and then on top of the academic portion, which is well earned, there are the private endowment type monies. X amount a year for the student who applies for whatever the name of it is. Also the memorial scholarships and so forth.
I have a friend of mine who set up an endowment for kids in the business department of his alma matter in his dads name, he has some loosely written criteria but he has a tremendous influence on where it goes. He is an extremely wealthy man, his school is thrilled to have him, if he wanted to support the baseball team directly it wouldn't be real hard without it being posted as such.
He has donated more then most people will earn in several life times, the money goes where he wants it to go.
Johns Hopkins just received 1.5 Billion - for admissions - so the school wouldn't have to worry about not getting the students they want due to price. How hard would it be to fit in a few baseball players into that category without naming it as such? By no means am I saying they are actually operating that way but if they so chose and the donator had no problem with it how would anyone ever know? They wouldn't.
From the extremely wealthy I have gotten to know in my business life, one thing I have learned is the money will get what it wants one way or the other. Am a bit jealous? sure but it will never change!!