This Day in Sports History

In 2000, Tiger Woods blitzed the field at the US Open, winning by a record 15 shots. In 1985, four golfers competed at TPC Sawgrass to determine the World's Worst Avid Golfer. In 1941, Joe Louis narrowly escaped with a win, knocking out Billy 'the Kid' Conn in the 13th round. In 1953, the Boston Red Sox scored a modern major league baseball record 17 runs in the inning.

In 1970, a flurry of goals by West Germany and Italy in extra time in a World Cup Semifinal had some calling this the best World Cup game ever. In 2002, the US beat Mexico 2-0 in a round of 16 match at the World Cup. In 1973, Johnny Miller shot a 63 to win the US Open. It was the lowest round at a US Open until 2024. In 1994, the OJ Bronco chase enraptured television viewers despite there being se...

In 2013, Justin Rose won the US Open; to date his only major tournament win despite coming close several times. In 1989, four golfers hit a hole in one on the same hole on the same day. In 1970, Chicago Bears running back Brian Piccolo died at the age of 26. In 1975, Milwaukee traded Kareem Abdul Jabbar to Los Angeles for four players.

In 1986, Raymond Floyd shot a final round 66 to win the US Open at Shinnecock Hills. In 1938, Johnny Vander Meer pitched his second consecutive no-hitter. In 1976, a game at the Houston Astrodome was rained out. In 1988, the movie 'Bull Durham' was released in movie theaters. In 1979, Rocky II was released in theaters.

Congrats to the New York Knicks on winning their first NBA title in 53 years. In 1994, the New York Rangers broke a 54-year championship drought when they beat Vancouver to win their first Stanley Cup since 1940. In 1998, Michael Jordan hit the championship winner over Utah's Bryon Russell to lift Chicago to their sixth NBA title in the '90s. In 1990, Detroit's Vinnie Johnson hit the championship...

In 1953, Ben Hogan won the US Open in a year that he would win three of golf's major championships. In 1997, Detroit Red Wing Vladimir Konstantinov along with teammate Slava Fetisov and team masseur Sergei Mnatsakanov were involved in a car accident. Konstantinov suffered a head injury and has been confined to a wheelchair since. Fetisov returned to the ice. Mnatsakanov was paralyzed from the wais...

In 1970, Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Dock Ellis claimed he pitched a no-hitter against San Diego under the influence of LSD. In 2006, Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger was seriously injured when he was involved in an accident when riding his motorcycle. In 1991, the Chicago Bulls won their first NBA Title in franchise history. In 1930, Germany's Max Schmelling was awarded the Heavyweight ti...

In 1955, a horrific crash during the 24 Hours of LeMans race led to the death of one driver and 83 spectators. In 1984, the Marques sank in the Cutty Sark Tall Ships race with 19 of the 28 crew members drowning in the tragedy. In 1997, Michael Jordan scored 38 points in a win against Utah in the NBA Finals. Jordan fought through 'flu-like' symptoms.

On November 25, 1953, Hungary beat England in a friendly in what's been called, 'the Match that Changed the Game.' On June 24, 2007, Benny Fellhaber scored one of the most important goals in USMNT history. On July 10, 2011, the US Women's National Team came up with a huge win over Brazil.

This episode first dropped on March 18. A few things have changed since the original airing of the podcast on 'An American Game.' The Iranian team is not boycotting the World Cup but instead of staying in close proximity to where they are playing their matches, they'll be staying in Mexico and having to travel long distances and go through security checks each day. Iranian fans have had their tick...

In 1944, Joe Nuxhall became the youngest ever to play in MLB, pitching 2/3 of an inning at the age of 15 years, 10 months, 11 days. In 1981, Tony Gwynn was drafted by the San Diego Padres and the San Diego Clippers. In 1977, Al Geiberger became the first PGA Tour Pro to shoot a sub-60 round. In 1950, Ben Hogan won the US Open after hitting an amazing 1-iron on the 18th hole in the final round. In...

In 1999, New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine went full on ‘undercover boss.’ In 1946, Ted Williams hit one of the longest balls ever hit at Fenway Park. In 1973, Secretariat became the first horse in 25 years to win the Triple Crown. In 1993, the Montreal Canadiens won the Stanley Cup. It's the last time a Canadian team won it. In 1919, golfer Willie Chisholm carded an 18 on a par 3, the worst r...

In 1989, the Pittsburgh Pirates scored 10-runs in the first inning but ended up losing the game 15-11. Pirates radio man Jim Rooker made a first inning boast that led him to walking 300 miles. In 1986, Larry Bird scored 29 points, dished 12 assists, grabbed 11 rebounds, and had 3 steals against the Houston Rockets in game 6 of the NBA Finals. He called his greatest he ever played. In 2000, the New...

In 1993, Drazen Petrović was killed in a car accident in Germany. In 1986, Bo Jackson was drafted by the Kansas City Royals to play Major League Baseball and decided to play baseball instead of play for Tampa Bay in the NFL after they lied to him. In 1892, Jack Doyle of the Cleveland Spiders became the first successful pinch hitter in major league baseball history. In 1998, the Chicago Bulls beat...

In 1956, the NHL's six teams vote 5-1 to change the power play, releasing the penalized player after a goal was scored by team with the man advantage. In 1984, Boston's Kevin McHale clotheslined LA's Kurt Rambis, sending him flying. The foul set the tone for the remainder of the series. In 1993, Baltimore's Cal Ripken was involved in a bench-clearing brawl. He twisted his knee in the melee and cam...

In 2006, the Carolina Hurricanes won a wild game one, with Rod Brind'Amour scoring a late third period goal and Cam Ward repelling every shot in the final frantic seconds. In 1974, Dave Winfield was drafted by the San Diego Padres with the third overall pick. It was the fourth professional team that had drafted him to play in four different leagues. In 1977, the Portland Trailblazers won the NBA C...

In 1976, the Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns played 3OTs in the 'Greatest NBA Game Ever Played.' In 2008, the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup with Chris Chelios becoming the oldest active player to win the cup. In 1974, 10 cent beer night in Cleveland led to debauchery and violence.

In 1992, Michael Jordan hit 6-10 from 3-point range as the Chicago Bulls beat the Portland Trailblazers in game one of the NBA Finals. In 1975, the New York Cosmos signed Pelé to play in the NASL. In 2012, Tiger Woods won the Memorial Tournament to equal Jack Nicklaus' for career wins. In 2013, former NFL great Deacon Jones died. Jones was the one who coined the term 'sack.' In 1888, the poem 'Cas...

In 2010, Detroit Tiger pitcher Armando Galarraga pitched a perfect game for 26 batters. The 27th was called safe at first but replays showed he was out. In 1993, Charles Smith was denied on multiple occasions on a potential go-ahead bucket in an ECF game against Chicago. In 2000, Indiana's Reggie Miller scored 17 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter to sink the hopes of the New York Knicks in th...

In 1979, the Seattle SuperSonics beat the Washington Bullets in game 5 of the NBA Finals to win the first major professional sports title for Seattle since 1917. In 2014, LA King Justin Williams scored his seventh goal in career game playoff game sevens, earning him the nickname of 'Mr. Game Seven.' In 1957, Cal-Berkeley junior Don Bowden became the first American to run a sub 4-minute mile. In 19...

In 2002, Senegal upset France 1-0 in the opening game of the 2002 World Cup. In 1999, San Antonio's Sean Elliott hit his 6th 3-pointer to give the Spurs the win over Portland in game 2 of the WCF. In 1927, Detroit's first baseman Johnny Neun recorded an unassisted triple play against Cleveland. It was the second day that an unassisted triple play had been recorded in MLB. There wasn't another one...

In 1946, Bama Rowell hit a monster home run at Brooklyn's Ebbets Field that shattered glass on a clock above the scoreboard, raining shards down on the field. It inspired the triumphant scene in the movie, "The Natural." In 1976, Janet Guthrie became the first woman to start a NASCAR race when she raced the Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. In 1973, a crew member working the Indianapolis...

In 1995, Indiana beat Orlando in game four of the ECF as Rik Smits hit the game winner with no time left. The Magic and Pacers scored 11 points in the final 13.3 seconds. In 1976, Joe Niekro hit a homer off his brother Phil in a win for the Houston Astros. In 1982, the Minnesota Twins pulled off a strikeout triple play. In 1974, Texas' Lenny Randle laid down a bunt and then attacked the pitcher co...

In 1985, prior to a European Cup Final between Liverpool and Juventus, a fight broke out in the stands. By the time the dust settled, 38 people died and 580 were injured. A 39th victim died later at the hospital.

In 1957, the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants given the go-ahead to move west. in 1956, Pittsburgh's Dale Long hit a home run in his 8th straight game. In 2006, Barry Bonds hit career homer #715, passing Babe Ruth for second on the all-time list. In 1985, Philadelphia goalie Pelle Lindbergh requested a water bottle to put on top of the net. Edmonton asked if he wanted a picnic basket or a...