Columbia University's baseball program was their first varsity sport and it started in March 1864. Twenty-two (22) years later, Bill Finley became their first player to make it to the big leagues.

Did you know that there are twelve (12) former Columbia University players who made it to "the show"? Send corrections or updates to Baseball Almanac.

Columbia University is often associated with Lou Gehrig, but they also had another former hall of famer play for them nearly two decades earlier. Eddie "Cocky" Collins who was described once by historian Bill James, "Collins sustained a remarkable level of performance for a remarkably long time. He was past thirty when the lively ball era began, yet he adapted to it and continued to be one of the best players in baseball every year...his was the most valuable career that any second baseman ever had."