1947: Jackie Robinson becomes 1st African-American to play in US major league baseball (Dodgers).
1984: John Lucas sets a record for most assists in a quarter with 14, in a win over the Nuggets.
1986: A delirious crowd in St John’s, Antigua watched their favourite son, Viv Richards, annihilate England with the fastest recorded century (in terms of balls faced) in Test history – a record that stood for 30 years. It took only 56 balls, and Richards’ 110 not out, which came off 58 balls, included seven fours and seven sixes. There was a casual one-handed six over long-on off John Emburey, and another flat, straight one off Ian Botham that took the breath away – and almost Botham’s head as well. In Wisden Cricket Monthly, John Thicknesse wrote of “the greatest player in the world in full majestic cry”, and of an innings that was “unimaginable, stupendous, awesome, magical”. Two days later West Indies completed their second blackwash of England in 18 months, with Roger Harper returning the startling figures of 12-8-10-3. The 240-run victory margin would have been bigger if West Indies hadn’t sent down 61 no-balls.
1989: Ninety-six people crushed to death and 766 injured at Hillsborough Football Stadium, Sheffield, England, during FA semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.
1990: Another West Indies-England contest in Antigua, and another major milestone – West Indies’ highest opening partnership. Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes punished a battered and bruised England for 298 runs, the highest of their four 200-plus stands, and 38 more than England had managed in their entire first innings. Greenidge, in his 100th Test, made 149 and Haynes 167 – nobody else in the whole match got more than Rob Bailey’s 42. West Indies, who had all the psychological momentum after their dramatic win in Barbados, bossed this decider from the off and wrapped up an innings victory with four sessions to spare, to take the series 2-1.
1991: Magic Johnson sets NBA record for career assists with 9,898.
1997: Baseball honors Jackie Robinson by retiring #42 for all teams.
2019: Los Angeles Clippers overcome an NBA record 31-point deficit to score an improbable 135-131 Game 2 playoff victory over the Golden State Warriors in Oakland; shooting guard Lou Williams 36 points.