Dan Hirschhorn's Sports Briefs
Celtics Hire Rivers The Celtics fired interim coach John Carroll after being swept by the Indiana Pacers. The team immediately replaced him with former Orlando Magic coach Doc Rivers. Rivers was named Coach of the Year his rookie season in 1999-2000 for leading a Magic team picked to finish last to within one game of the playoffs. Rivers had success with Tracy McGrady in Orlando, but was unable to get the team past the first round of the playoffs and was fired early this season following a 1-10 start. Rivers has since been doing color commentary for ABC.
Randy Johnson Throws Perfect Game
ATLANTA - Randy Johnson became the oldest player in Major League history to throw a perfect game, leading the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 2-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves. At 40 years old, Johnson had 13 strikeouts and retired all 27 hitters for the second no-hitter of and first perfect game of his career. Sandy Koufax had previously been the oldest pitcher to reach perfection, accomplishing the feat at the age of 37. Johnson threw 117 pitches and still had enough juice left to throw the very last one at a blistering 98 miles per hour.
Stanley Cup Finals Set
TAMPA, Fla. - The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 in game seven of the Eastern Conference finals, while the Calgary Flames sent the San Jose Sharks packing in six in the Western finals. The Lightning will face the Flames for the Stanley Cup starting tonight in Tampa Bay. Lightning left wing Dave Andreychuk hold the NHL record for most season's played without a championship and will look to break that streak against Calgary.
Horse Poised for Triple Crown
BALTIMORE - The Philadelphia native horse won the Kentucky Derby and then won the Preakness Stakes by a record 11 lengths. No horse has won the Triple Crown in 26 years, a feat Smarty Jones can accomplish if he wins the Belmont Stakes in June.
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