BIRTHDAYS

Today: Jeff Thomson, Australian bowler who took 200 wickets in 51 Tests (born 1950).

Tomorrow: Alan Minter, former world middleweight boxing champion (1951).

Wednesday: Wicketkeeper Godfrey Evans, the first to take 200 Test wickets (1920).

Thursday: Willie Shoemaker, America's most successful jockey with 8,833 winners from 40,350 starts (1931).

Friday: Don King, the boxing promoter with the shockwave hair (1931). John Emburey, former England spin-bowler (1952).

Saturday: Wilt Chamberlain, still the only basketball player to score 100 points in one game (1936).

Sunday: Steve Davis, six-times world snooker champion (1957).