TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - MARCH 7TH

1857 - Baseball decides 9 innings constitutes an official game, not 9 runs.

1938 - Janet Guthrie, race car driver (First woman to race in Indy 500) is born.

1940 - Ray Steele beats Bronko Nagurski in St Louis, to become wrestling champ.

1950 - Franco Harris, NFL fullback (Pittsburgh Steelers) is born.
1951 - Ezzard Charles beats Jersey Joe Walcott in 15 for heavyweight boxing title.

1952 - Lynn Swann, NFL receiver (Pittsburgh Steelers)/sportscaster is born.

1954 - Russia wins title in their first international ice hockey competition.
1955 - Baseball Commish Ford Frick says he favors legalization of spitter.

1979 - Baseball exhibition season opens with semipro & amateur umpires.
1979 - Warren Giles & Hack Wilson selected to baseball Hall of Fame.

1982 - NCAA Tournament Selection televised live for first time.
1986 - Wayne Gretzky breaks own NHL season record with 136th assist.

1987 - Mike Tyson beats Bonecrusher Smith in 12 rounds for heavyweight boxing title.

1991 - James "Cool Papa" Bell, American baseball league great, dies at 87.
1996 - Magic Johnson is second NBA player to reach 10,000 career assists.