THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY: March 22

1953 – The United States beats Chile 49-36 to win the first ever FIBA World Championship for Women basketball tournament.

1958 – Kentucky beats Seattle 84-72 to win the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.

1959 – Montreal Canadiens forward Dickie Moore sets an NHL record by scoring 96 points in a season.

1969 – Lew Alcindor, later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, scores 37 points as UCLA beats Purdue 97-72 to win the NCAA men’s basketball national title. Alcindor is named MVP for the third straight year.

1969 – West Chester State beats Western Carolina 65-39 to win the first ever women’s college basketball national championship.

1989 – Pete Rozelle announces his retirement as NFL commissioner after 29 years on the job.

1989 – Buffalo Sabres goalie Clint Malarchuk nearly dies on the ice as another player’s skate accidentally hits Malarchuk’s neck and severs his carotid artery and partially cuts his jugular vein. Sabres athletic trainer Jim Pizzutelli applies emergency first aid and is able to stop the bleeding, saving Malarchuk’s life. Malarchuk returns the ice 10 days later.

1994 – The NFL announces that teams will be allowed to attempt two point conversions; making it the first change to the league’s scoring system in 75 seasons.

2007 – Kobe Bryant becomes the fourth player in NBA history to score 50 or more points in three consecutive games, joining Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan.

2008 – Colorado Avalanche center Joe Sakic becomes the 11^th player in NHL history to tally 1,000 career assists.

2011 – The NFL owners vote to make all scoring plays subject to review by a replay official.

2015 – Oklahoma Sooners coach Lon Kruger becomes the second coach in NCAA history to take four different schools to the Sweet 16.