Famous moments that happened the same time as big games

Big Phil

Registered User
Nov 2, 2003
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Not sure if I mentioned this already, but Bob Nystrom's overtime goal came a day after "The Shining" opened in theatres in 1980. Just out of curiousity, does anyone old enough remember watching it and then seeing the Islanders win the Cup the following day?
 

Tarantula

Hanging around the web
Aug 31, 2017
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GTA
Didn't see the movie until later but I remember running the tractor a gear higher while tilling the cornfield behind the homestead, so I could catch the last half of the game. I remember that goal so clearly as well. I was cheering for them as they had been a up and coming team for a few years leading up to it.

Back when the finals were decided in May.
 

vikash1987

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Mar 7, 2004
1,302
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New York
April 8, 1975
On the same night that the Islanders were playing their first-ever playoff game at Madison Square Garden, in Game 1 of a classic Best-of-3 series against the Rangers, the Academy Awards were taking place out in LA, in which The Godfather Part II won Best Picture. (This was also notable because it was the last time NBC broadcast the Academy Awards.)
 

c9777666

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Aug 31, 2016
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10/15/1972

Joe Rudi makes one of the great catches in World Series history



That same day, Stan Mikita became the first European-born player to score 1000 points (and 6th player overall to score 1000 points)
 

Big Phil

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Nov 2, 2003
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The world is shocked on October 3, 1995 when the O.J. verdict is read. 4 days later is when Mario made his 1st comeback vs. Toronto after a year off. I remember that game well.
 
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c9777666

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Aug 31, 2016
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12/30/2000

The New Orleans Saints' first playoff win in franchise history came on the same day Jaromir Jagr joined the 1000 point club.

It was also the final time the NFL Playoffs started in December



 
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kaiser matias

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Mar 22, 2004
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The Summit Series began the day after the start of the 1972 Canadian federal election.

It has been speculated that Pierre Trudeau coincided the election in order to gain a boost from the series (recall that it was supposed to be a landslide Canadian victory). He thus featured prominently throughout, dropping the puck prior to the first game. PC leader Robert Stanfield was also quite visible, and Pete Mahovolich was actually annoyed prior to game 2 in Toronto when he saw Stanfield posing in a Team Canada jersey: "We're not playing for the the bloody politicians, we're playing the bloody Red Army."
 

Staniowski

Registered User
Jan 13, 2018
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The Maritimes
The Summit Series began the day after the start of the 1972 Canadian federal election.

It has been speculated that Pierre Trudeau coincided the election in order to gain a boost from the series (recall that it was supposed to be a landslide Canadian victory). He thus featured prominently throughout, dropping the puck prior to the first game. PC leader Robert Stanfield was also quite visible, and Pete Mahovolich was actually annoyed prior to game 2 in Toronto when he saw Stanfield posing in a Team Canada jersey: "We're not playing for the the bloody politicians, we're playing the bloody Red Army."
Interesting. I didn't know that.

Disappointing election for the Liberals. Minority government, and another election in July, 1974.
 

HisIceness

This is Hurricanes Hockey
Sep 16, 2010
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Charlotte




The night Brad May scored the famous "May-day" goal was the same night as this tornado, which isn't the most destructive in history but is one that helped push funding for NOAA weather radios across the country, especially in states like Oklahoma, after then-president Clinton visited and declared the city a disaster area. This tornado killed 7 people at a truck stop that had no warning to the tornados approach.
 

HisIceness

This is Hurricanes Hockey
Sep 16, 2010
40,051
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Charlotte
12/30/2000

The New Orleans Saints' first playoff win in franchise history came on the same day Jaromir Jagr joined the 1000 point club.

It was also the final time the NFL Playoffs started in December





Why Az Hakim, why you no hold onto the ball?
 

HisIceness

This is Hurricanes Hockey
Sep 16, 2010
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Charlotte
And shortly after the May Day goal/Tornado, one of the greatest rants in sports history took place



That night, The Leafs and Jets both won road games in OT while the Kings put up 9 on Calgary in the Saddledome. A day later, the infamous Dale Hunter hit on Pierre Turgeon happened.
 

the4thlinegrinder

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Jul 25, 2011
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The Bench
The Penguins captured their 4th Stanley Cup title after a game 6 victory in San Jose on June 12, 2016. Earlier that day, an ISIS-inspired terrorist killed 49 people in Orlando’s Pulse Nightclub. There was a moment of silence for the victims prior to the game, as well as a moment of silence during the 1st intermission for Gordie Howe, who had passed away on June 10th.
 

c9777666

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Aug 31, 2016
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5/19/2004

On the same night Calgary clinched a berth in the Stanley Cup Finals, Kevin Garnett had one of the all-time great game 7 NBA playoff performances



 

seventieslord

Student Of The Game
Mar 16, 2006
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Regina, SK
Don't know if it was mentioned already, but the same night that the Leafs won their 9th straight at the start of the season to tie the record, the Jays won their 2nd world series.
 
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LeafsNation75

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Jan 15, 2010
37,975
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Toronto, Ontario
Don't know if it was mentioned already, but the same night that the Leafs won their 9th straight at the start of the season to tie the record, the Jays won their 2nd world series.
I had already mentioned before if you look on the 2nd page and wow I wrote way back on September 22, 2017.

This is two sports moments however both are still significant at least in my opinion. From October 7-28 in 1993 the Maple Leafs were on their 10 game winning streak. On October 23, 1993 the Leafs defeated the Lightning to improve their record at 9-0-0 and on the same night the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Philadelphia Phillies to win the World Series on Joe Carter's walk off home run.
 
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HisIceness

This is Hurricanes Hockey
Sep 16, 2010
40,051
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Charlotte
5/19/2004

On the same night Calgary clinched a berth in the Stanley Cup Finals, Kevin Garnett had one of the all-time great game 7 NBA playoff performances





I remember both of these. Garnett was one of the most popular athletes when I was in High School and here he was smack-dab in the middle of his prime straight up carrying the T-Wolves on his back to their 2nd playoff series win in franchise history. Little did anyone know that after their loss to the Lakers in the WCF's, they wouldn't make the playoffs again until 2018. That was also kind of the last shot for that Kings team, they ended up being first-round exits the next two years and haven't made the playoffs since.

Calgary wasn't the first "cinderella" team to advance that far (Ducks the year before), but the atmosphere surrounding the city and the C of Red made watching their home playoff games a lot of fun.
 

c9777666

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Aug 31, 2016
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5/17/1991

A former champion had its last great moment and a future champion had its first great moment



 

c9777666

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Aug 31, 2016
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6/1/1993

on the same night as Marty McSorley’s illegal stick and Eric Desjardins’ hat trick (Game 2 Stanley Cup Finals), Charles Barkley put up a monstrous 40 point triple double (the 2nd one ever) in game 5 of the NBA West Finals





 
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The Panther

Registered User
Mar 25, 2014
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Tokyo, Japan
Neither a famous moment nor a big game, but...

On the day I was born, Gilbert Perreault had a 7-point game as the Sabres beat the California Golden Seals 9-5.

I'm wondering if that was the only seven point night of his career? Hockey Ref. makes clear that he didn't any such from 1979-80 until his retirement.
 

c9777666

Registered User
Aug 31, 2016
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5/4/2000

on the same night as the Flyers/Penguins 5OT playoff game, an NBA 8 seed almost pulled off an upset over a 1 seed.

there have been only 5 times in NBA history where an 8 seed but a 1 seed. The Milwaukee Bucks on this night came as close as it gets against the Indiana Pacers to making it 6 such times.



 

Ace Card Bedard

Back in Black, Red, and White
Feb 11, 2012
8,705
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February 2, 1992

Michel Goulet scores his 500th goal against the Flames (on a beautiful breakaway assisted by Steve Larmer, I was at that game.)

Also on that same day:

The remains of Ras Tafari Makonnen (aka Haile Selassie) former Emperor of Ethiopia are found buried under the toilet of the dictator who overthrew him and had him murdered.
Rastafarians believe he is a god.
 

c9777666

Registered User
Aug 31, 2016
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10/30/2014

on the same night Marian Hossa joined the 1000 point club, LeBron James made his homecoming return to Cleveland



 

c9777666

Registered User
Aug 31, 2016
19,892
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5/15/1990

On the same night as the longest game in Stanley Cup Final history (3OT, Petr Klima), the end of an era in the NBA- Pat Riley coached his final game with the LA Lakers as Showtime suffered its only early playoff exit of the Riley era in LA (From 1982-1989, the Lakers made the NBA Finals 7 of 8 times and the other time got to the West Finals)



 

vikash1987

Registered User
Mar 7, 2004
1,302
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New York
Saturday, May 1, 1965

* Montreal beats Chicago 4-0 in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals on home ice at the Forum, in what is the first NHL game ever played in the month of May. Gump Worsley gets the shutout, and the 1st period tells the story, with all four goals coming in the 1st period. Captain Jean Beliveau gets the winning goal only 14 seconds in, and he becomes the first player ever awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

Chicago Blackhawks - Montréal Canadiens - May 1st, 1965



* Earlier in the day: Liverpool beats Leeds 2-1 in the FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, London. Unlike the hockey game, this one is close, requiring extra time. All three goals come in extra time (scoreless after regulation), and it marks the first time since 1947 that an FA Cup Final goes into extra time.
 
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MiamiScreamingEagles

Global Moderator
Jan 17, 2004
70,919
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April 2, 1972:

I was reminded of this recently.

Buffalo scored a goal with four seconds left in regulation to beat the Flyers on the last day of the regular season. Four seconds was the difference between making the playoffs or not. The Flyers entered the day two points in front of Pittsburgh, who held an easy tiebreaker (GF), for the final spot.

Also, this was the day that Gil Hodges, the active manager of the New York Mets, passed away suddenly and shockingly. He managed the Miracle Mets to a World Series championship less than three years earlier.

From UPI.com:

Hodges Dies After Round Of Golf
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (UPI)—Gil Hodges, manager of the New York Mets and a gentle giant who was one of baseball's greatest sluggers with the old Brooklyn Dodgers, died Sunday from his second heart attack in four years. He would have been 48 on Tuesday.

Hodges collapsed after a round of golf with three of his coaches and was dead at a hospital 45 minutes later. He thrilled hundreds of thousands of fans with his slugging as a player, but perhaps his greatest achievement was taking the rag-tag Mets to a National League pennant and a world championship in 1969. “He was among a breed of ballplayers who, I guess, will pass out one by one,” said Walter O’Malley, owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Mots’ manager was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital where Dr. James Smith, a local obstetrician inserted a tube in his throat and a needle in his heart in an effort to save his life. However, a cardiogram showed a complete arrest of the heart and an examination disclosed that the pupils of his eyes were dilated. His body was to be flown back to New York today with funeral services scheduled for Wednesday or Thursday. He is survived by his widow, Joan; three daughters, Irene, Cynthia and Barbara; and a son, Gil Jr., who is a minor league player in the Mets’ farm system.
 
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