Sports Fact of the Day 5/2/2007

5/2/1972:
After Manuel Orantes of Spain wins the Italian Open men's singles title over Jan Kodes of Czechoslovakia in four sets at the Foro Italico in Rome, failing sunlight causes the men's doubles final to end in controversy. Trailing the Romanian duo of Ilie Nastase and Ion Tiriac in the fifth set, 5-3, the veteran tandem of Lew Hoad and Frew McMillan complain that it's too dark to continue and ask to postpone the finish until tomorrow. When the tournament referee denies their request, they decide to default in protest, walking off the court to a chorus of angry catcalls from the outraged gallery that had stayed with the long match for the duration.

Birthdays:
Eddie Bressoud b. 1932
Gates Brown b. 1939
Clay Carroll b. 1941
Gerald Irons b. 1947
Jamaal Wilkes b. 1953