This Day in Sports History: February 9

Sports in February include the NBA and NHL seasons. There is also the Super Bowl, the NBA All-Star game, college basketball tournaments, spring training for the MLB, NASCAR’s Daytona 500, Formula E, some PGA Tour Events and the Winter Olympics. Over the years, Feb. 9 has witnessed many notable moments and stories involving sporting legends. Here are some of them. 

Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records

Great moments in sports history from Feb. 9 included:

  • 1900: Dwight Davis donated a new tennis trophy. It was for the winner of the International Lawn Tennis Challenge. It would later be renamed the Davis Cup after Davis’ death in 1945.
  • 1935: Figure skater Maribel Vinson won the United States Female Figure Skating Championship.
  • 1940: Boxer Joe Louis beat Arturo Godoy in 15 rounds and won the heavyweight boxing title.
  • 1951: The St. Louis Browns signed pitcher Satchel Paige at the age of 45.
  • 1968: A rare three-way tie happened for the silver medal in the women’s 500-meter speed skating at the Grenoble Winter Olympics.
  • 1974: Figure skater Dorothy Hamill won the United States Female Figure Skating Championship.
  • 1980: Rick Barry became the first player in NBA history to make eight 3-pointers in a game.
  • 1982: In the 34th NHL All-Star game, the Wales Conference beat the Campbell Conference, 4-2. The New York Islanders’ right winger Mike Bossy won the MVP for the game.
  • 1986: In the 36th NBA All-Star game, the East beat the West 139-132. The MVP of the game was Detroit Pistons guard Isiah Thomas.
  • 1989: NBA player Kevin Johnson’s free throw streak of 57 games comes to an end.
  • 1991: Boxer Terry Norris knocked down Sugar Ray Leonard twice, went on to win the fight, and defended his WBC Super Welterweight title.
  • 1992: Swimmer Jani Sievinen swam a world record time of 4:07.10 in the 400-meter medley race.
  • 1998: In the sixth ESPY Awards, Ken Griffey Jr. and Mia Hamm won the athlete of the year award.
  • 2002: In the NFL Pro Bowl, the AFC beat the NFC 38-30. The MVP of the game was Oakland Raiders’ quarterback Rich Gannon.
  • 2006: Al Michaels joined John Madden on NBC’s “Sunday Night Football.”
  • 2014: The Olympic’s team figure skating event made its debut. Russia took home the gold medal.
  • 2014: The Slopestyle snowboarding event made its Olympic debut. American Jamie Anderson was the first women’s gold medalist.
  • 2025: The Philadelphia Eagles beat the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs, 40-22, in Super Bowl LIX. The MVP of the game was Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.

Three athletes who stood out on Feb. 9 were Rick Barry, Terry Norris, and Jalen Hurts.

Barry is a 12-time All-Star, the 1975 NBA Champion with the Golden State Warriors, and renowned for his signature underhand “granny-style” free throw technique and fierce competitiveness. Norris was a dominant three-time super-welterweight champion during the late 1980s and 1990s. He is best known for his speed, power, and high-profile victories over some boxing legends. Hurts is known for his exceptional dual-threat ability, (passing/rushing), and resilience. He was ranked among the 2025 TIME100 most influential people.

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