Tag: Sports History

Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records

• 1904: In the Stanley Cup, the Ottawa Silver 7 swept the Toronto Marlboroughs in two games.
• 1924: Marie Boyd scores 156 points in a Maryland High School basketball game (163-3).
• 1925: Figure skater Nathaniel Niles won the United States Men’s Figure Skating championship.
• 1940: The first televised hockey game in the United States aired on this date in 1940. The New York Rangers defeated the visiting Montreal Canadiens 6-2 at Madison Square Garden. The W2XBS broadcasted up to 300 receivers in NYC.
• 1941: The Boston Bruins set an NHL record of a 23-game unbeaten streak.
• 1961: Niagara ended Saint Bonaventure’s 99-game home college basketball win streak.
• 1962: Philadelphia Warriors center Wilt Chamberlain scores 67 points against the New York Knicks at the Philadelphia Civic Center for the second successive year. However, the Warriors still lost to the Knicks 149-135.
• 1962: Mike O’Hara completed a record 97th marathon.
• 1964: Muhammad Ali won his first world heavyweight boxing title when Sonny Liston failed to come out for round seven at the Convention Center, in Miami Beach.
• 1968: In the 10th Daytona 500, Driver Cale Yarborough won by less than a second.
• 1977: New Orleans’ Pete Maravich sets an NBA record for a guard with 68 points in a game.
• 1981: The most penalized game in the NHL happened between the Bruins vs Northstars for a total of 84 penalties.
• 1989: The heavyweight boxing title fight was between Mike Tyson and Frank Bruno. Tyson TKO’s Bruno in five rounds.
• 1991: Businessman Bruce McNall, hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, and actor John Candy bought the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts.
• 1994: New York Yankees shortstop Phil Rizzuto got into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
• 2018: The Russian national team, competing under the name of Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR), won the Olympic ice hockey gold medal in Pyeongchang. They beat Germany, 4-3 in overtime, in the final.
• 2019: James Harden’s scoring streak of games with at least 30 points ends at 32, as he scores 28 in the Rockets’ 119-111 win over Atlanta in Houston. It was the second-longest mark in NBA history.
• 2019: Caitlin Clark sets the Class 5A state tournament single-game scoring record with 42 points in a game for Dowling Catholic High School against Waukee High School.

Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records

• 1932: Malcolm Campbell sets the world land speed record with a speed of 253.96 mph, driving his famous Blue Bird car at Daytona Beach, Florida.
• 1952: Norway goes 1-2 in the men’s ski jumping event at the Oslo Winter Olympics, with Arnfinn Bergmann winning gold ahead of teammate Torbjorn Falkanger.
• 1960: Austria goes 1-2 in the men’s slalom at the Squaw Valley Winter Olympics. Ernst Hintersteer wins gold ahead of teammate Hias Leitner.
• 1963: In the fifth Daytona 500, driver Tiny Lund won on four pit stops.
• 1968: Gary Unger began NHL consecutive games record of 914 games.
• 1974: Speed skater Atje Keulen-Deelstra became Women’s Allround World Champion and it was her third consecutive title.
• 1978: Kevin Porter of the New Jersey Nets sets an NBA record with 29 assists in a game.
• 1980: The USA ice hockey team clinches the gold medal with a 4-2 win over Finland at the Lake Placid Winter Olympics. The win came after the 4-3 “Miracle on Ice” victory against the Soviet Union.
• 1982: The Boston Celtics begin an 18-game winning streak.
• 1982: Wayne Gretzky scores an NHL-record 78th goal of the season. At the end of the season, The Great One would end up with 92 goals.
• 1987: Los Angeles Lakers center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scores his 36,000th point in a 97-93 win over the Suns in Phoenix.
• 1988: Finnish ski jumper Matti Nykanen wins his third gold medal at the Calgary Winter Olympics, as part of the winning large hill team. He was the normal and large hill individual champion.
• 1989: Panamanian boxing legend Roberto Duran wins fourth world title in different weight divisions when he beats Iran Barkley in a 12-round split decision in Atlantic City. The 37-year-old Duran won the WBC middleweight title.
• 2002: Canada beat the United States 5-2, and won the men’s ice hockey Olympic gold medal at Salt Lake City.
• 2013: In the 55th Daytona 500, Jimmie Johnson won the second Great American race.
• 2020: A memorial service for Lakers legend Kobe Bryant was held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Kobe died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, CA, on January 26th, 2020. Four other people died in the crash, including his daughter Gigi Bryant.
• 2024: Brian Ortega won against Yair Rodríguez at UFC Fight Night 237.

Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records

• 1895: Speed skater Jaap Eden skated a world record time of 17:56 in the 10km.
• 1906: Boxer Tommy Burns beat Marvin Hart in 20 rounds and won the heavyweight boxing title.
• 1938: Joe Louis knocked out Nathan Mann in round three and retained his world heavyweight boxing title. This was the second title defense by Louis.
• 1952: Lydia Wideman of Finland became the first female Olympic cross-country skiing champion.
• 1960: Carol Heiss won the first gold medal for the United States at the Squaw Valley Games.
• 1964: In the sixth Daytona 500, driver Richard Petty won the race and led for a record 184 of the 200 laps.
• 1968: Wilt Chamberlain became the first NBA player to score 25,000 points.
• 1980: Speed skater Eric Heiden won the Olympic 10,000 meter in a world record time of 14:28.13. He also swept all five speed skating events at Lake Placid.
• 1985: Goaltender Patrick Roy made his NHL debut for the Montreal Canadiens.
• 1988: Speed skater Yvonne van Gennip skated to a female record time of 4:11.94 in the 3k.
• 1991: Greg Haugen won the WBO light-welterweight title in a split decision over Hector “Macho” Camacho.
• 2002: The United States men’s bobsled team ended a 46-year medal drought by winning silver and bronze in the four-man race.
• 2013: Ronda Rousey beat Liz Carmouche with the armbar at UFC 157 and it was the first women’s fight in the promotion’s history.
• 2014: In the 56th annual Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt Jr. broke a 55-race winless streak and won his second Great American race.
• 2014: Canada won the Olympic ice hockey double with a 3-0 victory over Sweden in the men’s gold medal game in Sochi.
• 2014: Russia swept the medals in the men’s 50k cross country skiing at Sochi.
• 2018: Speed skater Kjeld Nuis won his second gold medal of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in the 1000 meter distance.
• 2019: Soccer star Lionel Messi scored the 50th hat-trick of his career.
• 2019: Roy Hodgson overtakes Sir Bobby Robson as the oldest man to manage a Premier League football club at the age of 71 years and 198 days.

Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records

• 1893: In the first Iron Bowl, Auburn beat Alabama 32-22.
• 1933: Motor racer Malcolm Campbell set a world land speed record of 272.46 mph and he did it with his Blue Bird car.
• 1936: Figure skater Sonja Henie won her 10th straight women’s World Championship figure skating gold medal.
• 1958: Australian swimmer Jon Konrads set six world records in two days.
• 1959: In the first ever Daytona 500, Lee Petty and Johnny Beauchamp crossed the finish line side by side and Beauchamp was declared the unofficial winner. However the ruling was overturned three days later.
• 1962: Center Wilt Chamberlain set an NBA record with 34 free-throw attempts and he made 19 of them.
• 1972: Rookie Red Wing Henry Boucha scored in his first NHL Game.
• 1980: The Miracle on Ice happened. The United States beat the heavily favored Soviet Union 4-3 at Lake Placid. It was one of the biggest upsets in Olympic history.
• 1981: Brothers Anton & Peter Šťastný score an NHL rookie record eight points each in the Quebec Nordiques 11-7 win over the Washington Capitals.
• 1988: Speed skater Bonnie Blair skated a world record time of 39.10 seconds in the 500 meter distance.
• 1998: Petr Svoboda scored the lone goal of the game, as the Czech Republic beat Russia and won their first ever Olympic ice hockey gold medal.
• 2008: Soccer player Marco van Basten signed a four-year contract with Ajax.
• 2014: At the age of 34, Mario Matt of Austria became the oldest champion in the Olympic alpine skiing event.
• 2014: Norway swept the medals in the women’s 30k cross country skiing at the Sochi Winter Olympics.
• 2015: In the 57th Daytona 500, Joey Logano won the event for the second time, as he took the lead with 10 laps to go.
• 2018: Short track speed skater Wu Dajing beat the men’s 500 meter world record twice, as he won the gold medal at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.
• 2018: The United States Olympics women’s ice hockey team won the gold medal for the first time in 20 years, as they beat Canada 4-3 in a shootout.
• 2020: Cristiano Ronaldo played in his 1,000th game.

Sports in February include the NBA and NHL seasons, Super Bowl, 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. 21 has witnessed many notable moments and stories involving sporting legends. Here are some of them.

Williams was nicknamed “The Splendid Splinter,” was the last player to bat over .400 in a season (.406 in 1941) and finished with a .344 lifetime average. Yamaguchi is best known for winning the 1992 Olympic gold medal in ladies’ singles, making her the first Asian American to win a Winter Olympic gold. Djokovic is the only player to achieve a triple Career Grand Slam and win all nine Masters 1000 events twice. 

Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records

• 1900: The Montreal Shamrocks beat the Winnipeg Victorias, 5-4, and win the Stanley Cup challenge series 3-1.
• 1923: Theresa Weld Blanchard won the United States Ladies’ Figure Skating championship.
• 1952: The United States goes one and two in the 500 meter speed skating at the Olso Winter Olympics.
• 1963: North Carolina basketball player Billy Cunningham got a record of 27 rebounds in a game vs Clemson.
• 1967: New York Yankees pitcher Red Ruffing got into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
• 1969: Detroit Red Wings’ captain Alex Delvecchio became the third player in NHL history to score 1,000 career points.
• 1970: Boxer Joe Frazier got a technical knockout on Jimmy Ellis, in five rounds, and won the undisputed heavyweight boxing title.
• 1972: Basketball player Wilt Chamberlain became the first player in NBA history to reach the career 30,000 point mark.
• 1975: Driver Benny Parsons won the 17th annual Daytona 500.
• 1980: Speed skater Eric Heiden won the 5,000 meter race in an Olympic record time of 7:02.29. It was the second of a record five gold medal sweep of events at Lake Placid.
• 1985: Boxer Livingston Bramble beat Ray Mancini and won the WBA lightweight championship title.
• 1986: Golfer Gary Player won the Senior PGA Championship by two strokes.
• 1991: Figure skater Tonya Harding won the United States Figure Skating championship.
• 1997: Hendrick Motorsports took the first three spots in the Daytona 500 and Jeff Gordon won the race.
• 2001: Hockey player Mathieu Schneider became the first defenseman in history to score a goal against all 30 NHL teams.
• 2004: The Pittsburgh Penguins lost their 12th game in a row at home.
• 2013: Soccer player Lionel Messi scored his 14th straight goal in La Liga and it was his 300th goal for Barcelona.
• 2014: Netherlands swept the medals in the women’s 1,500 meter speed skating at the Sochi Winter Olympics.
• 2020: In the NBA All-Star game, team LeBron beat team Giannis, 157-155, and Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard won the MVP award for the game.
• 2025: Driver William Byron became the first back-to-back winner in five years at the Daytona 500.

Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records

• 1930: The Wenona Mustangs beat the Toluca Wildcats in an Illinois basketball tournament, in 10 overtimes, 26-22.
• 1936: Great Britain tied 0-0 with the United States hockey team. It was enough to get Great Britain their first-ever Olympic ice hockey gold medal.
• 1936: Figure skater Sonja Henie became the most successful Olympic figure skater ever, as she won her third straight gold medal.
• 1963: Figure skater Tenley Albright became the first United States World Figure Skating Champion.
• 1964: Basketball player Bill Bradley scored 51 points in a game for Princeton.
• 1966: Kees Verkerk became a world champion all-round skater.
• 1970: Ard Schenk became the world champion all-round skater.
• 1976: David Pearson won the 18th annual Daytona 500.
• 1978: Boxer Leon Spinks beat Muhammad Ali in 15 rounds to take the heavyweight boxing title.
• 1980: Speed skater Eric Heiden won the 500-meter race in an Olympic record of 38.03 seconds. It was the first of a record five gold medal sweeps of the games.
• 1980: Edmonton Oiler Wayne Gretzky assisted on an NHL-record-tying seven goals, as the Oilers beat Washington 8-2.
• 1981: In the 23rd Daytona 500, Richard Petty won a record seventh title.
• 1982: NBA player Dan Issel began his streak of 63 straight free throws.
• 1986: The largest NBA crowd to date happened, as 44,180 fans watched Philadelphia vs. Detroit.
• 1987: Chi-Chi Rodriguez won his second and final Champions Tour major title.
• 1996: NFL coach Bill Belichick was fired by the Cleveland Browns. His record with them was 36-44.
• 1998: In the 40th Daytona 500, driver Dale Earnhardt got his only Daytona win in his 20th start.
• 2000: Martin Brodeur became the first goaltender in NHL history to get credit for a game-winning goal, as the Devils beat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2.
• 2004: In the 46th Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won exactly six years to the day after his father, Dale Earnhardt Sr., won his title.
• 2009: In the 58th NBA All-Star Game, the West beat the East 146-119, and the MVPs were Lakers Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.
• 2018: Center Nikola Jokic got the fastest triple-double in NBA history with a time of 14 minutes and 33 seconds.
• 2024: Caitlin Clark became the NCAA Division I women’s career scoring leader.

Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records

• 1896: George Lohmann takes a hat trick for England vs. South Africa. It was an 8-7 inning, their lowest ever.
• 1928: Speed skater Clas Thunberg won his second gold medal of the Games and fifth career title.
• 1936: Maribel Vinson wins the U.S. Female Figure Skating Championship.
• 1951: Sugar Ray Robinson defeats Jake LaMotta and takes the middleweight title.
• 1965: Fred Lorenzen won the seventh Daytona 500.
• 1966: Wilt Chamberlain broke the NBA career scoring record at 20,884 points.
• 1971: In the 13th Daytona 500, Richard Petty wins his third Great American Race and goes on to win the inaugural Winston Cup title.
• 1973: Muhammad Ali beat heavyweight boxing champion Joe Bugner by a unanimous points decision in 12 rounds.
• 1980: Cross-country skier Nikolay Zimyatov won the first of three gold medals at the Lake Placid Winter Olympics.
• 1982: In the 24th Daytona 500, Bobby Allison wins with a margin of victory over Cale Yarborough. It was an impressive 23 seconds faster, almost more than half a lap.
• 1988: Golfer Gary Player won the Senior PGA Championship.
• 1992: Sprinter Andre Cason ran a world record time of 6.41 seconds in the 60-meter distance.
• 1993: In the 35th Daytona 500, Dale Jarrett, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, wins from Dale Earnhardt and Geoff Bodine.
• 1994: In the second ESPY Awards, Barry Bonds and Julie Krone won Athlete of the Year.
• 1999: In the 41st Daytona 500, Jeff Gordon wins. It’s the first Daytona 500 pole sitter to win the race since Bill Elliott in 1987.
• 2010: The 59th NBA All-Star Game took place at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, where the East defeated the West 141-139. Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade was named MVP.
• 2016: The NBA All-Star Game took place at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, where the West defeated the East 196-173. Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder was named MVP.
• 2017: Usain Bolt and Simone Biles won the Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year awards at the Laureus World Sports Awards.
• 2018: Snowboarder Shaun White won an unprecedented third Olympic halfpipe gold medal.
• 2019: Basketball player Russell Westbrook scored a triple-double for the 11th straight game.

Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records

• 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.

• 1932: For the first time, dog sled racing appeared as a demonstration sport during the Lake Placid Winter Olympics. The event was a beautiful display of grit and teamwork, as it showcased an incredible partnership between humans and their dogs battling the harsh elements together.
• 1958: Ted Williams, one of baseball’s finest hitters, signed a $135,000 contract with the Boston Red Sox, making him Major League Baseball’s highest-paid player at the time. His extraordinary batting talent set a new benchmark for player value and demonstrated the growing business side of professional sports. 
• 1967: Muhammad Ali faced Ernie Terrell in what came to be known as the “What’s My Name?” fight, a showdown that went beyond boxing. Ali dominated all 15 rounds to retain his heavyweight title, but more importantly, it was a defining statement about his identity and dignity during an era of immense societal change.
• 1972: Speed skater Ard Schenk won the 1500-meter distance and was on his way to three gold medals at the Sapporo Winter Olympics. 
• 1983: The NFC beat the AFC, 20-19, at the NFL Pro Bowl. The MVPs were Dan Fouts and John Jefferson.
• 1988: During that year’s NBA Slam Dunk Contest in Chicago, Michael Jordan gave fans an unforgettable moment by leaping from the free-throw line and scoring a perfect “50.” The duel against Dominique Wilkins was one for the ages, but Jordan’s gravity-defying dunk firmly established him as a player who could do it all: skill, style, and spectacle combined. 
• 1990: Brett Hull became the first son of NHL 50-goal scorer Bobby Hull to also score 50 goals.
• 1993: Riddick Bowe got a technical knockout on Michael Dokes in the first round and won the heavyweight boxing title.
• 2005: The New England Patriots edged out the Philadelphia Eagles 24–21 in Super Bowl XXXIX to claim their third championship in four years. Wide receiver Deion Branch earned MVP honors with 11 receptions, tying a Super Bowl record for catches. Under Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, this marked yet another iconic chapter in NFL history. 
• 2011: The Green Bay Packers beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, 31-25, to win Super Bowl XLV. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers won the MVP.
• 2018: Brazilian jockey Jorge Ricardo reached his 12,844th career win on this day, tying Russell Baze’s world record for victories. Ricardo’s ability to succeed over decades of racing symbolized consistency and dedication in a sport where endurance and skill are everything. 

• 1903: The Montreal Hockey Club secures a 4-1 victory over the Winnipeg Victorias, thus capturing the Stanley Cup in a challenge series. Even then, the trophy carried an aura that set the stage for generations of competition.
• 1924: Thorleif Haug clinches his third gold medal at the first Winter Olympics in Chamonix. We admire how he embodied Norway’s passion for cross-country skiing and spurred future athletes to aim for similar heights.
• 1956: The Soviet Union claims its first Olympic ice hockey gold medal by defeating Canada, 2-0, at the Cortina d’Ampezzo Games. For decades afterward, Soviet teams remain fierce competitors, fueling rivalries that captivate fans well beyond their borders.
• 1962: Izvestia, a Russian newspaper, publishes a piece suggesting that baseball originated in old Russian folk games. Although this claim lacks historical backing, it sparks conversation about how sports can evolve in different cultures.
• 1969: John Madden takes charge as head coach of the Oakland Raiders at age 32. His approach to football strategy, along with his later role as a broadcaster, turned him into a household name, influencing how fans talk about the game itself.
• 1979: David Thompson puts on a show during the NBA All-Star Game, helping the Western Conference win 134-129 over the East. His athletic style brings to life the flair of 1970s basketball when players like Thompson and Julius Erving dazzled crowds with above-the-rim heroics.
• 1987: The Sacramento Kings only scored four points in the first quarter against the Lakers. Thats the lowest in a quarter since the shot clock started in 1954.
• 1991: New Zealand’s Martin Crowe and Andrew Jones set a 467-run partnership record in a cricket match against Sri Lanka. It’s a marathon of concentration and stamina, showing how epic performances can unfold over days, rather than minutes in cricket.
• 1997: Mario Lemieux became the seventh player to score 600 career goals.
• 2001: In the 51st NHL All-Star Game, North America beat the World All-Stars 14-12. The MVP of the game was Boston Bruins right winger Bill Guerin.
• 2007: Peyton Manning leads the Indianapolis Colts to a 29-17 triumph over the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI. He would showcase methodical passing and calm leadership. Manning secures the MVP award and solidifies his place among football’s standout quarterbacks.
• 2018: The Philadelphia Eagles stun the New England Patriots with a 41-33 win in Super Bowl LII. Quarterback Nick Foles delivers a trick play, now known as the “Philly Special.” This play is marked as one of the greatest Super Bowl moments to this day.
• 2019: As a junior at Dowling Catholic High School, Caitlin Clark scored 60 points in a game against Mason City High School.

Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records

• 1913: Jim Thorpe signed to play baseball with the New York Giants.
• 1948: Johnny Palmer set a 36-hole PGA Tour scoring record with round scores of 62-64 in the Tucson Open.
• 1954: Tennis player Mervyn Rose won his first Grand Slam title.
• 1959: Brooklyn Robin baseball player Zack Wheat gets into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
• 1959: Golfer Willie Goggin won the Senior PGA Championship by one stroke.
• 1965: Tennis player Roy Emerson won his third straight Australian title.
• 1965: Boxer Floyd Patterson beat George Chuvalo on a unanimous decision in 12 rounds. It was a non-title matchup.
• 1968: Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi stepped down from the coaching role.
• 1969: Driver Richard Petty won the Motor Trend 500.
• 1970: New York Rangers goaltender Terry Sawchuk got his 447th and final victory of his career.
• 1976: In the 62nd Rose Bowl, No. 11 UCLA beat No. 1 Ohio State, 23-10.
• 1981: In the 31st NBA All-Star Game, the East beat the West, 123-120, and the MVP was Boston Celtics point guard Nate Archibald.
• 1992: Hockey defenseman Denis Potvin No. 5 was retired. It was the first number to be retired by the New York Islanders.
• 1995: Utah Jazz guard John Stockton passed Magic Johnson’s all-time NBA assists mark of 9,221, as the Jazz beat the Denver Nuggets 129-88.
• 1997: Hockey defenseman Ray Bourque became the Boston Bruins all-time scoring leader with 1,341 points.
• 2004: Tennis player Roger Federer won his first Australian title.
• 2004: The New England Patriots beat the Carolina Panthers, 32-29, to win Super Bowl XXXVIII. The MVP of the game was Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.
• 2005: Arsenal’s record of 33 straight games of being unbeaten at home comes to an end.
• 2009: Tennis player Rafael Nadal won his first Australian title.
• 2009: The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Arizona Cardinals, 27-23, and won Super Bowl XLIII. The MVP of the game was Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes.
• 2014: Quarterback Peyton Manning became the all-time record-holder for MVP trophies.
• 2025: Anthony Davis gets traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Dallas Mavericks for Luka Dončić.

Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records

• 1901: The Winnipeg Victorias beat the Montreal Shamrocks, 2-1, and swept the challenge series 2-0.
• 1920: Quebec Bulldogs center Joe Malone made NHL history by scoring seven goals in a single game in a 10-6 win against the Toronto St. Patricks.
• 1924: Austrians Helene Engelmann and Alfred Berger narrowly clinched gold at the Chamonix Winter Olympics. Their artistry prevailed by just 0.39 points over their Finnish rivals.
• 1925: Daphne Akhurst won the first of five home titles of the Australasian Championships.
• 1941: In his 13th title defense, heavyweight champion Joe Louis defeated Red Burman with a fifth-round KO at Madison Square Garden. 
• 1949: Tennis player Doris Hart beat Nancye Wynne Bolton. It was the first of her six Grand Slam singles titles.
• 1959: Former player Joe Cronin signed a seven-year deal to lead as American League President, guiding MLB through a modernizing era.
• 1966: Tennis player Margaret Smith won her seventh straight Australian singles title.
• 1988: Washington Redskins quarterback Doug Williams became the first Black QB to start and win a Super Bowl. With four touchdown passes, he led his team to a 42-10 victory over the Denver Broncos and earned MVP honors.
• 1991: Denver Nuggets guard Michael Adams became the shortest NBA player to record a triple-double.
• 1993: The Dallas Cowboys beat the Buffalo Bills 52-17 to win Super Bowl XXVII. It was the Bills third Super Bowl loss in a row.
• 1998: Tennis great Martina Hingis captures a Grand Slam victory with a 6 – 3 and 6 – 3 defeat of Conchita Martinez.
• 1999: The Denver Broncos beat the Atlanta Falcons 34-19 to win Super Bowl XXXIII. It was quarterback John Elway’s second straight ring.
• 2009: Serena Williams wins her 10th Grand Slam title overcoming Dinara Safina 6-0 and 6-3.
• 2015: At just 17 years old, Lydia Ko became the youngest golfer in history — male or female —to top the world rankings. Her achievement redefined age expectations in professional golf.
• 2024: Iowa star Caitlin Clark set the Big Ten all-time scoring record with an unforgettable game. She had a 35-points and 10-assists against Northwestern.

Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records

• 1929: Tennis player Colin Gregory won his only Grand Slam title at the Australian Championships.
• 1939: Tennis player John Bromwich won his first Australian title.
• 1943: The Chicago Blackhawks beat the New York Rangers 10-1. Max Bentley scored four goals.
• 1952: Tennis player Ken McGregor won his first and only Grand Slam event.
• 1968: Boxer Chartchai Chionoi got a 13-round technical knockout on Efren Torres and retained his world flyweight title.
• 1969: With the first pick in the NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills selected USC running back O.J. Simpson.
• 1974: Sam Thompson, Jim Bottomley, and Jocko Conlan got into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
• 1976: The Atlanta Hawks began a 28-game road losing streak.
• 1980: New York coach Red Holzman won his 600th NBA game and at the time, he was only the second coach ever to hit that mark.
• 1984: Hockey center Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record point streak came to an end at 51 games.
• 1988: Denver Nuggets point guard Michael Adams got his record to 79 games straight with at least one made 3-pointer.
• 1990: Tennis star Ivan Lendl won his eighth and last career Grand Slam title.
• 1990: The San Francisco 49ers beat the Denver Broncos 55-10 to win Super Bowl XXIV. The Super Bowl MVP was quarterback Joe Montana.
• 1992: Right winger Brett Hull became the second player in NHL history to get back-to-back seasons of 50 goals in 50 games.
• 1996: The Dallas Cowboys beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-17 to win Super Bowl XXX.
• 2001: The Baltimore Ravens beat the New York Giants 34-7 to win Super Bowl XXXV. The Super Bowl MVP was Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis.
• 2007: Tennis star Roger Federer defended his Australian Open title.
• 2017: Serena Williams beat her older sister Venus Williams. She won her seventh Australian title and a record 23rd Grand Slam event singles win.
• 2018: Drivers Sebastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia won their sixth Monte Carlo Rally.
• 2023: Tennis player Aryna Sabalenka won the Australian Open. It was her first major title.

Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records

• 1894: Boxer James J. Corbett defended his world heavyweight boxing title and knocked out Charley Mitchell in three rounds.
• 1930: Tennis player Edgar Moon won his first and only Grand Slam singles title.
• 1939: Boxer Joe Louis knocked out John Henry Lewis in one round.
• 1960: Philadelphia Warriors’ Wilt Chamberlain scored 58 points in a game, the most ever by an NBA rookie. He would actually achieve this feat twice, once on Jan. 25 vs the Detroit Pistons and again on Feb. 21 vs the New York Knicks.
• 1972: In the 25th NHL All-Star Game, the East beat the West, 3-2. The MVP of the game was Boston Bruins defenseman Bobby Orr.
• 1975: New York Islander Denis Potvin got the 10th hat trick in Islanders history.
• 1981: The Oakland Raiders beat the Philadelphia Eagles, 27-10, and won Super Bowl XV. The MVP of the game was Oakland quarterback Jim Plunkett.
• 1986: Oiler Paul Coffey set an NHL record for defensemen with a point in his 28th consecutive game.
• 1987: Tennis player Stefan Edberg won his second career Grand Slam title.
• 1989: Hockey player Mario Lemieux set an NHL record by picking up a point in 14 straight games.
• 1989: Basketball star Michael Jordan hit the 10,000-point mark in the NBA.
• 1991: Hockey player Brett Hull became the third player in NHL history to get 50 goals in less than 50 games.
• 1992: Speed skater Dan Jansen skated to a world record time of 36.41 in the 500-meter distance.
• 1996: The Ottawa Senators set an NHL record by going winless in 16 straight home games.
• 1998: The Denver Broncos beat the Green Bay Packers, 31-24, and won Super Bowl XXXII. The MVP was Broncos running back Terrell Davis.
• 2003: Tennis star Serena Williams won her fifth Grand Slam singles title and fourth straight.
• 2014: Tennis player Li Na became the first Asian Australian Open champion.
• 2015: In the 60th NHL All-Star Game, Team Toews beat Team Foligno 17-12.
• 2022: Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Keith Yandle became the NHL’s new Iron Man as he played in his 965th straight regular season game.
• 2025: Tennis player Madison Keys took down the two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka and won her first major title.

• 1930: Cricketer John Mills became New Zealand’s first Test century scorer, partnering with Stewie Dempster for a record 276-run opening stand against England.
• 1939: The Baseball Hall of Fame inducted three players into the Hall of Fame: George Sisler, Eddie Collins, and Willie Keeler. In 1920, Sisler set the league record for hits with 257. Collins had a career batting average of .333 and 744 stolen bases. Keeler had an 8-year streak of 200+ hits during his career.
• 1950: Jackie Robinson signed the Dodgers’ highest-ever contract at $35,000, marking another barrier-breaking moment in his career and advancing opportunities for African American athletes. He would have a 0.328 batting average with 99 runs scored and 12 stolen bases that year.
• 1961: The Kansas City Athletics sent two outfielders, Whitey Herzog and Russ Snyder, to the Boston Orioles in a trade for outfielders Bob Boyd and Al Pilarcik, pitcher Jim Archer, infielder Wayne Causey, and catcher Clint Courtney (who was later returned to the Orioles).
• 1976: In a thrilling Caesar’s Palace bout, heavyweight George Foreman overcame two fourth-round knockdowns to secure a fifth-round knockout against Ron Lyle. This electrifying comeback earned “The Ring” Fight of the Year honors.
• 1982: The San Francisco 49ers earned their first Super Bowl victory, defeating the Cincinnati Bengals 26-21. Joe Montana was named MVP for his pivotal role in the historic win.
• 1986: Mike Bossy of the New York Islanders reached 1,000 career points, solidifying his place among hockey’s greatest scorers and furthering his legendary NHL legacy. He was the 20th NHL player to hit this mark and only 98 have done so to this day.
• 1990: NBA coach Pat Riley claimed his 500th win in just 684 games, setting a record-breaking pace. He later amassed 1,210 wins and multiple championships, solidifying his coaching legacy. The Lakers beat the Indiana Pacers 120-111.
• 1998: The Denver Nuggets finally ended their 23-game losing streak with a win over the Los Angeles Clippers, 99-81.
• 2008: At just 14 years old, Mirai Nagasu delivered a stunning victory at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, launching her international career. She had a total score of 70.23 points, the second-highest ever from an American woman in the short program.
• 2009: Shane Mosley knocks out Antonio Margarito in nine rounds to gain the welterweight title. Before the fight, the California State Athletic Commission identified Margarito was wearing a cast illegally and had to change. This led to an investigation after the loss against Mosley and Margarito was suspended for a year.
• 2010: The New Orleans Saints reached their first Super Bowl, a milestone that brought hope to a city still rebuilding from Hurricane Katrina. The Saints were underdogs but came out on top with a 31-17 victory over the Colts. They have yet to return to the Super Bowl as of today.
• 2025: Hiroto Ogiwara lands the first-ever 2340 in the Pacifico Men’s Snowboard Big Air event at the Winter X Games. He would take home the gold for the event with a best score of 97.33. Other gold medal winners include Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (Women’s Snowboard Slopestyle), Luca Harrington (Men’s Ski Slopestyle), Olivia Asselin (Women’s Ski Street Style), Colby Stevenson (Men’s Ski Street Style), Kokomo Murase (Women’s Snowboard Knuckle Huck), Cassie Sharpe (Monster Energy Women’s Ski Superpipe), Flora Tabanelli (Pacifico Women’s Ski Big Air), and Wang Ziyang (Men’s Snowboard Knuckle Huck).
• 2025: Olivia Gadecki and John Peers win the Australian Open in mixed doubles with 6-3, 4-6, 6-10.

Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records

• 1910: The Ottawa Senators beat Edmonton HC, 13-7, and got a 2-0 sweep of the challenge series.
• 1919: Gerald Patterson beat Algernon Kingscote and retained the International Lawn Tennis Challenge title.
• 1937: Cy Young, Tris Speaker, and Nap Lajoie were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
• 1939: Golfer Patty Berg won her third straight LPGA Titleholders Championship.
• 1950: With the first pick in the NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions drafted Leon Hart from the University of Notre Dame.
• 1952: Basketball player George Mikan scored a career-high 61 points, as the Lakers beat the Royals 91-81 in double overtime.
• 1967: Center Wilt Chamberlain made all 15 of his field goal attempts in an NBA game.
• 1968: United States female Figure Skating Championship was won by Peggy Fleming.
• 1970: In the 20th NBA All-Star Game, the East beat the West, 142-135. The MVP of the game was New York Knicks center Willis Reed.
• 1970: In the 23rd NHL All-Star Game, the East beat the West, 4-1, and the MVP was Chicago Blackhawks left winger Bobby Hull.
• 1971: Speed skater Ard Schenk skated to a world record time of 1:18.8 in the 1000-meter distance.
• 1980: The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Los Angeles Rams, 31-19, and won Super Bowl XIV. The MVP was Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw.
• 1985: The San Francisco 49ers beat the Miami Dolphins, 38-16, and won Super Bowl XIX. The MVP was 49ers quarterback Joe Montana.
• 1989: Pittsburgh Penguins center Mario Lemieux became just the second player in NHL history to score 50 goals in fewer than 50 games.
• 1996: The United States Ladies Figure Skating Championship was won by Michelle Kwan.
• 2001: Alan Webb became the first American high school runner to break the four-minute mile indoors.
• 2007: Utah coach Jerry Sloan passed Larry Brown for fourth place on the NBA’s all-time wins list with 1,010 victories.
• 2008: The New England Patriots beat the San Diego Chargers, 21-12, and won the AFC Championship.
• 2013: The San Francisco 49ers beat the Atlanta Falcons, 28-24, and won the NFC Championship.
• 2017: Henrik Sedin scored his 1,000th career point for the Vancouver Canucks.

Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records

• 1903: A French newspaper, L’Auto, announced a five-stage long-distance bike race. It was called the Tour de France. The inaugural race would be in July of 1903.
• 1929: Speed skater Clas Thunberg set a new world 500-meter record of 42.8 seconds.
• 1937: Cy Young, Tris Speaker, and Nap Lajoie were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
• 1940: Helen Hicks won the LPGA Titleholders Championship.
• 1963: Tennis player Roy Emerson won the first of five straight Australian titles.
• 1963: Tennis player Margaret Court beat Jan Lehane O’Neill for the fourth straight year at the Australian Championships.
• 1971: In the 24th NHL All-Star Game, the Western Division beat the Eastern Division, 2-1, and the MVP was Blackhawks left winger Bobby Hull.
• 1972: Sandy Koufax, Yogi Berra, and Early Wynn got into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
• 1974: Notre Dame beat UCLA, 71-70, and the Bruins NCAA-record of 88 basketball wins in a row came to an end.
• 2000: Basketball legend Michael Jordan became the Washington Wizards part owner and the president of Basketball Operations.
• 2000: Major League Baseball owners centralized authority under the Commissioner and abolished separate league presidencies.
• 2002: The Tuck Rule Game happened. In an AFC Divisional Playoff Game, the New England Patriots were trailing the Oakland Raiders, 13-10, and a Tom Brady fumble was ruled an incomplete pass. The Patriots went on to win 16-13 in overtime.
• 2003: In the AFC Championship, the Oakland Raiders beat the Tennessee Titans, 41-24.
• 2005: LeBron James became the youngest player to record a triple-double.
• 2014: In the NFC Championship, the Seattle Seahawks beat the San Francisco 49ers, 23-17.
• 2014: Peyton Manning led the Denver Broncos to victory over the New England Patriots and won the AFC Championship.
• 2015: American skier Lindsey Vonn got a record-breaking 63rd World Cup win. As of today, she has increased her World Cup wins to 84.
• 2017: Tennis player Novak Djokovic was upset in the second round of the Australian Open by Denis Istomin.
• 2020: In the NFC Championship, the San Francisco 49ers beat the Green Bay Packers, 37-20.
• 2026: The Miami Hurricanes and Indiana Hoosiers are scheduled to play in the College Football National Championship.