//File author: UW Huskies CSE 143 Student: Nathan //Date of Discovery: Oct 19, 2002 //Classic Moments Archive //ESPN CLASSIC //This a a compilation of several of the listed milestones in sports history from ESPN CLASSIC //http://espn.go.com/classic/moments/s/. //Manually typed and compiled Oct. 20 2002 to Oct. 24 2002. 2/27/1901 The National Leage Rules Committee declares a foul ball not caught on the fly is a strike unless two strikes have already been called. 4/11/1907 New York Giant catcher Roger Bresnahan was credited as the first to openly use protective leg gear. 6/18/1907 After Giant catcher is beaned by a pitch and recooperating in the hospital, he invents the batting helmet. The helmet doesn't become mandatory until 1971. 6/28/1907 New York Yankee catcher Branch Rickey allows a 20th Century record 13 stolen bases. 5/15/1912 The famous, short-tempered Ty Cobb is suspended by the AL president after Cobb went into the outfield stands to beat up one of his tormentors. 6/9/1914 Honus Wagner becomes the first player to reach three thousand hits in the 20th century. 3/6/1923 Johnny Weissmuller becomes the first swimmer to break 5 minutes for the 440 yrds. 1/1/1925 Unbeaten National Champion Notre Dame demolishes Stanford in the Rose Bowl. 4/12/1927 On opening day at Yankee Stadium, fifteen future Hall of Famers are on the roster of the New York yankees and Philadelphia Athletics. 4/2/1931 Jackie Mitchell, a 17-year-old left hander, becomes the first woman to pitch in a professional game. 6/3/1932 Lou Gehrig becomes the first player in the 20th century to hit four homeruns in one game. 5/25/1935 Jesse Owens sets three world records and ties a fourth in the Big Ten Champoinships. This event was two weeks after he severely injured his tailbone from a prank by his roommates. 5/4/1936 In the long awaited Joe DiMaggio debut, he hit two singles and a triple. 6/15/1938 In the first major league night game, Johnny Vander Meer becomes the only pitcher to throw consecutive no-hitters. 5/2/1939 Lou Gehrig's amazing streak of playing 2,130 consecutive games ends. 6/12/1939 To celebrate the 100th annviersary of baseball, the sport dedicates the opening of the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. 6/2/1941 Exactly 16 years after his first start in the Majors, Lou Gehrig dies of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. 1/16/1942 Presidetn Roosevelt gives the green light for pro baseball to continue during war. 2/7/1942 Cornelius Warmerdam, the first man to pole vault 15 ft outdoors, becomes the first to reach that height indoors today. 3/18/1945 Montreal Canadien Maurice Richard becomes the first to score 50 goals in a season. 4/15/1947 Jackie Robinson becomes the first African-American to play in Major League Baseball. 6/24/1947 In his first two months in the Majors, Jackie Robinson steals home the first time. In his career he steals home 18 times. 3/20/1948 Because of several ring deaths in the past year, the National Boxing Association adopts a 21-point safety program. 5/1/1948 In the smallest Kentucky derby since 1907, Citation wins the race as well as the Triple Crown. 4/19/1949 One year since his death, the Yankees honor Babe Ruth in a pregame ceremony with a granite monument. 1/19/1951 The Babe Ruth of billiards, Willie Mosconi retains his world pocket billiards championship by defeating Irvin Crane. 5/13/1958 Stan Musial becomes the youngest player to reach 3,000 hits, shorter than the previous seven three thousand hits members. 5/7/1959 93,103 paying spectators come to The largest paying crowd in Major League baseball. This exhibition game was to honor the recently paralyzed Dodger Roy Campanella. 5/26/1959 After pitching 12 prefect innings, the Pirates pitcher Harvey Haddix records a loss (1-0 final score). 2/5/1960 Bill Russell, the Boston Celtic's center, becomes the first player to shoot 50 in a game. He finishes the game with 51 points. 6/17/1962 In his first of four U.S Open titles, Jack Nicklaus becomes the youngest U.S. Open winner since 1923. 4/7/1963 At 23, Jack Nicklaus wins his first of six Master titles. 2/25/1964 22 year old Cassius Clay defeats heavyweight champ Sonny Liston in seven rounds, ending it with a TKO. 6/8/1966 After a heated money war, the National Football League and the American Football League agree to merge into a single league. 1/22/1968 Five-tine Olympic medalist and one of Hawaii's best known citizens, Duke Kahanamoku dies of a heart attack at age 77. 6/25/1986 San Francisco Bobby Bonds is the first person in the 20th century to record a grand slam in his first major league game. 3/1/1969 At age 37, Mickey Mantle, player for the New York Yankees, announces his retirement. 2/21/1970 Bobby Hull becomes the third player to score 500 career goals. 5/8/1970 Barely able to walk, Willis Reed plays 27 minutes in game seven of the NBA finals. His efforts helped his team win the championship as well as earned him the Finals' MVP. 2/16/1972 Wilt Chamberlain becomes the first basketball player to reach 30,000 points. 1/22/1973 Two Olympic gold medalists and unbeaten heavey weights, Joe Frazer and George Foreman face each other in Kingston, Jamaica. Foreman was victorious. 4/1/1973 Boston Bruin Phil Esposito wins his thrid consecutive scoring title. 4/8/1974 Hank Aaron is the new career-homerun champion. 1/9/1977 Oakland Raiders beat Minnesota in the 11th Super Bowl, final score: 32-14. 5/22/1977 Janet Guthrie became the first woman to qualify for the Indy 500. 2/26/1978 21 year old Rookie Nancy Lopez gains her first victory on the LPGA tour. 1/7/1980 Phyladelphia Flyers set a pro record with a 35 game unbeaten streak, composed of 25 vistories and 10 ties. 4/6/1980 Gordie Howe, the most durable professional athlete in sports history, retires from hockey after his 32nd season at the age of 52. 3/25/1982 Wayne Gretzky becomes the first players to crack the 200 point barrier. 4/4/1983 Underdogs North Carolina State, despite having 10 defeats during the season, wins the basketball NCAA tournament. 4/18/1983 Joan Benoit smashes the world marathon record at the Boston marathon witha time of two hours, twenty-two minutes, and forty-two seconds. 3/16/1985 Boston Bruins legend Eddie Shore dies at age 82. He was the only defensemen to win the NHL's MVP award four times. 6/8/1986 Larry Bird wins his second Finals MVP as he scores his third triple-double of the playoffs. 5/18/1987 Magic Johnson wins his first of three NBA MVP trophies. 6/4/1987 The longest winning streak in a running event ends as Edwin Moses loses a 400 meter hurdles, halting his streak at 122 victories. 5/7/1988 Winning Colors, her trainer Wayne Lukas, and jockey Gary Stevens become the third filly (female horse) to win the Kentucky Derby. 5/29/1990 In less than 12 years, Ricky Henderson breaks Ty Cobb's American League Record for stolen bases. It took Ty Cobb 24 seasons to reach 892 career steals. 6/11/1990 At 43, Nolan Ryan becomes the oldest pitcher to throw a no-hitter. 2/6/1993 Arthur Ashe, the first African American to win the U.S. Open (1968), Australian Open (1970) and Wimbledon (1975), dies of pneumonia. 1/6/1994 The 1992 Olympic Bronze medalist, Nancy Kerrigan is attacked by rival Tanya Harding's ex-husband and bodyguard. 6/14/1994 The New York Rangers end the longest championship drought in the NHL as they win their first Stanley Cup in 54 years. 2/1/1995 Utah Jazz guard John Stockton breaks Magic Johnson's all-time NBA mark of 9,221 assists with a pass to teammate Karl Malone. 2/12/1995 Five-time Olympic gold medalist Bonnie Blair breaks her own world record in the 500 meter World Cup competition in Calgary. She finishes in 38.69 sec. 3/19/1995 After taking 21 months off, Michael Jordan returns to the NBA from baseball. 3/12/1996 NHL's Chicago player Bobby Hull becomes the first player to score more than 50 goals in a season. 3/12/1996 The NBA suspends the Denver Nugget's leading scorer, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf for not standing for the national anthem. 3/15/1997 Dean Smith, the North Carolina coach becomes the all-time leader in coaching victories with 877. 2/20/1998 15 year old Tara Lipinski becomes the youngest American Olympian to win a gold medal after defeating Michelle Kwan in Nagano. 1/13/1999 Pro basketball star Michael Jordan retires again.