March 2 – Wilt Chamberlain the first NBA player to score 100 points in one game
In 1962, Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points during a game against the New York Knicks. This was the most points ever by an NBA player in a single game. The Warriors’ won 169-147.
March 3 – The NAFL changes back to NFL
On this day in 1950, the National-American Football League reverted back to calling itself the NFL after only three months of merging with the AFL. The NFL name would go on to become one of the biggest brands in the world but would adopt many of the AFL’s rules and regulations such as an on-field game clock and the addition of names on player jerseys.
March 4 – Babe Ruth becomes highest paid player in the MLB
In 1927, New York Yankee Babe Ruth became the highest-paid player in MLB history when he signed a three year, $70,000 per season deal with the Yankees. $70,000 in 1927 is equivalent to about one million dollars today.
March 5 – Carol E. Heiss wins at Worlds Ladies’ Figure Skating Championships
On this day in 1960, New Yorker Carol E. Heiss won first place at the 1960 World Figure Skating Championships. A month prior, Heiss had won gold at the Winter Olympics in women’s singles skating competition.
March 6 – Cassius Clay changes his name to Muhammed Ali
On this day in 1964, boxing legend Cassiuss Clay converted to Islam and changed his named to Muhammed Ali. He called his former name a “slave name.”
March 7 – Neymar makes his professional debut
In 2009, Brazilian soccer star Neymar made his professional debut with soccer team Santos FC. He was only 17 years old.
March 8 – US women’s soccer team sues the US soccer federation for equal pay
On this day in 2019, the U.S. national women’s soccer team filed a federal gender discrimination lawsuit against the United States Soccer Federation. Judge R. Gary Klausner of Federal District Court in Los Angeles denied their case claiming that any pay differences between the men and women’s teams were based on salary agreements in their contracts.
