(Abdul-Rauf in front of the US flag. Photo courtesy of the AP)

3/12/1996 - Mahmoud suspended for anthem absences

America is a nation that prides itself on having freedom of speech, but it often recoils when that freedom is used in an alien or unfamiliar way (i.e, the Dixie Chicks). Former NBA player Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf found that out in 1996. Born as Chris Jackson, Mahmoud embraced Islam shortly after being drafted by the Denver Nuggets. He quickly earned a reputation as one of the league's best shooters and finished his career as a 90% foul shooter, even though suffered from Tourette's Syndrome.

But there were some things the fans didn't appreciate that he did on the court, mainly his decision to stay in the locker room during the Star-Spangled Banner. Fans started to take notice and with the help of Denver talk shows the issue turned into a nation-wide commotion. The NBA, who had allowed Mahmoud to do as he pleased, caved under the pressure and asked him to appear during the anthem.

Abdul-Rauf refused, citing that it conflicted with his Muslim beliefs to worship the American flag. "It's also a symbol of oppression, of tyranny," Mahmoud said, "so it depends on how you look at it. I think this country has a long history of that. If you look at history, I don't think you can argue the facts." Various Muslims disputed Mahmoud's claims that it violated the Qur'an, including Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon. Player reaction was mixed, although polls even conducted in Denver showed that fans were fervently against his stance. Nevertheless, Mahmoud remained adamant in his decision.

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3/11/2002 - Robbed by Rivera

It was on this day in 2002 that the New York Yankees released Ruben Rivera from his contract. Ruben, the younger cousin of Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, was a major prospect who never quite panned out. After eight years in the big leagues, he finished his career with a lifetime batting average of just .216.

You may be wondering what's so interesting about a so-so baseball player getting the axe. As it turned out, Rivera was released because he had stolen the glove and bat of Yankees star Derek Jeter and sold them to a memorabilia store for $2,500. The Yankees confronted him when they found out, and Rivera was able to give Jeter back his equipment. It mattered not and the Yankees bought out his $1 million contract, leaving him with just a $200,000 settlement.

"Everyone makes mistakes. I haven't killed anybody," River said. "It was just a moment when I wasn't thinking right. I've repented. I gave it all back to him the next day. It wasn't correct what I was doing."

3/10/1976 - The Fat Lady sings

On this day in 1976, one of the most famous sports adages in the nation is born, according to Fred Shapiro's The Yale Book of Quotations. The Dallas Morning News published an article on this day that stated:

Despite his obvious allegiance to the Red Raiders, Texas Tech sports information director Ralph Carpenter was the picture of professional objectivity when the Aggies rallied for a 72-72 tie late in the SWC tournament finals. "Hey, Ralph," said Bill Morgan, "this... is going to be a tight one after all." "Right," said Ralph. "The opera ain’t over until the fat lady sings."

This is this earliest recorded usage or variation of the now popular phrase, "It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings." Although Carpenter is now recognized as its originator, the phrase was long credited to Washington Bullets coach Dick Motta, who popularized it by making it the team's motto in 1978. That was the year the Bullets shocked everyone and won the championship despite a mediocre 44-38 record. By the time Motta celebrated the title with a shirt that read "The Opera Isn't Over 'Til The Fat Lady Sings," the phrase had been entered into the American lexicon.

Motta first heard the adage when his Bullets were visiting the San Antonio Spurs. Dan Cook, a local sports writer, used the phrase in an effort to encourage Spurs fans that they could beat the Bullets. Motta took a liking to it.

In 1979, the Bullets went back to the finals against the same team they beat in 1978: the Seattle SuperSonics. This time, the Sonics came out on top with a 4-1 series victory.

(O'Neal goes up against the Clippers on his birthday. Photo courtesy of AP)

3/06/2000 - Shaq scores 61 on birthday

On March 6, 2000, Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal turned 28 years old. That night, the Lakers played "on the road" against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center -- which was the same arena the Lakers played their home games at. For his birthday, O'Neal had asked the Clippers to give him free seats for his family and friends; the Clippers denied, and Shaq was forced to spend the money himself.

Feeling spurned, O'Neal laid waste to the atrocious Clippers, who had lost 25 of 27 games and had just recently fired Chris Ford, their head coach. In 45 minutes, O'Neal went 24-35 from the field, made 13 of 22 foul shots, scored 61 points and pulled down 23 rebounds, as the Lakers (who would finish 67-15) destroyed the Clippers who adversely finished 15-67), 123-103. It was the most points anyone had ever scored on their birthday, and was the first 60-20 performance the league had seen since 1969, when Wilt Chamberlain accomplished it.

"We tried to do everything conceivable to stop him and slow him down," said Clippers interim coach Jim Todd. "He just had it going and it was tough going against Goliath. He obviously wanted to make a point. ... I hoped he would stop at 50."

Afterward, O'Neal -- who would win his only MVP that season -- gave a warning to the other NBA teams: "Don't ever make me pay for tickets."

3/05/1973 - Yankee pitchers trade families

New York Yankee pitchers Mike Kekich and Fritz Peterson appeared almost inseparable. They were both friendly with each others wives and families and regularly spent time with one another. No one had any idea how close they were to each others lives... until today in 1973, when the two pitchers announced that they were swapping families. No, not just their wives -- they planned on living with each other's wife, kids, and pets. Needless to say, people found the unorthodox deal a tad... weird.

"Some people are going to think it's a wife swap. Mike and I agreed it was a life swap," Peterson said. He added, "We've known each other for three or four years. In the beginning, it was fun just being together, the four of us. Then as things went along it became more serious. ... We both found we were unbelievably happy with the other. We each had found something we had both been lacking."

Peterson got the better end of the deal -- Kekich and Marilyn Peterson split shortly after their pairing, while Fritz and Sussane Kekich wound up staying married.

(It took a long time for Manny to re-sign. Photo by Harry How, Getty Images)

3/04/1990 - Hank Gathers dies on court

It was one of the most horrendous moments in all of sports.

Seconds after he threw down a dunk, Hank Gathers of Loyola Marymount collapses at midcourt during a conference tournament game against the University of Portland. The 3,000 fans in attendance, among them Gathers' own aunt and mother, watched in stunned silence as doctors rushed onto the floor to try to resuscitate the 23 year-old, who had gone into a seizure. The game was postponed and he was taken to the hospital, where the physicians on-hand were unable to revive him. He was pronounced dead less than two hours later.

"Words are hard right now," said Loyola coach Paul Westhead. "This is the hardest thing I've experienced. To be so close to a player and see him fall and for it to be over. I feel a deep hurt for his family."

Gathers had already made a name for himself in the world of sports. The dynamic duo of him and teammate Bo Kimble had taken an otherwise irrelevant team from the West Coast Conference and made them into a national contender. They were the first two players to score 40 apiece in a single game, led the Lions to 25 games with more than 100 points, and -- with Kimble leading the nation in scoring -- were on pace to become just the second school to post back-to-back years with a different player leading the nation in points. They had even appeared on the Today Show in tandem. At the time of his death, Loyola Marymount was ranked No. 11 in the nation with a 23-5 record, while Gathers was averaging 29 points and 10.8 rebounds per game.

Gathers, who in 1989 became just the second player in Division I basketball to lead the nation in both points and rebounds, was on track to receiving a first round selection in the NBA draft. Later that day, he had planned to take in an NBA game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves. "It's so ironic," said Lakers coach Pat Riley, who had invited Gathers to several of his team's practices. "The issue of life is so ironic. Mychal Thompson's family just had a baby, James (Worthy) had a baby, and tonight, Larry Drew was helping his wife go through labor with their first child. At a time when new people are coming into this world, a very young one gets taken."

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Gary Glitter - Rock'n Roll Part 2 1972 (via fritz5134)

3/03/1875 - First indoor hockey game

At the Victoria Skating Rink in Montreal, Canada, the first recorded indoor hockey game takes place. Hockey was usually confined to the outdoors on ice or in the fields and typically lacked any rules or regulation. This game featured two teams, two goaltenders, a referee, a puck, a time limit, and most importantly, was referred to as a "hockey" match in an advertisement for the game.

3/03/1990 - Olajuwon briefly has historic game

Hakeem Olajuwon, then known as "Akeem Olajuwon," fills out the box score in every single category. In a 129-121 victory over the Golden State Warriors, the Rockets center compiled 29 points, 18 rebounds, 11 blocks, 9 assists, and 5 steals. After the game, members of the Rockets' scoring crew went back and reviewed the tape. They decided that he had not been rightfully given an assist on a first quarter shot by Buck Johnson, so they gave him a tenth assist.

With that extra digit, Olajuwon had become just the third player to record a quadruple-double in NBA history, joining a list that only included Nate Thurmond and Alvin Robertson. However, it was short lived. NBA vice president Rod Thorn looked over the game tape and decided to remove the additional assist.

"A box score should not be changed after the fact for the purpose of achieving a statistical milestone," Thorn said. "If an appreciable statistical change needs to be made after the box score is distributed, the league office is responsible for making the change, if is deemed necessary."

The decision would have been a terrible footnote in the career of Hakeem Olajuwon, except that just 26 days later, he recorded an NBA-approved quadruple-double against the Milwaukee Bucks (18 points, 16 rebounds, 11 blocks, 10 assists).

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(The Joker + foliage + costume = the Stanford Tree. Kyle Terada, US Presswire)

3/02/1962 - Chamberlain scores 100 points

A million people claim to have been at a game that only about 4,000 people really got to see. Wilt Chamberlain, with his team barn-storming in Hershey, Pennsylvania, scored an NBA record 100 points, the greatest single-game performance in league history.

To read more about this story, click here for an in-depth Inhistoric article:

3/02/1972 - Stanford Indian goes bye bye

In an 18-4 decision, the ASSU (or Associated Students of Stanford University) vote to ban the university's portrayal of a Native American, stating that "any and all Stanford University use of the Indian Symbol should be immediately disavowed and permanently stopped." From 1930-1972, the Stanford Cardinal sports teams had used a man dressed as an Indian as their mascot. Native Americans were not amused, and in 1972, 55 students submitted a petition, stating that their portrayal of the Indian was an offensive one.

And thus, one of the weirdest mascots in all of sports was born. Filling the place of the Stanford Indian was the Stanford Tree, a fake mascot used by the school band that caught on with the students. Besides looking completely ridiculous, the Tree is one of the only mascots in sports based on an inanimate object -- which is unique if nothing else.

Oh and in case you were wondering, the team is actually named after the color cardinal and not the bird, thus they are the Stanford Cardinal and not the "Cardinals".

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