Celebrating 150: MLB Success

Truman is known for its academics, but the University does have an interesting, albeit fleeting, history with America’s pastime. A total of nine Bulldogs were either drafted by Major League Baseball teams or signed as free agents, and four alumni have played at the sport’s highest level.
 
Al Nipper is the name most Bulldog baseball fans might remember best. His seven-year career was spent mostly with the Boston Red Sox. He played in the famed 1986 World Series against the New York Mets, starting game four and taking the loss after giving up three runs on seven hits.
 
The ’86 series nearly saw a pair of Bulldogs take the field. Alumnus Bruce Berenyi started that season with the Mets but made his final MLB appearance in July. It was the last of his seven years in the majors. The Cincinnati Reds selected Berenyi in the first round of the 1976 MLB draft, and he was the third selection overall. That is the same spot the San Diego Padres took fellow pitcher and alumnus Dave Wehrmeister in the 1973 draft.
 
Guy Curtright was the first University alumnus to make it to the show. He played for the Chicago White Sox from 1943-46 logging a career batting average of .276 with nine home runs and 108 RBIs.