February 21
From Hoopedia
- 1909 - (Right) Hall of Famer Danny Biasone, owner of the Syracuse Nationals, one of the founders of the Basketball Association of America (the predecessor of the NBA) and the father of the shot clock, is born in Miglianico of Chieti, Italy.
- 1925 - Hall of Fame coach Jack Ramsay, winner of over 1,000 college and NBA games, is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- 1939 - Paul Westhead, who has coached in college, the NBA and WNBA, is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- 1952 - The Boston Celtics and the Fort Wayne Pistons tip off at midnight in a “Milkman’s Special” following an Ice Follies performance at Boston Garden. Bob Cousy keeps the 2,368 customers awake with 24 points in a 88-67 hometown win.
- 1953 - Niagara finally prevails over Siena, 88-81, in six overtimes -- the longest game in college basketball history.
- 1960 - Wilt Chamberlain scores 58 points in the Philadelphia Warriors 129-122 win over the New York Knicks, tying his rookie record for the most points scored in a game.
- 1976 - Red Holzman won his 500th game with New York’s 102-98 win over New Orleans at Madison Square Garden. At the time, Holzman was only the second coach--after Red Auerbach--to reach that plateau.
- 1977 - Three-time NBA All-Star Steve Francis is born in Silver Spring, Maryland.
- 1985 - A new NBA single-game attendance record (since surpassed) is established as 44,970 fans fill the Pontiac Silverdome as the Atlanta Hawks faced the Detroit Pistons.
- 1993 - (Right) The West defeats the East 135-132 in overtime in the 43rd annual NBA All-Star Game in Salt Lake City, as Utah’s John Stockton (15 assists) and Karl Malone (28 points) become the first players from the same NBA team ever to share the All-Star Game MVP award.
- 2006 - Fans at Quicken Loans Arena break the Guinness World Record for "most people wearing wigs in a single venue" when 20,562 fans wear curly wigs given away before the game in celebration of Cleveland Cavaliers forward Anderson Varejao's unique hairstyle.
