Cross Balls

I just noticed a new feature at Baseball-Reference.com: lists of baseball players by the colleges they attended. My alma mater, Holy Cross, is well represented with 77 major league players, albeit the great bulk of them real old-timers, and the last guy (former Twins pitcher Mike Pazik) retiring in 1977. Notables include 19th century star Cubs outfielder Jimmy Ryan; Lou Sockalexis, the Native American supposed namesake of the Cleveland Indians (who was kicked out of HC for drinking – I guess the place was rather different then); Andy Coakley, a successful pitcher for Connie Mack’s pennant-winning 1905 A’s; Jack Barry, the shortstop in Mack’s “$100,000 Infield,” who later coached baseball at the Cross for decades; “Jumpin’ Joe” Dugan, the third baseman for the 1927 Yankees; Rosy Ryan, a starting pitcher for the Giants when they won four pennants and two World Series between 1921 and 1924; and Mike Hegan, a journeyman catcher who played for the 1964 Yankees, 1969 Seattle Pilots, and 1972-73 A’s.
Not a bad crew. Barry or Jimmy Ryan was probably the best player of the bunch.

4 thoughts on “Cross Balls”

Yeah, but we’ve got Lou Gehrig and Eddie Collins! How’s that for an infield?
A little short on pitching, though.

You may also want to note that Fitton Field was where Ted Williams hit his first HR as a pro. It was an exhibition with the Red Sox taking on the Crusaders prior to opening day.

We’ve got Robin Ventura and Pete Incaviglia who, although they didn’t have stellar MLB careers (Ventura obviously more than Inky), are two of the greatest college players of all time. (voted 3rd and 1st, respectively, as the College Baseball Players of the Century by Baseball America)

Thanks for pointing this out. I am a fellow HC grad and I’m finding it hard to believe that HC appears to have far more alums than any other school. Can that be true, or am I missing something?

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