Hall Of Fame Tabs Larkin, Rickey

The College Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2009 was announced today. Amongst those honored by the College Baseball Foundation are two men with University of Michigan ties -- Branch Rickey and Barry Larkin. Rickey, who is also a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, coached Michigan 1910-13. Larkin, who would also appear destined for enshrinement in Cooperstown, was a star shortstop for the Wolverines from 1983-85.

The two Michigan legends will join Joe Carter (Wichita State), Darren Dreifort (Wichita State), Kirk Dressendorfer (Texas), Gordie Gillespie (Lewis/St. Francis), Keith Moreland (Texas), Rafael Palmeiro (Mississippi State), Ron Polk (Georgia Southern/Mississippi State/Georgia) and Todd Walker (Louisiana State) as members of the fourth-ever Hall of Fame class.

OSU's Arlin Elected To Hall

Earlier today, the College Baseball Foundation announced the College Baseball Hall of Fame Class for 2008. Ohio State pitcher Steve Arlin is amongst the twelve men elected. Arlin pitched OSU to back-to-back College World Series trips and captured the NCAA title in 1966. Arlin's CWS performances were the stuff of legend. In '65, Arlin fanned 20 Washington State hitters in a fifteen inning affair that the Buckeyes won, 1-0. Arlin beat USC twice in the '66 CWS and pitched in five of the team's six Omaha appearances. His two year career mark in Columbus was 24-3. (For more on Arlin, here's the official OSU press release.)

Eleven other former college baseball stars join Arlin in the Class of 2008. Owen Carroll (Holy Cross/Seton Hall), William J. "Billy" Disch (Sacred Heart, St. Edward's and Texas), Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson (Pasadena JC, UCLA), Eddie Bane (Arizona State), Floyd Bannister (Arizona State), Neal Heaton (Miami, FL), Burt Hooton (Texas), Dick Howser (Florida State), Ben McDonald (LSU), Greg Swindell (Texas) and Gary Ward (Oklahoma State, New Mexico State).