Today in Sports History-January

In January, American sports enthusiasts enjoy the NFL playoffs, NBA and college hoops, and the NHL season is moving towards the All-Star break. Here's a look at what happened in sports history on January 9.

Bart Starr Born

Legendary NFL quarterback Bart Starr was born Jan. 9, 1934, in Montgomery, Ala. He played 16 seasons in the NFL, all for the Green Bay Packers. Under his leadership, the Packers won five NFL championships and two Super Bowl titles. He was a three-time NFL passing champion and was the MVP of the first two Super Bowls.

Starr was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977 just six years after retiring. When quit the game in 1971, Starr's career completion percentage of 57.4 percent over a career was an NFL record.

Oscar Robertson Scored 56 Points

The New York Times reported in 2008 that Cincinnati basketball sophomore Oscar Robertson scored 56 points at Madison Square Garden against Seton Hall on Jan. 9, 1958. The final score was Cincinnati 118 and Seton Hall 54. Robertson outscored the entire opposition in what still stands as a scoring record for Madison Square Garden, both collegiate and professional.
Robertson was 22-for-32 and hit all 12 free throws. Keep in mind, this was before three-point shots and well before the NCAA instituted a shot clock. Robertson eventually was inducted into the National Basketball Hall of Fame for his vaunted college and NBA career.

Mark Martin Born

NASCAR racer Mark Martin was born Jan. 9, 1959, in Batesville, Ark. At the age of 50, Martin finished as the runner up in the Sprint Cup points when he finished behind Jimmie Johnson in 2009. He tied a record with Bobby Allison and Richard Petty with the most runner-up finishers in NASCAR history.

In 1989, Martin made waves by finishing third in series points after just this third full year on the top NASCAR circuit. Despite racing in NASCAR for nearly 30 years, Martin has never won a season title. He remains one of the most popular elder statesmen in NASCAR today. His best finish in 2011 was second place at the FedEx 400 on May 15.

Dean Smith Got 700th Win

The Los Angeles Times reported University of North Carolina men's basketball head coach Dean Smith earned his 700th career coaching victory Jan. 9, 1991. The blowout win was a 105-73 triumph over ACC rival Maryland. Smith became just the sixth Division I coach to reach 700 victories and was the quickest to do among those who had reached the milestone at the time.For More>>>