This Day in Sports History: February 20
Sports in February include the NBA and NHL seasons, Super Bowl, NBA All-Star game, college basketball tournaments, spring training for the MLB, NASCAR’s Daytona 500, Formula E, some PGA Tour…
Sports in February include the NBA and NHL seasons, Super Bowl, NBA All-Star game, college basketball tournaments, spring training for the MLB, NASCAR's Daytona 500, Formula E, some PGA Tour Events and the Winter Olympics. Over the years, Feb. 20 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 Feb. 20 included:
- 1923: Future Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Christy Mathewson became the President and owner of the Boston Braves.
- 1926: The Montreal Maroons and Ottawa Senators play in the second 0-0 tie in NHL history. The strong goalies in this game were Clint Benedict of the Maroons and Alex Connell of the Senators.
- 1952: Jeannette Altwegg won the Olympic women's figure skating gold medal at the Olso Winter Games.
- 1958: Jockey Eddie Arcaro rode his 4,000th winner on the horse Riding Ban.
- 1963: Hall of Famer Willie Mays becomes the highest-paid player in the MLB, signing a record $100,000 contract with the San Francisco Giants.
- 1971: Gordie Howe tallied his 1,800th career NHL point.
- 1972: Driver A.J. Foyt won the 14th annual Daytona 500.
- 1976: Muhammad Ali beat boxer Jean Pierre Coopman with a fifth round knockout.
- 1982: New York Islanders win then the NHL record 15th straight game by beating the Colorado Rockies, 3-2 at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
- 1988: Cornelia Oschkenat hurdles the indoor world record of 50m in 6.58 seconds.
- 1997: San Francisco Giants great Barry Bonds signs a record $22.9 million, two-year contract.
- 2005: The 54th NBA All-Star Game took place at the Pepsi Center in Denver Colorado, where the East defeated the West 125-115. The MVP was Allen Iverson, a shooting guard for the Philadelphia 76ers.
- 2011: The 60th NBA All-Star Game took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, where the West defeated the East 148-143. The MVP was the Black Mamba, Kobe Bryant, a Los Angeles Lakers legend and shooting guard.
- 2021: Naomi Osaka won her fourth major tennis title and second Australian title.
- 2021: Joel Embiid records a double-double with a then-career-high 50 points and 17 rebounds in an NBA game against the Chicago Bulls.
- 2022: The 71st NBA All-Star Game took place at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio, where Team LeBron defeated Team Durant 163-160. The MVP was the greatest shooter of all time, Steph Curry, who set an All-Star Game record with 16 three-pointers and finished with 50 points.
- 2022: The XXIV Olympic Winter Games close in Beijing, China, and Norway finishes with a record 16 gold medals,
Three athletes who stood out on Feb. 20 were Eddie Arcaro, Kobe Bryant, and Naomi Osaka.
Arcaro was nicknamed "The Master," and is famous as the only rider to win the U.S. Triple Crown twice (Whirlaway in 1941, Citation in 1948) and holds the record for the most total victories in Triple Crown races. Bryant won five NBA championships, was an 18-time All-Star, and the 2008 MVP and known globally for his intense "Mamba Mentality" and work ethic. Osaka was known for her powerful serve and aggressive play, and she made history by winning the 2018 U.S. Open.
