Wednesday Afterschool Special: May the Fourth

Happy Star Wars Day!

May the fourth be with you! (Get it?) Today is Star Wars Day, so check out the SI Kids magazine story on Finnish former basketball player Joonas Suotamo, who helped play Chewbacca in The Force Awakens.

Star Wars and sports

<italics>May the 4th is something of a holiday in the Star Wars fan community ? "May the fourth be with you," as the joke goes. Here are some photos of Star Wars characters and fandom appearing in sports over the years.</italics> Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov donned a Star Wars themed mask during the 2013 NHL season.

Braves catcher Evan Gattis autographs a lightsaber bat for Darth Vader before a spring training game at Champion Stadium at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex on March 15, 2013 in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Billy Dee Williams is flanked by Stormtroopers and R2-D2 while dribbling a basketball before the Detroit Pistons game against the Atlanta Hawks on "Star Wars Night" at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Mich., on Jan. 4, 2013.

A Michigan Wolverines fan shows his support as a stormtrooper during a football game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Nov. 17, 2012.

LSU Tigers mascot Mike the Tiger walks the streets as Darth Vader prior to LSU's football game against the Alabama Crimson Tide on Nov. 3, 2012, at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.

MMA fighter Amanda Lucas, and daughter of Star Wars visionary George Lucas, poses with Darth Vader and several stormtroopers after earning her first MMA championship in Japan at Deep 57 on Feb. 18, 2012.

Darth Vader walks onto the rink during a promotion between periods of a game between the San Jose Sharks and the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Tampa Bay Times Forum on Feb. 16, 2012.

Darth Maul skates on the rink during a promotion between periods of a game between the San Jose Sharks and the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Tampa Bay Times Forum on Feb. 16, 2012.

Boise State Broncos fans dressed as stormtroopers cheer in the stands during the team's 48-21 victory over the UNLV Rebels at Sam Boyd Stadium Nov. 5, 2011 in Las Vegas.

Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter laughs as he stands with Darth Vader before the National Anthem prior to a game against the Astros on Sept. 26, 2011 in Houston. It was Star Wars Night at Minute Maid Park.

Astros left fielder J.D. Martinez poses with Darth Vader, celebrating Star Wars Night before the game against the Cardinals on Sept. 26, 2011 in Houston.

Diamondbacks mascot Baxter dresses as an Ewok as part of the team's Star Wars Festivities during a game against the Giants on Sept. 25, 2011 at Chase Field in Phoenix.

Diamondbacks "Legend" Mark Grace is stopped by Darth Vader on Star Wars Day during the game against the Giants on September 25, 2011 at Chase Field in Phoenix.

Marlins catcher John Baker poses with Darth Vader and a clone trooper before a game against the Braves on Sept. 20, 2011 in Miami.

Mets center fielder Angel Pagan passes two stormtroopers before the start of a game against the Braves on Sept. 16, 2011 in Atlanta.

Mets pitcher Ryota Igarashi wields a lightsaber against a fan dressed as Darth Vader prior to a game against the Nationals on Sept. 13, 2011 at Citi Field in New York. The Mets hosted a contest for fans who dressed up as Star Wars characters.

Giants mascot Lou Seal and stormtroopers pose before the game against the Diamondbacks, as a part of Star Wars Day at AT&T Park on Sept. 4, 2011 in San Francisco.

Padres relief pitchers walk to the bullpen wearing Star Wars themed backpacks prior to the game against the Diamondbacks on Aug. 28, 2011 at Chase Field in Phoenix.

Fans of Thunder forward Serge Ibaka dress as Wookies for Game 2 of the second round of the NBA playoffs between the Thunder and the Grizzlies on May 3, 2011 in Oklahoma City.

The Suns dancers perform in Princess Leia themed outfits before a game against the Kings on Feb. 13, 2011 in Phoenix.

A Rangers fan dressed as Chewbacca cheers on his team as they play the Giants in Game 4 of the World Series on Oct. 31, 2010 at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Texas.

Mississippi State students wear clone trooper and stormtrooper masks during a game against Alcorn State on Oct. 2, 2010, in Starkville, Mississippi.

Padres closer Heath Bell (left) wears a clone trooper helmet and poses for a photo with other clone troopers prior to a game against the Reds on Sept. 24, 2010 at Petco Park in San Diego.

Padres relief pitcher Ryan Webb wears a Yoda doll on his back before a game against the Marlins on June 27, 2010 in Miami.

Michigan fans in the "Maize Rage" student section dress as Star Wars characters during a game against Wisconsin on Feb. 6, 2010 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Louie, the Blues mascot, dressed the part of Darth Vader for Star Wars Night during a game against the Avalanche on Dec. 7, 2009 in St. Louis.

The Stanford marching band drummers dressed as clone troopers before a game against Cal at Stanford Stadium on Nov. 21, 2009.

Darth Vader and stormtroopers join the Panthers mascot Stanley C. Panther on the ice as Vader drops the puck for the Sabres' Craig Rivet and Panthers' Bryan McCabe on Oct. 21, 2009 in Sunrise, Florida.

Senators goalie Martin Gerber defends his net during a game against the Bruins on Oct. 18, 2008 in Ottawa.

Galaxy midfielder David Beckham and a clone trooper pose for photographers during pregame festivities of an MLS soccer match against D.C. United on Sept. 20, 2008 in Los Angeles.

A runner dressed as a stormtrooper begins the London Marathon on April 13, 2008.

Darth Vader makes the honorary first pitch to Captain, the Rangers mascot, prior to a game against the Tigers on June 5, 2007 in Arlington, Texas.

The mask of Islanders goalie Wade Dubielewicz displays an image of Yoda during a game against the Flyers on April 7, 2007 in Philadelphia.

Hayden Christensen watches the Raptors mascot, dressed as a Sith, pick up a lightsaber during a time-out in a game against the Trail Blazers on Dec. 10, 2006 in Toronto.

Chewbacca throws out the ceremonial first pitch as Wicket the Ewok looks on before a game between the Marlins and Nationals on Aug. 22, 2006 in Miami.

The Marlins' Alfredo Amezaga is shown on the scoreboard as Yoda during his at-bat in the first inning against the Nationals on Aug. 22, 2006 in Miami.

Redskins wide receiver Antwaan Randle El poses with Darth Maul on May 19, 2006, during the opening day of the month-long "Star Wars Weekends" fan festival at the Disney-MGM Studios in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

A Bengals fan dresses as a stormtrooper during a game against the Texans on Oct. 2, 2005 in Cincinnati.

George Lucas and Red Bull Formula One driver David Coulthard, standing between Lucas and Darth Vader, pose behind the Red Bull race car on May 20, 2005 in Monte Carlo.

Eagles linebacker Dhani Jones poses with Darth Vader at the premiere of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith at the Ziegfeld Theater on May 12, 2005 in New York City.

Jeff Gordon poses with Darth Vader, Jango Fett, and two stormtroopers prior to the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 1, 2005 in Alabama.

Red Wings fan Danny Beever, who modified his Star Wars Imperial Guard outfit into a Red Wings guard outfit, cheers during the team's Stanley Cup celebration rally on June 17, 2002 in Detroit.

John Andretti drives the Cheerios/Star Wars Dodge Intrepid R/T during practice for the Coca-Cola 600 on May 23, 2002 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.

A New York Giants fan looks out at the other fans with his stormtrooper mask during the NFL Draft at Madison Square Garden in New York on April 21, 2001.

The Twins' Terry Steinbach (left) and Joe Mays share the bench with the Twins newest Wookie prior to their game with the Mariners on July 24, 1999 in Minneapolis.

Jeff Gordon stands by his new Busch Grand National series car during a news conference on May 26, 1999 in Concord, North Carolina, to announce the Star Wars Episode I sponsorship for his team in the Carquest 300 race.

Kyle Lowry's half-court buzzer beater

Unfortunately, the Raptors would lose this one in OT, 102–96.

Copycat

Before Game One of the Sharks-Predators series, a black cat ran across the ice, seemingly a bad omen for the Sharks:

But the Sharks won both of their first two games at home, making Jo Paw-velski, as he is now named, the team's lucky charm. How would the Predators respond? By reenacting the scene with their own cat mascot, Gnash:

93-year-old fan throws out the first pitch

Pups in the park

Today's Peanuts

(Photo credit: Jon Durr/Getty Images)