Sports Legends Shine on February 28

From record-breaking performances to historic Olympic moments, February 28 has witnessed many unforgettable feats in sports history.

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

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February is a busy month for sports, with the NBA and NHL seasons, Super Bowl, NBA All-Star game, college basketball tournaments, spring training for the MLB, NASCAR's Daytona 500, Formula E, some PGA Tour events, and the Winter Olympics all taking place. Over the years, February 28 has seen its fair share of remarkable sporting achievements, from record-breaking performances to historic Olympic victories.

Why it matters

These stories from February 28 showcase the incredible talent and accomplishments of some of the greatest athletes and teams in sports history. They serve as a reminder of the passion, dedication, and skill that defines the world of sports, and how certain dates can become etched in the annals of sporting lore.

The details

Some of the notable events that have taken place on February 28 include: the 1844 Grand National horse race won by John Crickmere aboard Discount; the 1906 Stanley Cup series where the Ottawa HC beat Queen's University; the 1925 Toronto Maple Leafs setting a franchise record with their ninth consecutive win; the 1929 Chicago Blackhawks setting a league record with their 15th straight home loss; the 1936 World Figure Skating Championships where Karl Schafer and Ernst Baier and Maxi Herber defended their titles; the 1957 milestone of jockey Johnny Longden's 5,000th career win; the 1960 U.S. Olympic hockey team's gold medal victory; the 1966 joint holdout of Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale against the Los Angeles Dodgers; Wilt Chamberlain's 1967 record of 35 consecutive made field goals; and more recent achievements like Calvin Murphy's 1981 free throw record and Pat Verbeek becoming the first New Jersey Devil to score four goals in a game in 1988.

  • In 1844, John Crickmere won the Grand National horse race aboard Discount.
  • In 1906, the Ottawa HC beat Queen's University 12-7 in the Stanley Cup challenge series.
  • In 1925, the Toronto Maple Leafs set a franchise record with their ninth consecutive win.
  • In 1929, the Chicago Blackhawks set a league record with their 15th straight home loss.
  • In 1936, Karl Schafer won his seventh consecutive men's figure skating World Championship title, and Ernst Baier and Maxi Herber won their fourth consecutive pairs figure skating gold medal at the World Championships.

The players

John Crickmere

The jockey who won the 1844 Grand National horse race aboard the 5/1 co-favorite Discount.

Ottawa HC

The hockey team that beat Queen's University 12-7 in the 1906 Stanley Cup challenge series.

Toronto Maple Leafs

The NHL team that set a franchise record with their ninth consecutive win in 1925.

Chicago Blackhawks

The NHL team that set a league record with their 15th straight home loss in 1929.

Karl Schafer

The Austrian figure skater who won his seventh consecutive men's figure skating World Championship title in 1936.

Ernst Baier and Maxi Herber

The German pair figure skaters who won their fourth consecutive pairs figure skating gold medal at the 1936 World Championships.

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The takeaway

February 28 has seen an incredible array of sporting achievements, from record-breaking performances to historic Olympic moments. These stories showcase the passion, dedication, and skill that define the world of sports, and remind us of the indelible impact that certain dates can have on the annals of sporting history.