1968
In the “Game of the Century,” Elvin Hayes leads Houston to a 71-69 upset over Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (who was playing with an eye injury) and UCLA, ending a 47-game winning streak. It was the first NCAA basketball game broadcast on national TV and was played in the Astrodome in front of over 52,000 fans.
1937
Bailey Howell is born in Middleton, Tennessee.
1952
George Mikan becomes just the second player in NBA history, after Joe Fulks, to score 60 or more points in a game, finishing with 61 in a 91-81 Minneapolis Lakers win over the Rochester Royals in double overtime.
1964
Ron Harper is born in Dayton, Ohio.
1968
Nick Anderson is born in Chicago, Illinois. He would be named “Illinois Mr. Basketball” in 1986 and part of the University of Illinois team that reached the Final Four in 1989.
1970
Willis Reed earns All-Star MVP honors for leading the Eastern Conference to a 142-135 victory over the West in Philadelphia. At season’s end, Reed would become the first player in NBA history to win All-Star MVP, league MVP, and Finals MVP in the same season, a feat since matched only by Michael Jordan (in 1996 and 1998) and Shaquille O’Neal (in 2000). The game was also notable for rookie Kareem Abdul-Jabbar making his first of an eventual record 19 All-Star appearances, as well as Tom and Dick Van Arsdale becoming the only brothers to participate together in an All-Star game.
1973
Satch Sanders has his jersey #16 retired by the Celtics. The eight-time champion was actually still active at the time, playing in his 13th and final season, all spent with Boston.
1981
Jason Richardson is born in Saginaw, Michigan. He was named “Michigan Mr. Basketball” in 1999 and then part of the Michigan State national champions team in his freshman year of college.
1986
On the first observation of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a federal holiday in the United States, the NBA begins its yearly tradition of scheduling games for throughout the day. The first game of the day features the Hawks defeating the Bucks 101-98 in Atlanta, King’s birthplace .
1999
After 204 days, the NBA lockout is lifted with the players agreeing to reduce their percentage of league as salaries from 57% to 55%. As a result of the lengthy work stoppage, the ’98-’99 season is shortened to 50 games and the 1999 All-Star Game is cancelled.
2000
Tyler Herro is born in Greenfield, Wisconsin.
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Basketball, Listed 