Posted on Thu Mar 08, 2007 at 09:12:21 AM EST in Other Sports
More on: Muhammed Ali, Joe Frazier, boxing, sports history, Todd Bertuzzi, Canucks, Avalanche, NHL (all tags)

In 1971: Joe Frazier handed Muhammed Ali his first professional defeat in a 15 round decision at Madison Square Garden. It was the first of three classic matches between the rivals, and it was the first time in history that a fight featured two undefeated champs (Ali was stripped of his title for refusing to go to Vietnam). It was simply dubbed "The Fight of the Century." It lived up to its billing, as the two battled into the fifteenth round. Referee Al Mercante later claimed that Ali (who predicted he would knock Frazier out in the sixth) gave away many rounds. Most who watched, however, found that it was hard for Ali to "give away" rounds when he was being mercilessly pounded in the corner by Frazier, who sent Ali to the canvas in the fifteenth. Ali survived the knockout, but Frazier won comfortably on all three cards. The fight was one of the most hyped events in sports history, with over 700 press credentials awarded (and another 500 turned down). There were even some celebrities who couldn't get good seats, but Frank Sinatra smartly got the best seat in the house, snapping pictures on the ringside apron as a photographer for Life Magazine.

In 2004: The National Hockey League officially erased any doubts about its "The U.S. media only talks about hockey when something bad happens" status with one of its ugliest incidents in years. Wanting revenge for a hit by the Colorado Avalanche's Steve Moore which knocked out star player Markus Naslund three weeks before, Vancouver Canucks forward Todd Bertuzzi came up to Moore from behind and punched him on the side of the head. Moore was knocked out immediately, and he fell face first to the ice. It didn't help that all 245 lbs. of Bertuzzi fell right on top of him. It didn't help any more when three other players piled on top of them. Moore suffered a broken neck, a concussion and severe lacerations on his face. Three days later, Bertuzzi was suspended for the rest of the season (including the playoffs) and would not be reinstated until after the lockout in 2005. The atmosphere in Vancouver's GM Place was ugly that night, as the Canucks vowed to get even with Moore (who did fight earlier in the game). But, as Rogers Sportsnet announcer Jim Hughson said, "the score settling has gone too far." Bertuzzi later plead guilty to assault and received probation. Moore has also attempted to sue Bertuzzi for over $15 million in lost wages and damages and has still not played a game since.

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Posted on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 10:21:23 AM EST in Other Sports
More on: boxing, Muhammed Ali, NBA, Michael Jordan (all tags)

In 1974: Muhammed Ali defeated George Foreman to regain the heavyweight-boxing title in Kinshasa, Zaire. Ali knocked out the previously unbeaten in the eighth round of the “Rumble in the Jungle.” Ali, knowing that Foreman would be tough to beat toe to toe, was able to outthink him. He threw very few punches throughout the fight, employing the “rope a dope” method where he let the big-swinging Foreman punch himself into exhaustion, until Ali caught him with a combination of punches to win back the belt. It was the first fight (for better or for worse) that was promoted by Don King, whose original slogan was (and we swear we didn’t make this up) “From the Slave Ship to the Championship.” Each fighter took home $5 million, which was unheard of at the time.

In 1997: Violet Palmer became the first woman to officiate an all-male sports league game when she was a referee for a game between the Dallas Mavericks and Vancouver Grizzlies in Vancouver, British Columbia. Palmer was joined that season by Dee Kantner as the first two female referees in the NBA.

In 2001: Michael Jordan came out of retirement for the second time, this time to suit up for the Washington Wizards in a 93-91 loss to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Jordan played two more seasons for the Wizards and showed flashes of the old MJ, but the team was unable reach the playoffs.

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Posted on Wed Jul 19, 2006 at 10:30:09 AM EST in Other Sports
More on: sports history, Muhammed Ali, Mike Tyson (all tags)

In 1996: In a touching ceremony, Muhammed Ali lights the in the Opening Ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta. Struggling with Parkinson’s Disease, Ali receives one of the warmest ovations in Olympic history. Ali won a boxing gold medal in the 1960 Games. IOC President Juan Antonio Samarach gave what would prove to be an ominous speech, saying, “We still live in a world where human tragedies persist.” A week later, two people were killed and many more injured in a bombing in the Olympic Village.

In 1991: This is a day Mike Tyson would like to have back. While in Indianapolis, Tyson met a Miss Black America pageant contestant named Desiree Washington. At around 1 A.M., they went to Tyson’s hotel room. Six months later, Tyson was convicted of rape and served three years of a six year sentence in an Indiana prison. Tyson would not fight again until 1995.

In 1918: Demonstrating how differently baseball players were treated back then and today, Secretary of War Newton Baker declares that baseball is a “non-essential occupation,” and thereby not exempt from being drafted in the first World War. As a result many players were sent to fight or work in shipyards or other defense industries. The league would shut down in early September.

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