Obscure sports trivia

Chico Carrasquel, 1951 White Sox, was the first Latin player to be selected to an all-star team.

 

Who was the first MLB pitcher to lead both leagues in ERA (in different seasons)?

 

Wild guess: Fergie Jenkins?

 

No, not Fergie. Clemens and Pedro Martinez also did it, but after this guy.

 

I peeked ... the answer's getable, but you've got to go back aways.

Fergie actually led both leagues in wins during his career -- maybe that's why I guessed him (I didn't know that until looking it up, either).

 

It's been a couple days, so I'll answer. Hoyt Wilhelm, with the Giants in 1952 and with the Orioles in 1959.

 

Name the first (and to my knowledge the only) NBA first-round draft choice who never started a game in college. Micropolitan guy will probably bang this one out quickly.
The guy's a fascinating story in several different ways.

 

Sven Nater?

 

Right on! Swen.
Bill Walton has spoken highly of him on multiple occasions.

 

I only knew that from following UCLA basketball back in the day.

 

EDIT: Still have a Topps NBA card of a Steve Patterson-Cleveland Cavaliers. IIRC, he backed up Walton at UCLA, as well.

 

Mark Eaton another interesting story from UCLA

From Wiki:
As a senior at Westminster High School in Orange County, he stood 6 feet 11 inches (2.11 m) and weighed 175 pounds (79 kg) but was uncoordinated, not very muscular, and relegated to a backup role on the basketball team.

After graduating from high school in 1975, Eaton attended the Arizona Automotive Institute in Glendale and graduated as an automotive service technician. He returned to Orange County and worked as an auto mechanic, making $20,000 a year, when he was eventually discovered by Tom Lubin while repairing cars in Anaheim in April 1977. Lubin, a chemistry professor, was an assistant basketball coach at Cypress College. He had previously discovered Swen Nater, who did not play in high school but went on to a long, pro career. Lubin's encouragement led Eaton to enroll at the community college in 1978 and try out for its basketball team.

After his freshman year at Cypress, Eaton was selected by the Phoenix Suns in the fifth round of the 1979 NBA draft with the 107th pick. He was eligible to be drafted because he was already four years removed from high school. However, he opted to return to college basketball. Eaton developed into a solid junior college player. He averaged 14.3 points per game in two seasons at Cypress, and led the school to the California junior college title as a sophomore in 1980.

Eaton transferred to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1980, but did not see much action in his two seasons with the Bruins. He played sparingly under head coach Larry Brown in 1980–81. The tallest players in the starting lineup were Darren Daye and Cliff Pruitt at 6 feet 7 inches (2.01 m), but Eaton was too slow for the team's fast-paced offense. In Eaton's senior year in 1981–82, new coach Larry Farmer vowed to give him a shot to start, but heralded freshman Stuart Gray got the nod instead. Eaton played just 41 total minutes that season, averaging 1.3 points and 2.0 rebounds in 11 games Farmer did not play him at all towards the end of the season and did not allow him to travel with the team on their last road trip to Oregon and Oregon State.