June 15 & the Sports History

June 15, 1976: The game that was to be played between Pittsburgh Pirates and the Astros was postponed after flood around the entrance of Astrodome became a hurdle for players, fans, and umpires to enter the stadium.

A rainout in the Astrodome was considered simply impossible with its dome shape, and the protection elements that were put in — from all the angles. And, that became history when it happened on that Tuesday, June 15, 1976. Despite the fact that the playing ground was protected from every single end, the incessant rain & subsequent flooding made it impossible for people to move.

A strong thunderstorm with very humid and unstable atmospheric conditions along the Gulf Coast through the Houston area, which all extended along with central Texas. Seven hours after a storm in Houston, there were 7.48 inches of rain. The rain was all through from Denver Harbor to Reveille to the East Loop, and the Market Street. The Houston Ship Channel was where the highest rainfall of 13.06 inches was recorded.

This was the first rainout in the entire history of Astrodome. According to a popular story — only 20 fans entered the stadium anyhow, and they would eat in the stadium cafeteria. The players got served with meals in the middle of the stadium.

June 15, 1984: On June 15, 1984, defeating Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns lifted the WBC Super Welterweight title at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas NV by way of a brutal 2nd round knockout. This was a historical moment for Thomas Hearns with this stupendous record of 38-1 with 32 wins via knockout merely at the age of 25.

Hearns with some vicious right hands on Durán knocked him down twice and in the second round, before the kill shot, Hearns landed successive combinations with a stinging left jab, and then brutal right to the jaw, which brought Duran at the defeating end. In an interview addressing the media, he said, You all thought I was crazy picking a second-round knockout. But I was deadly serious. I couldn't just win; I had to win big because I was fighting a legend. And Roberto Durán is a legend.” For Durán, in his 82 career fights, it was for the first time that this legend got knocked out by somebody.

June 15, 2001: On June 15, 2001, the Philadelphia 76ers got defeated by the Los Angeles Lakers to come back with the 2001 NBA championship. They finished the playoffs with a 15-1 record. This win was led by Shaquille O'Neal who dropped 29 points and 13 rebounds and became the Most valued player of the season. For O'Neal, coach Phil Jackson, and Kobe Bryant this was the second of three straight championships.

However, the Lakers have won three NBA championships, but this was special — they won over the Philadelphia 76ers by playing the most amazing season in the entire history of the league with game five victory in the NBA finals. The Los Angeles Lakers 108-96 winning spree made them create a league-record single-playoff winning percentage (.937) and postseason record (15-1). Shaq was the hero of the game with an average of 33 points, 15.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 3.4 blocks per game. He became one of the three players to have been named Finals MVP in consecutive years. With this, Shaq joined Hakeem Olajuwon & Michael Jordan. After the game, Shaq said in an interview, “The first championship was just to get the monkey off my back. The rest is to stamp me in history.”