September 16

From Hoopedia

• 1934 - Hall of Fame player Elgin Baylor is born in Washington, D.C.

• 1959 - (Right) Chicago is granted an NBA expansion franchise. The Packers are slated to begin play with the 1961-62 season. After a lot of traveling the Packers would settle down as the Washington Wizards

• 1974 - Legendary Hall of Fame coach Phog Allen dies at age 88.

• 1982 - NBA player Bill Robinzine is found dead from carbon monoxide poisoning in Kansas City, Missouri.

• 2003 - The Detroit Shock win their first WNBA title against the Los Angeles Sparks before a sell-out crowd of 22,076, a new WNBA attendance record.

• 2005 - Indiana Pacers guard Anthony Johnson pleads no contest to a count of misdemeanor assault and battery following the November 19, 2004 altercation between the Detroit Pistons and Pacers sometimes referred to as "Malice at the Palace."

• 2007 - Russia wins its first European Championship, defeating Spain, 60-59. Andrei Kirilenko leads the winners with 17 points and 5 rebounds.

• 2007 - In Game 5 of the WNBA Finals, the Phoenix Mercury take an early lead and held on to it, defeating the Detroit Shock, 108-92, to win their first title. Penny Taylor leads the Mercury in scoring with 30 points.