Historically Speaking: 5-13-09

Just over two years and running and we have our first and second George Brett pictures up in a week's time. Who'd'a thunk? Get to studyin', now. There's a test on Friday.

* James J. Jeffries retired from boxing as the sport's heavyweight champ in 1905. His final fight had been in August of the previous year, a second-round TKO of Jack Munroe over yonder in San Francisco. He went 18-1 with two draws and 14 knockouts.

*We're talkin' today, 1983, when Reggie Jackson became the first player in MLB history to strikeout 2000 times. Ouch!

* Twas on this day in 1985 that everyone's favorite catcher Carlton Fisk became just the fifth home-plate squatter in MLB history to steal 100 bases.

* For those of you who like to sarcastically request more hockey, Wayne Gretzky was the host of television's "Saturday Night Live" today in 1989. Bitches.

* Today in 1993 George Brett went deep for the 300th time joining Hank Aaron, Stan Musial, Carl Yazstremski, Willie Mays, and Al Kaline as the only players with 3000 hits and 300 home runs.

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



...hockey legend Gordie Howe, who, in 1981, was asked if he'd ever broken his nose while playing hockey. His response: "No, but 11 other guys did."