This Day in Sports History: January 13
Sports in January include the NBA and NHL seasons, NFL playoffs, college bowl games, college basketball tournaments, the Australian Open for tennis, UFC Fight Nights, Formula E, and PGA Tour…
Sports in January include the NBA and NHL seasons, NFL playoffs, college bowl games, college basketball tournaments, the Australian Open for tennis, UFC Fight Nights, Formula E, and PGA Tour events. Over the years, Jan. 13 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 Jan. 13 included:
- 1908: The Montreal Wanderers beat the Ottawa Victorias 13-1 for a 2-0 sweep of the challenge series.
- 1953: The West beat the East 79-75 in the third NBA All-Star Game. The Most Valuable Player was Minneapolis Lakers center George Mikan.
- 1954: The Pittsburgh Pirates traded Murry Dickson to the Philadelphia Phillies.
- 1957: The Western Conference beat the Eastern Conference 19-10 in the seventh NFL Pro Bowl. The MVPs were Baltimore Colts kicker Bert Rechichar and Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Ernie Stautner.
- 1962: Philadelphia center Wilt Chamberlain scored 73 points in a game as the Warriors beat the Chicago Packers 135-117. At the time, it was the most points scored in an NBA regulation game.
- 1964: Roy Emerson retained the Australian Championships for men's tennis.
- 1964: Margaret Smith won her fifth Australian tennis singles crown.
- 1971: Lenny Wilkens became the oldest All-Star MVP, leading the West to victory.
- 1974: The Miami Dolphins beat the Minnesota Vikings 24-7 to win Super Bowl VIII. The MVP was Miami running back Larry Csonka.
- 1981: The Australian Open played its final tournament on grass before switching to hard courts.
- 1981: New York Islanders' Mike Bossy got his 15th career hat trick.
- 1982: Hank Aaron and Frank Robinson joined the Baseball Hall of Fame.
- 1985: John McEnroe retained his Association of Tennis Professionals title.
- 1985: Edmonton Oilers center Wayne Gretzky scored his 400th career NHL goal.
- 1996: The Florida Marlins signed Livan Hernandez as an amateur free agent.
- 1999: Michael Jordan announced his retirement from basketball for the second time.
- 2001: The Atlanta Hawks retired Dominique Wilkins' No. 21 jersey.
- 2005: The New York Mets signed Carlos Beltran.
- 2009: The Orlando Magic achieved a then-NBA record of 23 made three-pointers.
- 2014: Cristiano Ronaldo won the FIFA Ballon d'Or award.
- 2019: Basketball player James Harden scored 30-plus points for the 16th consecutive game.
- 2019: Lionel Messi scored his 400th goal in La Liga.
- 2020: LSU beat Clemson 42-15 to win the College Football National Championship.
Three athletes who stood out on Jan. 13 were Margaret Smith, Larry Csonka, and James Harden.
Smith dominated the 1960s and '70s with powerful serve-and-volley play, winning 24 major tennis singles titles, including a record 11 Australian Opens. Csonka was a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee in 1987, the Dolphins' all-time leading rusher, and an icon of smashmouth football. Fans know Harden for his prolific scoring, exceptional playmaking, iconic beard, and signature step-back three-pointer.
