Ken Holtzman was named Third-Team All-Big Ten and team MVP as a sophomore in 1965 before enjoying a 15-year MLB career. In his lone season with the Illini, Holtzman led the team with six wins, 57.0 innings pitched, and 72 strikeouts. After his year at Illinois, he was drafted in the fourth round of the 1965 amateur drafted by the Chicago Cubs. He later helped the Oakland A’s to three World Series titles and was a two-time All-Star. Holtzman pitched two no-hitters for the Cubs and was a 20-game winner for the A’s in 1973. He compiled a record of 174-150, with a career ERA of 3.49 and 1,601 strikeouts with the Cubs, A’s, Orioles and Yankees. He was inducted into the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame and St. Louis Area Sports Hall of Fame.