Frank Thomas

Notable Sports Figures
Super Bowl VII. No NFL team before or since has finished
a season with a perfect record.
1974
Hank Aaron breaks Babe Ruth’s career home run
record. Aaron has to overcome not only history but
racist attacks as he hits number 715 in Atlanta.
Muhammad Ali stuns the world with his eighth round
knockout of George Foreman in “The Rumble in the
Jungle.” Ali uses the “rope-a-dope” strategy to wear out
the much more powerful Foreman.
1975
Muhammad Ali defeats Joe Frazier in the “Thrilla in
Manila.” The victory was Ali’s second in three fights
with Frazier.
Pitchers Dave McNally and Andy Messersmith win their
challenge to baseball’s “reserve clause.” Arbitrator Peter
Seitz rules that once a player completes one season
without a contract he can become a free agent. This is a
landmark decision that opens the door to free agency in
professional sports.
1976
Romanian Nadia Comaneci scores perfect 10s seven
times in gymnastics competition at the Summer
Olympics in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. This marks the
first time that a 10 has ever been awarded.
Kornelia Ender of East Germany wins four Olympic
gold medals in swimming. Her time in every one of her
races breaks a world record.
1977
Janet Guthrie qualifies on the final day for a starting
spot in the Indianapolis 500. She becomes the first
woman to compete in the Memorial Day classic.
A.J. Foyt wins the Indianapolis 500 for a record-setting
fourth time.
1978
Nancy Lopez wins a record-breaking five LPGA tournaments
in a row during her rookie season. She goes on
to win nine tournaments for the year.
1979
ESPN launches the first all-sports television network.
The network now carries all the major professional and
college sports.
1980
The U.S. men’s Olympic ice hockey team defeats the
heavily favored team from the Soviet Union, 4-3, in
Timeline
what becomes known as the “Miracle on Ice.” The
Americans go on to win the gold medal.
Eric Heiden of the U.S. wins five individual gold
medals in speed skating at the Winter Olympics in Lake
Placid, New York. No one before or since has won five
individual events in a single Olympic Games. No other
skater has ever swept the men’s speed skating events.
The U.S. and its allies boycott the Summer Olympics in
Moscow, USSR. The Americans cite the Soviet invasion
of Afghanistan as the reason for their action.
1981
Richard Petty wins the Daytona 500. His win is his
record-setting seventh victory in the big race.
1982
Louisiana State defeats Cheney State for the title in the
first NCAA women’s basketball championship.
Wayne Gretzky, the “Great One,” scores 92 goals in a
season. He adds 120 assists to end the season with 212
points, the first time anyone has scored over 200 points
in one season.
Shirley Muldowney wins last of three National Hot
Rod Association (NHRA) top fuel championships. Muldowney
won 17 NHRA titles during her career.
1983
Australia II defies the odds and wins the America’s Cup
after 132 years of domination by the U.S. defenders.
The New York Yacht Club had won 24 straight competitions.
1984
The Soviet Union and its allies (except Romania) boycott
the Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles, California.
Many believe this is in response to the U.S. boycott
of Moscow Games in 1980.
Carl Lewis repeats Jesse Owens’s feat of winning four
gold medals in track and field at the Summer Olympics
in Los Angeles, California. Lewis wins the same events
as Owens: the 100- and 200-meters, the long jump, and
the 4 x 100m relay.
Joan Benoit Samuelson wins the first ever Olympic
marathon for women. Her winning time over the 26.2
mile course is 2:24.52.
Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins throws for 5,084
yards and 48 touchdowns, both NFL single-season records.
1985
On September 11, Pete Rose breaks Ty Cobb’s record
for career hits when he gets his 4,192nd hit. Rose finish-
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