January 1975 in Sports History

Events in Sport

Jan 1 41st Orange Bowl: #9 Notre Dame beats #2 Alabama, 13-11
Jan 1 61st Rose Bowl: #5 Southern California beats #3 Ohio State, 18-17

Australian Men's Tennis Open

Jan 1 Australian Open Men's Tennis: Home favourite John Newcombe wins 7th and last career Grand Slam singles title; beats Jimmy Connors of the US 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6

Jan 4 Montreal Canadiens shutout Washington Capitals 10-0
Jan 4 New Orleans Jazz set a then NBA record (with 24-second shot clock) by scoring only 20 points in the first half of a 111-89 loss in Seattle; unwanted record stands for nearly 25 years
Jan 9 Australia beat England by 171 runs in 4th Test to regain Ashes
Jan 12 Super Bowl IX, Tulane Stadium, New Orleans, LA: Pittsburgh Steelers beat Minnesota Vikings, 16-6; MVP: Franco Harris, Pittsburgh, RB

NBA All-Star Game

Jan 14 25th NBA All-Star Game, Arizona Vets Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Az: East beats West, 108-102; MVP: Walt Frazier, NY Knicks, PG

Jan 14 Anita Wold (Norway) sets women's ski jump distance record-98 m
Jan 20 25th NFL Pro Bowl, Miami Orange Bowl: NFC beats AFC, 17-10; MVP: James Harris, LA Rams, QB
Jan 21 28th NHL All-Star Game, Montreal Forum: Wales Conference beats Campbell Conference, 7-1; MVP: Syl Apps Jr., Pittsburgh, C
Jan 23 Former Pittsburgh Pirates slugger Ralph Kiner is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame

Sports History

Jan 25 10th hat trick in NY Islander history, Denis Potvin's 1st

Jan 28 1975 NFL Draft: Steve Bartkowski from University of California first pick by Atlanta Falcons

Birthdays in Sport

Jan 1 Becky Kellar-Duke, Canadian ice hockey defenseman (Olympics gold 2002, 06, 10; World C'ship gold 1999, 2000, 01, 04), born in Hagersville, Ontario
Jan 1 Fernando Tatís Sr., Dominican baseball third baseman (MLB record 8 RBI in one inning, 1999; St. Louis Cardinals), born in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic
Jan 2 Reuben Thorne, New Zealand rugby union flanker and captain (50 caps; captain 2002-03; Canterbury Crusaders), born in Christchurch, New Zealand
Jan 5 Mike Grier, American NHL player forward, 1996-2011 (Edmonton Oilers, Buffalo Sabre, and 2 other teams),and general manager (San Jose Sharks, 2022-present), born in Detroit, Michigan
Jan 6 James Farrior, American football linebacker (NY Jets), born in Richmond, Virginia
Jan 6 Jeremy Linn, American 100m breaststroke (Olympics-silver/gold-96), born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Jan 6 Laura Berg, American softball outfielder (Olympic gold 1996), born in Whittier, California
Jan 7 Rob Waddell, New Zealand single scull rower (Olympics 1996) and America's Cup sailor (Team NZ), born in Cambridge, New Zealand
Jan 8 Vitali Yachmenev, American NHL right wing (LA Kings), born in Chelyabinsk, Russia
Jan 9 Justin Huish, American archer (Olympic gold individual, team 1996), born in Fountain Valley, California
Jan 9 Mariano Friedick, American pursuit cyclist (Olympics 1996), born in Tarzana, California
Jan 10 Jake Delhomme, American football player, born in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana
Jan 11 Brad Badger, American football player (Washington Redskins), born in Corvallis, Oregon
Jan 11 Rory Fitzpatrick, American NHL defenseman (Montreal Canadiens), born in Rochester, New York
Jan 12 Jocelyn Thibault, Canadian NHL goalie (Montreal Canadiens), born in Montreal, Quebec
Jan 14 Marcel Koning, Dutch football player (FC The Hague/NEC), born in The Hague, Netherlands

Jan 15 Greg Loveridge, New Zealand cricketer (NZ leg-spinner, did not bowl v Zim 1996), born in Palmerston North, New Zealand

Mary Pierce (48 years old)

Jan 15 French tennis player (Australian Open 1995, French Open 2000), born in Montreal, Quebec

Jan 18 Derek Smith, American football linebacker (Washington Redskins), born in American Fork, Utah
Jan 19 Natalie Harvey, Australian 3k/5k runner (Olympics 1996)
Jan 20 David Eckstein, American baseball player, born in Sanford, Florida
Jan 20 Norberto Fontana, Argentine racing driver, born in Arrecifes, Argentina
Jan 21 Casey FitzRandolph, American speed skater
Jan 21 Ito, Spanish footballer
Jan 21 Nicky Butt, English footballer
Jan 21 Willem Korsten, Dutch soccer player (Vitesse)
Jan 21 Yuji Ide, Japanese racing driver
Jan 22 Felipe Giaffone, Brazilian racing driver, born in São Paulo, Brazil
Jan 22 Lee Maxwell Francis Vertongen, New Zealand cyclist (Olympics 1996), born in Palmerston North, New Zealand
Jan 23 Kevin Alexander, American NFL wide receiver (NY Giants), born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Jan 23 Tito Ortiz, American UFC fighter, born in Huntington Beach, California
Jan 24 Rónald Gómez, Costa Rican footballer, born in Punta Arenas, Costa Rica
Jan 25 John Piersma, American 200m/400m freestyle swimmer (Olympic 4th 1996), born in Huntsville, Alabama
Jan 25 Tim Montgomery, American athlete (Olympic gold 4x100m relay 2000; BALCO scandal), born in Gaffney, South Carolina
Jan 27 Chaminda Vaas, brilliant Sri Lankan cricket pace bowler (1994- )
Jan 27 Iván Calderón, Puerto Rican boxer (WBO mini flyweight title 2003-07; WBO, Ring magazine, lineal light flyweight title 2007-10), born in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
Jan 28 Anne Montminy, 10m diver (Olympics-17-92, 96), born in Montreal, Quebec
Jan 28 Julian Dean, Waihi NZ, team pursuit cyclist (Olympics 1996)
Jan 28 Junior Spivey, American baseball player, born in Oklahoma, City, Oklahoma
Jan 30 Juninho Pernambucano, Brazilian footballer, born in Pernambuco, Brazil
Jan 31 Kenard Lang, American football defensive end (Washington Redskins), born in Orlando, Florida

Deaths in Sport

Jan 1 Ken Loeffler, American College and Basketball Hall of Fame coach (National Invitation Tournament 1952; NCAA Basketball Tournament 1954, La Salle Explorers), dies from a heart attack at 72
Jan 5 Don Wilson, American baseball pitcher (2 x no-hitters 1967, 69; MLB All Star 1971; Houston Astros), dies of carbon monoxide poisoning at 29