Sports Fact of the Day 5/18-5/20/2008

May 18:
5/18/1963:
Candy Spots, Willie Shoemaker up, wins the Preakness by three and a half lengths over Kentucky Derby winner Chateaugay. Owned by Rex Ellsworth, Candy Spots takes command at the top of the stretch and wins going away. He'll win 7 of his 12 races this year, finish in the money in all three Triple Crown events (third at Churchill Downs; second at the Belmont) and lead the money-earnings list with over $600,000 in purses. For Chateaugay, it's a very costly loss. He'll go on to win the Belmont Stakes missing out on a Triple Crown by faltering in this race.

Birthdays:
Fred Perry b. 1909
Brooks Robinson b. 1937
Reggie Jackson b. 1946
Rod Milburn b. 1950
Jari Kurri b. 1960

May 19:
Capturing the whirlwind of Guy Lafleur flying down right wing, his teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Ken Dryden wrote: "Helmetless, he starts with a suddenness that sends his hair flipping up in back; in three or four strides pulling away at his temples; streaming behind him like a flag in the breeze."

Dolph Schayes b. 1928
Archie Manning b. 1949
Bill Laimbeer b. 1957
Turk Wendell b. 1967
Kevin Garnett b. 1976

1979:
Kentucky Derby-winner Spectacular Bid added the second jewel of the Triple Crown and won the Preakness Stakes by 5-1/2 lengths at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.

"Appearing to toy with four opponents, Spectacular Bid rolled easily to the finish line to a tremendous ovation from his owners' neighbors in Baltimore, where this handsome gray colt has now become as much of a hero as Brooks Robinson, John Unitas and the blue crab." -William Leggett, May 28, 1979

Packers Fact:
Before signing with the Packers in 2006, punter Jon Ryan set a Canadian Football League record by averaging 50.6 yards per kick for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2005.

May 20:
5/20/2001:
Brilliant young Spaniard Sergio Garcia, wins his first PGA tournament with a final-round 63, overtaking Phil Mickelson to win the Colonial at Fort Worth. Trailing by five strokes entering the day, Garcia blazes through the front nine with a 6-under-par 29 to get back in contention. When Mickelson, the defending champion in this event, misses several short putts on his way to an even-par 70, Garcia takes full advantage for his breakthrough triumph in America.

Birthdays:
Hal Newhouser b. 1921
Stan Mikita b. 1940
Sadaharu Oh b. 1940
Bobby Murcer b. 1946
David Wells b. 1963

Packers Fact:
Noah Herron came off the bench to run for 106 yards against St. Louis in week 5 of 2006. Before Herron, the last Packers reserve to run for 100 yards in a game was Samkon Gado. He had 111 yards against Philadelphia in 2005 despite not starting the game.