Today in Sports History: Jan. 20

  • Wednesday, January 20, 2016 1:03am
  • Sports

1891 — The International YMCA in Springfield, Mass., is the site of the first official basketball game. Peach baskets were used, but it wasn’t until 1905 that someone removed the bottom of the basket.

1937 — Nels Stewart of the New York Americans becomes the NHL’s all-time scorer with his 270th goal in a 4-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.

1952 — George Mikan scores a career-high 61 points to lead the Minneapolis Lakers to a 91-81 double-overtime victory over the Rochester Royals.

1968 — Elvin Hayes scores 39 points to lead Houston to a 71-69 victory and end UCLA’s 47-game winning streak. A regular-season record 52,693 fans attend the game at the Houston Astrodome.

1970 — Cincinnati’s Tom Van Arsdale and Phoenix’s Dick Van Arsdale are the first brothers to play in the same NBA All-Star game. Dick scores eight points for the West while Tom scores five for the East, which wins 142-135 at Philadelphia.

1980 — President Carter announces the U.S. Olympic team will not participate in the Summer Olympics in Moscow to protest the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan the previous month.

1980 — Terry Bradshaw passes for 309 yards and sets two passing records to help the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Los Angeles Rams 31-19 and become the first team to win four Super Bowls.

1985 — Joe Montana passes for a Super Bowl record 331 yards and three touchdowns to lead the San Francisco 49ers to a 38-16 victory over the Miami Dolphins.

1990 — The University of Calgary women’s basketball team sets an NCAA record with its 55th consecutive win, 90-45 over Alberta. Calgary breaks the mark of 54 set by Louisiana Tech from 1980-82.

2001 — Alan Webb of South Lakes High School in Reston, Va., becomes the first American prep runner to break four minutes for the indoor mile, with a time of 3:59.86 at the New Balance Games in New York.

2002 — Steve Yzerman becomes the ninth player in NHL history to notch 1,000 assists, which he earns on Mathieu Dandenault’s game-winning goal when Detroit beats Ottawa 3-2 in overtime.

2008 — Despite a shaky Tom Brady, the Patriots are too much for the banged-up San Diego Chargers in the AFC championship game. New England wins 21-12, going back to the Super Bowl for the fourth time in seven seasons.

2008 — Lawrence Tynes, who missed a 36-yard field goal at the end of regulation following a bad snap, nails a 47-yarder in overtime to give the New York Giants a 23-20 win over Green Bay in the NFC championship at Lambeau Field. The Giants win their 10th straight on the road.

2013 — San Francisco’s Frank Gore runs for a pair of second-half touchdowns and the 49ers rebounds from a 17-0 deficit to beat the Atlanta Falcons 28-24 in the NFC championship game.

2013 — Joe Flacco outduels Tom Brady, throwing three touchdown passes in the second half and leading the Baltimore Ravens to their first Super Bowl in 12 years with a 28-13 victory over the New England Patriots for the AFC championship. The win sets up the first Super Bowl coached by brothers, Baltimore’s John Harbaugh and San Francisco’s Jim.

More in Sports

Denali stands at 20,310 feet as seen from a commercial flight between Anchorage and Fairbanks. (Photo by Ned Rozell)
Alaska Science Forum: Searching for microplastics on Denali

Two college students will soon be stuffing snow from the slopes of… Continue reading

Thunder Mountain High School seniors James Polasky, left, and Samuel Lockhart, right, signed letters of intent on Thursday in the TMHS commons to play college basketball. Polasky will attend St. Olaf in Minnesota and Lockhart will attend Edmonds College in Washington state. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)
Thunder Mountain’s Sam Lockhart and James Polasky sign letters of intent to play college basketball

All-state selection Lockhart to hoop at Edmonds, Polasky at St. Olaf.

Mt. Edgecumbe High School coach Archie Young talks to an official during the Braves 63-61 loss to Nome in the 2024 ASAA March Madness Alaska 3A Boys Basketball State Championship game at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Photo by Klas Stolpe)
Archie Young: A final road trip as Mt. Edgecumbe basketball coach and teacher retires after 25 years

Long-ago star high school player became an extended family member to a generation of students.

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé boys soccer team takes on Palmer High School on Friday in Anchorage. (Photo by Tory Bennetsen)
All four Juneau high school soccer teams notch winning records during road trip north

JDHS girls remain undefeated; both TMHS teams get first victories of season.

A Pacific wren sings in the understory. (Photo by Helen Uhruh)
On the Trails: April jaunts

A walk at Fish Creek was productive, as it usually is. The… Continue reading

One of about 80 participants in the annual Slush Cup tries to cross a 100-foot-long pond during the final day of the season at Eaglecrest Ski Area on April 7. (Eaglecrest Ski Area photo)
Season full of ups and downs ends about average for Eaglecrest Ski Area

Fewer season passes sold, but more out-of-state visitors and foreign workers help weather storms.

Juneau-Douglas base runner Tristan Oliva is safe at second base as Sitka senior Nai’a Nelson defends, Saturday at Moller Field. Juneau won the softball game, part of a three-day home tourney in Sitka. (Sitka Sentinel photo)
JDHS, TMHS turn in strong showings at three-day softball tournament in Sitka

Competing in their first home games of the season, Sitka High’s Lady… Continue reading

Kayak paddles and a spear tipped with a sharpened rock lie in a volcanic cave on the Seward Peninsula in 2010. (Photo by Ben Jones)
Alaska Science Forum: Treasures found within a volcanic cave

Ben Jones suspected he had found something special when he squeezed into… Continue reading

Most Read