Otto Vogel

Forty years ago, former Illinois baseball star Otto Vogel died at the age of 69. Born in Mendota, he lettered in 1921 in football for coach Bob Zuppke, but he was better known as an outfielder for Carl Lundgren's baseball squad, lettering from 1921 to '23. Vogel hit .417 as a sophomore, the 15th-best single-season batting average in Illini history. He played for the Chicago Cubs in the 1923 and 1924 seasons. In 111 major league games, Vogel had 63 hits in 253 at-bats, ending with a .249 average. He was hired as head baseball coach for the University of Iowa in 1925 and, interrupted by service in World War II, totaled 35 years directing the Hawkeyes. Vogel compiled a 440-382-13 record, winning Iowa's first five Big Ten baseball championships. Illinois' top 15 single-season hitters:

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ROCHESTER, Minn. — Illini infielder Mike Giller has been selected to the Northwoods League All-Star team.

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Q: When will another University of Illinois baseball player make it to the major leagues?

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Catcher Chris Robinson might be the next Illinois product to make it to the majors. On Thursday, he was named a Class AAA all-star.

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