This Day in Sports History

In 1922, Babe Ruth won a coin flip that gave him a bigger contract and a bonus for every home run he hit. In 1973, Yankees teammates Mike Kekich and Fritz Peterson traded wives. In 1931, Fort Wayne’s WGL Radio broadcast the first game of the American Basketball League’s championship series between the Brooklyn Visitations and the Fort Wayne Hoosiers. In 1985, New York Islander Mike Bossy scored hi...

In 2006, the North Carolina Tar Heels spoiled JJ Redick's final game at Cameron Indoor. In 1990, Loyola Marymount's Hank Gathers collapsed during a game and later died at a hospital. In 1891, MLB pitcher Dazzy Vance was born. In 1991, golfer Rocco Mediate became the first player to win on the PGA tour with an anchored putter.

In 1974, North Carolina's Walter Davis hit a 30-footer as time expired to complete an 8-point comeback in 17 seconds against Duke. In 2023, Detroit Mercy's Antoine Davis came up 3 points shy of equaling LSU's Pete Maravich as the NCAA All-Time Leading scorer. In 1962, Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a 169-147 win over the New York Knicks. In 2024, LeBron James scored his 40,000th point. In 2...

In 1986, the Barkley ultramarathon raced for the first time. In 1993, New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner was reinstated by Faye Vincent after serving 2 1/2 years of a lifetime ban. In 1969, New York Yankee Mickey Mantle retired after 18 years in MLB. In 1971, Spencer Haywood won his court case against the NBA, allowing players less than four years removed from high school to play. In 1998,...

In 2001, a last lap crash at the Daytona 500 claimed the life of Dale Earnhardt. In 1979, a last lap crash between Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison and subsequent fight made NASCAR more popular across the country. In 1944, the Cincinnati Reds signed 15 year old Joe Nuxhall. In 2005, the mom of Detroit Tigers pitcher Ugueth Urbina was rescued after being kidnapped and held for 4 months. In 2008,...

In 1998, the US Women's Olympic Hockey beat the Canadian women to win the first Women's Hockey Olympic Gold Medal. In 1968, Frenchman Jean-Claude Killy won his third alpine gold medal. In 2003, Baltimore Orioles pitcher Steve Bechler collapsed and later died. His death was attributed to ephedra. In 2001, Charlotte Hornet Baron Davis hit an 89-foot shot to set the NBA record for the longest shot in...

In 1984, Bill Johnson became the first American to win an Olympic downhill race. In 1953, Boston's Ted Williams crash-landed his fighter plane in Korea and survived. In 1926. France's Suzanne Lenglen defeated American Helen Wills in what was deemed the 'Match of the Century'. In 2005, the NHL became the first major professional league to cancel an entire season. In 2024, Jordan Spieth signed an in...

In 1998, Dale Earnhardt, Sr won the Daytona 500 on his 20th try. In 2004, Dale Earnhardt, Jr won his firt Daytona 500 in his 5th try. In 1976, David Pearson won his first Daytona 500 in the slowest finish. In 1994, the Kentucky Wildcats erased a 31-point second half deficit to beat LSU in the greatest comeback in College Basketball History. In 2018, Denver's Nikola Jokic notched the fastest triple...

In 1951, Sugar Ray Robinson fought Jake LaMotta for the sixth and final time. The fight went 13 rounds with Robinson pounding LaMotta for the final four. In 1992, Great Britain's Eddie the Eagle competed in the Calgary Winter Olympics. In 1992, Bobby Allison nipped his son Davey to win the Daytona 500. In 1986, Boston Celtic Larry Bird played a game shooting with his left hand. In 1991, Michael Jo...

In 1960, 37 cars were involved in a first lap crash during a 250 mile race at Daytona International Speedway. In 1977, three years before he won 5 gold medals at Lake Placid, Eric Heiden became the first American to win the World Championships in Speed Skating. In 1984, American skier Debbie Armstrong shocked everybody by winning gold in the Women's Giant Slalom. In 1968, the East German women's l...

In 2005, UNLV erased a 10-point deficit with less than 20 seconds left to win in OT. In 1972, the US Hockey team beat Poland 6-1 and won the Silver medal in a miracle that you've never heard of. In 2018, Dutch skater Ireen Wüst won gold in the 1500m speed skating event for her fourth gold medal in four consecutive Winter Olympics. She would win another four years later to become the only woman to...

In 1994, NASCAR driver Neil Bonnett died during a practice run at Daytona International Speedway. In 2024, marathoner Kelvin Kiptum died after the car he was driving went off the road and flipped in a ditch. In 2002, controversy marred the Pairs Figure Skating competition. In 1990, James 'Buster' Douglas pulled off one of the greatest upsets in sports history by beating Mike Tyson. In 1988, Dave '...

In 1968, American Peggy Fleming won the only Gold Medal for the US during the '68 Olympics. In 1992, American Bonnie Blair won her second Gold Medal in the 500m Speed Skating event. In 1962, American Jim Beatty became the first human to run a sub-4 minute mile indoors. In 1949, Jumpin' Joe Fulks dropped 63 points to set the record for most points scored in an NBA game. His record stood for a decad...

In 1992, Magic Johnson returned to play in the NBA All-Star game three months after his retirement from the league due to his HIV diagnosis. In 1991, Terrible Terry Norris pummeled Sugar Ray Leonard, forcing him to retire once again. In 2006, Al Michaels was traded to NBC for the rights to Walt Disney's first creation, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. In 1986, golfer Charlie Owens won a Senior PGA tour ev...

In 1992, Duke's Christian Laettner went head-to-head with LSU's Shaquille O'Neal. In 1986, 5'7" Spud Webb won the NBA's Dunk Contest. In 1996, the NFL and the city of Cleveland reached an agreement to keep the name, colors and history of the Browns franchise in Cleveland. In 1964, the US won its first Alpine skiing medals in the Winter Olympics. In 1998, women’s hockey premiered at the Olympics in...

In 2023, LeBron James became the all-time scoring leader in the NBA. In 1970, Pete Maravich set an NCAA single game record by scoring 69 against Alabama. In 1985, Marshall's Bruce Morris hit the longest shot in NCAA basketball history. In 2015, legendary college basketball coach Dean Smith passed away. He gifted every one of his former players $200 to have a dinner out on him. In 1994, Michael Jor...

In 1958, a plane carrying the Manchester United English football club crashed in a takeoff attempt in Munich, Germany. Twenty people died at the scene, including 8 players, 3 staff members and eight journalists. One person died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital and two others died days later due to their injuries.

In 2017, the Atlanta Falcons built up a 25 point lead over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 51 only to lose it in overtime. In 1943, Jake LaMotta beat Sugar Ray Robinson. It was Robinson's first lost as an amateur or pro. In 1984, golfer Hale Irwin hit a ball that was heading for trouble but caromed off a rock, leading to a tournament win. In 1960, Boston Celtic Bill Russell grabbed 51 rebou...

In 2002, the New England Patriots were 14 point underdogs to the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI but shocked a lot of people with the 20-17 win for their first in franchise in history. In 2008, the Patriots were trying to become the first team since the '72 Dolphins to go through the entire season undefeated but the New York Giants spoiled that with their 17-14 win that included the incredible...

In 2019, NC State scored only 24 points. It's the worst performance by a ranked team in the shot clock era. In 1954, Clarence 'Bevo' Francis scored 113 points against to set a collegiate basketball record. In 1968, Wilt Chamberlain put together a double triple double with 22 points, grabbed 25 rebounds, and dished 21 assists. It was the only 20-20-20 triple double in the NBA until Russell Westbroo...

This is a special episode telling the story of Ben and Valerie Hogan's harrowing day In 1949, when they were nearly killed in a collision with a Greyhound bus.

in 2004, New England beat the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII in a thriller. In 2009, Pittsburgh's Santonio Holmes' catch in the final minute gave the Steelers the win over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII. In 1969, Richard Petty's unhappiness with Chrysler led him to switch to Ford for a season. He won his first race behind the blue oval emblem. In 1984, New York Knick Bernard Ki...

In 1988, Washington's Doug Williams became the first black QB to start a Super Bowl and after throwing 4 TDs in the second quarter, leading the Redskins to a 42-10 win over Denver, he also became the first black QB to win the MVP. In 1993, the Dallas Cowboys beat Buffalo in Super Bowl XXVII 52-17. The game is remembered for one play involving Leon Lett and Don Beebe. In 2013, Phil Mickelson lipped...

In 1983, John Riggins ran for a then Super Bowl record 166 yards and a key touchdown as Washington beat Miami to win SB XVII. In 2000, Kevin Dyson's stretch for the endzone came up just a little short thanks to a game saving tackle by Mike Jones, preserving the win for St. Louis in Super Bowl XXXIV. In 1996, Magic Johnson returned to the NBA after a four-year hiatus following his announcement he h...

In 1995, Steve Young threw a Super Bowl record 6 TDs in a rout of San Diego in Super Bowl XXIX. Jerry Rice had flu like symptoms but still caught three TDs to become the all-time Super Bowl leader in TD catches. In 2012, Brandt Snedeker's post-tourney press conference was interrupted because he had more golf to play. Leader Kyle Stanley's triple bogey on the final hole plunged him into a tie with...