ON THIS DAY
1914: Joe Louis, one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time, was born. Louis first won the world title in 1937 by beating James J Braddock and made 25 defences over 11 years. He retired in 1948 but changed his mind, eventually quitting for good after losing to Rocky Marciano in 1951. Louis died in 1981.
1842: English soccer star Jeff Astle was born. He played 361 games for West Bromwich Albion, scoring 174 goals, and was one of the most iconic players in the history of the club. Died on 19 January 2002.
1950: The first Formula One world championship race took place at Silverstone. Italy's Giuseppe Farina won the event, called the British Grand Prix, in an Alfa Romeo from team-mate Luigi Fagioli.
2002: Ferrari were summoned to appear before the World Motor Sports Council to explain why Rubens Barrichello moved over to allow Michael Schumacher to win the previous day's Austrian Grand Prix.
2005: Sprinter Mark Lewis-Francis was given a public warning by UK Athletics after testing positive for cannabis.
2006: Liverpool won the FA Cup, beating West Ham 3-1 on penalties after the match finished 3-3 following extra-time at the Millennium Stadium.
2007: Sheffield United were relegated from the Premier League on goal difference after losing 2-1 to Wigan. West Ham, who had been fined but not deducted points over the signings of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano, survived. The Hammers were later ordered to pay United a multi-million pound compensation package.
2009: Former Munster forward Alan Quinlan was banned for 12 weeks after being found guilty of making contact with the eye area of Leinster captain Leo Cullen, ruling him out of the British and Irish Lions' tour of South Africa.
2012: Manchester City won the Premier League - their first top flight title in 44 years - after a dramatic 3-2 win at home to QPR sealed by a Sergio Aguero goal in injury time.
2013: Roberto Mancini was sacked as manager of Manchester City two days after losing the FA Cup final to Wigan 1-0, exactly one year on from winning the title.
BIRTHDAYS
Dennis Rodman (basketball) - former Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls forward, born 1961.
Mark Delaney (soccer) - former Aston Villa and Wales defender, born 1976.
Yaya Toure (soccer) - Manchester City's Ivory Coast midfielder, born 1983.
Marianne Vos (cycling) - Dutch cyclist who won gold in the road race at London 2012, born 1987.
Romelu Lukaku (soccer) - Belgium and Everton striker, born 1993.
John Hanbury (gaelic games) - the Rahoon-Newcastle clubman plays in the full-back line for the Galway senior hurling team, born 1993.
QUICK QUIZ BLITZ
1. Who won gold in the men's 100m at the Sydney Olympics in 2000?
2. Who won the 1980 GAA National Football League Division One title?
3. Which new sports will enter the Olympic programme for the 2016 Games?
4. How many rounds are there in a women's Olympic boxing match?
5. What two sports does biathlon combine?
(See answers at bottom)
SPORT ON TV
Today
SOCCER: Championship play-off semi-final first leg, Sheffield Wednesday v Brighton - Sky Sports 1 1930; Scottish Championship play-off semi-final second leg, Falkirk v Hibernian - BT Sport 1 1900; MLS, DC United v New York Red Bulls - Sky Sports 1 0000 (Sat); LIve League of Ireland: St Patrick's Athletic v Longford Town (Kick-off 7.45pm). Coverage of the top-flight game from Richmond Park - Setanta Ireland 1930.
RUGBY UNION: European Rugby Challenge Cup Final, Harlequins v Montpellier - Sky Sports 2 1930; Super Rugby, Highlanders v Crusaders and Rebels v Brumbies - Sky Sports 2 0830.
RUGBY LEAGUE: Super League, Wigan Warriors v Hull FC - Sky Sports 3 1930.
GOLF: European Tour, Mauritius Open - Sky Sports 4 0730 & 1100; PGA Tour, Players Championship - Sky Sports 4 1800.
CRICKET: Indian Premier League, Mumbai Indians v Kings XI Punjab - Sky Sports 1 1500.
TENNIS: ATP Tour, Rome International - Sky Sports 3 1330 and 2000; WTA Tour, Rome International - BT Sport 1 1000, BT Sport 2 1830.
MOTOR RACING: Spanish Formula One Grand Prix practice - Sky Sports F1 0845 and 1245, Channel 4 0855 and 1255, Setanta Sports Ireland 0855.
CYCLING: Giro d'Italia - Eurosport 1 1315.
HORSE RACING: Dante Festival from York - Channel 4 1435.
BASEBALL: MLB, Baltimore Orioles v Detriot Tigers - BT Sport 2 0000 (Sat).
BASKETBALL: NBA play-offs - TBA - BT Sport 10100 (Sat); Euroleague, CSKA Moscow v Lokomotiv Kuban and Fenerbahce v Laboral Kutxa - BT Sport/ESPN 1700.
DIVING: European Championships from London - Eurosport 1 1930.
Tomorrow
GAA: GAA 2016: Action from the latest matches, including the Division 1 and 2 Ladies National Football League finals, which were staged at Parnell Park - TG4 1135.
SOCCER: Championship play-off semi-final first leg, Derby v Hull - Sky Sports 1 1200; League One play-off semi-final first leg, Barnsley v Walsall - Sky Sports 1 1700; League Two play-off semi-final - Sky Sports 1, AFC Wimbledon v Accrington 1930; Scottish Premiership, Kilmarnock v Dundee United - BT Sport 1 1200; Scottish Championship play-off semi-final second leg - BT Sport 1 1900; Primera Division - Sky Sports 3 2100; Serie A - Setanta Sports Ireland 1655 and 1940; Bundesliga - BT Sport/ESPN 1430; Ligue 1 - BT Sport 2 2000; MLS, Montreal Impact v Philadelphia Union and Toronto FC v Vancouver Whitecaps - Sky Sports 1 from 2200; Women's FA Cup - BBC1 1330.
RUGBY UNION: Champions Cup Final, Racing 92 v Saracens - Sky Sports 2 1545; Super Rugby, Hurricanes v Reds, Waratahs v Bulls and Cheetahs v Kings - Sky Sports 3 from 0830; Jaguares v Sharks - Sky Sports 5 1035.
RUGBY LEAGUE: Super League, Catalan Dragons v Huddersfield Giants - Sky Sports 4 1655.
GOLF: European Tour, Mauritius Open - Sky Sports 4 0930; PGA Tour, Players Championship - Sky Sports 4 1900.
CRICKET: Indian Premier League, Royal Challengers Bangalore v Gujarat Lions and Kolkata Knight Riders v Rising Pune Supergiants - Sky Sports 1 1100.
TENNIS: ATP Tour, Rome International - Sky Sports 3 1100 and 1830; WTA Tour, Rome International - BT Sport 2 1045 and 1545.
MOTOR RACING: Spanish Formula One Grand Prix practice and qualifying - Sky Sports F1 0945 and 1200, Channel 4 0955 and 1200, Setanta Sports Ireland 0955 and 1200; IndyCar, Angie's List Grand Prix of Indianapolis - BT Sport/ESPN 2030.
CYCLING: Giro d'Italia - Eurosport 1 1315.
HORSE RACING: Live coverage - Channel 4 1430.
ATHLETICS: Shanghai Golden Grand Prix - Eurosport 2 1200.
BOXING: IBF World Bantamweight title, Lee Haskins v Ivan Morales - Channel 5 2200.
MOTORCYCLING: World Superbikes, Malaysia - Eurosport 2 0615.
BASEBALL: MLB, Kansas City Royals v Atlanta Braves - BT Sport/ESPN 0000 (Sun).
BASKETBALL: NBA play-offs - BT sports 1 0100 (Sun).
DIVING: European Championships from London - Eurosport 1 1700.
SPEEDWAY: Grand Prix, Poland - BT Sport 1 1745.
QUICK QUIZ BLITZ answers: 1. Maurice Greene 2. Cork, they beat Kerry 0-11 to 0-10 at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork
3. golf and rugby union 7s 4. Four 5. Cross-country skiing and target shooting
