This Day in History – 1936 – Daytona Beach Road Course holds their first oval stock car race.

Birthdays

         MLB Baseball

Dick Allen   *All-Star*   *MVP* 
Born: March 8, 1942, Wampum, Pennsylvania
Height: 5′ 11″   -    Weight: 187 lbs
Position: First Baseman / Third Baseman
Pro-career: 1963-1977
Career Stats:  Batting avg  .292; Home runs  351;  RBIs  1,119
Teams:  Philadelphia Phillies (1963-1969); St. Louis Cardinals (1970); Los Angeles Dodgers (1971); Chicago White Sox (1972-1974);  Philadelphia Phillies (1975-1976); Oakland Athletics (1977)
Honors:  *All-Star* selection (1965-1967, 1970, 1972-1974)
              1972 AL MVP
              1964 NL Rookie of the Year
Opinion: Baseball will put all kinds of steroid users and coke-heads in the Hall of Fame, but not Dick Allen whose crime was.. What was his crime? Editor
          ———-
Toby Atwell     *All-Star*
Born: March 8, 1924, Leesburg, Virginia
Died: January 25, 2003 in Purcellville, Virginia
Height: 5′ 9″   -    Weight: 185 lbs
College: Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
Position: Catcher
Pro-career: 1952-1956
Career Stats:  Batting Average (.260),   RBI (110),   Games 378
Teams: Chicago Cubs (1952-1953), Pittsburgh Pirates (1953-1956), Milwaukee Braves (1956)
Honors: All-Star Selection 1952
          ———-
Jim “Bulldog” Bouton  *All-Star*
Born: March 8, 1939, Newark, New Jersey,
Height: 6′ 0″   -    Weight: 170 lbs
College: Western Michigan University
Position: Starting Pitcher (RH)
Pro-career: 1962-1978
Career Stats:  Games
Teams: New York Yankees (1962-1968); Seattle Pilots (1969); Houston Astros (1969-1970); Atlanta Braves (1978);
Honors: *All-Star* selection (1963)
    * Shrine of the Eternals Inductee (2001)
          ———-
Ryan Freel
Born: March 8, 1976, Jacksonville, Florida
Height: 5′ 9″   -    Weight: 180 lbs
College: Tallahassee Community College
Position: Utility player
Pro-career: 2001-2009
Career Stats: Batting avg .268;  Home runs  22;  RBIs  122; Stolen bases  143
Teams: Toronto Blue Jays (2001);  Cincinnati Reds (2003-2008); Baltimore Orioles (2009); Chicago Cubs (2009); Kansas City Royals (2009)
          ———-
Carl Furillo – “the Reading Rifle”   *All-Star*
Born: March 8, 1922, Stony Creek Mills, Pennsylvania
Died: January 21, 1989, Stony Creek Mills, Pennsylvania
Height: 6′ 0″   -    Weight: 190 lbs
Position: Outfielder
Pro-career: 1946-1960
Career Stats:  Batting avg .299;  Home runs   192;  RBIs  1,058
Teams: Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers (1946-1960)
Honors: All-Star selection (1952, 1953)
             World Series champion (1955, 1959)
          ———-
Jim Rice   *All-Star*  *HOF*
Born: March 8, 1953, Anderson, South Carolina
Height: 6′ 2″   -    Weight: 200 lbs
Position:  Left fielder
Pro-career: 1974-1989
Career Stats:  Games
Teams: Boston Red Sox (1974-1989)
Honors: All-Star selection (1977-1980, 1983-1986)
             Silver Slugger Award winner (1983, 1984)
             1978 AL MVP
              2009 – Baseball Hall of Fame

          ———-
Justin Thompson    *All-Star*
Born: March 8, 1973, San Antonio, Texas
Height: 6′ 4″   -    Weight: 215 lbs
Position: Pitcher
Pro-career: 1996-1999, 2005
Career Stats:  Win-Loss   36-43;  ERA    4.02; Strikeouts      428
Teams: Detroit Tigers (1996-1999); Texas Rangers (2005)
Honors: All-Star selection (1997)

        NFL Football

Johnny Brewer  *Pro Bowl*
Born: March 8, 1937, Vicksburg, Mississippi
Height: 6′ 4″   -    Weight: 230 lbs
College: University of Mississippi
Position:   Tight end / Linebacker
Pro-career: 1961-1970
Career Stats:  Games
Teams: Cleveland Browns(1961-1967); New Orleans Saints(1968-1970)
Honors: *Pro Bowl* selection 1966
          ———-
Jason Elam    *Pro Bowl*
Born: March 8, 1970, Fort Walton Beach, Florida
Height: 5′ 11″   -    Weight: 200 lbs
College: University of Hawaii
Position: Placekicker
Pro-career: 1993-present
Career Stats: Field Goals Made  428; FG Att  527; FG %  81.2;  Long FG  63 yd
Teams: Denver Broncos (1993-2007); Atlanta Falcons (2008-2009)
Honors: Pro Bowl (1995, 1998, 2001)
             Super Bowl champion (XXXII, XXXIII)
             AFC Special Teams Player of the Month (11/01)
             Longest field goal in NFL history (63 yards, tied with Tom Dempsey)
          ———-
William Fuller, Jr.    *Pro Bowl*
Born: March 8, 1962, Norfolk, Virginia
Height: 6′ 3″   -    Weight: 271 lbs
College: University of North Carolina
Position:  Defensive End
Pro-career:  1986-1998
Career Stats:  Sacks  100.5;  Interceptions  2;  Fumble recoveries  8
Teams: Houston Oilers (1986-1993); Philadelphia Eagles (1994-1996); San Diego Chargers (1997-1998)
Honors: Pro Bowl selection (1991, 1994, 1995, 1996)
             Second-Team All-Pro selection (1995)
             USFL All-Time Team
             All-USFL (1985)
          ———-
Shaun Gayle   *Pro Bowl*
Born: March 8, 1962, Newport News, Virginia
Height: 5′ 11″   -    Weight: 202 lbs
College: Ohio State University
Position:  Safety
Pro-career: 1984-1995
Career Stats:  INT  16;  INT yards  278;  Touchdowns  2
Teams: Chicago Bears (1984-1994); San Diego Chargers (1995
Honors: Pro Bowl selection (1991)
          ———-
Hines Ward, Jr.        *Pro Bowl*  *MVP*
Born: March 8, 1976, Seoul, South Korea
Height: 6′ 0″   -    Weight: 205 lbs
College: University of Georgia
Position:  Wide Receiver
Pro-career: 1998-Present
Career Stats:  Receptions  895;  Receiving Yds 10,947; Receiving TDs  78
Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers (1998-Present)
“Honors: Pro Bowl selection (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004)
             2nd Team All-Pro selection (2002, 2003, 2004)
             Super Bowl Champion (XL, XLIII)
             Super Bowl XL MVP”

         NBA Basketball

Kenny Smith
Born: March 8, 1965 in Queens, New York
Height: 6′ 3″   -    Weight: 170 lbs
College: University of North Carolina
Position:   Point guard
Pro-career:  1987-1997
Career Stats: Points  9,397;  Assists 4,073;  Rebounds  1,454
Teams: Sacramento Kings (1987-1990); Atlanta Hawks (1990); Houston Rockets (1990-1996); Detroit Pistons (1996); Orlando Magic (1996-1997); Denver Nuggets (1997)
Honors: NBA Champion (1994, 1995)
             1988 NBA All-Rookie Team
          ———-
Sasha Vujacic
Born: March 8, 1984 in Maribor, Slovenia
Height: 6′ 7″   -    Weight: 193 lbs
Position:  Shooting Guard / Point Guard
Pro-career:  2001-present
Career Stats:  Games
Teams: Los Angeles Lakers
Honors: NBA Champion (2009)
          ———-
Buck Williams
Born: March 8, 1960, Rocky Mount, North Carolina
Height: 6′ 8″   -    Weight: 215 lbs
College: University of Maryland
Position: Forward / Center
Pro-career: 1981-1999
Teams: New Jersey Nets (1981-1989); Portland Trail Blazers (1989-1996); New York Knicks (1996-1998)
Honors:  1982 NBA Rookie of the Year

          NHL Ice Hockey

Mike Lalor
Born:March 8, 1963, Buffalo, New York
Height: 6′ 0″   -    Weight: 200 lbs
Position:  Defense
Pro-career: 1985-1997
Career Stats:  Games  687;  Goals 17;  Assists  88
Teams: New York Rangers (1986-1987); Quebec Nordiques (1987-1988); Philadelphia Flyers (1988-1993); Detroit Red Wings (1993-1995); Florida Panthers (1995-1999)
          ———-
Greg Malone
Born: March 8, 1956, Chatham, New Brunswick
Height: 6′ 0″   -    Weight: 190 lbs
Position:  Center
Pro-career:  1976 – 1987
Career Stats:  Games  704; Goals 191;  Assists 310
Teams: Pittsburgh Penguins;  Hartford Whalers;  Quebec Nordiques
          ———-
Larry Murphy   *All-Star*  *HOF*
Born:  March 8, 1961, Scarborough, Ontario
Height: 6′ 2″   -    Weight: 210 lbs
Position:  Defenseman
Pro-career:   1980 – 2001
Career Stats:  Games   1615;  Goals  287;  Assists  929
Teams: Los Angeles Kings; Washington Capitals; Minnesota North Stars; Pittsburgh Penguins; Toronto Maple Leafs; Detroit Red Wings
Honors: 2004 – Hockey Hall of Fame
             1986. 1992, 1994 NHL NHL All-Star Team (2nd)
             1994, 1996, 1999 NHL All-Star Games