Sports Fact of the Day 4/14-4/15/2008

4/14/1981:
In his first home game for the Chicago White Sox after signing as a free agent last month, catcher Carlton Fisk hits a grand-slam homer at Comiskey Park to lead his new club to a 9-3 rout of Milwaukee. After nine full years in Boston, Fisk will play the next 13 on Chicago's South Side, setting a major league record for homers by a catcher, 351 (since broken). An 11-time All-Star and Rookie of the Year in 1972, he'll be elected to the Hall of Fame in 2000.

Birthdays:
Pete Rose b. 1941
Cynthia Cooper b. 1963
David Justice b. 1966
Greg Maddux b. 1966
Steve Chiasson b. 1967

1960:
The Montreal Canadiens won their fifth consecutive Stanley Cup championship by sweeping the Toronto Maple Leafs in four games.

"Many people complain that the NHL has no plot. Montreal always seem to win. Next season it would be refreshing if, by some remarkable stroke of luck, Montreal crumbled and the Stanley Cup ended up on a shelf in some other city. But then, how many years have people been hoping for the same thing?" -William Leggett, April 25, 1960

Packers Fact:
Packers defensive quality control coach Eric Lewis is the son of former Packers offensive coordinator Sherman Lewis.

4/15/1985:
After one of the most action-packed three-round fights in history, Marvin Hagler retains his world middleweight title against Thomas Hearns at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Moving up from the welterweight division and challenging Hagler in his 11th title defense proves to be too tall an order for Hearns. He breaks two bones in his right hand during the first round and finally gets knocked to the canvas in the third, prompting referee Richard Steele to stop the bout. Even though Hearns beats the count of 10, he's much too groggy to continue.

Birthdays:
Evelyn Ashford b. 1957
Kevin Stevens b. 1965
Jeromy Burnitz b. 1969
Phillippi Sparks b. 1969
Jason Sehorn b. 1971

1947:
Jackie Robinson of the Brooklyn Dodgers played in hish first major league game, breaking modern baseball's color barrier.

"He was a pioneer in the forefront of what seemed at the time a social revolution. ... He was a presence, something to see, something to be aware of. People liked to watch him, and not just because he was a novelty, the black ballplayer. He was far more than just a symbol." -Robert W. Creamer, November 1, 1982