Sports · 1979
Iconic Rivalries and Dramatic Victories Define 1979
In 1979, college basketball birthed a legendary rivalry that redefined the sport, while Pittsburgh crowned champions on both the gridiron and the diamond. From wild NASCAR fights to teenage tennis prodigies, the year delivered unforgettable theatricality across the athletic world.
- March 26, 1979 | NCAA Basketball
Magic Johnson and Larry Bird Spark Legend
Michigan State's Magic Johnson defeated Larry Bird's Indiana State squad in the most-watched college basketball game ever, igniting an iconic rivalry.
- February 18, 1979 | NASCAR
The Daytona 500 Broadcast and Fight
Richard Petty won NASCAR's first live flag-to-flag televised race while Cale Yarborough and the Allison brothers engaged in a legendary infield fistfight.
- January 21, 1979 | NFL
Steelers Edge Cowboys in Super Bowl XIII
Terry Bradshaw threw four touchdown passes as the Pittsburgh Steelers outlasted the Dallas Cowboys 35-31 in a classic battle of the decade's dominant franchises.
- October 17, 1979 | MLB
Pirates Win 'We Are Family' World Series
Led by Series MVP Willie Stargell, the Pittsburgh Pirates rallied from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Baltimore Orioles in seven games.
- October 10, 1979 | NHL
Wayne Gretzky Makes His NHL Debut
Eighteen-year-old phenom Wayne Gretzky played his first official NHL game with the Edmonton Oilers, launching a career that would rewrite every hockey record book.
- September 9, 1979 | Tennis
16-Year-Old Tracy Austin Wins US Open
Prodigy Tracy Austin defeated four-time defending champion Chris Evert in straight sets, becoming the youngest US Open singles champion in history.
- May 21, 1979 | NHL
Montreal Canadiens Capture Fourth Straight Cup
The Canadiens capped off their late-1970s dynasty by defeating the New York Rangers in five games to secure their fourth consecutive Stanley Cup.
- November 30, 1979 | Boxing
Sugar Ray Leonard Wins First World Championship
Olympic hero Sugar Ray Leonard stopped undefeated champion Wilfred Benítez in the 15th round to capture the WBC Welterweight title in Las Vegas.
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