TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY JUNE 25

2009  John Smoltz plays his first game for the Red Sox – 1^st in 21 seasons for a team other than Atlanta – loses 9-3

1999  San Antonio beats NY Knicks 4 games to 1 to win NBA title – Tim Duncan MVP with 27.4 points and 14 rebounds per game

1999  Cards rookie Jose Jimenez no hits Arizona 1-0 – Randy Johnson gets the loss despite striking out 14 including the 2,500^th of his career

1997  San Antonio chooses Tim Duncan #1 in NBA draft

1996  Mark McGwire hits his 300^th HR – ends with 583

1995  Andres Galarraga of Colorado hits 3 HRs in consecutive innings (6^th, 7^th, 8^th) – only 4^th to do so

1988  Cal Ripken Jr. plays in his 1,000^th consecutive game

1986  Steve Carlton is released by Philadelphia – won 4 Cy Young awards with them

1976  Rangers and White Sox play a doubleheader – Texas’ shortstop Toby Harrah goes through both games without a fielding chance                     

1969  Philadelphia beats NY Mets 6-5 in 10 innings – teams combine for 27 strikeouts

1968  Bobby Bonds makes MLB debut – hit a grand slam

1961  Baltimore and California both use 8 pitchers in a game – the 16 total is a MLN record

1948  Joe Louis KOs Jersey Joe Walcott in 11 for heavyweight title

1942  Willis Reed was born – 2 time NBA champion, Rookie of the Year, 2 time NBA finals MVP

1926  Bobby Jones wins the British Open with a 292