Shatterproof: Loud and Proud NCAA Marks Never to Be Duplicated (#3)

July 9th, 2021 - 7:14

What are the school and individual records that will never come close to being matched, let along exceeded? In ensuing blogs, CollegeHoopedia.com will designate the ultimate team and individual standards of excellence. Records were made to be broken, but perhaps not always in our lifetime. Following is #3 in the countdown of most illustrious NCAA achievements:

3. UCLA's 38-game winning streak in NCAA Tournament (under coach John Wooden from 1964 to 1974).

UCLA's first three outings in this streak were decided by fewer than seven points but the Bruins only had four more decisions in that category in their next 35 playoff assignments. Long Beach State (three), New Mexico State (three) and San Francisco (four) each succumbed at least three times against the Bruins during their streak. USF (eight in 1964) and LBSU (four in 1971) were the only two teams to lead them at halftime during the 38 triumphs. Following is a look at UCLA's NCAA Tournament hit list during the Bruins' wonder years when they won nine national championships from 1964 through 1973 before losing to North Carolina State (80-77 in double overtime) at the 1974 Final Four:

Date Opponent Score Bruins High Scorer
3-13-64 Seattle 95-90 Walt Hazzard 26
3-14-64 San Francisco 76-72 Walt Hazzard 23
3-20-64 Kansas State 90-84 Keith Erickson 28
3-21-64 Duke* 98-83 Gail Goodrich 27
3-12-65 Brigham Young 100-76 Gail Goodrich 40
3-13-65 San Francisco 101-93 Gail Goodrich 30
3-19-65 Wichita State 108-89 Gail Goodrich 28
3-20-65 Michigan* 91-80 Gail Goodrich 42
3-17-67 Wyoming 109-60 Lew Alcindor 29
3-18-67 Pacific 80-64 Lew Alcindor 38
3-24-67 Houston 73-58 Lynn Shackelford 22
3-25-67 Dayton* 79-64 Lew Alcindor 20
3-15-68 New Mexico State 58-49 Lew Alcindor 28
3-16-68 Santa Clara 87-66 Lew Alcindor 22
3-22-68 Houston 101-69 Lew Alcindor/Mike Lynn/Lucious Allen 19
3-23-68 North Carolina* 78-55 Lew Alcindor 34
3-13-69 New Mexico State 53-38 Lew Alcindor 16
3-15-69 Santa Clara 90-52 Lew Alcindor 17
3-20-69 Drake 85-82 John Vallely 29
3-22-69 Purdue* 92-72 Lew Alcindor 37
3-12-70 Long Beach State 88-65 Henry Bibby/Sidney Wicks 20
3-14-70 Utah State 101-79 Curtis Rowe/Sidney Wicks 26
3-19-70 New Mexico State 93-77 John Vallely 23
3-21-70 Jacksonville* 80-69 Curtis Rowe 19
3-18-71 Brigham Young 91-73 Henry Bibby 15
3-20-71 Long Beach State 57-55 Sidney Wicks 18
3-25-71 Kansas 68-60 Sidney Wicks 21
3-27-71 Villanova* 68-62 Steve Patterson 29
3-18-72 Weber State 90-58 Henry Bibby 16
3-20-72 Long Beach State 73-57 Henry Bibby 23
3-23-72 Louisville 96-77 Bill Walton 33
3-25-72 Florida State* 81-76 Bill Walton 24
3-15-73 Arizona State 98-81 Bill Walton 28
3-17-73 San Francisco 54-39 Larry Farmer 13
3-24-73 Indiana 70-59 Tommy Curtis 22
3-26-73 Memphis State* 87-66 Bill Walton 44
3-14-74 Dayton** 111-100 Dave Meyers 28
3-16-74 San Francisco 83-60 Keith Wilkes 27

*NCAA Tournament title games.
**Triple overtime.

4. Pete Maravich's career scoring average of 44.2 points per game with a total of 28 contests scoring at least 50 points (for LSU from 1967-68 through 1969-70).

5. Bill Walton's NCAA Tournament championship game field-goal accuracy of 95.5% (21 of 22 for UCLA vs. Memphis State in 1973).

6. UCLA's streak of 13 consecutive undisputed conference championships in a power league (from 1967 through 1979 in Pacific-8/Pacific-10).

7. Artis Gilmore's career rebounding average of 22.7 per game (for Jacksonville in 1969-70 and 1970-71).

8. Centenary's Robert Parish finished among nation's top five in rebounding all four seasons with more than 15 rpg each year.

9. Kentucky's 129-game homecourt winning streak (under coach Adolph Rupp from Jan. 4, 1943, to Jan. 8, 1955.)

10. Bill Chambers' 51 rebounds in a single game (for William & Mary vs. Virginia on Feb. 14, 1953.).

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in July 8 MLB Contests

July 8th, 2021 - 10:51

Extra! Extra! Instead of immersion in confusion stemming from Olympian incongruity allowing testosterone-suppressing transgender weightlifter from New Zealand to participate but not lame-excuse U.S. woman using recreational pot, 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.

A couple of small-college hoopers from Missouri (Bill Virdon of Drury and Chuck Workman of Central Missouri State), New York (Jack Phillips of Clarkson and Hal Schumacher of St. Lawrence) plus Pennsylvania (Kevin Gryboski of Wilkes and Monte Irvin of Lincoln) supplied significant MLB performances on this date. Ex-Louisiana State hoopers Joe Adcock and Alvin Dark also made MLB news on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 8 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JULY 8

  • Milwaukee Braves 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) whacked two homers against the Chicago Cubs in 1956, igniting streak of five straight outings with a round-tripper.

  • St. Louis Cardinals C Ferrell Anderson (Kansas hoops letterman in 1936-37 and 1937-38) amassed three hits in a 7-3 win against the Cincinnati Reds in 1953.

  • Chicago Cubs CF Frankie Baumholtz (MVP in 1941 NIT and first player in Ohio University history to score 1,000 career points) banged out four hits against the Milwaukee Braves in a 1953 game.

  • Seattle Mariners RHP Jim Beattie (Dartmouth's top rebounder in 1974-75 when selected team MVP and honorable mention All-Ivy League) hurled a four-hit shutout against the Baltimore Orioles in 1983.

  • Cleveland Indians SS Lou Boudreau (leading scorer for Illinois' 1937 Big Ten Conference co-champion) smacked two homers against the Boston Red Sox in a 1944 contest.

  • Kansas City Athletics LF Bob Cerv (ranked fourth on Nebraska all-time scoring list in 1949-50 when finishing college career) singled off Hall of Famer Warren Spahn in the opening inning for the A.L. in a 4-3 win against the N.L. in the 1958 All-Star Game. Four years later with the Houston Colt .45s, Cerv smacked the final two homers of his 12-year MLB career (against Cincinnati Reds in 1962).

  • Jack Coombs (captain and starting hoops center for Colby ME) resigned as manager of the last-place Philadelphia Phillies in 1919.

  • Boston Braves SS Alvin Dark (hoops letterman for Louisiana State and Southwestern Louisiana during World War II) carried off the field on a stretcher after being knocked unconscious by thrown ball in 1949.

  • Detroit Tigers DH Darrell Evans (member of Jerry Tarkanian-coached Pasadena City CA club winning 1967 state community college hoops crown) homered twice in a 1987 game against the Oakland Athletics.

  • St. Louis Cardinals 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) furnished three hits in both ends of a 1934 twinbill split against the Cincinnati Reds.

  • California Angels RHP Dave Frost (averaged 10.5 ppg and 4 rpg for Stanford from 1971-72 through 1973-74) fired a five-hit shutout against the Seattle Mariners in 1978.

  • Atlanta Braves RHP Kevin Gryboski (backup hooper for Wilkes PA in 1991-92 and 1992-93) contributed his 11th consecutive relief appearance without allowing an earned run, reducing his ERA to 1.47 through 27 games in 2005.

  • OF Monte Irvin (Lincoln PA hooper 1 1/2 years in late 1930s) stroked a three-run double in the first inning and grand slam in the 11th to carry the New York Giants to a 10-7 triumph over the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1953. Starting RHP Jim Hearn (Georgia Tech hoops letterman in 1941-42) failed in a bid to win his 13th straight against the Bucs.

  • 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 Chicago White Sox in the nightcap of a 1956 doubleheader.

  • Boston Red Sox 1B Tony Lupien (Harvard hoops captain in 1938-39) went 4-for-4 against the St. Louis Browns in a 1943 contest.

  • Los Angeles Dodgers LF Wally Moon (averaged 4.3 ppg with Texas A&M in 1948-49 and 1949-50) went 4-for-4 against the Cincinnati Reds in a 1961 game.

  • 1B Cotton Nash (three-time All-American averaged 22.7 ppg and 12.3 rpg in Kentucky career from 1961-62 through 1963-64) returned by the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Chicago White Sox after trade three months earlier was voided.

  • Chicago Cubs RHP Claude Passeau (Millsaps MS hooper in late 1920s and early 1930s) yielded a three-run homer to Hall of Fame Boston Red Sox OF Ted Williams as the A.L. notched a dramatic 7-5 victory in the 1941 All-Star Game.

  • 1B Jack Phillips (leading hoops scorer for Clarkson NY in 1942-43) pounded a pinch-hit grand-slam homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to propel the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 7-6 triumph against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1950.

  • Cincinnati Reds LHP Eppa Rixey (Virginia hoops letterman in 1912 and 1914) won the 16-inning nightcap of a 1924 twinbill, 2-1, at Cincinnati. It triggered a streak of 31 straight scoreless innings for Rixey.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers 2B Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in PCC both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) ripped a homer for the N.L. in the 1952 All-Star Game.

  • Seattle Pilots LHP Garry Roggenburk (Dayton's leading scorer three straight seasons from 1959-60 through 1961-62 grabbed school-record 32 rebounds in third varsity contest) hurled his lone MLB complete game (3-1 win against California Angels in 1969).

  • New York Giants RHP Hal Schumacher (St. Lawrence NY hooper in early 1930s) fanned five A.L. batters, including all-time standouts Jimmie Foxx, Joe Cronin and Al Simmons, in four innings of relief for the N.L. in the 1935 All-Star Game.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates CF Bill Virdon (Drury MO hooper in 1949) provided five extra-base hits in a 1960 twinbill against the Philadelphia Phillies.

  • New York Giants C Wes Westrum (hooper for Bemidji State MN one season before serving in military during WWII) and teammate Daryl Spencer twice smacked back-to-back homers in an 11-1 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 1956 game.

  • Boston Braves 3B Chuck Workman (first-five hoops selection for Central Missouri State on All-MIAA team as sophomore and junior in mid-1930s) cracked a homer in both ends of 1945 doubleheader split against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Shatterproof: Loud and Proud NCAA Marks Never to Be Duplicated (#4)

July 8th, 2021 - 10:45

What are the school and individual records that will never come close to being matched, let along exceeded? In ensuing blogs, CollegeHoopedia.com will designate the ultimate team and individual standards of excellence. Records were made to be broken, but perhaps not always in our lifetime. Following is #4 in the countdown of most illustrious NCAA achievements:

4. Pete Maravich's career scoring average of 44.2 points per game with a total of 28 contests scoring at least 50 points (for Louisiana State from 1967-68 through 1969-70).

"Pistol Pete" set NCAA single-season records for most points (1,381) and highest average (44.5), finishing his career with NCAA career marks for most points (3,667) and highest average (44.2). He also established an NCAA record for most successful free throws in a game when he converted 30 of 31 foul shots at Oregon State. Maravich, who broke Oscar Robertson's NCAA career scoring mark with 13 regular-season games remaining, is the only player in NCAA Division I history to score more than 1,000 points and average over 40 points per game in each of three seasons.

Maravich's statistics would have been even more staggering if there had been a three-point basket at the time. He had 56 games with at least 40 points in his three-year career, including a school- and SEC-record 69 in a 106-104 post-game brawl-marred defeat at Alabama when he was hampered by leg ailments. No other player has had more than 21 games with a minimum of 40. He averaged more than 50 points per game in a 10-game stretch spanning the last three games of 1968-69 and the first seven games of 1969-70. Incredibly, Maravich improved his field-goal accuracy and assists average each year. Combining scoring and assists, Maravich was responsible for a whopping 59.4% of LSU's offense during his career.

Maravich never scored fewer than 30 points in back-to-back games and tallied under 20 just once (17 at Tennessee as a sophomore) in his three varsity seasons. The son of LSU coach Press Maravich was outscored in just one regular-season game by a teammate (22-17 by forward Ralph Jukkola) before Danny Hester outpointed him in two of their three NIT outings together.

Maravich tallied more than 50 points in four outings against both SEC power Kentucky and intrastate independent rival Tulane. The Tigers lost all six times to Kentucky by double-digit margins despite his firepower. Here is a breakdown of how he amassed a 44.1-point career scoring average and modest 28-26 record in 54 games against SEC competition:

SEC Opponent Average High Low W-L
Alabama 48.8 ppg 69 30 4-2
Auburn 49 ppg 55 44 3-3
Florida 44 ppg 52 32 4-2
Georgia 46 ppg 58 37 5-1
Kentucky 52 ppg 64 44 0-6
Mississippi 42.3 ppg 53 31 3-3
Mississippi State 47.3 ppg 58 33 6-0
Tennessee 23 ppg 30 17 1-5
Vanderbilt 44.7 ppg 61 35 2-4

NOTE: LSU guard Chris Jackson is the only player to compile single-game scoring outbursts higher than Maravich in SEC competition against Mississippi (55 points), Florida (53) and Tennessee (50).

Best estimates are that Maravich would have averaged eight three-point goals per game if the arc had been around during his college playing days, which would have increased his scoring average to in excess of 50 ppg. Following is a game-by-game summary of Pistol Pete's career showing how his prolific scoring produced so many records prior to missing his final outing because of ankle and hip injuries:

Sophomore (1967-68)/Record: 14-12; 8-10 in SEC

Date Opponent FG-A FT-A REB PTS LSU-OPP
12-2-67 Tampa 20-50 8-9 16 48 97-81
12-4-67 at Texas 15-34 12-16 5 42 87-74
12-9-67 Loyola (New Orleans) 22-43 7-11 9 51 90-56
12-15-67 at Wisconsin* 16-40 10-13 9 42 94-96
12-16-67 Florida State* 17-41 8-10 5 42 100-130
12-19-67 Mississippi 17-34 12-13 11 46 81-68
12-22-67 Mississippi State 22-40 14-16 8 58 111-87
12-30-67 Alabama 10-30 10-11 6 30 81-70
1-3-68 Auburn 20-38 15-17 9 55 76-72
1-6-68 at Florida 9-22 14-17 10 32 90-97
1-8-68 at Georgia 14-37 14-17 11 42 79-76
1-11-68 at Tulane 20-42 12-15 5 52 100-91
1-24-68 Clemson 14-29 5-6 6 33 104-81
1-27-68 Kentucky 19-51 14-17 11 52 95-121
1-29-68 Vanderbilt 22-57 10-15 6 54 91-99
2-3-68 at Kentucky 16-38 12-15 8 44 96-109
2-5-68 Tennessee 9-34 3-3 6 21 67-87
2-7-68 at Auburn 18-47 13-13 6 49 69-74
2-10-68 Florida (OT) 17-48 13-15 7 47 93-92
2-12-68 Georgia 20-47 11-18 4 51 73-78
2-17-68 at Alabama 24-52 11-13 12 59 99-89
2-19-68 at Mississippi State 13-38 8-12 7 34 94-83
2-21-68 Tulane 21-47 13-15 5 55 99-92
2-24-68 at Mississippi 13-26 14-16 4 40 85-87
3-2-68 at Tennessee 7-18 3-4 3 17 71-74
3-4-68 at Vanderbilt 17-39 8-11 6 42 86-115

*Milwaukee Classic.

Junior (1968-69)/Record: 13-13; 7-11 in SEC

Date Opponent FG-A FT-A REB PTS LSU-OPP
12-2-68 at Loyola (New Orleans) 22-34 8-9 7 52 109-82
12-7-68 at Clemson 10-32 18-22 4 38 86-85
12-14-68 Tulane (2OT) 20-48 15-20 7 55 99-101
12-18-68 Florida (OT) 17-32 11-15 8 45 93-89
12-21-68 Georgia 18-33 11-16 10 47 98-89
12-26-68 Wyoming** 14-34 17-24 6 45 84-78
12-28-68 at Oklahoma City** 19-36 2-5 8 40 101-85
12-30-68 Duquesne** 18-36 17-21 2 53 94-91
1-4-69 at Alabama 19-49 4-4 10 42 82-85
1-9-69 at Vanderbilt 15-30 8-13 4 38 92-94
1-11-69 at Auburn 16-41 14-18 5 46 71-90
1-25-69 Kentucky 20-48 12-14 11 52 96-108
1-27-69 Tennessee 8-18 5-8 4 21 68-81
1-31-69 Pittsburgh 13-34 14-18 8 40 120-79
2-1-69 Mississippi (OT) 11-33 9-13 11 31 81-84
2-3-69 Mississippi State 14-32 5-6 11 33 95-71
2-8-69 Alabama 15-30 8-12 5 38 81-75
2-10-69 at Tulane 25-51 16-20 10 66 94-110
2-12-69 at Florida 14-41 22-27 6 50 79-95
2-15-69 Auburn 20-44 14-15 3 54 93-81
2-17-69 Vanderbilt 14-33 7-8 8 35 83-85
2-22-69 at Kentucky 21-53 3-7 5 45 89-103
2-24-69 at Tennessee 8-18 4-8 3 20 63-87
3-1-69 at Mississippi 21-39 7-11 3 49 76-78
3-3-69 at Mississippi State 20-49 15-19 4 55 99-89
3-8-69 at Georgia (2OT) 21-48 16-25 6 58 90-80

**All-College Tournament at Oklahoma City.

Senior (1969-70)/Record: 22-10; 13-5 in SEC

Date Opponent FG-A FT-A REB PTS LSU-OPP
12-4-69 Oregon State 14-32 15-19 5 43 94-72
12-9-69 Loyola (New Orleans) 17-36 9-10 6 43 100-87
12-11-69 Vanderbilt 26-54 9-10 10 61 109-86
12-13-69 at Tulane 17-42 12-19 4 46 97-91
12-18-69 Southern California 18-43 14-16 6 50 98-101
12-20-69 at Clemson 22-30 5-8 6 49 111-103
12-22-69 at Oregon State 9-23 30-31 1 48 76-68
12-23-69 at UCLA 14-42 10-12 4 38 84-133
12-29-69 St. John's*** 20-44 13-16 8 53 80-70
12-30-69 Yale*** 13-28 8-11 5 34 94-97
1-3-70 Alabama 22-42 11-18 7 55 90-83
1-10-70 Auburn 18-46 8-11 6 44 70-79
1-24-70 at Kentucky 21-44 13-15 5 55 96-109
1-26-70 Tennessee 12-23 5-7 4 29 71-59
1-31-70 Mississippi 21-46 11-15 5 53 109-86
2-2-70 Mississippi State 21-40 7-9 3 49 109-91
2-4-70 at Florida 20-38 12-16 9 52 97-75
2-7-70 at Alabama 26-57 17-21 5 69 104-106
2-9-70 Tulane 18-45 13-15 4 49 127-114
2-11-70 Florida 16-35 6-10 3 38 94-85
2-14-70 at Vanderbilt 14-46 10-13 5 38 99-89
2-16-70 at Auburn 18-46 10-15 8 46 70-64
2-18-70 Georgia 17-34 3-6 2 37 88-86
2-21-70 Kentucky 23-42 18-22 4 64 105-121
2-23-70 at Tennessee 10-24 10-13 7 30 87-88
2-28-70 at Mississippi 13-43 9-14 9 35 103-90
3-2-70 at Mississippi State 22-44 11-13 5 55 97-87
3-7-70 at Georgia 16-37 9-10 3 41 99-88
3-15-70 Georgetown (NIT) 6-16 8-12 6 20 83-80
3-17-70 Oklahoma (NIT) 14-33 9-13 8 37 97-94
3-19-70 Marquette (NIT) 4-13 12-16 1 20 79-101
3-21-70 Army (NIT) DNP 68-75

***Rainbow Classic at Honolulu.

Career Scoring Site-of-Game Breakdown

Location (Record) G. Pts. Avg.
Home (25-12) 37 1667 45.1
Neutral (5-3) 8 304 38.0
Road (19-19) 38 1696 44.6

Marks of Ownership

Three different Rhode Island State players in a six-year span set the major-college single-season scoring average record in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Maravich's record of 44.5 ppg in 1969-70 might never be eclipsed. Following is a look at how long players have held the NCAA Division I single-season scoring average standard (through 2017-18):

Player School Years Record (Season)
Hank Luisetti Stanford one 17.1 ppg (1936-37)
Chet Jaworski Rhode Island State one 22.6 ppg (1938-39)
Stan Modzelewski Rhode Island State three 23.1 ppg (1939-40)
George Senesky St. Joseph's one 23.4 ppg (1942-43)
Ernie Calverley Rhode Island State seven 26.7 ppg (1943-44)
Bill Mlkvy Temple two 29.2 ppg (1950-51)
Frank Selvy Furman 15 41.7 ppg (1953-54)
Pete Maravich Louisiana State 50 44.5 ppg (1969-70)

5. Bill Walton's NCAA Tournament championship game field-goal accuracy of 95.5% (21 of 22 for UCLA vs. Memphis State in 1973).

6. UCLA's streak of 13 consecutive undisputed conference championships in a power league (from 1967 through 1979 in Pacific-8/Pacific-10).

7. Artis Gilmore's career rebounding average of 22.7 per game (for Jacksonville in 1969-70 and 1970-71).

8. Centenary's Robert Parish finished among nation's top five in rebounding all four seasons with more than 15 rpg each year.

9. Kentucky's 129-game homecourt winning streak (under coach Adolph Rupp from Jan. 4, 1943, to Jan. 8, 1955.)

10. Bill Chambers' 51 rebounds in a single game (for William & Mary vs. Virginia on Feb. 14, 1953.).

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in July 7 MLB Contests

July 7th, 2021 - 7:55

Extra! Extra! Instead of debating whether cancel-culture casualty Rachel Nichols (probably should have changed racial identity and last name to Dolezal) benefitted from "Unguarded" diversity during ex-Washington Compost reporter's forgettable three-year sports gig at CNN (Confused News Network) prior to "Jump" back to belatedly-addressing-issue ESPN (Extra Sensitive Pious Network version of HR Hunger Games), 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 Guilford NC hoopers Rick Ferrell and Tom Zachary made American League news on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 7 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JULY 7

  • RHP Mike Adams (Texas A&M-Kingsville hooper in 1996-97) awarded on waivers from the New York Mets to the Cleveland Indians in 2006.

  • St. Louis Browns C Benny Bengough (Niagara hoops letterman from 1916-17 through 1918-19) banged out four hits in an 8-2 win against the Boston Red Sox in 1932.

  • Chicago White Sox 1B Walt Dropo (first player in Connecticut history to average 20 ppg in single season with 21.7 in 1942-43) collected five RBI in a 1955 game against the Detroit Tigers.

  • Detroit Tigers OF Hoot Evers (hoops starter for Illinois in 1939-40) went 5-for-5 and scored five runs in a 13-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians in 1951.

  • Boston Red Sox C Rick Ferrell (Guilford NC hoops forward before graduating in 1928) accumulated four hits and five RBI in a 7-6 win against the Philadelphia Athletics in opener of 1935 doubleheader.

  • Cincinnati Reds 3B Gene Freese (West Liberty WV hoops captain of 1952 NAIA Tournament team) homered in both ends of a 1961 twinbill sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

  • 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) homered in both ends of a 1957 doubleheader sweep of the New York Giants.

  • Washington Senators LF Frank Howard (two-time All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection in 1956-57 and 1957-58) whacked two homers against the Cleveland Indians in 1969. The next year, Howard homered in both ends of a 1970 twinbill against the Indians.

  • Chicago White Sox RHP Bart Johnson (averaged 30.5 ppg for Brigham Young's freshman squad in 1967-68) hurled a two-hit, complete game against the Detroit Tigers in his season debut, posting first of four consecutive victories.

  • St. Louis Cardinals SS Doc Lavan (Hope MI hooper from 1908 through 1910) went 4-for-4 against the Brooklyn Dodgers in a 1922 game.

  • St. Louis Cardinals RHP Lindy McDaniel (hooper for Oklahoma's 1954-55 freshman squad) extended his streak of consecutive contests without yielding an earned run to 15 in a row in 1962.

  • Detroit Tigers RF Jim Northrup (second-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder for Alma MI in 1958-59) blasted two homers against the Boston Red Sox in opener of a 1970 twinbill.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates 2B Johnny O'Brien (consensus All-American second-team choice as junior and first-team selection as senior averaged 25.8 ppg for Seattle from 1950-51 through 1952-53) went 4-for-4 in a 4-3 setback against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1955.

  • Philadelphia Phillies OF Gary Redus (J.C. hooper for Athens AL and father of Centenary/South Alabama hoops guard) ripped two homers in a 7-3 triumph over the Atlanta Braves in 1986. Redus registered a double in each of previous four outings against his original team (Cincinnati Reds).

  • Montreal Expos RHP Steve Renko (averaged 9.9 ppg and 5.8 rpg for Kansas in 1963-64) went 3-for-3 at the plate, scored two runs and added two RBI in a 6-1 victory against the Houston Astros in 1973.

  • LHP Preacher Roe (Harding AR hooper in late 1930s) hit the lone homer in his Organized Baseball career (against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1953) as the Brooklyn Dodgers established a N.L. record by homering in 21 consecutive contests.

  • New York Yankees 3B Red Rolfe (played hoops briefly with Dartmouth in 1927-28 and 1929-30) ripped a two-run triple off Hall of Fame P Carl Hubbell of the New York Giants in 1937 All-Star Game.

  • Milwaukee Brewers LF Ted Savage (Lincoln MO scoring average leader in 1955-56) smacked a game-winning, pinch-hit homer off Chicago White Sox P Wilbur Wood in the bottom of 12th inning in 1970.

  • Cleveland Indians 2B Riggs Stephenson (Alabama hoops letterman in 1920) collected three doubles and five RBI in a 27-3 rout of the Boston Red Sox in opener of a 1923 doubleheader.

  • Washington Senators 3B Eddie Yost (NYU freshman hooper in 1943-44 under coach Howard Cann) provided at least three safeties for third time in first seven games of the month in 1950.

  • LHP Tom Zachary (Guilford NC hoops letterman in 1916) traded by the St. Louis Browns to the Washington Senators in 1927.

Shatterproof: Loud and Proud NCAA Marks Never to Be Duplicated (#5)

July 7th, 2021 - 7:46

What are the school and individual records that will never come close to being matched, let along exceeded? In ensuing blogs, CollegeHoopedia.com will designate the ultimate team and individual standards of excellence. Records were made to be broken, but perhaps not always in our lifetime. Following is #5 in the countdown of most illustrious NCAA achievements:

5. Bill Walton's NCAA Tournament championship game field-goal accuracy of 95.5% (21 of 22 for UCLA vs. Memphis State in 1973).

Walton, aided by Greg Lee's tourney-high 14 assists, erupted for a championship game-record 44 points in an 87-66 triumph over Memphis State in the 1973 NCAA Tournament final at St. Louis. Walton's 21 baskets were two more by himself than what Connecticut managed en route to winning the 2011 NCAA final against Butler. Walton had been outscored by fellow center Steve Downing, 26-14, in UCLA's 70-59 victory against Indiana in the national semifinals. Following is the box score of the game:

UCLA (87) Min. FG-A FT-A Reb. A. PF Pts.
Keith Wilkes 39 8-14 0-0 7 1 2 16
Larry Farmer 33 1-4 0-0 2 0 2 2
Bill Walton 33 21-22 2-5 13 2 4 44
Greg Lee 34 1-1 3-3 3 14 2 5
Larry Hollyfield 30 4-7 0-0 3 9 4 8
Tommy Curtis 11 1-4 2-2 3 0 1 4
Dave Meyers 10 2-7 0-0 3 0 1 4
Swen Nater 7 1-1 0-0 3 0 2 2
Gary Franklin 1 1-2 0-1 1 0 0 2
Vince Carson 1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Bob Webb 1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Totals 200 40-62 7-11 40 26 18 87

FG% - .645. FT% - .636. Blocks - 5. Turnovers - 17 (Walton 6, Wilkes 4). Steals - 2. Team Rebounds - 2.

Memphis State (66) Min. FG-A FT-A Reb. A. PF Pts.
Billy Buford 38 3-7 1-2 3 1 1 7
Larry Kenon 34 8-16 4-4 8 3 3 20
Ronnie Robinson 33 3-6 0-1 7 1 4 6
Bill Laurie 21 0-1 0-0 0 2 0 0
Larry Finch 38 9-21 11-13 1 2 2 29
Wes Westfall 10 0-1 0-0 0 0 5 0
Bill Cook 18 1-4 2-2 0 2 1 4
Doug McKinney 1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Clarence Jones 4 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Jerry Tetzlaff 1 0-0 0-2 0 0 1 0
Jim Liss 1 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0
Ken Andrews 1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Totals 200 24-57 18-24 21 11 17 66

FG% - .421. FT% - .750. Blocks - 1. Turnovers - 8. Steals - 0. Team Rebounds - 2.

Halftime: Tied 39-39.

6. UCLA's streak of 13 consecutive undisputed conference championships in a power league (from 1967 through 1979 in Pacific-8/Pacific-10).

7. Artis Gilmore's career rebounding average of 22.7 per game (for Jacksonville in 1969-70 and 1970-71).

8. Centenary's Robert Parish finished among nation's top five in rebounding all four seasons with more than 15 rpg each year.

9. Kentucky's 129-game homecourt winning streak (under coach Adolph Rupp from Jan. 4, 1943, to Jan. 8, 1955.)

10. Bill Chambers' 51 rebounds in a single game (for William & Mary vs. Virginia on Feb. 14, 1953.).

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in July 6 MLB Contests

July 6th, 2021 - 8:01

Extra! Extra! Instead of wondering if radicalized Captain America should be demoted to Private First Class after Marvel mess manipulation smearing our country, 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.

Several small-college hoopers from North Carolina - Jim Bibby (Fayetteville State), Dick Culler (High Point) and Rick Ferrell (Guilford) - supplied significant MLB performances on this date. Ditto ex-juco hoopers Garth Iorg (Redwoods CA), Tony Phillips (New Mexico Military) and Jim Thome (Illinois Central). Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 6 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JULY 6

  • San Diego Padres RHP Mike Adams (Texas A&M-Kingsville hooper in 1996-97) fanned the side against the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2008, triggering streak of 12 consecutive relief appearances without yielding a run.

  • Milwaukee Braves 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading scorer in 1945-46) collected five RBI against the Chicago Cubs in a 1954 game.

  • San Diego Padres RHP Steve Arlin (played two basketball games for Ohio State in 1964-65 under coach Fred Taylor) surrendered only one hit in 10 shutout innings in a 1972 game they won in 14th against the New York Mets.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates RHP Jim Bibby (Fayetteville State NC backup hooper and brother of UCLA All-American Henry Bibby) improved his record to 11-1 with three scoreless innings of relief in a 20-inning, 5-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs in 1980.

  • Seattle Mariners DH Bruce Bochte (starting forward for Santa Clara's NCAA playoff team in 1969-70 when averaging 7.4 ppg and 4 rpg) banged out four hits in a 5-3 win against the Kansas City Royals in 1980.

  • Cleveland Indians SS Lou Boudreau (leading scorer for Illinois' 1937 Big Ten Conference co-champion) led off the 1942 All-Star Game with a homer to help the A.L. defeat the N.L., 3-1.

  • Boston Braves SS Dick Culler (#9 jersey retired by High Point for Little All-American in 1935 and 1936) went 5-for-9 and scored six runs in a 1945 doubleheader sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

  • New York Giants SS Alvin Dark (hoops letterman for Louisiana State and Southwestern Louisiana in mid-1940s) homered in the first of five contests in a six-game span in 1954.

  • CF Taylor Douthit (California hoops letterman from 1922 through 1924) contributed five hits and two walks at Philadelphia to help the St. Louis Cardinals snap an 11-game losing streak with a 28-6 triumph over the Phillies in the nightcap of a 1929 doubleheader.

  • Washington Senators C Rick Ferrell (Guilford NC hoops forward before graduating in 1928) went 4-for-4, including three doubles, against the Boston Red Sox in the opener of a 1947 twinbill.

  • A six-hit shutout against the Detroit Tigers was one of six straight complete-game wins in 1977 by Baltimore Orioles LHP Mike Flanagan (averaged 13.9 ppg for UMass' freshman squad in 1971-72). Flanagan also closed out the campaign with six triumphs in a row.

  • St. Louis Cardinals 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) supplied a homer in 1933 All-Star Game. Eight years earlier in the midst of a 19-game hitting streak with the New York Giants, Frisch furnished four safeties against the Philadelphia Phillies in the nightcap of a 1925 doubleheader.

  • Detroit Tigers rookie RHP Floyd Giebell (four-year hoops letterman for Salem College WV in mid-1930s) secured his first MLB victory with 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief in a 9-5 verdict over the St. Louis Browns in 1939.

  • Brooklyn Robins 3B Wally Gilbert (hoops captain for Valparaiso from 1918-19 through 1920-21) went 4-for-4 in a 10-4 win against the Boston Braves in 1930.

  • California Angels RHP Ed Halicki (NAIA All-American third-team choice in 1971-72 when leading Monmouth in scoring with 21 ppg after setting school single-game rebounding record with 40 previous season) hurled a two-hit shutout against the Milwaukee Brewers in 1980 (infield single in first inning and bloop double in ninth).

  • San Francisco Giants LHP Atlee Hammaker (averaged 5.3 ppg as freshman in 1976-77 and 4.9 as sophomore in 1977-78 under East Tennessee State coach Sonny Smith) yielded seven earned runs to A.L. in 2/3 of an inning in the third frame of 1983 All-Star Game.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates 3B Lee Handley (Bradley hoops letterman from 1932-33 through 1934-35) lashed out four hits against the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a 1940 doubleheader.

  • Mike Hargrove (Northwestern Oklahoma State hoops letterman) replaced John McNamara as Cleveland Indians manager in 1991.

  • St. Louis Cardinals rookie RHP Jim Hearn (Georgia Tech hoops letterman in 1941-42) tossed his first MLB shutout (three-hitter against Cincinnati Reds in opener of 1947 twinbill).

  • Washington Senators 1B Frank Howard (two-time All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection in 1956-57 and 1957-58) homered in both ends of a 1971 doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles, giving him round-trippers in four straight outings.

  • Toronto Blue Jays 3B Garth Iorg (juco hooper with College of the Redwoods CA in mid-1970s) supplied three extra-base hits in a 1984 game against the Seattle Mariners.

  • Toronto Blue Jays DH Tony Johnson (All-VSAC hoops selection in 1976-77 and 1979-80 for LeMoyne-Owen TN) supplied his second 2-for-3 performance in three days in 1982.

  • In his first MLB start, Brooklyn Dodgers LHP Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman hoops squad in 1953-54) toiled 4 1/3 innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1955, striking out four batters while yielding three hits and eight walks.

  • Oakland Athletics 2B Davey Lopes (NAIA All-District 15 selection for Iowa Wesleyan averaged 16.9 ppg as freshman in 1964-65 and 12.1 ppg as sophomore in 1965-66 before transferring with his coach to Washburn KS) launched two homers against the Cleveland Indians in a 1982 contest.

  • Kansas City Athletics 2B Jerry Lumpe (member of Southwest Missouri State's 1952 NAIA Tournament championship hoops team) supplied a double and triple in the second of back-to-back games against the Chicago White Sox in 1961.

  • Chicago Cubs RHP Claude Passeau (Millsaps MS hooper in late 1920s and early 1930s) fired two innings of scoreless relief for the National League in 1942 All-Star Game.

  • Oakland Athletics INF Tony Phillips (New Mexico Military juco hooper in 1977-78 as teammate of eventual Drake All-American Lewis Lloyd) scored four runs in a 7-6 triumph against the Milwaukee Brewers in opener of 1984 doubleheader.

  • Only hit in his four games as a member of New York Yankees for RF 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) was a homer against the Boston Red Sox in 2003.

  • First MLB batter Cleveland Indians LHP Joe Shaute (hooper for Mansfield PA in early 1920s) faced was New York Yankees RF Babe Ruth, who fanned in bottom of the sixth inning in nightcap of 1922 twinbill. The Bambino whiffed more than 30 times against Shaute in their careers.

  • Oakland Athletics RHP Jeff Shaver (averaged 2.4 ppg for SUNY-Fredonia in 1983-84 and 1984-85) hurled a hitless inning of relief against the Cleveland Indians in his only MLB appearance in 1988.

  • Cleveland Indians 1B Jim Thome (played junior-college hoops for Illinois Central in 1988-89) collected three homers and six RBI in a 2001 game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Five years later as Chicago White Sox DH, Thome contributed two round-trippers and six RBI in 2006 contest against the Baltimore Orioles.

  • Boston Red Sox 3B Billy Werber (first Duke hoops All-American in 1929-30) banged out four hits and scored five runs against the Philadelphia Athletics in a 1934 outing.

  • New York Yankees RF Dave Winfield (starting forward with Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) went 3-for-3 as the A.L. smothered the N.L., 13-3, in the 1983 All-Star Game.

  • Boston Braves 3B Chuck Workman (two-time All-MIAA first-five hoops selection was leading scorer when Central Missouri won inaugural NAIA Tournament in 1937) manufactured four hits against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the nightcap of a 1945 twinbill.

Shatterproof: Loud and Proud NCAA Marks Never to Be Duplicated (#6)

July 6th, 2021 - 7:43

What are the school and individual records that will never come close to being matched, let along exceeded? In ensuing blogs, CollegeHoopedia.com will designate the ultimate team and individual standards of excellence. Records were made to be broken, but perhaps not always in our lifetime. Following is #6 in the countdown of most illustrious NCAA achievements:

6. UCLA's streak of 13 consecutive "undisputed" conference championships in a power league (from 1966-67 through 1978-79 in Pacific-8/Pacific-10).

The key factor in this equation is "undisputed." Coach Bill Self assembled an impressive run of 14 consecutive Big 12 Conference regular-season championships with Kansas, but the streak included four ties prior to ending a couple of seasons ago. The Bruins' composite conference record while capturing 13 straight "undisputed" regular-season league titles was an amazing 171-15 (.919). They were undefeated in conference competition five times in the first seven years of that streak. UCLA had three different coaches during the last five seasons of its domination.

Oregon, was the only school to win a home-and-home series against the Bruins during this streak (under coach Dick Harter in 1976-77). UCLA's league losses during the 13 seasons came against the Ducks (five), Washington (three), Oregon State (two), Southern California (two), Stanford (two) and Arizona (one).

Season League Mark UCLA's Head Coach Scoring Leader Rebounding Leader
1966-67 14-0 John Wooden Lew Alcindor (29 ppg) Lew Alcindor (15.5)
1967-68 14-0 John Wooden Lew Alcindor (26.2) Lew Alcindor (16.5)
1968-69 13-1 John Wooden Lew Alcindor (24) Lew Alcindor (14.6)
1969-70 12-2 John Wooden Sidney Wicks (18.6) Sidney Wicks (11.9)
1970-71 14-0 John Wooden Sidney Wicks (21.3) Sidney Wicks (12.8)
1971-72 14-0 John Wooden Bill Walton (21.1) Bill Walton (15.5)
1972-73 14-0 John Wooden Bill Walton (20.4) Bill Walton (16.9)
1973-74 12-2 John Wooden Bill Walton (19.3) Bill Walton (14.7)
1974-75 12-2 John Wooden David Meyers (18.3) David Meyers (7.9)
1975-76 12-2 Gene Bartow Richard Washington (20.1) Marques Johnson (9.4)
1976-77 11-3 Gene Bartow Marques Johnson (21.4) Marques Johnson (11.1)
1977-78 14-0 Gary Cunningham David Greenwood (17.5) David Greenwood (11.4)
1978-79 15-3 Gary Cunningham David Greenwood (19.9) David Greenwood (10.3)

7. Artis Gilmore's career rebounding average of 22.7 per game (for Jacksonville in 1969-70 and 1970-71).

8. Centenary's Robert Parish finished among nation's top five in rebounding all four seasons with more than 15 rpg each year.

9. Kentucky's 129-game homecourt winning streak (under coach Adolph Rupp from Jan. 4, 1943, to Jan. 8, 1955.)

10. Bill Chambers' 51 rebounds in a single game (for William & Mary vs. Virginia on Feb. 14, 1953.).

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in July 5 MLB Contests

July 5th, 2021 - 7:35

Extra! Extra! Instead of wondering if "woke" mob-managed MLB officials were adequately informed by comparing Colorado voter ID requirements to Georgia laws before hastily shifting All-Star Game from Atlanta to Denver, 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 Creighton hoopers Bob Gibson and Dennis Rasmussen delivered memorable moments in their MLB pitching careers on this date. Ditto for ex-college hoopers Jack Coombs (Colby ME) and Chubby Dean (Duke) connected as coach and player with the Blue Devils in 1936. Coombs and Dean each contributed significant performances for the Philadelphia Athletics against the Washington Senators on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 5 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JULY 5

  • California Angels 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) homered in his third consecutive contest in 1966.

  • In his MLB debut, Philadelphia Athletics RHP Jack Coombs (captain and starting hoops center for Colby ME) hurled a shutout against the Washington Senators in 1906.

  • 1B Chubby Dean (reserve guard for Duke in 1936) stroked two doubles and scored both of the Philadelphia Athletics' runs, including one with two outs in the bottom of the ninth of an 11-inning, 2-2 tie against the Washington Senators, in the nightcap of a 1937 doubleheader.

  • Cleveland Indians OF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA hoops titlist) became the first African-American player in the American League, striking out as a pinch-hitter against the Chicago White Sox in 1947.

  • San Francisco Giants 3B Darrell Evans (member of Jerry Tarkanian-coached Pasadena City CA club winning 1967 state community college hoops crown) furnished three extra-base hits in a 1979 game against the Atlanta Braves.

  • Boston Red Sox C Rick Ferrell (hoops forward for Guilford NC before graduating in 1928) amassed four hits against the Philadelphia Athletics in a 1936 game.

  • St. Louis Cardinals 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) tied a N.L. record with 16 chances in a 6-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds in 1930.

  • St. Louis Cardinals RHP Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer and rebounder in 1955-56 and 1956-57) belted his first of 24 MLB career homers (off Los Angeles Dodgers' Johnny Podres in 1961).

  • Detroit Tigers 1B Hank Greenberg (enrolled at NYU on hoops scholarship in 1929 but attended college only one semester) went 4-for-4, including four runs, two homers and five RBI, against the St. Louis Browns in a 1935 contest.

  • Baltimore Orioles RHP Dick Hall (averaged 13.5 ppg from 1948-49 through 1950-51 for Swarthmore PA Southern Division champions in Middle Atlantic States Conference) hurled a four-hit shutout against the Washington Senators in 1961.

  • In 1965, New York Yankees LHP Steve Hamilton (All-OVC hoops selection was Morehead State's leading scorer and rebounder in 1956-57 and 1957-58) yielded his only earned run in a span of 21 relief appearances from the end of May to late July.

  • Cleveland Indians RHP Oral Hildebrand (Butler hoops All-American in 1928-29 and 1929-30) hurled a shutout against the Chicago White Sox for one of his five victories this month in 1934.

  • Washington Senators LF Frank Howard (two-time All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection in 1956-57 and 1957-58) hammered two homers against the Boston Red Sox in the opener of a 1969 doubleheader.

  • INF Irv Jeffries (posted team-high scoring average of 11.5 ppg for Kentucky in 1927-28) traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to Baltimore (International) in 1934.

  • New York Yankees LF Charlie Keller (Maryland three-year hoops letterman from 1934-35 through 1936-37) cracked two homers against the Philadelphia Athletics in a 1941 game.

  • Detroit Tigers SS Harvey Kuenn (played five hoops games for Wisconsin in 1951-52) provided the game's only tally with an 11th-inning homer against the Cleveland Indians in the nightcap of a 1954 twinbill.

  • Chicago White Sox RHP Ted Lyons (All-SWC first-team basketball selection with Baylor as sophomore and senior in early 1920s) extended his hitting streak to eight contests in a row in 1942 with five of them including multiple safeties.

  • Chicago Cubs LF Les Mann (Springfield MA hooper in 1913 and 1914) cracked two triples against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 1919 game.

  • Philadelphia Athletics LHP Pete Naktenis (Duke hoops letterman in 1934-35), yielding 10 earned runs in first 1 2/3 innings, lost his lone MLB decision (16-2 rout by Boston Red Sox in opener of 1936 doubleheader).

  • New York Yankees CF Irv Noren (hoops player of year for California community college state champion Pasadena City in 1945) collected a pair of homers and five RBI against the Philadelphia Athletics in the nightcap of a 1954 twinbill.

  • New York Yankees RHP Cecil Perkins (All-WVIAC hoops selection in 1961-62 with Salem International WV) lost his lone MLB decision and start (against Minnesota Twins in 1967).

  • In the midst of winning seven straight decisions in 1986, New York Yankees LHP Dennis Rasmussen (sixth-man for Creighton averaged 5.1 ppg from 1977-78 through 1979-80) tossed a three-hit shutout against the Chicago White Sox.

  • In 1953, Philadelphia Phillies RHP Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) blanked the Pittsburgh Pirates, 2-0, for his 28th consecutive complete game.

  • Chicago Cubs RHP Lee Smith (averaged 3.4 ppg and 1.9 rpg for Northwestern State in 1976-77) lost fourth straight game as a starter in 1982 before making his final 927 MLB appearances as a reliever.

  • Detroit Tigers RF Champ Summers (led SIUE in scoring in 1969-70 after doing same for Nicholls State in 1964-65) socked a decisive homer in the bottom of the eighth inning of a 3-2 win against the Toronto Blue Jays in 1979.

  • In 1969, Montreal Expos 2B Gary Sutherland (averaged 7.4 ppg with USC in 1963-64) stroked four hits in an outing against his original team (Philadelphia Phillies).

  • Cincinnati Reds CF Evar Swanson (played all five hoops positions for Knox IL) supplied four hits against the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1930 contest.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates LHP Bob Veale (scored 1,160 points for Benedictine KS from 1955-56 through 1957-58) won his fifth straight start with a two-hit shutout against the Chicago Cubs in 1968. The whitewash capped off a streak of seven starts where Veale allowed fewer than three earned runs.

  • St. Louis Cardinals 1B Bill White (two-year Hiram OH hooper in early 1950s) collected three homers and a double in 1961 game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

  • Boston Red Sox C Sammy White (All-PCC Northern Division first-five selection for Washington in 1947-48 and 1948-49) knocked in five runs against the Baltimore Orioles in the opener of a 1959 twinbill.

  • In 1998, Tampa Bay Devil Rays LF Randy Winn (Santa Clara backcourtmate of eventual two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash in 1993-94) became the 3,000th career strikeout victim of Roger Clemens.

Shatterproof: Loud and Proud NCAA Marks Never to Be Duplicated (#7)

July 5th, 2021 - 7:21

What are the school and individual records that will never come close to being matched, let along exceeded? In ensuing blogs, CollegeHoopedia.com will designate the ultimate team and individual standards of excellence. Records were made to be broken, but perhaps not always in our lifetime. Following is #7 in the countdown of most illustrious NCAA achievements:

7. Artis Gilmore's career rebounding average of 22.7 per game (for Jacksonville in 1969-70 and 1970-71) while also averaging more than 22 points per contest.

Gilmore, a junior college transfer, led NCAA Division I in rebounding in 1969-70 and 1970-71 en route to becoming the only player in major-college history to average more than 22 points and 22 rebounds per game in his career (minimum of two seasons). He finished with 24.3 points and 22.7 rebounds per outing in powering the Dolphins to a 49-6 record during his tenure.

The only time when Gilmore retrieved fewer than 10 missed shots for JU was in New Orleans against Loyola (La.) at the end of a streak of four consecutive road games in his junior season. He averaged 19.4 rpg in a total of 17 contests against schools currently members in power conferences. Marshall's recently-deceased Charlie Slack averaged 23.8 rpg from 1953-54 through 1955-56 while chipping in with 18.7 ppg. Kermit Washington, two years after Gilmore's eligibility expired, became the last major-college player to average more than 20 rebounds per game in a single season (20.4 rpg for American University in 1972-73). Following is a game-by-game summary of Gilmore's scoring and rebounding totals:

Junior (27-2 in 1969-70)

Date Opponent Pts. Reb.
D. 1 East Tennessee State 35 18
D. 2 Morehead State 31 26
D. 9 Mercer 34 32
D. 13 Biscayne (Fla.) 24 30
D. 18 Georgetown* 11 21
D. 22 Harvard 29 26
D. 26 vs. Arizona 32 17
D. 27 at Evansville 37 22
J. 2 at Hawaii 23 28
J. 5 at Hawaii 13 21
J. 9 Richmond 38 29
J. 10 Miami (Fla.) 13 23
J. 16 Virgin Islands 18 26
J. 27 at Florida State 21 19
J. 30 St. Peter's 46 30
F. 2 Iona 29 26
F. 5 at East Carolina 27 19
F. 6 at Richmond 27 21
F. 13 at Oklahoma City 27 15
F. 14 at Loyola (La.) 16 8
F. 18 Florida State 19 21
F. 24 Oklahoma City 25 18
F. 26 at Georgia Tech 27 10
M. 4 at Miami (Fla.) 19 10
M. 7 vs. Western Kentucky 30 19
M. 12 vs. Iowa 30 17
M. 14 vs. Kentucky 24 20
M. 19 vs. St. Bonaventure 29 21
M. 21 vs. UCLA 19 16

*Forfeit at 1:26 of first half.

Senior (22-4 in 1970-71)

Date Opponent Pts. Reb.
D. 1 Biscayne (Fla.) 50 29
D. 3 at St. Peter's 28 34
D. 7 George Washington 40 29
D. 8 Florida State 31 26
D. 12 at Richmond 28 19
D. 23 at Western Kentucky 29 18
D. 29 vs. Creighton 15 23
D. 30 vs. Wake Forest 13 21
J. 9 Miami (Fla.) 21 22
J. 11 Oklahoma City 15 17
J. 13 Manhattan 12 16
J. 20 Furman 18 18
J. 23 at Mercer 19 20
J. 25 South Alabama 15 19
J. 27 Florida State 15 28
F. 4 at South Alabama 25 17
F. 6 at Oklahoma City 18 19
F. 8 Loyola (La.) 24 28
F. 11 at William & Mary 2 14
F. 13 at Bradley 24 20
F. 15 at Florida State 22 25
F. 20 Valdosta (Ga.) State 26 24
F. 22 East Carolina 25 28
F. 27 at Houston 22 15
M. 2 at Miami (Fla.) 21 10
M. 13 vs. Western Kentucky 12 22

8. Centenary's Robert Parish finished among nation's top five in rebounding all four seasons with more than 15 rpg each year.

9. Kentucky's 129-game homecourt winning streak (under coach Adolph Rupp from Jan. 4, 1943, to Jan. 8, 1955)

10. Bill Chambers' 51 rebounds in a single game (for William & Mary vs. Virginia on Feb. 14, 1953).

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in July 4 MLB Contests

July 4th, 2021 - 9:01

Extra! Extra! Instead of wondering if feeble ceremonial-pitch hurler Dr. Anthony Fraud-ci still flip-flop feels double- or triple-masking hits best while hair-on-fire publicity hound funds gain-of-function 4th of July celebration outdoors, 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 Maryland hoopers Bosey Berger and Charlie Keller provided the fireworks by manufacturing significant American League performances on this date. Ex-juco hoopers Darrell Evans (Pasadena City CA), Bob Oliver (American River CA), Tony Phillips (New Mexico Military) and Carl Reynolds (Lon Morris TX) also had outstanding offensive outings. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 4 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JULY 4

  • Cleveland Indians 2B Bosey Berger (Maryland's first basketball All-American led Southern Conference in scoring in league competition in 1930-31) banged out four hits against the Detroit Tigers in the opener of a 1935 doubleheader.

  • Chicago White Sox CF Ken Berry (freshman hooper for Wichita in 1959-60) accounted for game's lone run with a fifth-inning homer against the California Angels in 1965.

  • 1B-OF Larry Biittner (runner-up in scoring and rebounding for Buena Vista IA in 1966-67) hurled the final 1 1/3 innings for the Chicago Cubs in the opener of a 1977 doubleheader against the Montreal Expos.

  • Cleveland Indians SS Lou Boudreau (leading scorer for Illinois' 1937 Big Ten Conference co-champion) contributed four hits against the Detroit Tigers in nightcap of a 1946 twinbill.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates 1B Donn Clendenon (four-sport letterman with Morehouse GA) cracked two homers against the Chicago Cubs in nightcap of a 1966 doubleheader. Clendenon also homered each of next two days against the Cubs.

  • Philadelphia Athletics C Mickey Cochrane (Boston University hooper in early 1920s) went 4-for-4, including three doubles and a homer, against the Boston Red Sox in the opener of a 1929 doubleheader. Six years later with the Detroit Tigers, Cochrane stroked four hits for the second time in a four-game span in 1935.

  • RHP Jack Coombs (captain and starting hoops center for Colby ME) overcame seven Brooklyn Dodgers errors to nip the New York Giants, 4-3, in the nightcap of a 1918 twinbill. Coombs scored the winning run after drilling a 10th-inning triple (his third hit of contest). Seven years earlier with the Philadelphia Athletics, Coombs went 3-for-3 in a 7-4 win against the New York Yankees in opener of 1911 doubleheader en route to switch-hitter posting A.L.-leading 28 victories.

  • In 1957, Cincinnati Reds 1B George Crowe (four-year letterman from 1939-40 through 1942-43 for Indiana Central after becoming first high schooler named state's "Mr. Basketball") went 5-for-5, driving in six runs, but it wasn't enough to prevent a 10-7 loss against his original team (Milwaukee Braves).

  • New York Giants SS Alvin Dark (hoops letterman for LSU and USL during World War II) homered in each end of a 1950 doubleheader split with the Brooklyn Dodgers, extending his streak of games with a round-tripper to four in a row.

  • St. Louis Cardinals CF Taylor Douthit (California hoops letterman from 1922 through 1924) went 5-for-7 and scored five runs in a 1928 twinbill split against the Chicago Cubs.

  • Baltimore Orioles 1B Walt Dropo (first player in Connecticut history to average 20 ppg in single season with 21.7 in 1942-43) homered twice in a 1959 game against the Boston Red Sox.

  • Washington Senators LHP Joe Engel (hooper for Mount St. Mary's in 1910-11 and 1911-12) hurled a complete game but lost, 1-0, against the Boston Red Sox on an unearned run in the opener of a 1914 doubleheader.

  • Detroit Tigers 1B Darrell Evans (member of Jerry Tarkanian-coached Pasadena City CA club winning 1967 state community college hoops crown) homered in his third consecutive contest for the second time in less than two weeks in 1987.

  • Chicago Cubs LHP Darcy Fast (all-conference hooper for Warner Pacific OR in 1965-66 and 1966-67) lost his lone MLB decision (7-4 against Philadelphia Phillies in nightcap of 1968 twinbill).

  • Boston Red Sox C Rick Ferrell (hoops forward for Guilford NC before graduating in 1928) went 4-for-4 against the Philadelphia Athletics in the nightcap of a 1933 doubleheader.

  • St. Louis Browns rookie LF Joe Gallagher (Manhattan varsity hooper in 1934-35) went 4-for-4 in the nightcap of a 1939 twinbill against the Chicago White Sox.

  • RHP Bob Garibaldi (starting forward for Santa Clara in 1961-62 when averaging 10.6 ppg and 5.6 rpg) signed with the San Francisco Giants for a $150,000 bonus in 1962 after receiving award as College World Series Most Outstanding Player.

  • 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) provided three hits in each game of a 1956 twinbill split against the Philadelphia Phillies.

  • Cincinnati Reds RHP Jay Hook (Northwestern's third-leading scorer as sophomore in 1955-56) hurled a four-hit shutout against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1960.

  • Los Angeles Dodgers RF Frank Howard (two-time All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection in 1956-57 and 1957-58) furnished five RBI against the Philadelphia Phillies in the opener of a 1962 twinbill.

  • Atlanta Braves 2B Davey Johnson (averaged 1.7 ppg with Texas A&M in 1961-62) laced two homers against the Houston Astros in the nightcap of a 1973 doubleheader.

  • New York Yankees RF Charlie Keller (Maryland three-year hoops letterman from 1934-35 through 1936-37) clobbered two homers against the Boston Red Sox in the opener of a 1940 twinbill.

  • Cleveland Indians SS Jerry Kindall (averaged 6.9 ppg for Minnesota as junior in 1955-56) cracked a homer in both ends of a 1963 doubleheader sweep against the Boston Red Sox. Kindall collected a walk-off round-tripper in the bottom of the 14th inning in the opener.

  • Chicago Cubs OF Hank Leiber (Arizona hooper in 1931) hammered three homers against the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a 1939 twinbill.

  • Cleveland Indians RHP Dutch Levsen (Iowa State hoops letterman in 1918-19) tossed a two-hit shutout against the Chicago White Sox in the opener of a 1927 doubleheader.

  • Chicago White Sox 1B Tony Lupien (Harvard hoops captain in 1938-39) went 7-for-10 in a 1948 doubleheader split against the Detroit Tigers.

  • Cleveland Indians rookie CF Ed Morgan (Tulane hoops letterman from 1923-24 through 1925-26), raising his batting average to .378, manufactured four hits against the Detroit Tigers in the opener of a 1928 twinbill.

  • Chicago Cubs RF Bill Nicholson (Washington College MD hoops guard for two years in mid-1930s) whacked two homers against the Boston Braves in the nightcap of a 1945 doubleheader.

  • Oakland Athletics CF Billy North (played hoops briefly for Central Washington in 1967-68) stole three bases against the California Angels in a 1973 game.

  • Detroit Tigers RF Jim Northrup (second-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder for Alma MI in 1958-59) collected two homers, a triple and five RBI in a 13-10 victory over the California Angels in 1968.

  • Rookie 3B Bob Oliver (All-Valley Conference basketball choice for American River Community College CA in 1962) supplied the expansion Kansas City Royals' first grand slam in franchise history in the opener of a 1969 twinbill (off Jim Bouton of Seattle Pilots).

  • A two-out, pinch-hit, three-run homer by LF Lou Piniella (averaged 2.5 ppg and 1.4 rpg for Tampa as freshman in 1961-62) in top of ninth inning propelled the Kansas City Royals to an 8-6 win against the Milwaukee Brewers in 1970.

  • St. Louis Cardinals LF Rip Repulski (occasional hoops starter for St. Cloud State MN in 1946-47) ripped a home run in both ends of 1955 twinbill against the Milwaukee Braves.

  • Chicago White Sox RF Carl Reynolds (Southwestern TX hoops MVP and captain in mid-1920s) went 5-for-5 in the opener of a 1929 doubleheader against the Cleveland Indians. It was the second straight contest for Reynolds with three doubles.

  • LHP Preacher Roe (Harding AR hooper in late 1930s) and RHP Ralph Branca (sixth-leading scorer for NYU in 1943-44) are the winning hurlers as the Brooklyn Dodgers sweep a 1951 twinbill against the New York Giants.

  • Cleveland Indians LHP Joe Shaute (hooper for Mansfield PA in early 1920s) hurled his seventh complete-game victory in less than a month in 1924.

  • RHP Jeff Shaw (freshman guard for 31-5 Rio Grande OH team participating in 1985 NAIA Tournament) traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1968. He became the first reliever in MLB history to lead two different clubs in saves in the same season (23 with Reds and 25 with Dodgers).

  • New York Yankees LF Norm Siebern (member of Southwest Missouri State squads capturing back-to-back NAIA Tournament hoops titles in 1952 and 1953) went 5-for-5 against the Washington Senators in the nightcap of a 1958 doubleheader.

  • Boston Red Sox rookie 3B Jim Tabor (Alabama hoops letterman in 1936-37) socked four homers in a 1939 twinbill against the Philadelphia Athletics, collecting 19 total bases and 11 RBI. Three of Tabor's round-trippers came in the nightcap, including a record-tying two grand slams in back-to-back innings.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates CF Bill Virdon (Drury MO hooper in 1949) doubled and homered in both ends of a 1958 doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds.

  • New York Yankees LHP Ed Wells (multi-sport athlete graduated in 1924 from Bethany WV) incurred his lone defeat in the midst of 10 victories from the end of May to early August in 1930.

  • Philadelphia Phillies 1B Bill White (two-year Hiram OH hooper in early 1950s) stroked two triples in the opener of a 1966 twinbill against the New York Mets.

  • Boston Braves LF Ab Wright (Oklahoma A&M hoops letterman in 1928-29) went hitless for the only time in a 14-game span in 1944.

  • Washington Senators 3B Eddie Yost (NYU freshman hooper in 1943-44 under coach Howard Cann) homered in both ends of a 1953 doubleheader split against the Boston Red Sox.

Shatterproof: Loud and Proud NCAA Marks Never to Be Duplicated (#8)

July 4th, 2021 - 8:47

What are the school and individual records that will never come close to being matched, let along exceeded? In ensuing blogs, CollegeHoopedia.com will designate the ultimate team and individual standards of excellence. Records were made to be broken, but perhaps not always in our lifetime. Following is #8 in the countdown of most illustrious NCAA achievements:

8. Robert Parish finished among nation's top five in rebounding all four seasons with more than 15 rpg each year.

Parish, attending Centenary College in his hometown of Shreveport, La., finished his career (1972-73 through 1975-76) as the only Division I player ever to rank among the national top five in rebounding for four seasons. He averaged more than 15 rpg each campaign, a figure no one has surpassed since 1979-80 when Alcorn State's Larry "Mr. Mean" Smith led the country with 15.1 rpg.

How in the name of James Naismith did no outlet acknowledge Parish as a first-team All-American? He had 33 games grabbing a minimum of 20 rebounds en route to retrieving an average of 16.9 missed shots per contest. Centenary de-emphasized its program early last decade but Parish's prolific performances won't be forgotten despite the NCAA overlooking them as part of probation sanctions against the Gentlemen. Following is a list of Parish's eight contests with at least 25 rebounds and his game-by-game totals:

33 -- vs. Southern Mississippi (January 27, 1973)
30 -- at Lamar (December 22, 1972)
29 -- vs. Texas-Arlington (February 5, 1973)
27 -- vs. Lamar (February 7, 1973)
27 -- vs. Northwestern State (December 9, 1974)
27 -- at Northeast Louisiana (January 15, 1976)
26 -- vs. Houston (January 17, 1974)
25 -- vs. LSU-New Orleans (January 15, 1973)

1972-73 (Freshman/18.7 rpg)

Game Opponent Reb.
1. Southwestern TX 21
2. *Houston Baptist 8
3. *Louisiana Tech 15
4. East Texas Baptist 7
5. Indiana State 8
6. Northern Colorado 20
7. at Lamar 30
8. at Arkansas 21
9. Texas 16
10. at Southern Mississippi 16
11. at Northwestern State 22
12. LSU-New Orleans 25
13. at Texas-Arlington 9
14. Virginia Commonwealth 12
15. at Indiana State 16
16. Southern Mississippi 33
17. at Houston 22
18. Arkansas State 20
19. Texas-Arlington 29
20. Lamar 27
21. at Arizona State 20
22. at Hawaii 23
23. at Hawaii 14
24. at Arkansas State 23
25. at LSU-New Orleans 17
26. Northwestern State 14
27. Houston 17

*Sports Foundation Tournament.

1973-74 (Sophomore/15.3 rpg)

Game Opponent Reb.
1. McNeese State 17
2. Louisiana Tech 8
3. Dallas Baptist TX 10
4. Henderson State AR 21
5. Northwestern State 23
6. at Texas 14
7. at Arkansas 16
8. at Southern Mississippi 23
9. Northeast Louisiana 8
10. at Northwestern State 16
11. Houston 26
12. at Lamar 11
13. at Virginia Commonwealth 12
14. Southern Mississippi 16
15. at Hardin-Simmons TX 14
16. at Arizona 14
17. at Indiana State 18
18. at Southern Illinois 10
19. Portland 15
20. at Loyola of Chicago 13
21. Houston Baptist 13
22. Lamar 13
23. at Houston 13
24. at Houston Baptist 18
25. Hardin-Simmons TX 20

1974-75 (Junior/15.4 rpg)

Game Opponent Reb.
1. *UNC Charlotte 16
2. *Dartmouth 18
3. at Lamar 17
4. Texas 10
5. Northwestern State 27
6. McNeese State 19
7. at Virginia Commonwealth 15
8. &Pacific 21
9. &North Texas State 15
10. &Oklahoma City 10
11. Wabash College IN 9
12. East Texas Baptist 13
13. Arkansas 17
14. Hawaii 19
15. Lamar 14
16. at Southern Mississippi 8
17. at Indiana State 16
18. at Houston Baptist 16
19. Virginia Commonwealth 16
20. Southern Mississippi 17
21. at Northwestern State 21
22. Houston Baptist 18
23. at Hardin-Simmons TX 9
24. Indiana State 15
25. Southern Illinois 20
26. at Hawaii-Hilo 16
27. at Hawaii 15
28. at Hawaii 11
29. Hardin-Simmons TX 9

*Hall of Fame Tournament.
&All-College Tournament.

1975-76 (Senior/18.0 rpg)

Game Opponent Reb.
1. at South Alabama 19
2. Northwestern State 21
3. at McNeese State 23
4. at Southwestern Louisiana 14
5. South Alabama 12
6. Texas 19
7. Virginia Commonwealth 19
8. at Northern Illinois 24
9. at Illinois State 15
10. *Bowling Green State 14
11. *Utah State 14
12. *Long Island 21
13. at Texas 14
14. UNC Charlotte 19
15. Hawaii 19
16. Louisiana Tech 23
17. at Northeast Louisiana 27
18. at Northwestern State 14
19. East Texas Baptist 23
20. at Houston Baptist 6
21. Hardin-Simmons TX 19
22. Southern Mississippi 20
23. at Nevada-Las Vegas 11
24. at Hardin-Simmons TX 22
25. Houston Baptist 17
26. at UNC Charlotte 17
27. at Virginia Commonwealth 20

*All-College Tournament.

9. Kentucky's 129-game homecourt winning streak (under coach Adolph Rupp from Jan. 4, 1943, to Jan. 8, 1955)

10. Bill Chambers' 51 rebounds in a single game (for William & Mary vs. Virginia on Feb. 14, 1953).

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in July 3 MLB Contests

July 3rd, 2021 - 7:58

Extra! Extra! Instead of assessing how stupid former Show-Me State Senator "Air" Claire McCaskill and Odd Squad Congressional clown Cori Bush (security for me but not for thee) are to #MSLSD focus on January 6 U.S. Capitol confiscation of Speaker #NannyPathetic's office ("prayer closet" owned by the people) rather than celebrating traditional Fourth of July, 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.

A couple of small-college players from Michigan - Roger Mason (Saginaw Valley State) and Jim Northrup (Alma) - made MLB news on this date. Ditto ex-SEC hoopers Ray Blemker (Georgia Tech), Harvey Hendrick (Vanderbilt), Mike Smithson (Tennessee) and Riggs Stephenson (Alabama). Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 3 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JULY 3

  • In 1960, LHP Ray Blemker (two-time All-SEC second-team guard led Georgia Tech in scoring each basketball season from 1956-57 through 1958-59) made his lone MLB appearance with the Kansas City Athletics.

  • Kansas City Athletics LF Bob Cerv (ranked fourth on Nebraska's career scoring list in 1949-50 when finishing his career) cracked a grand slam before P Herb Score settled down and fanned 14 in the Cleveland Indians' 8-4 triumph in 1959.

  • In 1994, the Cleveland Indians retired the uniform number of OF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA hoops titlist). Doby broke the A.L. color barrier in 1947.

  • Detroit Tigers 1B Darrell Evans (member of Jerry Tarkanian-coached Pasadena City CA club winning 1967 state community college crown) homered in third consecutive contest in 1986.

  • California Angels RHP Dave Frost (averaged 10.5 ppg and 4 rpg for Stanford from 1971-72 through 1973-74) tossed a four-hit shutout against the Oakland Athletics in 1979.

  • Cincinnati Reds 1B Harvey Hendrick (Vanderbilt hoops letterman in 1918) went 4-for-4 in a 4-2 win against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1932.

  • Cleveland Indians CF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling 35-3 record) went 4-for-4 against the Minnesota Twins in a 1994 game.

  • Boston Braves rookie CF Les Mann (Springfield MA hooper in 1913 and 1914) went 5-for-5 against the Brooklyn Superbas in a 1913 game.

  • RHP Roger Mason (multiple-year hoops letterman for Saginaw Valley State MI in late 1970s) traded by the San Diego Padres to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1993.

  • In the midst of smacking six homers in a six-game span in 1974, Detroit Tigers RF Jim Northrup (second-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder for Alma MI in 1958-59) deposited two balls over the outfield fence against the New York Yankees.

  • In 1956, Pittsburgh Pirates 2B Johnny O'Brien (two-time All-American with Seattle was first college player to crack 1,000-point plateau in single season by scoring 1,051 in 37 games in 1951-52) became the last N.L. position player in the 20th Century to earn a victory on the mound.

  • Philadelphia Phillies RHP Ron Reed (Notre Dame's leading rebounder in 1963-64 and 1964-65) permitted an earned run for the only time in a span of 14 relief appearances in 1976.

  • In 1949, Philadelphia Phillies RHP Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) tossed his third shutout in less than a month.

  • Montreal Expos RF Ken Singleton (Hofstra freshman hoops squad in mid-1960s) knocked in five runs in a 1973 game against his original team (New York Mets).

  • Minnesota Twins 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 a five-hit shutout against the Cleveland Indians in 1985. It was the first of five victories in as many decisions for him in July of this year.

  • Chicago Cubs LF Riggs Stephenson (Alabama hoops letterman in 1920) contributed five RBI against the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1928 contest. The next day, Stephenson supplied five hits against the Cards in the nightcap of a doubleheader.

  • Cleveland Indians 1B Jim Thome (played junior-college hoops for Illinois Central in 1988-89) clobbered a homer in his seventh consecutive contest in 2002. Eight years later as DH for the Minnesota Twins, he smacked two round-trippers in 2010 game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

  • Boston Red Sox rookie RHP Jim Wilson (hoops letterman for San Diego State's 1942 NAIA Tournament participant) tossed a five-hit shutout against the Detroit Tigers. The whitewash was first of four complete games for him during the month in 1945 when yielding fewer than two earned runs.

  • Tampa Devil Rays rookie OF Randy Winn (Santa Clara backcourtmate of eventual two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash in 1993-94) went 4-for-4 against the Toronto Blue Jays in 1998. Eleven years later with the San Francisco Giants, Winn registered his sixth two-hit outing in a seven-game span in 2009.

Shatterproof: Loud and Proud NCAA Marks Never to Be Duplicated (#9)

July 3rd, 2021 - 7:49

What are the school and individual records that will never come close to being matched, let along exceeded? In ensuing blogs, CollegeHoopedia.com will designate the ultimate team and individual standards of excellence. Records were made to be broken, but perhaps not always in our lifetime. Following is #9 in the countdown of most illustrious NCAA achievements:

9. Kentucky's 129-game homecourt winning streak (under coach Adolph Rupp from January 4, 1943, to January 8, 1955).

Kentucky, two nights after losing to Ohio State, 45-40, in its first game in calendar year 1943, started a streak that went 11 years without dropping a homecourt game until bowing to Georgia Tech, 59-58, on January 8, 1954. Tech had dropped its previous 10 outings at UK during the streak by an average margin of 35.2 points. The setback also snapped a 70-game winning streak in SEC competition. The first 84 of the Wildcats' 129 consecutive homecourt victories were in Alumni Gym. The remainder were in Memorial Coliseum.

UK's average margin of victory during the streak was 31 points. Vanderbilt was involved in two of the three closest games - one-point loss in '43 and four-point setback in '50. The only other contest settled by fewer than five points during the streak was a 38-35 verdict against DePauw (Ind.) in 1944.

Date/Home Game UK Visiting Team Pts.
Jan. 4, 1943 64 Ft. Knox 43
Jan. 26, 1943 39 Vanderbilt 38
Feb. 6, 1943 67 Alabama 41
Feb. 8, 1943 48 Xavier 36
Feb. 13, 1943 53 Tennessee 29
Feb. 15, 1943 58 Georgia Tech 31
Dec. 1, 1943 51 Ft. Knox 18
Dec. 4, 1943 54 Berea (Naval V-12) 40
Dec. 18, 1943 58 Cincinnati 30
Jan. 15, 1944 61 Wright Field 28
Jan. 31, 1944 76 Ft. Knox A.R.C. 48
Feb. 5, 1944 38 DePauw (Ind.) 35
Feb. 7, 1944 51 Illinois 40
Feb. 26, 1944 51 Ohio University 35
Dec. 2, 1944 56 Ft. Knox 23
Dec. 4, 1944 56 Berea (Ky.) 32
Dec. 9, 1944 66 Cincinnati 24
Dec. 23, 1944 53 Ohio State 48
Jan. 6, 1945 59 Ohio University 46
Jan. 8, 1945 75 Arkansas State 6
Jan. 13, 1945 66 Michigan State 35
Jan. 29, 1945 73 Georgia 37
Feb. 3, 1945 51 Georgia Tech 32
Feb. 17, 1945 40 Tennessee 34
Dec. 1, 1945 59 Ft. Knox 36
Dec. 7, 1945 51 Western Ontario 42
Dec. 8, 1945 71 Western Ontario 28
Dec. 15, 1945 67 Cincinnati 31
Dec. 18, 1945 67 Arkansas 42
Dec. 21, 1945 43 Oklahoma 33
Jan. 5, 1946 57 Ohio University 48
Jan. 7, 1946 81 Ft. Benning 25
Jan. 28, 1946 54 Georgia Tech 26
Feb. 5, 1946 59 Michigan State 51
Feb. 16, 1946 54 Tennessee 34
Feb. 23, 1946 83 Xavier 40
Nov. 28, 1946 78 Indiana Central 36
Nov. 30, 1946 64 Tulane 35
Dec. 2, 1946 68 Ft. Knox 31
Dec. 9, 1946 65 Idaho 35
Dec. 14, 1946 83 Texas A&M 18
Dec. 16, 1946 62 Miami (Ohio) 49
Dec. 23, 1946 75 Baylor 34
Dec. 28, 1946 96 Wabash (Ohio) 24
Jan. 4, 1947 46 Ohio University 36
Jan. 11, 1947 70 Dayton 29
Jan. 25, 1947 71 Xavier 34
Jan. 27, 1947 86 Michigan State 36
Feb. 10, 1947 81 Georgia 40
Feb. 15, 1947 61 Tennessee 46
Feb. 17, 1947 63 Alabama 33
Feb. 22, 1947 83 Georgia Tech 46
Nov. 9, 1947 80 Indiana Central 41
Dec. 1, 1947 80 Ft. Knox 41
Dec. 5, 1947 72 Tulsa 18
Dec. 6, 1947 71 Tulsa 22
Dec. 17, 1947 79 Xavier 37
Jan. 3, 1948 98 Western Ontario 41
Jan. 24, 1948 70 Cincinnati 43
Feb. 14, 1948 69 Tennessee 42
Feb. 16, 1948 63 Alabama 33
Feb. 20, 1948 79 Vanderbilt 43
Feb. 21, 1948 78 Georgia Tech 54
Nov. 29, 1948 74 Indiana Central 38
Dec. 10, 1948 81 Tulsa 27
Dec. 13, 1948 76 Arkansas 39
Feb. 8, 1949 71 Tennessee 56
Feb. 12, 1949 96 Xavier 50
Feb. 14, 1949 74 Alabama 32
Feb. 16, 1949 85 Mississippi 31
Feb. 19, 1949 78 Georgia Tech 32
Feb. 21, 1949 95 Georgia 40
Feb. 26, 1949 70 Vanderbilt 37
Dec. 3, 1949 84 Indiana Central 61
Dec. 10, 1949 90 Western Ontario 18
Jan. 9, 1950 83 North Carolina 44
Jan. 28, 1950 88 Georgia 56
Feb. 11, 1950 79 Tennessee 52
Feb. 13, 1950 77 Alabama 57
Feb. 15, 1950 90 Mississippi 50
Feb. 18, 1950 97 Georgia Tech 62
Feb. 23, 1950 58 Xavier 53
Feb. 25, 1950 70 Vanderbilt 66
Dec. 1, 1950 73 West Texas State 43
Dec. 9, 1950 70 Purdue 52
Dec. 14, 1950 85 Florida 37
Dec. 16, 1950 68 Kansas 39
Jan. 5, 1951 79 Auburn 35
Jan. 8, 1951 63 DePaul 55
Jan. 13, 1951 65 Alabama 48
Jan. 15, 1951 69 Notre Dame 44
Feb. 9, 1951 75 Georgia Tech 42
Feb. 13, 1951 78 Xavier 51
Feb. 17, 1951 86 Tennessee 61
Feb. 23, 1951 88 Georgia 41
Feb. 24, 1951 89 Vanderbilt 57
Mar. 13, 1951 97 Loyola of Chicago 61
Dec. 8, 1951 96 Washington & Lee (Va.) 46
Dec. 17, 1951 81 St. John's 40
Dec. 20, 1951 98 DePaul 60
Dec. 26, 1951 84 UCLA 53
Jan. 5, 1952 57 Louisiana State 47
Jan. 7, 1952 83 Xavier 50
Jan. 12, 1952 99 Florida 52
Feb. 4, 1952 103 Tulane 54
Feb. 6, 1952 81 Mississippi 61
Feb. 9, 1952 93 Georgia Tech 42
Feb. 11, 1952 110 Mississippi State 66
Feb. 16, 1952 95 Tennessee 40
Feb. 21, 1952 75 Vanderbilt 45
Dec. 5, 1952 86 Temple 59
Dec. 14, 1952 101 Wake Forest 69
Dec. 21, 1952 85 Duke 69
Dec. 22, 1952 73 La Salle 60
Dec. 28, 1952 74 Minnesota 59
Jan. 4, 1953 77 Xavier 71
Jan. 9, 1953 105 Georgia Tech 53
Jan. 11, 1953 81 DePaul 63
Jan. 16, 1953 94 Tulane 43
Feb. 4, 1953 106 Georgia 55
Feb. 13, 1953 88 Mississippi 62
Feb. 15, 1953 81 Mississippi State 49
Feb. 18, 1953 90 Tennessee 63
Feb. 22, 1953 100 Vanderbilt 64
Dec. 4, 1953 74 Louisiana State 58
Dec. 18, 1953 79 Temple 61
Dec. 21, 1953 70 Utah 65
Dec. 22, 1953 63 La Salle 54
Dec. 30, 1953 82 St. Louis 65

NOTE: Kentucky was barred from playing competitive basketball during the 1952-53 season because of NCAA probation.

10. Bill Chambers' 51 rebounds in a single game (for William & Mary vs. Virginia on Feb. 14, 1953).

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in July 2 MLB Contests

July 2nd, 2021 - 7:24

Extra! Extra! Instead of wondering if Plagiarist Bi-dumb consultants sought root-cause Laughing Hyena as kissing-through-mask/frequently-incoherent/rioter-bail-fundraiser/former-Willie-Brown-girlfriend VP for "Kamalot Sans Kinko's" to make whispering hair-sniffer "Big Guy" and his addict-infested family appear halfway lucid, 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 college hoopers Dale Alexander (Milligan TN) and Dave Winfield (Minnesota) each hit two homers in a single American League game on this date. Ex-juco hoopers Tony Phillips (New Mexico Military), Gary Redus (Athens AL) and Carl Reynolds (Lon Morris TX) also supplied outstanding offensive outputs in MLB outings. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 2 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JULY 2

  • Milwaukee Braves 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) homered in his fourth consecutive contest in 1955.

  • Detroit Tigers rookie 1B Dale Alexander (starting hoops center in mid-1920s for Milligan TN) collected two homers and six RBI in a 10-4 win against the St. Louis Browns in 1929.

  • St. Louis Browns rookie RF Red Badgro (first-five hoops pick on All-Pacific Coast Conference team in 1926-27 as USC's MVP) went hitless for the only time in an 18-game game span from mid-June to mid-July in 1929.

  • INF Jack Barry (hoops letterman for Holy Cross in 1908) purchased from the Philadelphia Athletics by the Boston Red Sox in 1915.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers RHP Ray Benge (multi-year hoops letterman for Sam Houston State first half of 1920s) hurled a three-hit shutout against the Boston Braves in 1935.

  • CF Ken Berry (freshman hooper for Wichita in 1959-60) knocked in all of the California Angels' runs against 20-game winner Vida Blue in a 4-2 verdict over eventual World Series champion Oakland Athletics in 1973.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates 1B Donn Clendenon (four-sport letterman with Morehouse GA) went 4-for-4 against the San Francisco Giants in a 1964 game.

  • OF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA hoops titlist) signed with the Cleveland Indians in 1947, becoming the first black player in the A.L. and second in MLB history.

  • New York Yankees rookie LHP Al Downing (attended Muhlenberg PA on hoops scholarship but left before ever playing) hurled a one-hit shutout against the Chicago White Sox in 1963. Downing won his first four starts of the month, fanning at least 10 batters in each contest.

  • Montreal Expos rookie SS Rich Hacker (member of Southern Illinois' freshman basketball squad in 1965-66) stroked his lone MLB extra-base hit (double off Woodie Fryman) in nightcap of a 1971 doubleheader against the Philadelphia Phillies.

  • Texas Rangers rookie 1B Mike Hargrove (Northwestern Oklahoma State hoops letterman) went 4-for-4 against the Minnesota Twins in a 1974 contest.

  • LF Frank Howard (two-time All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection when he led Ohio State in scoring and rebounding in 1956-57 and 1957-58), CF Don Lock (led Wichita State in field-goal percentage in 1956-57 and 1957-58) and teammate Ken McMullen hit back-to-back-to-back homers in the sixth inning to power the Washington Senators to a 10-4 victory over the New York Yankees in 1966. Lock went 5-for-5.

  • SS Keith Kessinger (averaged 2.7 ppg for Mississippi in 1985-86 and 1986-87) purchased from the Baltimore Orioles by Cincinnati Reds in 1991.

  • Chicago Cubs 3B Davey Lopes (NAIA All-District 15 selection for Iowa Wesleyan averaged 16.9 ppg as freshman in 1964-65 and 12.1 ppg as sophomore in 1965-66 before transferring with his coach to Washburn KS) delivered a game-winning homer in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Montreal Expos in 1986.

  • Los Angeles Dodgers LF Wally Moon (averaged 4.3 ppg with Texas A&M in 1948-49 and 1949-50) went 4-for-4 against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 1960 game.

  • A two-run pinch homer by RF Bill Nicholson (Washington College MD hoops guard for two years in mid-1930s) propelled the Philadelphia Phillies to a 2-1 win against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1952.

  • Detroit Tigers RHP Joe Niekro (averaged 8.9 ppg and 3.8 rpg for West Liberty WV from 1963-64 through 1965-66) had his no-hit bid ended in the ninth inning in a 5-0 triumph against the New York Yankees in 1970. Fifteen years later, Niekro posted his 200th career victory when the Houston Astros edged the San Diego Padres.

  • New York Giants RHP Roy Parmelee (hoops letterman for Eastern Michigan in 1924-25 and 1925-26) tossed a 1-0 shutout to beat the St. Louis Cardinals' Dizzy Dean in nightcap of 1933 doubleheader. Teammate Carl Hubbell hurled an 18-inning whitewash for the Giants in the opener.

  • Boston Red Sox LHP Gary Peters (Grove City PA hooper in mid-1950s) fired the second of back-to-back shutouts in 1970.

  • Anaheim Angels LF Tony Phillips (New Mexico Military juco hooper in 1977-78 as teammate of eventual Drake All-American Lewis Lloyd) banged out four hits in a 1997 contest against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

  • In 1983, OF Gary Redus (J.C. hooper for Athens AL and father of Centenary/South Alabama guard) ripped a leadoff homer for the second consecutive game against the Atlanta Braves. Seven years later as a Pittsburgh Pirates 1B, Redus extended his career-high hitting streak to 12 straight outings in 1990.

  • Chicago White Sox LF Carl Reynolds (Southwestern TX hoops MVP and captain in mid-1920s) manufactured five hits (including three homers), eight RBI and four runs scored in the nightcap of a 1930 twinbill.

  • Chicago White Sox C Leo Tankersley (Texas Christian hoops letterman in 1922-23 and 1923-24) appeared in his lone MLB game (against St. Louis Browns in 1925).

  • San Diego Padres OF Will Venable (All-Ivy League first-team selection as junior and second-team choice as senior averaged 9.3 ppg under Princeton coach John Thompson III from 2001-02 through 2004-05) whacked a decisive two-run pinch homer against the St. Louis Cardinals in the top of the 11th inning in 2015.

  • Fourth safety for LF John Wathan (averaged 3.7 ppg in 11 games for San Diego in 1968-69) knocked in the game-winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning of a 4-3 win against the Minnesota Twins in 1980.

  • San Diego Padres RF Dave Winfield (starting forward for Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) went 5-for-5 with four RBI against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 1980 contest. Two years later as a New York Yankees LF, Winfield smacked two homers against the Cleveland Indians, igniting a streak of six round-trippers in a six-game span in 1982.

Shatterproof: Loud and Proud NCAA Marks Never to Be Duplicated (#10)

July 2nd, 2021 - 7:04

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 that never will 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 SWC 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) and Ray Hamilton (41st pick) went on to become wide receivers for at least six years in the NFL. Yes, three members of a league championship basketball squad promptly were among the top 41 selections in the NFL draft.

What are other school and individual records that never will come close to being matched, let along exceeded? CollegeHoopedia.com is acknowledging an "Untouchables" list regarding the ultimate team and individual standards of excellence. Records were made to be broken, but perhaps not always in our lifetime. Following is #10 in the celebration countdown of most illustrious NCAA achievements:

10. Bill Chambers' 51 rebounds in a single game (for William & Mary vs. Virginia on February 14, 1953).

Chambers, standing a mere 6-4, grabbed an NCAA-record 51 rebounds for William & Mary in a 105-84 victory against Virginia on Valentine's Day. He finished third in the nation in 1952-53 in retrieving missed shots with 21.8 rpg, finishing behind Fordham's Ed Conlin (23.5 rpg) and Seton Hall's Walter Dukes (22.2 rpg). Chambers, who passed away earlier this decade, later became his alma mater's all-time winningest coach in a nine-year coaching career with the Tribe from 1957-58 through 1965-66 (modest win total could be surpassed in 2012-13).

No individual has grabbed more than 35 rebounds in a single NCAA Division I game since Pacific's Keith Swagerty (39 vs. UC Santa Barbara) and East Tennessee State's Tommy Woods (38 vs. Middle Tennessee State) in 1964-65. The last 37 teams leading the nation in rebounding margin averaged 42 rebounds per contest. Following is the line score of Chambers' performance:

WILLIAM & MARY (105): Mahoney 5 6-11 16, Savage 0 0-4 0, Berry 1 1-2 3, Harris 10 0-1 20, Chambers 16 5-6 37 51, Hume 6 4-7 16, Drake 0 0-0 0, Hoitsma 4 5-6 13. Team 42 21-37 (.568) 105.
VIRGINIA (84): Roach 2 2-5 6, Burlage 1 3-4 5, Cooke 2 1-1 5, Esckilsen 6 1-5 13, Gamble 2 5-6 9, Wilkinson 10 8-8 28, Dohner 7 2-2 16, Casey 1 0-0 2. Team 31 22-31 (.710) 84.

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in July 1 MLB Contests

July 1st, 2021 - 7:52

Extra! Extra! Instead of dwelling on whether warden-like way Vogue vixen/Puppeteer "Dr." Jill and fellow hard-core handlers such as Susan #DirtyRice push Plagiarist Bi-dumb around resembling "Whisperer's" version of Oval Office bumper cars reeking of elder abuse, 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 Frank Howard (Ohio State), Buddy Myer (Mississippi State) and Irv Noren (Pasadena City Community College) each supplied multiple extra-base hits in a single game for the Washington Senators on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July 1 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JULY 1

  • Chicago Cubs rookie 2B Glenn Beckert (three-year basketball letterman for Allegheny PA) belted two homers against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 1965 game.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates LF Carson "Skeeter" Bigbee (Oregon hoops letterman in 1915) collected four hits against the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1919 contest.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers RHP Roger Craig (forward with North Carolina State's 1949-50 freshman hoops team) collected his sixth straight win in 1956 (4-1 nod over Philadelphia Phillies).

  • In 1943, Chicago White Sox LF Guy Curtright (two-time All-MIAA selection led Northeast Missouri State in scoring each of four seasons in early 1930s) set a MLB rookie record (subsequently broken) with a 26-game hitting streak as a 30-year-old newcomer in his only season as a regular.

  • Boston Red Sox C Gene Desautels (Holy Cross hoops letterman in 1929 and 1930) contributed three hits and four runs against the Philadelphia Athletics in a 1938 game.

  • Cleveland Indians CF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA hoops titlist) walked five times in a 19-inning, 4-3 victory against the St. Louis Browns in 1952.

  • C-OF Joe Ferguson (hooper for Pacific's 1967 NCAA playoff team) traded by the Houston Astros with cash to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1978.

  • St. Louis Cardinals 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) scored four runs for the first of two times in a three-game span in 1930.

  • In his first game back following four years serving in the U.S. military during WWII, Detroit Tigers LF Hank Greenberg (enrolled at NYU on hoops scholarship in 1929 but attended college only one semester) pounded a homer against the Philadelphia Athletics in a 1945 contest.

  • 2B Howdy Groskloss (five-sport participant voted most outstanding Amherst MA athlete of first half of 20th Century) scored the Pittsburgh Pirates' first run in a 4-1 win against the Boston Braves in 1931 but had his only hitless outing in a 12-game span from June 27 to July 11.

  • Washington Senators LF Frank Howard (two-time All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection in 1956-57 and 1957-58 when leading Ohio State in scoring and rebounding) homered in both ends of a 1969 doubleheader sweep of the Detroit Tigers.

  • Cleveland Indians LF "Sweet" Lou Johnson (Kentucky State hoops teammate of legendary coach Davey Whitney averaged 5.7 ppg and 2 rpg in 1951-52) whacked back-to-back homers against the Minnesota Twins in 1968.

  • Cleveland Indians CF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling 35-3 record) provided three hits and three stolen bases against the Milwaukee Brewers in a 1998 game.

  • Boston Red Sox 3B Buddy Myer (Mississippi State hoops letterman in 1923-24) supplied multiple hits in seventh consecutive contest, including three extra-base safeties in the opener of a 1928 twinbill against the Washington Senators. Eleven years later as a 2B with the Senators, Myer went 4-for-4 against the Philadelphia Athletics in a 1939 contest.

  • Atlanta Braves rookie RHP Gary Neibauer (collected 13 points and 9 rebounds in 16 games for Nebraska in 1964-65 under coach Joe Cipriano) won his first MLB decision after hurling a 1-2-3 top of the 10th inning against the Cincinnati Reds in 1969.

  • Washington Senators CF Irv Noren (hooper of year for California community college state champion Pasadena City in 1945) collected a homer and two doubles but his output wasn't enough to prevent a 1951 doubleheader loss against the Philadelphia Athletics. The extra-base hits triggered a streak of four games in a row with three safeties.

  • RHP Elmer Ponder (Oklahoma hoops letterman in 1914 and 1916) traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Chicago Cubs in 1921.

  • St. Louis Cardinals LF Rip Repulski (occasional hoops starter for St. Cloud State MN in 1946-47) ripped a pair of homers in 1955 contest against the Chicago Cubs.

  • St. Louis Cardinals rookie C Dave Ricketts (three-year starter led Duquesne in scoring senior season with 17.9 ppg in 1956-57) contributed a career-high three hits against the New York Mets in a 1967 game.

  • OF Dave Robertson (one of two reserves on North Carolina State's first basketball team in 1911) traded by the Chicago Cubs to Pittsburgh Pirates in 1921.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers LHP Joe Shaute (hooper for Mansfield PA in early 1920s) posted his seventh victory in a two-month span in 1931.

  • Montreal Expos RF Ken Singleton (Hofstra freshman hoops squad in mid-1960s) homered in both ends of a 1973 doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

  • LHP Paul Splittorff (runner-up in scoring and rebounding for Morningside IA in 1967-68) retired in 1984. His 166 victories in 13 seasons are the most in Kansas City Royals history.

Happy Birthday! July Celebration Dates for A-As and Hall of Fame Coaches

July 1st, 2021 - 7:35

July 11 is the day to celebrate the most birthdays this month for former All-Americans. Two Indiana All-Americans were born on the same day this month (17th) but Oklahoma and UCLA have the most A-As born in July with four apiece. Following are birthdates in July for All-American players and Hall of Fame coaches:

JULY

1: All-Americans George Bon Salle (born in 1935/Illinois), Lee Guttero (1913/Southern California) and Art Quimby (1933/Connecticut).
2: All-Americans Bob Dille (1917/Valparaiso), Clark Kellogg (1961/Ohio State), Curtis Rowe (1949/UCLA) and Jon Sundvold (1961/Missouri).
3: All-Americans Derrick Chievous (1967/Missouri) and Charlie Sitton (1962/Oregon State) plus Hall of Fame coach John Kundla (1916/Minnesota).
4: All-Americans Harvey Grant (1965/Oklahoma), Horace Grant (1965/Clemson), Tony Guy (1959/Kansas) and Ed Koffenberger (1926/Duke) plus Hall of Fame coaches Henry "Doc" Carlson (1894/Pittsburgh), Howard Hobson (1903/Oregon and Yale) and Arad McCutchan (1912/Evansville).
5: All-American Eddie Miles (1940/Seattle).
6: All-Americans Jae Crowder (1990/Marquette) and Zion Williamson (2000/Duke).
7: All-Americans Myles Powell (1997/Seton Hall), Brandon Rush (1985/Kansas) and Ralph Sampson (1960/Virginia).
8: All-Americans Dave Sorenson (1948/Ohio State) and Hakim Warrick (1982/Syracuse).
9: All-Americans Jim Paxson (1957/Dayton) and Urgel "Slim" Wintermute (1917/Oregon).
10: All-Americans Chuck Chuckovits (1912/Toledo), Jared Dudley (1985/Boston College), Cliff Meely (1947/Colorado) and Kevin O'Shea (1925/Notre Dame) plus Hall of Fame coach Pete Carril (1930/Lehigh and Princeton).
11: All-Americans Lou Hudson (1944/Minnesota), Wesley Johnson (1987/Syracuse), Tony Lavelli (1926/Yale), Eduardo Najera (1976/Oklahoma), John Pilch (1925/Wyoming) and Rod Strickland (1966/DePaul).
12: All-American Paul Silas (1943/Creighton).
13: All-Americans Bob Kauffman (1946/Guilford NC), Frank Ramsey (1931/Kentucky) and David Thompson (1954/North Carolina State).
14: All-Americans Wallace "Wah Wah" Jones (1926/Kentucky), Shabazz Napier (1991/Connecticut), Lou Roe (1972/Massachusetts) and Bernard Toone (1956/Marquette).
15: All-Americans Damian Lillard (1990/Weber State), Allen Murphy (1952/Louisville), Khalid Reeves (1972/Arizona) and Richard Washington (1955/UCLA).
16: All-American Chris Mihm (1979/Texas).
17: All-Americans Calbert Cheaney (1971/Indiana), Johnny "Red" Kerr (1932/Illinois), Bob "Slick" Leonard (1932/Indiana) and Nick Werkman (1942/Seton Hall).
18: All-Americans Jerry Chambers (1943/Utah), Donnie Freeman (1944/Illinois), Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway (1971/Memphis State), York Larese (1938/North Carolina) and Wally Walker (1954/Virginia).
19: All-Americans Alvan Adams (1954/Oklahoma), LaMarcus Aldridge (1985/Texas), Alfredrick Hughes (1962/Loyola of Chicago) and Adam Morrison (1984/Gonzaga).
20: All-Americans Ray Allen (1975/Connecticut), Mel Daniels (1944/New Mexico), Roy Hamilton (1957/UCLA), Ron Johnson (1938/Minnesota) and Ben Simmons (1996/Louisiana State) plus Hall of Fame coach Chuck Daly (1930/Boston College and Penn).
21: All-American Fred Hetzel (1942/Davidson).
22: All-Americans Alva "Allie" Paine (1919/Oklahoma), Bobby Rascoe (1940/Western Kentucky), Alvin Robertson (1962/Arkansas) and Bryan Warrick (1959/St. Joseph's).
23: All-Americans Deandre Ayton (1998/Arizona), Antoine Carr (1961/Wichita State), Chris Clemons (1997/Campbell), Gary Payton Sr. (1968/Oregon State) and Brandon Roy (1984/Washington).
24: All-Americans Walt Bellamy (1939/Indiana), Harry Boykoff (1922/St. John's), Joe Barry Carroll (1958/Purdue), Karl Malone (1963/Louisiana Tech) and Charles "Cotton" Nash (1942/Kentucky).
25: All-Americans Nolan Smith (1988/Duke), Kenny Thomas (1977/New Mexico) and Nate Thurmond (1941/Bowling Green State).
26: All-Americans Gary Bradds (1942/Ohio State), Todd Mitchell (1966/Purdue), Joe Smith (1975/Maryland), Earl Tatum (1953/Marquette) and Delonte West (1983/St. Joseph's).
27: All-Americans Marvin Barnes (1952/Providence) and James Ray (1957/Jacksonville).
28: All-Americans Bill Bradley (1943/Princeton) and Doug Collins (1951/Illinois State).
29: All-Americans Dick Boushka (1934/St. Louis), Arnie Ferrin (1925/Utah), Mike McGee (1959/Michigan), Ansu Sesay (1976/Mississippi) and Neal Walk (1948/Florida).
30: All-Americans Bill Cartwright (1957/San Francisco), John Green (1940/UCLA), Chris Mullin (1963/St. John's) and Kevin Pittsnogle (1984/West Virginia).
31: All-American Walt Torrence (1937/UCLA).

Birthdays in January for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in February for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in March for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in April for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in May for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in June for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in July for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in August for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in September for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in October for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in November for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches
Birthdays in December for All-Americans and Hall of Fame Coaches

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in June 30 MLB Contests

June 30th, 2021 - 8:18

Extra! Extra! Instead of lamenting anal activist athletes who should form their own Protest League or Protest Olympics as publicity stunt for nauseous kneeling knuckleheads and megalomaniac/militant Marxists disrespecting U.S. anthem and flag, 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.

Two former hoopers from small colleges in Virginia - Larry Doby (Virginia Union) and Larry Sheets (Eastern Mennonite) - made American League news on this date. Additional former Southern small-college hoopers generating MLB news were John Castino (Rollins FL), Rick Ferrell (Guilford NC), Jake Flowers (Washington College MD) and George Stone (Louisiana Tech). Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a June 30 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JUNE 30

  • Cincinnati Reds LF Morrie Arnovich (Wisconsin-Superior hooper in early 1930s) went 4-for-4 in a 7-6 win against the Chicago Cubs in nightcap of 1940 doubleheader.

  • Chicago Cubs CF Frankie Baumholtz (MVP in 1941 NIT and first player in Ohio University history to score 1,000 career points) banged out four hits against the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1953 game.

  • In 1960, Detroit Tigers 2B Frank Bolling (averaged 7.3 ppg for Spring Hill AL in 1950-51) had a streak of seven straight two-hit games, with an extra-base safety in all but one of them, halted by going hit-less against the Boston Red Sox.

  • Cleveland Indians SS Lou Boudreau (leading scorer for Illinois' 1937 Big Ten Conference co-champion) went 4-for-4 against the Chicago White Sox in a 1942 contest.

  • Minnesota Twins 3B John Castino (medical redshirt for Rollins FL in 1973-74 under coach Ed Jucker) contributed four hits and five RBI in 12-3 win against the Kansas City Royals in 1980.

  • Philadelphia Athletics C Mickey Cochrane (Boston University hooper in early 1920s) went 4-for-4 against the Detroit Tigers in a 1930 game.

  • In 1978, Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA hoops titlist) became the second black MLB manager, succeeding Bob Lemon as skipper of the Chicago White Sox.

  • Boston Red Sox C Rick Ferrell (hoop forward for Guilford NC before graduating in 1928) contributed three extra-base hits and four RBI against the Philadelphia Athletics in a 1935 contest.

  • St. Louis Cardinals 3B Jake Flowers (member of 1923 "Flying Pentagon" championship hoops squad for Washington College MD) capped off the month with five straight multiple-hit games in 1932.

  • In 1940, Washington Senators SS Charlie Gelbert (scored at least 125 points each of last three seasons in late 1920s for Lebanon Valley PA) closed out the month hitting .474 in 11 games (18-of-38).

  • En route to hitting .303 in 1970, St. Louis Cardinals RHP Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer and rebounder in 1955-56 and 1956-57) supplied his fifth multiple-hit game of the month while winning seven starts during that span. He contributed 12 such multiple-hit outings by season's end.

  • San Diego Padres RF Tony Gwynn (All-WAC second-team selection with San Diego State in 1979-80 and 1980-81) and two teammates each socked a three-run homer in a 15-6 rout of the Oakland A's in 1997.

  • Commencing the game by fanning the side on nine pitches in the opening inning, Los Angeles Dodgers LHP Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman hoops squad in 1953-54) hurled a no-hitter against the New York Mets in 1962.

  • Minnesota Twins LHP Bill Krueger (led WCAC in free-throw percentage as freshman en route to averaging 5.1 ppg for Portland from 1975-76 through 1979-80) tossed a two-hit shutout against the California Angels in 1992.

  • In 1938, New York Giants CF Hank Leiber (Arizona hooper in 1931) launched the final homer at Philadelphia's Baker Bowl before the Phillies moved to Shibe Park. Leiber finished the contest with three extra-base hits and five RBI.

  • Los Angeles Dodgers 2B Davey Lopes (NAIA All-District 15 selection for Iowa Wesleyan averaged 16.9 ppg as freshman in 1964-65 and 12.1 ppg as sophomore in 1965-66 before transferring with his coach to Washburn KS where he became All-CIC choice with 1968 NAIA Tournament team) went 4-for-4 against the San Diego Padres in a 1975 game.

  • In the midst of a 10-game hitting streak, Philadelphia Athletics C Ed Madjeski (Seton Hall letterman from 1928-29 through 1930-31) manufactured five safeties in a 1933 doubleheader split against the St. Louis Browns.

  • New York Giants RHP Christy Mathewson (Bucknell hooper at turn of 20th Century) went 3-for-3 at the plate in 1903 outing against the St. Louis Cardinals.

  • RHP Nels Potter (leading scorer during two years attending Mount Morris IL in early 1930s) purchased from the Philadelphia Athletics by the Boston Red Sox in 1941.

  • A two-run, inside-the-park homer by RF Dave Robertson (one of two reserves on North Carolina State's first basketball team in 1911) lifted the New York Giants to a 4-3 victory against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1916.

  • Baltimore Orioles LF Larry Sheets (All-ODAC hoops selection in 1981-82 and 1982-83 with Eastern Mennonite VA) collected four RBI in a 1987 game against the Boston Red Sox, triggering a career-high 10-game hitting streak.

  • SS Roy Smalley Jr. (one of top scorers for Drury MO in 1942-43 and 1943-44) knocked in all of the Chicago Cubs' runs in a 5-4 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1952.

  • New York Mets LHP George Stone (averaged 14.7 ppg and 6.5 rpg for Louisiana Tech in 1964-65 and 1965-66) hurled his final MLB complete game when defeating the Chicago Cubs, 5-1, in 1975.

  • OF Kite Thomas (averaged 5.1 ppg for Kansas State in 1946-47) awarded on waivers from the Philadelphia Athletics to the Washington Senators in 1953.

  • DH-1B Jim Thome (played junior-college hoops for Illinois Central in 1988-89) traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to Baltimore Orioles in 2012.

  • In 2005, Seattle Mariners LHP Matt Thornton (averaged 5.8 ppg and 2.4 rpg for Grand Valley State MI from 1995-96 through 1997-98) charged with a run for the first time after 14 scoreless relief appearances.

  • RHP Rusty Yarnall (Vermont hoops letterman in first half of 1920s) lost decision in his lone MLB appearance with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1926.

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in June 29 MLB Contests

June 29th, 2021 - 7:50

Extra! Extra! Instead of debating whether the Man Upstairs is disinfecting pestilent Pacific Northwest liberal laboratories/riot repositories Portland and Seattle with historic heat wave featuring 100-plus-degree temperatures, 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 North Carolina State hoopers Dave Robertson and Tim Stoddard made MLB news on this date while former Mississippi State hoopers Boo Ferriss and Buddy Myer also had significant American League performances. Additional ex-SEC hoopers making MLB news on this date included Joe Adcock (Louisiana State), Andy Cohen (Alabama), Harvey Hendrick (Vanderbilt) and Mike Smithson (Tennessee). Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a June 29 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JUNE 29

  • Milwaukee Braves 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading basketball scorer in 1945-46) smashed two homers in a 3-1 win against the Chicago Cubs in the nightcap of 1960 twinbill.

  • RHP Jim Bibby (Fayetteville State NC backup hooper and brother of UCLA All-American Henry Bibby) secured his first win with the Texas Rangers by hurling a one-hit shutout against the Kansas City Royals in 1973.

  • New York Giants 2B Andy Cohen (Alabama hoops letterman in 1924 and 1925) had an 11-game hitting streak snapped by the Philadelphia Phillies in the opener of a 1929 twinbill.

  • Boston Red Sox rookie RHP Boo Ferriss (Mississippi State hoops letterman in 1941) contributed a run-scoring single and two-run, ninth-inning homer in a 4-2 decision over the Chicago White Sox in 1945.

  • Washington Senators SS Charlie Gelbert (scored at least 125 points each of last three seasons in late 1920s for Lebanon Valley PA) collected three hits for the third consecutive contest in 1940.

  • San Francisco Giants rookie LHP Atlee Hammaker (averaged 5.3 ppg as freshman in 1976-77 and 4.9 ppg as sophomore in 1977-78 under East Tennessee State coach Sonny Smith) fired his first MLB shutout, a four-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds in 1982.

  • Chicago Cubs LF Harvey Hendrick (Vanderbilt hoops letterman in 1918) stroked three extra-base hits against the Brooklyn Dodgers in a 1933 outing.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (played for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) smacked two homers against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 1956 game.

  • In the midst of 13 straight scoreless relief appearances covering 21 innings in 1954, Cincinnati Reds RHP Howie Judson (Illinois' third-leading scorer in 1944-45) earned a victory against the St. Louis Cardinals.

  • OF David Justice (Thomas More KY assists leader in 1984-85 while averaging 9.3 ppg and 3.5 rpg), acquired by the New York Yankees from the Cleveland Indians in 2000, went on to become the first player to garner more than 50 RBI in a single season with two different clubs.

  • OF Charlie Keller (three-year hoops letterman with Maryland from 1934-35 through 1936-37) homered in the nightcap of a 1941 doubleheader sweep of the Washington Senators by the New York Yankees, extending the Bronx Bombers' streak to a MLB-record 25 consecutive contests with a round-tripper.

  • In 1931, Philadelphia Phillies rookie RF Fred Koster (four-year starting forward from 1923-24 through 1926-27 was Louisville's leading scorer as sophomore and senior) contributed three hits for the second time in three games.

  • First MLB hit for Cleveland Indians rookie OF Stu Locklin (played one basketball game for Wisconsin in 1947-48 under coach Bud Foster) was his only extra-base safety (pinch-hit double) in a 1955 game against the Kansas City Athletics.

  • Texas Rangers CF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling 35-3 record) went 4-for-4 against the Boston Red Sox in a 2007 contest.

  • St. Louis Cardinals RHP Lindy McDaniel (hooper for Oklahoma's 1954-55 freshman squad) registered his ninth save of the month en route to a league-high 27 in 1960.

  • Cleveland Indians rookie CF Ed Morgan (Tulane hoops letterman from 1923-24 through 1925-26) manufactured fifth outing of the month with at least three hits in his last 13 games.

  • On the heels of three consecutive holds, New York Yankees RHP Bobby Munoz (scored 35 points for Polk Community College FL in game against Palm Beach in mid-November 1986) hurled 3 1/3 innings of hitless relief in a 4-3 win against the Detroit Tigers in 1993.

  • Washington Senators 2B Buddy Myer (Mississippi State hoops letterman in 1923-24) provided multiple hits in seven consecutive contests in 1930.

  • Detroit Tigers RF Jim Northrup (second-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder for Alma MI in 1958-59) set a MLB mark with his third grand slam in a week in 1968. Three years later, Northrup smacked two homers against the Baltimore Orioles in a 1971 outing.

  • In the midst of a 10-game hitting streak after returning to the Chicago Cubs, 2B Paul Popovich (teammate of Jerry West for West Virginia's 1960 NCAA playoff team) scored four runs against the St. Louis Cardinals in the nightcap of a 1969 twinbill.

  • Philadelphia Phillies LHP Eppa Rixey (Virginia hoops letterman in 1912 and 1914) fired a four-hit shutout against the New York Giants. The whitewash was one of 11 straight starts in 1916 where Rixey yielded fewer than three earned runs.

  • Chicago Cubs LF Dave Robertson (one of two reserves on North Carolina State's first basketball team in 1911) went 7-for-10 with seven RBI in 1920 doubleheader split against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers 2B Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) whacked two homers against the New York Giants in a 1950 outing. Three years earlier as rookie 1B in midst of a 21-game hitting streak, Robinson swiped three of his N.L.-high 29 stolen bases in 1947 twinbill split against the Giants.

  • Cleveland Indians LHP Joe Shaute (hooper for Mansfield PA in early 1920s) won his seventh straight decision in 1926.

  • Minnesota Twins 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) yielded only one hit in 8 1/3 innings in a 1-0 triumph against the Chicago White Sox in 1985.

  • Baltimore Orioles RHP Tim Stoddard (starting forward opposite All-American David Thompson for North Carolina State's 1974 NCAA champion) finished the month in 1982 with 10 consecutive scoreless relief appearances covering 11 1/3 innings. Five years later in 1987 with the New York Yankees, Stoddard allowed his only earned run in a 14-game span until mid-July.

  • New York Yankees RHP Ralph Terry (juco hooper averaged 22 ppg for Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in mid-1950s) tossed his second shutout in last four starts of the month in 1963.

  • New York Yankees RF Dave Winfield (starting forward for Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) collected two homers and six RBI in a 1987 contest against the Toronto Blue Jays.

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in June 28 MLB Contests

June 28th, 2021 - 7:42

Extra! Extra! Instead of futile task tracking words deemed off-limits by overreaching oppressive-language police among woke activists in academia and misguided #MessMedia mavens, 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 Drury MO hoopers Roy Smalley Jr. and Bill Virdon delivered dynamic performances in National League outings on this date. Ditto for ex-hoopers Lee Smith (Northwestern State) and Champ Summers (Nicholls State) from Louisiana colleges in MLB games on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a June 28 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JUNE 28

  • Chicago Cubs RF George Altman (appeared in 1953 and 1954 NAIA Basketball Tournament with Tennessee State) furnished five extra-base hits, including a homer in each game, in 1961 doubleheader split against the Cincinnati Reds.

  • Detroit Tigers RHP Elden Auker (All-Big Six Conference first-five selection with Kansas State in 1931-32) won for the fifth time in as many decisions during the month in 1934.

  • In the midst of a career-high 23-game hitting streak, Pittsburgh Pirates LF Carson "Skeeter" Bigbee (Oregon hoops letterman in 1915) went 7-for-10 against the Chicago Cubs in a 1921 twinbill.

  • Detroit Tigers 1B Tony Clark (San Diego State's leading scorer in WAC games in 1991-92) homered in his third consecutive contest in 2000.

  • New York Giants rookie C Paul Florence (Georgetown's leading scorer with 11.3 ppg in 1921-22) opened game's scoring with a fifth-inning homer in 3-2 victory against the Boston Braves in 1926.

  • Brooklyn Robins 3B Wally Gilbert (hoops captain played for Valparaiso from 1918-19 through 1920-21) supplied four hits in a 10-4 win against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1931.

  • First MLB victory for Philadelphia Phillies rookie RHP Dallas Green (Delaware's second-leading scorer and rebounder in 1954-55) was a three-hit shutout against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1960.

  • Detroit Tigers 1B Hank Greenberg (enrolled at NYU on hoops scholarship in 1929 but attended college only one semester) blasted three homers in a 1935 doubleheader sweep of the St. Louis Browns.

  • LHP Steve Hamilton (All-OVC selection was Morehead State's leading scorer and rebounder in 1956-57 and 1957-58) allowed his only run in first 14 relief appearances with the Chicago Cubs in 1972.

  • In 1951, New York Giants OF Monte Irvin (Lincoln PA hooper 1 1/2 years in late 1930s) swatted two homers off Brooklyn Dodgers RHP Ralph Branca (sixth-leading scorer for NYU in 1943-44) in same game.

  • LF "Sweet" Lou Johnson (Kentucky State hoops teammate of legendary HBCU coach Davey Whitney averaged 5.7 ppg and 2 rpg in 1951-52) traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Cleveland Indians in 1968.

  • Chicago White Sox RHP Howie Judson (Illinois' third-leading scorer in 1944-45) lost his sixth decision of the month in 1949.

  • Detroit Tigers CF Harvey Kuenn (played hoops briefly for Wisconsin in 1951-52 after competing on JV squad previous season) provided four hits against the Boston Red Sox in a 1958 game.

  • Chicago White Sox LHP Thornton Lee (hoops center for Cal Poly in 1925-26) hit safely in all six starts of the month in 1941, extending his hitting streak to eight games in a row for the second straight season.

  • Toronto Blue Jays RHP Dave Lemanczyk (averaged 4.5 ppg and 3.5 rpg for Hartwick NY teams compiling 51-21 record from 1969-70 through 1971-72) posted his fifth triumph of the month in 1977.

  • OF Don Lund (two-year hoops starter for Michigan in mid-1940s) awarded on waivers from the Brooklyn Dodgers to the St. Louis Browns in 1948.

  • St. Louis Cardinals RHP Lindy McDaniel (hooper for Oklahoma's 1954-55 freshman squad) saved both ends of a 1959 doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds, giving him six saves and three victories in his last 12 relief appearances of the month.

  • New York Yankees SS Gene Michael (Kent State's leading scorer with 14 ppg in 1957-58) pulled hidden-ball trick against the Cleveland Indians in a 1969 contest.

  • Igniting a career-long 13-game hitting streak, New York Giants RF Red Murray (played hoops for Lock Haven PA in early 1900s) went 5-for-9 in a 1912 doubleheader sweep of the Boston Braves. The next year, he went 4-for-4 in a 1913 outing against the Braves.

  • Chicago Cubs RF Bill Nicholson (Washington College MD hoops guard for two years in mid-1930s) collected two homers and five RBI against the Brooklyn Dodgers in the opener of a 1944 twinbill.

  • OF Carl Reynolds (Southwestern TX hoops MVP and captain in mid-1920s) extended his hitting streak to 16 consecutive contests with the World Series-bound Chicago Cubs in 1938.

  • St. Louis Cardinals RHP Dick Ricketts (Duquesne's all-time leading scorer was second-team consensus All-American choice as junior in 1953-54 and first-five consensus selection as senior in 1954-55) registered his lone MLB victory (against Cincinnati Reds in 1959).

  • Cincinnati Reds LHP Eppa Rixey (Virginia hoops letterman in 1912 and 1914) banged out four hits, including a homer and two doubles, in a 5-2 triumph over the St. Louis Cardinals in opener of 1924 doubleheader.

  • Chicago Cubs SS Roy Smalley Jr. (one of top scorers for Drury MO in 1942-43 and 1943-44) went for the cycle and chipped in with four RBI in a 15-3 romp over the St. Louis Cardinals in 1950.

  • St. Louis Cardinals RHP Lee Smith (averaged 3.4 ppg and 1.9 rpg with Northwestern State in 1976-77) posted a save in all 15 relief appearances of the month and 17th in a row in 1993.

  • In 2014, San Diego Padres LHP Eric Stults (hooper for 1999 NAIA D-II Tournament runner-up and 2000 NCCAA Tournament titlist with Bethel IN) lost for the sixth time in as many starts during the month.

  • Detroit Tigers RF Champ Summers (led SIUE in scoring in 1969-70 after doing same with Nicholls State in 1964-65) socked a homer in his third consecutive contest in 1979.

  • Chicago White Sox LHP Matt Thornton (averaged 5.8 ppg and 2.4 rpg for Grand Valley State MI from 1995-96 through 1997-98) posted his third relief victory during a span going unscored upon in last 12 appearances of the month in 2008.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates CF Bill Virdon (Drury MO hooper in 1949) notched his fifth straight multiple-hit outing in 1963.

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in June 27 MLB Contests

June 27th, 2021 - 9:13

Extra! Extra! Instead of trying to figure out Dr. Fraud-ci wannabe junk-science protocol declaring North Carolina State out of College World Series because of COVID-19 testing including already-vaccinated players (new version of "political" science), 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 San Diego State hoopers Tony Gwynn and Graig Nettles supplied significant MLB hitting performances on this date. Ditto ex-juco hoopers Darrell Evans (Pasadena City CA), Jerry Martin (Spartanburg SC) and Jim Thome (Illinois Central) in outstanding American League offensive outings plus ex-Washington State freshman team hoopers Rick Austin and Jack Spring in pristine MLB pitching performances. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a June 27 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JUNE 27

  • In first starting assignment, Cleveland Indians rookie LHP Rick Austin (member of Washington State's freshman basketball team in 1965-66) hurled his lone MLB complete game and shutout (3-0 win against Detroit Tigers in 1970).

  • INF Jack Barry (basketball letterman for Holy Cross in 1908) traded by the Boston Red Sox to the Philadelphia Athletics in 1919.

  • Seattle Mariners 1B Bruce Bochte (starting forward for Santa Clara's NCAA playoff team in 1969-70) supplied his ninth multiple-hit outing during an 11-game hitting streak in 1979.

  • 2B Marv Breeding (hooper for Samford in mid-1950s) traded by the Houston Astros to the Chicago Cubs in 1967.

  • Oakland Athletics RHP Ben Callahan (two-time All-Carolinas Conference selection for Catawba NC averaged 16.7 ppg from 1976-77 through 1978-79) bagged his lone MLB victory, 7-1, by restricting the Kansas City Royals to three hits and one run over six innings in 1983.

  • Detroit Tigers 1B Darrell Evans (member of Jerry Tarkanian-coached Pasadena City CA club winning 1967 state community college crown) registered his 2,000th career hit with a first-inning, two-run homer against the Baltimore Orioles in 1987.

  • St. Louis Cardinals 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) stroked three doubles against the Brooklyn Dodgers in nightcap of a 1931 doubleheader.

  • San Diego Padres RF Tony Gwynn (All-WAC second-team selection with San Diego State in 1979-80 and 1980-81) went 3-for-4 against the Atlanta Braves, raising his batting average in 1987 to .387 en route to finishing at .370.

  • LHP Mark Hendrickson (two-time All-Pacific-10 Conference selection paced Washington State four straight seasons in rebounding from 1992-93 through 1995-96) traded by the Tampa Devil Rays to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a five-player swap in 2006.

  • LHP Bill Henry (hoops letterman for Houston's 1947 NAIA Tournament team featuring co-captain Guy Lewis) purchased from the San Francisco Giants by Pittsburgh Pirates in 1968.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (hooper for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) smacked two homers against the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1954 game.

  • New York Mets C Jay Kleven (averaged 2.4 ppg for California State-Hayward in 1968-69) stroked a two-run, pinch-hit single off Chicago Cubs reliever Bruce Sutter in a 1976 game. It was Kleven's lone MLB safety.

  • St. Louis Cardinals LF Danny Litwhiler (member of JV hoops squad with Bloomsburg PA in mid-1930s) cracked two homers in a 3-2 win against the Chicago Cubs in opener of a 1943 twinbill.

  • Chicago White Sox RHP Ted Lyons (two-time All-SWC first-team selection for Baylor in early 1920s) notched his eighth consecutive complete-game victory in 1939.

  • In the midst of a career-high 14-game hitting streak, Chicago Cubs CF Jerry Martin (1971 Southern Conference MVP after finishing as Furman's scoring runner-up in previous season) smashed a homer in fourth consecutive contest in 1979.

  • Cleveland Indians 2B Dutch Meyer (Texas Christian hoops letterman in 1934-35 and 1935-36) collected four hits against the Philadelphia Athletics in a 1945 contest.

  • 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) belted a 14th-inning, two-run homer to give the New York Yankees a 6-4 victory against the Boston Red Sox in 1978. Two years earlier, Nettles went 4-for-4 with two homers and five RBI against the Milwaukee Brewers in a 1976 game.

  • Chicago Cubs RF Bill Nicholson (Washington College MD hoops guard for two years in mid-1930s) provided his seventh straight two-hit game in 1942.

  • LHP Garry Roggenburk (Dayton scoring leader from 1959-60 through 1961-62 grabbed school-record 32 rebounds in his third varsity game en route to pacing Flyers in rebounding first two years) won his Seattle Pilots debut in 1969 by yielding only four hits and one run in 5 2/3 innings of relief against the California Angels.

  • Montreal Expos RHP Bill Sampen (MacMurray IL MVP in 1984-85 when averaging team-high 14.9 ppg) supplied his seventh straight scoreless relief appearance covering 11 1/3 innings in 1992.

  • Cleveland Indians RHP Jack Spring (freshman hooper for Washington State in 1951-52) earned a victory by hurling five innings of scoreless relief against the Kansas City Athletics in opener of 1965 doubleheader.

  • Cleveland Indians 1B Jim Thome (played junior-college hoops for Illinois Central in 1988-89) went 4-for-4 with two doubles, two homers and four RBI in a 2000 game against the Kansas City Royals.

  • LHP Matt Thornton (averaged 5.8 ppg and 2.4 rpg for Grand Valley State MI from 1995-96 through 1997-98) made his MLB debut in 2004, toiling four scoreless innings of relief with the Seattle Mariners against the San Diego Padres.

  • Philadelphia Phillies CF Cy Williams (Notre Dame forward in 1909-10) went 4-for-4 against the New York Giants in a 1921 contest.

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in June 26 MLB Contests

June 26th, 2021 - 6:50

Extra! Extra! Instead of using half-a-peace sign to sarcastically "salute" Ivy Leaguer Gen. Mark Milley's progressive-professor tryout babbling on spewing leftist white-rage dogma regarding domestic-extremism training, 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 college hoopers Joe Ferguson (Pacific), Frank Howard (Ohio State) and Jackie Robinson (UCLA) went deep in a big way for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers on this date. Darrell Evans, a juco hooper for Pasadena City CA just like Robinson, also went downtown on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a June 26 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JUNE 26

  • En route to securing at least 16 hits for the third season in a five-year span, Cincinnati Reds RHP Ownie Carroll (Holy Cross hoops letterman in 1922) went 3-for-3 in a 1932 game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

  • OF Bob Cerv (ranked fourth on Nebraska basketball career scoring list in 1949-50 when finishing his career) purchased from the New York Yankees by the Houston Colt .45's in 1962.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates 1B Donn Clendenon (four-sport letterman with Morehouse GA) collected four hits against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 1965 contest.

  • A pinch-hit homer in the bottom of ninth inning by Darrell Evans (member of Jerry Tarkanian-coached Pasadena City CA club winning 1967 state community college crown) propelled the San Francisco Giants to a 6-5 victory against the Atlanta Braves in 1979.

  • Los Angeles Dodgers C Joe Ferguson (hooper in 1967 NCAA playoffs with Pacific) pounded two homers, including a game-tying blast in the bottom of the ninth inning, in a 5-4 win against the Atlanta Braves in 1974.

  • Brooklyn Robins 2B Jake Flowers (member of 1923 "Flying Pentagon" championship hoops squad for Washington College MD) contributed four hits against the Boston Braves in the opener of a 1928 doubleheader.

  • St. Louis Cardinals RHP Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer and rebounder in 1955-56 and 1956-57) hurled his fifth consecutive shutout (3-0 against the Pittsburgh Pirates) in the opener of a 1968 twinbill.

  • San Francisco Giants RHP Ed Halicki (NAIA All-American third-team choice in 1971-72 when leading Monmouth in scoring with 21 ppg after setting school single-game rebounding record with 40 the previous season) hurled a five-hit shutout against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1975. Two years later, Halicki spun his second shutout of the month that season.

  • In 1983, San Francisco Giants LHP Atlee Hammaker (averaged 5.3 ppg as freshman in 1976-77 and 4.9 ppg as sophomore in 1977-78 under East Tennessee State coach Sonny Smith) fired a four-hit shutout while fanning 12 San Diego Padres batters.

  • California Angels RHP Paul Hartzell (averaged 5.9 ppg and 3.4 rpg for Lehigh in 1972-73) won both ends of 1977 doubleheader as reliever against the Texas Rangers.

  • Los Angeles Dodgers rookie RF Frank Howard (two-time All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection in 1956-57 and 1957-58 when leading Ohio State in scoring and rebounding) whacked two homers against the Milwaukee Braves in a 1960 contest.

  • In 1966, Los Angeles Dodgers LHP Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman hoops squad in 1953-54) matched his N.L. record of seven straight strikeouts in back-to-back nine-inning appearances en route to a 2-1 victory at Atlanta.

  • Detroit Tigers 1B-OF Rick Leach (averaged 15.5 ppg for Michigan's JV hoops squad in 1975-76), mired in a 3-for-35 nosedive, broke up a no-hit bid by Baltimore's Storm Davis with a ninth-inning homer in 1983.

  • Milwaukee Braves SS Johnny Logan (Binghamton hooper in 1948-49) assembled his second 14-game hitting streak of the 1958 campaign.

  • Oakland Athletics CF Billy North (played hoops briefly for Central Washington in 1967-68) stole three bases against the California Angels in a 1974 contest.

  • San Diego Padres LHP Dennis Rasmussen (sixth-man for Creighton averaged 5.1 ppg from 1977-78 through 1979-80) tossed a shutout against the Houston Astros before losing nine of his next 10 decisions in the following two months of the 1990 campaign.

  • RHP Paul Reuschel (Western Illinois' leading rebounder in 1966-67 with 15.2 per game) traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Cleveland Indians in 1978.

  • Chicago White Sox LF Carl Reynolds (Southwestern TX hoops MVP and captain in mid-1920s) tripled twice in a 1929 game against the Detroit Tigers.

  • New York Giants RF Dave Robertson (one of two reserves on North Carolina State's first basketball team in 1911) went 4-for-4 in opener of a 1916 twinbill against the Brooklyn Robins.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) launched two homers against the Chicago Cubs in a 1956 game.

  • Boston Red Sox RHP Sonny Siebert (All-Big Eight Conference second-team selection in 1957-58 as Missouri's leading scorer with 16.7 ppg) knocked in five runs in a 1971 game against the Baltimore Orioles.

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in June 25 MLB Contests

June 25th, 2021 - 10:25

Extra! Extra! Instead of shaking your head in disgust at hypocritical #Dimorats obscuring their overt racism via little more than a peep about Gov. Blackface, Sen. WhiteClub, revered Klansman Robert Byrd and foolhardy First Son's vile language, 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 Missouri State hoopers Mark Bailey and Norm Siebern each hit two homers as MLB rookies on this date. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a June 25 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JUNE 25

  • Oakland A's rookie RHP Mark Acre (played basketball in 1990 NCAA Tournament with New Mexico State) earned his third relief victory in 11 days in 1994.

  • Houston Astros rookie C Mark Bailey (Southwest Missouri State rebounding and field-goal shooting leader in 1980-81) blasted two homers in an 8-5 win against the Atlanta Braves in 1984.

  • Baltimore Orioles rookie LF Al Bumbry (Virginia State's runner-up in scoring with 16.7 ppg as freshman in 1964-65) banged out five hits and scored the go-ahead run in the top of the 12th inning of a 4-3 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers in 1973.

  • New York Giants 2B Andy Cohen (Alabama hoops letterman in 1924 and 1925) contributed four hits and scored three runs in a 12-4 triumph against the Philadelphia Phillies in the opener of a 1928 doubleheader.

  • Chicago White Sox 3B Gene Freese (West Liberty WV hoops captain of 1952 NAIA Tournament team) manufactured four hits against the Boston Red Sox in a 1960 game.

  • New York Giants 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) collected four hits, four runs and three stolen bases against the Philadelphia Phillies in the nightcap of a 1921 twinbill. Eleven years later with the St. Louis Cardinals, Frisch furnished four hits against the Chicago Cubs in a 1932 contest.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (hooper for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) went for the cycle (including two homers) in a 17-10 triumph at Pittsburgh in 1949.

  • Philadelphia Phillies CF Don Lock (led Wichita State in field-goal percentage in 1956-57 and 1957-58 under coach Ralph Miller) went 6-for-8, homering in both ends of a 1967 twinbill sweep against the St. Louis Cardinals.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates SS Johnny Logan (Binghamton hooper in 1948-49) went 4-for-4 in a 5-4 loss against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1963.

  • Rookie RF Bill Nicholson (two-year hoops guard for Washington College MD in mid-1930s) purchased from the Washington Senators by the Chicago Cubs for $35,000 in 1939.

  • Montreal Expos RHP Steve Renko (averaged 9.9 ppg and 5.8 rpg as Kansas sophomore in 1963-64) tossed a one-hit shutout against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1974.

  • Chicago White Sox RHP Johnny Rigney (top hoops center for St. Thomas MN in mid-1930s) hurled a 13-inning shutout against the Washington Senators in 1941.

  • Montreal Expos RHP Bill Sampen (MacMurray IL MVP in 1984-85 when averaging team-high 14.9 ppg) posted his first MLB save, lowering rookie's ERA to 1.65 through 26 appearances.

  • Baltimore Orioles DH Larry Sheets (All-ODAC hoops selection in 1981-82 and 1982-83 with Eastern Mennonite VA) hammered two homers against the California Angels in a 1989 contest.

  • New York Yankees rookie LF Norm Siebern (member of Southwest Missouri State squads capturing back-to-back NAIA Tournament hoop titles in 1952 and 1953) socked two homers against the Kansas City Athletics in a 1956 game.

  • In 1995, RHP Lee Smith (averaged 3.4 ppg and 1.9 rpg with Northwestern State in 1976-77) posted a save in 19 straight relief appearances and was scoreless in his first 20 outings for the California Angels.

  • Los Angeles Dodgers LHP Eric Stults (hooper for 1999 NAIA D-II Tournament runner-up and 2000 NCCAA Tournament titlist with Bethel IN) fired a four-hit shutout against the Chicago White Sox in 2008.

  • Pittsburgh Pirates rookie LHP Bob Veale (scored 1,160 points with Benedictine KS from 1955-56 through 1957-58) didn't allow a run in his first 17 relief appearances in 1963.

  • In the midst of a career-high eight-game hitting streak, New York Yankees rookie RF Sammy Vick (three-sport athlete for Millsaps MS) went 3-for-4 in a 4-3 win against the Philadelphia Athletics in 1919.

  • New York Yankees RF Dave Winfield (starting forward for Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) stroked five singles and chipped in with four RBI against the Detroit Tigers in 1984. It was one of three five-hit games for Winfield this month, tying a mark set by legendary Ty Cobb. Two years earlier in 1982 as a LF, Winfield went 4-for-4 against the Cleveland Indians. In 1980 as a San Diego Padres RF, Winfield knocked in five runs in a 7-3 win against the San Francisco Giants.

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in June 24 MLB Contests

June 24th, 2021 - 7:19

Extra! Extra! Instead of focusing on metal straw-painter artist/energy-expert extraordinaire Hunter Bi-dumb seeking female cousin's "non-yellow" escort contacts and using creepy daddy (codename Celtic) account to pay Russian prostitute, 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 Morehead State hoopers Steve Hamilton and Denny Doyle made MLB news on this date. Ditto ex-hoopers from Commonwealth of Virginia universities Leo Burke (Virginia Tech), Bud Metheny (William & Mary) and Eppa Rixey (Virginia). Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a June 24 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JUNE 24

  • INF-OF Leo Burke (averaged 9.2 ppg for Virginia Tech basketball teams in 1952-53 and 1953-54) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Chicago Cubs for knuckle-ball reliever Barney Schultz in 1963.

  • Detroit Tigers RHP Ownie Carroll (Holy Cross hoops letterman in 1922), hurling his second and final shutout of season and career, allowed a total of four earned runs in his first eight victories of the 1928 campaign en route to leading the team with 16 triumphs.

  • Boston Braves SS Dick Culler (#9 jersey retired by High Point for Little All-American in 1935 and 1936) went 6-for-7 in a 1945 doubleheader split against the Brooklyn Dodgers.

  • Philadelphia Phillies 2B Denny Doyle (averaged 2.7 ppg for Morehead State in 1962-63) delivered his third three-hit outing in a 12-game span in 1972.

  • 1B Walt Dropo (Connecticut's first hooper ever to average 20 points in single season with 21.7 ppg in 1942-43) awarded on waivers from the Chicago White Sox to the Cincinnati Reds in 1958.

  • Houston Astros C Joe Ferguson (hooper in 1967 NCAA playoffs with Pacific) walked five times, including three intentional bases on balls, against the San Diego Padres in a 1978 game.

  • RHP Eddie Fisher (hooper for Oklahoma's 1954-55 freshman squad) surrendered his only run in first 12 relief appearances with the Baltimore Orioles in 1966.

  • New York Giants 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham hoops captain) went 5-for-5 and scored four runs against the Philadelphia Phillies in the opener of a 1926 doubleheader.

  • St. Louis Cardinals RHP Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer and rebounder in 1955-56 and 1956-57) ended a personal five-game losing streak with his final of 56 career shutouts (four-hitter against Pittsburgh Pirates in nightcap of 1974 twinbill).

  • Atlanta Braves rookie RHP Kevin Gryboski (backup hooper for Wilkes PA in 1991-92 and 1992-93) collected his second relief victory in four-day span, lowering his ERA to 1.19 through 28 appearances in 2002.

  • New York Yankees LHP Steve Hamilton (Morehead State's leading scorer and rebounder in 1956-57 and 1957-58) struck out Cleveland Indians 1B Tony Horton with a couple of "Folly Floaters" as a reliever in the nightcap of a 1970 doubleheader.

  • Philadelphia Athletics 1B Tom Hamilton (member of Texas' 1947 Final Four team was SWC's leading scorer in league competition in 1949-50) supplied a career-high two hits in a 6-3 setback against the Detroit Tigers in 1953.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (hooper for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) homered three times in a 1951 doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Seven years later, Hodges hammered a round-tripper in both ends of a 1958 twinbill sweep of the Cincinnati Reds.

  • St. Louis Browns SS Billy Hunter (multi-sport athlete for Indiana PA post-WWII) went 4-for-4 in a 1953 game against the Washington Senators.

  • In 1944, Cincinnati Reds rookie RHP Jim Konstanty (member of 1937-38 and 1938-39 Syracuse hoop teams) tossed a shutout in his second MLB start (1-0 against Chicago Cubs).

  • In 1958, New York Yankees INF Jerry Lumpe (member of Southwest Missouri State's 1952 NAIA Tournament championship hoops team) smacked his first MLB homer (at Chicago off Early Wynn of White Sox).

  • New York Yankees RF Bud Metheny (William & Mary hoops letterman from 1935-36 through 1937-38) amassed two homers and six RBI in a 13-5 win against the Philadelphia Athletics in the opener of a 1945 twinbill.

  • Detroit Tigers RF Jim Northrup (second-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder for Alma MI in 1958-59) powered a grand slam in back-to-back innings (fifth and sixth) against the Cleveland Indians in 1968.

  • Cincinnati Reds LHP Eppa Rixey (Virginia hoops letterman in 1911-12 and 1913-14) went into the eighth inning with a perfect game but wound up losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-3, in 1924.

  • In 1947, Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in PCC both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) swiped home in the fifth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates. It was the first of 19 times in Robinson's career he pilfered home. The next year, he went 7-for-9 in a 1948 doubleheader sweep of the Pirates.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers LHP Preacher Roe (Harding AR hooper in late 1930s) twirled a shutout against the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a 1952 twinbill, giving him 30 victories in his last 33 decisions going back to the end of the 1950 campaign.

  • LHP Jack Spring (freshman hooper for Washington State in 1951-52) traded by the Boston Red Sox to Cleveland Indians in 1958. He was returned to Red Sox the next month. Four years later with the Los Angeles Angels, Spring notched a victory via eighth straight relief appearance without yielding earned run, lowering his ERA to 1.94 through 32 games.

  • New York Giants C Wes Westrum (hooper for Bemidji State MN one season before serving in military) contributed a career game, hitting three homers plus a triple and scoring five runs in a 12-2 triumph against the Cincinnati Reds in 1950.

  • In 1991, California Angels RF-DH Dave Winfield (starting forward with Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) went 5-for-5 with three extra-base hits against the Kansas City Royals to become the oldest player in MLB history to go for the cycle (39).

On This Date: Former College Hoopers Made News in June 23 MLB Contests

June 23rd, 2021 - 8:27

Extra! Extra! Instead of cursing inane woke policies from anal administrations igniting arrests of concerned parents at school board meetings, 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.

Current SEC members Alabama (Jim Tabor), Louisiana State (Al Dark), Texas A&M (Beau Bell) and Vanderbilt (Harvey Hendrick) had former hoopers provide significant MLB performances on this date. Ditto ex-Delaware hoopers Dallas Green and Tommy Herr plus ex-juco hoopers Darrell Evans (Pasadena City CA), Rusty Kuntz (Cuesta CA) and Jim Thome (Illinois Central). Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a June 23 calendar focusing on such versatile MLB athletes:

JUNE 23

  • Pittsburgh Pirates RF Clyde Barnhart (played basketball for Shippensburg PA predecessor Cumberland Valley State Normal School prior to World War I) went 4-for-4 against the Cincinnati Reds in a 1923 game.

  • St. Louis Browns RF Beau Bell (two-year hoops letterman for Texas A&M in early 1930s) banged out four hits in a 6-3 win against the New York Yankees in 1937.

  • In 1975, Chicago Cubs RHP Ray Burris (two-sport standout in Southwestern Oklahoma State Hall of Fame) tossed his first MLB shutout (against Montreal Expos).

  • Cincinnati Reds 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) went 4-for-4 with four RBI in a 5-3 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the opener of a 1957 doubleheader.

  • SS Alvin Dark (hoops letterman for Louisiana State and Southwestern Louisiana during World War II) traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the Milwaukee Braves in 1960.

  • OF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA hoops titlist), retired from the Cleveland Indians, joined P Don Newcombe in 1962 as the first former MLB players to compete for a Japanese team. Doby's season batting average overseas will be a modest .225.

  • 1B Walt Dropo (Connecticut's first player ever to average 20 points in season with 21.7 ppg in 1942-43) and C Sammy White (All-PCC Northern Division first-five selection for Washington in 1947-48 and 1948-49) each homered when 12 consecutive Boston Red Sox players reached base in an 11-run, fourth-inning outburst at Detroit in 1952. Seven years later, Dropo was traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the Baltimore Orioles in 1959.

  • San Francisco Giants 1B Darrell Evans (member of Jerry Tarkanian-coached Pasadena City CA club winning 1967 state community college crown) homered in both ends of a 1976 doubleheader sweep against the San Diego Padres.

  • INF Howard Freigau (Ohio Wesleyan hooper) purchased from the Brooklyn Robins by the Boston Braves in 1928.

  • St. Louis Cardinals SS Charlie Gelbert (scored at least 125 points each of last three seasons in late 1920s for Lebanon Valley PA) went 5-for-5 against the Boston Braves in a 1930 game.

  • New York Mets OF Jimmy Piersall celebrated by running around the bases backwards in 1963 after the free spirit pounded the 100th homer of his MLB career and only one in the N.L. The round-tripper was yielded by Philadelphia Phillies RHP Dallas Green (Delaware's second-leading scorer and rebounder in 1954-55).

  • Cleveland Indians rookie 2B Jack Hammond (four-year hoops letterman for Colgate from 1909-10 through 1912-13) supplied a career-high three hits against the Chicago White Sox in the nightcap of a 1915 doubleheader.

  • Boston Red Sox rookie RHP Herb Hash (three-year letterman averaged 6.4 ppg as junior center for Richmond's undefeated team in 1934-35) hurled his lone MLB shutout (2-0 against Cleveland Indians in 1940).

  • Chicago Cubs INF-OF Harvey Hendrick (Vanderbilt hoops letterman in 1918) hammered a game-winning, pinch-hit grand slam in the 10th inning against the Philadelphia Phillies in the opener of a 1933 doubleheader.

  • St. Louis Cardinals 2B Tommy Herr (hooper with Delaware's freshman team in 1974-75) went 5-for-5 and drove in both of the Cards' run in an 11-inning, 2-1 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1986.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (hooper for St. Joseph's IN in 1943 and Oakland City IN in 1947 and 1948) homered twice against the Cincinnati Reds in a 1956 contest.

  • LHP Bill Krueger (led WCAC in free-throw percentage as Portland freshman in 1975-76) traded by the Oakland Athletics to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1987.

  • In the midst of hitting safely in six of first eight contests with the Minnesota Twins in 1983, CF Rusty Kuntz (played J.C. hoops for Cuesta CA) led off the game against his original team (Chicago White Sox) with first MLB homer.

  • OF Sam Mele (NYU's leading scorer in 1943 NCAA playoffs) purchased from the Boston Red Sox by the Cincinnati Reds in 1955. Six years later, Mele became manager of the Minnesota Twins.

  • Boston Red Sox 1B Ed Morgan (Tulane hoops letterman from 1923-24 through 1925-26) collected three hits and scored four runs in a 10-2 win against the Chicago White Sox in 1934.

  • Jim Riggleman (two-year hoops letterman for Frostburg State MD averaged 7.2 ppg in early 1970s) resigned as Washington Nationals manager in 2011 on the heels of them winning 11 of 12 games when the franchise failed to give him a contract extension.

  • LHP Garry Roggenburk (Dayton scoring leader from 1959-60 through 1961-62 grabbed school-record 32 rebounds in third varsity game en route to pacing Flyers in rebounding his first two years) purchased from the Boston Red Sox by the Seattle Pilots in 1969.

  • Boston Red Sox 3B Jim Tabor (Alabama hoops letterman in 1936-37) blasted two homers against the Cleveland Indians in the nightcap of a 1940 twinbill.

  • Cleveland Indians 3B Jim Thome (played junior college hoops for Illinois Central in 1988-89) jacked two taters in a 1997 game contest against the Minnesota Twins. Fifteen years later, he smacked a game-winning, pinch-hit homer in bottom of ninth inning to give the Philadelphia Phillies a 7-6 win against the Tampa Bay Rays in 2012.

  • Washington Senators 3B Eddie Yost (NYU freshman hooper in 1943-44 under coach Howard Cann) scored four runs in a 1956 game against the Cleveland Indians.

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