This Day in Sports History: February 12
Sports in February are all about the ultimate bowl game in football, the NBA All-Star Game, various winter sports, the Winter Olympics, and a few stories from legends of the game. The Super Bowl has only fallen on this day once and that was two years ago, in which the Chiefs win over the Eagles. Two basketball All-Star Games have taken place on Feb. 12th, with Hall of Famers Mitch Richmond and Karl Malone winning All-Star Game MVPs. One hockey All-Star game, a world record, and a murder of interest? Let’s take a closer look at these and other moments.
The Stars of the NBA and The Super Bowl
Feb. 12th has witnessed great moments from legends of both the NBA and the NFL:
- 1989: The 39th NBA All-Star Game took place at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, where the West beat the East, 143-134. The MVP was Karl Malone, a forward for the Utah Jazz.
- 1995: The 45th NBA All-Star Game took place at the America West Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, where the West defeated the East 139-112. The MVP was Mitch Richmond, a shooting guard of the Sacramento Kings.
- 2023: The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII, 38-35, which was the Chiefs’ second Super Bowl win in four years. Patrick Mahomes was named Super Bowl MVP and was one of the main reasons the Chiefs won the game.
Stars of the NHL and the Great One
Feb. 12th has witnessed great moments from two of the top five best players in the league:
- 1982: Wayne Gretzky scored his 153rd point of the season, breaking an NHL record. The Great One went on to finish the season with 212 points, the second-highest total in history.
- 1985: The 37th NHL All-Star Game took place at the Olympic Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, where the Wales Conference defeated the Campbell Conference 6-4. The MVP was Mario Lemieux, a center for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Records, ESPY’s, and Murder
Feb. 12th featured notable awards, a world record, and the ongoing controversy surrounding O.J. Simpson.
- 1995: Speed skater Bonnie Blair sets a world record in the 500m with a time of 38.69 seconds.
- 1996: At the 4th ESPY Awards, the Iron Man of baseball, Cal Ripken Jr., won Male Athlete of the Year.
- 1997: Fred Goldman says he will settle for a signed murder confession from O.J. Simpson in lieu of his $20.5 million judgment.
- 2001: At the 9th ESPY Awards, golf legend Tiger Woods won Male Athlete of the Year, and track and field star Marion Jones won Female Athlete of the Year.
Looking back on these Feb. 12th statistics, it’s clear that it was truly a mix of the good, the bad, and the ugly of what sports stories can sometimes be. The West went 2-0 in the NBA All-Star Game, and Mahomes kickstarted the Chiefs’ dynasty. Well-known names were also highlighted with ESPY awards, making 2001 quite an interesting year. Despite personal life issues, Woods has always played fairly in his sport and deserved that award. However, it was later revealed that Jones lied about taking steroids, and was stripped of the five medals she won at the 2000 Summer Olympics. Finally, this day was marked by more O.J. news, leading to the extremely ugly and shocking revelations that can come from athletes’ off-field lives.
