San Diego Sockers Win Fourth Consecutive Title

On May 23, 1991, the San Diego Sockers win their fourth consecutive Major Soccer League championship.

The team began as the Baltimore Comets in 1974 but moved to San Diego as the San Diego Jaws in 1976. After a one-year stay in Las Vegas as the Las Vegas Quicksilvers, the team returned as the San Diego Sockers in 1978. They were owned by Bob Bell.

The 1981 NASL Indoor Champs, the San Diego Sockers.

From 1978 to 1996 the Sockers were a soccer team that played in the North American Soccer League, the original Major Indoor Soccer League.

Initially, victories came slowly for the club but mounted quickly and they experienced moderate success over their outdoor history winning several division titles.

However, the San Diego Sockers won the North American Soccer League (NASL) Indoor Championships of 1981-82 and 1983-84. 

Success was far from over for the San Diego Sockers.

The 1987 MASL Champs, the San Diego Sockers.

When the NASL folded, the San Diego Sockers moved to the Major Indoor Soccer League and won eight championships: 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, and 1992. The Sockers carried their success from one league to the next.

They switched to the Continental Indoor Soccer League for three more years from 1993 to 1995.

However, after several ownership changes, Sockers folded after the 1996 season.

In 2001 the Sockers made a return to the soccer world, playing in the World Indoor Soccer League and second Major Indoor Soccer League. The Sockers would play there until 2004.

The second versions of the San Diego Sockers were a team in the new Major Indoor Soccer League. The team began play in the World Indoor Soccer League in 2001, and joined the MISL when it merged with the WISL for the 2002-2003 seasons. Just before the beginning of the 2004-2005 season, the Sockers were sold to Raj Kalra, owner of the Vancouver Ravens of the National Lacrosse League.

However, barely two months after the purchase, it was revealed that Kalra had not paid the Sockers' players, staff, or rent since taking over, and the league voted to discontinue the franchise on December 30, 2004.

In 2009 the Sockers made their second attempt for a come back as an expansion team in the Professional Arena Soccer League that began play in 2009.

The Sockers currently play at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, Calif.

The Sockers hold the record for the longest winning streak in United States professional sports history.

The streak, which began on December 29, 2010, was snapped after 48 games by a 6–5 overtime road loss to the Dallas Sidekicks on January 27, 2013

The San Diego Sockers were one of the most successful indoor soccer teams in the sport's short history. The team won a total of ten championships in the original Major Indoor Soccer League and the indoor North American Soccer League.

They also won 12 regular season titles between the NASL, NASL indoor, MISL and CISL.

In 1982 the Sockers has the NASL indoor Scoring Champion in Julie Veee. The Coach of the Year in 1984 was Sockers Ron Newman. That same year they also were awarded the NASL indoor Goalkeeper of the year in Jim Gorsek.

In the MISL the Sockers have had five MVP’s including Alan Mayer, 1983, Steve Zungul, 1985 and 1986, and Victory Nogueira in 1991 and 1992.

The Sockers Zungul was the Scoring Champion in 1985 and 1986, as well the Pass Master, the Assists leader. The Defender of the Year award was given to Sockers Kevin Crow in 1985, 1988, 1989, 1991 and 1992.

The Sockers were awarded the Goalkeeper of the Year in 1988, Zolton Toth and in 1989, 1991 and 1992 as Nogueira won the award three times.

David Banks was the 1991 Rookie of the Year.

Coach Newman was named the MISL Coach of the Year in 1988.

The Sockers in the CISL were awarded the Goalkeeper of the Year in 1994 as Antonio Cortes won the award. The Sockers also won the Rookie of the Year award in three consecutive years as John Olu Molomo won the award in 1994, Mark Chung in 1995 and Carlos Farias in 1996.

In 2001 the Sockers won the WISL regular season title but lost the Championship game to the Dallas Sidekicks.

From 2009-2012 the Sockers won the PASL-pro and PASL Championships in the U.S. Open Cup.

In the 2012-2013 season the Sockers lost in the finals.

New York Yankees' Joe Pepitone Hits Two Home Runs In One Inning

On May 23, 1962, Joe Pepitone becomes the second New York Yankees player ever to hit two home runs in one inning, joining non-other than the Yankee Clipper, and Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio.

Joe Pepitone in 1971.

Pepitone is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and outfielder that played the bulk of his career for the New York Yankees. He also played several seasons with the Chicago Cubs and had short stints with the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves.

During his time with the Yankees, Pepitone was thrice named to play in the All-Star Game and also won three Golden Glove awards. His fame was sufficient for him to become something of a cultural icon.

In June 1973, Pepitone accepted an offer of $70,000 ($362,016 today) a year to play for the Yakult Atoms, a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League. While in Japan, he hit .163 with one home run and two RBIs in 14 games played.

According to an edition of Total Baseball, Pepitone spent his days in Japan skipping games for claimed injuries only to be at night in discos, behavior that led the Japanese to adopt his name into their vernacular—as a word meaning "goof off".

Joe Pepitone (right) at Yankees stadium in New York in the late 2000s.

After baseball in the late 1970s, Pepitone played for the New Jersey Statesmen in the American Professional Slow Pitch League (APSPL), one of three professional softball leagues active during this period.

Pepitone would also serve the front office of the North American Softball League (NASL) for their only season in 1980.

In June 1982, Pepitone was hired as a batting coach with the Yankees, but was replaced by Lou Piniella later in the season.

In the late 1990s, Pepitone was given a job in the Yankees' front office.

He currently spends his time signing autographs and baseball memorabilia at autograph shows, and working in a public relations capacity for the Yankees.

Oakland Athletics Retire Reggie Jackson's Jersey

On May 22, 2004, the Oakland Athletics retire Reggie Jackson's jersey No. 9 honoring the slugger who played his first nine Hall of Fame seasons with the A's helping the team club capture three-consecutive World Series (1972-74).

The former Athletics' right fielder, who had his number 44 retired by the Yankees in 1993, becomes the eighth player to have his number retired by two or more teams.

Jackson would start and finish his career with the Athletics, but played for the Orioles (1976), Yankees (1977-81), and California Angels (1982-1986), before returning to the Athletics in 1987 to retire.

Jackson would finish his career with 14 All-Star appearances, six on the Athletics, five World Series Championships, three with the Athletics, two silver slugger awards, one AL MVP in 1973 with the Athletics, two World Series MVP Awards, one in 1973 with the Athletics, and the Babe Ruth Award in 1977.

Jackson would be a first ballot Hall of Famer when he was inducted into Cooperstown in 1993 with 93.6 percent of the votes.

Boston Red Sox Roger Clemens Earns Win 200

On May 21, 1996, former Red Sox pitcher and Hall of Famer Roger Clemens beats the New York Yankees for career win 200.

Clemens nicked “The Rocket” would go on to have a great career pitching for the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays and the Houston Astros.

Boston Red Sox pitcher Roger Clemens in 1995.

Clemens would rack up many more accolades in his career besides just winning 200 games, including seven CY Young awards, in 1986, 1987, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2001 and 2004, which are two more than the next player on the list Randy Johnson, who would earn five over his 20-year career. Clemens would also win the 1986 All-Star Game MVP.

Clemens would be nominated to the All-Star game 11 times, including 1986, 1988, 1990-1992, 1997-1998, 2001, 2003-2005. Clemens also won two World Series titles with the New York Yankees in 1999 and 2000.

Clemens is also one of only two pitchers to have a 20-strikeout game; the other was Chicago Cubs Kerry Wood. However, Clemens is the only pitcher to accomplish the feat twice, doing so in 1986 and 1996.

Clemens would finish his career with

In 1986 Clemens won the MVP and the CY Young award, becoming the first pitcher in the American League since 1971 to win both awards in the same season. In 1971 Vida Blue did the feat.

Clemens finished the season with a league leading 24 wins, 238 strikeouts and a league leading 2.48 ERA. Clemens fantastic season on the mound beat out Don Mattingly of the New York Yankees for the MVP, Mattingly had a solid season with a league leading 238 hits, league leading 53 doubles, 31 home runs, 113 RBI’s and a .352 batting average.

Since Clemens two other pitchers have won the CY Young award and the AL MVP in the same season.

New York Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens in 2000.

Oakland Athletics closer Dennis Eckersley in 1992, with a record of 7-1, with a league leading 51 saves, 91 strikeouts and an ERA of 1.91. The runner up that year was Kirby Puckett of the Minnesota Twins. Puckett had a good season with a league leading 210 hits, 19 home runs, 110 RBI’s and a .329 batting average.

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander in 2011, with a record of 24-5, league leading 250 strikeouts and a league leading ERA of 2.40. The runner up that year was Jacoby Ellsbury of the Boston Red Sox. Ellsbury had a good season with 32 home runs, 105 RBI’s, 39 stolen bases and a .321 batting average.

When Clemens finished his career he had 354 wins and 184 losses, a 3.12 ERA and 4,672 strikeouts. His 354 wins were good enough for seventh all-time when he retired, but Greg Maddux has since surpassed him with 355 wins. His 4,672 strikeouts were good enough for second all-time when he retired but since then Randy Johnson has surpassed him with 4,875.

Clemens won the pitching Triple Crown twice in his career, both in his time with the Blue Jays in back-to-back seasons. In 1997 Clemens finished the season with a 2.05 ERA, 21 wins and 292 strikeouts leading the MLB in all three categories. In 1998 his stats would not be as impressive but he would once again lead the MLB in ERA with 2,65, wins with 20 and strikeouts with 271.

Clemens in one of only five pitchers to have won the pitching Triple Crown more than one time. The others are Christy Matthewson, 2, Walter Johnson, 3, Grover Cleveland Alexander, 3, Left Grove, 2, Lefty Gomez, 2 and Sandy Koufax, 3.

In 1999, Clemens was named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.

Clemens was on the ballot for the Cooperstown Hall of Fame this year but with his name still being dragged through the mud, which is the Mitchell Report and steroids in baseball it might be a few years before he makes his entrance into the Hall of Fame.

New York Yankees' DiMaggio Hits For The Cycle

On May 21, 1948, Hall of Fame New York Yankees great, Joe DiMaggio hits for the cycle (single, double, triple, home run).

The Yankee Clipper, Joe DiMaggio with the Yankees in 1942.

DiMaggio, nicknamed "Joltin' Joe" and "The Yankee Clipper", was an American Major League Baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career for the New York Yankees.

He is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak (May 15 – July 16, 1941), a record that still stands.

DiMaggio's 56-game streak became one of the most idolized numbers in baseball and joined Babe Ruth's home run records, and later Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game, as the most hallowed records in all of sports. Whenever any player recorded a hit streak in the mid-thirties, still twenty short of the record, that player would receive an immense amount of coverage from the media. That's how enormous Joe's record was.

DiMaggio was a three-time MVP winner and an All-Star in each of his 13 seasons.

During his tenure with the Yankees, the club won ten American League pennants and nine World Series championships.

At the time of his retirement, DiMaggio ranked fifth in career home runs (361) and sixth in career slugging percentage (.579).  DiMaggio finished his career with a lifetime batting average of .325 with 2,214 hits and 1,357 RBIs.

Joltin' Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees in 1941.

The New York Yankees retired DiMaggio’s number 5 jersey in 1952.

He was inducted into the Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955 with 88.84 percent of the vote on the third ballot in which he appeared, and was voted the sport's greatest living player in a poll taken during the baseball centennial year of 1969.

On Sept. 27, 1998, New York Yankee and Martinez native Joe DiMaggio makes his last public appearance at Yankee Stadium. Owner George Steinbrenner presents him with replicas of his 9 World Series rings, which had been stolen 30 years previously.

In 1999 DiMaggio was named as one of Major League Baseball’s All-Century Team members.

Portland Trailblazers Initiate "Hack-a-Shaq"

On May 20, 2000, the Portland Trailblazers played against the Los Angeles Lakers in a playoff game, but the big news was what happened to Shaquille O’Neal on that day.

Shaquille O'Neal (right) and Kobe Bryant (left) hug it out during Game 1 of the series with the Portland Trailblazers in 2002.

For years, NBA teams had taken advantage of poor free throw shooters by intentionally fouling them and forcing them to hit freebies. The most prevalent form of this strategy was the "Hack-a-Shaq," named after Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal. Shaq's 350-pound body was so strong and so imposable that teams would occasionally wrap him up in an attempt to take advantage of his weak foul-shooting.

Usually though, this type of intentional fouling was limited to only a few hacks a game. Never before had the Hack-a-Shaq technique been employed as a regular defense. Yet that's exactly what happened in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, when the Portland Trail Blazers visited the Los Angeles Lakers. Portland was so overpowered by O'Neal that they implemented the Hack-a-Shaq for the final six minutes of the fourth quarter. When it was all said and done, O'Neal had taken 25 free throws in under six minutes and made 12 of them. Overall, he finished with 41 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists and five blocks.

The strategy temporarily worked, as the Blazers were able to cut it to a nine-point game with just under five minutes left. But Shaq caught fire at the line and made seven in a row down the stretch. The Lakers won, 109-94, in one of the slowest fourth quarters in league history.

"Obviously, if we get down in a game, that's what we're going to do," said Portland coach Mike Dunleavy. "Had we scored a few more times, we would have put ourselves in position to win. He's a great player. I like Shaq a lot. He just can't make his free throws."

Many were furious at Dunleavy's decision, which had reduced the pace of the game to a crawl. But many coaches were intrigued. Putting a player like Shaq, who hit less than half of his freebies, on the charity stripe instead of letting him score wasn't all that crazy an idea -- at least in a desperate situation like the Blazers were in.

Just a couple weeks later, in Game 2 of the NBA Finals, Pacers coach Larry Bird took it to the next level. With his team getting stomped by Los Angeles, Bird had his team foul O'Neal on almost every possession in the fourth quarter. Shaq attempted a record 39 free throws in that game and made 19 of them. The Pacers were able to mount a slight comeback, though it wasn't enough to get them back in the game. Los Angeles won, 111-104. Shaq finished with 40 points and 24 rebounds.

St. Louis Cardinals' Stan Musial Breaks National League Hit Record

On May 19, 1962, St. Louis Cardinals great and Hall of Famer Stan Musial breaks Honus Wagner's National League hit record with hit number 3,431.

Stan "The Man" Musial in the 1966 season.

Musial would finish his career with a .331 batting average with 3,630 hits, 475 home runs and 1,951 RBIs in 22 MLB seasons. One amazing feat that Musial accomplished was that he had just as many hits at-home as he did on the road, with 1,815 at home, and 1,815 on the road.

Musial played all 22 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals and was named an All-Star 24 times, including twice in 1959, 1960, 1961 and 1962 when the All-Star game was played twice, at the beginning of the season and at the traditional time half way through the season.

Musial was a three time World Series Champion with the Cardinals, 1942, 1944 and 1946. Musial missed out on the entire 1945 season after serving with the United States Navy.

Musial was also a three time National League MVP, winning the award in 1943, in 1946 he won the MVP after returning from Naval Duty and in 1948, when he won the MVP he finished just one home run shy of winning baseball's Triple Crown.

He was also a seven-time National League batting champion, including three consecutive years from 1950-1952.

In 1957 Musial received the Lou Gherig Memorial Award, which is given to the player who best exhibits the character and integrity of Lou Gehrig, both on the field and off it.

The St. Louis Cardinals retired Musial’s number six-jersey in 1963, after his retirement.

At the time of his retirement, Musial held or shared 17 major league records, 29 National League records, and 9 All-Star Game records.

In addition to overseeing businesses, such as a restaurant both before and after his playing career, Musial served as the Cardinals' general manager in 1967, winning the pennant and World Series, then quitting that position.

On August 4, 1968, a statue of Musial was erected outside of Busch Memorial Stadium on the northeast grounds of the St. Louis stadium.

The statue was moved from its original location to the west side of the new Busch Stadium for its first season in 2006, where it became a popular meeting place for generations of Cardinals fans.

Musial's statue is inscribed with a quote attributed to former baseball commissioner Ford Frick: "Here stands baseball's perfect warrior. Here stands baseball's perfect knight."

Stan Musial at Busch Stadium in St. Louis for Stan Musial Day in 2010.

He was elected the Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969 with 93.2 percent of the vote on the first ballot in which he appeared.

Musial was named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team in 1999.

 In 2007, Musial received the Navy Memorial’s Lone Sailor Award, which honors Navy veterans who’ve excelled in civilian life.

In February 2011 President Barack Obama presented Musial with Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor that can be bestowed on a civilian in the United States.

Diamondbacks' Randy Johnson Tosses Perfect Game

On May 18, 2004, Arizona Dimaondbacks hurler Randy Johnson became the 17th player in Major League Baseball history to pitch a perfect game, and the first in Diamondbacks franchise history.

At age 40, Johnson became the oldest player to accomplish the feat.

Randy Johnson acknowledging the crowd at Turner Field in Atlanta after his perfect game.

Randy Johnson would strikeout 13 Atlanta Braves batters en route to his perfect game, which took place at Atlanta’s Turner Field.  Johnson joined Cy Young, Jim Bunning, Nolan Ryan and Hideo Nomo as the only men to pitch no-hitters in both the American League and National League. 

Johnson’s two no-hitters came on June 2, 1990 and May 18, 2004, just under 14 years apart.

This was one of many career highlights for Johnson, as he was a 10-time All-Star, a five-time Cy Young winner, including four consecutive from 1999-2002.

In 2001 he led the Arizona Diamondbacks to a World Series Championship and was named the World Series MVP.

Johnson reacting to his perfect game.

Johnson would accumulate a record of 303 wins and 166 losses in his 22 year career that featured playing time with the Montreal Expos, Seattle Mariners, Houston Astros, Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giants.

Johnson would finish his career with 4,875 strikeouts and 3.29 ERA. The strikeouts were Johnson’s calling card. He is one of only three pitchers to strike out 20 batters in a game, which he did so on May 8, 2001 against the Cincinnati Reds. He led the league in strikeouts nine times from 1992-1995, 1999-2002 and 2004. He also led the league in ERA four times, 1995, 1999, 2001 and 2002.

The 6’11 pitcher, dubbed "The Big Unit" was dominate over his career, tallying the most strikeouts for a left handed pitcher of all-time and the second most strikeouts ever just behind Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan who had 5,714 in his career.

Johnson defeated every single major-league team in his career at least once and pitched an immaculate inning once, using nine pitches to strike out three batters to end an inning. At the time of the feat Johnson was only pitcher number 30 to do so in MLB history.

Johnson does hold several records including being the oldest pitcher to pitch a perfect game, and most strikeouts for a lefty. He also holds the record for most strikeouts in a single relief appearance with 16 against the San Diego Padres on July 18, 2001.

Johnson was named the Sports Illustrated MLB All-Decade Team in 2009, and was named to the Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame following his retirement in 2009.

Reggie Jackson Passes Mickey Mantle

On May 14, 1986, Reggie Jackson hit career home run number 537, passing Mickey Mantle into sixth place all time in most career home runs.

Reggie Jackson with the California Angels.

Jackson would finish his career with a .262 batting average, 2,584 hits and 1,702 RBI’s to go along with his 563 career home runs.

Jackson’s career included several other special moments including winning five World Series Championships, three with the Oakland Athletics including three consecutive from 1972-1974 and two more with the Yankees in 1977 and 1978.

Reggie Jackson with the New York Yankees.

He was named the World Series MVP in 1973 and 1977.

Jackson was named the 1973 American League MVP, and in 1977 he earned the Babe Ruth award, for the most home runs hit in all of baseball.

Jackson also earned two Silver Slugger awards in 1980 and 1982.  He was also a 14-time All-Star in his 21-year career.

Reggie Jackson with the Oakland A's.

In 1993 Reggie "Mr. October" Jackson was voted into Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame with 93.6 percent of the vote. It was the first time he appeared on the ballot. 

The Oakland Athletics have retired Jackson's no. 9 jersey and the Yankees did the same with his no. 44 jersey.

Mickey Mantle Hits 500th Home Run

On May 14, 1967, Mickey Mantle hits career home run 500 off Baltimore Oriole's Stu Miller.

Mickey Mantle slugging a home run with the New York Yankees.

Mantle retired with 536 home runs, the third most all time behind Babe Ruth and Willie Mays at the time of his retirement, now Mantle is ranked 16, behind Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Ruth, Mays, Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez, Sammy Sosa, Jim Thome, Frank Robinson, Mark McGwire, Harmon Killebrew, Rafael Palmiero, Reggie Jackson, Manny Ramirez and Mike Schmidt.

Mantle still holds the record for most home runs in the World Series with 18, most RBI’s with 40, most runs with 42, walks with 43, extra-base hits with 26 and total bases with 123.

Mantle also is the career leader in walk-off home runs with a combined 13, 12 in regular season and one in the post-season.

Mickey Mantle (right) with teammate Joe DiMaggio (left) in 1962.

Mantle finished his career with a .298 batting average, 2,415 hits and 1,509 RBIs to go along with his 536 home runs. Those stats helped him become a 20-time All-Star, including 18-straight from 1952-1965, including twice in 1959, 1960, 1961 and 1962 when the All-Star game was played twice in a season.

He was also a seven-time World Series champion with the Yankees, including three consecutive from 1951-1953.

Mantle was a three-time American League MVP, including back-to-back in 1956-1957. The 1956 season also saw Mantle win the Triple Crown, a season in which he batted .353 with 52 home runs and 130 RBI’s.

He won a Golden Glove in 1962, and the Hutch Award in 1965.

The New York Yankees retired Mantle’s no. 7 jersey on June 8, 1969.

Mantle was elected into Cooperstown Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1974 with 88.2 percent of the vote, on the first ballot in which he appeared.

Mantle was named to the MLB All-Century team in 1999.

San Francisco Giants' Barry Bonds Sets MLB Record

On May 4, 2002, Barry Bonds hits his 400th home run as a San Francisco Giant, leading his team to a 3-0 win over Cincinnati. Bonds is the first player to hit 400 homers for one team and 100 with another (Pittsburgh Pirates). Bonds would finish his career as Major League Baseball's All-Time home run leader with 762 home runs.

Barry Bonds hitting his 400th home run as a San Francisco Giant.

 It took Bonds 21 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Francisco Giants to Break Aaron’s record of 756 home runs, which stood for 33 years. Bonds would finish his career and is still the all-time leader in MLB history for most career home runs. Part of Bonds’ success came from the fact that he is the All-Time leader with consecutive seasons of 30 or more home runs, in which he has 13, from 1992-2004.

Bonds also leads the MLB in home runs in a single season with 73, career walks with 2,558 and career intentional walks with 688.

Bonds was also a seven time National League MVP. His seven MVP awards are four more than the next player. 

In the American League, former Yankee slugger Joe DiMaggio earned three MVP’s. Two of DiMaggio’s teammates also earned three MVP’s, Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle. Current Yankee third baseman Alex Rodriguez also has three MVP’s.

In the National League, St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Famer Stan Musial earned three MVP awards in his career. Former Brooklyn Dodger Roy Campanella earned three MVP’s. Phillies third baseman Mike Schmidt and another former Cardinal in Albert Pujols also earned three MVP awards.

On top of being on of the most decorated hitters of all time, Bonds also was an outstanding outfielder in his younger years as he racked up eight Gold Glove awards from 1990-1998. As of 2009, Bonds was the Left Fielder to win a Gold Glove in the National League.

He is also tied with his father Bobby for the most seasons of 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases with five. Bonds would continue his terror on the base paths throughout his career and managed to become the only member of the 400/400 club, hitting over 400 home runs and stealing over 400 bags. He would then further himself from the rest of baseball when he entered the 500/500 club in 2004 when he swiped his 500^th stolen base.

Bonds’ was also just a season shy from joining the elusive 3,000 hit club, as he finished his career with 2,935 hits.

Bonds’ stats indicate he should have been a first ballot Hall of Famer into Cooperstown, however, with the steroid issues and Balco perjury scandals it is unlikely that Bonds will be nominated into Cooperstown ever

Big Brown Wins 134th Kentucky Derby

Big Brown after winning the 2008 Kentucky Derby.

On May 3, 2008, Big Brown won the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby. 

Big Brown entered the race as a 2-1 favorite and would defeat philly Eight Belles by four and three-quarter lengths.

Although finishing in second place, three year old philly Eight Belles was euthanized immediately following the race due to compound fractures of both front ankles. 

Upon crossing the finish line, Eight Belles collapsed to the ground and was subsequently euthanized, as the on-call veterinarian Dr. Larry Bramlage stated that the trauma the horse suffered was too severe to attempt to move her off the track.

Big Brown would go on to win the second leg of the triple crown, the Preakness Stakes two weeks later and had the opportunity to become the first horse since Affirmed in 1978 to win the triple crown. 

However, a crack was discovered in Big Brown’s front left hoof that caused him to come in last place at the third leg of the triple crown, the Belmont Stakes.

Today marks the 140th running of the Kentucky Derby.

Golden State Warriors Upset The Dallas Mavericks

On May 3, 2007, the Golden State Warriors completed one of the biggest upsets in sports history with a game-six win, taking the Western Conference Quarterfinals from the NBA Leading Dallas Mavericks.

It all started in April though, the Golden State Warriors were done. After a one-point loss in Washington, where the deciding point came from a technical foul by head coach Don Nelson in the final seconds, the Warriors had lost six in a row. They were nine games under .500 and Nelson was already looking ahead to the next season.



The Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Dallas Mavericks in 2007.

But in their next game, the team - fresh off of a trade in which they acquired Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington. They Warriors into Detroit, one of the best teams in the NBA at the time, and destroyed them, leading by 26 at point.

Golden State won 16 of their final 21 games and nine of their last ten to advance to the postseason for the first time in 13 years.

The Warriors met the Dallas Mavericks in the first round, a team Don Nelson had coached only a few years earlier. The Warriors were the only team to beat the Mavericks three times and had won six of the last seven meetings with them.

But with the Warriors as an eight-seed, and the Mavericks as the best team in basketball, no one gave them much of a chance.

Nevertheless, the upset took place. Backed by a raucous home crowd, the Warriors defeated the Mavericks in just six games. Baron Davis, Stephen Jackson, and Matt Barnes had the series of their lives, while the Mavericks appeared rattled by the Warriors’ unorthodox style.

 Baron Davis and the "We Believe" crowd at Oracle after a Game 6 upset of the Dallas Mavericks.

Nelson went small-ball on the Mavs, playing small forward Al Harrington at center, shooting guard Stephen Jackson at power forward, and Monta Ellis at shooting guard.

In the end, their frenetic style was simply too much for the Mavs. On May 3, the Warriors completed the upset by crushing the Mavericks, 111-86 in Game 6. It was the first time in American sports that a team that won 25 games less than its opponent went on to win the playoff series.

In the second round they faced Jerry Sloan's Utah Jazz, who muscled their way to a five-game series win. It was a one-shot wonder for the Warriors, who lost most of their roster only a few years later. As for the Mavs, they remained competitive, but another early exit in 2008 cost head coach Avery Johnson his job.

The Golden State Warriors once again made the playoffs this year, the second time in as many years, and once again faced an uphill battle against the Los Angeles Clippers.

However this year the Warriors playoff series was almost derailed by the shameful remarks that former Clippers owner Donald Sterling made.

Game 7 of the series between the Warriors and Clippers is tonight at the Staples Center in L.A.

Rangers' Rafael Palmeiro Records Hit 2,000

On May 2, 1999, Texas Rangers first baseman Rafael Palmeiro gets his 2,000 hit of his career. He would end his career with 3,020 hits.

Palmeiro getting his 2,000th MLB hit.

Palmeiro would finish his career with two marks, which used to be an automatic bid into Cooperstown’s Baseball Hall of Fame; he hit over 500 home runs, finishing his career with 569 and marked over 3,000 hits.

On top of that he had 1,835 RBI’s and a career batting average of .288 going along with two Silver Slugger Awards in 1998 and 1999, three Gold Glove Awards in 1997, 1998 and 1999 and was a four-time All-Star selection in 1988, 1991, 1998 and 1999.

Palmeiro was inducted into the Mississippi State University Hall of Fame on October 11, 2008. 

In 2009, he was inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame.

Despite his qualifications to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, Palmeiro was in the middle of the Mitchell Investigation that put baseball at the forefront of steroid use in the last 1990s and early 2000s. During the congressional hearings Palmeiro lied in court and said he did not do steroids, something he later admitted to doing.

With that Palmeiro’s numbers are now tainted and he will likely not be elected into the Hall of Fame because of the controversy surrounding his name and steroid use.

 

Palmeiro as a member of the Baltimore Orioles.

Palmeiro became eligible for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011. He received 64 votes, or 11.0 percent of total ballots cast; the threshold for entry is 75 percent.

According to Barry M. Bloom on Major League Baseball's official website: "Palmeiro should have been a sure-fire first-ballot inductee, as a member of the 500-homer, 3,000-hit club, but many believe because he was suspended in 2005 after testing positive for steroid use, that was the reason why he only 11 percent of the vote."