Here’s this week’s installment of this week in sports history.
The 40th anniversary of possibly the greatest upset in sports history. Two legends in their respective sports sharing the same birthday 27 years apart. One professional sport’s season canceled. A historic contract is agreed upon. A basketball living legend turns the big seven-oh. And the unofficial beginning of the end of one’s shot at Cooperstown.
February 16
1972 – Los Angeles Lakers center Wilt Chamberlain becomes the first player in NBA history to reach 30,000 career points.
1992 – The Los Angeles Lakers retire Magic Johnson’s jersey No. 32.
2005 – National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman cancels the 2004-2005 season due to a labor dispute.
Born
1959 – John McEnroe – Tennis
1964 – Mark Price – NBA
1972 – Jerome Bettis – NFL
1977 – Alexei Morozov – NHL
February 17
1964 – Chicago White Sox shortstop Luke Appling becomes the 101st member elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
1968 – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame opens in Springfield, Mass.
Born
1936 – Jim Brown – NFL
1963 – Michael Jordan – NBA
1966 – Luc Robitaille – NHL
February 18
1986 – San Antonio Spurs guard Alvin Robertson scores the second quadruple-double in NBA history in victory over the Suns. Robertson finished the game with 20 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, and 10 steals.
Born
1981 – Andrei Kikilenko – NBA
1981 – Alex Rios – MLB
February 19
2019 – Four-time Major League Baseball All-Star Manny Machado agrees to a 10-year, $300 million contract with the San Diego Padres. This marks the biggest free agent contact in sports history.
Born
1959 – Roger Goodell – NFL
1995 – Nikola Jovic – NBA
February 20
1993 – Major League Baseball’s latest expansion team, the Florida Marlins, begin the franchise’s first spring training.
Born
1963 – Charles Barkley – NBA
1977 – Stephon Marbury – NBA
1983 – Justin Verlander – MLB
February 21
1989 – Cincinnati Reds manager and MLB’s all-time hits leader, Pete Rose, meets with Commissioner Peter Ueberroth to discuss his gambling.
Born
1977 – Steve Francis – NBA
February 22
1962 – Wilt Chamberlain sets a single-game NBA record with 34 free throw attempts.
1980 – The Miracle on Ice sees the United States Olympic Hockey team defeat the heavily-favored Soviet Union, 4-3, to win the Olympic Gold Medal.
Born
1950 – Julius Erving – NBA
1965 – Pat LaFontaine – NHL
