This Day in Sports History: January 26
Sports in January include the NBA and NHL seasons, NFL playoffs, college bowl games, and some college basketball tournaments. There are also the Australian Open for tennis, UFC Fight Nights,…
Sports in January include the NBA and NHL seasons, NFL playoffs, college bowl games, and some college basketball tournaments. There are also the Australian Open for tennis, UFC Fight Nights, Formula E, and PGA Tour events. Over the years, Jan. 26 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. 26 included:
- 1921: NHL center Corb Denneny scored six goals as the St. Patricks beat the Hamilton Tigers 10-3.
- 1924: Skater Charles Jewtraw claimed the first-ever Winter Olympic gold medal, as he won the 500-meter speed skating event in 44 seconds.
- 1924: James Anderson won the second of three Australasian titles.
- 1924: Clas Thunberg won the first of five gold medals, as he won the 5,000-meter speed skating in 2:20.8.
- 1948: Tennis player Adrian Quist won his third Australian title.
- 1959: Tennis player Alex Olmedo won his first Grand Slam event.
- 1966: Speed skater Ard Schenk skated to a world record time of 2:06.2 in the 1500-meter distance.
- 1970: Tennis player Margaret Court retained her Australian Open Women's Tennis title. It was her ninth Australian singles crown and the first leg of her Grand Slam.
- 1985: Edmonton Oiler Wayne Gretzky scored the 50th goal of the season in the 49th game.
- 1986: The Chicago Bears beat the New England Patriots, 46-10, and won Super Bowl XX. The MVP was Bears defensive end Richard Dent.
- 1992: Tennis player Jim Courier won his second career Grand Slam title and his first Australian title.
- 1992: The Washington Redskins beat the Buffalo Bills, 37-24, and won Super Bowl XXVI. The MVP of the game was Washington quarterback Mark Rypien.
- 1997: Mario Lemieux tied an NHL record with four goals in the third period, as the Penguins beat Montreal 5-2. It was his 39th career hat-trick and 13th four-goal game.
- 1997: The Green Bay Packers beat the New England Patriots, 35-21, and won Super Bowl XXXI. The MVP was the Packers Desmond Howard.
- 2003: Tennis player Andre Agassi won his eighth and last Grand Slam title.
- 2003: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Oakland Raiders, 48-21, and won Super Bowl XXXVII. The MVP was the Bucs' Dexter Jackson.
- 2008: Tennis star Maria Sharapova won her first and only Australian title.
- 2014: Tennis player Stan Wawrinka won his first major title, as he beat Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open.
Three athletes who stood out on Jan. 26 were Clas Thunberg, Margaret Court, and Richard Dent.
Thunberg was known as "Nurmi on ice," because he dominated early Winter Games, winning multiple events and World Championships. He was recognized for his skill, fierce competitiveness, and unique character. Court holds the record for the most Grand Slam titles and is the only player to win the Calendar Grand Slam in mixed doubles (twice) and singles (once). Dent is best known for anchoring the dominant 1980s Bears defense, winning Super Bowl XX, and leading the league in sacks in 1985.
