Timeline
- 1966
- Jim Brown retires from the NFL
July 15, 1966 - Jim Brown of the Cleveland Browns, of the National Football League, the leading ground-gainer in pro football history, will announce his retirement today. The 30- year-old fullback will make the announcement at a news conference here, where he is making a motion picture. Although Brown still has one year to go on a two-year contract at a salary reported to be $60,000-plus a year, he has decided to step out at the top of his career.
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- 1967
- Clarence "Bighouse" Gaines leads Winston-Salem State to NCAA Championship
Clarence "Bighouse" Gaines led Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina to national prominence when they became the first black college and the first in the entire South to win the NCAA College Division II Basketball Championship.
- Muhammad Ali refuses induction into U.S. Armed Forces
April 28, 1967 - Muhammad Ali appeared for his scheduled induction into the U.S. Armed Forces in Houston, Texas. He refused three times to step forward at the call of his name. An officer warned him he was committing a felony punishable by five years in prison and a fine of $10,000. Once more, Ali refused to budge when his name was called. As a result, on that same day, the New York State Athletic Commission suspended his boxing license and stripped him of his title. Other boxing commissions followed suit.
At the trial two months later, the jury, after only 21 minutes of deliberation, found Ali guilty. After a court of appeals upheld the conviction, the case went to the U.S. Supreme Court. During this time, people turned against the war, and support for Ali grew. Ali financially supported himself by visiting many college universities to give speeches across the country. On June 28, 1971, the Supreme Court reversed his conviction for refusing induction by unanimous decision in Clay v. United States.
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- 1968
- Hank Aaron hits 500th Home Run
July 14, 1968 - Hank Aaron hits home run #500 off Mike McCormick becoming the eighth major leaguer to reach this milestone. 'Hammerin' Hank's three-run homer over the left center field fence proves to be thee difference as the Braves beat the Giants at Atlanta Stadium, 4-2.
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- Tommie Smith & John Carlos Black Power Salute
The Black Power salute was a noted human rights protest and one of the most overtly political statements in the 110 year history of the modern Olympic Games. African American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos performed their Black Power salute at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.
- 1970
- Curt Flood challenges baseball's reserve clause
January 16, 1970 - Curt Flood shocked the baseball world and America by filing suit against Major League Baseball and its reserve clause. Baseball had faced legal challenges in the past, but never had a player of Flood's caliber attempted to assail the game's sacred clause--which effectively bound a player and his contract to a team for life. The St. Louis Cardinals outfielder had earned three All-Star appearances, seven Gold Gloves, and a pair of World Series championships. Furthermore, Flood earned $90,000 a year yet accused baseball of violating of the 13th amendment, barring slavery and involuntary servitude. With a few exceptions, the public and the media initially reacted to Flood's action in utter disbelief, branding the outfielder an ingrate, a destroyer, even a blasphemer.
- Willis Reed inspires Knicks in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals
May 8, 1970 - During Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers Willis Reed trotted onto the court of Madison Square Garden. Due to severe thigh injury - a torn muscle that had previously kept him out of Game 6 - many doubted he would even play in Game 7. Yet he surprised the fans in attendance by walking onto the court during warmups to enormous applause. Starting the game, he scored the Knicks' first two field goals on his first two shot attempts, his only points of the game. It was all the inspiration the Knicks needed, as teammate Walt "Clyde" Frazier went on to score 36 points. The Knicks won the game 113 to 99, giving New York City its first NBA title. The moment he walked onto the court was voted the greatest moment in the history of Madison Square Garden.
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- Ernie Banks hits his 500th home run
May 12, 1970 - Ernie Banks, the Chicago Cubs' peerless shortstop turned first baseman, hit his 500th career home run off Pat Jarvis of the Atlanta Braves at Wrigley Field. Banks retired in 1971 with 512 homers, becoming the ninth major leaguer in the exclusive 500 club.
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- 1972
- Hank Aaron become first person to hit 30 or more HRs in 14 seasons
The first person of any race to hit thirty or more home runs in fourteen seasons was Hank Aaron. "Hammering Hank" hit forty more in 1973.
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- Wayne Embry becomes first black general manager
The first black general manager in any sport was Wayne Embry of the Milwaukee Bucks. Embry held this position from 1971-1979.
- Fred Snowden becomes the first African-American head coach at a major university
Fred "The Fox" Snowden became the first black basketball coach at a major white institution, the University of Arizona. In his first year as coach, he brought the Arizona Wildcats to a winning season.
- Art Williams becomes first black NL umpire
September 18, 1972 - In a game that featured the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. the San Diego Padres, Art Williams debuted as the first black umpire in the National League. He had been a pitcher in the mid 1950s and was the first black player with the Detroit Tigers.
- 1973
- Simon Peter Gourdine is the first black vice-president of the NBA
The first black vice-president of the NBA was Simon Peter Gourdine. He held the this position until 1972 and served as deputy commissioner from 1974 to 1981.
- John Chaney becomes head coach of Temple University
John Chaney became the first black basketball coach at Temple University in Philadelphia.
- Hank Aaron sets a major league record with his 1,378th extra base hit
March 18, 1973 - Hank Aaron recorded his 1,378 extra base hit to surpasses Stan Musial and become Major League Baseball's all-time leader in that category. Aaron was 1 for 3 on that day as the Atlanta Braves defeated the Montreal Expos 3 to 1.
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