Jan. 20
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 baskets’ bottoms.
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 61 points, a career-high, to lead the Minneapolis Lakers to a 91-81 double-overtime victory over the Rochester Royals.
1966 — Ted Williams, longtime star of the Boston Red Sox, is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Williams was a two time triple crown winner, a two time MVP and the last player to hit over .400 — despite losing five prime years to service in the Marine Corps.
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 team, while Tom scores five for the East, which wins the game 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. Roger Craig scores a record three touchdowns.
1996 — Rudy Galindo, in the biggest upset in decades, wins the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, earning two perfect marks along the way.
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.
2007 — Utah coach Jerry Sloan passes Larry Brown for 4th on the NBA’s all-time win list (1,010) after the Jazz beat the Chicago Bulls, 95-85 at the United Center.
2008 — Despite a shaky Tom Brady, New England Patriots are too much for the banged-up San Diego Chargers in the AFC championship game, pulling out a 21-12 victory that sends them 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 in the third-coldest championship game ever.
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.
2016 — Kathryn Smith is promoted by the Buffalo Bills to take over as special teams quality control coach, making her the first full-time female coach in the NFL.
2017 — Henrik Sedin had a goal for his 1,000th career point before Luca Sbisa scored the winner early in the third period to help Vancouver beat Florida 2-1. Sedin converted a pass from twin brother Daniel on a 2-on-1 rush for his 11th goal of the season. Henrik Sedin became the 85th player in NHL history to reach 1,000 points, and the 38th to accomplish the feat with one franchise.
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