28 January in Sports History

Celebrating the milestones in sports history made on January 28 throughout history by remembering the athletes and the jersey numbers that they wore.

Sports history is made every day of the year. We will preserve at least a small sampling from at least 3 great athletes every day based on the uniform number they wore.

78 - 5 - 17 - 32 - 16 - 14 - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 -10 - 8 - 14 - 24 - 52 - 6 - 82 - 58

January 28, 1904 - 1st college sports letters given to Seniors who played on University of Chicago's football team are awarded blankets with letter "C" on them

January 28, 1922 - J E Clair takes the Green Bay franchise to joining the NFL

January 28, 1940 - Chicago Blackhawks forward Les Cunningham Number 78, scored 5 points,  in one period, 2 goals and 3 assists in the third period for an 8-1 victory over Montreal, becoming the first NHL skater to do so. It is one of the greatest 10:04 in individual hockey history, The record stood all the way until 1978.

January 28, 1943 - Speaking of the Blackhawks, one of their roster members made history exactly 3 years later. Sweater Number 5, Max Bentley slapped home four goals and added three assists for a total of 7 points in a game against the New York Rangers, as Chicago streaked to a 10-1 victory on the ice of Chicago Stadium before a crowd of over 7500. Max played Center while brother Doug Bentley was a Winger on the same line, put a puck between the pipes himself in the win.

29 Jan 1943, Fri Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois) Newspapers.com 29 Jan 1943, Fri Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois) Newspapers.com

January 28, 1954 - QB Bobby Garrett, Number 17 from University of Stanford first pick in the 1954 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns

January 28, 1960 - NFL announced that the Dallas Cowboys (1960) & Minnesota Vikings (1961) franchises would be awarded

January 28, 1969 - USC, Runningback, Number 32,  O J Simpson became the first pick of the 1969 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills

January 28, 1971 - Star Quarterback, Jim Plunkett, Number 16, from Stanford University was the first pick in the 1971 NFL Draft by New England Patriots

January 28, 1973 - Number 16, Henry Boucha, of the Detroit Red Wings, scored just 6 seconds into a game against the Montreal Canadiens. The Motor City skaters ended up doubling up the Habs with a 4-2 victory.

January 28, 1973 - Mickey Welch (played before uniform numbers), George Kelly (was a New York Giant for most of his career but did wear Number 14 for the Dodgers in 1932) and former MLB Umpire Billy Evans were all elected to Baseball Hall of Fame

January 28, 1974 - Sam Thompson (played before uniform numbers), Jim Bottomley (who wore all the uniform Numbers 1 thru 5), and former Umpire Jocko Conlan (who did once play and wore Number 8 for the Whote Sox) were all elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame

January 28, 1975 - Quarterback, Number 10, Steve Bartkowski from University of California first pick by Atlanta Falcons in the 1975 NFL Draft.

January 28, 1984 - Edmonton Oilers center Number 99,Wayne Gretzky's NHL record point scoring streak ends at 51 games when Oilers beaten 4-2 by LA Kings; Gretzky totals 61-92-153 during the period

January 28, 1988 - Denver Nuggets point guard Number 14, Michael Adams takes record streak to 79 consecutive games with at least one 3-point field goal in 117-102 loss against Indiana at Market Square Arena; streak ends next game

January 28, 1988 - New York Rangers' Number 16, Marcel Dionne scores a 2nd period power play goal in 5-2 win in Philadelphia; becomes 1st first player in NHL history to get 20 goals in each of his first 17 seasons

January 28, 1990 - Super Bowl XXIV, Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, LA: San Francisco 49ers beat Denver Broncos, 55-10; MVP: Number 16, Joe Montana, SF, QB

January 28, 1992 - St. Louis Blues right wing Brett Hull, Number 16 became the 2nd player (after Number 99, Wayne Gretzky) in NHL history to record back-to-back seasons of 50 goals in 50 games; #50 comes in 3-3 Blues' tie in Los Angeles

January 28, 1996 - Super Bowl XXX, Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, AZ: Dallas Cowboys beat Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-17. The game MVP was Number 24, Larry Brown cornerback of Dallas, whose two timely interceptions derailed Pittsburgh.

January 28, 2001 - The Baltimore Ravens won Super Bowl XXXV as their star of the defense Middle Linebacker Ray Lewis, Number 52, won the game's MVP award. The Ravens won the game by a lopsided 34-7 score over the New York Giants. The 12 eventual 12-time Pro Bowler had made three solo tackles, two assists, and blocked four passes in the game to help his teammates allow only 152 total yards of offense by the Giants in the game.

January 28, 2018 - 63rd NHL All Star Games, Amalie Arena, Tampa, FL: Pacific Division All Stars win four-team, 3-on-3 tournament; MVP was Number 6, Brock Boeser, Vancouver Canucks, RW

January 28, 2018 - NFL Pro Bowl, Orlando, FL: AFC beats NFC, 24-23; MVPs: Delanie Walker, Number 82, TE of the Tennessee Titans, and Number 58, Von Miller, Denver Broncos, LB

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Here is what happened in Sports Jersey History on January 28: Listen in to learn more about sports history along with me from the uniforms and jerseys the players wore. The podcast's jersey take of the day is on the Pittsburgh Penguins!

A Very Special thanks to information obtained from the following brilliant internet sites: On This Day Sports, the Sports Reference's family of website databases & Stathead.com