This Day in Sports History: February 13
In February, we typically see a variety of sports, including the NBA and NHL seasons, the Super Bowl, and the NBA All-Star game. College basketball tournaments, spring training for the…
In February, we typically see a variety of sports, including the NBA and NHL seasons, the Super Bowl, and the 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 also happen in February. Over the years, Feb. 13 has witnessed many notable moments and stories involving sporting legends. Here are some of them.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sports history from Feb. 13 included:
- 1928: Speed skater Clas Thunberg won his fourth Olympic gold medal.
- 1932: Jack Crawford retained his Australian Open tennis title. He went on to win the tournament four times.
- 1937: Maribel Vinson wins her ninth U.S. figure skating championship.
- 1952: Rocky Marciano knocks out Italian heavyweight boxer Gino Buonvino in the second round at Rhode Island Auditorium in Providence for his 40th straight win.
- 1954: College basketball player Frank Selvey scored a record 100 points for Furman, and they beat Newberry 149-95.
- 1965: Figure skater Peggy Fleming won the United States Female Figure Skating Championship.
- 1974: James Bell was named to baseball's Hall of Fame.
- 1976: American Dorothy Hamill wins the free skate to clinch the women's figure skating gold medal at the Innsbruck Winter Olympics.
- 1977: Eric Heiden is the first American to win the world speed skating championship.
- 1977: The 27th NBA All-Star Game took place at MECCA Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where the West defeated the East 125-124. The MVP was Julius Erving, a legend of the Philadelphia 76ers.
- 1982: The New York Islanders' Bryan Trottier scored five goals in a game against the Flyers.
- 1983: The 33rd NBA All-Star Game took place at The Forum in Inglewood, California, where the East defeated the West 132-123 and the MVP was once again the great Julius Erving. A fun fact about Erving's All-Star game history is that he was selected as an All-Star in all 16 seasons of his NBA career.
- 1990: Larry Bird's NBA free throw streak ended at 71 games.
- 1994: The 44th NBA All-Star Game took place at the Target Centre in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where the East defeated the West 127-118. The MVP was Scottie Pippen, who, of course, was a key part of the Chicago Bulls dynasty in the '90s.
- 2000: The 49th NBA All-Star Game took place at the Oakland Arena in Oakland, California, where the West defeated the East 137-127. The All-Star Game MVP trophy was shared by Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs and Shaquille O'Neal of the Los Angeles Lakers, which was only the third time in All-Star Game history that the MVP trophy was jointly awarded.
- 2022: The Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 in Super Bowl LVI. It was the Rams' second Super Bowl win in franchise history and the MVP was Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp.
Three athletes who stood out on Feb. 13 were Maribel Vinson, Bryan Trottier, and Larry Bird.
Vinson was a dominant force in both singles and pairs. She later became a renowned coach for Olympic champions. Trottier is best known for winning six Stanley Cups as a player—four consecutive with the New York Islanders (1980–1983) and two with the Pittsburgh Penguins (1991–1992). Bird revolutionized the game in the 1980s alongside rival Magic Johnson, saving the NBA with his elite shooting, passing, and unmatched competitiveness.
