March 18 has been a day of remarkable moments and achievements by sports legends. Let’s take a look at a few of them.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sports occurred on March 18 including:
- 1876: In a replay final of the English FA Cup at Kennington Oval in London, Wanderers beat Old Etonians 3-0 after an initial 1-1 draw, winning its third title.
- 1930: The Boston Bruins won a record 20th NHL home game.
- 1933: Maribel Vinson became the U.S. Ladies' Figure Skating champion.
- 1945: Montreal Canadien Maurice "Rocket" Richard became the first NHL player to score 50 goals in a season.
- 1972: Cornell's NCAA hockey team was shut out for the first time in 225 games by Boston University.
- 1990: Jodie Mudd won the PGA Players Championship, finishing one stroke ahead of Mark Calcavecchia.
College Basketball and NBA GOATs
Memorable moments in basketball on March 18 include the following:
- 1953: In the final of the 15th NCAA basketball tournament, Indiana beat Kansas 69-68.
- 1959: Boston Celtic's Bill Sharman began his record of 56 consecutive free-throws.
- 1991: The Philadelphia '76ers retired Wilt Chamberlain's #13 jersey.
- 1991: Reggie Miller ended his NBA 52-game free throw streak.
- 1995: Michael Jordan announced his NBA comeback, ending his 17-month retirement.
- 2014: Phil Jackson signed a five-year contract to become the New York Knicks president.
Sports History
These are some of the biggest names in sport from March 18:
- 1942: Jackie Robinson and Nate Moreland requested a tryout with the Chicago White Sox and were allowed to work out with the team.
- 1989: Dino Ciccarelli set a Washington Capitals record of seven points in a game.
- 1991: Mike Tyson defeated Razor Ruddock in the seventh round of a fight in Las Vegas.
- 2000: England clinched the inaugural Six Nations Rugby Championship with a 59-12 victory over Italy. Jonny Wilkinson kicked seven goals, and winger Austin Healey scored three tries.
- 2018: Portuguese soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo recorded his 50th career hat trick in Real Madrid's 6-3 win over Girona.
Historically, March 18 has seen impressive streaks in the NBA, soccer, and NHL. Bill Sharman's record of 56 consecutive free throws is now held by Michael Williams, who made 97 in 1993. Ronaldo's career hat trick total now stands at 66, but Pelé holds the record with 92.
The Buffalo Sabres' achievement of nine goals in one period was incredible. Every once in a while, a team will score 10 or more goals in a game and maybe four or five goals in a period, but maintaining an average scoring rate of around two minutes in a period is difficult, even in hockey video games.
