THIS WEEKEND IN SPORTS HISTORY
Saturday 1887 1st minor league baseball association organizes, in Pittsburgh. 1923 Christy Mathewson becomes president of the Boston Braves. 1927 Golfers in South Carolina arrested for violating the Sabbath. 1929 Boston Red Sox announce they will play Sunday games at Braves Field. 1953 U.S. Court of Appeals rules that Organized Baseball is a sport and not a business, affirming the 25-year-old Supreme Court ruling. 1958 Jockey Eddie Arcaro rides his 4,000th winner. 1958 Los Angeles Coliseum Commission approves 2-year deal that allows the Dodgers to use the facility. 1971 Boston Bruin Phil Esposito is NHL’s quickest to score 50 goals in a season. 1974 Gordie Howe comes out of retirement for $1 million to play for the WHA’s Houston Aeros. 1976 Muhammad Ali KOs Jan Pierre Coopman in 5 for heavyweight boxing title. 1982 New York Islanders wins an NHL record 15th straight game. 1985 After defending his WBC flyweight championship, Sot Chitalada’s cheque for $104,000 is stolen by a ringside pickpocket. 1988 Brian Boitano edges Canada’s Brian Orser to win the Olympic gold medal in figure skating at the Olympic Winter Games in Calgary. 1988 Cornelia Oschkenat hurdles indoor world record 50 m in 6.58 seconds. 1988 Stefka Kostadinova high jumps indoor world record 2.06 metres. 1993 New York Islanders retire Billy Smith’s No. 31. 1997 San Francisco Giant Barry Bonds signs a record $22.9 million, two-year contract. 1998 Tara Lipinski wins Olympic figure skating gold medal in Nagano, Japan. Sunday 1931 Chicago White Sox and New York Giants play 1st exhibition night game. 1948 NASCAR is incorporated. 1952 Dick Button performs 1st figure skating triple jump in competition. 1953 In the longest collegiate basketball game, Niagara beats Siena 88-81 in six overtimes. 1968 Baseball announces a minimum annual salary of $10,000. 1979 Iowa girls high school basketball teams play 4 scoreless quarters The game was won 4-2 in 4th overtime period. 1986 Tennis star Jimmy Connors is fined $20,000 and suspended for 10 weeks. 1989 Pete Rose meets with Commissioner Ueberroth to discuss his gambling. 1992 Kristi Yamaguchi of the U.S. wins Olympic gold medal in women’s figure skating. 1993 Sergei Bubka pole vaults world record indoor of 6.15 metres. 1995 CFL’s Sacramento Gold Miners become San Antonio Texans.