Today in sports history – 19 March
France are banned for being professional and a local boxing legend experiences a haunting day at the office.
Willie Toweel. Photo: Twitter.
As sport grinds to a halt all over the world due to the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve decided to have a daily look back at those “simpler” times, when there was triumph, drama and disappointment on various fields and arenas.
This is today in sport history…
1932
The Five Nations ends in a three-way tie for the title, with England, Ireland and Wales all ending on four log points. Freakishly, the Welsh and the Irish ended on the same points difference. One conspicuous absence though was France, who were banned from the tournament the previous year.
It had emerged that the French were paying some of their players, which was strictly forbidden in those amateur-era days, while they were also frequently cited for violent play. That sanction stayed in place until 1940, when the competition was forced into a seven-year hiatus due to World War II.
1956
Willie Toweel sprung to prominence after claiming bronze in the flyweight during the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki. Four years later, the then 32-year-old faces a 21-year-old Hubert Essakow in defence of his featherweight title. Toweel eventually prevails in the 11th round, but Essakow is later taken to hospital after losing consciousness.
It emerges that he sustained massive brain injuries, passing away three days later. Toweel, who considered himself religious, is deeply affected and contemplates retirement. It’s said that while he enjoyed much success afterwards, he held back his attacking punching in fear of fatally injuring an opponent again.
1984
Pitcher Denny McLain #17 of the Detroit Tigers pitches during an Major League Baseball game circa 1965 at Tiger Stadium in Detroit, Michigan. McLain played for the Tigers from 1963-70. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
Denny McLain’s fall from one of baseball’s finest pitching talents to convicted criminal is complete. He receives a 23-year sentence on racketeering, narcotics and extortion charges. The pitcher, who was a 30-game winner for the Detroit Tigers in 1968, had a known gambling problem.
It was revealed at one stage that the foot injury he suffered in 1967 was down to mafia henchmen stomping on his foot as revenge for not paying up on a lost bet. His troubles didn’t stop. He was accused of embezzlement in 2006 and arrested in 2008 and 2011 for outstanding warrants against him.
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