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.

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