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This day in sports: Owners allow transfer of ownership of Dodgers to Fox

Former Dodgers owner Peter O'Malley, left, and new owner Rupert Murdoch look over the playing field during Opening Day in Los Angeles on April 7, 1998.
(John SooHoo / Associated Press)
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In the derby of canceled games, the Kings would have had the L.A. Live spotlight to themselves tonight against the Boston Bruins at Staples Center, with the Lakers and Clippers taking the day off. The Bruins, who would have played the Ducks the night before in Anaheim, were in first place in the NHL’s Atlantic Division when the season was halted by the coronavirus.

The excitement of March Madness would be felt from coast to coast today with 16 first-round games of the NCAA tournament set to tip off, in arenas at Albany, N.Y., Spokane, Wash., St. Louis and Tampa, Fla.

And with the anticipation of baseball season drawing closer, Cactus League play would include the Dodgers meeting the Brewers and the Angels visiting their former outfielder Kole Calhoun and his new team, the Diamondbacks.

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Here is a look at memorable games and sports performances on this date.

1955 — The University of San Francisco, led by center Bill Russell and guard K.C. Jones, wins the first of two consecutive NCAA basketball championships with a 77-63 victory over La Salle. The Dons complete the season with a 28-1 record and Russell is a first-team All-America selection.

A look at what happened on this day in sports history.

March 18, 2020

1956 — The Minneapolis Lakers post a 133-75 victory over the St. Louis Hawks for the biggest rout in NBA playoff history. Slater Martin led the Lakers with 19 points as all 10 players reached double figures. The Lakers made 45 of 54 free throws and the Hawks shot 24% from the field.

1960 — Sophomore Jerry Lucas, John Havlicek and Larry Siegfried lead Ohio State to its only NCAA basketball title with a 75-55 victory over defending champion California at the Cow Palace in San Francisco. The Buckeyes’ sixth man off the bench is Bob Knight. It is Pete Newell’s last game as coach of the Golden Bears.

1960 — Mach Herndon’s 26 points leads Bradley to an 88-72 victory over Providence for the NIT championship. Lenny Wilkens scores 25 points for Providence.

1966 — Texas Western (now Texas El Paso) wins the NCAA basketball championship with a 72-65 victory over Kentucky. Don Haskins, the Miners coach, starts five African American players, a first for an NCAA championship game. The Wildcats, coached by Adolph Rupp, are led by future Lakers coach Pat Riley, who scores 19 points.

1998—Baseball owners vote to allow the $311-million deal that transfers ownership of the Dodgers to Rupert Murdoch’s Fox Group. The transaction ends the O’Malley family dynasty, the oldest in baseball.

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2004 — Tara Kirk of Stanford sets a world record in the 100-meter breaststroke on the second day of the NCAA women’s swimming championships. Kirk finishes in 1:04.79, becoming the first woman to swim under 1:05 in the event.

2011 — Omar Cummings is the first player in Major League Soccer history to score a goal in four straight season openers with a goal in the Colorado Rapids 3-1 victory over the expansion Portland Timbers.

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