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This day in sports: In 1982, Steve Garvey plays in his 1,000th consecutive game

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Dodgers first baseman Steve Garvey received a one-minute standing ovation from a Dodger Stadium crowd of 44,714 on this date in 1982 when he became the fifth major leaguer to play in 1,000 consecutive games.

Garvey went 0 for 4 in a loss to the Atlanta Braves, but he did wave and blow kisses to the fans.

“It’s a great feeling to do something special, that only four other players in history have done,” Garvey said before the game.

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He joined a list of “Iron Men” that included Lou Gehrig (2,130 games), Everett Scott (1,307), Billy Williams (1,117) and Joe Sewell (1,103).

The Dodgers were scheduled to celebrate “Kids Run the Bases” day Sunday in the last of a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. The Angels would have wrapped up a four-game series against the Minnesota Twins in Minneapolis. Both games were postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here is a look at other memorable games and performances on this date:

1969 — Arts and Letters, with Braulio Baeza in the saddle, takes advantage of a woefully slow pace to end Majestic Prince’s bid for the Triple Crown with a 5½-length victory in the Belmont Stakes. Arts and Letters takes the lead in the final turn and pulls away from the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner in the stretch. The Belmont is Majestic Prince’s last race.

1972 — Gene Alley draws a bases-loaded walk from Mike Corkins that gives the Pittsburgh Pirates a 1-0, 18-inning victory in the second game of a doubleheader against the Padres at San Diego. The inning features a double-steal by slow-footed Al Oliver and Willie Stargell. Bob Miller gets the win for Pittsburgh after entering in the 16th inning. Clay Kirby goes 13 innings for San Diego without allowing a run.

1986 — Danzig Connection, with Chris McCarron aboard, beats Johns Treasure by 1¼ lengths to give trainer Woody Stephens his fifth straight Belmont Stakes victory. Stephens says before the race that Danzig Connection is less talented than his four previous horses, but the colt is good enough on a sloppy track to visit the winner’s circle.

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1995 — Hakeem Olajuwon’s tip-in with 0.3 seconds left gives the Houston Rockets a 120-118 overtime win over the Orlando Magic in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The Rockets, trailing by 20 points in the first half, are led back into the game by Kenny Smith, whose Finals record seventh three-pointer sends the game into overtime. The Magic’s Nick Anderson’s misses four free throws in the last 10.5 seconds of regulation that allows Houston to stay close.

2004 — Ruslan Fedotenko scores two goals, including the game’s first, and the resilient Tampa Bay Lightning hold off the Calgary Flames 2-1 in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. The Flames are held to just seven shots in the first two periods before Craig Conroy scores on a power play midway through the third. It’s the first title for Tampa Bay.

Several sports leagues think they have figured out a way to safely return to play in the age of COVID-19. Sacrifices and dramatic adjustments will be required.

June 6, 2020

2014 — Maria Sharapova of Russia wins her second French Open title in three years, overcoming a shaky serve to beat fourth-seeded Simona Halep of Romania 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-4 in the final. Sharapova commits 12 double-faults but is able to hold serve in the final game with steady ground strokes that keep Halep, who is playing in her first major final, on the run.

2014 — California Chrome, a heavy 4-5 favorite, fails in his bid to win the first Triple Crown in 36 years, losing the Belmont Stakes to 9-1 long shot Tonalist. The Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner finishes in a dead-heat for fourth with Wicked Strong. California Chrome’s co-owner Steve Coburn expresses his displeasure with fresh horses such as Tonalist to be allowed to run in the Belmont.

2015 — Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland defeats Novak Djokovic of Serbia 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in men’s final of the French Open. Wawrinka, who beat countryman No. 2 Roger Federer in the quarterfinals, ends No. 1 Djokovic’s 28-match winning streak and keeps him from completing a career grand slam.

Sources: The Times, Associated Press

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