Buzz
Baseball is often hailed as a game for the intellectually adept. Yogi Berra famously remarked that America's beloved sport is 90 percent mental and the other half physical. If anyone could decipher such a paradoxical statement, it would surely be one of these remarkable players.
C "“ Moe Berg
Moe Berg, a Princeton graduate with magna cum laude honors and a Columbia law degree, was a light-hitting catcher with an enigmatic persona. Known as a lifetime .243 hitter, Berg was fluent in 10 languages but struggled to make an impact at the plate. His career spanned 15 years, during which he hit only six home runs, earning him the label "good field, no hit." His intriguing life inspired Nicholas Dawidoff's book, The Catcher Was a Spy: The Mysterious Life of Moe Berg, which detailed his dual careers as a baseball player and a spy. After retiring from baseball, Berg joined the Office of Inter-American Affairs, where he analyzed footage of Tokyo's skyline he had captured during a 1934 All-Star tour of Japan. In 1943, he became part of the Office of Strategic Services and was tasked with attending a lecture by physicist Werner Heisenberg in Germany. Berg had orders to assassinate Heisenberg if there was any hint that Germany was nearing atomic bomb development, but no such evidence emerged. Berg, who passed away in 1972, once declined an autobiography deal after his editor confused him with Moe Howard of the Three Stooges.
1B "“ Lou Gehrig
On the day Yankee Stadium debuted in 1923, Lou Gehrig, a Columbia pitcher, set a school record by striking out 17 Williams batters at South Field. Among the spectators was Yankees scout Paul Krichell, who was more impressed by Gehrig's hitting prowess than his pitching. Krichell signed Gehrig to a professional contract shortly after. Although Gehrig never pitched for the Yankees, he became a legendary first baseman. His streak of 2,130 consecutive games ended in 1939 when he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), now known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. He passed away two years later. Gehrig, nicknamed the "Iron Horse," was a two-time MVP, won the 1934 Triple Crown, and retired with a .340 career batting average.
2B "“ Eddie Collins
Eddie Collins, a standout baseball player and quarterback at Columbia, is regarded as one of the finest second basemen in history. After his junior year, he joined a semi-pro league under the alias "Eddie Sullivan" to preserve his college eligibility. However, the Philadelphia Athletics signed him, and after six pro games, he lost his senior-year eligibility. Collins chose to stay at Columbia to complete his degree while coaching. His patience paid off, as he later helped the Athletics win World Series titles in 1910, 1911, and 1913 before being traded to the White Sox in 1915. Post-retirement, he served as the Boston Red Sox's general manager from 1933 to 1947 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1939. Collins is the only player to have spent at least 12 seasons with two different teams. Jack Cavanaugh once noted, "They called Collins 'Cocky,' not out of arrogance, but because his confidence stemmed from his exceptional talent."
SS "“ Bill Almon
Almon made history as the first Ivy League athlete to be chosen first overall in a professional draft, selected by the San Diego Padres in 1974. After a standout career at Brown, where he was named The Sporting News Player of the Year for hitting .350 with 10 home runs, 31 RBI, and 20 stolen bases, Almon entered the majors with high expectations. Although he didn't fully meet the hype, he carved out a solid 15-year career as a versatile utility player for seven teams. His peak came during the strike-shortened 1981 season, when he batted .301 for the White Sox.
3B "“ Red Rolfe
After graduating from Dartmouth in 1931, Rolfe joined Lou Gehrig in the Yankees' infield, known for its intellect and hitting prowess. While not a power hitter, Rolfe relied on speed and consistency, retiring with a .289 average over 10 seasons. Post-retirement, he coached baseball and basketball at Yale before becoming the Detroit Tigers' farm system director. Rolfe managed the Tigers from 1949, leading them to a 95-win season in 1950, but was fired in 1952. He later served as Dartmouth's athletic director from 1954 to 1967, and the school's baseball field now bears his name. Rolfe passed away in 1969.
OF "“ Doug Glanville
Glanville capped his Penn career with a .414 batting average, six home runs, and 15 stolen bases, leading the Chicago Cubs to draft him 12th overall in 1991. Over his major league career, he played for three teams, amassing 1,100 hits and 168 stolen bases before retiring in 2005. Known for his defensive skills, Glanville's best offensive year was 1999, when he hit .325 and ranked second in the National League with 204 hits for the Philadelphia Phillies. Post-retirement, he writes guest columns for the New York Times and serves as president of GK Alliance, a firm supporting startups with intellectual capital.
OF "“ Fernando Perez
Perez, a Columbia graduate in creative writing and American studies, was picked by the Tampa Bay Rays in the seventh round of the 2004 draft. Known for his exceptional speed, Perez debuted in the majors on August 31, 2008, and recorded a single in his first at-bat. Shortly after, he hit his first MLB home run at Yankee Stadium, witnessed by friends and family. His speed proved crucial in the postseason, as he scored the winning run in Game 2 of the ALCS against Boston after tagging up on a shallow fly. Perez, who maintained a journal for MiLB.com in 2007, continues to write short stories and personal essays in his free time.
OF "“ Gene Larkin
Larkin, an economics major at Columbia, surpassed many of Gehrig's records before being drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 20th round of the 1984 draft. He joined the Twins' roster in 1987 and contributed to their first World Series victory that year. In 1991, Larkin delivered the game-winning single in Game 7 of the World Series, securing a 1-0 win over the Braves. He was among seven players who were part of both championship teams. Paul Fernandes, Larkin's former Columbia coach, described the moment as deeply emotional, likening it to watching his own child achieve greatness.
UTL "“ Mark DeRosa
DeRosa, a graduate of the Wharton School of Business, brings a sharp decision-making mindset to the field. In 1996, he faced a choice: sign with the Braves, who drafted him in the seventh round, or return to Penn, where he excelled as a two-sport athlete and an All-Ivy League quarterback. The New Jersey native chose to sign and recently completed his best season, hitting 21 home runs and driving in 87 runs for the NL Central champion Chicago Cubs. Former teammate Reed Johnson told the New York Times that DeRosa, despite his Ivy League background, fits seamlessly into the clubhouse. Johnson joked, "He said to me, 'What, did you think I was a geeky, sweater-tied-around-my-neck Ivy League guy?'" DeRosa was traded to Cleveland in the offseason.
SP "“ Ron Darling
Darling, who studied French and Southeast Asian history at Yale, had a remarkable college baseball career, including an 11-inning no-hitter that ended in a 1-0 loss to St. John's. Drafted in the first round by the Texas Rangers in 1981, he was later traded to the New York Mets. Darling played a pivotal role in the Mets' 1986 World Series victory, winning 15 games and finishing fifth in Cy Young voting. In a Sports Illustrated interview, he once mentioned envisioning himself as a professor. After retiring with 136 career wins in 1995, Darling transitioned to a successful broadcasting career.
RP "“ Mike Remlinger
Remlinger, a standout at Dartmouth, led the NCAA with a 1.59 ERA in 1986 but finished with a 7-7 record due to poor run support. Drafted 16th overall by the San Francisco Giants in 1987, he enjoyed a 14-year MLB career, appearing in 639 games, mostly as a reliever. Unusually effective against right-handed hitters, Remlinger retired in 2006 after missing part of the previous season due to a freak injury—a fractured pinky caused by a recliner mishap in the Cubs' clubhouse.
Future Major Leaguer? "“ Shawn Haviland
If Shawn Haviland isn't a name you recognize, you're not alone. The Harvard alum was picked by the Oakland Athletics in the 33rd round of the 2008 draft and impressed with 61 strikeouts in 54 innings for the Vancouver Canadians, Oakland's Class A team. As he aims to join the ranks of Harvard graduates like Jeff Musselman, Mike Stenhouse, and Peter Varney in the majors, you can follow his journey through his blog.
