This Day in Sports History: March 26
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, March 26 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 March 26 included:
- 1915: In the 77th Grand National, legendary jockey Jack Anthony won his second of three Grand National titles aboard racehorse Ally Sloper with a 100/8 starting price.
- 1917: The Seattle Metropolitans beat the Montreal Canadiens 9-1 for a 3-1 series victory. The Metropolitans were the first U.S. team to win the Stanley Cup.
- 1937: Baseball player Joe DiMaggio took Ty Cobb's advice and replaced his 40-ounce bat with a 36-ounce one.
- 1949: In the 11th NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game, Kentucky beat Oklahoma State 46-36. The Kentucky Wildcats received their second national title in a row.
- 1952: Kansas beat St. John's 80-63 in the 14th NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game. This was the first tournament with a proper "Final Four" format.
- 1966: Wales beat France 9-8 and clinched their 15th Five Nations Championship title.
- 1972: The Los Angeles Lakers won a record-setting 69 of 82 games.
- 1973: In the 35th NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game, the University of California, Los Angeles, beat Memphis 87-76. It was the UCLA Bruins' seventh straight title, and center Bill Walton won the tournament's Most Outstanding Player for the second consecutive year.
- 1974: George Foreman knocked out Ken Norton in the second round and won the World Boxing Association, World Boxing Council, and The Ring undisputed heavyweight champion title.
- 1979: Michigan State beat Indiana State 75-64 in the 41st NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game. This game was the first played between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, who would become rivals in the 1980s. It was also the highest Nielsen-rated game in the history of American basketball.
- 1982: Wayne Gretzky got his 70th goal of the season and became the first player in NHL history to reach that mark in a single season.
- 1995: Lee Janzen won the Players Championship by finishing one stroke ahead of runner-up Bernhard Langer of Germany.
- 1997: Tiger Woods won his first ever PGA Tour event and it was at the Las Vegas Invitational. This marked the beginning of one of the best careers in golf history.
- 2000: Karrie Webb of Australia won the first of her two Nabisco Championship titles by finishing ten strokes ahead of defending champion Dottie Pepper.
- 2001: Tiger Woods won the first of his two Players Championship titles. He finished one stroke ahead of runner-up Vijay Singh of Fiji.
- 2009: LeBron James scored 51 points in a game for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
- 2015: The Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team completed a perfect regular season and continued their run toward a 38-0 start.
Three athletes who stood out on March 26 were George Foreman, Tiger Woods, and LeBron James.
Foreman was famous for his knockout power, legendary fights, and one of the most remarkable comebacks in boxing history. Woods is famous for his unmatched dominance, historic achievements, and lasting impact on the game of golf. James is known for his longevity, versatility, and dominance across multiple eras.
