This Day in Sports History: March 19
March is an exciting month in sport, with college basketball’s March Madness, NBA and NHL battles for playoff spots, and MLB spring training. Notable sporting moments and achievements have occurred on March 19. Here are some of them.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sport from March 19 include:
- 1914: Toronto Hockey Club defeated the Victoria Aristocrats 2-1 for a 3-0 series sweep in the Stanley Cup at Arena Gardens in Toronto, Ontario. This was the final series of the challenge era.
- 1932: England beat Scotland 16-3 at Twickenham, London, to force a three-way share with Wales and Ireland of the renewed Home Nationals Rugby Championship.
- 1943: In their third match, Jake LaMotta finally defeated Jimmy Reeves by knocking him out in the sixth round.
- 1978: Jack Nicklaus won his third Tournament Players Championship.
- 1987: Bonnie Blair skated a ladies’ world record 500 meters in 39.43 seconds.
College Basketball Championships and NBA Legends
March 19 has featured several big NCAA games and milestones from NBA legends:
- 1955: In the 17th NCAA men’s championship game, San Francisco beat La Salle 77-63. The Dons’ future Hall of Fame center, Bill Russell, was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
- 1960: Ohio State defeated California 75-55 to win the 22nd NCAA championship. The Buckeyes’ future Hall of Fame forward Jerry Lucas earned the tournament’s MOP award.
- 1995: Michael Jordan rejoined the Chicago Bulls after a 17-month hiatus. He scored 19 points in a 103-96 loss to the Pacers.
- 2022: Lebron James moved past Karl Malone into second on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with 38 points in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 127-119 loss to the Washington Wizards.
Sports History
Several sporting icons featured on March 19, including:
- 1954: Tenley Albright won the U.S. ladies’ figure skating championship.
- 1989: Kurt Browning of Canada won the men’s figure skating championship in Paris.
- 1991: The Kansas City Royals announced they were putting Bo Jackson on waivers.
- 1991: St. Louis Blues Brett Hull became the third NHL player to score 80 goals in a season.
- 2016: England beat France 31-21 to claim the Six Nations Rugby Championship. It was England’s first Grand Slam since 2003.
March 19 has witnessed NCAA basketball greats becoming legends in the NBA. Jerry Lucas is a highly decorated basketball player who excelled at every level of the sport, winning championships in high school, college, the NBA, and the Olympics, and is known for his exceptional rebounding and all-around skills.
Bill Russell is famous for being a dominant and influential figure in basketball history, particularly for his record-breaking 11 NBA championships with the Boston Celtics, his pioneering role as the first African American coach in a major professional sports team, and his activism for civil rights.
