This day in sports: Lew Alcindor’s big game in 1967
If everything were normal, the Kings would be playing the Montreal Canadiens tonight at Staples Center in front of a boisterous St. Patrick’s Day crowd. But the coronavirus pandemic has affected nearly every inch of the sports world, causing a hiatus of unknown length.
While fans wait for stadiums, arenas and bars to reopen, here is a historical look back on March 17, today’s date in sports.
1908 — Tommy Burns knocks out Jene Roche at the Royal Theatre in Dublin to retain the world heavyweight boxing title.
1961 — The district attorney of Manhattan arrests gamblers Aaron Wagman and Joseph Hacken and implicates Seton Hall players Hank Gunter and Art Hicks in a college basketball points-shaving scandal.
1967 — UCLA trounces the Wyoming Cowboys 109-60 in the first round of the NCAA basketball tournament, at Corvallis, Ore. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scores 29 points and Lucius Allen adds 15. Tom Ashbury leads Wyoming scorers with 20 points. The Bruins improve their record to 27-0.
1984 — The Lakers win handily against the Rockets in Houston 123-111. Jamal Wilkes scores 25 points and Magic Johnson has 13 along with 13 assists in 39 minutes of play.
The All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium on July 14 may be in jeopardy after Major League Baseball again pushed back opening day to follow CDC guidelines.
1985 — The Angels hire Moose Stubing as hitting coach.
2001 — In the first round of the East Regional, Connecticut wallops Long Island University 101-29, marking the fewest points allowed in the history of the women’s NCAA tournament. The 72-point margin also ties the second-largest in tournament history.
2006 — Jermaine Wallace hits a fade-away three-pointer with a split-second to go, and Northwestern State upsets No. 3 seeded Iowa 64-63 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
2010 — Rafael Nadal defeats American John Isner in three sets at the BNP Paribas Open at the Tennis Garden in Indian Wells. The match is covered by former Times sports editor Bill Dwyre. Also on the front page of that day’s sports section is a report on the Kings’ loss to the Nashville Predators and a feature story on St. Mary’s men’s basketball team which is headed to the NCAA tournament.
2010 — The NBA accepts Michael Jordan’s bid of $275 million to buy the Charlotte Bobcats from Bob Johnson. Jordan becomes the first former player to become a majority owner.
2012 — Lindsey Vonn sets a women’s World Cup record for most points when she finishes eighth in the slalom at Schladming, Austria. Vonn’s 1,980 points pass the mark of 1,970 set by Janica Kostelic of Croatia in 2006.
Sources: Los Angeles Times, Associated Press
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