College basketball boasts a significant presence during the Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement weekend in Canton, Ohio. The following alphabetical list of former college hoopsters comprise more than 10 percent of the HOF members:

DOUG ATKINS, Tennessee
Member of College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame. Eight-time Pro Bowl participant played 17 NFL seasons (1953 through 1969) as a defensive end with the Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints. He was a first-round NFL draft selection (11th pick overall) after competing in two Cotton Bowls and one Sugar Bowl. . . . Atkins originally enrolled on a basketball scholarship at Tennessee, where he played one season of varsity basketball before concentrating on football. The 6-5, 210-pound center averaged 9.9 points per game for the 1950-51 Volunteers, ranking third on the team in scoring. He was selected by the Minneapolis Lakers in the 1953 NBA draft.

MORRIS "RED" BADGRO, Southern California
Member of Pro Football Hall of Fame was an offensive and defensive end with the New York Yankees (1927 and 1928), New York Giants (1930 through 1935) and Brooklyn Dodgers (1936) in a nine-year NFL career that was interrupted by a stint in major league baseball. Hit .257 in two seasons (1929 and 1930) as an outfielder with the St. Louis Browns after becoming a three-time All-Pro with the Giants. . . . Earned varsity basketball letters for the Trojans in 1924-25 and 1926-27. Named to the first five on the All-Pacific Coast Conference team as a forward in 1926-27 when he was USC's MVP.

CLIFF BATTLES, West Virginia Wesleyan College
Halfback became member of College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame. Led the NFL in rushing as a rookie with Boston in 1932 and in his final season with Washington in 1937. First NFL player to rush for 200 yards in a game (215 yards in 16 carries for the Boston Redskins against the New York Giants in 1933). . . . The 6-1, 195-pounder played four seasons of varsity basketball in college.

SAMMY BAUGH, Texas Christian
Member of College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame is considered by many as the finest quarterback in history. Consensus All-American in 1936. Passed for 21,886 yards and 186 touchdowns in 16 years (1937 through 1952) with the Washington Redskins. First-round pick led the NFL in passing five times, in punting five times and in pass interceptions once. Five-time All-Pro participant held almost all of the NFL's passing records when he retired. His 44-yard gallop was the longest run from scrimmage in a 3-2 victory over LSU in the 1936 Sugar Bowl before helping the Horned Frogs defeat Marquette, 16-6, in the 1937 Cotton Bowl. . . . Three-year letterman in basketball at TCU was an honorable mention selection on the All-Southwest Conference team as a senior in 1936-37.

BOBBY BELL, Minnesota
Member of the College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was a consensus All-American choice as a tackle and winner of the Outland Award as the nation's outstanding interior lineman in 1962. Selected in the seventh round of the 1963 AFL draft by the Dallas Texans. As a linebacker, the nine-time All-Pro selection intercepted 25 passes in his 12-year career with the Kansas City Chiefs. Bell played in two Super Bowls (I and IV). . . . He became the first African-American basketball player for Minnesota when he appeared in three games in the 1960-61 season, collecting four points and four rebounds.

JIM BROWN, Syracuse
Movie actor is member of College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame. Earned All-American honors in football and lacrosse. Averaged 6.2 yards per carry as a senior in 1956 and scored 43 points in a game against Colgate. Co-MVP in 1957 Cotton Bowl. The first-round draft choice established NFL career records for yards rushing (12,312), rushing attempts (2,359), rushing average (5.2 per carry), touchdowns (126) and years leading league in rushing (eight) in his nine seasons (1957 through 1965) with the Cleveland Browns. Nine-time Pro Bowl selection. . . . Averaged 14 points per game for the Orangemen basketball team as a sophomore and 11.3 as a junior. He is reluctant to specifically say why he quit the team before his senior season when Syracuse participated in the NCAA Tournament for the first time, but indicated it was because of a racial quota. "Well, they basically didn't want to start more than two blacks (Vinnie Cohen and Manny Breland) although nobody could outrun, outjump or outshoot me," said Brown, who was selected in the ninth round of the 1957 NBA draft by the Syracuse Nationals. "It really was a tragedy the way athletics were handled there at the time," said Cohen, who went on to become a Washington, D.C., lawyer for 40 years. Excerpt from school guide: "Brownie is a powerfully built youth, who helps under the boards, and is an excellent shot as well." His son Jimmy, a two-time All-MEAC first-team selection, played for three NCAA Tournament teams with North Carolina A&T from 1983 through 1985 after transferring from Southern Cal and was the Aggies' leading scorer as a senior with 18.2 points per game.

JUNIOUS "BUCK" BUCHANAN, Grambling
Pro Football Hall of Famer was the first pick overall in the 1962 AFL draft by the Dallas Texans. The 6-7, 285-pound defensive tackle missed only one game because of injury in his 13-year pro career, which included a streak of eight consecutive seasons being named to either the AFL All-Star Team or NFL Pro Bowl. Instrumental in the Kansas City Chiefs' victory over the heavily-favored Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV. . . . Concentrated solely on football after earning a basketball letter as a freshman in 1958-59. Buchanan and teammate Ernie Ladd both intended on only playing basketball for Grambling before legendary coach Eddie Robinson kept both from transferring by allegedly giving them a key to the cafeteria's kitchen so they could go there and eat whenever they were hungry if the pair would come out for the football squad.

EARL "DUTCH" CLARK, Colorado College
Member of College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame. Halfback and quarterback was named to All-NFL team in six of his seven seasons with Portsmouth (1931 and 1932) and Detroit (1934 through 1938). Led the NFL in scoring in 1932, 1935 and 1936. Player-coach of Detroit in 1937 and 1938) and head coach of Cleveland Rams from 1939 through 1942. First-team QB on the 1928 AP All-American team. Scored at least one touchdown in 21 consecutive college football games. . . . The 6-0, 180-pounder was an All-Rocky Mountain Conference choice in basketball all four seasons (first team as a freshman and senior, second team as a junior and third team as a sophomore). Sketch in Spalding Official Guide: "There isn't a man who could match Clark as a floor guard. The best dribbler ever to bounce a ball in the conference."

GEORGE CONNOR, Holy Cross/Notre Dame
Member of College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame was Outland Trophy winner (outstanding interior lineman) as a tackle on Notre Dame's 1946 national championship team. Consensus All-American football choice in 1946 and 1947. Earned All-America honors as a tackle at Holy Cross in 1943 before transferring to Notre Dame. First-round draft choice by the New York Giants in 1946 (5th pick overall). Played offensive/defensive tackle and linebacker with the Chicago Bears for eight years from 1948 through 1955, earning All-NFL first-team honors from 1949 through 1953. . . . Averaged 2.5 points per game as a 6-3, 225-pound center on the Irish's 1946-47 basketball team. Basketball letterman with Holy Cross in 1943 and 1944.

LEN DAWSON, Purdue
Member of Pro Football Hall of Fame completed 2,136 passes for 28,731 yards and 239 touchdowns in 19 seasons (1957 through 1975) with the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Texans and Kansas City Chiefs. First-round draft choice of the Pittsburgh Steelers went on to become a seven-time All-Pro. Quarterbacked the Chiefs to victory over Minnesota in Super Bowl following 1969 season. . . . Played in two games as a 6-0, 180-pound guard for Purdue's basketball team in the 1956-57 campaign.

MIKE DITKA, Pittsburgh
Member of College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame. The tight end caught 427 passes for 5,812 yards and 43 touchdowns in 12 NFL seasons (1961 through 1972) with the Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys. The first-round draft choice participated in two Super Bowls with Dallas (V and VI) after playing five Pro Bowls with the Bears (1962 through 1966). Coached Super Bowl winner in 1985 season when the Bears compiled an 18-1 overall record. Registered a 112-68 mark in 11 years (1982-92) as coach of the Bears. Coached the New Orleans Saints in the late 1990s between stints as a network analyst. . . . The 6-2, 205-pound forward averaged 2.8 points and 2.6 rebounds per game in two seasons with the Panthers (1958-59 and 1959-60) after playing in high school under Press Maravich, the father of Pete Maravich, the NCAA's all-time leading scorer. Sketch in school basketball guide: "A natural athlete who never quits. If Pitt wins a few games, there is a good chance he will be in the thick of things."

WILBUR "WEEB" EWBANK, Miami (Ohio)
Member of Pro Football Hall of Fame is the only head coach to win championships in both the NFL (Baltimore Colts in 1958 and 1959) and AFL (New York Jets in 1968). . . . Two-year basketball letterman for Miami (1926-27 and 1927-28) compiled a 5-13 record as head basketball coach at his alma mater in 1938-39 and an 8-12 mark as Brown's head basketball coach in 1946-47.

OTTO GRAHAM, Northwestern
Member of College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame. Quarterback earned All-American honors and finished third in Heisman Trophy voting as a senior in 1943. First-round draft choice of the Detroit Lions in 1944 (4th pick overall). Played 10 seasons (1946 through 1955) with the Cleveland Browns and quarterbacked team to championship game each year (All-America Football Conference from 1946 through 1949 and NFL from 1950 through 1955). Compiled a 105-17-4 playing record in regular-season pro competition, completing 1,464 of 2,626 passes for 23,584 yards and 174 touchdowns. Five-time Pro Bowl selection (1951 through 1955). Compiled a 17-22-3 record as coach of the Washington Redskins in three years from 1966 through 1968. . . . Played three seasons of varsity basketball, finishing second in the Big Ten in scoring as a sophomore (13.1 points per game) and as a junior (15.8). The 6-0 forward earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in 1941-42 and first five honors in 1942-43. Also played for Colgate as a senior. NCAA consensus first-team All-American in 1944 and second-team All-America in 1943. Left Northwestern with the highest scoring total in school history with more than 600 points. Played one season with the Rochester Royals in the National Basketball League, averaging 5.2 points per game for the 1945-46 squad that won the NBL title.

HARRY "BUD" GRANT, Minnesota
Former NFL and CFL end and coach. First-round choice by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1950 NFL draft. Played with Philadelphia in 1951 and 1952 and Winnipeg of the CFL from 1953 through 1956. Caught 272 passes for 4,197 yards and 20 touchdowns in six pro seasons, leading the CFL in pass receptions in 1953 (with 68), 1954 (49) and 1956 (63). Coached Winnipeg in the CFL (1957-66) and Minnesota in the NFL (1967-85). Coach of four CFL champions and four NFL Super Bowl teams. . . . Third-leading scorer for the Gophers' basketball squad in 1948-49 (8.5 points per game) after being named team MVP the previous season over first-team All-American Jim McIntyre. Finished 13th in the Big Ten Conference in scoring in 1946-47 with a 9.3 average. Played two seasons in the NBA, including a rookie year when he was a member of the Lakers' 1950 championship team.

GEORGE HALAS, Illinois
Member of Pro Football Hall of Fame compiled a 324-151-31 record as an NFL coach, guiding the Chicago Bears to seven NFL titles. His 40-year NFL coaching career also included stints with the Decatur/Chicago Staleys. MVP of the 1919 Rose Bowl as an end for Great Lakes. . . . The 6-0, 175-pound Halas, known for his gritty defense, was a starting guard for the Illini team that won the Big Ten basketball title in 1916-17 with a 10-2 record. He was captain of the squad the next season before entering the armed forces in mid-January. He was also an outfielder in 12 games for the New York Yankees in 1919.

MEL HEIN, Washington State
Hall of Fame charter member played with the New York Giants for 15 years from 1931 through 1945. In 1994, Hein was named to the NFL's all-time 75-year anniversary team. Eight-time All-NFL center scored a touchdown in 1938 when he was named the league's MVP. In college, he intercepted eight passes in a game against Idaho. . . . The 6-2, 220-pounder was a basketball letterman in 1930 after leading WSU to a Rose Bowl bid. He was supervisor of officials for the American Football Conference of the NFL until his retirement.

ELROY "CRAZY LEGS" HIRSCH, Wisconsin/Michigan
Member of College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame. First-round draft choice by Cleveland in 1945 (5th pick overall). Played halfback, defensive back and offensive end as a pro with the Chicago Rockets of the All-America Football Conference from 1946 through 1948 and Los Angeles Rams of the NFL from 1949 through 1957. Caught 387 passes and scored 66 touchdowns as a pro. Played in four NFL championship games. Held the Rams' team record for most touchdown receptions for almost 40 years until it was broken by Isaac Bruce in 2001. . . . Starting center for the Wolverines' basketball team in 1944 while undergoing military training there. Sketch in Michigan guide: "Naval transfer from Wisconsin was a big aid, chiefly through his flaming competitive spirit."

PAUL HORNUNG, Notre Dame
Member of College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame earned All-American honors as a quarterback in 1955 and 1956. Only Heisman Trophy winner to play for a losing team (2-8 as a senior). First pick overall in the NFL draft as a bonus selection. Played nine seasons as a halfback/placekicker with the Green Bay Packers, leading the NFL in scoring in 1959, 1960 and 1961. He rushed for 3,711 yards and 50 touchdowns and caught 130 passes for 1,480 yards and 12 touchdowns. Played in five NFL championship games and two Pro Bowls (1960 and 1961). . . . Played varsity basketball for the Irish as a sophomore, averaging 6.1 points per game in 10 contests. Wrote Hornung in his autobiography Golden Boy: "(Coach Johnny) Jordan liked to tip a few, and sometimes, on the road, he'd take me out drinking with him. He could do that because I wasn't on basketball scholarship."

MARV LEVY, Coe (Iowa)
Hall of Famer (elected in 2001) compiled a 143-112 record as coach of the Kansas City Chiefs (1978-82) and Buffalo Bills (1986-97). He had a 17-5 mark against Don Shula, the winningest coach in NFL history. Posted an 11-8 postseason mark with the Bills en route to becoming the only NFL coach to win four consecutive league or conference championships. But he lost four straight Super Bowls. He was special teams coach of the Washington Redskins' 1972 Super Bowl entrant. Also served as head coach for three colleges--New Mexico (14-6 record in two years in 1958 and 1959), California (8-29-3 record in four years from 1960 through 1963) and William & Mary (23-25-2 in five years from 1964 through 1968). . . . Coached basketball one season for his alma mater in 1955-56. The team compiled a 20-5 record, won the Midwest Collegiate Conference with a 14-2 mark and lost to Stephen F. Austin, 74-62, in the first round of the NAIA Tournament. Levy earned a basketball letter with the 1949-50 Coe squad that posted a 3-14 mark.

RONNIE LOTT, Southern California
Unanimous All-American defensive back played 15 seasons in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Raiders, New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs (1981 through 1995). Intercepted 14 passes for the Trojans (two for touchdowns) before intercepting 63 passes in regular-season NFL competition and nine in the postseason. First-round draft choice played in 10 Pro Bowl games and four Super Bowls. . . . Collected nine assists, four points and three rebounds in six games for the Trojans' basketball squad as a junior in 1979-80.

JOHN MACKEY, Syracuse
Three-time All-Pro tight end became an NFL Hall of Famer after being a second-round draft choice by the Baltimore Colts in 1963. The 6-2, 220-pounder caught 331 passes for 5,236 yards and 38 touchdowns in 10 seasons. Six of his nine TD catches in 1966 came on plays of more than 50 yards. He grabbed a deflected pass from Johnny Unitas for a 75-yard TD in Super Bowl V after having three pass receptions in Super Bowl III. . . . Mackey collected 28 points and 28 rebounds in six basketball games with the Orangemen in 1960-61.

GEORGE MUSSO, Millikin (Ill.)
Member of Pro Football Hall of Fame played for seven divisional winners and four NFL title teams. The 6-2, 270-pound guard and tackle played for 12 seasons (1933 through 1944) with the Chicago Bears. As a collegian, he played against future President Ronald Reagan, who attended Eureka. As a member of the Bears in 1935, Musso played against future President Gerald Ford in the Bears-College All-Star Game in Chicago. . . . Three-year basketball letterman in college.

EARLE "GREASY" NEALE, West Virginia Wesleyan College
Pro Football Hall of Famer compiled a 63-43 record as coach of the Philadelphia Eagles for 10 years from 1941 through 1950, winning back-to-back NFL titles by shutting out their opponents in championship games in 1948 and 1949. Guided Washington and Jefferson (Pa.) to the 1922 Rose Bowl before coaching Virginia and West Virginia. He starred as an end on Jim Thorpe's pre-World War I Canton Bulldogs. Also played as a major league outfielder with the Cincinnati Reds for eight years from 1916 to 1924, hitting .357 in the infamous "Black Sox" 1919 World Series. . . . Class of 1915 at WVWC.

ERNIE NEVERS, Stanford
Member of College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame. He was a consensus All-American selection as a senior fullback in 1925 before rushing for 37 touchdowns in five NFL seasons with the Duluth Eskimos (1926 and 1927) and Chicago Cardinals (1929 through 1931). Set NFL record with a 40-point game against the Chicago Bears in 1929. Co-MVP of the 1925 Rose Bowl. . . . Compiled a 6-12 pitching record in three seasons (1926 through 1928) with the St. Louis Browns. He yielded two of Babe Ruth's record-tying 60 home runs in 1927. . . . Lettered in basketball for Stanford as a sophomore and junior. Named to the All-Pacific Coast Conference second five as a junior in 1924-25. Historians say he was a fine shooter, an excellent dribbler, tough on defense, and generally a terrifying figure for the opposition. The Spalding Basketball Guide said: "He is almost as good a basketball player as he is a football star. With his speed, weight and general all-around ability, he was a stellar performer."

CLARENCE "ACE" PARKER, Duke
College Hall of Famer led the Blue Devils to a three-year record of 24-5 in the mid-1930s, serving as team captain in his final season in 1936 when they went 9-1. After playing a variety of positions (quarterback, tailback, defensive back and punter), was a second-round choice in the 1937 NFL draft (13th overall). Passed for 3,935 yards and 22 touchdowns, rushed for 1,108 yards and 10 TDs and punted for a 39.5-yard average with the Brooklyn Dodgers/Boston Yanks in six years from 1937 through 1941 and 1945. Three-time consensus All-Pro led the NFL in passing yards in 1938 with 865. He paced the league with six interceptions in 1940 when he was named NFL Most Valuable Player. . . . Basketball letterman for the Blue Devils in 1935-36. Also played major league baseball with the Philadelphia Athletics.

ART SHELL, Maryland-Eastern Shore
Member of Pro Football Hall of Fame was head coach of the Los Angeles Raiders for six years from 1989 through 1994. Offensive tackle for the Raiders from 1968 through 1982 played in eight Pro Bowls (1973 through 1979 and 1981) after being picked in the third round. Participated in Super Bowls XI and XV. . . . Two-year basketball letterman as a 6-5, 265-pound center at school that was then known as Maryland State College. Sketch from school guide: "Pure muscle. Amazing agility. Uncompromising under the boards, nobody pushes big Art without a battle."

ROGER STAUBACH, Navy
Member of College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame won Heisman Trophy in 1963. Passed for 3,571 yards and rushed for 682 in his career at Navy (1962 through 1964). Quarterback in four Super Bowls during his 11 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. Six-time Pro Bowl selection passed for 22,700 yards and 153 touchdowns after being a 10th-round draft choice in 1964. . . . Averaged 9.3 points per game for the 1961-62 Navy plebe (freshman) basketball team. The 6-2, 190-pound forward scored five points in four games for Midshipmen varsity squad the next season.

JOE STYDAHAR, West Virginia
Member of College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame. Earned All-American honors as a 6-4, 230-pound tackle in 1935. Played nine seasons (1936 through 1942, 1945, and 1946) with the Chicago Bears after being their first-round pick in the first NFL draft. Named to All-NFL team four times from 1937 through 1940. Coached Los Angeles Rams (1950-51) and Chicago Cardinals (1953-54), leading Rams to 1951 NFL title. In 1934, he he set a school record with seven blocked punts, including three for touchdowns. Participated in both the East-West Shrine Game and College Football All-Star Game in Chicago. . . . Three-year basketball letterman was captain of the Mountaineers' 1934-35 team that compiled a 16-6 record. Selected as a center to the first five on West Virginia's Pre-World War II team that was named as part of the university's all-time basketball squad.

EMLEN TUNNELL, Toledo
Member of Pro Football Hall of Fame played in nine Pro Bowl games (1951 through 1958 and 1960). Defensive back established career records for interceptions (79), yards gained on interceptions (1,282) and yards gained on punt returns (2,209) in 14 seasons (1948 through 1961) with the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers. . . . The 6-1, 180-pound forward was a top reserve for the 1942-43 Toledo basketball team that compiled a 22-4 record and finished second in the NIT.

DOAK WALKER, Southern Methodist
Member of both the College Football and Pro Football Hall of Fame. SMU legend was a three-time All-American halfback and the school's only Heisman Trophy winner (as a junior in 1948). Finished third in Heisman voting in 1947 and 1949. Scored 38 touchdowns in his four-year SMU career, including two kickoff returns in 1947. Walker rushed for 1,928 yards in college, passed for 1,654, caught passes for 454 and returned eight interceptions for 176. He was also a punter and placekicker for the Mustangs. Co-MVP in back-to-back Cotton Bowls (1948 and 1949). First-round choice by the New York Bulldogs in the 1949 NFL draft (3rd pick overall). Walker rushed for 1,520 yards and 12 touchdowns in six years with the Detroit Lions (1950 through 1955), leading the NFL in scoring as a rookie (128 points) and in his final season (96). Member of NFL championship teams in 1952 and 1953 scored on a 62-yard run in the '52 title game. Five-time Pro Bowl selection (1951-52-54-55-56). . . . Walker was a basketball letterman in 1945-46 with SMU as a freshman.

LARRY RAYFIELD WRIGHT, Fort Valley State (Ga.)
Seventh-round draft choice played with the Dallas Cowboys for 13 years from 1967 through 1979. All-Pro offensive tackle six straight seasons from 1971 through 1976. Caught a touchdown pass as a tight end in 1968. Played in five Super Bowls (following 1970, 1971, 1975, 1977 and 1978 campaigns). . . . The 6-6, 245-pounder, an All-SIAC basketball player, averaged 17 ppg and 15 rpg as a junior and 21 ppg and 17.4 rpg as a senior.

Extra! Extra! Read all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players! Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only four percent of active MLB players earned college diplomas.

Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopsters had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is an August calendar involving such versatile athletes:

AUGUST
31 - P Mike Flanagan (averaged 13.9 ppg for Massachusetts' 15-1 freshman basketball squad in 1971-72) traded by the Baltimore Orioles to the Toronto Blue Jays in 1987. Toronto released knuckleballer Phil Niekro to make room on roster for Flanagan. . . . 1B-OF Dick Gernert (Temple letterman in 1948-49 when averaging 2.7 ppg) purchased from the Chicago Cubs by the Detroit Tigers in 1960. . . . Dallas Green (Delaware's second-leading scorer and rebounder in 1954-55) named manager of the Philadelphia Phillies in 1979. . . . Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (played for Oakland City, IN, in 1947 and 1948) swatted four homers in a 19-3 romp over the Boston Braves in 1950. . . . 1B-OF Frank Howard (two-time All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection when leading Ohio State in scoring and rebounding in 1956-57 and 1957-58) purchased from the Texas Rangers by the Detroit Tigers in 1972. . . . P Bill Krueger (led WCAC in free-throw percentage in 1975-76 with Portland) traded by the Minnesota Twins to Montreal Expos in 1992. It is one of four seasons Krueger split time between the A.L. and N.L. during his career. . . . 2B Davey Lopes (NAIA All-District 15 selection for Iowa Wesleyan averaged 16.9 ppg as a freshman in 1964-65 and 12.1 as a sophomore in 1965-66) shipped by the Oakland Athletics to the Chicago Cubs in 1984 to complete an earlier deal. . . . Chicago White Sox P Ted Lyons (two-time All-SWC first-team selection for Baylor in early 1920s) lifted after seven innings and 15 hits opposing the St. Louis Browns in 1941. It is Lyons' final incomplete MLB game as he finished three subsequent starts in 1941, all 20 in 1942 and all five in 1946 (after serving in U.S. military during World War II). . . . SS Gene Michael (Kent State's leading scorer with 14 ppg in 1957-58) banged out four of the New York Yankees' 25 hits in an 18-6 romp over the Chicago White Sox in 1974. . . . A three-run, ninth-inning homer by OF Wally Moon (averaged 4.3 ppg with Texas A&M in 1948-49 and 1949-50) gave the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-2 victory against the San Francisco Giants in 1959 when teammate Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman squad in 1953-54) broke Dizzy Dean's N.L. mark and tied Bob Feller's MLB record of 18 strikeouts in a single game. . . . In 1930, Cleveland Indians 1B Ed Morgan (Tulane letterman from 1923-24 through 1925-26) collected four hits and four RBI for the second time in last four games of the month. . . . In the midst of a 10-game hitting streak, Chicago White Sox rookie OF Lyle Mouton (starter in LSU's backcourt with All-American Chris Jackson for 1989 NCAA playoff team) went 4-for-4 against the Detroit Tigers in 1995. Six years later, he was shipped by the Tigers to the Houston Astros as part of a conditional deal in 2001. . . . 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) belted two homers to power the New York Yankees to a 5-4 victory against Seattle in 1977. . . . OF Irv Noren (player of year for California junior college state champion Pasadena City in 1945) awarded off waivers from the Kansas City Athletics to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1957. . . . P Denny Riddleberger (averaged 5.7 ppg and 2.5 rpg for Old Dominion in 1965-66) traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates with cash to the Washington Senators for P George Brunet in 1970. . . . Closer Lee Smith (averaged 3.4 ppg and 1.9 rpg with Northwestern State in 1976-77) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the New York Yankees in 1993. . . . DH Dave Winfield (starting forward with Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) purchased from the Minnesota Twins by the Cleveland Indians in 1994.
30 - Tim Cullen (starting guard for Santa Clara in 1962-63 when he averaged 10 ppg) tied a MLB single-inning record with three errors in the eighth frame for the Washington Senators against the Oakland A's in 1969 one year before he led A.L. second basemen in fielding percentage. Washington 1B-OF 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) contributed four hits in the Senators' 11-3 victory. . . . 2B Jack Dittmer (played basketball for Iowa in 1949-50) supplied one of the Milwaukee Braves' eight homers in a 19-4 romp over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the opener of a 1953 doubleheader. . . . INF Tim Nordbrook (letterman in 1968-69 for Loyola, LA) purchased from the Chicago White Sox by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1977. . . . Bill Virdon (played for Drury, MO, in 1949) fired as manager of the Montreal Expos in 1984.
29 - In 1951, New York Giants P Jim Hearn (Georgia Tech letterman in 1941-42) defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates for the eighth straight time. . . . Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (played for Oakland City, IN, in 1947 and 1948) drove in seven runs and whacked two homers in a 13-1 victory against the Cincinnati Reds in 1951. . . . In 1966, Chicago Cubs P Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) registered the final triumph of his 19-year Hall of Fame career. . . . INF Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) hit for the cycle against the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a 1948 doubleheader. . . . San Diego Padres OF Will Venable (All-Ivy League first-team selection as a junior and second-team choice as a senior averaged 9.3 ppg under Princeton coach John Thompson III from 2001-02 through 2004-05) tripled in his first MLB at-bat in 2008.
28 - New York Yankees 1B Tony Clark (San Diego State's leading scorer in WAC games in 1991-92) slugged three homers in an 18-6 trouncing of the Toronto Blue Jays in 2004. . . . Detroit Tigers RF Jim Northrup (second-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder for Alma, MI, in 1958-59) went 6-for-6 against the Oakland A's in 1969. Northrup's 13th-inning homer over the roof won the game, 5-3. . . . P Jeff Shaw (freshman guard for Rio Grande, OH, squad compiling a 31-5 record and reaching second round of 1985 NAIA Tournament) traded by the Montreal Expos to the Chicago White Sox in 1995.
27 - In 1964, California Angels 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading scorer in 1945-46) became the 23rd player to reach the 300-homer plateau when he connected at Kansas City. . . . Starting on two days rest, Brooklyn Dodgers P Ralph Branca (sixth-leading scorer for NYU in 1943-44) spun a two-hit shutout against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1951, entering the ninth inning with a no-hitter. . . . In his second MLB start, Brooklyn Dodgers P Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman squad in 1953-54) fanned 14 Cincinnati Reds in a 7-0 two-hit shutout in 1955. . . . Hall of Fame P Christy Mathewson (played for Bucknell at turn of 20th Century) resigned as Cincinnati Reds manager in 1918 to accept a commission as a captain in the chemical warfare branch of the Army during World War I. . . . Chicago White Sox P Gary Peters (played for Grove City, PA, in mid-1950s) hurled an 11-inning shutout against the Boston Red Sox in the nightcap of a 1967 doubleheader. . . . Pinch-hitter Jimmy Stewart (All-Volunteer State Athletic Conference selection for Austin Peay State in 1959-60 and 1960-61) stroked a bases-loaded triple to spur the Cincinnati Reds to an 8-7 victory against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1971.
26 - 1B Kevin "Chuck" Connors (scored 32 points in 15 varsity games for Seton Hall in 1941-42 before leaving school for military service) clubbed a game-tying three-run homer for the Chicago Cubs at the Polo Grounds against the New York Giants before Giants C Wes Westrum (played for Bemidji State, MN, one season before serving in military during WWII) whacked a game-winning, ninth-inning homer in the opener of a 1951 doubleheader. . . . Boston Red Sox P Boo Ferriss (Mississippi State letterman in 1941) posted his 20th victory by doubling home the game-winning run in a 4-3 verdict over the Philadelphia Athletics in the opener of a 1945 doubleheader. . . . Dallas Green (Delaware's second-leading scorer and rebounder in 1954-55) fired as manager of the New York Mets in 1996. . . . New York Giants P Christy Mathewson (played for Bucknell at turn of 20th Century) tossed his seventh shutout of the 1902 campaign. Twelve years later, Mathewson hurled a two-hit shutout against the St. Louis Cardinals in the nightcap of a twinbill to register his 20th triumph in 1914. . . . In 1977, 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) stroked a two-run triple in the ninth inning to lift the New York Yankees to their 12th win in 13 contests (6-5 against the Texas Rangers). . . . P Dennis Rasmussen (sixth-man for Creighton averaged 5.1 ppg in three seasons from 1977-78 through 1979-80) traded by the New York Yankees to the Cincinnati Reds in 1987. . . . Baltimore Orioles P Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47), released earlier in the year by the Yankees, outdueled New York star lefthander Whitey Ford, 2-1, in 1962. . . . In 1939, Cincinnati Reds 3B Billy Werber (first Duke All-American in 1929-30) became the initial player to bat in a televised major league game (against the Brooklyn Dodgers).
25 - New York Yankees Hall of Fame OF Earle Combs (three-year captain for Eastern Kentucky) incurred a severe shoulder injury colliding with a teammate in the outfield, contributing to Combs retiring following the 1935 campaign. . . . Boston Red Sox P Boo Ferriss (Mississippi State letterman in 1941) topped the visiting Cleveland Indians, 2-1, to improve his 1946 Fenway Park mark to 13-0. . . . In 1982, San Diego Padres rookie OF Tony Gwynn (All-WAC second-team selection with San Diego State in 1979-80 and 1980-81) broke his wrist diving for a fly ball en route to falling short of a .300 batting average for the only time in his 20-year career (.289). . . . OF David Justice (led Thomas More, KY, in assists in 1984-85) and Atlanta Braves teammate Fred McGriff whacked back-to-back homers for the second time in 10 days in 1993. . . . New York Giants P Christy Mathewson (played for Bucknell at turn of 20th Century) reached the 20-win plateau for the seventh straight season in 1909. . . . Pittsburgh Pirates OF Gary Redus (J.C. player for Athens, AL, and father of Centenary/South Alabama hoopster) hit for the cycle against the Cincinnati Reds in 1989. . . . New York Yankees 3B Red Rolfe (played briefly with Dartmouth in 1927-28 and 1929-30) extended his streak of scoring at least one run to 18 straight contests in 1939.
24 - Brooklyn Dodgers P Ralph Branca (sixth-leading scorer for NYU in 1943-44) hurled a three-hit shutout against the Chicago Cubs in 1951, striking out 10 and walking none. . . . Cincinnati Reds CF Harry Craft (four-sport letterman with Mississippi College in early 1930s) contributed two homers, a double and six RBI in a 13-9 win against the New York Giants in 1941. . . . San Francisco Giants P Ed Halicki (set Monmouth's single-game rebounding record with 40 as a junior in 1970-71 before leading Hawks in scoring with 21 ppg as a senior) hurled a no-hitter against the New York Mets in 1975. . . . SS Doc Lavan (played for Hope, MI, from 1908 through 1910) purchased from the St. Louis Browns by the Philadelphia Athletics in 1919. . . . New York Giants OF Hank Lieber (played for Arizona in 1931) tied a MLB single-inning record by lashing two homers during an eight-run uprising in the second frame against the Chicago Cubs in 1935. . . . Los Angeles Dodgers 2B Davey Lopes (NAIA All-District 15 selection for Iowa Wesleyan averaged 16.9 ppg as a freshman in 1964-65 and 12.1 as a sophomore in 1965-66) stole five bases in a 3-0 triumph against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1974. The next year, Lopes extended his MLB record streak to 38 consecutive successful steal attempts before he was thrown out by Montreal Expos C Gary Carter in the 12th inning. . . . Cleveland Indians 1B Ed Morgan (Tulane letterman from 1923-24 through 1925-26) collected five RBI in an 11-7 win against the Boston Red Sox in 1931. . . . Philadelphia Phillies P Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) had a streak of 13 consecutive complete games against the Milwaukee Braves snapped in 1954. . . . In 1952, Brooklyn Dodgers P Preacher Roe (played for Harding, AR, in late 1930s) registered his 10th straight victory against the St. Louis Cardinals, 10-4.
23 - In 1989, Atlanta Braves P Marty Clary (Northwestern letterman in 1981-82 and 1982-83) notched his lone MLB shutout (3-0 against the St. Louis Cardinals). . . . 3B Gene Freese (captain of 1952 NAIA Tournament team for West Liberty WV) purchased from the Pittsburgh Pirates by the Chicago White Sox in 1965. . . . Pittsburgh Pirates SS Dick Groat (two-time All-American with Duke in 1950-51 and 1951-52 when finishing among nation's top five scorers each season) knocked in the winning run in the 11th inning of the nightcap of a 1959 doubleheader against the Los Angeles Dodgers to give reliever Elroy Face his 16th victory without a loss. . . . Los Angeles Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges (played for Oakland City, IN, in 1947 and 1948) hammered his 14th career grand slam to set a new N.L. record. It was the first grand slam in the history of the franchise on the West Coast. . . . Utilityman Jimmy Stewart (All-Volunteer State Athletic Conference selection for Austin Peay State in 1959-60 and 1960-61) slugged a three-run, pinch-hit homer off Hall of Famer Tom Seaver to spark the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-5 triumph against the New York Mets in 1970. . . . P Tom Zachary (Guilford, NC, letterman in 1916) awarded on waivers from the Washington Senators to the New York Yankees in 1928.
22 - Pittsburgh Pirates OF Carson "Skeeter" Bigbee (Oregon letterman in 1915), playing in his third straight extra-inning game against Brooklyn, went to bat 11 times in a 22-inning marathon in 1917. . . . P Jim Konstanty (Syracuse player in late 1930s) awarded on waivers from the Philadelphia Phillies to the New York Yankees in 1954. . . . Chicago Cubs OF Bill Nicholson (played for Washington College, MD, in mid-1930s) socked a game-winning homer in the bottom of the 11th inning in a 5-4 decision over the Cincinnati Reds in 1942. . . . INF Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) contributed five hits in the nightcap of a 1951 doubleheader to spark the Brooklyn Dodgers to their 14th straight victory against the St. Louis Cardinals.
21 - Boston Red Sox INF Jack Barry (letterman for Holy Cross in 1908) tied a MLB record with four sacrifices at Cleveland in 1916. . . . Pittsburgh Pirates P Dave Giusti (made 6 of 10 field-goal attempts in two games for Syracuse in 1959-60) twirled a shutout and knocked in six runs with a pair of bases-loaded doubles in an 11-0 rout of the Cincinnati Reds in 1966. . . . Monte Irvin (played for Lincoln, PA, 1 1/2 years in late 1930s) named special assistant to Commissioner William Eckert in 1968. . . . Chicago White Sox P Ted Lyons (two-time All-SWC first-team selection for Baylor in early 1920s) hurled a no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox in 1926. Lyons required only 67 minutes and 81 pitches. . . . Philadelphia Athletics P Bill McCahan (three-year Duke letterman named to All-Southern Conference Tournament team in 1942) earned his fourth consecutive complete-game victory in 1947. . . . 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) accounted for both of the New York Yankees' runs via a homer and double in a 2-1 triumph against the Texas Rangers in 1977. . . . P Floyd Newkirk (Hall of Fame selection at Illinois College) made his lone MLB appearance with the New York Yankees in 1934. . . . Pitchers Paul Reuschel (Western Illinois' leading rebounder in 1966-67 with 15.2 per game) and Rick Reuschel collaborated on a 7-0 victory for the Chicago Cubs against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1975 - the first time brothers combined on a shutout. Paul relieved in the seventh inning after Rick was forced to leave because of a blister on his finger.
20 - Kansas City Athletics OF Bob Cerv (ranked fourth on Nebraska's career scoring list in 1949-50 when finishing his career) swatted three homers in an 11-10 defeat against the Boston Red Sox in 1959. . . . P Bill Connors (averaged 6 ppg and 2.3 rpg for Syracuse in 1960-61) purchased from the Chicago Cubs by the New York Mets in 1967. . . . Brooklyn Dodgers SS Jake Flowers (member of 1923 "Flying Pentagon" basketball championship squad for Washington College MD) contributed four hits against the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a 1933 doubleheader. . . . Chicago White Sox P Bob Keegan (Bucknell letterman in 1941-42 and 1942-43), utilizing a new slow delivery, hurled a 6-0 no-hitter against the Washington Senators in 1957. . . . SS Don Kessinger (three-time All-SEC selection for Mississippi from 1961-62 through 1963-64 while finishing among nation's top 45 scorers each year) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Chicago White Sox in 1977. . . . 2B Davey Lopes (NAIA All-District 15 selection for Iowa Wesleyan averaged 16.9 ppg as a freshman in 1964-65 and 12.1 as a sophomore in 1965-66) set a Los Angeles Dodgers record with 15 total bases in an 18-8 romp over the Chicago Cubs in 1974 (three homers, double and single). . . . Philadelphia Phillies P Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) had his 15-game winning streak against the Pittsburgh Pirates snapped in 1953. . . . Brooklyn Dodgers SS Tommy Brown (17 years old) became the youngest player to hit a MLB homer in 1945 when he connected off Pittsburgh Pirates P Preacher Roe (played for Harding, AR, in late 1930s). . . . Birdie Tebbetts (played for Providence in 1932) resigned as manager of the Cleveland Indians in 1966. . . . New York Yankees OF Dave Winfield (starting forward with Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) walloped the 300th homer of his career in 1986.
19 - 2B Marv Breeding (played for Samford in mid-1950s) purchased from the Los Angeles Dodgers by the Baltimore Orioles in 1964. . . . Philadelphia Phillies P Andy Karl (Manhattan letterman from 1933 through 1935) saved slugger Jimmie Foxx's only MLB pitching decision in 1945 (6-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds). . . . New York Giants P Christy Mathewson (played for Bucknell at turn of 20th Century) had his 22-game winning streak against the Cincinnati Reds snapped in 1911. . . . OF Gary Redus (J.C. player for Athens, AL, and father of Centenary/South Alabama performer) traded by the Chicago White Sox to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1988. . . . 1B-OF Norm Siebern (member of Southwest Missouri State's back-to-back NAIA Tournament titlists in 1952 and 1953) supplied a pinch-hit, bases-loaded triple to help the Boston Red Sox outlasted the California Angels, 12-11, in 1967. . . . Bill Virdon (played for Drury, MO, in 1949) hired as manager by the Houston Astros in 1975.
18 - P Ray Burris (played for Southwestern Oklahoma State) purchased from the New York Yankees by the New York Mets in 1979. . . . INF Charlie Gelbert (scored at least 125 points each of his last three seasons with Lebanon Valley, PA, in late 1920s) awarded on waivers from the Washington Senators to the Boston Red Sox in 1940. . . . Dallas Green (Delaware's second-leading scorer and rebounder in 1954-55) fired as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies in 1989. . . . New York Giants CF Hank Lieber (played for Arizona in 1931) collected a homer, triple and two doubles in an 8-4 triumph against the Cincinnati Reds in 1935. . . . P Claude Passeau (played for Millsaps, MS, in late 1920s and early 1930s) tossed a three-hit shutout as the Philadelphia Phillies ended a 14-game losing streak with a 7-0 verdict over the Boston Bees in 1936. . . . P Steve Renko (averaged 9.9 ppg and 5.8 rpg as Kansas sophomore in 1963-64) traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Chicago White Sox in 1977.
17 - 1B Ron Allen (Youngstown State's scoring and rebounding leader as a sophomore in 1961-62) secured his only MLB hit, a ninth-inning homer at San Diego in 1972, after the brother of standout 1B Dick Allen replaced ejected St. Louis Cardinals teammate Joe Torre. . . . Bing Devine (Washington, MO, letterman in mid-1930s) fired as general manager of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1964 before they go on to win the World Series against the New York Yankees. . . . OF Curt Flood and 3B Gene Freese (captain of 1952 NAIA Tournament team for West Liberty WV), the first two St. Louis Cardinals batters, hammer back-to-back home runs off Los Angeles Dodgers LHP Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman squad in 1953-54) in the opener of a 1958 doubleheader. . . . Baltimore Orioles P Dick Hall (averaged 11.9 ppg in 1948-49, 13.4 in 1949-50 and 15.4 in 1950-51 for Swarthmore's Southern Division champions in Middle Atlantic states Conference) provided a perfect inning of relief against the Kansas City Athletics in 1963, giving him 28 consecutive batters retired in a span of five appearances. . . . In 1985, Reggie Jackson of the New York Yankees, moving past Willie McCovey and Ted Williams on the all-time homer list, swatted his 522nd career round-tripper off Oakland A's P Bill Krueger (led WCAC in free-throw percentage in 1975-76 with Portland). . . . New York Giants P Christy Mathewson (played for Bucknell at turn of 20th Century) hurled his second straight three-hit shutout against Chicago in 1905. . . . New York Giants P Jim Mooney (played for East Tennessee State) tossed a four-hit shutout against the Cincinnati Reds in 1932.
16 - Los Angeles Dodgers P Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman squad in 1953-54) improved his record to 19-5 with a 3-0 shutout against the St. Louis Cardinals but will miss the remainder of the 1964 season because of an elbow injury incurred while sliding back into second base earlier in the month. . . . In 1911, New York Giants P Christy Mathewson (played for Bucknell at turn of 20th Century) defeated the Cincinnati Reds for the 22nd straight time.
15 - Milwaukee Braves P Gene Conley (All-PCC first-team selection led North Division in scoring in 1949-50 as a Washington State sophomore) won his ninth consecutive contest in 1954 (2-1 against the Chicago Cubs). Seven years later, Conley was with the Boston Red Sox in 1961 when he tossed a shutout and hit a homer in an 8-0 shelling of the Cleveland Indians. . . . 1B Walt Dropo (Connecticut's first player ever to average 20 points for a season with 21.7 ppg in 1942-43) was hospitalized after being beaned in 1950 but the Boston Red Sox began a streak of winning 27 of their next 30 games. . . . New York Giants P Christy Mathewson (played for Bucknell at turn of 20th Century) blanked opponents going into extra innings but wound up losing each contest - against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1910 and Boston Braves in 1914. . . . OF Greasy Neale (West Virginia Wesleyan College hoopster graduated in 1915) pilfered second, third and home in the ninth inning to help the Cincinnati Reds upend the New York Giants, 4-0, in 1919. . . . OF Bill Nicholson (played for Washington College, MD, in the mid-1930s) socked three homers, two doubles and a single but the Chicago Cubs dropped both ends of a 1942 doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates. . . . New York Giants C Wes Westrum (played for Bemidji State, MN, one season before serving in military during WWII) provided the difference with an eighth-inning, two-run homer in a 3-1 decision over the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1951. . . . OF Randy Winn (Santa Clara backcourtmate of eventual two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash in 1993-94), playing his first home game with the San Francisco Giants, hit for the cycle against the Cincinnati Reds in 2005.
14 - Cleveland Indians SS Lou Boudreau (leading scorer for Illinois' 1937 Big Ten Conference co-champion) suffered a broken right ankle in a collision at second base in 1945. . . . P Ralph Branca (sixth-leading scorer for NYU in 1943-44) won his first and only decision with the New York Yankees (3-1 over the Boston Red Sox in 1954). . . . St. Louis Cardinals P Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer in 1955-56 and 1956-57) hurled a no-hitter at Pittsburgh in 1971. . . . Texas Rangers 1B Mike Hargrove (Northwestern Oklahoma State basketball letterman) supplied a leadoff homer for the second straight game in 1977. . . . P Dave Madison (letterman for LSU from 1939-40 through 1942-43) traded by the St. Louis Browns to the Detroit Tigers in an eight-player swap in 1952. . . . In 1991, St. Louis Cardinals reliever Lee Smith (averaged 3.4 ppg and 1.9 rpg with Northwestern State in 1976-77) reached the 30-save plateau for the sixth time en route to leading the N.L. with 47. . . . Birdie Tebbetts (played for Providence in 1932) resigned as manager of the Cincinnati Reds in 1958. . . . St. Louis Cardinals 1B Bill White (played two years with Hiram, OH, in early 1950s) hit for the cycle in the opener of a 1960 doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates. . . . In 1991, California Angels RF-DH Dave Winfield (starting forward with Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) slugged the 400th homer of his career.
13 - Toronto Blue Jays CF Danny Ainge (three-time Brigham Young All-American and national player of year as senior in 1980-81) went 3-for-3 in a 5-4 setback against the Milwaukee Brewers in 1980. . . . Chicago White Sox P Dave DeBusschere (three-time All-American for Detroit from 1959-60 through 1961-62) tossed a shutout against the Cleveland Indians in 1963. . . . In 1955, Cleveland Indians OF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA titlist) made his first miscue after an A.L.-record 165 errorless games. . . . Boston Red Sox P Boo Ferriss (Mississippi State letterman in 1941) won his eighth straight game for victory No. 20 in 1946. . . . Pittsburgh Pirates P Dave Giusti (made 6 of 10 field-goal attempts in two games for Syracuse in 1959-60) hurled a one-hitter to beat the Chicago Cubs, 1-0, in 1966. . . . New York Giants P Jim Hearn (Georgia Tech letterman in 1941-42) shut out the Philadelphia Phillies' Whiz Kids in 1950. . . . Chicago White Sox P Jimmy Miles (averaged 5.2 ppg and 8.9 rpg for Delta State MS in 1964-65) lost his lone MLB decision (7-3 against the Kansas City Royals in 1969). . . . C Don Prohovich (member of Holy Cross' 1954 NIT champion) traded with $15,000 by the White Sox to the Cubs for utilityman Earl Averill Jr. in 1960. Deal was the first swap of players between the two Chicago franchises. . . . OF Rip Repulski (started a few games for St. Cloud State, MN) hit a three-run pinch homer for the Philadelphia Phillies but they still lost against the Pittsburgh Pirates, 10-9, in 1958. . . . Cincinnati Reds P Eppa Rixey (Virginia letterman in 1911-12 and 1913-14) drove in two runs and blanked the Pittsburgh Pirates, 3-0, in 1932.
12 - In 1953, Philadelphia Phillies P Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) beat the Pittsburgh Pirates for the 15th consecutive time. Roberts reached the 20-win plateau for the fourth straight season. . . . Baltimore Orioles OF Larry Sheets (All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference selection for Eastern Mennonite, VA, in 1981-82 and 1982-83) and teammate Wayne Gross socked back-to-back pinch-hit homers but they weren't enough to prevent an 8-5 setback against the Cleveland Indians in 1985. . . . Arizona Diamondbacks rookie 2B Junior Spivey (redshirted his only semester at Northwestern Oklahoma State on a basketball scholarship before transferring to a KS junior college) registered his second five-hit game of the 2001 campaign. . . . Chicago Cubs INF-OF Riggs Stephenson (Alabama letterman in 1920) knocked in the winning run in the 11th inning of a 3-2 victory against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1930. . . . San Francisco Giants OF Randy Winn (Santa Clara backcourtmate of eventual two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash in 1993-94) accounted for the game's only run with a homer at Florida in 2005.
11 - New York Giants P Curt Barclay (Oregon's third-leading scorer and rebounder as a sophomore in 1950-51) hurled a three-hit, 5-0 shutout against the Philadelphia Phillies in the opener of a 1957 doubleheader. . . . C Mickey Cochrane (Boston University player in early 1920s) delivered a decisive ninth-inning hit to give the win to P George Earnshaw (Swarthmore, PA, player in 1922) in the Philadelphia Athletics' 3-2 decision over the Washington Senators in 1928. . . . Gene Desautels (Holy Cross letterman in 1929 and 1930) caught the entire game for the Cleveland Indians without a putout (no strikeouts) in 1942 when they have a 14-inning scoreless tie with the Detroit Tigers. . . . OF Bill Nicholson (played for Washington College, MD, in mid-1930s) capped off back-to-back-to-back homers by the Chicago Cubs but the three straight round-trippers weren't enough to prevent a 7-5 defeat against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1941. . . . In 1945, Chicago Cubs P Claude Passeau (played for Millsaps, MS, in late 1920s and early 1930s) restricted the Boston Braves to two hits - both coming with two outs in the eighth inning. . . . 2B Johnny Temple (played briefly for Catawba, NC, in 1945 before serving in U.S. Navy) purchased from the Baltimore Orioles by the Houston Colt .45s in 1962. . . . P Jim Wilson (letterman for San Diego State's 1942 NAIA Tournament participant) traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Detroit Tigers in 1949.
10 - Pittsburgh Pirates OF Carson "Skeeter" Bigbee (Oregon basketball letterman in 1915) posted his second five-hit game in less than two months in 1922. . . . 1B-OF Dick Gernert (letterman with Temple in 1948-49 when he averaged 2.7 ppg) homered in the 10th inning to help catapult the Boston Red Sox to a 3-1 victory against the New York Yankees in 1952. . . . Baltimore Orioles 3B Ryan Minor (two-time All-Big Eight Conference first-team selection for Oklahoma was league player of year as junior in 1994-95 when averaging 23.6 ppg and 8.4 rpg) had a career-high three hits against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 1999. . . . In 1936, INF Buddy Myer (Mississippi State letterman in 1923-24), the defending A.L. batting champion, sent home by the Washington Senators to recover from a season-long stomach ailment. . . . C Cal Neeman (Illinois Wesleyan's leading scorer in 1947-48 and 1948-49) purchased from the Cleveland Indians by the Washington Senators in 1963. . . . Pittsburgh Pirates CF Bill Virdon (played for Drury, MO, in 1949) tied a MLB mark by notching two assists in the seventh inning of the nightcap of a 1958 doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds. Twenty-four years later in 1982, Virdon was fired as manager of the Houston Astros.
9 - Milwaukee Braves 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading scorer in 1945-46) hit two homers in an 8-3 setback against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1961. . . . New York Mets P Roger Craig (forward with North Carolina State's 1949-50 freshman basketball team) ended his N.L. record-tying 18-game losing streak by beating the Chicago Cubs, 7-3. Craig will be on the losing end of a shutout nine times in 1963. . . . New York Giants SS Alvin Dark (letterman for LSU and USL during World War II) extended his hitting streak to 17 games in 1951. . . . St. Louis Cardinals SS Charlie Gelbert (scored at least 125 points each of last three seasons in late 1920s for Lebanon Valley PA) generated four hits against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1932. . . . 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) set new MLB record by stealing his 32nd consecutive base without being caught in 1975. . . . OF Bill Nicholson (played for Washington College, MD, in mid-1930s) traded by the Philadelphia Athletics to the Washington Senators in 1938. . . . Boston Braves rookie C Ebba St. Claire (Colgate letterman in 1941-42) tied a N.L. backstop standard by participating in three double plays in a single game in 1951.
8 - SS Gene Michael (Kent State's leading scorer with 14 ppg in 1957-58) stroked a two-out single in the ninth inning to give the New York Yankees a 3-2 victory against the Texas Rangers in 1973. . . . OF Bill Nicholson (played for Washington College, MD, in mid-1930s) pounded an 11th-inning homer to propel the Chicago Cubs to a 2-1 triumph against the Cincinnati Reds in 1947. . . . Philadelphia Phillies P Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) won his eighth straight decision and fourth game in 10 days in 1956.
7 - 2B Dutch Meyer (letterman for TCU in 1934-35 and 1935-36) traded by the New York Giants to the Detroit Tigers in 1940. . . . P Joe Niekro (averaged 8.9 ppg and 3.8 rpg for West Liberty, WV, from 1963-64 through 1965-66) awarded off waivers from the Detroit Tigers to the Atlanta Braves in 1973. . . . OF Jim Northrup (second-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder for Alma, MI, in 1958-59) shipped by the Detroit Tigers to the Montreal Expos as part of a conditional deal in 1974. . . . In 1987, Detroit Tigers P Jeff Robinson (two-time NAIA All-District 3 honoree in early 1980s left Azusa Pacific, CA, as its No. 9 all-time scorer) blanked the New York Yankees, 8-0, retiring the last 24 batters in a row. . . . Boston Red Sox rookie P Don Schwall (All-Big Seven Conference second-team selection led Oklahoma won seventh straight start, improving his record to 13-2 in 1961. . . . In 1990, California Angels OF Dave Winfield (starting forward with Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) collected his 2,500th career hit.
6 - In 1932, 1B Dale Alexander (starting center for Milligan, TN, in mid-1920s) provided a single for the Boston Red Sox' lone safety off Wes Ferrell of the Cleveland Indians. . . . Mickey Cochrane (Boston University player in early 1920s) fired as Detroit Tigers manager in 1938. . . . Cincinnati Reds rookie CF Harry Craft (four-sport letterman with Mississippi College in early 1930s) hit a grand slam in an 11-6 triumph against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1938. . . . San Diego Padres OF Tony Gwynn (All-WAC second-team selection with San Diego State in 1979-80 and 1980-81) went 4-for-5 in a 12-10 win against the Montreal Expos in 1999, posting the 3,000th hit of his MLB career. . . . P Mark Hendrickson (two time All-Pacific-10 Conference selection paced Washington State in rebounding four straight seasons from 1992-93 through 1995-96) made his MLB debut with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2002. . . . INF Davey Johnson (averaged 1.7 ppg with Texas A&M in 1961-62) traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the Chicago Cubs in 1978. . . . San Francisco Giants 1B-OF Rick Leach (averaged 15.5 ppg for Michigan's junior varsity team in 1975-76) suspended for 60 days in 1990 following a positive drug test. . . . Cleveland Indians RF Ed Morgan (Tulane letterman from 1923-24 through 1925-26) raised his batting average to .372 with back-to-back three-hit games. . . . Washington Senators INF Buddy Myer (Mississippi State letterman in 1923-24) contributed four hits in a 13-11 victory against the New York Yankees in the opener of a 1929 doubleheader. . . . 1B Jack Phillips (leading scorer for 14-1 Clarkson, NY, in 1942-43) purchased from the New York Yankees by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1949.
5 - Baltimore Orioles OF Al Bumbry (Virginia State's runner-up in scoring with 16.7 ppg as a freshman in 1964-65) belted his second leadoff homer in two days in 1982. . . . OF Billy Cowan (co-captain of Utah's 1960 NCAA playoff team) traded by the New York Mets to the Milwaukee braves in 1965. . . . P Dave Giusti (made 6 of 10 field-goal attempts in two games for Syracuse in 1959-60) purchased from the Oakland Athletics by the Chicago Cubs in 1977. . . . Posting one of his N.L.-leading five shutouts in 1950, New York Giants P Jim Hearn (Georgia Tech letterman in 1941-42) yielded a leadoff single before throttling the Pittsburgh Pirates the remainder of the way in a 5-0 whitewash. . . . Of Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling a 35-3 record) scored the winning run in the 11th inning in 2001 when the Cleveland Indians erased a 14-2 deficit in the seventh to prevail, 15-14, against the Seattle Mariners. . . . Baltimore Orioles P Ben McDonald (started six games as a 6-6 freshman forward for LSU in 1986-87) hurled a one-hit shutout against the Milwaukee Brewers in 1994. . . . OF Richie Scheinblum (averaged 6.1 ppg and 3.6 rpg in 1962-63 and 1963-64 with LIU-C.W. Post) purchased from the Kansas City Royals by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1974. . . . Philadelphia Phillies OF Cy Williams (Notre Dame forward in 1909-10), who went on to lead the N.L. in homers in 1927, hit for the cycle in a 9-7 triumph against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
4 - In 1961, Chicago Cubs OF George Altman (appeared in 1953 and 1954 NAIA Tournament with Tennessee State) became the first player ever to hit two homers in a single game off Los Angeles Dodgers Hall of Fame P Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman squad in 1953-54). . . . In 1971, St. Louis Cardinals P Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer in 1955-56 and 1956-57) posted his 200th career victory. . . . San Diego Padres OF Tony Gwynn (All-WAC second-team selection with San Diego State in 1979-80 and 1980-81), securing at least five hits in a game for the fourth time in the 1993 season, stroked six safeties in an 11-10 triumph against the San Francisco Giants. . . . St. Louis Browns P Ernie Nevers (All-PCC second-five choice in 1924-25 for Stanford) hurled his first complete game, defeating the Philadelphia Athletics, 3-1, in 1926. . . . Houston Colt .45s 2B Johnny Temple (played briefly in 1945 for Catawba, NC, before joining U.S. Navy) broke up Los Angeles Dodgers P Johnny Podres' bid for a no-hitter with a one-out, ninth-inning single in 1963. . . . While warming up prior to the fifth inning in a 1983 game at Toronto, New York Yankees OF Dave Winfield (starting forward with Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) accidentally killed a seagull with a thrown ball. . . . New York Yankees P Tom Zachary (Guilford, NC, letterman in 1916) notched his seventh straight win with a shutout against the Cleveland Indians in the opener of a 1929 doubleheader.
3 - SS Dick Culler (Little All-American in 1935 and 1936 with High Point, NC) purchased from the Chicago Cubs by the New York Giants in 1948. . . . Alvin Dark (letterman for LSU and USL during World War II) fired as manager of the Oakland Athletics in 1967. . . . P Christy Mathewson (played for Bucknell at turn of 20th Century) surrendered 15 hits in 10 innings but the New York Giants still defeated the Cincinnati Reds, 7-6, in 1909. . . . Gene Michael (Kent State's leading scorer with 14 ppg in 1957-58) dismissed as New York Yankees manager in 1982 after losing a doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox. . . . Montreal Expos OF Ken Singleton (Hofstra freshman team in mid-1960s) secured the only hit off Bill Hands of the Chicago Cubs in the nightcap of a 1972 doubleheader.
2 - Philadelphia Athletics C Mickey Cochrane (Boston University player in early 1920s) hit for the cycle against the New York Yankees in 1933. . . . INF Tim Cullen (starting guard for Santa Clara in 1962-63 when he averaged 10 ppg) traded by the Chicago White Sox to the Washington Senators for SS Ron Hansen in 1968. . . . Cleveland Indians OF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA titlist) hammered three homers in an 11-0 victory against the Washington Senators in 1950. . . . P Cal Koonce (standout for Campbell in 1960 and 1961 when North Carolina-based school was a junior college) purchased from the Chicago Cubs by the New York Mets in 1967. . . . P Christy Mathewson (played for Bucknell at turn of 20th Century) yielded 15 singles but the New York Giants still defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates, 8-4, in 1911. . . . Bill Virdon (played for Drury, MO, in 1949) fired as manager of the New York Yankees and succeeded by Billy Martin in 1975.
1 - Chicago Cubs RF 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 Pittsburgh Pirates in 1953. . . . Cleveland Indians 2B Bosey Berger (Maryland's first All-American led Southern Conference in scoring in league competition in 1930-31) provided four hits, including three doubles, against the Chicago White Sox in 1935. . . . Milwaukee Braves 2B Frank Bolling (averaged 7.3 ppg in 1950-51 for Spring Hill AL) went 3-for-4 in both ends of a 1965 twinbill sweep of the San Francisco Giants. . . . Chicago Cubs INF Don Eaddy (averaged team-high 13.8 in Big Ten Conference competition as Michigan sophomore in 1952-53) fanned in his lone MLB plate appearance in 1959. . . . Philadelphia Athletics rookie 2B Gene Handley (Bradley letterman in 1932-33 and 1933-34) manufactured four hits against the Chicago White Sox in 1946. . . . In 1957, 1B Gil Hodges (played for Oakland City, IN, in 1947 and 1948) hit his 13th career grand slam to set a new N.L. record. It was the final grand slam in the history of the Brooklyn franchise before the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles. . . . In 1913, New York Giants P Christy Mathewson (played for Bucknell at turn of 20th Century) reached the 20-win plateau for the 11th consecutive season. . . . Hitless in his first six at-bats, RF Jim Northrup (second-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder for Alma, MI, in 1958-59) homered in the 16th inning to give the Detroit Tigers a 4-3 victory against the California Angels in 1971. . . . Philadelphia Phillies P Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) posted his 200th triumph with a three-hit, 3-1 success at Chicago in 1958. . . . Pittsburgh Pirates P Don Schwall (All-Big Seven Conference second-team selection led Oklahoma saved both ends of a 1965 doubleheader against the Chicago Cubs with three innings of scoreless relief in each contest. . . . Boston Braves rookie RF Chuck Workman (two-time All-MIAA first-five selection was leading scorer when Central Missouri won inaugural NAIA Tournament in 1937) went 4-for-4 against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the opener of a 1943 twinbill.

MLB achievements/highlights in July by former college basketball players

MLB achievements/highlights in June by former college basketball players

MLB achievements/highlights in May by former college basketball players

MLB achievements/highlights in April by former college basketball players

The Baseball Hall of Fame weekend is weakened by no living inductees holding court for the first time since 1965. But there has been a significant number of living and breathing versatile athletes who went from the basketball court to achieve stardom in baseball's HOF. The following individuals among the more than 300 MLB Hall of Famers were college hoopsters:

WALTER ALSTON, Miami (Ohio)
Managed the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers for 23 seasons (1954 through 1976), winning seven National League pennants and three World Series. In eight All-Star Game assignments, Alston was the winning manager a record seven times. He struck out in his only major league at-bat with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1936. . . . The 6-2, 195-pound Alston, a charter member of his alma mater's Athletic Hall of Fame, lettered in basketball in 1932-33, 1933-34 and 1934-35. He scored 10 of Miami's 15 points in a 32-15 defeat against Indiana in his senior season.

LOU BOUDREAU, Illinois
Infielder hit .295 in 15 seasons (1938 through 1952) with the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox. Managed Indians, Red Sox, Kansas City Athletics and Chicago Cubs, starting his managerial career at the age of 24 in 1942. As player-manager in 1948, the shortstop led Cleveland to the A.L. title and earned MVP honors by hitting .355 with 116 RBI. He hit a modest .273 in the World Series. The seven-time All-Star led the A.L. with 45 doubles on three occasions (1941, 1944 and 1947) and paced the league in batting average in 1944 (.327). . . . Played two varsity basketball seasons for Illinois (1936-37 and 1937-38) under coach Doug Mills. As a sophomore, Boudreau led the Illini in scoring with an 8.7-point average as the team shared the Big Ten Conference title. Compiled an 8.8 average the next year. After helping the Illini upset St. John's in a game at Madison Square Garden, the New York Daily News described him as "positively brilliant" and said he "set up countless plays in breathtaking fashion." . . . Averaged 8.2 points per game for Hammond (Ind.) in the National Basketball League in 1938-39.

ALBERT B. "HAPPY" CHANDLER, Transylvania (Ky.)
Twice governor of Kentucky (1935-39 and 1955-59), U.S. senator (1939-45) and commissioner of baseball (1945-51). He oversaw the initial steps toward integration of the major leagues. Democrat embraced the "Dixiecrats" in the late 1940s. . . . Captain of Transylvania's basketball team as a senior in 1920-21.

GORDON "MICKEY" COCHRANE, Boston University
Hall of Famer hit .320 (highest career mark ever for a catcher) with the Philadelphia Athletics and Detroit Tigers in 13 seasons from 1925 through 1937. Swatted three homers in a single game as a rookie. Lefthanded swinger was A.L. MVP in 1928 and 1934. Led the A.L. in on-base percentage in 1933 (.459) and ranked among the league top nine in batting average five times (1927-30-31-33-35). Participated in five World Series (1929-30-31- 34-35). . . . Five-sport athlete with BU, including basketball (class of '24).

EARLE COMBS, Eastern Kentucky
Hall of Fame outfielder hit .325 with the New York Yankees in 12 seasons from 1924 through 1935. Lefthanded swinger led the A.L. in hits with 231 in 1927 when he also paced the the league in singles and triples. Also led the A.L. in triples in 1928 and 1930. Assembled a 29-game hitting streak in 1931. Leadoff hitter and "table- setter" for the Yankees' potent "Murderer's Row" offense ranked among the A.L. top six in runs eight straight years when he became the first player in modern major league history to score at least 100 runs in his first eight full seasons. Posted a .350 batting average in four World Series (1926-27-28-32) before a pair of serious collisons shortened his productive career. Served as coach with the Yankees (1936-44), St. Louis Browns (1947), Boston Red Sox (1948-54) and Philadelphia Phillies (1955). . . . Captain of his alma mater's basketball squad for three years when the school was known as Eastern State Normal.

LARRY DOBY, Virginia Union
Outfielder hit .283 with 253 home runs and 969 RBI in a 13-year career from 1947 through 1959 with the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox. The first black player in the American League twice led the A.L. in homers (32 in 1952 and 1954). He was the first African-American to lead a league in homers (1952 and 1954) and the first to participate in the World Series (1948). Hit 20 or more round-trippers eight consecutive seasons from 1949 through 1956 while finishing among the A.L. top nine in slugging percentage each year. The seven-time All-Star drove in 100 or more runs five times, leading the A.L. with 126 in 1954 when the Indians won 111 games before being swept by the New York Giants in the World Series. Appeared in 1948 and 1954 World Series with the Indians, winning Game 4 in '48 with a homer off Braves star Johnny Sain. Doby managed the White Sox for most of 1978 (37-50 record). . . . The 6-1, 180-pounder attended LIU on a basketball scholarship but transferred to Virginia Union prior to the start of the season after Uncle Sam summoned him for World War II service. Doby was told Virginia Union had a ROTC program and he could complete his freshman season before being drafted. He became eligible the second semester of the 1942-43 season and was a reserve guard on a team that won the CIAA title.

RICK FERRELL, Guilford (N.C.)
Catcher hit over .300 five times en route to a .281 career batting average with the St. Louis Browns, Boston Red Sox and Washington Senators in 18 years from 1929 through 1947. He set an A.L. record with 1,805 games behind the plate. Traded with his brother (pitcher Wes Ferrell) from Boston to Washington during the 1937 campaign. . . . The 5-10, 160-pounder was a basketball forward before graduating in 1928.

FRANKIE FRISCH, Fordham
Registered a run of 11 consecutive .300 seasons and set fielding records for chances and assists with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1927. As player-manager with the Cards, he instilled the rollicking all-out style of hardnosed play that prompted a team nickname of "The Gashouse Gang." His season strikeout total topped 20 only twice en route to a .316 average in his 19-year career, which also included a stint with the New York Giants. . . . According to his bio in Total Baseball, "The Fordham Flash" captained the Rams' basketball squad. In 1925, Frisch officiated the first-ever game played in the Rose Hill Gym (the oldest NCAA Division I facility in the nation).

BOB GIBSON, Creighton
Compiled a 251-174 pitching record with 3,117 strikeouts and 2.91 ERA in 17 seasons (1959 through 1975) with the St. Louis Cardinals. In 1968, he pitched 13 shutouts en route to a 1.12 ERA, the second-lowest since 1893 in 300 innings. Gibson notched a 7-2 mark and 1.89 ERA in nine games in the 1964, 1967 and 1968 World Series (92 strikeouts in 81 innings). He set a World Series record with 17 strikeouts against the Detroit Tigers on October 2, 1968. . . . First Creighton player to average 20 points per game for his career (20.2). Led the school in scoring in 1955-56 (40th in the country with 22 ppg) and 1956-57 and was second-leading scorer in 1954-55 before playing one season (1957-58) with the Harlem Globetrotters. Sketch from school brochure: "Possesses outstanding jump shot and for height (6-1) is a terrific rebounder."

TONY GWYNN, San Diego State
Padres outfielder hit .338 in 20 seasons (1982 through 2001), winning eight N.L. batting titles--1984, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997. Played in 15th All-Star Game in 1999 before topping the 3,000-hit plateau later in the year. Holds N.L. record for most years leading league in singles (six). Won a Gold Glove five times (1986-87-89-90-91). He hit .368 in the 1984 N.L. Championship Series to help San Diego reach the World Series against the Detroit Tigers. Also participated in the 1998 World Series against the New York Yankees. Became baseball coach at his alma mater after retiring from the major leagues. . . . Averaged 8.6 ppg and 5.5 apg in 107 games with the Aztecs in four seasons (1977-78 through 1980-81). The 5-11, 170-pound guard was named second-team All-Western Athletic Conference as both a junior and senior. Led the WAC in assists as both a sophomore and junior and was third as a senior. Paced San Diego State in steals each of his last three seasons. Selected in the 10th round of 1981 NBA draft by the San Diego Clippers.

MONTE IRVIN, Lincoln (Pa.)
Outfielder-first baseman hit .293 with 99 home runs and 443 RBI in eight major league years (1949 through 1956) with the New York Giants and Chicago Cubs. Irvin led the N.L. in RBI with 121 in 1951, the same year he led the World Series in hitting (.458 vs. crosstown Yankees) after collecting seven hits in the first two contests of the six-game set. He was a member of the Giants' squad that swept the Cleveland Indians in the 1954 World Series. The 6-1, 195-pounder was one of the first black players signed after baseball's color line was broken in 1947. Among the brightest stars in the Negro Leagues, he registered league highs of .422 in 1940 and .396 in 1941 before spending three years in the Army. . . . His athletic career was nearly prematurely ended when an infection from a scratched hand in a basketball game kept him close to death for seven weeks. Irvin participated in basketball for 1 1/2 years in the late 1930s for Lincoln, an all-black university in Oxford, Pa., before dropping out of school.

SANDY KOUFAX, Cincinnati
Compiled a 165-87 record and 2.76 ERA in 12 seasons as a lefthanded pitcher with the Brooklyn (1955 through 1957) and Los Angeles (1958 through 1966) Dodgers. Led the N.L. in ERA in each of his last five seasons, going 25-5 in 1963 (MVP), 26-8 in 1965 and 27-9 in 1966 (Cy Young Award). Pitched four no-hitters and had 98 games with at least 20 strikeouts. Notched a 4-3 record and 0.95 ERA in eight World Series games in 1959, 1963 (MVP), 1965 (MVP) and 1966. . . . The Brooklyn native attended Cincinnati one year on a combination baseball/basketball scholarship before signing a pro baseball contract for a reported $20,000 bonus. He was the third-leading scorer with a 9.7-point average as a 6-2, 195-pound forward for the Bearcats' 12-2 freshman team in 1953-54. Koufax compiled a 3-1 pitching record in his lone college baseball campaign, averaging 14.3 strikeouts and 8.4 bases on balls per game when his statistics are converted to a nine-inning game ratio. . . . Ed Jucker, coach of Cincinnati's NCAA titlists in 1961 and 1962, coached the Bearcats' baseball squad and freshman basketball team in 1953-54. Jucker said of Koufax's basketball ability: "He could jump extremely well, was a strong kid and a good driver. He would have made a fine varsity player. We certainly could have used him." If viewers pay attention to CBS acknowledging celebrities in the stands during telecasts with crowd shots, they've probably noticed that Koufax regularly attends the Final Four.

TED LYONS, Baylor
Spent his entire 21-year career with the Chicago White Sox (1923 through 1942 and 1946) after never playing in the minors. Managed the White Sox from 1946 through 1948. Three-time 20-game winner compiled a 260-230 record and 3.67 ERA in 594 games. He pitched a no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox in 1926. In 1939, Lyons hurled 42 consecutive innings without issuing a walk. . . . Earned four basketball letters at Baylor from 1919-20 through 1922-23. Consensus first-team selection on All-Southwest Conference squad as a sophomore and senior.

CHRISTY MATHEWSON, Bucknell
Often regarded as baseball's greatest pitcher, the righthander compiled a 372-188 record and 2.13 ERA with 79 shutouts for the New York Giants in 17 years from 1900 to 1916 before winning his lone start with Cincinnati in 1916. Led the N.L. in ERA five times (1905-08-09-11-13). Hall of Famer ranked among the N.L. top five in victories 12 years in a row from 1903 through 1914. Paced the N.L. in strikeouts on five occasions in a six-year span from 1903 through 1908. Won 30 games or more in three consecutive seasons, leading the Giants in their 1905 World Series victory over the Philadelphia Athletics by hurling three shutouts in six days. Also appeared in three straight World Series from 1911 through 1913. . . . The 6-2 Mathewson also played football and basketball at the turn of the 20th Century for Bucknell (class of '02).

CUM POSEY, Penn State/Duquesne
Founder and co-owner of the Homestead Greys professional baseball team that won eight consecutive National Negro League titles. . . . Posey was the first African American to complete in intercollegiate athletics for Penn State in 1910-11. He later attended Duquesne. A legend in Pittsburgh sports history was owner/player for the famed Leondi Club, an independent basketball team that was the National Negro Championship team for many years.

EPPA RIXEY JR., Virginia
Compiled a 266-251 record with 3.15 ERA in 21 seasons (1912 through 1917 and 1919 through 1933) with the Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds. He never played a minor league game and appeared in the 1915 World Series with the Phillies. Missed the 1918 campaign while serving overseas with an Army chemical-warfare division. Rixey won 19 or more games six years, including 1922 when he led the N.L. with 25 victories with the Reds. In his next to last season, he pitched a string of 27 consecutive scoreless innings at age 42. The N.L.'s winningest lefthanded pitcher until Warren Spahn broke his record was selected to the Hall of Fame in 1963. . . . The 6-5, 210-pound Rixey, who also played golf at Virginia, earned basketball letters in 1911-12 and 1913-14.

ROBIN ROBERTS, Michigan State
Compiled a 286-245 record in 19 seasons (1948 through 1966) with the Philadelphia Phillies, Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs. He was a twenty-game winner for six consecutive seasons with the Phillies (1950 through 1955), leading the N.L. in victories the last four years in that span. The seven-time All-Star lost his only World Series start in 1950, 2-1, when the Yankees' Joe DiMaggio homered off him in the 10th inning. . . . Roberts played three seasons of basketball with the Spartans (1944-45 through 1946-47). He averaged 10.6 points per game as a freshman (team's third-leading scorer as he was eligible because of WWII), 9.8 as a sophomore (second-leading scorer) and 9.0 as a junior (second-leading scorer). The 6-0, 190-pound forward led the team in field-goal percentage as a junior captain. Sketch from school basketball guide: "Regarded by newsmen as one of the greatest players today in college basketball. A poll by Detroit Free Press named him the `most valuable' collegiate player in Michigan. He is not especially fast, but he's extremely well-coordinated, passes exceptionally well, and is a beautiful one-hand shot artist."

JACKIE ROBINSON, UCLA
Infielder hit .311 with 137 homers as a regular on six N.L. pennant winners with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 10 seasons (1947 through 1956). After becoming Rookie of the Year in 1947, Robinson was named MVP in 1949 when he led the N.L. with a .342 batting average and 37 stolen bases. The six-time All-Star homered in the 1952 All-Star Game. He had two homers and seven doubles in World Series competition. . . . Football, basketball and track standout at Pasadena City College in 1937-38 and 1938-39. Named to All-Southern California Junior College Conference Western Division all-star basketball team both years, a span in which UCLA was winless in league competition. First athlete in UCLA history to letter in football, basketball, baseball and track. Forward compiled the highest scoring average in the Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons at UCLA (12.3 points per league game in 1939-40 as an all-league second-team selection and 11.1 in 1940-41). In his last UCLA athletic contest, he accounted for more than half of the Bruins' output with 20 points in a 52-37 loss to Southern California.

DAVE WINFIELD, Minnesota
Outfielder hit .283 with 465 home runs, 1,833 RBI and 3,110 hits in 22 seasons (1973 through 1988 and 1990 through 1995) with the San Diego Padres, New York Yankees, California Angels, Toronto Blue Jays, Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Indians. Appeared in 12 All-Star Games after never playing in the minors. Participated in the World Series with the Yankees (1981) and Blue Jays (1992). . . . Played two seasons of varsity basketball as a 6-6, 220-pound forward with the Gophers, averaging 6.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game as a junior in 1971-72 and 10.5 points and 6.1 rebounds as a senior in 1972-73. He played the entire game in Minnesota's first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1972 under coach Bill Musselman. . . . Selected by the Atlanta Hawks in the fifth round of the 1973 NBA draft and the Utah Stars in the sixth round of the 1973 ABA draft. Didn't play college football, but was chosen in the 17th round of the 1973 NFL draft by the Minnesota Vikings. Excerpt from school guide: "Recruited out of intramural ranks to lend depth, became a starter and was a giant in the stretch drive. Amazing athlete leaps like a man catapulted. Soft touch from medium range."

The Great West Conference really wasn't so great. Only in existence four seasons, most of its remaining members were absorbed by the Western Athletic Conference to help the once-proud WAC remain solvent. Following is a look at what happened to an alphabetical list of defunct lNCAA Division I leagues that the Great West has joined:

"Man, that's messed up!" This concise summation certainly depicts higher education, which simply isn't what it used to be. Keeping remedial mathematics in mind, the Atlantic 10 Conference has more than that number of members; the Big Ten has more than 10 members and the Big 12 has fewer than 12 members. It would be helpful for sanity's sake if the Big Ten and Big 12 would swap names if only for accuracy before the Big Ten increases to 14 by adding Maryland and Rutgers.

With respect to precise directions and logistics, the Atlantic Coast Conference will feature Boston, Indiana (Notre Dame), Louisville, Pittsburgh and Syracuse in the not-too-distant future; the Atlantic Sun takes in East Tennessee; much of the Big East absorbs flyover country, and the Southeast(ern) extends to the Midlands (Missouri and Texas A&M).

Even the most ardent fan probably can't come anywhere close to naming half of the almost 50 schools switching conferences in 2013-14. Heaven knows how future generations will explain the Big East Conference split. As NFL Hall of Famer Vince Lombardi, who coached freshman basketball with Fordham, would famously say: "What the hell is going on out here?"

More than one-third of the nation's NCAA Division I schools joined new or different conferences thus far this century since the Mountain West was introduced in 1999-2000. And there's more membership maneuvering to come after 20 leagues incur changes the upcoming season. When Elon and the College of Charleston departed for the CAA, they became the 31st and 32nd schools to leave the Southern Conference. Following is an alphabetical list of the conference membership history of schools in different leagues in 2013-14:

In the wake of Brad Stevens leaving Butler for the NBA, the timing is right to reinforce the premise that it's a good thing some universities play in mammoth arenas because the egos of their "Pompous Pilots" wouldn't fit any other place. Much of the excess in the canonization of coaches is perpetrated by coaches-turned-television commentators who shamelessly fawn over their former colleagues.

The analysts should be more concerned about encouraging coaches to spare fans the pious blather about the sanctity of a contract or agreement. Granted, it's survival of the fittest amid the offer-you-can't-refuse backdrop. But in a great many cases, schools have been little more than convenient steppingstones for "larger-than-life" coaches along their one-way street to success. It's understandable in many instances that mercenaries are leaving the minute they're appointed because coaches are in a distasteful "hired-to-be-fired" vocation, where a pink slip is only one losing season or poor recruiting year away.

Nevertheless, loyalty has become too much of a one-way street. Players considering their options occasionally are grilled by coaches and commentators for contemplating transfers or leaving early for the NBA. There are countless examples of schools holding a player's eligibility hostage out of sheer vindictiveness. How much more one-sided can it be when that lame double standard exists?

After all, the value systems for high-profile coaches are sufficiently open-minded to permit running out on contracts when more lucrative jobs come open. Contracts are understood to be for the protection of the coach, not the team, whose players are somehow indentured to the schools for as many as four years of eligibility unless of course a coach chooses not to renew their scholarships. Perhaps that's why many believe incoming recruits should be allowed out of their letter-of-intent to seek another destination if the coach they signed with departs before they even get to campus.

Maybe it shouldn't be that way, but that's most definitely the way it is as contracts don't appear to mean squat to a striking number of meandering mentors who abandon ship like so many rats at high tide. Lon Kruger departed three different schools with at least four years remaining on pacts before leaving UNLV with two seasons left.

Many "leveraged" coaches have been preoccupied of late with attempting to virtually extort raises and extensions on already hefty packages. But in recent years, administrations at Boston College, Kent State, Marist, Miami (Fla.), St. John's and Wyoming seemed to be guinea pigs of sorts by fighting back via adherence to buyout clauses in trying to regain control of the situation in this big business atmosphere.

In mid-July 2010, a New York State Supreme Court Justice made a possible precedent-setting ruling in favor of Marist, which contended that coach Matt Brady's contract required him to secure written consent before negotiating with another school and forbade him from offering "a scholarship to current Marist players or to persons that he or his staff recruited to play at Marist" if he ever took a comparable job.

Brady clearly negotiated with James Madison in 2008 without "written" consent and Marist compiled a list of 19 prospects Brady recruited on behalf of Marist that it believed he should have been unable to recruit to JMU per the details of his contract. Four players on that "off-limits" list - Trevon Flores, Devon Moore, Andrey Semenov and Julius Wells - ultimately signed with JMU.

The judge ruled in favor of Marist's claims that Brady had an enforceable contract when he discussed leaving Marist with JMU, that JMU knew of the contract's existence, that JMU intentionally induced Brady to violate his fiduciary obligations under the contract, and that Marist incurred damages as a result of the breach of those obligations. Marist also filed a separate civil suit against Brady. In mid-May 2011, Kent State sued Geno Ford for more than $1.2 million in damages stemming from his departure for Bradley.

Five of Tulsa's previous seven coaches - Nolan Richardson, Tubby Smith, Steve Robinson, Bill Self and Buzz Peterson - left the school for more prestigious positions despite each of them having at least three years remaining on their contracts. Tulsa is one of three universities from which Self has bailed. He signed a five-year extension with Illinois in December, 2002, that included a bump in salary to $900,000 and payout of $500,000 if he stayed the life of the contract. There also was a buyout of $100,000 per year remaining on the pact.

Deal or no deal? The length of contracts doesn't seem to carry any weight as a factor in the equation. John Calipari and Leonard Hamilton are other coaches who left for the NBA with as many as seven years remaining on their college contracts. Stevens, who had nine years left, is the latest to join the following alphabetical list detailing coaches who still had contractual obligations to schools as long or longer than Stevens' six-year deal with the Boston Celtics when they left for greener pastures at some point in their careers:

• Steve Alford (10 years remaining on contract) - left New Mexico/hired by UCLA
• Rick Barnes (6) - Clemson/Texas
• John Beilien (6) - Richmond/West Virginia
• Tony Bennett (6) - Washington State/Virginia
• Dave Bliss (6) - New Mexico/Baylor
• Mike Brey (7) - Delaware/Notre Dame
• John Calipari (10) - Massachusetts/New Jersey Nets
• Jeff Capel III (6) - Virginia Commonwealth/Oklahoma
• Tom Crean (9) - Marquette/Indiana
• Matt Doherty (6) - Florida Atlantic/Southern Methodist
• Larry Eustachy (6) - Utah State/Iowa State
• Dennis Felton (6) - Western Kentucky/Georgia
• Tim Floyd (6) - New Orleans/Iowa State
• Tim Floyd (8) - Iowa State/Chicago Bulls
• Travis Ford (7) - Massachusetts/Oklahoma State
• Billy Gillispie (8) - Texas A&M/Kentucky
• Brian Gregory (7) - Dayton/Georgia Tech
• Leonard Hamilton (7) - Miami (Fla.)/Washington Wizards
• Ben Howland (6) - Pittsburgh/UCLA
• Jeff Lebo (8) - Chattanooga/Auburn
• Gregg Marshall (8) - Winthrop/Wichita State
• Thad Matta (9) - Xavier/Ohio State
• Fran McCaffery (7) - Siena/Iowa
• Sean Miller (9) - Xavier/Arizona
• Dan Monson (10) - Gonzaga/Minnesota
• Lute Olson (7) - Iowa/Arizona
• Buzz Peterson (9) - Appalachian State/Tulsa
• Skip Prosser (6) - Xavier/Wake Forest
• Oliver Purnell (6) - Clemson/DePaul
• Mike Rice Jr. (7) - Robert Morris/Rutgers
• Steve Robinson (7) - Tulsa/Florida State
• Kelvin Sampson (6) - Washington State/Oklahoma
• Tubby Smith (6) - Georgia/Kentucky
• Brad Stevens (9) - Butler/Boston Celtics
• Mark Turgeon (9) - Wichita State/Texas A&M

In the aftermath of Homer Bailey's second no-hitter in 10 months for the Cincinnati Reds, it's time to take a look at ex-college hoopsters who went on to hurl a no-no at the major-league level. Brooklyn native Sandy Koufax attended Cincinnati one year on a combination baseball/basketball scholarship under coach Ed Jucker in both sports before signing a pro baseball contract. Koufax was the third-leading scorer with 9.7 ppg for the Bearcats' 12-2 freshman squad in 1953-54 before hurling no-hitters in four straight seasons the first half of the 1960s.

San Francisco's Tim Lincecum, the victim of Bailey's latest no-no, hurled his own no-hitter shortly thereafter before Miami's Henderson Alvarez duplicated the feat on the final day of the regular season. Two former Bucknell products - Bob Keegan and Christy Mathewson - are among the following former college basketball players who went on to toss a MLB no-hitter (listed in reverse order):

*Perfect game.

Extra! Extra! Read all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players! Baseball is portrayed as a thinking man's game but only four percent of active MLB players earned college diplomas.

Nonetheless, numerous ex-college hoopsters had front-row seats to many of the most notable games, transactions and dates in MLB history. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is a July calendar involving such versatile athletes:

JULY
31 - P Mike Adams (played basketball for Texas A&M-Kingsville in 1996-97) traded by the San Diego Padres to the Texas Rangers in 2011. . . . Milwaukee Braves 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading scorer in 1945-46) belted four homers off four different pitchers plus a double against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1954, setting a MLB record for most total bases in a game (18) that stood until broken by RF Shawn Green in 2002. . . . St. Louis Cardinals CF Taylor Douthit (California letterman from 1922 through 1924) collected five hits in an 18-5 pounding of the Philadelphia Phillies in 1928. . . . P Johnny Gee (captain of Michigan's 16-4 team in 1936-37) absorbed his first defeat since returning to the New York Giants in 1946 after a year's retirement. . . . Cleveland Indians 1B Mike Hargrove (Northwestern Oklahoma State letterman) scored five runs in a 16-11 victory against the Toronto Blue Jays in 1983. . . . Boston Red Sox rookie P Don Schwall (All-Big Seven Conference second-team selection as sophomore in 1956-57 when leading Oklahoma in rebounding) hurled the middle three innings for the A.L., yielding the only run, in a 1-1 tie in the second of two All-Star Games in 1961. . . . Boston Red Sox P Sonny Siebert (team-high 16.7 ppg for Mizzou in 1957-58 as an All-Big Eight Conference second-team selection) hurled a one-hitter at California in 1970. . . . Cincinnati Reds 2B Johnny Temple (played briefly in 1945 for Catawba, NC, before joining U.S. Navy) contributed seven hits in a doubleheader sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1955. . . . Chicago Cubs OF Cy Williams (Notre Dame forward in 1909-10) clobbered a three-run homer to chase New York Giants Hall of Fame P Christy Mathewson (played for Bucknell at turn of 20th Century) in the opener of a 1915 doubleheader.
30 - Texas Rangers P Jim Bibby (Fayetteville State, NC, backup player and brother of UCLA All-American Henry Bibby) fanned 13 batters while hurling a no-hitter against the first-place Oakland A's in 1973. . . . 2B Marv Breeding (played for Samford in mid-1950s) traded by the Washington Senators to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1963. . . . Alvin Dark (letterman for LSU and USL during World War II) fired as manager of the Cleveland Indians in 1971. . . . New York Giants OF Monte Irvin (played for Lincoln, PA, 1 1/2 years in late 1930s) tied a N.L. record by grounding into three double plays against the Milwaukee Braves in 1953. . . . New York Giants P Christy Mathewson (played for Bucknell at turn of 20th Century) had his 13-game winning streak snapped by the Pittsburgh Pirates, 3-1, in 1909. . . . Cleveland Indians RF Ed Morgan (Tulane letterman from 1923-24 through 1925-26) contributed four hits against the Boston Red Sox in 1929. . . . Chicago White Sox P Gary Peters (played for Grove City, PA, in mid-1950s) faced only 29 batters in a 75-pitch, 6-0 shutout of the New York Yankees in 1966. . . . OF Randy Winn (Santa Clara backcourtmate of eventual two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash in 1993-94) traded by the Seattle Mariners to the San Francisco Giants in 2005.
29 - Chicago White Sox OF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA titlist) knocked in eight runs in a 1956 doubleheader sweep of the Boston Red Sox. . . . OF Hoot Evers (starter for Illinois in 1939-40) awarded on waivers from the New York Giants to the Detroit Tigers in 1954. . . . Chicago White Sox P Joel Horlen, flirting with a no-hitter entering the ninth inning, wound up losing the game, 2-1, when OF Don Lock (led Wichita State in field-goal percentage in 1956-57 and 1957-58) socked a homer for the Washington Senators in 1963. . . . OF Sam Mele (NYU's leading scorer in 1943 NCAA playoffs) awarded on waivers from the Baltimore Orioles to the Boston Red Sox in 1954. . . . Cleveland Indians 1B Ed Morgan (Tulane letterman from 1923-24 through 1925-26) went 5-for-5 and chipped in with five RBI in a 14-7 win against the Detroit Tigers in 1929. . . . P Paul Reuschel (Western Illinois' leading rebounder in 1966-67 with 15.2 per game) posted the save when the Cleveland Indians extended their winning streak to seven games with a 9-6 decision over the Chicago White Sox in 1979.
28 - Cincinnati Reds CF Ethan Allen (Cincinnati letterman in 1924-25 and 1925-26) went 4-for-4 in a 7-5 win against the Brooklyn Robins in the nightcap of a 1929 doubleheader. . . . 1B Donn Clendenon (letterman for Morehouse, GA) set a New York Mets record by knocking in seven runs in a 12-2 rout of the San Francisco Giants in 1970. . . . Toronto Blue Jays P Dave Lemanczyk (averaged 4.5 ppg and 3.5 rpg from 1969-70 through 1971-72 on a couple of NCAA College Division Tournament teams for Hartwick, NY) registered his third shutout in 1979, blanking his former team, the Detroit Tigers, 3-0. . . . OF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling a 35-3 record) traded by the Chicago White Sox to the San Francisco Giants in 2002. . . . Chicago White Sox P Ted Lyons (two-time All-SWC first-team selection for Baylor in early 1920s) tied a MLB record with two doubles in a 10-run second inning en route to a 14-6 decision over the St. Louis Browns in the opener of a 1935 doubleheader. . . . Oakland Athletics CF Billy North (played four games with Central Washington in 1967-68) made an unassisted double play against the Kansas City Royals in 1973. . . . Brooklyn Dodgers iNF Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in PCC both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) went on a 12-for-25 spurt en route to capturing the 1949 N.L. batting title.
27 - Brooklyn Dodgers P Roger Craig (forward with North Carolina State's 1949-50 freshman basketball team) hurled one of his four shutouts in 1959. . . . In an 8-0 victory against the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres OF Tony Gwynn (All-WAC second-team selection with San Diego State in 1979-80 and 1980-81) secured five hits in a game for the third time in the 1993 campaign. . . . Los Angeles P Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman squad in 1953-54) fanned 16 Philadelphia Phillies in 11 innings before the Dodgers prevailed in 16 frames, 2-1, in 1966. . . . Boston Red Sox OF Joe Lahoud (letterman for New Haven, CT) hammered a two-run homer in the top of the 20th inning in a 5-3 win at Seattle in 1969. . . . OF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling a 35-3 record) traded by the Texas Rangers to the Cleveland Indians in 2007. . . . In the ninth inning against the California Angels, New York Yankees SS Gene Michael (Kent State's leading scorer with 14 ppg in 1957-58) pulled the hidden-ball trick for the second time in six weeks in 1970. . . . OF Greasy Neale (hoopster graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan College in 1915) supplied three of the Cincnnati Reds' eight stolen bases in a 14-5 triumph against the Philadelphia Phillies in the opener of a 1918 doubleheader. . . . Chicago Cubs OF Riggs Stephenson (Alabama letterman in 1920) broke his ankle stepping on first base against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1931.
26 - Philadelphia Phillies LF Morrie Arnovich (played for Wisconsin-Superior in early 1930s) went 4-for-4 in a 3-1 setback against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1939. . . . Chicago Cubs 2B Glenn Beckert (three-year letterman for Allegheny, PA) banged out five straight hits in a 7-6 decision over the Atlanta Braves in the nightcap of a 1970 doubleheader. . . . After incurring a 13-3 defeat against the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox P Gene Conley (All-PCC first-team selection led North Division in scoring in 1949-50 as Washington State sophomore) and teammate Pumpsie Green mysteriously disappeared in 1962. Conley wanted to fly to Israel and went to the airport but was denied a ticket because he didn't have a visa. . . . OF Billy Cowan (co-captain of Utah's 1960 NCAA playoff team) purchased from the New York Yankees by the California Angels in 1969. . . . Acting St. Louis Cardinals manager Frankie Frisch (Fordham captain) contributed four hits but they weren't enough to prevent a 6-5 setback at Boston in the nightcap of a 1930 twinbill against the Braves. . . . Pittsburgh Pirates SS Dick Groat (two-time All-Ameican with Duke in 1950-51 and 1951-52 when finishing among nation's top five scorers each season) ended an 0-for-19 slump by going 5-for-5 in a 6-4 win against the Boston Braves in 1952. . . . New York Giants LF Hank Lieber (played for Arizona in 1931) started a fourth-inning triple play with a brilliant catch near the wall in a 5-4 verdict over the Cincinnati Reds in 1936. . . . New York Giants P Christy Mathewson (played for Bucknell at turn of 20th Century) won his 21st consecutive contest from the Cincinnati Reds in 1911. . . . 1B Babe Young (Fordham letterman in 1935-36) traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1948.
25 - Joey Amalfitano (played for Loyola Marymount in 1952-53) became manager for the Chicago Cubs in 1980. . . . Detroit Tigers 1B Tony Clark (San Diego State's leading scorer in WAC games in 1991-92) homered from each side of the plate for the second time in 1999 season in a 9-1 triumph against the Boston Red Sox. . . . OF David Justice (led Thomas More, KY, in assists in 1984-85) jacked a home run to account for the Atlanta Braves' lone hit and game's only run in a 1-0 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1992. . . . Cleveland Indians rookie 1B Ed Morgan (Tulane letterman from 1923-24 through 1925-26) supplied five RBI in a 15-5 win against the Boston Red Sox in the nightcap of a 1928 doubleheader. . . . Chicago Cubs INF-OF Riggs Stephenson (Alabama letterman in 1920) contributed four hits in a 9-5 win against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1930. . . . Boston Red Sox 3B Jim Tabor (Alabama letterman in 1936-37) hit two homers in a 10-6 verdict over the Cleveland Indians in 1941.
24 - Philadelphia Phillies LF Morrie Arnovich (played for Wisconsin-Superior in early 1930s) went 4-for-4 and scored four runs in a 13-11 win against the Cincinnati Reds in 1937. . . . Philadelphia Athletics P Stan Baumgartner (played on Western Conference champion for University of Chicago in 1914) hurled a shutout against the St. Louis Browns in 1924. . . . New York Yankees Hall of Fame OF Earle Combs (three-year captain for Eastern Kentucky) crashed into the wall in St. Louis in 1934, incurring a broken collarbone and fractured skull. . . . Cleveland Indians OF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA titlist) smashed a decisive 10th-inning, two-run homer at New York in 1954. The blast was Doby's third round-tripper in two days at Yankee Stadium.
23 - C Mark Bailey (led Southwest Missouri State in rebounding and field-goal shooting in 1980-81) traded by the Houston Astros to the Montreal Expos in 1988. . . . OF Bob Cerv (ranked fourth on school all-time scoring list in 1949-50 when finishing Nebraska career) and C Elston Howard socked back-to-back pinch-hit homers for the New York Yankees in the ninth inning in 1955 but they still lost to the Kansas City Athletics, 8-7, in 11 frames. . . . Utilityman Harvey Hendrick (Vanderbilt letterman in 1918) provided a pinch-hit grand slam in the 11th inning to give the Chicago Cubs a 9-5 win in the opener of a 1933 doubleheader against the Philadelphia Phillies. . . . Chicago White Sox RF Danny Moeller (captain of Millikin IL squad in 1905-06) had a 12-game hitting streak snapped by the Detroit Tigers in 1915. . . . Chicago Cubs OF Bill Nicholson (played for Washington College, MD, in the mid-1930s), after swatting four consecutive homers in two 1944 games (three in the opener of a doubleheader against the New York Giants), received the ultimate compliment. In the nightcap of the twinbill, he is issued an intentional walk forcing in a run. . . . In 1962, Brooklyn Dodgers iNF Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) became the first African-American inductee to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
22 - St. Louis Browns C Benny Bengough (Niagara letterman from 1916-17 through 1918-19) went 4-for-4 against the Washington Senators in 1931. . . . Philadelphia Athletics C Mickey Cochrane (Boston University hoopsler in early 1920s) hit for the cycle against the Washington Senators in 1932. . . . P Dallas Green (Delaware's runner-up in scoring and rebounding In 1954-55) purchased from the Philadelphia Phillies by the New York Mets in 1966. Green was returned to Philly three weeks later. . . . In 1999, Cleveland Indians manager Mike Hargrove (Northwestern Oklahoma State letterman) accidentally handed in an incorrect lineup card against the Toronto Blue Jays, forcing the Tribe to forfeit the DH and bat their pitcher in the seventh spot in the batting order. . . . OF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling a 35-3 record) traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Chicago Cubs in 2003.
21 - Brooklyn Dodgers INF-OF Harvey Hendrick (Vanderbilt letterman in 1918) hit a game-winning, three-run homer in the ninth inning of a 9-8 decision over the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a 1930 doubleheader. Hendrick's decisive blast was one of four pinch-hit round-trippers during the twinbill (two for each team). . . . 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) traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Houston Astros in 1986. . . . In his first MLB start, Baltimore Orioles P Ben McDonald (started six games as a 6-6 freshman forward for LSU in 1986-87) blanked the Chicago White Sox, 2-0, in 1990. . . . In the midst of a 10-game hitting streak, New York Yankees RF Bud Metheny (letterman for William & Mary from 1935-36 through 1937-38) went 4-for-4 against the St. Louis Browns in 1943. Two years later, he homered in a 12-3 romp over the Chicago White Sox in 1945. . . . In 1960, Philadelphia Phillies P Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) hurled his third career one-hitter.
20 - 3B Gene Freese (captain of 1952 NAIA Tournament team for West Liberty WV) traded by the Chicago White Sox to the Houston Astros for P Jim Mahoney and cash in 1966. . . . Cleveland Indians OF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling a 35-3 record) provided five hits in a 6-5 win against the Minnesota Twins in 1996. . . . P Christy Mathewson (played for Bucknell at turn of 20th Century) traded by the New York Giants to the Cincinnati Reds in 1916. . . . Baltimore Orioles P Ben McDonald (started six games as a 6-6 freshman forward for LSU in 1986-87) hurled a one-hit shutout against the Kansas City Royals in 1993.
19 - New York Mets SS Bill Almon (averaged 2.5 ppg in half a season for Brown's 1972-73 team ending school's streak of 12 straight losing records) had four hits and scored four runs in a 13-3 win against the Cincinnati Reds in 1980. . . . Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame C Rick Ferrell (played for Guilford, NC, in mid-1920s) hit a homer off his brother (Wes Ferrell of Cleveland Indians) in 1933. Wes, who whacked a round-tripper in the same inning (fourth), finished his career with 38 HRs in 548 games while Rick had 28 in 1,884 contests. . . . P Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman squad in 1953-54) started a second straight game for the last-place Los Angeles Dodgers in 1958. He was lifted after walking four batters in the first inning the previous day. . . . Chicago White Sox OF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling a 35-3 record) lashed a leadoff homer for the second straight game against the Kansas City Royals in 2002. . . . P Gary Peters (played for Grove City, PA, in mid-1950s) whacked a 13th-inning pinch-hit homer to give the Chicago White Sox a 3-2 win against the Kansas City Athletics in 1964. . . . OF Ted Savage (led Lincoln, MO, in scoring average in 1955-56) knocked in the game-winning run in the 11th inning as the Cincinnati Reds overcame a 9-0 deficit to edge the Houston Astros, 10-9, in 1969. . . . New York Giants P Hal Schumacher (played for St. Lawrence, NY, in early 1930s) hurled a 12-hit shutout against the Cincinnati Reds in 1934. . . . New York Yankees 1B-Of Norm Siebern (member of Southwest Missouri State's back-to-back NAIA Tournament titlists in 1952 and 1953) notched his second five-hit game of the month in 1958 (against the Kansas City Athletics). . . . New York Yankees 1B Bill "Moose" Skowron (scored 18 points in eight games for Purdue in 1949-50) stroked a decisive ninth-inning, bases-loaded double in the ninth inning after previously providing two homers in a 13-11 triumph against the Cleveland Indians in 1960.
18 - P Mike Adams (played for Texas A&M-Kingsville in 1996-97) traded by the Cleveland Indians to the San Diego Padres in 2006. . . . Philadelphia Phillies LF Ethan Allen (Cincinnati letterman in 1924-25 and 1925-26) had four hits and four RBI in a 9-8 loss against the Cincinnati Reds in 1934. The next year, he stroked three doubles in an 11-3 defeat against the Chicago Cubs. . . . Cincinnati Reds CF Frankie Baumholtz (MVP in 1941 NIT and first player in Ohio University history to score 1,000 career points) went 4-for-4 against the New York Giants in the opener of a 1948 doubleheader. . . . Brooklyn Dodgers P Ralph Branca (sixth-leading scorer for NYU in 1943-44) hurled a one-hitter in a 7-0 win against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1947. . . . Los Angeles Dodgers C-OF Joe Ferguson (member of Pacific's 1967 NCAA playoff team) broke up a no-hit bid by Luke Walker of the Pittsburgh Pirates with a ninth-inning homer in the nightcap of a 1971 twinbill. . . . St. Louis Cardinals 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham captain) hit two homers but they were in vain in an 8-7 setback against the New York Giants in 1930. . . . All-time hits leader Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds hit the only grand slam of his career with the homer yielded in 1964 by Philadelphia Phillies P Dallas Green (Delaware's second-leading scorer and rebounder in 1954-55). . . . OF Jim Lyttle (led Florida State in free-throw shooting in 1965-66 when he averaged 12.4 ppg) purchased from the Chicago White Sox by the Montreal Expos in 1975. . . . New York Giants P Christy Mathewson (played for Bucknell at turn of 20th Century) blanked the St. Louis Cardinals, 5-0, in the nightcap of a 1913 doubleheader but his record string of 68 walkless innings came to a halt. . . . OF Sam Mele (NYU's leading scorer in 1943 NCAA playoffs) managed the only hit for the Baltimore Orioles against Boston Red Sox P Russ Kemmerer in the opener of a 1954 doubleheader. . . . After speaking out against racial discrimination testifying in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee, Brooklyn Dodgers INF Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) scored twice, once on a steal of home in the sixth inning, in a 3-0 triumph against the Chicago Cubs in 1949. . . . St. Louis Cardinals 1B Bill White (played two years with Hiram, OH, in early 1950s) went 3-for-4 in each end of a twinbill sweep of the Chicago Cubs in 1961. White tied Ty Cobb's 49-year-old record of 14 hits in back-to-back doubleheaders.
17 - Cincinnati Reds LF Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading scorer in 1945-46) went 4-for-4 and threw out a runner at home plate in the ninth inning in a 9-8 victory against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1951. . . . 1B Tony Clark (San Diego State's leading scorer in WAC games in 1991-92) traded by the San Diego Padres to the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2008. . . . Legendary Babe Ruth drew his 2,000th career base on balls in 1934 at Cleveland off P Oral Hildebrand (All-American for Butler in 1928-29 and 1929-30). . . . In 1964, Baltimore Orioles P Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) hurled a 5-0 shutout against the Detroit Tigers despite yielding 11 hits. . . . Boston Red Sox 3B Billy Werber (first Duke All-American in 1929-30) became the first A.L. player to hit four consecutive doubles in one game (opener of 1935 doubleheader against the Cleveland Indians). . . . St. Louis Cardinals 1B Bill White (played two years with Hiram, OH, in early 1950s) went 8-for-10 in a twinbill sweep of the Chicago Cubs in 1961.
16 - Pittsburgh Pirates LF Clyde Barnhart (played for Shippensburg PA predecessor Cumberland Valley State Normal School prior to World War I) had four hits, including three doubles, against the Philadelphia Phillies in the opener of a 1927 doubleheader. . . . Chicago Cubs 2B Glenn Beckert (three-year basketball letterman for Allegheny, PA) stretched his hitting streak to 21 games with a decisive 12th-inning double in a 4-3 victory against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1968. . . . CF Harry Craft (four-sport letterman with Mississippi College in early 1930s) traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the New York Yankees in 1942 although he never played for the Yanks. . . . Detroit Tigers 1B Walt Dropo (Connecticut's first player ever to average 20 points for a season with 21.7 ppg in 1942-43) delivered two more hits, giving him an A.L. record-tying 15 safeties over a four-game span in 1952. . . . After 16 scoreless innings, New York Giants 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham captain) stroked a bases-loaded triple to ignite a 7-0 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1920. . . . Los Angeles Dodgers manager Davey Johnson (averaged 1.7 ppg with Texas A&M in 1961-62) hospitalized in 2000 after experiencing dizziness as a result of an irregular heartbeat.
15 - In 1939, a dispute4d home run down the LF foul line into the upper deck at the Polo Grounds by Cincinnati Reds CF Harry Craft (four-sport letterman with Mississippi College in early 1930s) hastened the advent of foul pole screens. . . . Detroit Tigers 1B Walt Dropo (Connecticut's first player ever to average 20 points for a season with 21.7 ppg in 1942-43) tied a MLB record with 12 consecutive hits before his streak was snapped in the nightcap of a doubleheader against the Washington Senators in 1952. . . . P George Earnshaw (Swarthmore, PA, basketball participant in 1922) traded by the Brooklyn Dodgers to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1936. . . . A line drive by Pittsburgh Pirates RF Roberto Clemente broke the leg of St. Louis Cardinals P Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer in 1955-56 and 1956-57). But Gibson returned from the injury to lead the Cards to the 1967 World Series championship. . . . New York Giants P Christy Mathewson (played for Bucknell at turn of 20th Century) hurled a no-hitter against St. Louis with a 5-0 win in 1901. Twelve years later, he used only 70 pitches to outduel Cincinnati Reds P Three Finger Brown, 4-2, extending Mathewson's streak of innings without issuing a walk to 61. . . . 1B Cotton Nash (three-time All-American averaged 22.7 ppg and 12.3 rpg in Kentucky career from 1961-62 through 1963-64) traded by the Chicago White Sox to the Minnesota Twins in 1969. . . . 1B-OF Norm Siebern (member of Southwest Missouri State's back-to-back NAIA Tournament titlists in 1952 and 1953) purchased from the San Francisco Giants by the Boston Red Sox in 1967. . . . In 1997, the Montreal Expos announced the retirement of closer Lee Smith (averaged 3.4 ppg and 1.9 rpg with Northwestern State in 1976-77).
14 - Cleveland Indians player-manager Lou Boudreau (leading scorer for Illinois' 1937 Big Ten Conference co-champion) banged out five extra-base hits - four doubles and a homer - but it wasn't enough to prevent an 11-10 defeat in the opening game of a 1946 doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox, which got three homers for eight RBI from Hall of Fame OF Ted Williams. . . . Detroit Tigers 1B Walt Dropo (Connecticut's first player ever to average 20 points for a season with 21.7 ppg in 1942-43) stroked five singles in an 8-2 win over the New York Yankees in 1952. . . . San Diego Padres Of Tony Gwynn (All-WAC second-team selection with San Diego State in 1979-80 and 1980-81) extended his hitting streak to 19 games with three safeties against the San Francisco Giants in 1977, raising his batting average to .402. . . . In a MLB first, Tom Haller (backup forward for Illinois in 1956-57 and 1957-58 under coach Harry Combes) was the Detroit Tigers' catcher in 1972 when his brother, Bill, umpired behind the plate. . . . Philadelphia Phillies P Robin Roberts (Michigan State's second-leading scorer in 1945-46 and 1946-47) started the 1953 All-Star Game as the N.L. beat the A.L., 5-1, at Cincinnati's Crosley Field. . . . New York Yankees 1B Bill "Moose" Skowron (scored 18 points in eight games for Purdue in 1949-50) socked his second pinch-hit grand slam of the 1957 season. . . . OF Dave Winfield (starting forward with Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) walloped two homers for the California Angels in an 8-7 triumph against the Toronto Blue Jays in 1990.
13 - Milwaukee Braves 1B Joe Adcock (Louisiana State's leading scorer in 1945-46) clobbered two homers, one a grand slam, in a 1956 doubleheader sweep of the Brooklyn Dodgers. . . . Chicago Cubs 2B Glenn Beckert (three-year basketball letterman for Allegheny, PA), stretching his hitting streak to 18 games, supplied a decisive single in the 11th inning in a 2-1 victory against the New York Mets in 1968. . . . In 1964, P Carl Bouldin (starting guard and co-captain for Cincinnati's 1961 NCAA champion) traded with 1B Bill "Moose" Skowron (scored 18 points in eight games for Purdue in 1949-50) by the Washington Senators to the Chicago White Sox for 1B Joe Cunningham and a player to be designated (P Frank Kreutzer). But Bouldin never pitched for the White Sox. . . . OF Hoot Evers (starter for Illinois in 1939-40) traded by the Baltimore Orioles to the Cleveland Indians in 1955. . . . P Andy Karl (Manhattan letterman from 1933 through 1935), the N.L. leader in appearances (67) and saves (15) in 1945, registered one of his saves in an 11-9 win for the Philadelphia Phillies against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the resumption of a previously-suspended contest. . . . Chicago Cubs rookie P Cal Koonce (standout for Campbell in 1960 and 1961 when the North Carolina-based school was a junior college) hurled a one-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds in 1962. . . . Montreal Expos OF Jim Lyttle (led Florida State in free-throw shooting in 1965-66 when he averaged 12.4 ppg) stroked a pinch-hit homer against the Atlanta Braves in 1973. . . . New York Giants P Christy Mathewson (played for Bucknell at turn of 20th Century) tossed an 11-hit shutout in a 4-0 verdict against the Cincinnati Reds in 1907. . . . San Diego Padres P Joe Niekro (averaged 8.9 ppg and 3.8 rpg for West Liberty, WV, from 1963-64 through 1965-66) outdueled his brother, Phil Niekro of the Atlanta Braves, 1-0, in 1969. . . . Boston Red Sox P Steve Renko (averaged 9.9 ppg and 5.8 rpg as a Kansas sophomore in 1963-64) had a no-hitter with one out in the ninth inning against the Oakland A's in 1979 before yielding a safety to Rickey Henderson. . . . New York Giants C Wes Westrum (played for Bemidji State, MN, one season before serving in military during WWII) whacked a grand slam against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1951.
12 - In the 1955 All-Star Game in Milwaukee, Braves P Gene Conley (All-Pacific Coast Conference first-team selection led the North Division in scoring in 1949-50 as a Washington State sophomore) struck out the side in the top of the 12th inning, earning the victory (6-5) when Stan Musial of the St. Louis Cardinals homered in the bottom of the frame. . . . In 1949, Cleveland Indians OF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA titlist) and Brooklyn Dodgers INF Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in PCC both of his season with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) are among the first four black players in an All-Star Game. . . . In 1905, Chicago's Three Fingered Brown hurled a two-hitter as he notched the first of nine consecutive victories over Hall of Fame New York Giants P Christy Mathewson (played basketball for Bucknell at turn of 20th Century). . . . Cleveland Indians 1B Ed Morgan (Tulane letterman from 1923-24 through 1925-26) had four hits against the Chicago White Sox in the opener of a 1931 doubleheader. . . . An eighth-inning single by Philadelphia Athletics 1B Dick Siebert (played for Concordia-St. Paul in 1929 and 1930) deprived Cleveland Indians P Bob Feller of a no-hitter in 1940. . . . P Matt Thornton (averaged 5.8 ppg and 2.4 rpg for Grand Valley State, MI, from 1995-96 through 1997-98) traded by the Chicago White Sox with cash to the Boston Red Sox in 2013. . . . San Diego Padres OF Will Venable (All-Ivy League first-team selection as a junior and second-team choice as a senior averaged 9.3 ppg under Princeton coach John Thompson III from 2001-02 through 2004-05) notched his first MLB four-hit game (against the San Francisco Giants in 2009).
11 - Chicago Cubs OF George Altman (appeared in 1953 and 1954 NAIA Tournament with Tennessee State) slugged an eight-inning, pinch-hit homer for the N.L. in the first of two All-Star Games in 1961. . . . Cleveland Indians OF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA titlist) and New York OF Mickey Mantle each propel blasts in the 500-foot range to the RF upper deck at Yankee Stadium in 1953. . . . OF Don Lock (led Wichita State in field-goal percentage in 1956-57 and 1957-58) traded by the New York Yankees to the Washington Senators for 1B Dale Long in 1962. . . . Detroit Tigers RF Jim Northrup (second-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder for Alma, MI, in 1958-59) batted leadoff in 1973 when he drove in eight runs in a 14-2 triumph over the Texas Rangers. . . . P Ray Rippelmeyer (led Southern Illinois in scoring and rebounding as a sophomore in 1952-53 before transferring and becoming a two-time All-MIAA first-team selection by pacing Southeast Missouri State in scoring in 1953-54 and 1954-55) returned by the Washington Senators to the Cincinnati Reds in 1962 (earlier rule 5 draft selection).
10 - Chicago White Sox 2B Jerry Adair (one of Oklahoma State's top three scorers in 1956-57 and 1957-58 while ranking among nation's top 12 free-throw shooters each season) stroked four hits against the Boston Red Sox in the nightcap of a 1966 doubleheader. . . . P Ralph Branca (sixth-leading scorer for NYU in 1943-44), hampered by an off-season pelvic injury, awarded on waivers from the Brooklyn Dodgers to the Detroit Tigers in 1953. . . . P Jim Hearn (Georgia Tech letterman in 1941-42) awarded on waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals to the New York Giants in 1950. Hearn goes on to lead the N.L. in shutouts (five) and ERA (2.49). . . . OF Jim Lyttle (led Florida State in free-throw shooting in 1965-66 when he averaged 12.4 ppg) purchased from the Kansas City Royals by the Montreal Expos in 1973. . . . New York Giants P Christy Mathewson (played basketball for Bucknell at turn of 20th Century) extended his streak of consecutive innings without a free pass to 52 but had his nine-game winning streak end with a 3-2 setback against the Chicago Cubs in 1913. . . . In 1970, Cincinnati Reds SS Woodie Woodward went yard off Atlanta Braves P Ron Reed (Notre Dame's leading rebounder in 1963-64 and 1964-65) for Woodward's only homer in a nine-year N.L. career (684 of 880 games/1,672 of 2,187 at-bats). . . . New York Giants P Hal Schumacher (played for St. Lawrence, NY, in early 1930s), supported by three hits from OF Hank Lieber (played for Arizona in 1931), won his 11th straight game with a 10-3 verdict over the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1935. . . . San Diego Padres P Chris Young (All-Ivy League first-team selection for Princeton in 1999-00) incurred the loss for the N.L. in the 2007 All-Star Game. He yielded the first inside-the-park homer in All-Star Game history (Ichiro Suzuki in fifth inning).
9 - Pittsburgh Pirates LF Clyde Barnhart (played for Shippensburg PA predecessor Cumberland Valley State Normal School prior to World War I) had four hits in a 12-3 win against the New York Giants in the opener of a 1925 doubleheader. . . . California Angels OF Billy Cowan (co-captain of Utah's 1960 NCAA playoff team) tied a MLB record in 1971 by fanning six times against the Oakland A's in the longest shutout in A.L. history (1-0 in 20 innings). . . . Brooklyn Dodgers P Roger Craig (forward with North Carolina State's 1949-50 freshman basketball team) relieved in the third inning and hurled 11 scoreless frames en route to a 4-3 win against the Milwaukee Braves in 1959. . . . INF Charlie Gelbert (scored at least 125 points each of his last three seasons with Lebanon Valley, PA, in late 1920s) awarded on waivers from the Cincinnati Reds to the Detroit Tigers in 1937. . . . SS Dick Groat (two-time All-American with Duke in 1950-51 and 1951-52 when finishing among the nation's top five scorers each season) was part of the St. Louis Cardinals' entire N.L. starting infield in the 1963 All-Star Game, including 1B Bill White (played two years with Hiram, OH, in early 1950s), 2B Julian Javier and 3B Ken Boyer. . . . New York Giants P Jim Hearn (Georgia Tech letterman in 1941-42) hit two homers at the Polo Grounds in a 10-2 victory against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1955. . . . Washington Senators 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) tied a MLB record with seven strikeouts in a doubleheader split with the Boston Red Sox in 1965. . . . Chicago White Sox P Ted Lyons (two-time All-SWC first-team selection for Baylor in early 1920s) blanked the Philadelphia Athletics, 7-0, in the opener of a 1932 twinbill, snapping Hall of Famer Lefty Grove's 11-game winning streak. . . . OF-1B Len Matuszek (starter for Toledo's 18-7 team in 1975-76) traded by the Toronto Blue Jays to the Los Angeles Dodgers for OF Al Oliver in 1985. . . . OF Lyle Mouton (starter in LSU's backcourt with All-American Chris Jackson for 1989 NCAA playoff team) traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the Cleveland Indians in 2003. . . . Atlanta Braves P Ron Reed (Notre Dame's leading rebounder in 1963-64 and 1964-65) got the first two outs in the ninth inning to help the N.L. blank the A.L., 1-0, in the 1968 All-Star Game at Houston's Astrodome. . . . P Tim Stoddard (starting forward opposite All-American David Thompson for North Carolina State's 1974 NCAA champion) traded by the San Diego Padres to the New York Yankees for P Ed Whitson in 1986.
8 - St. Louis Cardinals C Ferrell Anderson (Kansas letterman in 1936-37 and 1937-38) had 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) had four hits against the Milwaukee Braves in 1953. . . . Seattle Mariners P 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. . . . Boston Braves SS Alvin Dark (letterman for LSU and USL during World War II) carried off the field on a stretcher after being knocked unconscious by a thrown ball in 1949. . . . OF Monte Irvin (played basketball for Lincoln, PA, 1 1/2 years in late 1930s) hit 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 P Jim Hearn (Georgia Tech letterman in 1941-42) failed in a bid to win his 13th straight against the Bucs. . . . 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 P Claude Passeau (played for Millsaps, MS, in late 1920s and early 1930s) yielded a three-run lhomer 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. . . . Cincinnati Reds P Eppa Rixey (Virginia 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. . . . New York Giants C Wes Westrum (played for Bemidji State, MN, one season before serving in military during WWII) and teammate Daryl Spencer twice hit back-to-back homers in an 11-1 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1956.
7 - P Mike Adams (played for Texas A&M-Kingsville in 1996-97) awarded on waivers from the New York Mets to the Cleveland Indians in 2006. . . . St. Louis Browns C Benny Bengough (Niagara letterman from 1916-17 through 1918-19) had four hits in an 8-2 win against the Boston Red Sox in 1932. . . . Detroit Tigers OF Hoot Evers (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. . . . Philadelphia Phillies OF Gary Redus (J.C. player for Athens, AL, and father of Centenary/South Alabama hoopster) ripped two homers in a 7-3 triumph over the Atlanta Braves in 1986. . . . P Preacher Roe (played for Harding, AR, 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. . . . P Tom Zachary (Guilford, NC, letterman in 1916) traded by the St. Louis Browns to the Washington Senators in 1927.
6 - San Diego Padres P Mike Adams (played for Texas A&M-Kingsville in 1996-97) fanned the side against the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2008, triggering a streak of 12 consecutive relief appearances without yielding a run. . . . Pittsburgh Pirates P Jim Bibby (Fayetteville State, NC, backup player 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. . . . Cleveland Indians SS Lou Boudreau (leading scorer for Illinois' 1937 Big Ten Conference co-champion) hit a first-inning homer to help the A.L. defeat the N.L., 3-1, in the 1942 All-Star Game. . . . CF Taylor Douthit (California 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. . . . California Angels P Ed Halicki (NAIA All-American third-team choice in 1971-72 when he led Monmouth in scoring with 21 ppg after setting a school single-game rebounding record with 40 the previous season) hurled a two-hit shutout against the Milwaukee Brewers in 1980 (infield single in first inning and bloop double in ninth). . . . Mike Hargrove (Northwestern Oklahoma State letterman) replaced John McNamara as Cleveland Indians manager in 1991. . . . In his first MLB start, Brooklyn Dodgers P Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman 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.
5 - Cleveland Indians OF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA titlist) became the first African-American player in the A.L., striking out as a pinch-hitter against the Chicago White Sox in 1947. . . . St. Louis Cardinals 2B Frankie Frisch (Fordham captain) tied a N.L. record with 16 chances in a 6-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds in 1930. . . . Detroit Tigers SS Harvey Kuenn (played five 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. . . . Philadelphia Athletics P Pete Naktenis (Duke letterman in 1934-35), yielding 10 earned runs in first 1 2/3 innings, lost his lone MLB decision (16-2 rout by the Boston Red Sox in the opener of a 1936 doubleheader). . . . New York Yankees CF Irv Noren (player of the year For California junior 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 doubleheader. . . . In 1953, Philadelphia Phillies P 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. . . . 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.
4 - Cleveland Indians 2B Bosey Berger (Maryland's first All-American led Southern Conference in scoring in league play in 1930-31) had four hits against the Detroit Tigers in the opener of a 1935 doubleheader. . . . 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. . . . 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 the Milwaukee Braves in 1957. . . . New York Giants SS Alvin Dark (letterman for LSU and USL during World War II) hit a homer in each end of a 1950 doubleheader split with the Brooklyn Dodgers. . . . P Bob Garibaldi (starting forward for Santa Clara in 1961-62 when he averaged 10.6 ppg and 5.6 rpg) signed with the San Francisco Giants for a $150,000 bonus in 1962 after being named College World Series Most Outstanding Player. . . . Chicago Cubs OF Hank Lieber (played for Arizona in 1931) clobbered three homers against the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a 1939 twin bill. . . . Cleveland Indians rookie CF Ed Morgan (Tulane letterman from 1923-24 through 1925-26), raising his batting average to .378, had four hits against the Detroit Tigers in the opener of a 1928 twinbill. . . . 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. . . . Preacher Roe (played for Harding, AR, in late 1930s) and Ralph Branca (sixth-leading scorer for NYU in 1943-44) are the winning pitchers as the Brooklyn Dodgers sweep a 1951 doubleheader against the New York Giants. . . . 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 pitcher in MLB history to lead two different clubs in saves in the same season (23 with the Reds and 25 with the Dodgers). . . . Boston Red Sox 3B Jim Tabor (Alabama letterman in 1936-37) socked four homers in a 1939 doubleheader against the Philadelphia Athletics, collecting 19 total bases and 11 RBI. Three of his round-trippers came in the nightcap, including a record-tying two grand slams in back-to-back innings.
3 - Kansas City Athletics LF Bob Cerv (ranked fourth on Nebraska's career scoring list in 1949-50 when finishing his career) hit 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 titlist). Doby broke the A.L. color barrier in 1947. . . . P Roger Mason (multiple-year letterman for Saginaw Valley State, MI, in late 1970s) traded by the San Diego Padres to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1993. . . . 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 a season when he scored 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.
2 - Detroit Tigers rookie 1B Dale Alexander (starting 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 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 (letterman for Holy Cross in 1908) purchased from the Philadelphia Athletics by the Boston Red Sox in 1915. . . . OF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA titlist) signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians in 1947. . . . OF 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), OF 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. . . . Detroit Tigers P Joe Niekro (played for West Liberty WV in mid-1960s) 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, he posted his 200th career victory when the Houston Astros edged the San Diego Padres. . . . New York Giants P Roy Parmelee (letterman for Eastern Michigan in 1924-25 and 1925-26) tossed a 1-0 shutout to beat the St. Louis Cardinals' Dizzy Dean in the nightcap of a 1933 doubleheader. Teammate Carl Hubbell hurled an 18-inning whitewash for the Giants in the opener. . . . In 1983, OF Gary Redus (J.C. player for Athens, AL, and father of Centenary/South Alabama performer) ripped a leadoff homer for the second consecutive game against the Atlanta Braves.
1 - In 1943, Chicago White Sox OF Guy Curtright (two-time All-MIAA selection led Northeast Missouri State in scoring each of his 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. . . . Cleveland Indians OF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA titlist) walked five times in a 19-inning, 4-3 victory over the St. Louis Browns in 1952. . . . C-OF Joe Ferguson (member of Pacific's 1967 NCAA playoff team) traded by the Houston Astros with cash to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1978. . . . Washington Senators CF Irvin Noren (player of the year for California junior 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. . . . P Elmer Ponder (Oklahoma letterman in 1914 and 1916) traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Chicago Cubs in 1921. . . . P 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.

MLB achievements/highlights in June by former college basketball players

MLB achievements/highlights in May by former college basketball players

MLB achievements/highlights in April by former college basketball players

What were they thinking? They must not have taken a college course in deductive reasoning. Vander Blue (left Marquette with eligibility remaining), Myck Kabongo (Texas), C.J. Leslie (North Carolina State), Marshawn Powell (Arkansas), Phil Pressey (Missouri), Adonis Thomas (Memphis) and B.J. Young (Arkansas) - potential All-Americans if they returned to school - were not among the chosen few in this year's NBA draft. Of course, the NBA is a difficult nut to crack. Even if they became All-Americans, there were no guarantees any of them would have been selected in 2014.

The NBA draft was reduced to seven rounds in 1985, three rounds in 1988 and to its present two rounds in 1989. Centers Bill Spivey of Kentucky and Sherman White of LIU, All-Americans in the early 1950s, went undrafted by the NBA allegedly because of possible repercussions stemming from a game-fixing scandal. A total of 21 All-Americans, including five in 2011, have gone undrafted by the NBA thus far in the 21st Century.

Three years ago, Sherron Collins (Kansas) and Scottie Reynolds (Villanova) became the initial NCAA consensus first-team All-Americans not to be selected in the NBA draft. Ohio State junior forward DeShaun Thomas (picked 58th overall by the San Antonio Spurs) narrowly avoided joining the following alphabetical list of All-Americans who weren't selected in the NBA draft:

*NCAA consensus first-team All-American.
**NCAA consensus second-team All-American.
NOTE: Bell, Booker, Collins, Hansbrough, Haslem, Jennings, Jones, Lucas, McNeal, Ray, Sanchez and Smith went on to play in the NBA after signing as free agents. Pratt played in the ABA.

Been there; done that! It wasn't a first for coach Jim Crews when he guided Saint Louis (28-7) to a school record for most victories in a single season. In 1988-89, Crews set Evansville's existing Division I mark (25-6). Oddly, that was the same year when Anthony Bonner-led SLU set its previous standard. It was also the same campaign when Crews' predecessor, Rick Majerus, guided another school in Indiana (Ball State) to an all-time best worksheet (29-3).

Schools setting or tying records for most triumphs in a single Division I season last year included Louisville (35-5/coached by Rick Pitino), Gonzaga (32-3/Mark Few), Weber State (30-7/Randy Rahe), Wichita State (30-9/Gregg Marshall), Miami FL (29-7/Jim Larranaga), Bucknell (28-6/David Paulsen), Middle Tennessee State (28-6/Kermit Davis), Saint Louis (28-7/Jim Crews), Saint Mary's (28-7/Randy Bennett), Stephen F. Austin State (27-5/Danny Kaspar), Mississippi (27-9/Andy Kennedy), Southern Mississippi (27-10/Donnie Tyndall), Akron (26-7/Keith Dambrot), Valparaiso (26-8/Bryce Drew), Colorado State (26-9/Larry Eustachy), Florida Gulf Coast (26-11/Andy Enfield), Stony Brook (25-8/Steve Pikiell), Eastern Kentucky (25-10/Jeff Neubauer), Albany (24-11/Will Brown), East Carolina (23-12/Jeff Lebo), Wright State (23-13/Billy Donlon), North Carolina Central (22-9/LeVelle Moton), Western Illinois (22-9/Jim Molinari), Elon (21-12/Matt Matheny), Bryant (19-12/Tim O'Shea) and NJIT (16-13/Jim Engles).

After Miami achieved the feat, fellow power league members Colorado, Georgia, Northwestern and Southern California still need to win as many as 25 games in a single season. Although schedules include significantly more games than several decades ago, seven Pac-12 Conference members are among the 15 power league members who first set their existing single-season record for victories before the NCAA playoffs expanded to at least 32 teams in 1975. Following is a school-by-school look at the scoring and rebounding leaders for teams when they posted a school's winningest season at the DI level: