Gene Conley, one of the most well accomplished two sport athletes in history and a former Washington State star, passed away July 4 at the age of 86. He is the only man in history to have won both and NBA and MLB Championship.
Conley, originally from Muskogee, Oklahoma, moved to Richland, Washington with his family as a kid. There, he grew into his 6 foot 8 inch frame and was a multi-sport athlete at Columbia High School.
Conley came to WSU on a baseball scholarship in 1949 and immediately made an impact. He hit .417 and threw two shutouts while leading the Cougs to their only College World Series appearance in school history.