Preston: Playing in the College World Series and MLB World Series in the same year

From SABR member J.G. Preston at The J.G. Preston Experience on October 20, 2014:

I’m writing this on the eve of the 2014 World Series, and there’s talk about how Kansas City relief pitcher Brandon Finnegan could become the first player ever to appear in both the NCAA College World Series and major league World Series in the same year. (Finnegan pitched for TCU before signing with the Royals after being selected in the first round of the amateur draft.)

But this unusual combination could have been pulled off more than 50 years ago…by a pitcher who never won a game in the majors. And unlike Finnegan, he went directly from campus to the big leagues.

Bob Garibaldi was named most valuable player of the 1962 College World Series, even though he was the losing pitcher in the championship game; in fact, he was the losing pitcher in both games his Santa Clara Broncos lost in the double-elimination tournament. But his performance in the event was remarkable then, unthinkable today.

Read the full article here: http://prestonjg.wordpress.com/2014/10/20/playing-in-the-college-world-series-and-major-league-world-series-could-have-happened-in-1962/



Originally published: October 22, 2014. Last Updated: October 22, 2014.