Today in sports history – 18 March

As sport grinds to a halt all over the world due to the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve decided to have a daily look back at those “simpler” times, when there was triumph, drama and disappointment on various fields and arenas.

This is today in sport history…

1900

A general view of the stadium and Ajax logo on the top of the bench in the Friends Arena on May 23, 2017 in Stockholm, Sweden. Ajax Amsterdam face Manchester United in 2016/17 UEFA Europa League final on May 24, 2017. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

One of Europe’s most iconic football clubs is officially formed – Ajax Amsterdam. Since then, the club remains simply legendary, winning 34 Eredivisie titles as well as the Champions League four times. Interestingly, Ajax’s name was actually thought up seven years earlier, when three students and best mates – Floris Stempel, Han Dade and Carl Bruno Reeser – established a local club named “Foothball Club Ajax”.

They initially played only friendlies before their town, Nieuwer-Amstel, was re-zoned into a district of Amsterdam. As a result, their “home ground” was slated for the development of houses and the trio decided to rather form what is now known as Ajax Amsterdam. Stempel and co were fascinated by Greek mythology and decided to base their club name on Trojan war hero, Ajax.

1995

Guard Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls in action during a McDonald”s Championship game against PSG Racing at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in Paris, France. The Bulls won the game 89-82.

Michael Jordan, one of the greatest basketball players ever, decides to come out of retirement. The six-time NBA champion and five-time Most Valuable Player winner had unexpectedly – and quite shockingly – announced his decision in October 1993. He admitted to seriously considering it in 1992 already, but it was his father’s brutal murder in 1993 that pushed him over the edge.

But he was back in 1994, pushing for a baseball contract to honour his dad’s dream of his son playing the sport. However, the MLB’s massive strike put paid to those hopes. As a result, Jordan announced his return to basketball with a two-word media release: “I’m back”

2000

It’s the first year of the expanded Six Nations and England claim the inaugural title with a clinical 59-12 romp over Italy in their own Rome backyard. Ironically, this past weekend would’ve seen the Roses take on the Azzurri in Italy once again. But you know what scuppered that fixture…

2007

Bob Woolmer of Pakistan talks to the team during a nets session ahead of the 3rd npower test match between England and Pakistan at Headingley Cricket Ground on August 3, 2006 in Leeds, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

The ICC Cricket World Cup in the West Indies is thrown into turmoil and uncertainty following the death of Bob Woolmer, then Pakistan’s head coach. Pakistan had sensationally been dumped out of the tournament the previous day by minnows Ireland, heaping pressure on the 58-year-old and raising questions over match-fixing once again.

Woolmer, who struggled with diabetes, was found in his Jamaican hotel, with an initial pathology report indicating that he’d suffered a heart attack. But then the Jamaican police, under the leadership of deputy commissioner Mark Shields, ruled the death suspicious based on a controversial report by Ere Seshaiah, who claimed Woolmer was strangled.

About three months later, Shields was accused of bungling and reckless self-promotion after three new and independent pathology reports discredited the asphyxia finding and all concluded Woolmer died a natural death.

The Englishman is revered in South Africa, having presided over a prosperous period between 1994 and 1999 with the Proteas under the captaincy of Hansie Cronje.

2015

Yes, it was merely a quarterfinal, but the Proteas finally managed to win a knockout game at a cricket World Cup – at the seventh attempt! While they were probably quite nervous – they still have to live with the choker tag after all – going into their meeting with Sri Lanka in Sydney, South Africa were superb in the field.

The seamers were disciplined, before JP Duminy’s part-time off-spin saw him claim a memorable if unexpected hat-trick. Not to be outdone, the brilliant Imran Tahir took 4/26 as the Sri Lankans, who were bidding goodbye to legends Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, were skittled for 133.

Quinton de Kock smacked 12 fours in a 57-ball 78 as the Proteas cruised.

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