LeBron James (pictured here) scored 24 points while Dwyane Wade added 22 (to go with his 10 rebounds) Tuesday night as the Miami Heat defeated the visiting Dallas Mavericks 92-84 in the opening contest of the NBA Finals.
Wide receiver Donovan Morgan caught eight passes for 117 yards and three touchdowns on Friday night as the Philadelphia Soul (4-7) overhauled the visiting New Orleans VooDoo (2-9) 70-49 in Arena Football League action.
Nathan Horton scored the game's only goal at 12:27 of the third period while Tim Thomas stopped all 24 shots as the Boston Bruins defeated the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning 1-0 Friday night in the seventh and deciding game of the NHL Eastern Conference final. The Bruins head to their first Stanley Cup Final since 1990. They'll open the series against the Vancouver Canucks with the opening contest at Vancouver's Rogers Arena this coming Wednesday night. The Canucks are looking for their first-ever Stanley Cup championship while the Bruins are seeking their first since 1972.
LeBron James, who scored 28 points (and grabbed 11 rebounds), and Dwyane Wade, who added 21, each scored eight points during a game-ending 18-3 run as the Miami Heat erased a 12-point late fourth-quarter deficit and overturned the home standings Chicago Bulls 83-80 in game five of the NBA Eastern Conference final on Thursday night. The Heat, who also got help from Chris Bosh (20 points, 10 rebounds), will host the Dallas Mavericks in the opening game of the NBA Finals this coming Tuesday, a rematch of the 2006 affair that Miami won in six games for their only NBA title. The Mavericks are still searching for their first.
The Tampa Bay Lightning scored three power-play goals (Martin St. Louis and Teddy Purcell, with each accounting for two goals overall; Steven Stamkos) on Wednesday night as they held off the visiting Boston Bruins 5-4 to square their NHL Eastern Conference final series at three games apiece. The series will be decided in Boston on Friday night with an encounter in the Stanley Cup Final against the Vancouver Canucks going to the winner.
Dirk Nowitzki scored 26 points, hitting a go-ahead three-pointer with 74 seconds remaining as the Dallas Mavericks defeated the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder 100-96 on Wednesday night to win their NBA Western Conference final series four games to one. The Mavericks have advanced to their second NBA Finals appearance (they lost the 2006 Finals to Miami in six games).
Kevin Bieska scored the winning goal at 10:18 of the second overtime period while Robert Luongo stopped 54 of 56 shots as the Vancouver Canucks closed out their NHL Western Conference final with the San Jose Sharks in five games following their 3-2 home win on Tuesday night. The Canucks will be playing in the Stanley Cup Finals for the third time in franchise history, having lost both their previous efforts (1982 in four straight games to the New York Islanders and 1994 in seven games to the New York Rangers).
LeBron James scored 25 points and Chris Bosh added 22 on Tuesday night as the Miami Heat defeated the visiting Chicago Bulls 101-93 in overtime in game four of their NBA Eastern Conference final. The Heat, now leading the series three games to one, can finish off the Bulls (who are now suffering their first three-game losing streak of the entire season) on Thursday night with a win at Chicago.
Dirk Nowitski scored 40 points while Jason Kidd connected on the go-ahead three-point shot with 40 seconds remaining in overtime as the Dallas Mavericks erased a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit (with five minutes remaining, no less) on Monday to defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder 112-105 to take a three-games-to-two lead in their NBA Western Conference final.
Tim Thomas stopped 33 of 34 saves on Monday night, while Nathan Horton, Brad Marchand, and Rich Peverley each scored a goal as the Boston Bruins came back from a 1-0 first-period deficit and overcame the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-1 at home to take a three-games-to-two lead in their NHL Eastern Conference final. The Bruins can lock up their first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1990 with a win Wednesday night at Tampa, Florida (the Bruins last won the Cup in 1972).
Chris Bosh scored 34 points and LeBron James added 22 (to go with his ten assists) on Sunday as the Miami Heat defeated the visiting Chicago Bulls 96-85 in game three of their NBA Eastern Conference final with Miami now leading the series two games to one.
Sami Salo scored two goals while Ryan Kesler added another one on Sunday as the Vancouver Canucks took a three-games-to-one lead in their NHL Western Conference final series following their 4-2 road win over the San Jose Sharks.
Dirk Nowitzki and Shawn Marion each scored 18 points on Saturday as the Dallas Mavericks raced to a 23-point lead, then held off the Oklahoma City Thunder 93-87 to take game three of their NBA Western Conference final and a two-games-to-one series lead.
Shackleford, with Jesus Castanon aboard, held off Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom by 3/4 of a length on Saturday as he won the 136th Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Track. This marks the 33rd consecutive year without a Triple Crown winner. Astrology finished third with Dialed In finishing fourth.
Teddy Purcell scored twice in the second period as the Tampa Bay Lightning erased a three-goal deficit to overtake the visiting Boston Bruins 5-3 in game four of the NHL Eastern Conference Final on Saturday. The series is now deadlocked at two games apiece.
Quarterback Nick Davila threw for seven touchdowns on Friday night as the Arizona Rattlers (8-2) held off the New Orleans VooDoo (2-8) 61-53 in a nationally-televised Arena Football League contest.
The San Jose Sharks scored three power-play goals on Friday---Patrick Marleau (one of his two goals overall), Ryane Clowe, and Dan Boyle---as they held off the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 to cut their NHL Western Conference final deficit to two games to one.
Kevin Durant scored 24 points and James Harden added 23 as the Oklahoma City Thunder squared their NBA Western Conference final series with the Dallas Mavericks at one game apiece on Thursday with a 106-100 victory in game two on the road.
Tim Thomas stopped all 31 shots while David Krejci and Andrew Ference each scored a goal as the Boston Bruins blanked the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-0 on the road on Thursday to take a two-games-to-one lead in the NHL's Eastern Conference final.
Daniel Sedin contributed a pair of power-play goals as the Vancouver Canucks, who scored five goals (2 on the power play) in the third period as they throttled the visiting San Jose Sharks 7-3 on Wednesday in game two of the NHL Western Conference Final, leading that series two games to none.
LeBron James scored 29 points (and pulled in 10 rebounds) while Dwyane Wade added 24 as the Miami Heat squared their NBA Eastern Conference final series at one game apiece following their 85-75 Wednesday road win in game two over the Chicago Bulls.
Tyler Seguin and Michael Ryder each scored twice in the second period (the latter scoring one of his on a power play) as the Boston Bruins scored five goals in that second frame and held off the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning 6-5 in game two of their NHL Eastern Conference final on Tuesday to square that series at one game apiece. The loss snapped the Lightning's eight-game winning streak.
Dirk Nowitzki made an NBA playoff-record 24 straight free throws en route to a 48-point night on Tuesday as the Dallas Mavericks top the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder 121-112 in the opening game of the NBA's Western Conference final.
Minnesota Twins Hall-of-Fame slugger Harmon Killebrew, who hit 574 home runs and was named American League Most Valuable Player in 1969, passed away on Tuesday at his Scottsdale, Arizona home following his battle with esophageal cancer at age 74.
In the lone Sunday Stanley Cup Playoff contest, Henrik Sedin scored the winning goal on a power play at 8:21 of the third period as the Vancouver Canucks came from behind to top the visiting San Jose Earthquakes 3-2 in the opening contest of the Western Conference final.
Sunday saw both the conclusion of the second round and the start of the conference final phase of the NBA Playoffs.
At Oklahoma City:
Kevin Durant scored 39 points while Russell Westbrook had his first playoff triple-double (14 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists) as the Oklahoma City Thunder took care of the visiting Memphis Grizzlies 105-90 in game seven of their Western Conference semifinal series and finally took out the conference's number eight seed four games to three. The Thunder will open the Western Conference final this Tuesday night at Dallas against the Mavericks.
At Chicago:
Derrick Rose scored 28 points while Loul Deng added 21 while keeping LeBron James (held to 15 points) in check as the Chicago Bulls dominated the visiting Miami Heat 103-82 in the opening game of the Eastern Conference final.
Sean Bergenheim, Brett Clark, and Teddy Purcell each scored a first-half goal while Marc-Andre Bergeron (PP) and Simon Gagne each tallied once in the third period while Dwayne Roloson stopped 31 of 33 shots as the Tampa Bay Lightning won their eighth consecutive playoff game Saturday night, taking the opening contest of the Eastern Conference final 5-2 on the road over the Boston Bruins as the third round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs commenced.
Quarterback Matt Bassuener passed for four touchdowns on Friday night as the Tulsa Talons (4-5) defeated the New Orleans VooDoo (2-7) 48-35 in Arena Football League action.
In the lone Friday NBA Playoff contest, the Memphis Grizzlies outscored the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder 51-29 in the second half to square their Western Conference semifinal series at three games apiece with a 95-83 victory. Zack Randolph scored 30 points (and grabbed 13 rebounds) to pace the Grizzlies. The series will decided on Sunday afternoon at Oklahoma City.
Patrick Marleau scored the winning goal at 12:13 of the third period on Thursday as the San Jose Sharks avoided the same fate that befell the Boston Bruins last season and won game seven of their Western Conference semifinal series 3-2 over the Detroit Red Wings. The Sharks will face the Vancouver Canucks in the Western Conference Final, with the opening game set for Sunday in Vancouver.
The Eastern Conference Final between the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning will open on Saturday in Boston.
Carlos Boozer scored 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while Derrick Rose scored 19 to go with his 12 assists as the Chicago Bulls, who never trailed, plucked the feathers off of the Atlanta Hawks 93-73 on the road to win their Eastern Conference semifinal series four games to two in the lone Thursday NBA Playoff contest. The Bulls will now take on the Miami Heat (a team against whom they won all-three regular-season encounters) in their first post-Michael Jordan conference final.
Two games were played on Wednesday as the NBA Playoffs continued.
Eastern Conference:
At Miami:
Dwyane Wade scored 34 points while LeBron James added 33 as the Miami Heat went on a 16-0 run in the final 4:15 of the fourth quarter and eliminated the visiting Boston Celtics by winning game five of their conference semifinal series 97-87 and won their series four games to one.
Western Conference:
At Oklahoma City:
Kevin Durant scored 19 points to lead a balanced attack as the Oklahoma City Thunder smothered the visiting Memphis Grizzlies 99-72 to lead their conference semifinal series three games to two.
Norma Zimmer, best remembered as the Champagne Lady on The Lawrence Welk Show from 1960 until it ceased production in 1982, passed away on Tuesday at her home in Brea, California at age 87.
Before becoming the Champagne Lady, Norma was a studio vocalist and had worked with such pop stars as Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby.
On the Welk show, Norma sang solo or did romantic and inspirational duets with Jimmy Roberts.
It was after a year or so after the departure of Alice Lon, and a search by Lawrence for a replacement, that after several stints as a guest, Norma was named the permanent Champagne Lady.
Here's Norma in a kinescope clip from a 1961 ABC Network telecast of The Lawrence Welk Show, singing "Always."
From the January 13, 1968 telecast of said program, here are Norma and Jimmy singing "Wonderful One."
Third-period goals from Henrik Zetterberg, Valtteri Filppula, and Darren Helm (EN) carried the Detroit Red Wings to a come-from-behind 3-1 home win in game six of their Western Conference semifinal series with the San Jose Sharks in the lone Tuesday Stanley Cup Playoff contest. The Red Wings have come back from a three-games-to-none series deficit to force a seventh and deciding game at San Jose on Thursday.
In the lone Tuesday NBA Playoff contest, Derrick Rose scored 33 points and Loul Deng added 23 as the Chicago Bulls defeated the visiting Atlanta Hawks 95-83 in game five of their Eastern Conference semifinal series to take a three-games-to-two advantage with a chance to close out the series with a win on Thursday in Atlanta.
Ryan Kesler assisted on both goals, scored in the first period by Mason Raymond and Daniel Sedin (PP), while Robert Luongo stopped 23 of 24 shots as the Vancouver Canucks finished off the Nashville Predators four games to two in their Western Conference semifinal series following their 2-1 win on the road in game six, in the lone Monday Stanley Cup Playoff contest. The Canucks will face San Jose or Detroit in the Western Conference Final. The Sharks lead their series three games to two and can finish off the Red Wings with a win on Tuesday in Detroit.
The NBA Playoffs continued on Monday with two games.
Eastern Conference: At Boston:
LeBron James scored 35 points (and grabbed 14 rebounds) while Dwyane Wade added 28 and Chris Bosh 20 as the Miami Heat took game four of their conference semifinal series with the Boston Celtics 98-90 in overtime on the road for a three-games-to-one series lead. The Heat can finish off the defending Eastern Conference champs back home in Wednesday night.
Western Conference:
At Memphis:
Kevin Durant scored six of his 35 points in the third overtime period while Russell Westbrook added 40 as the Oklahoma City Thunder squared their conference semifinal series with the Memphis Grizzlies at two games apiece following their 133-123 win on the road in game four.
Third-period goals from Jonathan Ericsson, Daniel Cleary, and Tomas Holmstrom enabled the Detroit Red Wings to come back from a 3-1 deficit to win game four of the Western Conference semifinal series 4-3 over the San Jose Sharks on the road to cut their deficit to three games to two in the lone Sunday Stanley Cup Playoff contest.
Two more games in the NBA Playoffs took place on Sunday.
Western Conference:
At Dallas:
Jason Terry scored 32 points (27 of them on a league playoff record-tying nine three-pointers) as the Dallas Mavericks, who connected on an NBA record-tying 20 three-point baskets, annihilated the visiting Los Angeles Lakers 122-86 to complete their four-game series sweep of their conference semifinal series, ousting the two-time defending champions from the playoffs. The game may very well have been Phil Jackson's final game as Lakers head coach, having coached a record 11 NBA championship teams.
Eastern Conference:
At Atlanta:
Joe Johnson scored 24 points while Josh Smith added 23 (to go with his 16 rebounds) as the Atlanta Hawks squared their conference semifinal series with the Chicago Bulls at two game apiece with a 100-88 home win in game four despite Derrick Rose's 34 points for the Bulls.
In Saturday Arena Football League action, the New Orleans VooDoo (2-6) scored 21 fourth-quarter points and made two key defensive stops late in the game as they knocked off the Kansas City Command (2-7) 59-52 for their second win (both on the road) this season.
Two more NBA Playoff games were contested on Saturday.
Western Conference:
At Memphis:
Zach Randolph scored 21 points and grabbed a franchise-record 21 rebounds as the Memphis Grizzlies overcame a 16-point deficit and defeated the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder 101-93 in game three of their conference semifinal series. The Grizzlies now lead the series two games to one.
Eastern Conference:
At Boston:
Kevin Garnett scored 28 points and pulled in 18 rebounds while Rajon Rondo, dislocated elbow, bad back and all, had a pair of one-armed baskets in the fourth quarter and contributed 11 assists as the Boston Celtics took game three of their conference semifinal series with the Miami Heat 97-81 at home to cut the Miami series advantage to two games to one.
Joel Ward scored twice in the third period as the Nashville Predators won an elimination game for the first time in franchise history with a 4-3 road win over the Vancouver Canucks in game five of their Western Conference semifinal series in Saturday's only Stanley Cup Playoff contest. David Legwand also scored twice (once shorthanded) for the Predators. The series will resume on Monday night in Nashville.
20-1 shot Animal Kingdom, with John Velazquez (originally slated to ride atop Uncle Mo, who was scratched on Friday and who was chosen to replace the injured Robby Albarado) aboard, came from behind to win the 137th Kentucky Derby on Saturday. Nehro finished second and Mucho Macho Man finished third.
Two more games were played in the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Friday.
Eastern Conference:
At Boston:
Milan Lucic scored twice (once on a power play) and the Boston Bruins scored four third-period goals as they defeated the visiting Philadelphia Flyers 5-1 to complete a four-game sweep of their conference semifinal series, avenging their collapse of last year. The Bruins will take on the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Final with Boston holding home-ice advantage.
Western Conference:
At Detroit:
Nicklas Lidstrom scored twice in the first period (once on the power play) and Darren Helm scored the game winner at 18:33 of the third period as the Detroit Red Wings avoided the four-game sweep with a 4-3 home win in game four of their conference semifinal series over the San Jose Sharks.
Two games were played on Friday as the NBA Playoffs resumed.
Western Conference:
At Dallas:
Dirk Nowitski scored 32 points, while Jason Terry added 23, and Peja Stojakovic scored 11 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter as the Dallas Mavericks erased an eight-point deficit at home and defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 98-92 in game three of their conference semifinal series. The Mavericks now lead the two-time defending champs three games to none, and no team in NBA history has ever come back from such a deficit to win a best-of-seven playoff series.
Eastern Conference:
At Atlanta:
Derrick Rose scored a career-high 44 points as the Chicago Bulls defeated the Atlanta Hawks 99-82 on the road to lead their conference semifinal series two games to one.
From 1940, here's "Son Of Ingagi." In this one, a mad doctor keeps a monster in the basement. Featured in the cast, Zack Williams, Laura Bowman, Alfred Grant, Daisy Bufford, Arthur Ray, Spencer Williams, Jr., Earl J. Morris, Jesse Graves, and The Toppers. With story and continuity by Spencer Williams, Jr., this motion picture, from Hollywood Productions and distributed by Sack Amusement Enterprises, was directed by Richard C. Kahn.
In the lone Thursday Stanley Cup Playoff contest, Ryan Kesler's power play goal at 7:28 of the third period proved to be the game winner as the Vancouver Canucks took a three-games-to-one advantage in their Western Conference semifinal series following their 4-2 home win over the Nashville Predators.
NBA Playoff action continued with two Wednesday contests.
Eastern Conference:
At Chicago:
Derrick Rose scored 25 points and had 10 assists while Joakim Noah added 19 points and grabbed 14 rebounds as the Chicago Bulls squared their conference semifinal series with the Atlanta Hawks following their 86-73 home victory.
Western Conference:
Dirk Nowitzki scored 24 points while Shawn Marion added 14 as the Dallas Mavericks knocked off the Los Angeles Lakers 93-81 in game two of their conference semifinal series. The Mavericks now lead the two-time defending NBA champs two games to none.
Three games were played on Wednesday as the Stanley Cup Playoffs continued.
Eastern Conference:
At Tampa, Florida:
Sean Bergenheim scored twice in the second period while Marc-Andre Bergeron (PP) and Martin St. Louis each delivered a third-period tally as the Tampa Bay Lightning, in winning game four 5-3 at home, completed a four-game conference semifinal series sweep of the Washington Capitals.
At Boston:
Zdeno Chara scored twice (once on a power play) and Tim Thomas stopped 37 of 38 shots as the Boston Bruins mauled the visiting Philadelphia Flyers 5-1 in game three of their best-of-seven series to take a three-games-to-none lead in their series (the same lead the Bruins had after game three at this stage of the playoffs last year before collapsing and losing to the Flyers in seven games).
Western Conference:
At Detroit:
Devin Setoguchi picked up his first career playoff hat trick, topped off with the game winner at 9:21 of overtime as the San Jose Sharks defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 to lead their conference semifinal series three games to none.
Two more games were played on Tuesday as conference semifinal action continued in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Eastern Conference: At Tampa, Florida:
Goals scored 24 seconds apart in the third period from Steven Stamkos and Ryan Malone lifted the Tampa Bay Lightning to a come-from-behind 4-3 home win over the Washington Capitals in game three to now lead their series against the Eastern Conference's top seeded team three games to none.
Western Conference: At Nashville:
Ryan Kesler scored two power play goals, the second being the game winner at 10:45 of overtime, as the Vancouver Canucks took a two-games-to-one lead in their conference semifinal series with the Nashville Predators following their 3-2 game-three home win.
Two games were played on Tuesday night as the NBA Playoffs continued.
Eastern Conference: At Miami:
LeBron James scored 35 points while Dwyane Wade added 28 as the Miami Heat took a two-games-to-none conference semifinal series lead over the Boston Celtics with their 102-91 home win in game two.
Western Conference:
At Oklahoma City:
Kevin Durant scored 26 points while James Harden added 21 off the bench as the Oklahoma City Thunder squared their conference semifinal series with the Memphis Grizzlies at one game apiece following their 111-102 home win in game two.
Two more conference semifinal series in the NBA Playoffs got underway on Monday.
Eastern Conference:
At Chicago:
Joe Johnson scored 34 points as the Atlanta Hawks took the opening match of their conference semifinal series 103-95 over the Chicago Bulls.
Western Conference:
At Los Angeles:
Two clutch free throws from Dirk Nowitzki, part of a 28-point, 14-rebound night, carried the Dallas Mavericks as they overcame a double-digit deficit and knocked off the Los Angeles Lakers 96-94 in game one of their conference semifinal series.
In Monday's only Stanley Cup Playoff contest, David Krejci scored the winning goal at 14:00 of overtime while Tim Thomas stopped 52 of 54 shots (including the last 46) as the Boston Bruins took a two-games-to-none lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal series with a 3-2 road win in game two over the Philadelphia Flyers.
Here's a kinescope of the November 5, 1958 NBC Network telecast of the Kraft Music Hall hosted by Milton Berle. Andy Griffith was Milton's special guest. Complete with commercials for Kraft Foods.
Time for a cartoon from 1930, "Indian Pudding." This early Terrytoon was made in New York City and produced and directed by Frank Moser and Paul Terry with music by Phil Scheib. With financing from Audio-Cinema, this cartoon was distributed by Eductaional Pictures.
Two more games were played on Sunday as the Stanley Cup Playoffs continued.
Western Conference:
At San Jose, California:
Antti Niemi stopped 33 of 34 shots while Ian White (PP) and Niclas Wallin each scored a goal as the San Jose Sharks took a two-games-to-none lead in their conference semifinal series with a 2-1 home win over the Detroit Red Wings.
Eastern Conference:
At Washington:
Vincent Lecavalier scored twice, once on the power play in the first period, and the other, the game winner at 6:19 of overtime as the Tampa Bay Lightning head back home with a two-games-to-none conference semifinal series lead following their 3-2 win over the Washington Capitals.
The second round of the NBA Playoffs got under way on Sunday with two games.
Western Conference:
Zack Randolph scored 34 points and pulled down 10 rebounds as the Memphis Grizzlies took the opening game of their conference semifinal series, 114-101 over the Oklahoma City Thunder, despite 33 points and 11 rebounds from OKC's Kevin Durant.
Eastern Conference:
Dwyane Wade scored 38 points, while James Jones set a franchise playoff record with 25 points off the bench as the Miami Heat downed the visiting Boston Celtics 99-90 in game one of their conference semifinal series. LeBron James added 22 points for Miami.
