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This Day in Sports History

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY: 1/18

1896 – The first college hoops game with five players on each side takes place as the University of Chicago beats Iowa 15-12.

1947 – The Tigers sell the contract of star Hank Greenberg to the Pirates.

1958 – Willie O’Ree becomes the first black player in NHL history, hitting the ice for the Boston Bruins.

1963 – Al Davis is named head coach and general manager of the Oakland Raiders. He would eventually buy the team.

1973 – The Red Sox sign Orlando Cepeda strictly as a Designated Hitter, the first signing of its kind in league history.

1976 – The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Dallas Cowboys 21-17 in Super Bowl X. Steelers WR Lynn Swann is named MVP.

1983 – The IOC restores Jim Thorpe’s gold medals.

1996 – MLB owners approve interleague play beginning in 1997.

1998 – The Boston Celtics retire Robert Parish’s #00.

2015 – It takes the Seattle Seahawks a recovered onside kick and an overtime game-winner to defeat the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship.

2017 – Jeff Bagwell, Tim Raines, and Ivan Rodriguez are elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

2022 – The Boston Bruins retire Willie O’Ree’s #22, 64 years after breaking the NHL color barrier

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