2 sports quiz

[statman]

who is the only athletes to hit a home run and sink an nba free throw?

[tomteevee]

Danny Ainge hit two home runs in 1979 while playing for the Toronto Blue Jays . . . and I think it's safe to assume that he made a few free throws while playing for the Celtics and others.

Good question.

[yellowdog]

...and assuming he made a free throw while playing for the Celtics, Gene Conley would be another one.

[Ferdinand Cesarano]

Because the standard is "hitting a homer", and not merely "playing in the Majors", Dave DeBusschere does not make the list. DeBusschere had one hit (a single) in 24 AB in 36 games as a White Sox pitcher in 1962 and 1963.

Now, if the question had been "who is the only athlete to picth a shutout and sink an NBA free throw", then DeBusschere would have been on that list. One of his 3 career victories was a 6-hit shutout of the Cleveland Indians 8/13/63 (http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B08130CHA1963.htm), in which he bested Mudcat Grant.

[Sports Fan 07]

Add Gene Conley to the list.

[statman]

wow can't get anything past you guys and my family says i eat and sleep baseball.

[bobkeaney]

Who hit a home run and also an NBA free throw?
Dick Groat, Pittsburgh Pirates and Pistons! He has not been mentioned yet.
Gene Conley and Danny Ainge, both Celtics, also did it as Baseball Fever fans said. Nice question!!!!

[bobkeaney]

Does any one know where Ainge hit those 2 career home runs?

[Trivia Guy]

Does any one know where Ainge hit those 2 career home runs?

From the player directory of the SABR web site they were both in the Kingdome................

06/02/1979 --- Joe Decker, Top 7; 0 outs; Bases Empty; Kingdome

08/21/1979 --- John Montague Top 7; 0 outs; Bases Empty; Kingdome

[Utter Chaos]

Mark Hendrickson hit a home run on 6/21/2003 off Sun-Woo Kim. He also made 110 free throws for Philadelphia, Sacramento, New Jersey and Cleveland. And for what's its worth he's pitched 2 shutouts.

[Utter Chaos]

Although it's not the NBA here are two others.

Frank Baumholtz hit 25 homers and made 121 free throws in the BAA.
Chuck Connors hit 2 homers and made 41 free throws in the BAA.

Also, Ron Reed is another that made a free throw and pitched a shutout (8 of them) but in 620 at bats and never went yard.

[bobkeaney]

Thanks For Thedanny Ainge Answers. Great.

Also......chuck Connors Qualifies Because He Played For Celtics In The Nba.

[RuthMayBond]

I believe Bucky Harris and Harry Riconda played some level of pro basketball

[Utter Chaos]

Also......chuck Connors Qualifies Because He Played For Celtics In The Nba.He did play for the Celtics but technically the NBA didn't start until the 1949-50 season. It was known as the BAA for three seasons before that. Connors last season was 1947-48.

[RuthMayBond]

From the player directory of the SABR web site they were both in the Kingdome................

06/02/1979 --- Joe Decker, Top 7; 0 outs; Bases Empty; Kingdome

08/21/1979 --- John Montague Top 7; 0 outs; Bases Empty; KingdomeOr, if you prefer

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1979/Iaingd1010011979.htm

[Sports Fan 07]

He did play for the Celtics but technically the NBA didn't start until the 1949-50 season. It was known as the BAA for three seasons before that. Connors last season was 1947-48.

It was called the B.A.A. then but the 1946-47 season is the official start of the NBA. You can verify this by looking at NBA.com, The Sporting News Official NBA Guide (2006-2007 version), and "The Official NBA Encyclopedia." So Chuck Connors indeed is on the list. In fact, The Official NBA Guide from TSN doesn't even mention the name BAA when detailing the first NBA season in 1946-47. Great book by the way, tons of info.

Add Howie Schultz to the list of guys who made a free throw in and NBA game and hit a MLB home run.

If you expand it out to "professional basketball" there would be several more names, including Lou Boudreau. In fact, that would be a fair way to do it since it's not the fault of these players that NBA hadn't started yet.

[redsox07]

Jim thorpe played both pro baseball and pro basketball but not in the nba