This Day in Sports History: March 15
Sports in March include crucial stretches of the NBA and NHL seasons, MLB Spring Training/Opening Day, March Madness, NASCAR, Formula 1, UFC Fight Nights, and some PGA Tour Events. Over…
Sports in March include crucial stretches of the NBA and NHL seasons, MLB Spring Training/Opening Day, March Madness, NASCAR, Formula 1, UFC Fight Nights, and some PGA Tour Events. Over the years, Mar. 15 has witnessed many notable moments and stories involving sporting legends. Here are some of them.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sports history from Mar. 15 included:
- 1869: The Cincinnati Red Stockings become baseball's first professional team with ten salaried players.
- 1912: Pitcher Cy Young retired from baseball with a 511-315 win-loss record.
- 1953: Patty Berg won her fifth Titleholders title by nine strokes from Betsy Rawls.
- 1958: England retained the Five Nations Rugby Championship with a 3-3 draw against Scotland.
- 1958: Basketball player Oscar Robertson of the Cincinnati Royals scored an NBA Midwest Region record 56-point game.
- 1959: Louise Suggs won her fourth titleholders title by one stroke from Betsy Rawls.
- 1962: Wilt Chamberlain became the first to score 4,000 points in an NBA season.
- 1979: Hockey player Bryan Trottier got his fifth career hat-trick.
- 1985: Boxer Larry Holmes got a technical knockout over David Bey in 10 rounds for the heavyweight boxing title.
- 1989: The New York Rangers retired goaltender Eddie Giacomin's No. 1 uniform.
- 1992: In the 13th Big East men's basketball tournament, Syracuse beat Georgetown 56-54.
- 1992: In the 33rd SEC men's basketball tournament, Kentucky beat Alabama 80-54.
- 1992: In the 39th ACC men's basketball tournament, No.1 Duke beat No. 20 North Carolina 94-74.
- 1997: France beat Scotland, 47-20 at Parc des Princes, Paris, and claimed an 11th outright Five Nations Rugby Championship.
- 1997: The Pittsburgh Penguins' Joe Mullen was the first American to score 500 NHL goals.
- 1997: North Carolina coach Dean Smith became the winningest coach in men's college basketball history at the time, as he earned his 877th victory.
- 2004: Alexander Mogilny became the second Russian player in NHL history to reach the 1,000-point milestone.
- 2008: Wales beat France, 29-12 at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, to complete a Grand Slam and win the Six Nations Rugby Championship with a 19th Triple Crown.
- 2008: Georgia Southern set an all-division NCAA record by hitting 14 home runs in a single game against Columbia.
- 2009: The Detroit Red Wings became the first team in NHL history to record nine consecutive 100-point seasons.
- 2013: Patrick Chan of Canada won the men's World Figure Skating Championships.
- 2014: Ireland beat France, 22-20 at Stade de France, Saint-Denis, and beat England on points difference. It was their Six Nations Rugby Championship.
Three athletes who stood out on Mar. 15 were Cy Young, Joe Mullen, and Dean Smith.
Young was a legendary American professional baseball pitcher, renowned as the all-time MLB leader in wins (511), complete games (749), and innings pitched. Mullen won three Stanley Cups (1989, 1991, 1992) and two Lady Byng Trophies during during his 16-season career. Smith won two national championships (1982, 1993), popularized the "four corners" offense, and was known for mentoring stars like Michael Jan and his dedication to racial equality.
