This Day in Sports History: January 27
Sports in January include the NBA and NHL seasons, NFL playoffs, college bowl games, and some college basketball tournaments. Other sports include the Australian Open for tennis, UFC Fight Nights,…
Sports in January include the NBA and NHL seasons, NFL playoffs, college bowl games, and some college basketball tournaments. Other sports include the Australian Open for tennis, UFC Fight Nights, Formula E, and PGA Tour events. Over the years, Jan. 27 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 Jan. 27 included:
- 1894: In the first college basketball game, the University of Chicago beat Chicago YMCA 19-11.
- 1924: Speed Skater Clas Thunberg won three gold medals in one day.
- 1927: Tennis player Gerald Patterson won the Australian Championships and it was his only home title.
- 1934: Tennis player Fred Perry won his only Australian title.
- 1954: Boxer Archie Moore beat Joey Maxim in a 15-round unanimous decision and retained his world light heavyweight title.
- 1958: Tennis player Ashley Cooper won his second straight Australian title.
- 1969: Tennis player Rod Laver won the first leg of his successful second Grand Slam.
- 1970: With the first pick in the NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected quarterback Terry Bradshaw from Louisiana Tech.
- 1973: UCLA's basketball team won their 61st consecutive game, which was an NCAA record.
- 1979: The Islanders streak of 23 undefeated games at home came to an end.
- 1985: Mark Mckoy cycled a world record in the indoor 50-meter hurdles distance.
- 1989: Red Wings center Steve Yzerman became the fourth NHL player to record 100 points in 50 games or less.
- 1989: Basketball player Kevin Johnson began an NBA free throw streak of 57 games.
- 1990: Tennis player Steffi Graf got her third consecutive Australian singles crown.
- 1991: The New York Giants beat the Buffalo Bills, 20-19, and won Super Bowl XXV. The MVP was Giants running back Ottis Anderson.
- 1996: Tennis player Monica Seles got her first and only Grand Slam victory.
- 2001: Tennis player Jennifer Capriati won her first Grand Slam title.
- 2007: Tennis player Serena Williams beat Maria Sharapova at the Australian Open.
- 2008: Tennis player Novak Djokovic became the first Serbian to win a Grand Slam title.
- 2013: Djokovic won an Open Era record of four Australian crowns.
- 2013: Spain beat Denmark and won the World Men's Handball Championship.
- 2018: Tennis player Caroline Wozniacki won her first Grand Slam title.
- 2019: Djokovic won a record seventh Australian singles title.
- 2024: Tennis player Aryna Sabalenka retained her Australian Open title, and it was her second major title where she didn't drop a set.
Three athletes who stood out on Jan. 27 were Terry Bradshaw, Steve Yzerman, and Steffi Graf.
Bradshaw is known for his powerful arm and leadership. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989 and transitioned to a popular media personality, actor, and country music singer after his playing career. Yzerman is known for exceptional skill, leadership, and quiet determination. Graf is known for winning the unprecedented "Golden Slam" in 1988 (all four majors and Olympic gold in one year) and holding the world No. 1 ranking for a record 377 weeks.
