This day in sports: John Wooden goes out on top as UCLA’s coach in 1975
It was 45 years ago today that John Wooden coached his last game for UCLA, and the Bruins punctuated the moment by capturing their 10th NCAA title under him with a 92-85 victory over Kentucky.
Richard Washington scored 28 points and David Meyers added 24 for UCLA. Wooden finished 620-147 in 27 seasons leading the Bruins, and when the game was over the crowd of 15,153 at the San Diego Sports Arena gave the coach a four-minute standing ovation.
Before the coronavirus outbreak, the Kings were scheduled to face the San Jose Sharks at Staples Center on Tuesday night. The game would have been the fourth of the season between the two, with the Sharks holding a 2-1 advantage.
In baseball, the Dodgers would have entertained the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, while the Angels were set to start a three-game series against the Rangers in Texas.
Here is a look at memorable games and outstanding sports performances on this date:
1923 — The Ottawa Senators of the NHL complete a two-game sweep of the Western Canada Hockey League’s Edmonton Eskimos with a 1-0 victory to capture the Stanley Cup, their third in four seasons. Harry “Punch” Broadbent scores the only goal and King Clancy takes a turn playing every position, including goaltender.
1961 — The Pacific Coast League’s proposal to use a designated hitter for the pitcher is rejected by the Professional Baseball Rules Committee by a vote of 8-1.
1973 — The Philadelphia Flyers tie an NHL record for most goals in one period, scoring eight in the second 20 minutes of a 10-2 rout of the New York Islanders. Eight Flyers score at least one goal, led by Don Saleski and Rick MacLeish, who each have two. It is the Islanders’ 60th loss of the season.
1973 — Ken Norton uses a jerky motion, tricky defense and effective left jab to score a stunning upset over Muhammad Ali in a 12-round split-decision in San Diego. Norton, a 5-1 underdog, wins the North American Boxing Federation heavyweight title while breaking Ali’s jaw.
Kings’ coach Todd McLellan was thrilled with progress of streaking Kings before season was stopped, but wishes he could have seen how group endured.
1986 — Freshman center Pervis Ellison makes two free throws with 27 seconds left to seal Louisville’s 72-69 win over Duke in the NCAA championship game. The Blue Devils’ smothering defense stymies the Cardinals until the last seven minutes when Louisville goes to Ellison, and his putback with 41 seconds to go is good for a three-point lead.
1991 — Brett Hull scores his 86th goal to give him the third-best single-season total in NHL history as the St. Louis Blues beat the Minnesota North Stars 2-1. Hull takes a blue line-to-blue line pass from Paul Cavallini and rips a shot past goalie Brian Hayward.
1991 — Amy Alcott wins the Nabisco Dinah Shore at Rancho Mirage with a record eight-stroke victory over Dottie Mochrie. It is Alcott’s third win at Mission Hills Country Club and her last on the LPGA Tour.
1997 — Martina Hingis becomes the youngest No. 1 player ever in tennis. The 16-year-old from Switzerland, who won her fifth title of 1997 at the Lipton Championships on March 29 in Key Biscayne, Fla., replaces Steffi Graf atop the WTA Tour rankings. She wins major singles titles at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open and nearly has the Grand Slam fourth at the French Open but loses to Iva Majoli in the final.
2013 — In one of the most stunning upsets of the NCAA women’s tournament, fifth-seeded Louisville edges defending champion Baylor in the regional semifinals 82-81. It’s the end of a stellar college career for the Lady Bears’ Brittney Griner, a record-setting 6-foot-8 post player who ends up as the second-highest scorer in NCAA history.
2013 — Pete Weber ties Earl Anthony by winning his 10th major Professional Bowlers Assn. title with a 224-179 win over Australian two-handed star Jason Belmonte in the Tournament of Champions in Indianapolis. At 50, Weber, known for his unique high back swing, is the oldest player to win the TOC.
Sources: The Times, Associated Press
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