- 1886] Atlanta pharmacist John Styth Pemberton invents the flavored syrup for Coca Cola. It originally contained a dash of cocaine used in the 1800s for stomach distress...
- 1926] A fire destroys the left field stands at Fenway Park. The bleachers along the left field foul line are not replaced, giving outfielders a chance to catch fly balls before they go into the stands...
- 1935] Jockey Ralph Neves is declared dead after being trampled by 4 horses during a race at California's Bay Meadows. Placed in a storage area, somehow he is revived. Ralph hails a cab for home and comes back to race the next day..
- 1961] The New York Metropolitan Baseball Club, Inc. announces the new team nickname: The Mets...
- 1970] Willis Reed limps out on the court and inspires the Knicks to join the Mets and Jets as world champions of their sport with a 113-99 win over the Lakers to wrap up the NBA title...
- 1978] David R. Berkowitz a.k.a. Son of Sam pleads guilty to 6 murder charges in Brooklyn...
- 1982] Record executive Neil Bogart dies from cancer and lymphoma at 39. Neil was way ahead of his time in the development of the disco, glam-rock eras and played a key role in the careers of Donna Summer, Kiss, T-Rex and others...
- 1987] Gary Hart, hounded by questions of the Donna Rice boat cruise, withdraws from the race for the Democratic presidential nomination...
- 1988] Mike Tyson crashes his $183,000 Bentley on Varick Street in Manhattan. He didn't see that fire hydrant on the sidewalk...
- 1999] The Citadel, South Carolina's formerly all-male military school, graduates its first female cadet...
For more on May 8: CLICK: http://melphillipsnowandthen.com/
