May 3, 1958: The FA Cup Final is held at the old Wembley Stadium in West London. Despite a plane crash, 3 months earlier, that killed 8 of their players and ended 2 others' careers by serious injury, Manchester United had advanced to this Final, led by 20-year-old forward Bobby Charlton, who had survived the crash. If they were to win, it would be, perhaps, the greatest comeback story in the history of English football.
But a great story was waiting on the other side as well, and it was also with a team from the Manchester area.
Nathaniel Lofthouse was born on August 27, 1925 in Bolton, then part of Lancashire, in the North-West of England. He made his senior debut for hometown team Bolton Wanderers in 1946, and his debut for the England national team in 1950. His 2nd goal against Austria in Vienna on May 25, 1952, despite taking 3 fouls that should have been cause for dismissal, earned him the title "The Lion of Vienna," and made him one of the most popular players in the country.
In 1953, the Football Writers Association named Nat their Footballer of the Year. But team success eluded him. That year, he scored in every round of the FA Cup that was available to Wanderers, including the Final against Blackpool F.C., but lost the Final due to 3 goals by Stan Mortensen and the brilliant dribbling of Stanley Matthews. He helped them to a 4th-place finish and 2 5th-place finishes, but no higher. He helped England reach the knockout stage of the 1954 World Cup, but they were knocked out in the Quarterfinal.
Bolton reached the 1958 FA Cup Final, and Lofthouse, the team's Captain, scored both goals in a 2-0 victory. The 1st goal came in just the 3rd minute. The 2nd goal, in the 50th, remains controversial: He went into a challenge with the United keeper, Harry Gregg, and barged him into the net to score. Shoulder charging the goalkeeper was a legitimate tactic at the time, but Lofthouse later admitted that his challenge was a foul.
Still, it wouldn't have eliminated his 1st goal, or denied Bolton the victory. As Captain, Lofthouse received the Cup from Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, standing in for his wife, Queen Elizabeth II.
It would be the only major trophy of Lofthouse's career, which ended 2 years later. In 1997, Bolton named the East Stand at their new stadium for him. He died in 2011. In 2013, the team dedicated a statue of him outside the stadium.
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May 3, 1958 was a Saturday. There were 4 baseball games played that day:
* The Baltimore Orioles beat the Cleveland Indians, 3-2 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. Brooks Robinson hit a sacrifice fly to bring Gene Woodling home with the winning run in the bottom of the 13th inning.
* The Milwaukee Braves beat the Chicago Cubs, 4-3 at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Johnny Logan singled Félix Mantilla home with the winning run in the top of the 9th inning. Eddie Mathews hit a home run for the Braves, while Ernie Banks hit one for the Cubs. Hank Aaron did not hit a home run, but went 2-for-4.
* The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 3-1 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Roberto Clemente went 1-for-4. Duke Snider went 0-for-4.
* And the Philadelphia Phillies beat the San Francisco Giants, 4-2 at Seals Stadium in San Francisco. Willie Mays went 1-for-4.
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