Sports History Network

In 1998, the US Women's Olympic Hockey beat the Canadian women to win the first Women's Hockey Olympic Gold Medal.

In 1968, Frenchman Jean-Claude Killy won his third alpine gold medal.

In 2003, Baltimore Orioles pitcher Steve Bechler collapsed and later died. His death was attributed to ephedra.

In 2001, Charlotte Hornet Baron Davis hit an 89-foot shot to set the NBA record for the longest shot in NBA history.

In 1924, Olympian Johnny Weissmuller set a new world record that would stand for another 10 years and mostly due to technological advances.

Mike D’Antoni grew up in West Virginia with a dream of someday playing in the NBA. He achieved his dream by playing with the Kings. But he was out of the NBA in only three years. Then he had a chance to play in Italy where he became a superstar for Olimpia Milano. This is the story of his Italian adventure.

CREDITS

Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and voice

Jacob Loayza: Editor, producer, and publisher

MUSIC

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"Horizons" by Roa

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Yesterday's Sports is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.

YESTERDAY'S SPORTS HOME PAGE

EPISODE SUMMARY

The episode continues a discussion between Mark and Dave about how difficult and subjective the Pro Football Hall of Fame process is, highlighting several players who waited many years to get in (including Tom Mack, Jack Youngblood, Carl Eller, Harry Carson, and Randy Gradishar).

Mark and Dave argue that modern fans—used to instant takes—often don’t relate to how long the process can take, and they blame nonstop media coverage for turning every “snub” into a major controversy.

They then review current finalists and first-year candidates like Drew Brees, Frank Gore, Larry Fitzgerald, Kevin Williams, and Jason Witten, while also mentioning longer-waiting names such as Willie Anderson, Jahri Evans, Darren Woodson, and Torry Holt.

They debate the eight-player limit, stressing that letting in too many hurts the Hall’s prestige, and they point out how roles like blocking tight ends, interior linemen, and kickers can be overlooked (with discussion of Vinatieri, Otis Taylor, and L.C. Greenwood).

This and much more....

YESTERDAY'S SPORTS BACKGROUND

Host Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.

No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited Time

Running Wild: (Growing Up In The 1970s)

When we think of Polynesian dominance in the NFL today, names like Troy Polamalu, Puka Nacua, and Marcus Mariota immediately come to mind. The islands have become a powerhouse for football talent, but the roots of this tradition go back much further than most fans realize.

In a recent episode of the Pigpen podcast, host Darin Hayes sat down with Tim Brown of Football Archaeology to uncover the forgotten history of the first Asian and Pacific Islander (API) players to lace up their cleats and change the game.

Long before the 1960s brought major shifts in sports integration, a small group of Asian players was already making waves in college football. Interestingly, many of these early pioneers weren’t domestic recruits but foreign nationals.

During the late 1800s, wealthy families and government officials from China and Japan often sent their children to the U.S. and Europe for education. These students brought back more than just engineering degrees; they brought back a love for American sports.

1. The "Exchange Student" Athlete: Many of these students were natural athletes who joined football teams as walk-ons to better acculturate to American life.
2. A Multi-Sport Legacy: Tim Brown highlights one standout at the University of Pennsylvania who was not only a varsity baseball player but also one of the top tennis players of his era before trying his hand at football.

While Asian players appeared on the East Coast as early as the late 1800s, it wasn't until the 1920s that we saw the first identified Pacific Islander make a mark. That man was Walter Achiu.

Achiu’s journey is a fascinating look at the "hidden" pipelines of early football. A standout at the St. Louis School (then St. Louis College) in Honolulu—a Catholic school that still produces NFL talent today—Achiu ended up playing for the University of Dayton.

Why Dayton? It turns out both schools were run by the same Catholic order, creating a bridge from the tropical islands to the Ohio gridiron.

Achiu was a dual-threat star, captaining the track team and playing halfback and quarterback. In 1927, he broke the ultimate barrier by joining the Dayton Triangles, making him the first Asian and Pacific Islander player in NFL history.

His nickname, "Sneeze," reportedly came from his surname, Achiu (pronounced Ah-choo), which he told fans was "just like a sneeze" to help them remember it.

Like many players of the era, Achiu’s athletic career didn't end with the NFL. He transitioned into professional wrestling, a career he maintained into the 1950s. While he held an electrical engineering degree, the lure of the ring (and the better pay) kept him in the spotlight for decades.

Today, we see a heavy influence of Samoan and Hawaiian players across every level of football. While they are no longer viewed as "novelties" or "attractions," it is important to remember the pioneers like Walter Achiu who traveled thousands of miles to prove that the game of football belonged to everyone.

Tim Brown has cataloged over 1,400 articles on the evolution of the game. Whether you’re interested in early rules, legendary players, or cultural pioneers, you can find it all at FootballArchaeology.com.

Join us at the Pigskin Dispatch website to see even more Positive football news!

Don't forget to check out and subscribe to the Pigskin Dispatch YouTube channel for additional content and the regular Football History Minute Shorts.

Miss our football by the day of the year podcasts, well, don't, because they can still be found at the Pigskin Dispatch website.

Like any other pro sports league, the NBA is made up of players of different personalities, different perspectives and hale from different backgrounds.

They all come from different areas of the country and now the world as the NBA has now become truly a global game.

But in this episode, we will sharpen our focus to feature a special group of players and Hall of Famers that all have this one thing in common.

In this special Black History Month episode Dana Auguster and Charles Combs are celebrating Black History Month and will highlight star players and Hall of Famers that came from Historically Black Colleges and Universities that helped grow the NBA to its current standing on the sports landscape.

Those they will highlight include the greatest player in Chicago Bulls history......before Michael Jordan.

Also a diminutive point guard that led the San Antonio Spurs to their first NBA championship. Charles and Dana will talk about a member of the Boston Celtics who won 10 NBA championships. Also a man who was part of the Warriors organization in different capacities for over 60 years.

Also a player who was one of the most devastating scorers in NBA history during the 1970s who had a various amount of different nicknames and another player who authored not only one of the greatest moments of New York Knicks history, but the greatest sports moment in the history of Madison Square garden.

Later in the show we will send a shout out to a coach who we consider the Eddie Robinson of college basketball.

His coaching career spans nearly a half century at this Historically black college in North Carolina who compiled over 800 victories in his long career.

Please like and subscribe to the show.

To contact us email us at [email protected].

Total Sports Recall (TSR) is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.

TOTAL SPORTS RECALL HOMEPAGE

EPISODE SUMMARY

A history of athletes who played two different sports and those who played two different positions in one sport.

TOTAL SPORTS RECALL BACKGROUND

Harv Aronson was born and raised in Pittsburgh and now resides in Jacksonville, Florida. You can listen to the Total Sports Recall Podcast, which is also available on Spotify, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

Harv currently writes for AbstractSports.com, the Sports History Network, and the magazine Gridiron Greats. Harv wrote the published book "Pro Football's Most Passionate Fans" and as a professional writer has had articles published in an array of sports publications.

Harv loves all sports but football and baseball are at the top of his interest. His passion is for sports history. Visit Harv’s portfolio at https://www.clippings.me/totalsportsrecall. You can contact Harv using his official podcast email address which is [email protected]. You may also reach out to Harv on X using the handle @TotalSportsRecl.

In 1984, Bill Johnson became the first American to win an Olympic downhill race.

In 1953, Boston's Ted Williams crash-landed his fighter plane in Korea and survived.

In 1926. France's Suzanne Lenglen defeated American Helen Wills in what was deemed the 'Match of the Century'.

In 2005, the NHL became the first major professional league to cancel an entire season.

In 2024, Jordan Spieth signed an incorrect scorecard and was disqualified from a PGA Tournament. It led to a rules adjustment.

In the world of sports memorabilia, there are many paths to take—some chase the high-value "investor" cards, while others seek to complete entire annual sets. But there is a specific brand of passion found in the Team Collector.

Recently on the podcast, Darin Hayes sat down with Ryan Minnigh, a "super collector" of the Pittsburgh Steelers, to discuss how focusing on a single franchise can turn a hobby into a powerful tool for preserving football history. Ryan’s journey from a casual pack-opener to a curator of nearly 1,700 unique Steelers items offers a blueprint for anyone looking to start their own team-centric archive.

For Ryan, the appeal wasn't just about the "thrill of the hunt" in random packs; it was about the connection to the game. He recalls his first "hit"—a 2002 Eddie George jersey card—as the moment he felt physically connected to the sport. By focusing on the Steelers, he moved away from "chasing the odds" and toward "piecing together the moments" of the team he loved.

If you’re looking to dive into team collecting, Ryan suggests avoiding the "shotgun approach" (trying to buy everything at once). Instead, try these targeted strategies:

• The Roster Method: Start by pulling an all-time roster. Ryan’s ambitious goal is to own an item representing every player who ever suited up for the Steelers.
• The Milestone Approach: Focus on a specific championship year (like the '85 Bears or the 2013 Seahawks) or even your birth year to keep the collection manageable and meaningful.
• The Rookie Pivot: Collect the rookie cards of every player on your team’s current or historical roster. Note: You may have to accept cards of players in different uniforms (e.g., a Marshawn Lynch rookie card features him as a Buffalo Bill).
• The Aesthetic Angle: Focus on specific brands known for great photography, such as the Stadium Club sets of the mid-90s.

A massive collection requires discipline. Here are the essential pointers Ryan shared for keeping your "Pigskin Pearls" organized and protected:

Ryan views these cards as "little monuments." Through his Substack and social media, he uses his collection to tell stories—especially during Black History Month, where he highlights the pioneers of the sport. Whether a player was a star for twenty seasons or a "cup of coffee" player for one, their card is a permanent record of their contribution to the game.

As Ryan puts it, the collection is never truly finished. Every draft and every free agency signing brings new stories to tell and new "monuments" to find.

Want to see Ryan’s collection in action? You can find him at 304 Collector Corner across all social media platforms.

Join us at the Pigskin Dispatch website to see even more Positive football news!

Don't forget to check out and subscribe to the Pigskin Dispatch YouTube channel for additional content and the regular Football History Minute Shorts.

Miss our football by the day of the year podcasts, well don't, because they can still be found at the Pigskin Dispatch website.

Takeaways:

1. The discussion centers on the nostalgia and camaraderie of childhood football card collecting, particularly the unique focus of individual collectors like Sean and Ryan.
2. Ryan Minig's dedication to team collecting provides insight into a specialized approach within the broader realm of football card collecting.
3. Effective collection strategies involve narrowing focus to specific players or years, enhancing the collector's experience and success.
4. The importance of card preservation and display is emphasized, suggesting storage solutions that maintain the condition and accessibility of collectible items.
5. New collectors are encouraged to utilize resources such as trading card databases to enhance their collecting strategy and maintain organization.
6. Engaging with the collecting community and sharing knowledge can enrich the experience and foster connections among enthusiasts.

It's Winter Olympics time, and we are joined by author Doug Levy to talk about some of the greatest unsung stories in Summer and Winter Olympic History. Olympians like David Moorcroft, Tracy Barnes, and Laurence Lemieux may not be household names, but their fascinating stories are worth telling and worth knowing. These tales of selflessness, courage, and dedication are the Olympics at their best.

Check out Doug's book to learn about these heroes and many more.

Hello Old Sports is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Your Favorite Sport's Yesteryear. Contact the show at [email protected] and find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HelloOldSports

In 1998, Dale Earnhardt, Sr won the Daytona 500 on his 20th try.

In 2004, Dale Earnhardt, Jr won his firt Daytona 500 in his 5th try.

In 1976, David Pearson won his first Daytona 500 in the slowest finish.

In 1994, the Kentucky Wildcats erased a 31-point second half deficit to beat LSU in the greatest comeback in College Basketball History.

In 2018, Denver's Nikola Jokic notched the fastest triple-double in NBA history.

In 2017, Duke freshman Jason Tatum got some interesting motivation from Coach K at halftime. It motivated him to finish with his college best 28 points.

In 1978, Leon Spinks won a surprising split decision over Muhammad Ali.