Sharman was an All
America basketball star at Southern California and played 11 years
in the NBA, sharing the Boston Celtics' backcourt with Bob Cousy. He averaged 17.8
points for his career. In 1975 he was elected to the National Basketball Hall of
Fame. The Dodgers signed him as an outfielder in 1950. He hit .292 for St. Paul (American
Association) in 1952 and .294 for the same club in 1955. Brought up by Brooklyn in
September 1955, he became the only man to be thrown out of a ML game without ever
playing in one, when one day the whole bench was ejected by the umpire. When the
Dodgers did not offer him a ML contract, he quit baseball to concentrate on basketball.
(MC)
FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»September 27, 1951:
Trying for his 23rd win, Preacher Roe loses just his 3rd game, 4–3, to Chet Nichols and the Braves. The Dodgers now lead New York by 1/2 game. Future Hall of Fame basketball player Bill Sharman becomes the only man in history to be thrown out of a ML baseball game without ever having played in one. With the score tied at 3-3 in the 8th inning, umpire Frank Dascoli clears the entire Brooklyn bench after a home plate call by him results in a violent protest. Sharman, up from St. Paul (AA) at the end of the season, is one of the players thrown out. Dascoli's safe call at home on Bob Addis's score results in the winning run.
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