This Day in Sports History
January 31

Copyright © 2006-2024 Ken Polsson
internet e-mail: ken@kpolsson.com
URL: http://kpolsson.com/thisday/sports/
(this URL will automatically re-direct to the file containing a single day's events)

What happened in history on this day: January 31?

On January 31 in ...

  • 1901 - Winnipeg Victorias sweep Montréal Shamrocks in two for the Stanley Cup of hockey.
  • 1920 - Joe Malone of the Québec Bulldogs sets NHL record with 7 goals in a game against Toronto Saint Patricks.
  • 1927 - National League President John Heydler rules Roger Hornsby can not hold stock in the Saint Louis Cardinals and play for the New York Giants.
  • 1941 - Joe Louis knocks out Red Burman in five rounds for heavyweight boxing title.
  • 1952 - Harry Heilmann and Paul Waner elected to Baseball Hall of Fame.
  • 1953 - New York, Cleveland and Boston retaliate against Bill Veeck, forcing the Cleveland Browns to play afternoon games to avoid sharing TV revenues.
  • 1959 - Joe Cronin signs seven-year pact to become head of American League.
  • 1961 - Kanhai completes twin tons (117 and 115) versus Australia at Adelaide.
  • 1965 - Pud Galvin elected to baseball Hall of Fame.
  • 1968 - Bobby Simpson takes 5-59 versus India in his last Test for ten years.
  • 1971 - Jake Beckley, Joe Kelley, Harry Hooper, Rube Marquard, Chick Hafey and Dave Bancroft and George Weiss elected to baseball Hall of Fame.
  • 1971 - US female Figure Skating championship won by Janet Lynn.
  • 1971 - US male Figure Skating championship won by John Misha Petkevich.
  • 1974 - McDonald's founder Ray Kroc buys San Diego Padres for US$12 million.
  • 1975 - UCLA wins NCAA basketball championship.
  • 1976 - Lance Gibbs becomes highest Test wicket-taker at 308.
  • 1977 - Joe Sewell, Amos Rusie, and Al Lopez elected to baseball Hall of Fame.
  • 1981 - Gaetan Boucher skates world record 1000m (1:13.39).
  • 1982 - 12th NFL Pro Bowl: AFC beats NFC 16-13.
  • 1982 - 32nd NBA All-Star Game: East beats West 120-118 at New Jersey.
  • 1982 - Gustafson skates world record 10 km (14:26.59).
  • 1982 - Hollis Stacy wins LPGA Whirlpool Golf Championship of Deer Creek.
  • 1982 - US male Figure Skating championship won by Scott Hamilton.
  • 1984 - 36th NHL All-Star Game: Wales beat Campbell 7-6 at New Jersey.
  • 1988 - Super Bowl XXII: Washington Redskins beat Denver Broncos, 42-10 in San Diego; Most Valuable Player: quarterback Doug Williams.
  • 1990 - Jushin "Thunder" Liger beats Naoki Sano to become New Japan IWGP champ.
  • 1990 - The first ever all-sports daily The National begins publishing.
  • 1991 - Denver Nuggets' Michael Adams becomes shortest NBA player to get a triple-double.
  • 1992 - Sportscaster Howard Cosell retires.
  • 1993 - 81st Australian Men's Tennis: Jim Courier beats Stefan Edberg (6-2, 6-1, 2-6, 7-5).
  • 1993 - In Pasadena, California, the NFL's Super Bowl XXVII is played. The Buffalo Bills become the first team to lose three consecutive Super Bowls as they are defeated by the Dallas Cowboys, 52-17. Most Valuable Player: Troy Aikman, quarterback of Dallas. Michael Jackson performs at the halftime show.
  • 1998 - 72nd Australian Women's Tennis: Martina Hingis beats C Martinez (6-3 6-3).
  • 1999 - NFL Super Bowl XXXIII: Denver Broncos beat Atlanta Falcons in Miami, Florida; Most Valuable Player: John Elway, quarterback for the Denver Broncos.
  • 2003 - The Chicago White Sox announces Comiskey Park will now be known as U.S. Cellular Field, in exchange for US$68 million in a 23-year deal with the wireless service provider.
  • 2009 - The Australian Open tennis championships final games are played (day one).
    • Girls' singles: Russian Ksenia Pervak defeats Britain's Laura Robson 6-3, 6-1.
    • Boys' singles: Indian Yuki Bhambri defeats Germany's Alexandros-Ferdinandos Georgoudas 6-3, 6-1.
    • Womens' singles: American Serena Williams defeats Dinara Safina 6-0, 6-3.

  • 2010 - Swiss Roger Federer beats Briton Andy Murray in three sets (6-3 6-4 7-6 (13-11)) at the Australian Open tennis championship to win his 16th Grand Slam title.
  • 2022 - At Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, USA, NHL regular season game: Colorado Avalanche beats Buffalo Sabres by score 4-1.
  • 2022 - At UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, USA, NHL regular season game: Minnesota Wild beats New York Islanders by score 4-3.
  • 2022 - At American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, USA, NHL regular season game: Dallas Stars beats Boston Bruins by score 6-1.
  • 2022 - At Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, NHL regular season game: Columbus Blue Jackets beats Montreal Canadiens by score 6-3.
  • 2022 - At PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA, NHL regular season game: Carolina Hurricanes beats San Jose Sharks by score 2-1.
  • 2022 - At PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, NHL regular season game: Los Angeles Kings beats Pittsburgh Penguins by score 4-3.
  • 2022 - At Madison Square Garden in New York, New York, USA, NHL regular season game: New York Rangers beats Seattle Kraken by score 3-2.
  • 2022 - At Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, NHL regular season game: Toronto Maple Leafs beats New Jersey Devils by score 6-4.
  • 2022 - At United Center in Chicago, Illinois, USA, NHL regular season game: Vancouver Canucks beats Chicago Blackhawks by score 3-1.
  • 2022 - At Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan, USA, NHL regular season game: Detroit Red Wings beats Anaheim Ducks by score 2-1.
  • 2022 - At Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, NHL regular season game: Ottawa Senators beats Edmonton Oilers by score 3-2.
  • 2022 - At Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, USA, NHL regular season game: Florida Panthers beats Columbus Blue Jackets by score 8-4.

Births of sports figures on January 31

  • 1866 - Birth of Henry Forster; cricket player (Oxford blue 1887-89, later Australian Governor-General).
  • 1889 - Birth of F R Foster; cricket player (330 runs and 45 wickets for England).
  • 1908 - Birth of René Simone Mathieu in France; doubles tennis star (Wimbledon 1934).
  • 1913 - Birth of Don Hutson; NFL end (Green Bay Packers).
  • 1913 - Birth of Wayne Millner; NFL end (Boston Redskins, Washington Redskins).
  • 1914 - Birth of Jersey Joe Walcott; heavyweight boxing champion (1951-52).
  • 1916 - Birth of Franciszek Andrzej Pajkowski AKA Frank Andrew Parker AKA Frankie Parker in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; tennis champion (US Open-1944).
  • 1919 - Birth of Jackie Robinson in Cairo, Georgia, USA; first black major league baseball player (Brooklyn Dodgers).
  • 1931 - Birth of Bill Watson; cricket player (New South Wales and Australian opening batsman mid-50s).
  • 1931 - Birth of Christopher Chataway; British Member of Parliament/athlete (world record 5km).
  • 1931 - Birth of Ernie "Mr Cubs" Banks; American baseball player (Chicago Cubs, Hall-of-Famer (first baseman)).
  • 1934 - Birth of Brian Bolus; cricket player (England opening batsman early 1960s).
  • 1944 - Birth of John Inverarity; cricket player (Australian batsman 1968-72).
  • 1946 - Birth of Subroto Guha; cricket player (right arm swing bowler for India 1967-69).
  • 1947 - Birth of Lynn Nolan Ryan, Junior in Refugio, Texas, USA; baseball pitcher (New York Mets, California Angels, Houston Astros).
  • 1954 - Birth of Sheik Faoud Ahamul Bacchus; cricket player (West Indian bat late 1970s).
  • 1957 - Birth of Shirley F Babashoff in California, USA; swimmer (Olympics-6 silver/2 gold-1972, 1976).
  • 1958 - Birth of Rafael Santana; shortstop (New York Mets, New York Yankees).
  • 1960 - Birth of Elaine Roque in Santa Monica, California, USA; beach volleyball player (Olympics-1996).
  • 1964 - Birth of Oto Hascak; hockey forward (Team Slovakia 1998).
  • 1964 - Birth of Remi Bouchard in Lasalle, Québec, Canada; Canadian Tour golfer (1989 India Open).
  • 1964 - Birth of Sharon Cain in San Antonio, Texas, USA; team handball center back (Olympics-1996).
  • 1965 - Birth of Adam Johnson in Portland, Oregon, USA; beach volleyball player (Olympics-1996).
  • 1965 - Birth of Bobby Dollas in Montréal, Québec, Canada; NHL defenseman (Anaheim Mighty Ducks).
  • 1965 - Birth of Kim Clarke in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA; team handball back court (Olympics-1988, 1992, 1996).
  • 1965 - Birth of René Trost; Dutch soccer player (Roda JC).
  • 1966 - Birth of Charles Dimry; NFL cornerback (Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles).
  • 1966 - Birth of Jamie Taras; Canadian Football League guard (British Columbia Lions).
  • 1968 - Birth of Doug Pederson; NFL quarterback (Green Bay Packers-Super Bowl XXXI).
  • 1968 - Birth of Michael Sinclair; NFL defensive end (Seattle Seahawks).
  • 1968 - Birth of Steve Phoenix; US baseball pitcher (Oakland Athletics).
  • 1969 - Birth of Mathew Pallister in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; canoeist (Olympics-1996).
  • 1970 - Birth of Greg Skrepenak; NFL tackle (Oakland Raiders, Carolina Panthers).
  • 1970 - Birth of Travis Hannah; NFL/WLAF receiver (Houston Oilers, Frankfurt Galaxy).
  • 1971 - Birth of Corey Holliday; NFL wide receiver (Pittsburgh Steelers).
  • 1972 - Birth of Ben Cavil; guard (Baltimore Ravens).
  • 1972 - Birth of Fritz Fequiere; WLAF guard (Barcelona Dragons, London Monarchs).
  • 1972 - Birth of Marvin Coleman; Canadian Football League defensive back (Calgary Stampeders).
  • 1972 - Birth of Pulu Poumele; guard (San Diego Chargers).
  • 1972 - Birth of Reinier Robbemond; Dutch soccer player (Dordrecht 1990).
  • 1973 - Birth of Latario Rachal; WLAF/NFL receiver (Amsterdam Admirals, San Diego Chargers).
  • 1974 - Birth of Bob Mulder; soccer player (Appingedam, FC Groningen).
  • 1974 - Birth of Lorenzo Styles; NFL linebacker (Atlanta Falcons).
  • 1974 - Birth of Othella Harrington; NBA forward (Houston Rockets).
  • 1974 - Birth of Pavi Sald; ice hockey defenseman (Finland, Olympics-1998).
  • 1974 - Birth of Tory Toogood; Australian rower (Olympics-1996).
  • 1975 - Birth of Kenard Lang; defensive end (Washington Redskins).

Deaths of sports figures on January 31

  • 1939 - George Thornton, cricket player (one Test for South Africa 1902, 1* and 1-20), dies.
  • 1980 - J P Duminy, cricket player (30 runs at 5 and 1 wicket at age 39 in three Test South Africa), dies.
  • 1992 - Mel Hein, NFL player (New York Giants), dies at age 82.
  • 1992 - Wim van Heumen, field hockey coach (Netherlands), dies at age 63.

vvv advertisement vvv

^^^ advertisement ^^^

You can pick a particular day to view that day's events in history.

Bookmark this URL:   http://kpolsson.com/thisday/sports/   and revisit each day. (this URL will automatically re-direct to the file containing the current day's events)

Or, visit my Timelines of History page.

Copyright © 2006-2024 Ken Polsson (email: ken@kpolsson.com).
URL: http://kpolsson.com/thisday/sports/
Link to Ken P's home page.


vvv advertisement vvv

^^^ advertisement ^^^
History Timelines Postage Stamps Today in History
PCs Video Games Timeline Today
Amiga World Silly This Day
Apple Space Coins Sports
Commodore 64 Impacts Corvettes Disney
Processors Sports Cruise Ships USA
Corvettes Gambling Disney Music
World War II Weather Errors PC and Game
Sweden Earthquakes Novelties TV and Movies
A&W USA Births Finder Anniversaries
A&W Canada Deaths
Postage Stamps Dow Jones Coins Chevrolet Corvettes
Walt Disney Co. Television Timeline: Canada Timeline
Disneyland Cruise Ships Timeline: USA Racing Success
Walt Disney World Oak Island Timeline: World On Stamps
Disney Cruise Line Killing JFK Novelties Pop Culture
Canada coins On Stamps
USA coins Other
World coins Mug Shots(A&W)
Stuff For Sale

Privacy Policy

kpolsson.com does not collect or share personal information. I have better things to do. There are links to advertiser sites that are beyond my control, from which I may receive a placement fee or a sale commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.