Author: Luke Reimer

Today in sports history (1974), the Boston Celtics beat the Milwaukee Bucks in seven games in the 1974 NBA Finals. This was the Bucks’ second finals appearance and their first in three years. Even though it was only a three-year absence, the Bucks were missing some pieces from their 1971 victory, most notably at the guard position. Oscar Robertson was still on the team, but at this point in his career, he was 35 and only contributing 12.7 points per game and just over six assists per game. Lucius Allen, who stepped up in Robertson’s diminishing role, was averaging 17.6 points per…

Today in sports history (1993), NBA legend Bill Walton was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame. While he did finish his NBA career with two championships, an MVP and a Sixth Man of the Year award, Walton became initially known during his time at UCLA. While in school, Walton had the opportunity to take over for the great Lew Alcindor. He exceeded expectations and took over where Alcindor left off at UCLA. Walton was selected number one overall in the 1974 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. Looking for a franchise player, Walton immediately changed the trajectory of Portland basketball.…

Today in sports history (1972), the Los Angeles Lakers beat the New York Knicks in the 1972 NBA Championship. This was the Lakers’ first championship win since 1954. This championship series was also a rematch of the 1970 NBA Finals, which saw the Knicks take down the Lakers in seven games. Though the Knicks made bragging rights from their previous championship, many thought this year would yield a different result. The 1971-72 Lakers are often described as one of the greatest teams in NBA history. With a core of Jerry West, Gail Goodrich, Wilt Chamberlain and an aging Elgin Baylor, the Lakers…

Today in sports history (1997), the Hartford Whalers announced that they would be moving to Raleigh, North Carolina, becoming the Carolina Hurricanes. The Whalers began their history as the New England Whalers in 1972. In 1979, they joined the NHL and became known as the Hartford Whalers. Throughout their history, the Whalers struggled. At one point, the Whalers were known as “The Forever .500s” due to their lack of postseason success. When the Whalers made the NHL Playoffs, they were often matched up with Boston or Montreal, when both teams were in their glory days of the sport. Being in Hartford, Connecticut,…

Today in sports history (1904), Cy Young throws a perfect against the Philadelphia Athletics. Young is known as one of the greatest pitchers in MBL history. Due to his lengthy and consecutive start, it is likely that no one will ever touch Young’s records when it comes to wins and losses. In total, Young finished his career with 511. No win is more immortalized in MLB history than his perfect game as a part of the Boston Americans. There were 10,267 fans at Huntington Avenue Grounds to watch the event. There was some back and forth coming into this game, mostly from…

Today in sports history (2015), Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry wins the first of his two career MVP awards. Prior to the 2014-15 season, the Warriors fired Mark Jackson and hired Steve Kerr to run the team. Kerr paid incredible dividends to the franchise. That, of course, was spearheaded by Curry’s incredible shooting ability. Kerr used what he had with Draymond Green and Klay Thompson to form the crux of what we know the Warriors became. Not only did Kerr provide Curry with an avenue to succeed with his scheme, but GM Bob Myers needs to be mentioned. Myers seemingly always…

Today in sports history (1970), the New York Knicks beat the Los Angeles Lakers in a seven-game series. This was the first of New York’s two championship wins. The Lakers were led by their three-headed monster of Jerry West, Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain. On the Knicks side, they had a team of stars, featuring Walt Frazier, Bill Bradley, Willis Reed and Dave DeBusschere. Game 7 of this series was one of the greatest games in basketball history, as Reed famously came back from injury to win the game for New York. New York Knicks Win Their First NBA Championship Game 1…

Today in sports history (2015), Floyd Mayweather defeated Manny Pacquiao on unanimous decision. This fight was billed as one of the most anticipated fights in sports history. The hype for this fight stemmed from both fighters being legends in the sport. Though both were out of their primes during the fight, it did not detract attention. Mayweather came into the fight with a 47-0 record, while Pacquiao came into the fight with 57-5-2 record. Only 500 tickets were sold to the public, with the cheapest ticket being $1,500 and the most expensive being $7,500. Tickets were sold out in less than one…

Today in sports history (2000), San Francisco slugger Barry Bonds hits a home run into the San Francisco Bay. This home run was regarded as the first ever “splash-hit” in Giants history. The home run came against Mets pitcher Rich Rodriguez. With two men on base, Bonds blasted a towering left field shot into the bay. This was the first of many Bonds splash-hits. Barry Bonds Adds 34 More Splash Hits to his Resume Barry Bonds is noted for two things in his career: having the home run record and steroids. Whatever your beliefs are on steroids, you have to admit that…

Today in sports history (1971), the Milwaukee Bucks won their first NBA Championship in franchise history. The win came over the Washington Bullets in a 4-0 sweep. The Bucks were the hot up-and-coming team, as they drafted UCLA center Lew Alcindor, later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The Bucks signed aging veteran guard Oscar Robertson. Adding these two to a roster of Greg Smith, Jon McGlocklin and Bob Dandridge gave the Bucks a team to notice. At the time, the Bucks were in the Western Conference and were the first west team to win the championship since the Saint Louis Hawks in 1958. This championship…