Today in Sports History: April 18th

4/18/1962 - Celtics steal Game 7

The Boston Celtics beat the Los Angeles Lakers, 110-107, in overtime to win their fourth consecutive NBA title. Lakers guard Frank Selvy, who once scored 100 points in a college basketball game, hit two baskets in the final minute to even the score at 100. Selvy finished with a team-high 41 points, however, he missed an open ten-foot jump shot in the closing seconds that would have given them the championship. Instead, the game went to OT, where Boston eventually pulled away.

"I still wake up with nightmares about that shot," Celtics guard Bob Cousy, who was late in getting out to Selvy, told the Palm Beach Post in 2008. "That would've been my Bill Buckner moment. I would've thought about it for the rest of my life."

"I think things could've been a lot different if we won that one game there," Selvy later said. "But I don't lose any sleep over it."

Game 7 of the '62 Finals also featured one of the greatest playoff performances in history. In the decisive game, Bill Russell scored 30 points and pulled down an incredible 40 rebounds -- a statline no one will ever see in a Finals game again.

4/18/1981 - Minor league game goes 32 innings

The title is pretty self-explanatory, isn't it? If you've never read about the most famous minor league game of all time, click here for an in-depth Inhistoric article:

4/18/1987 - Schmidt reaches the milestone

Trailing 6-5 in the top of the ninth, Mike Schmidt puts the Phillies on top with a dramatic three-run blast off the Pirates' Don Robinson. It was the 500th home run of his career, practically assuring his place in the Hall of Fame. ''You couldn't write a more perfect script,'' Schmidt said. ''You would be hard-pressed to find one who hit a home run with a better storybook ending than that.'' At the time, Schmidt had by far the lowest batting average of any slugger with 500 homers (.267). However, his three MVP and 10 Gold Glove awards more than made up for that, and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995.

Schmidt's home run is also notable for spawning the most recognizable call of Harry Kalas' career. The longtime Phillies announcer said the following as Schmidt launched the Robinson pitch over the left field wall: "Swing and a long drive, there it is, number 500! The career 500th home run for Michael Jack Schmidt!"