Sunday, June 13, 2010

The Smorgasboard: Fact Book Edition

--Lakers coach Phil Jackson is 47-0 when winning the first game of a playoff series.

--The Boston Celtics starting five of Garnett, Pierce, Allen, Rondo and Perkins has never lost a playoff series together, going 7-0.

Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Lakers and Celtics takes place tonight in Boston.  The series is tied 2-2.  The Lakers won Game 1.

Update:  The Celtics are 11-0 in their history in series where they have a 3-2 games lead.  They won in Boston Sunday night and now lead 3-2.  All hell breaks loose in LA Tuesday night at 9 EST.  Stay tuned.

--With their 1-0 victory over Serbia, Ghana recorded Africa's first win in this World Cup, the first ever on the African continent.  Perhaps fittingly, it took place in Pretoria, the city where apartheid ruled.

--England and the US have each finished in the top three at the World Cup one time.  England won in 1966.  The US finished third in 1930.

--Germany, which got a headed goal against Australia in their 4-0 victory today, has 32 headed goals since 1966, almost double second place Italy's 18.

--27 year-old Daniel Nava hit a grand slam yesterday in the Boston Red Sox 10-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.  Nava became only the fourth player to ever hit a grand slam in his first at bat and only the second to ever hit one on the first pitch he saw as a major leaguer.  None of the four occurred during the 20th century.  Three have happened since 2005.

--Roberto Clemente is only player ever to hit a walk off inside-the-park grand slam when he did it July 25, 1956 at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh.  The Pirates defeated the Chicago Cubs 9-8.

--China has one time zone.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wouldn't Roberto's feat be considered a Run-Off Inside teh Park Grand Slam

David Todd said...

Clever. The term "walk-off" originally referred to the pitcher who walked off the mound, having just surrendered the winning run.

It has changed over time to the connotation which you suggest. It didn't really come into common usage until the late '90s.

I wonder what injury Bobby Clemente complained about in the locker room after the game. :)