This Day in Sports History
February 17

Copyright © 2006-2024 Ken Polsson
internet e-mail: ken@kpolsson.com
URL: http://kpolsson.com/thisday/sports/
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What happened in history on this day: February 17?

On February 17 in ...

  • 1882 - First Test Cricket match played at Sydney Cricket Ground.
  • 1923 - Ottawa Senators' Cy Denneny becomes NHL's all-time high scorer (143 goals).
  • 1924 - Johnny Weissmuller sets 100-yard freestyle record (52.4 seconds).
  • 1926 - Tennis star Suzanne Lenglen beats Helen Wills in their only match, at Cannes, France.
  • 1931 - First telecast of a sporting event in Japan (baseball).
  • 1931 - Hockey's Hershey Bears (now with AHL) play first game.
  • 1940 - Donald Bradman scores 135 in a non-Shield match for South Africa versus West Australia.
  • 1941 - Joe Louis knocks out Gus Dorazio in two rounds for heavyweight boxing title.
  • 1949 - Ice Pairs Championship at Paris won by Andrea Kékessy/Ede Király of Hungary.
  • 1949 - Ladies Figure Skating Championship in Paris won by Alena Vrzanova of Czechoslovakia.
  • 1949 - Men's Figure Skating Championship in Paris won by Richard Button of USA.
  • 1955 - Ice Dance Championship at Vienna Austria won by J Westwood/Demmy of Great Britain.
  • 1955 - Ice Pairs Championship at Vienna won by Frances Dafoe and Bowden of Canada.
  • 1955 - Ladies Figure Skating Championship in Vienna won by Tenley Albright os the USA.
  • 1955 - Mike Souchak sets PGA 72-hole record of 257.
  • 1956 - Ice Dance Championship at Garmisch won by Pamela Weight/P Thomas of Great Britain.
  • 1956 - Ice Pairs Championship at Garmisch won by Schwarz and Oppelt of Austria.
  • 1956 - Ladies Figure Skating Championship in Garmisch won by Carol Heiss of the USA.
  • 1956 - Men's Figure Skating Championship in Garmisch won by H A Jenkins of the USA.
  • 1957 - Mary Lena Faulk wins LPGA Saint Petersburg Golf Open.
  • 1962 - Wilt Chamberlain of NBA Philadelphia Warriors scores 67 points versus Saint Louis Hawks.
  • 1963 - Toru Terasawa runs world record marathon (2:15:15.8).
  • 1964 - 101st member elected to baseball's Hall of Fame (Luke Appling).
  • 1965 - US-Japan baseball relations suspended over Masanori Murakami dispute.
  • 1968 - Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame opens in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA.
  • 1971 - England regains cricket Ashes with a 2-0 series win.
  • 1973 - Rodney Redmond scores 107 on debut versus Pakistan, his only Test Cricket.
  • 1974 - 49 die in stampede for seats at soccer match, Cairo, Egypt.
  • 1974 - Carol Mann wins LPGA Naples Lely Golf Classic.
  • 1976 - New Zealand scores their first innings win in Test Cricket, versus India.
  • 1976 - Richard Hadlee takes 7-23 versus India, his first match-winning spell.
  • 1979 - Eric Heiden equals skating world record 1000 metre (1:14.99).
  • 1980 - Dot Germain wins LPGA S&H Golf Classic.
  • 1980 - Buddy Baker wins Daytona 500 (177.6 MPH/285.8 kph).
  • 1982 - Commencement of Sri Lanka's first Test Cricket match, versus England.
  • 1983 - Bob Bourne fails on 8th New York Islanders' penalty shot.
  • 1985 - First day/night game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia versus England.
  • 1985 - Hein Vergeer becomes world champion skater.
  • 1985 - Laffit Pincay Junior is third to ride 6,000th winners at Santa Anita.
  • 1987 - New York Yankees' first baseman Don Mattingly wins his US$1.975 million arbitration case breaking the record for the largest amount ever awarded to a player set by Jack Morris just four days ago.
  • 1989 - Former baseball player/manager Leo Durocher injured in a car crash.
  • 1989 - Orel Hershiser, Dodger pitcher signs record US$7.9 million, three-year contract.
  • 1991 - US male Figure Skating championship won by Todd Eldredge.
  • 1993 - Mark Foster swims world record 50 metre free style (21.60 seconds).
  • 1995 - Detroit Tigers' manager Sparky Anderson takes unpaid leave due to baseball strike.
  • 1996 - First full ODI for the Netherlands versus New Zealand, cricket World Cup Nolan Clarke makes ODI debut for Netherlands at age 47.
  • 2003 - The Atlanta Braves and Greg Maddux agree the largest one-year contract in major league baseball history: US$14.75 million.
  • 2008 - In Daytona, Florida, the 50th NASCAR Daytona 500 race is held. Winner is Ryan Newman of Penske Racing.
  • 2022 - At SAP Center in San Jose, California, USA, NHL regular season game: Vancouver Canucks beats San Jose Sharks by score 5-4.
  • 2022 - At Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, NHL regular season game: Edmonton Oilers beats Anaheim Ducks by score 7-3.
  • 2022 - At United Center in Chicago, Illinois, USA, NHL regular season game: Columbus Blue Jackets beats Chicago Blackhawks by score 7-4.
  • 2022 - At Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, NHL regular season game: Winnipeg Jets beats Seattle Kraken by score 5-3.
  • 2022 - At UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, USA, NHL regular season game: New York Islanders beats Boston Bruins by score 4-1.
  • 2022 - At KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York, USA, NHL regular season game: Ottawa Senators beats Buffalo Sabres by score 3-1.
  • 2022 - At Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, NHL regular season game: Montreal Canadiens beats Saint Louis Blues by score 3-2.
  • 2022 - At Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, NHL regular season game: Toronto Maple Leafs beats Pittsburgh Penguins by score 4-1.
  • 2022 - At Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, NHL regular season game: Washington Capitals beats Philadelphia Flyers by score 5-3.
  • 2022 - At Madison Square Garden in New York, New York, USA, NHL regular season game: Detroit Red Wings beats New York Rangers by score 3-2.

Births of sports figures on February 17

  • 1898 - Birth of Tom Lowry; cricket player (New Zealand batsman in seven Tests and their first Test captain).
  • 1908 - Birth of Walter L "Red" Barber in Mississippi, USA; sports announcer (Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Yankees).
  • 1909 - Birth of Joseph "Poeske" Scherens; Belgian cyclist (champion sprinter 1932-37).
  • 1916 - Birth of Don Tallon; cricket player (perhaps Australia's greatest wicket-keeper).
  • 1919 - Birth of Joseph R Hunt; tennis champion (US Open-1943).
  • 1934 - Birth of Buddy Ryan; NFL coach (Philadelphia Eagles, Phoenix Cardinals).
  • 1936 - Birth of Barry Jarman; cricket player (Australian wicket-keeper in 1960s).
  • 1936 - Birth of Jim Brown in Georgia, USA; NFL full back (Cleveland Browns), actor (The Dirty Dozen).
  • 1936 - Birth of Peter Walker; cricket all-rounder (Glamorgan did little for England 1960).
  • 1940 - Birth of Dennis Gamsy; cricket player (South African bat in two Tests versus Australia 1970).
  • 1941 - Birth of Heidi Biebi in Germany; downhill skier (Olympics-gold-1960).
  • 1946 - Birth of Valdemar Bandolowski in Denmark; yachting (Olympics-gold-1976, 1980).
  • 1952 - Birth of Guillermo Vilas; tennis player (1977 US Open).
  • 1952 - Birth of Insook Bhushan in Seoul, Korea; American table tennis player (Olympics-1992).
  • 1958 - Birth of Karen Lende O'Connor in Concord, Massachusetts, USA; equestrian 3-day (Olympics-silver-1996).
  • 1959 - Birth of Ambrose "Rowdy" Gaines; American 100 metre swimmer (Olympics-gold-1984).
  • 1959 - Birth of Daniel Ray "Danny" Ainge; basketball and football star.
  • 1961 - Birth of Deb[ra] Richardson in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; beach volleyball player (Olympics-1996).
  • 1961 - Birth of Guy McIntyre; NFL guard (Philadelphia Eagles).
  • 1962 - Birth of Hennie Meijer; soccer player (Cambuur L, FC Heerenveen).
  • 1962 - Birth of Tony Blain; cricket player (New Zealand Test wicket-keeper).
  • 1963 - Birth of Michael "Air" Jordan in Brooklyn, New York, USA; NBA guard/forward (Chicago Bulls).
  • 1964 - Birth of Mike Campbell in Seattle, Washington, USA; pitcher (Chicago Cubs).
  • 1965 - Birth of Jim Bowie; Japanese/US baseball infielder (Oakland Athletics).
  • 1966 - Birth of Luc Robitaille in Montréal, Quebec, Canada; NHL left wing (New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins).
  • 1967 - Birth of Gary Shuchuk in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; NHL center (Los Angeles Kings).
  • 1968 - Birth of Bryan Cox; NFL linebacker (Miami Dolphins, Chicago Bears).
  • 1968 - Birth of Celita Schutz in Riverdale, New Jersey, USA; half-middleweight judoka (Olympics-1996).
  • 1969 - Birth of David Klingler; NFL quarterback (Oakland Raiders, Cincinnati Bengals).
  • 1969 - Birth of Joel Steed; NFL nose tackle (Pittsburgh Steelers).
  • 1969 - Birth of Levon Kirkland; NFL linebacker (Pittsburgh Steelers).
  • 1970 - Birth of Tommy Moe in Anchorage, Alaska, USA; nordic skier (Olympics-gold/silver-1994).
  • 1972 - Birth of Lloy Ball in Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA; volleyball setter (Olympics-1996).
  • 1972 - Birth of Richard MacQuire in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; canoeist (Olympics-1996).
  • 1972 - Birth of Stephen Robinson in Arlington, Virginia, USA; rower (Olympics-1996).
  • 1972 - Birth of Tony Lawson in NSA Australia; diver (Olympics-1996).
  • 1972 - Birth of Vladimir Vujtek; NHL forward (Team Czechoslovakia Olympics-gold-1998, Tampa Bay Lightning).
  • 1972 - Birth of William Floyd; full back (San Francisco 49ers).
  • 1973 - Birth of Chris Robinson; NBA guard (Vancouver Grizzlies).
  • 1973 - Birth of Drew Barry; NBA guard (Atlanta Hawks).
  • 1973 - Birth of Frank Sanders; NFL wide receiver (Arizona Cardinals).
  • 1973 - Birth of Raymond Jackson; NFL defensive back (Buffalo Bills).
  • 1975 - Birth of Sung-Hee Park in Pusan, Korea; tennis star (1993 Futures-Seoul).
  • 1975 - Birth of Todd Harvey Hamilton; NHL center (Dallas Stars).
  • 1975 - Birth of Vaclav Prospal; NHL forward (Team Czechoslovakia Olympics-gold-1998, Philadelphia Flyers).
  • 1980 - Birth of Shanyn MacEachern in Brampton, Ontario, Canada; gymnast (Olympics-1996).
  • 1981 - Birth of Donielle Thompson in Wheatridge, Colorado; gymnast (World-bronze-1995, Olympics-1996).
  • 1981 - Birth of Lisa Skinner in Queensland, Australia; gymnast (Olympics-1996).
  • 1982 - Birth of Adriano Leite Ribeiro; Brazilian football player (soccer player).

Deaths of sports figures on February 17

  • 1929 - John Read, cricket player (batted in 17 Tests for England for 463 runs), dies.
  • 1959 - Tim Mara, co-founder of NFL's New York Giants, dies.
  • 1989 - Lefty Gomez, New York Yankees pitching great, dies at age 80.
  • 1993 - Leslie Townsend, cricket all-rounder (England in four Tests 1930-34), dies.
  • 2003 - Death of 23-year old Steve Belcher of multi-organ failure, possibly linked to use of ephedra; Belcher was an American baseball player (Baltimore Orioles).

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