The Tribune

By Inigo ‘Naughty’ Zenicazelaya

TO BE a true aficionado one must know the past just as much as the present when following sports.

From time-to-time, I like to revisit what happened in sports history on a particular day.

As I looked back at what transpired on this day - July 21 - in sports, several historic moments jump out and I was amazed to see the greats that decided to share this day to make a mark on their respective sporting disciplines.

O’Brien, Nicklaus, Aaron, Comaneci, Tyson, Gretzky and Schumacher all did something special on July 21 ... which star from which sport will make history tonight? I don’t know but my eyes will be glued to the TV scanning every game for greatness.

So buckle up and enjoy the blast from the past from the world of sports and its cast of legendary stars and the record-breaking results they achieved on this day in sports history.

BLAST FROM

THE PAST

1952 — American Parry O’Brien, the first shot-put thrower to begin his motion by facing the back of the circle, won the gold medal at the Helsinki Olympics in Finland.

1959 — With the addition of pinch-runner Pumpsie Green, the Boston Red Sox became the last major league team to include a black player in its lineup.

1963 — Jack Nicklaus won the PGA Championship at Dallas, the third of his record 18 major golf titles

1973 — Hank Aaron, of the Atlanta Braves, became the first player since Babe Ruth in 1934 to reach 700 career home runs in an 8-4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies in Atlanta.

1976 — Gymnast Nadia Comaneci, of Romania, added two more unprecedented perfect 10 scores to win the gold medal in the women’s all-around competition at the Summer Olympics in Montreal.

1989 — Mike Tyson knocked out Carl Williams in the first round of their fight at the Convention Centre in Atlantic City, NJ, to retain the heavyweight boxing championship.

1996 — Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, 35, signed a two-year deal with the New York Rangers.

2002 — Michael Schumacher, of Germany, won the French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours to clinch his third consecutive Formula One drivers’ title. It was the earliest the championship has been won in a season - with six races still to go. Schumacher won a record seven drivers’ titles.

“If you don’t know your past, you will never know your future”

• Bob Marley

Until next week, may you all finish in the money!

• Naughty presents ‘Mischief and Mayhem in da AM’ on KISS FM 96.1 from 6am to 10am, Monday to Friday. Comments and questions to naughty@tribunemedia.net