who averaged 6.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game in six pro seasons. In Cooper's freshman campaign, Duquesne was awarded a forfeit after refusing to yield to Tennessee's refusal to compete against the Dukes if Cooper participated in a game just before Christmas.

In the 1955-56 season, the Hazleton (Pa.) Hawks of the Eastern League became the first professional league franchise to boast an all-black starting lineup - Jesse Arnelle, Tom Hemans, Fletcher Johnson, Floyd Lane and Sherman White. Arnelle (Penn State) and White (Long Island) were former major-college All-Americans.

As for the multi-talented Robinson, UCLA's initial all-conference basketball player in the 1940s was a forward who compiled the highest scoring average in the Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with the Bruins (12.3 points per league game in 1939-40 and 11.1 ppg in 1940-41) after transferring from Pasadena (Calif.) City College. Continuing his scoring exploits, the six-time National League All-Star who spurred #42 uniforms throughout MLB was the leading scorer for the Los Angeles Red Devils' barnstorming team in 1946-47.

Seven-time All-Star outfielder Larry Doby, the first black in the American League, was also a college basketball player who helped pave the way for minorities. He competed on the hardwood for Virginia Union during World War II after originally committing to LIU. The four-month lead Robinson had in integrating the majors casts a huge shadow over Doby, who was the first black to lead his league in homers (32 in 1952), first to hit a World Series homer and first to win a World Series title.

With less than 10% of current MLB rosters comprised of African-Americans, Robinson clearly had much more of a longstanding impact on basketball than baseball. All of the trailblazers didn't capitalize on a Methodist faith like Robinson, but they did boast temperaments unlike "fohty-five" Congressional Black Caucus members or so such as #MadMaxine sitting on their hands or boycotting SOTU speech. How much did kneeling Ole Miss players resembling knucklehead #ColonKrapernick know about ground-breaking alumnus Coolidge Ball? In deference to "firsts" and the number 42, following is a ranking of the 42 best players (including Ball) deserving applause for breaking the color barrier at the varsity level of a major university (*indicates junior college recruit):

MOST OVERLOOKED PIONEERS FOR MAJOR UNIVERSITIES

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.

Several former hoopers from small colleges in Pennsylvania - Christy Mathewson (Bucknell), Jack Ogden (Swarthmore) and Gary Peters (Grove City) - made MLB news on this date. Ditto three ex-hoopers from universities in Louisiana - Joe Adcock (LSU), Zeke Bonura (Loyola) and Lee Smith (Northwestern State). Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is an August 27 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

AUGUST 27

• In 1964, California Angels 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) became the 23rd player to reach 300-homer plateau when he went yard by connecting at Kansas City.

• Philadelphia Athletics LHP Stan Baumgartner (hooper for Big Ten Conference champion for University of Chicago in 1914) posted his third straight complete-game victory closing out the month in 1924.

• Washington Senators 1B Zeke Bonura (best basketball forward for Loyola LA in late 1920s and early 1930s) banged out four hits for the third time in an eight-game span in 1938.

• Starting on two days rest, Brooklyn Dodgers RHP Ralph Branca (sixth-leading scorer for NYU in 1943-44) spun a two-hit shutout against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1951, entering the ninth inning with a no-hitter.

• Montreal Expos RHP Ray Burris (two-sport standout in Southwestern Oklahoma State Hall of Fame) surrendered only one hit in eight innings against the Cincinnati Reds in a 1981 outing.

• St. Louis Cardinals RHP Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer and rebounder in 1955-56 and 1956-57) won all six starts during the month in 1970 en route to an N.L.-leading 23 triumphs.

• Chicago Cubs 1B Harvey Hendrick (Vanderbilt hoops letterman in 1918) went 4-for-4 in a 2-0 win against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1933.

• In his second MLB start, Brooklyn Dodgers LHP Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman hoops squad in 1953-54) fanned 14 Cincinnati Reds in a 7-0 two-hit shutout in 1955.

• Hall of Fame RHP Christy Mathewson (Bucknell hooper at turn of 20th Century) resigned as Cincinnati Reds manager in 1918 to accept a commission as a captain in the chemical warfare branch of the Army during World War I.

• Philadelphia Phillies RF Bake McBride (averaged 12.7 ppg and 8.1 rpg in 21 games with Westminster MO in 1968-69 and 1969-70) banged out four hits and scored four runs against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 1978 game.

• St. Louis Browns rookie RHP Jack Ogden (Swarthmore PA hooper in 1918), posting his third straight complete-game victory, hurled a four-hit shutout against the Boston Red Sox in the nightcap of a 1928 twinbill.

• Chicago White Sox LHP Gary Peters (Grove City PA hooper in mid-1950s) hurled an 11-inning shutout against the Boston Red Sox in the nightcap of a 1967 doubleheader.

• St. Louis Browns RHP Bob Poser (Wisconsin hoops letterman from 1929-30 through 1931-32) posted his lone MLB victory (against Washington Senators in opener of 1935 twinbill).

• Detroit Tigers rookie 3B Nolen Richardson (Georgia hoops captain in 1925-26 as member of All-Southern Conference Tournament team) went 3-for-3 in a 9-4 win against the Chicago White Sox in 1931.

• RF Leon Roberts (grabbed one rebound in four basketball games for Michigan in 1970-71 under coach Johnny Orr) knocked in the Texas Rangers' last four runs with a double and homer in 5-1 win against the Milwaukee Brewers in 1981.

• Baltimore Orioles DH Ken Singleton (Hofstra freshman hoops team in mid-1960s) homered in both ends of a 1982 doubleheader against the Texas Rangers.

• St. Louis Cardinals RHP Lee Smith (averaged 3.4 ppg and 1.9 rpg with Northwestern State in 1976-77) logged a save in his ninth consecutive contest in 1991.

• Pinch-hitter Jimmy Stewart (All-Volunteer State Athletic Conference hoops selection for Austin Peay State in 1959-60 and 1960-61) stroked a bases-loaded triple to spur the Cincinnati Reds to an 8-7 victory against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1971.

• Pittsburgh Pirates RHP Kent Tekulve (freshman hooper for Marietta OH in mid-1960s) tallied eighth save in last 10 relief appearances of the month in 1978.

• After replacing Joe Torre as catcher, Sammy White (All-PCC Northern Division first-five selection for Washington in 1947-48 and 1948-49) supplied an RBI double in the 12th inning to give the Milwaukee Braves an 11-10 triumph against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 1961 contest.

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 junior college hoopers Darrell Evans, Gary Redus and Jackie Robinson registered significant MLB performances on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is an August 25 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

AUGUST 25

• OF Ken Berry (freshman hooper for Wichita in 1959-60) contributed a fifth-inning solo homer and game-winning single in bottom of ninth to lift the Chicago White Sox to a 2-1 win over the Boston Red Sox in nightcap of 1967 twinbill.

• Cleveland Indians SS Lou Boudreau (leading basketball scorer for Illinois' 1937 Big Ten Conference co-champion) contributed four hits against the Boston Red Sox in a 1947 game.

• Pittsburgh Pirates rookie RHP Don Carlsen (Denver hoops letterman in 1943) toiled 12 innings in a 3-2 win against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1951. He singled and scored decisive run against Jim Konstanty (Syracuse hooper in late 1930s) in top of the 12th.

• New York Mets 1B Donn Clendenon (four-sport letterman with Morehouse GA) knocked in five runs against the Atlanta Braves in a 1970 contest.

• New York Yankees Hall of Fame LF Earle Combs (three-year hoops captain for Eastern Kentucky) incurred a severe shoulder injury colliding with a teammate, contributing to Combs' retirement following the 1935 campaign. He delivered two three-hit outings in his previous four starts.

• San Francisco Giants 3B Darrell Evans (member of Jerry Tarkanian-coached Pasadena City CA club winning 1967 state community college crown) homered twice in a 1978 game against the Montreal Expos.

• Los Angeles Dodgers C Joe Ferguson (hooper in 1967 NCAA playoffs with Pacific) collected two homers and four RBI in a 6-4 win against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 1973 outing.

• Boston Red Sox C Rick Ferrell (played forward for Guilford NC before graduating in 1928) furnished four hits and four RBI in a 5-4 victory against the Cleveland Indians in the opener of a 1935 doubleheader.

• Boston Red Sox RHP Boo Ferriss (Mississippi State hoops letterman in 1941) topped the visiting Cleveland Indians, 2-1, to improve his 1946 Fenway Park mark to 13-0.

• Philadelphia Athletics starting RHP Stu Flythe (North Carolina State hoops letterman from 1932-33 through 1934-35) walked 11 Chicago White Sox batters in three innings in a 1936 game.

• In 1982, San Diego Padres rookie LF Tony Gwynn (All-WAC second-team selection with San Diego State in 1979-80 and 1980-81) broke his wrist diving for a fly ball en route to falling short of a .300 batting average for the only time in his 20-year career (.289).

• Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (hooper for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) homered twice and doubled against the Cincinnati Reds in a 1954 contest.

• Washington Senators 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) went 4-for-4 against the Minnesota Twins in a 1969 game.

• RF David Justice (Thomas More KY assists leader in 1984-85 while averaging 9.3 ppg and 3.5 rpg) and Atlanta Braves teammate Fred McGriff whacked back-to-back homers for the second time in 10 days in 1993. Justice jacked two circuit clouts in the game against the San Francisco Giants as he secured six round-trippers in his last six contests of the month.

• Washington Senators SS Doc Lavan (Hope MI hooper from 1908 through 1910) went 4-for-4 against the Chicago White Sox in the nightcap of a 1918 twinbill.

• New York Giants RHP Christy Mathewson (Bucknell hooper at turn of 20th Century) reached the 20-win plateau for the seventh straight season in 1909.

• New York Yankees RHP Lindy McDaniel (played for Oklahoma's 1954-55 freshman hoops squad) retired 32 consecutive batters covering four relief appearances in 1968.

• New York Yankees 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) cracked two homers against the Minnesota Twins in a 1982 game.

• Chicago White Sox LHP Gary Peters (Grove City PA hooper in mid-1950s) had his personal streak of 14 straight starts allowing fewer than four earned runs snapped by the Boston Red Sox in 1967.

• In 1989, Pittsburgh Pirates 1B Gary Redus (J.C. hooper for Athens AL and father of Centenary/South Alabama guard with same name) hit for the cycle against his original team (Cincinnati Reds).

• Chicago White Sox rookie RHP Johnny Rigney (top hoops center for St. Thomas MN in mid-1930s) struck out New York Yankee Hall of Famers Joe DiMaggio and Lou Gehrig in a 1937 relief appearance.

• Brooklyn Dodgers 3B Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) ripped two homers against the Chicago Cubs in the nightcap of a 1953 twinbill.

• New York Yankees 3B Red Rolfe (played hoops briefly with Dartmouth in 1927-28 and 1929-30) extended his streak of scoring at least one run to 18 straight contests in 1939.

• Baltimore Orioles RF Ken Singleton (Hofstra freshman hoops team in mid-1960s) stroked three extra-base hits against the Seattle Mariners in a 1981 contest.

• Chicago Cubs LF Riggs Stephenson (Alabama hoops letterman in 1920) went 7-for-10 in a 1933 doubleheader split against the Philadelphia Phillies.

• Detroit Tigers 1B Champ Summers (led SIUE in scoring in 1969-70 after doing likewise for Nicholls State in 1964-65) launched two homers against the Seattle Mariners in a 1979 game.

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 SEC hoopers Joe Adcock (Louisiana State), Don Kessinger (Mississippi) and Jim Tabor (Alabama) delivered significant MLB performances on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is an August 23 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

AUGUST 23

• Milwaukee Braves 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) provided four hits against the Chicago Cubs in the opener of a 1953 twinbill.

• At the Polo Grounds in 1962, San Francisco Giants INF Ernie Bowman (East Tennessee State hoops letterman in 1954-55 and 1955-56) belted his lone MLB homer. Five frames later, he banged out the game-winning single in extra innings to give the Giants a 2-1 win against the expansion New York Mets.

• In 1989, Atlanta Braves RHP Marty Clary (Northwestern hoops letterman in 1981-82 and 1982-83) notched his lone MLB shutout (3-0 against St. Louis Cardinals).

• Philadelphia Athletics C Mickey Cochrane (Boston University hooper in early 1920s) manufactured two homers among his four hits and chipped with five RBI against the Chicago White Sox in a 1932 game.

• In the midst of a career-high 10-game hitting streak, Cincinnati Reds 2B Pat Crawford (Davidson hoops captain in early 1920s) stroked an inside-the-park homer in nightcap of 1930 doubleheader against the Brooklyn Robins.

• Philadelphia Phillies 2B Denny Doyle (averaged 2.7 ppg for Morehead State in 1962-63) delivered his third consecutive three-hit outing against the Atlanta Braves in 1972.

• Atlanta Braves 3B Darrell Evans (member of Jerry Tarkanian-coached Pasadena City CA club winning 1967 state community college crown) homered in his fourth contest of a five-game span in 1974.

• 3B Gene Freese (hoops captain of 1952 NAIA Tournament team for West Liberty WV) purchased from the Pittsburgh Pirates by the Chicago White Sox in 1965.

• In the midst of a career-high 23-game hitting streak, St. Louis Cardinals 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) furnished nine consecutive multiple-hit contests in 1931.

• 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) knocked in the winning run in the 11th inning of the nightcap of a 1959 doubleheader against the Los Angeles Dodgers to give reliever Elroy Face his 16th victory without a loss.

• Los Angeles Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (hooper for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) hammered his 14th career grand slam to set a new N.L. record. It was the first grand slam in the history of the franchise on the West Coast.

• Chicago Cubs SS 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) supplied a multiple-safety outing for the seventh time in eight-game span in 1972.

• Detroit Tigers RF Harvey Kuenn (played hoops briefly for Wisconsin in 1951-52 after competing on JV squad previous season) went 5-for-5 against the Baltimore Orioles in a 1959 contest.

• Chicago White Sox LHP Thornton Lee (Cal Poly hooper in 1925-26) lashed his fourth homer of season in a 2 1/2-month span in 1938.

• New York Yankees rookie RF Jim Lyttle (Florida State free-throw shooting leader in 1965-66 when averaging 12.4 ppg) went 4-for-4 with three RBI in a 7-5 win against the Chicago White Sox in the nightcap of a 1970 twinbill.

• Philadelphia Phillies CF Bake McBride (averaged 12.7 ppg and 8.1 rpg in 21 games with Westminster MO in 1968-69 and 1969-70) amassed three hits and three stolen bases against the Atlanta Braves in a 1977 game.

• Utilityman Jimmy Stewart (All-Volunteer State Athletic Conference hoops selection for Austin Peay State in 1959-60 and 1960-61) slugged a three-run, pinch-hit homer off Hall of Famer Tom Seaver to spark the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-5 triumph against the New York Mets in 1970.

• Chicago Cubs rookie OF Champ Summers (led SIUE in scoring in 1969-70 after doing same with Nicholls State in 1964-65) smacked his first MLB homer, a pinch grand slam, against the Houston Astros in 1975.

• Boston Red Sox 3B Jim Tabor (Alabama hoops letterman in 1936-37) went 4-for-4 in a 1939 game against the St. Louis Browns.

• Pittsburgh Pirates CF Bill Virdon (Drury MO hooper in 1949) went 7-for-8 in a 1959 doubleheader sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

• St. Louis Cardinals 1B Bill White (two-year hooper with Hiram OH in early 1950s) went 4-for-4 against the Houston Colt .45s in a 1963 contest.

• LHP Tom Zachary (Guilford NC hoops letterman in 1916) awarded on waivers from the Washington Senators to the New York Yankees in 1928.

Extra! Extra! Unless you're a cardboard cut-out, you have time to 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.

Several hoopers from Illinois colleges - Lou Boudreau (Illinois), Floyd Newkirk (Illinois College) and Paul Reuschel (Western Illinois) - made MLB news on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is an August 21 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

AUGUST 21

• Boston Red Sox INF Jack Barry (basketball letterman for Holy Cross in 1908) tied a MLB single-game record with four sacrifices at Cleveland in 1916.

• Philadelphia Athletics RHP Bill Beckmann (hooper in late 1920s for Washington MO) tossed a shutout against the Chicago White Sox in 1940 for his fifth victory in as many decisions in a 3 1/2-week span.

• Cleveland Indians SS Lou Boudreau (leading scorer for Illinois' 1937 Big Ten Conference co-champion) banged out four hits against the Chicago White Sox in the opener of a 1949 twinbill.

• Philadelphia Phillies rookie RHP Ron Diorio (New Haven CT runner-up in scoring and rebounding in 1968-69) yielded the only run in his first 17 relief appearances in the 1973 campaign (0.60 ERA in that span).

• Pittsburgh Pirates RHP Dave Giusti (made 6 of 10 field-goal attempts in two games for Syracuse in 1959-60) twirled a shutout and knocked in six runs with a pair of bases-loaded doubles in an 11-0 rout of the Cincinnati Reds in 1966.

• Cincinnati Reds rookie LHP Don Gross (Michigan State freshman hooper in 1949-50) hurled his lone MLB shutout by blanking the St. Louis Cardinals on four hits in 1955.

• Monte Irvin (Lincoln PA hooper 1 1/2 years in late 1930s) named special assistant to Commissioner William Eckert in 1968.

• Brooklyn Dodgers RHP Clyde King (started two basketball games for North Carolina in December 1944 under coach Ben Carnevale didn't allow an earned run in his eighth straight appearance covering 28 1/3 innings in 1947.

• Chicago White Sox RHP Ted Lyons (two-time All-SWC first-team selection for Baylor in early 1920s) hurled a no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox in 1926. Lyons required only 67 minutes and 81 pitches.

• Philadelphia Athletics RHP Bill McCahan (three-year Duke letterman named to All-Southern Conference Tournament team in 1942) earned his fourth consecutive complete-game victory in 1947.

• Atlanta Braves RHP Gary Neibauer (collected 13 points and 9 rebounds in 16 games for Nebraska in 1964-65 under coach Joe Cipriano) earned his second relief victory of the month in 1973.

• 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) accounted for both of the New York Yankees' runs via a homer and double in a 2-1 triumph against the Texas Rangers in 1977.

• RHP Floyd Newkirk (Hall of Fame selection at Illinois College) made his lone MLB appearance with the New York Yankees in 1934.

• Pitchers Paul Reuschel (Western Illinois' leading rebounder in 1966-67 with 15.2 per game) and Rick Reuschel collaborated on a 7-0 victory for the Chicago Cubs against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1975 - the first time brothers combined on a shutout. Paul relieved in the seventh inning after Rick was forced to leave because of a blister on his finger.

• Cincinnati Reds LHP Eppa Rixey (Virginia hoops letterman in 1912 and 1914) was 41 in 1932 when he tossed the second of back-to-back shutouts against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

• Kansas City Athletics 1B Norm Siebern (member of Southwest Missouri hoop squads capturing back-to-back NAIA Tournament titles in 1952 and 1953) homered twice against the Boston Red Sox in a 1962 game.

• San Diego Padres RF Clint Venable (two-time All-Ivy League selection averaged 9.3 ppg under Princeton coach John Thompson III from 2001-02 through 2004-05) amassed four hits in a 7-5 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2012.

• Seattle Mariners CF Randy Winn (Santa Clara backcourtmate of eventual two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash in 1993-94) supplied five hits and four RBI against the Detroit Tigers in a 2004 contest.

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 Southwest Missouri State hoopers Norm Siebern and Preston Ward supplied significant MLB performances on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is an August 19 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

AUGUST 19

• Chicago Cubs 1B George Altman (hooper appeared in 1953 and 1954 NAIA Basketball Tournament with Tennessee State) amassed four hits in a 4-3 win against the Houston Colt .45s in 1962.

• Pittsburgh Pirates LF Clyde Barnhart (hooper for Shippensburg PA predecessor Cumberland Valley State Normal School prior to World War I) went 4-for-4 and chipped in with five RBI against the Brooklyn Robins in 1925.

• Philadelphia Phillies 1B Ed Bouchee (freshman hooper for Washington State in 1951-52) went 3-for-3 with double and triple in a 1958 game against the St. Louis Cardinals.

• 2B Marv Breeding (hooper for Samford in mid-1950s) purchased from the Los Angeles Dodgers by the Baltimore Orioles in 1964.

• Detroit Tigers rookie RHP Ownie Carroll (Holy Cross hoops letterman in 1922) hurled his third complete-game victory of the month in 1927.

• Detroit Tigers 1B Hank Greenberg (enrolled at NYU on hoops scholarship in 1929 but attended college only one semester) collected three homers and eight RBI in a 1938 doubleheader sweep of the St. Louis Browns.

• California Angels RHP Paul Hartzell (averaged 5.9 ppg and 3.4 rpg for Lehigh in 1972-73) hurled his fourth complete game in 22-day span in 1978.

• Toronto Blue Jays 3B Garth Iorg (juco hooper with College of the Redwoods CA in mid-1970s) supplied three extra-b ase hits (two doubles and homer) plus three RBI in an 8-7 win against the Boston Red Sox in 1983.

• New York Yankees LF David Justice (Thomas More KY assists leader in 1984-85 while averaging 9.3 ppg and 3.5 rpg) jacked two homers against the Anaheim Angels in 2000.

• Philadelphia Phillies RHP Andy Karl (Manhattan hoops letterman from 1933 through 1935) saved Hall of Fame slugger Jimmie Foxx's only MLB pitching decision in 1945 (6-2 win against Cincinnati Reds).

• New York Yankees LF Charlie Keller (Maryland hoops letterman from 1934-35 through 1936-37) homered in both ends of a 1942 twinbill split against the Boston Red Sox.

• Detroit Tigers SS Harvey Kuenn (played hoops briefly for Wisconsin in 1951-52 after competing on JV squad previous season) contributed four hits against the Cleveland Indians in the nightcap of a 1954 doubleheader.

• New York Giants RHP Christy Mathewson (Bucknell hooper at turn of 20th Century) had his 22-game winning streak against the Cincinnati Reds snapped in 1911.

• Detroit Tigers LF Curtis Pride (led William & Mary in steals three times and assists twice while averaging 5.6 ppg and 3.1 apg from 1986-87 through 1989-90) smacked a pinch-hit, three-run homer against the Chicago White Sox in 1996.

• OF Gary Redus (J.C. hooper for Athens AL and father of Centenary/South Alabama guard with same name) traded by the Chicago White Sox to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1988.

• Pittsburgh Pirates RF Dave Robertson (one of two reserves on North Carolina State's first basketball team in 1911) registered three extra-base hits (including pair of homers) and eight RBI in opener of 1921 doubleheader against the Philadelphia Phillies.

• 1B-OF Norm Siebern (member of Southwest Missouri State's back-to-back NAIA Tournament hoop titlists in 1952 and 1953) supplied a pinch-hit, bases-loaded triple to help the Boston Red Sox outlasted the California Angels, 12-11, in 1967.

• Philadelphia Phillies rookie SS Gary Sutherland (averaged 7.4 ppg with USC in 1963-64) went 3-for-3, including his first MLB homer, against the Chicago Cubs in 1967.

• Boston Red Sox 3B Jim Tabor (Alabama hoops letterman in 1936-37) smacked two homers against the New York Yankees in opener of a 1942 twinbill.

• Philadelphia Phillies 1B Jim Thome (played junior-college hoops for Illinois Central in 1988-89) swatted a homer in his fourth consecutive contest in 2003.

• Detroit Tigers rookie SS Coot Veal (averaged team-high 10.9 ppg as Auburn sophomore in 1951-52 before transferring to Mercer) posted his second three-hit outing in the midst of a career-high 13-game hitting streak.

• San Diego Padres CF Clint Venable (two-time All-Ivy League selection averaged 9.3 ppg under Princeton coach John Thompson III from 2001-02 through 2004-05) went hitless for the only time in his first 25 games of the month in 2013.

• Bill Virdon (Drury MO hooper in 1949) hired as Houston Astros manager in 1975.

• Pittsburgh Pirates RF Preston Ward (second-leading scorer for Southwest Missouri State in 1946-47 and 1948-49) provided fourth three-hit outing in a six-game span in 1954.

• New York Yankees RF Dave Winfield (starting forward for Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) went 4-for-4 in a 1984 game against the Oakland Athletics.

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 Ron Allen (Youngstown State), Gene Freese (West Liberty WV) and Frankie Frisch (Fordham) smacked homers for the St. Louis Cardinals in MLB games on this date. Ex-East Tennessee State hoopers Ernie Bowman and Jim Mooney plus ex-PA small-college hoopers Dick Hall (Swarthmore), Billy Hunter (IUP) and Christy Mathewson (Bucknell) also made MLB news on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is an August 17 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

AUGUST 17

• San Diego Padres RHP Mike Adams (Texas A&M-Kingsville hooper in 1996-97) surrendered his only earned run (against Chicago Cubs) in last 34 relief appearances in 2009.

• 1B Ron Allen (Youngstown State's scoring and rebounding leader as a sophomore in 1961-62) secured his only MLB hit, a ninth-inning homer at San Diego in 1972, after the brother of standout 1B Dick Allen replaced ejected St. Louis Cardinals teammate Joe Torre.

• San Diego Padres SS Bill Almon (averaged 2.5 ppg in half a season for Brown's 1972-73 team ending school streak of 12 straight losing records) collected three hits and five RBI in a 7-4 win against the Cincinnati Reds in 1977.

• Milwaukee Brewers CF Ken Berry (freshman hooper for Wichita in 1959-60) went 4-for-4 in a 4-2 win against the California Angels in 1974.

• San Francisco Giants INF Ernie Bowman (East Tennessee State hoops letterman in 1954-55 and 1955-56) hit safely in ninth contest during 11-game span in 1963.

• OF Billy Cowan (Utah letterman from 1957-58 through 1959-60 was co-captain of NCAA playoff team as senior) clubbed a two-run, pinch homer off Juan Pizzaro in the eighth inning to give the California Angels a 7-6 victory against the Cleveland Indians in 1969.

• Bing Devine (Washington MO hoops letterman in mid-1930s) fired as general manager of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1964 before they go on to win the World Series against the New York Yankees.

• RHP Eddie Fisher (played for Oklahoma's 1954-55 freshman hoops squad) traded by the California Angels to the Chicago White Sox in 1972.

• CF Curt Flood and 3B Gene Freese (hoops captain of 1952 NAIA Tournament team for West Liberty WV), the first two St. Louis Cardinals batters, hammered back-to-back homers off Los Angeles Dodgers LHP Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman hoops squad in 1953-54) in the opener of a 1958 doubleheader.

• Philadelphia Athletics RF Walt French (hoops letterman for Rutgers and Army) went 4-for-4 against the Cleveland Indians in the opener of a 1926 twinbill.

• St. Louis Cardinals 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) homered in both ends of a 1929 doubleheader split against the New York Giants.

• Baltimore Orioles RHP Dick Hall (averaged 12.8 ppg from 1948-49 through 1950-51 for three Swarthmore PA Southern Division champions in Middle Atlantic States Conference) provided a perfect inning of relief against the Kansas City Athletics in 1963, giving him 28 consecutive batters retired in a span of five appearances. Four years later with the Philadelphia Phillies, Hall notched his 11th straight game in relief without allowing an earned run in 1967.

• Cleveland Indians LF Mike Hargrove (Northwestern Oklahoma State hoops letterman) homered twice against the Oakland Athletics in a 1979 game.

• In 2008, Florida Marlins LHP Mark Hendrickson (two-time All-Pacific-10 Conference selection was Washington State's leading rebounder each season from 1992-93 through 1995-96) allowed his only run in nine relief appearances during the month.

• In his last three plate appearances, Kansas City Athletics SS Billy Hunter (multi-sport athlete for Indiana PA post-WWII) belted a pair of solo homers and stroke game-winning, bases-loaded single in bottom of the ninth inning for 4-3 triumph against the Cleveland Indians in 1957.

• In 1985, Reggie Jackson of the New York Yankees, moving past Willie McCovey and Ted Williams on the all-time homer list, swatted his 522nd career round-tripper off Oakland A's LHP Bill Krueger (led WCAC in free-throw percentage in 1975-76 with Portland).

• New York Giants RHP Christy Mathewson (Bucknell hooper at turn of 20th Century) hurled his second straight three-hit shutout against Chicago in 1905.

• New York Giants LHP Jim Mooney (hooper for East Tennessee State) tossed a four-hit shutout against the Cincinnati Reds in 1932.

• Cincinnati Reds rookie RF Greasy Neale (hooper graduated in 1915 from West Virginia Wesleyan) had his 12-game hitting streak snapped by the Chicago Cubs in 1920.

• In the midst of homering in six consecutive contests, San Diego Padres 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) cracked two round-trippers against the Montreal Expos in a 1984 contest.

• Los Angeles Dodgers CF Billy North (played hoops briefly for Central Washington in 1967-68) stole three bases against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 1978 game.

• Boston Braves rookie C Ebba St. Claire (Colgate letterman in 1941-42) had an 11-game hitting streak snapped by the Brooklyn Dodgers' Carl Erskine in the opener of a 1951 doubleheader.

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 Santa Clara hoopers Bruce Bochte and Randy Winn each registered three extra-base hits at the MLB level on this date. Ex-juco hoopers Darrell Evans (Pasadena City CA) and Jim Thome (Illinois Central) both hit two MLB homers on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is an August 15 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

AUGUST 15

• California Angels 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) socked two homers against the Minnesota Twins in a 1966 game.

• Philadelphia Phillies CF Ethan Allen (Cincinnati hoops letterman in 1924-25 and 1925-26) provided four hits against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 1935 contest.

• California Angels 1B Bruce Bochte (starting forward for Santa Clara's NCAA playoff team in 1970 averaged 7.4 ppg and 4 rpg) contributed three extra-base hits in an 8-0 win against the Detroit Tigers in 1975.

• 2B Frank Bolling (averaged 7.3 ppg in 1950-51 for Spring Hill AL) knocked in all of the Detroit Tigers' runs in a 12-5 setback against the Kansas City Athletics in 1958.

• Cleveland Indians SS Lou Boudreau (leading scorer for Illinois' 1937 Big Ten Conference co-champion) secured seven safeties in a 1948 doubleheader sweep of the Chicago White Sox.

• Milwaukee Braves RHP Gene Conley (All-PCC first-team selection led North Division in scoring in 1949-50 as a Washington State sophomore) won his ninth consecutive contest in 1954 (2-1 against Chicago Cubs). Seven years later, Conley was with the Boston Red Sox in 1961 when he tossed a shutout and cracked a homer in an 8-0 shelling of the Cleveland Indians.

• 1B Walt Dropo (Connecticut's first hooper to average 20 points for season with 21.7 ppg in 1942-43) was hospitalized after beaning in 1950 but the Boston Red Sox began a streak of winning 27 of their next 30 games.

• San Francisco Giants 1B Darrell Evans (member of Jerry Tarkanian-coached Pasadena City CA club winning 1967 state community college crown) homered twice in a 1976 game against the Philadelphia Phillies.

• In the midst of 11 consecutive scoreless appearances, New York Yankees LHP Steve Hamilton (All-OVC selection was Morehead State's leading scorer and rebounder in 1956-57 and 1957-58) notched a win against the Kansas City Athletics with four innings of one-hit relief in the nightcap of a 1965 doubleheader.

• Cleveland Indians CF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling 35-3 record) logged four hits and four RBI against the Minnesota Twins in a 2001 contest.

• Boston Red Sox 1B Tony Lupien (Harvard hoops captain in 1938-39 accumulated four hits against the St. Louis Browns for the third time in 1943.

• New York Giants RHP Christy Mathewson (Bucknell hooper at turn of 20th Century) blanked opponents going into extra innings but wound up losing each contest - against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1910 and Boston Braves in 1914.

• RF Greasy Neale (West Virginia Wesleyan College hooper graduated in 1915) pilfered second, third and home in the ninth inning to help the Cincinnati Reds upend the New York Giants, 4-0, in the nightcap of a 1919 twinbill.

• Chicago Cubs C Cal Neeman (Illinois Wesleyan's leading scorer in 1947-48 and 1948-49) clubbed go-ahead homer in top of 10th inning off Stu Miller in a 3-1 decision over the San Francisco Giants in 1958.

• Homering in his third and fourth consecutive contests, RF Bill Nicholson (hoops guard for Washington College MD two years in mid-1930s) socked three homers, two doubles and a single but the Chicago Cubs dropped both ends of a 1942 doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

• Boston Red Sox RF Carl Reynolds (Southwestern TX hoops MVP and captain in mid-1920s) went 4-for-4 with four RBI in a 1934 game against the St. Louis Browns.

• Houston Astros 2B Rob Sperring (averaged 8.7 ppg and 2.9 rpg for Pacific from 1968-69 through 1970-71) supplied a career-high four hits in a 15-3 rout of the Atlanta Braves in 1977.

• Minnesota Twins DH Jim Thome (played junior-college hoops for Illinois Central in 1988-89) collected two homers and five RBI in 2011 game against the Detroit Tigers. The round-trippers were the 599th and 600th of his MLB career.

• New York Giants C Wes Westrum (hooper for Bemidji State MN one season before serving in military during WWII) provided the difference with an eighth-inning, two-run homer in a 3-1 decision over the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1951.

• Philadelphia Phillies 1B Bill White (two-year hooper with Hiram OH in early 1950s) knocked in five runs against the Chicago Cubs in a 1966 contest.

• Boston Red Sox C Sammy White (All-PCC Northern Division first-five selection for Washington in 1947-48 and 1948-49) banged out four hits in second consecutive contest against the New York Yankees in 1959.

• San Francisco Giants CF Randy Winn (Santa Clara backcourtmate of eventual two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash in 1993-94) hit for the cycle against the Cincinnati Reds in a 2005 game. Three years later as RF, Winn went 4-for-4 with three extra-base hits against the Atlanta Braves in a 2008 outing.