They say we should use this time to learn something new – so we thought we’d offer up a history lesson free of charge!
We’re going to be recapping all the important sporting moments each and every day on the Ladbrokes Blog.
So if it’s AFL, NRL, Basketball, Cricket, Golf or even Wrestling, be sure to return each morning as we take a trip back through the history books to relive some of the great sporting moments in This Day In Sport!
2009 – Farewell El Magic
It was a special day for the Canterbury Bulldogs and club legend Hazem El Masri as a bumper crowd of 41,835 were on hand at ANZ Stadium to witness his final home game for the club.
The Bulldogs defied the loss of playmaker Brett Kimmorley and thumped the Warriors 40-20 to claim top spot on the NRL ladder for season 2009.
El Masri recived a standing ovation from the crowd as he took the field and fittingly he claimed the opening points of the game via a penalty goal in the third minute of the match.
The retiring Bulldogs winger would land eight goals from eight attempts in the Bulldogs rousing 40-20 win over the Warriors, who were competitive but never stood a chance this day.
At the final siren, thousands of fans poured on to the field to get an autograph/photo with teh sharpshooter and El Masri was moved by the moment.
“It can’t get better than this. It’s just awesome,” he spoke on the TV coverage post game.
But the show wasn’t over yet, El Masri still had a finals campaign to get ready for.
1979 – McEnroe-Nastase US Open Cahos
It was the match between the two original bad-boys of Tennis that truly lived up to its reputation.
The second round encounter between John McEnroe and Ilie Nastase at the 1979 US Open now lives in world sport infamy.
Conflict in this match arose from Nastaste protesting how long McEnore was stalling between points.
In the most unique way possible, Ilie Nastase was pretending to sleep in the baseline, using his raquet as a pillow.
Nastase was warned by the umpire about his protests and given a one-point penalty.
He continuted to persist with his “protest”, the umpire later defaulted and annouced the match was McEnroe’s.
That wasn’t the end of the match though.
The Crowd turned angry throwing beer cans, paper ups and vitriol all over the old Louis Armstrong Stadium and the tournament referee had to intervene.
Tournament officials eventually intervines, ordering the umpire from the chair and the game resumed.
For the record, John McEnroe defeated Ilie Nastase 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.