THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY: 1/12

1918 – Montreal Canadian’s center Joe Malone scores five goals in a 9-4 win over Ottawa to become the first 20 goal scorer in NHL history.

1946 – The NFL Champs Cleveland Rams given permission to move to Los Angeles.  

1951 – Ezzard Charles TKO’s Lee Oma in 10 rounds for the Heavyweight Boxing Title. During his career he defeated numerous Hall of Fame Fighters in three different weight classes. He retired with a record of 93-25-1.

1958 – An eleven man NCAA rules committee unanimously approves a resolution to allow football teams to choose between kicking the extra point and trying for a two point conversion. 

1960– Syracuse National Dolph Schayes sets NBA record becoming first player to score 16,000 points.

1967 – Refusing to be drafted into the Vietnam War, The United States draft board refuses exemption for boxer Muhammad Ali.

1983 – Selected 18 times as a MLB All-Star, A world Series MVP in 1966 & 1970 with 16 gold gloves, Baltimore Oriole third baseman Brooks Robinson is elected into Baseball’s Hall of Fame.

1983 – Selected to the Hall of Fame, Juan Marichal won more games than any other pitcher in the 60’s. Known for his high leg kick he was a 10 time All Star, MLB wins leader in 1968, and ERA leader in 1969.

1983 – The Quebec Nordiques play 230^th NHL game with out being shutout.

1986 – The Chicago Bears defeat the Los Angeles Rams 24-0 in the NFC Championship at Soldier Field.

1988 – Pittsburgh Pirate’s Willie Stargell is inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame. Stargell played 21 seasons in the big leagues, and is currently the only player to win the NL MVP, NL Championship Series MVP and the World Series MVP all in the same season.

1992 – The highest scoring NCAA basketball game is recorded. The Troy State Trojans defeat the DeVry Hoyas 258-149 in Troy, Alabama. Troy State led all Div II schools with a  121 ppg average.

1993 – NHL’s Great Mario Lemieux announces publicly that he has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

1994 – Philadelphia Philly Steve Carlton is elected in Hall of Fame. Carlton was a 10 time All Star, 2 time World Series Champion, 4 time Cy Young Award Winner, 4 times he led the NL in wins, NL ERA leader in 1972 and  5 time strikeout leader.

1995 – The murder trial against O.J. Simpson begins. The “Trial of the Century” as it is sometimes referred to, lasted 11 months ending with Simpson being acquitted of two counts of murder.

2006 – In an emotional ceremony, NHL’s  New York Islander legend Mark Messier has his #11 jersey retired.

2013 – The “Mile High Miracle”  in the AFC Divisional playoff game. With the Denver Broncos leading the Baltimore Ravens 35-28 and 1:09 remaining to play, quarter Joe Flacco heaves a 70 yard touchdown pass to Jacoby Jones to tie the game. The Ravens win in OT.