Rollie Sheldon played at UConn in 1960 before teaming up with Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris.
As reported by the Hartford Courant on Tuesday, former University of Connecticut baseball star Rollie Sheldon died on Aug. 31 at the age of 89 years old. As noted by an online obituary, Sheldon spent one semester at Texas A&M before enrolling at UConn. He played both basketball and baseball for the Huskies.
After leaving UConn in 1960, he signed a professional contract with the New York Yankees. A right-handed pitcher, Sheldon went 38-36 for his career with a 4.09 ERA. He appeared in 160 games (101 starts), helping the Yankees win the World Series in both 1961 and 1962. He won a career-high 11 games in 1961, also teaming up with Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle during their famed home run chase that season.
Beyond his time with the Yankees, Sheldon also pitched for the Kansas City Athletics and the Boston Red Sox. He won 10 games in 1965 with the Yankees and A's combined.
Sheldon was a native of Putnam, Conn. Prior to becoming a college athlete and a professional baseball player, he served in the Air Force, getting stationed in Germany. He received an Honorable Discharge in 1958.
Elsewhere in UConn athletics
--The UConn football team rolled to a 56-7 win over Lafayette on Saturday afternoon, but the test will get much bigger this Saturday when the Huskies host Maryland of the Big Ten. The Terrapins won just four games a year ago, but dominated Hampton in their season opener on Saturday as well.
Head coach Jason Candle spoke about the team's performance in Week 1 on Monday, while also discussing the preparation taking place for Week 2. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET.
--The UConn men's basketball team completed a recruiting visit with 2027 standout NaVorro Bowman Jr. over the weekend. Bowman, the son of former San Francisco 49ers linebacker NaVorro Bowman Sr., won a gold medal with Team USA at the U17 FIBA World Cup. He's a guard, and we discussed how he could fit in with the Huskies here. He'll also visit Arizona, Texas and Illinois this fall.
--Speaking of Team USA, the women's national team earned a third straight victory at the FIBA World Cup on Monday, defeating Czechia. Three former Huskies: Napheesa Collier, Breanna Stewart, and Paige Bueckers all play integral roles in the roster, and the team was put together by former UConn standout Sue Bird, who has a prominent role with USA basketball.
