This Day in Sports History: February 3
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. 3 has witnessed many notable moments and stories involving sporting legends. Here are some of them.
- 1876: Albert Spalding, a former baseball player who turned into a business tycoon, started a company that would become a huge player in the sports industry. Spalding's work revolutionized sports equipment and made sure that everyone played the same way, laying the groundwork for the modern sports we know and love today.
- 1924: During the inaugural Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France, Canada demonstrated their dominance in hockey by securing a resounding 6–1 victory over the United States. Harry Watson emerged as the tournament's standout player, amassing an incredible 46 points.
- 1937: Cricket fans were in awe when Australian legend Don Bradman scored an incredible 212 runs during the fifth Test against England in the Ashes series. It was a grueling 441 minutes of pure brilliance, where Bradman displayed his unparalleled focus and skill under immense pressure.
- 1951: American figure skater Dick Button won his sixth Men's Figure Skating Championship title on this day. He was known for his cool moves and almost perfect skating.
- 1956: Austrian skier Toni Sailer made history at the Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. He won all three alpine skiing events: downhill, slalom, and giant slalom! That's the first time anyone has ever done that in Olympic skiing.
- 1989: Former Yankees player and broadcaster Bill White made history by becoming Major League Baseball's first African American president of its National League division. This appointment was a huge deal and a big step forward in promoting diversity in sports leadership.
- 1990: After over four decades and an incredible 40,350 races, jockey Bill Shoemaker bid farewell to the sport at Santa Anita Park. Over 64,000 fans gathered to celebrate his remarkable career. Nicknamed “Shoe,” he achieved an astonishing 8,833 wins, including four Kentucky Derby victories.
- 1998: Florida Panthers forward Dino Ciccarelli made history by becoming the ninth player in NHL history to score 600 career goals. He's known for his fearless play around the net and his incredible scoring ability when the pressure's on.
- 2002: The New England Patriots beat the St. Louis Rams, 20-17, and won Super Bowl XXXVI. The MVP of the game was Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.
- 2008: The New York Giants beat the New England Patriots, 17-14, and won Super Bowl XLII. The MVP of the game was Giants quarterback Eli Manning.
- 2017: Head coach Tara VanDerveer reached 1,000 career wins as an NCAA women's basketball coach.
Three athletes who stood out on Feb. 3 were Dick Button, Dino Ciccarelli, and Eli Manning.
Button won back-to-back Olympic gold medals (1948, 1952) and five consecutive World Championships. He revolutionized the sport by landing the first double Axel (1948) and triple jump (1952). Ciccarelli was undrafted, recorded 608 goals and 1,200 points in 1,232 games, and primarily played with the Minnesota North Stars and Detroit Red Wings. Manning is a two-time Super Bowl champion and four-time Pro Bowler, he played his entire 16-season career (2004–2019) in New York, setting franchise records for passing yards and touchdowns.
