1876: The birth of a new league. At New York’s Grand Central Hotel, baseball’s National League was formed. Teams were established in eight cities, including New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and Chicago.
1959: Green Bay landed a man who would become a legend. Vince Lombardi signed a five-year contract to coach the Packers. He would ultimately guide the team to three NFL championships and two Super Bowl victories in a nine-year span.
2020: The end of a championship drought. Kansas City defeated San Francisco 31–20 in Super Bowl LIV. It was the Chiefs’ first Super Bowl win in 50 years.
Happy birthday today to . . . Oakland Raiders Hall of Fame tight end Dave Casper, who’s 74. Former San Antonio Spurs small forward — and U-of-A product — Sean Elliott is 58. Ex-Vancouver Canucks winger Todd Bertuzzi is 51, and Minnesota Vikings defensive back Harrison Smith is 37.