Sports Fact of the Day 5/6/2008

5/6/1988:

Mortified by his team’s lackluster effort on home ice in a playoff loss to the Boston Bruins, 6-1, New Jersey Devils coach Jim Schoenfeld explodes at referee Don Koharski for calling a four-minute penalty on Pat Verbeek that led to three Bruins goals in a span of only 1:13 early in the second period. After the rout, Schoenfeld tells the portly Koharski, “Have another doughnut, you fat pig.” The NHL issues a suspension to Schoenfeld, but the Devils secure a court order to block it, causing the regular officials to boycott the next game of this series. Replacement refs work one game, Schoenfeld’s suspension is upheld (he sits out one game) and the regular referees return to the ice. Boston wins the series in seven games.

 

Birthdays:

Weeb Ewbank b. 1907

John Vaught b. 1908

Willie Mays b. 1931

Masanori Murakami b. 1944

Martin Brodeur b. 1972

 

1982:

Gaylord Perry of the Seattle Mariners defeated the New York Yankees, 7-3, and became the 15^th pitcher in major league history to win 300 career games.

 

“A mere 27,369 fans were in the 59,438-seat Kingdome to witness Perry’s historic victory. Two games later the Mariners drew 36,716 for Funny Nose Glasses Night. But then Perry has never asked for the spotlight, and, obligingly, baseball has never turned it on him, unless it was to undress him on the mound or examine the baseball for foreign substances.” ­–Jack McCallum, May 17, 1982