California University of Pennsylvania Baseball Players Who Made it to the Major Leagues

Baseball Almanac is pleased to present a comprehensive chart of every California University of Pennsylvania alumnus who played baseball at the California University of Pennsylvania AND made it to the Major League level.

"Desperate for pitching, the Pirates in 1965 signed several mature semi-professionals who'd been bypassed by scouts when younger. One was Woody Fryman, 25; another was Dal Canton, 24. Both had settled down to teaching high school and coaching. Both had been passed over earlier because of control problems. Both jumped to the ML in their second year and became effective spot starters/long relievers." - Author Merritt Clifton on BaseballLibrary.com
California State College
"Vulcans"

Major League Baseball Player Alumnus

Name [Click for M.L. Stats]

Dates Played

Debut / Box

Bruce Dal Canton

1961 - 1964

09-03-1967

California University of Pennsylvania
"Vulcans"

Major League Baseball Player Alumnus

Rick Krivda

1989 - 1991

07-07-1995

Name [Click for M.L. Stats]

Dates Played

Debut / Box

California University of Pennsylvania M.L.B. Player Alumnus



The California University of Pennsylvania baseball program started in 1951 and Bruce Dal Canton was their first player to make it to the Major League level. Names that appear on the chart above are in bold print because each player is in the California University of Pennsylvania Hall of Fame.

The most recent Vulcan to make the show is Rick Krivda. His tenure in the big leagues was brief, but his impact at college, in the olympics, and even at his high scool were memorable as seen in this college write-up for his enshrinment into their hall of fame:

      Olympic gold medallist Rick Krivda was an over-powering and dominant southpaw pitcher for the Vulcan baseball team from 1989 through 1991.

      Originally from McKeesport, Pa., and a graduate of McKeesport High School, Krivda set a single-season school record for pitching wins with eight victories in 1989.

      The following year, Krivda set a school-record in single-season strikeouts with 104. The 1990 squad made Cal U’s first PSAC Final Four appearance since 1985. Krivda pitched 90.2 innings in 1990 which remains a school record. At the PSAC Final Four, Krivda pitched a six-hit shutout victory over nationally ranked Mansfield. The Vulcans finished second at the 1990 state tourney, Cal’s highest PSAC finish since 1983. As a junior, Krivda broke his own single-season strikeout record and led the entire NCAA Division II with 106 whiffs. The three-time all-conference hurler was also selected as a first-team NCAA National All-American. He played under retired Vulcan baseball head coach Chuck Gismondi and Krivda concluded his exceptional collegiate career with a 22-13 career record with a 2.54 ERA. He struck out 254 batters in just 227 innings pitched.

      Nationally recognized, Krivda was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 23rd round of the 1991 free-agent draft.

      Just as his undergraduate days, Krivda enjoyed instant success at the pro level. He was fifth among all Appalachian League pitchers with a 1.88 ERA with seven wins for Baltimore’s 1991 rookie team. Krivda was selected Orioles Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 1992 and led all Minor League pitchers with 118 strikeouts and 17 wins. He was named to the Midwest League All-Star Game in 1992 and was the starting pitcher in the 1993 Double-A All-Star Game. He pitched a scoreless inning with two strikeouts in the 1994 Triple-A All-Star Game.

      The crafty southpaw made his Major League debut against the White Sox in July of 1995 and picked up his first Major League win against Oakland in August. In 1996 Krivda made three crucial late-season starts that helped the "O’s" advance to the playoffs as a wild card. He pitched for both Baltimore and Class AAA affiliate Rochester in 1997, compiling a combined 18-4 mark. Krivda pitched for the Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Kansas City organizations in 1998 and 1999.

      His 10th season of professional baseball proved memorable and historic. Besides returning to the Orioles organization and recording 11 wins with a 3.12 ERA in the International League, Krivda also played for the 2000 gold-medal winning U.S. Olympic team in Sydney, Australia. He is the first Cal U student-athlete to win an Olympic gold medal. Last spring, Krivda pitched with the Memphis Redbirds, Class AAA affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals.

      The son of Francis and Jean Krivda, Rick lives in Perry Hall, Maryland, with Christina Garst. They have a son, Zachary Owens, who is two. An active citizen, Krivda helps with a Reading Program in Baltimore and a youth summer camp in Wilmerding, Pa.

      Source: California University of Pennsylvania (link).

Did you know that there are two former California University of Pennsylvania players who made it to "the show"? Send corrections or updates to Baseball Almanac.