This day in sports: Floyd Mayweather Jr. victorious in his return to the ring

Floyd Mayweather Jr. returned to the ring after a year’s absence on this date in 2013 and won a unanimous 12-round decision over Robert Guerrero in their World Boxing Council welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas.

After Guerrero had taken the first three rounds, Mayweather, on the advice of his father, Floyd Mayweather Sr., deployed a defensive strategy. “The less you get hit, the longer you last,� said the elder Mayweather, who was his son’s assistant trainer.

The new tactic was not popular with the hotel’s Garden Arena crowd, which showed its displeasure by booing throughout the 11th and 12th rounds.

All three judges scored the bout 117-111, and Mayweather remained unbeaten in 44 fights.

With the baseball season still on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Dodgers were scheduled Monday to start a three-game series with the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium.

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

1905 — Belmont Park in New York opens for its first thoroughbred race meet. More than 40,000 fans watch a rarity — Sysonby and Race King finish in a dead heat in the Metropolitan Handicap. Horses run clockwise, and the track becomes the home of the third leg of the Triple Crown.

1935 — Omaha, ridden by Willie Saunders, wins the Kentucky Derby by 1½ lengths over Roman Soldier. Omaha — sired by Gallant Fox, who won the Triple Crown in 1930 — goes on to win the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes, becoming the first and only Triple Crown winner sired by a Triple Crown winner.

1957 — Iron Liege, ridden by Bill Hartack, wins the Kentucky Derby by a nose when jockey Bill Shoemaker, aboard Gallant Man, takes the lead but misjudges the finish line. Shoemaker stands up in the irons at the 16th Pole, allowing Iron Liege to move ahead. Shoemaker bounces back in the saddle but it is too late to overtake the winner.

1963 — Bob Shaw of the Milwaukee Braves sets a major league record by committing five balks against the Chicago Cubs. In the third inning, Shaw walks Billy Williams, who scores when Shaw balks three straight times. Shaw lasts five innings until he is ejected for arguing. The Cubs eventually win 7-5. Later, Shaw is fined $250 by the Braves and sent to the bullpen.

1968 — Dancer’s Image, ridden by Bob Ussery, wins the 94th Kentucky Derby with a stirring stretch run over Forward Pass. Three days later, the gray colt is disqualified and placed last when traces of a banned pain suppressant are found in his urine. Forward Pass, ridden by Ismael Valenzuela, is declared the winner.

1968 — The Pittsburgh Pipers beat the New Orleans Buccaneers 122-113 in Game 7 to win the first American Basketball Assn. championship. The Pipers, Pittsburgh’s only professional basketball team, are led by Charlie Williams with 35 points and Connie Hawkins with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Doug Moe is the Buccaneers’ top scorer with 35.

1994 — Charles Barkley scores 56 points, including a playoff-record 38 in the first half, to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 140-133 victory and a first-round sweep of the Golden State Warriors. Dan Majerle adds 24 for the Suns, and Chris Mullin and Latrell Sprewell score 30 and 27, respectively, for the Warriors.

2000 — Keith Primeau fires a wrist shot past goaltender Ron Tugnutt that ends the third-longest game in NHL history at 12:01 of the fifth overtime, giving the Philadelphia Flyers a 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. The marathon ties the Eastern Conference semifinal series at two games each.

2006 — Kobe Bryant scores 50 points, but the Lakers lose to the Phoenix Suns 126-118 in overtime, forcing a Game 7 in their Western Conference first-round playoff series. Steve Nash leads the Suns with 32 points and 13 assists. Bryant scores all but one of the Lakers’ 13 overtime points.

2009 — The Dodgers are the first National League team since 1900 to win their first 11 home games, beating Arizona 7-2. The major league mark of 12 was set in 1911 by the Detroit Tigers. Manny Ramirez and Andre Ethier hit first-inning home runs off Doug Davis.

Sources: The Times, Associated Press