The sports scene in May revolves around MLB, the NBA and NHL playoffs, lacrosse, the PGA Tour, and the French Open. May 9 has provided several notable sports moments and stories from legends of the game. Read on to discover more:
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sport that occurred on May 9 include:
- 1958: Mikhail Botvinnik reclaimed the World Chess Championship.
- 1971: Elizaeth Bonner set the female world record in the marathon with a time of 3:01:42.
- 1975: Brian Oldfield threw the shot put 22.86 meters; however, it was an unofficial world record due to his professional status.
- 1986: The Montreal Canadiens beat the New York Rangers 4-1 to win the Prince of Wales Trophy.
- 1990: Sampdoria beat Anderlecht to secure the European Cup Winner’s Cup.
- 2010: Tim Clark recorded a final round score of 67 and won the PGA Players Championship. It was his first PGA Tour victory.
- 2013: Everton manager David Moyes was announced as Manchester United’s next head coach.
MLB History
May 9 has featured some great plays on the diamond:
- 1937: Ernie Lombardi went six-for-six as the Cincinnati Reds beat the Phillies 21-10.
- 1961: Baltimore Orioles’ Jim Gentile hit two grand slams and recorded nine RBI’s.
- 1973: Johnny Bench hit three home runs in a game for the second time in his career.
- 1987: Eddie Murray became the first player to switch-hit home runs in two consecutive games.
- 1995: The Cleveland Indians tied the major league record by scoring eight runs before making an out.
- 2010: Oakland Athletics’ Dallas Braden pitched a perfect game — the 19th in MLB history.
Horse Races
Some of the biggest names in the field have featured on May 9:
- 1889: Thomas Kiley won the Kentucky Derby riding Spokane with a time of 2:34:5.
- 1914: John McCabe won the Kentucky Derby aboard Old Rosebud in 2:03:4.
- 1927: Whitey Abel won the Preakness Stakes riding Bostonian with a time of 2:01:6.
- 1930: Earl Sande won the Preakness Stakes aboard Gallant Fox in 2:00:6.
- 1931: George Ellis won the Preakness Stakes riding Mate with a time of 1:59.
- 1932: Eugene James won the Preakness Stakes on Burgoo King in 1:59:8.
- 1942: Basil James won the Preakness Stakes riding Alsab with a time of 1:57.
Looking through these May 9 statistics, the moments that stand out are Clark’s first PGA Tour Victory, Braden’s perfect game, and the jockey James’ win.
Sir Tim Clark is famous in several fields; He’s a well-known executive, serving as president of Emirates Airline, and recognized for his achievements in professional golf, winning multiple PGA Tour events.There have been 24 perfect games in MLB history, and Braden’s was the second one for the Oakland Athletics. James’ most famous horse was the Hall of Fame colt Alsab, voted U.S. 2-Year-Old and 3-Year-Old Champion male horse.
