Events in Sport
- 1949-04-13 Basketball Association of America Finals: Minneapolis Lakers beat Washington Capitols, 77-56 to take series, 4 games to 2; BAA and National Basketball League merge later that year to create the NBA
- 1950-04-23 NBA Championship: Minneapolis Lakers beat Syracuse Nationals, 110-95 to take series, 4 games to 2
- 1950-11-22 7,021 see Fort Wayne Pistons edge Minneapolis Lakers, 19-18 at Minneapolis Auditorium; lowest ever NBA score of 37 combined points
Mikan's 61 Points
1952-01-20 The NBA's first superstar George Mikan scores a career high 61 points leading the Minneapolis Lakers to a 91-81 double-overtime victory over the Rochester Royals
- 1952-04-25 6th NBA Championship: Minneapolis Lakers beat NY Knicks, 4 games to 3
- 1953-01-13 3rd NBA All-Star Game, Allen County Coliseum, Fort Wayne, Indiana: West beats East, 79-75; MVP: George Mikan, Minneapolis Lakers, C
- 1953-04-10 NBA Championship Finals, Minneapolis Auditorium, Minnesota, MN: Minneapolis Lakers beat NY Knicks, 91-84 for a 4-1 series victory; Lakers' 5th title in 6 years
- 1954-12-02 Milwaukee Hawks shooting guard Frank Selvey sets then NBA record of 24 of 26 free throws as he scores 42 points in 117-108 win over the Minneapolis Lakers at Milwaukee Arena
- 1956-03-19 Biggest NBA margin of victory - Minn Lakers-133, St Louis Hawks-75
9th NBA All-Star Game
1959-01-23 9th NBA All-Star Game, Olympia Stadium, Detroit, Mi: West beats East, 124-108; MVPs: Elgin Baylor, Minneapolis Lakers, F; Bob Pettit, St. Louis Hawks, C; first co-winners of MVP award
NBA Record
1959-02-27 Boston Celtic Bob Cousy sets NBA record with 28 assists Boston Celtics score 173 points against Minneapolis Lakers
- 1959-04-09 13th NBA Championship: Boston Celtics sweep Minnesota Lakers in 4 games, first of Boston Celtics record 8 straight titles
Birthdays in Sport
George Mikan (1924-2005)
1924-06-18 American Basketball Hall of Fame center (NBA All-Star 1951-54; NBL MVP 1948; Minneapolis Lakers), born in Joliet, Illinois
- 1925-07-29 Arnie Ferrin, American College Basketball HOF guard (NCAA C'ship, Final Four MOB 1944 Uni of Utah; NBA C'ship Minneapolis Lakers 1949, 50), born in Salt Lake City, Utah (d. 2022)
- 1926-11-02 Myer "Whitey" Skoog, American basketball guard (NBA C'ship 1952, 53, 54 Minneapolis Lakers), born in Duluth, Minnesota (d. 2019)
- 1932-10-29 Dick Garmaker, American basketball guard (NBA All-Star 1957-60; Minneapolis Lakers), born in Hibbing, Minnesota (d. 2020)
- 1934-11-30 Steve Hamilton, American baseball pitcher (New York Yankees) and basketball forward (Minneapolis Lakers), born in Columbia, Kentucky (d. 1997)
Deaths in Sport
- 1997-12-02 Steve Hamilton, American baseball pitcher (New York Yankees) and basketball forward (Minneapolis Lakers), dies of cancer at 63
George Mikan (1924-2005)
2005-06-01 American Basketball Hall of Fame center (NBA All-Star 1951-54; NBL MVP 1948; Minneapolis Lakers), dies of diabetes complications at 80
- 2019-04-04 Myer "Whitey" Skoog, American basketball guard (NBA C'ship 1952, 53, 54 Minneapolis Lakers), dies at 92
- 2020-06-13 Dick Garmaker, American basketball guard (NBA All-Star 1957-60; Minneapolis Lakers), dies at 87
- 2022-12-27 Arnie Ferrin, American College Basketball HOF guard (NCAA C'ship, Final Four MOB 1944 Uni of Utah; NBA C'ship Minneapolis Lakers 1949, 50), dies at 97