Neil Putnam had been getting ready for spring practice at Lafayette College in 1973 when one of his quarterbacks came into the head varsity football coach's office with news of a difficult decision.
Fresh off a strong season running the Leopards' freshman football team, this budding two-sport star had decided to pass on a possible career on the gridiron, instead choosing to focus solely on baseball.
"Of course, my heart went down to my shoes," Putnam said, 43 years later. "I'm behind the desk, and Joe's looking at me. I said, 'Joe, have you thought this over?