This Day in Sports History: March 4
Sports in March include crucial stretches of the NBA and NHL seasons, MLB Spring Training/Opening Day, March Madness, NASCAR, Formula 1, UFC Fight Nights, and some PGA Tour Events. Over…
Sports in March include crucial stretches of the NBA and NHL seasons, MLB Spring Training/Opening Day, March Madness, NASCAR, Formula 1, UFC Fight Nights, and some PGA Tour Events. Over the years, March 4 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 Mar. 4 included:
- 1846: In the eighth Grand National, William Taylor, aboard outsider Pioneer, won by three lengths.
- 1903: In the Stanley Cup, Montreal HC beat the Winnipeg Victorias, 4-1, and got a 2-1 challenge series win.
- 1927: Babe Ruth became the highest-paid player in MLB history, as he signed a 3-year, $70,000 per season contract with the New York Yankees.
- 1941: Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Sam LoPresti set an NHL record when he faced 83 shots in a 3-2 loss to the Boston Bruins.
- 1949: Piet Van de Pol of the Netherlands was crowned the world champion in billiards.
- 1961: In the eighth Atlantic Coast Conference Men's basketball tournament, Wake Forest beat Duke 96-81.
- 1967: Figure skater Peggy Fleming won the World Ladies' Figure Skating Championship.
- 1968: Joe Frazier took his record to 20-0 and captured the vacant New York State Athletic Commission heavyweight title. He beat Buster Mathis in an 11th-round knockout at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
- 1968: Italian boxer Nino Benvenuti knocked out American Emile Griffith and regained the world middleweight title with a 15-round decision at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It was the last fight of the trilogy between the two boxers.
- 1970: The Jacksonville Dolphins became the first college basketball team to average over 100 points per game for an entire season.
- 1970: The New York Rangers set an NHL record of 126 games without being shut out.
- 1976: Bob Lurie and Bud Herseth bought the MLB's San Francisco Giants for $8 million.
- 1978: In the 25th ACC Men's Basketball Tournament, Duke Beat Wake Forest 85-77.
- 1980: Mike Bossy achieved the 40th hat trick in the New York Islanders franchise history.
- 1984: Pee Wee Reese and Rick Ferrell were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
- 1984: Tennis star Martina Navratilova retained her WTA Tour Championship, as she beat Chris Evert for her fifth overall Championship title.
- 1993: At the first Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards, Michael Jordan won awards for Best Male Athlete and Best NBA Player.
- 1995: George Foreman lost his World Boxing Association title because he refused to fight Tony Tucker.
- 2006: Rafael Nadal ended Roger Federer's 56-match hardcourt winning streak in the Dubai Open final.
- 2015: Russell Westbrook recorded his fourth straight triple-double.
Three athletes who stood out on Mar. 4 were Joe Frazier, Martina Navratilova, and Rafael Nadal.
Frazier was known for his relentless pressure, immense durability, and devastating left hook. Navratilova dominated the 1980s, achieving 332 weeks at world No. 1 in singles and 167 total singles titles. Nadal secured 22 Grand Slam singles titles—including a record 14 French Open titles. He was also a key member of the "Big Three" alongside Federer and Novak Djokovic.
