Historically Speaking: 4-21-09

Ah, yes. Today's much better. I promise. Plus, there's no day baseball, so if you skip the history lesson, what're you gonna read? The funnies? Get busy, clown.

* Today in 1951 the NBA's Rochester Royals beat the New York Knicks, four games to three for the basketball championship.

* It was 29 years ago today when a gal by the name of Rosie Ruiz won the Boston Marathon when she crossed the finish line in record-breaking time: two hours, 31 minutes, 56 seconds. She later had her victory taken away, after it was discovered that she'd like, taken some buses and shit.

* Perhaps the most famous comeback in baseball history happened today in 1991 in a contest between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Chicago Cubs. Andre Dawson and the Cubs generated five runs in the top of the 11th, thanks largely to Dawson's grand slam, only to see the Pirates plate six in the bottom of the inning for the win, all of this happening after Pittsburgh rallied from down 7-2 in the ninth to take it to the extra frames.

* Three years later, Indians first baseman Eddie Murray hit a pair of monumental home runs, going yard from both sides of the plate for the 11th time in his career. The shots broke Mickey Mantle's switch-hitting homer record, and pushed Murray past Dave Kingman, into the 20th spot on the career home run list with number 444.

* Nineteen ninety-six was the year that the Chicago Bulls posted an NBA-record 72 wins in the regular season, losing only on eight occasions, which is, you know, slightly above average.

And your Sports Illustrated quote of the day came from the mouth of...



...magnificently mustachioed Detroit Tigers closer Todd Jones, who, a few short years ago, was asked how he manages to get through his usual one inning of work without dominant stuff. Jones' reply: "By the time they realize I don't have anything, the inning's over."