Sports Fact of the Day 5/31-6/7/08

May 31:
Hall of Fame Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda was never shy about inserting bright young prospects into the lineup right away. Answering a reporter's question with one of his own, the popular skipper commented: "Don't look at the birth certificate. Can the guy play?"

Birthdays:

Happy Hairston b. 1942
Joe Namath b. 1943
Tippy Martinez b. 1950
Jim Craig b. 1957
Kenny Lofton b. 1967

1994:
The Indiana Pacers beat the New York Knicks, 93-86, in Game 5 of their NBA playoff series. Indiana's Reggie Miller scored 25 of his game-high 39 points in the fourth quarter.

"He made jumpers from both sides of the court, off the dribble and from behind screens, in heavy congestion and far from the maddening crowd. One of his three-pointers was a what-the-hell heave from about 27 feet, but it was still a classic Miller jumper." -Jack McCallum, November 7, 1994

Packers Fact:
Rookie Greg Jennings was on the receiving end of Brett Favre's 400th career touchdown pass in 2006. It was a 75-yard pass in the first quarter against Detroit in week 3.

June 1:
6/1/2006:
Cat Osterman, national college softball Player of the Year, sets a new women's World Series record of 18 strikeouts for a seven-inning game to lead the Texas Longhorns to a 2-0 victory over Arizona State at Oklahoma City. The nearly unhittable left-hander just misses a perfect game, allowing only a harmless single in the second inning. She becomes only the second pitcher in NCAA history to amass over 600 strikeouts in one season, joining record-holder Courtney Blades of Southern Mississippi (663 in 2000).

Birthdays:
Alan Ameche b. 1933
Dean Chance b. 1941
Randy Hundley b. 1942
Paul Coffey b. 1961
Santana Moss b. 1979

June 2:
6/2/1954:
In a bizarre game at Yankee Stadium, New York knocks Cleveland starter Early Wynn out of the box and takes a 7-0 lead after one inning, only to be held hitless the rest of the way and watch the Indians rally for an 8-7 victory in 10 innings. Larry Doby's three-run homer in the third inning helps the Tribe claw their way back. With the Yankees leading 7-6 in the ninth, Bobby Avila homers to tie the score, and one inning later Al Smith homers homers to win it. It's a clear indication that Cleveland is a stern challenger to the five-time defending world champion Yankees' reign and at season's end, Cleveland will dethrone the Bombers with an AL record 111 victories (since broken).

Birthdays:
Tex Schramm b. 1920
Charlie Sifford b. 1922
Larry Robinson b. 1951
Gary Bettman b. 1952
Craig Stadler b. 1953

1990:
At the NCAA Track & Field championship, Wisconsin's Suzy Favor won the 1,500 meters for a fourth straight year.

"Favor, whose 5-foot, 3-inch, 105-pound build and prancing running style belie her strength, is accustomed to collecting titles. ... Those who know her say Favor's success is due to more than just talent. Her attributes include focus, determination and mental toughness." -Richard O'Brien, June 11, 1990

Packers Fact:
Linebacker Nick Barnett set a Packers' record when he was credited with 194 tackles in the 2005 season.

June 3:
6/3/1995:
Louisiana teenager Chanda Rubin, trailing in the deciding set 5-0, 40-0, [I'm sure this is a misprint, but it's what it says] triple match point against Jana Novotna, incredibly saves nine match points and goes on to win, 7-6, 4-6, 8-6, in the third round at the French Open in Paris. It's the latest collapse in a continuing progression for Novotna, who has squandered several big leads in big matches during her career, most notably at Wimbledon in 1993. Battling leg cramps in today's fiasco, she commits 59 unforced errors, enabling Rubin to avert near-certain defeat and hang around long enough to close out her unlikely triumph in just under three hours on the clay at Roland Garros.

Birthdays:
Jim Gentile b. 1934
Billy Cunningham b. 1943
Barry Beck b. 1957
Carl Everett b. 1971
Rafael Nadal b. 1986

1932:
The New York Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig became the first player in modern baseball history to club four home runs in a game as he led the Yanks to a 20-13 victory over the Athletics at Philadelphia's Shibe Park.

"What Gehrig's numbers finally define is an overwhelming offensive force, a masterful presence in the batter's box, a slugger who consistently generated action on the field. When he swung his bat, he blew the elegant geometry of the game to pieces." -David Noonan, April 4, 1988

Packers Fact:
Before Brett Favre reached 400 touchdown in 2006, only Dan Marino had done so before him.

June 4:
6/4/1963:
The New York Rangers and Montreal Canadiens complete a blckbuster trade, exchanging future Hall of Fame goaltenders as the principals in a seven-player deal. The Rangers send netminder Gump Worsley, winger Dave Balon and two prospects to Montreal for six-time Vezina Trophy winner Jacques Plante, center Phil Goyette and winger Donnie Marshall. Although Plante will last only two seasons in New York, Goyette and Marshall will contribute mightily to stabilize the offtimes struggling Rangers. The big winner in the deal is Worsley, who not only escapes the nightly shooting gallery he faced in the Rangers' net, but gets to return to his hometown and help the Canadiens win four Stanley Cups in the next six years.

Birthdays:
Bobby Wanzer b. 1921
Pat Studstill b. 1938
Sandra Haynie b. 1943
Xavier McDanield b. 1963
Darin Erstad b. 1974

1980:
The 52-year-old hockey legend Gordie Howe retired, bringing the curtain down on a career that lasted 32 seasons and over five decades.

"Howe lacks the striking looks and flair of Maurice Richard and Bobby Hull. Even at the height of his career, he never had the sudden dazzling speed or sensational shots of the two flashier goal scorers. Gordie seldom excites casual fans with his moves or his goals; yet hockey people are unanimous in their opinion that Howe is the best all-around player ever." -Pete Axthelm, February 12, 1968

Packers Fact:
With 194 tackles in 2005, linebacker Nick Barnett led the Packers for the third consecutive season. He is the only player to top the club three straight years since Green Bay coaches first began tracking the statistic in 1975.

June 5:
6/5/1999:
With the Knicks trailing the Pacers by three points and only seconds remaining, Larry Johnson h its a desperation three-point shot to tie the score and also get fouled on the play by Antonio Davis. LJ converts the free throw and the Knicks hold on for a 92-91 victory over Indiana and a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference final-round series before a delirious crowd at Madison Square Garden. Johnson leads the Knicks with 26 points and Marcus Camby adds 21 as New York is forced to play without the injured Patrick Ewing (torn Achilles tendon). The Knicks will knock off the Pacers in this series but bow to San Antonio in the NBA finals of this strike-truncated campaign.

Birthdays:
Marion Motley b. 1920
Tommie Smith b. 1944
John Carlos b. 1945
Bob Probert b. 1965
Torry Holt b. 1976

1994:
LPGA golfer Beth Daniel shot a record-tying 20-under-par total score of 268 and won the Oldsmobile Classic with a dominating performance.

"Daniel didn't just charge through the field, she obliterated it. And with a scorching 63 on Friday-10 birdies and only 22 putts-she didn't just humble the 6,166-yard course at Walnut Hills Country Club, either. she humiliated it." -Amy Nutt, June 13, 1994

Packers Fact:
Dan Marino, the only other NFL quarterback to pass for more than 400 touchdowns, reached that figure in his 227th NFL outing. It took Brett Favre 228 games to reach that mark.

June 6:
6/6/1998:
The profusion of offense in college baseball, thanks in part ot the use of aluminum bats, is readily, displayed to a national TV audience as USC wins its NCAA-leading 12th national title, 21-14, over Arizona State in Omaha. Wes Rachels leads the Trojans, going five for seven with a championship game record seven RBIs. The teams combine for 39 hits and 35 runs while setting or tying 37 College World Series records. After jumping out to an 8-0 lead, USC sees it quickly evaporate, and not until they post a five-run ninth inning, capped by Jason Lane's grand slam, can they relax with their first CWS crown since the Rod Dedeaux era in 1978.

Birthdays:
Les Binkley b. 1934
Bobby Mitchell b. 1935
Ed Giacomin b. 1939
Bjorn Borg b. 1956
Cam Neely b. 1965

1999:
Venus and Serena Williams won the French Open women's doubles final and became the first team of sisters in over 100 years to win a Grand Slam doubles title.

"Long before they became the beaded divas of tennis, Venus and Serena Williams made a prediction to anyone willing to listen: Someday they would alter the sport's complexion, dominate the field, and run neck and neck as the two best players in the world. For years, even after it was clear that the Williamses were endowed with ungodly talent, their soothsaying was dismissed as the ranting of callow, hyperconfident teenagers." -L. Jon Wertheim, April 5, 1999

Packers Fact:
Defensive tackle Colin Cole recorded his first 2 career sacks in 2005. Both came against Minnesota, but off different quarterbacks: Daunte Culpepper and Brad Johnson.

June 7:
After watching his ball club stumble through another mistake-laden game, one of baseball's malaprop masters, Phillies manager Danny Ozark observed: My team played like they were in a transom."

Birthdays:
Cazzie Russell b. 1944
Thurman Munson b. 1947
Napoleon Kaufman b. 1973
Allen Iverson b. 1975
Anna Kournikova b. 1981

1980:
Bjorn Borg whipped Vitas Gerulaitis, 6-4, 6-1, 6-2, and became the first tennis player to win the French Open championship five times.

"Gerulaitis touched him for seven games on those occasions when he could find the ball after Borg had dug enormous craters in the dust with his thundering topspin. It seemed like just another practice exhibition in the stadium in which Borg has lost only once since 1976." -Curry Kirkpatrick, June 16, 1980

Packers Fact:

Brett Favre has thrown more touchdown passes to Antonio Freeman (57) than to any other pass catcher in his career. Second on the list with 41 scoring receptions is Sterling Sharpe.