May is an exciting month for sports fans. The NBA and NHL playoffs are in full swing, MLB is heating up, and there are major events like the Preakness Stakes, the PGA Championship, the FA Cup Final, and the French Open in tennis. Plus, some Grand Prix races are happening too.
May 12 has seen many memorable moments in sports history. In 1910, Charles “Chief” Bender pitched a no-hitter for the Philadelphia Athletics against the Cleveland Naps. Three years later, Harry Green set a world record marathon time of 2:38:16.2 in the Polytechnic Marathon. In 1917, Omar Khayyam won the Kentucky Derby with Charles Borel riding him.
Fast forward to 1955, when Sam Jones became the first African American pitcher to throw a no-hitter in MLB, leading the Cubs to a 4-0 victory over the Pirates. In 1966, the St. Louis Cardinals played their first game in Busch Stadium, winning 4-3 against the Braves.
1970 was special for Ernie Banks, who hit his 500th career home run. The Boston Celtics clinched their 12th NBA championship in 1974, with John Havlicek named Finals MVP.
In 1998, the New York Yankees made a stunning comeback against the White Sox, winning 9-8 after being down 8-0. More recently, in 2019, Kawhi Leonard hit a buzzer-beater for the Raptors in Game 7 against the 76ers, creating an unforgettable NBA moment. That same year, Manchester City secured their second straight Premier League title with a 4-1 win over Brighton. May 12 is truly a day filled with sports history!
