June 28 in sports history: Muhammad Ali’s most Supreme victory

Ali applied for the conscientious-objector classification, only to have multiple appeals rejected. At the scheduled induction, Ali refused to answer all three times his name was called. Ali was immediately stripped of his boxing license and championship, and in 1967, he was indicted and convicted by the Justice Department of violating the Selective Service laws.

Ali would endure a four-year exile from boxing. However, he built legal and financial support in his battle to overturn the conviction and return to the sport. A series of interviews and speeches in colleges he made across the country played a huge role in changing the minds of millions about the seemingly eternal conflict.

On this day in 1971, the Supreme Court overturned the conviction, on a technicality, with an 8-0 decision. Although the decision process was complex, and Thurgood Marshall recused himself, the remaining justices said that neither the appeals board nor DOJ provided a reasonable basis for denying Ali’s application.

While he gave himself the nickname as “The Greatest,” a significant reason why Ali reached near-deity status in the eyes of millions was that he took on the United States government…and won.

BLAZERS PUT ODEN, NOT DURANT, ON OREGON TRAIL

2007: The buzz surrounding the 2007 event was reminiscent of the lead-up to the 1984 draft, when there was significant debate over whether the Portland Trail Blazers should take center Sam Bowie or guard Michael Jordan as the No. 1 overall pick. There was a can’t-miss offensive dynamo in Texas’ Kevin Durant, whose unlimited range and smooth form would have made him the top pick any other year. However, scouts were enamored by Ohio State’s Greg Oden, who many believed to be the second coming of the iconic Bill Russell. A strong defender with some offensive touch, evaluators thought that Oden could be molded into the next great NBA center.

In ‘83, the Blazers were bestowed with the top pick and had the great Clyde Frazier on the team. In ’07, Rookie of the Year Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge were already on the roster as foundational pieces. So, the Blazers went for the seemingly sure thing and selected Oden, while the Seattle SuperSonics nabbed Durant with second pick. “I was on the phone with the radio station back in Portland,” the new franchise player quipped. “They said they stomped the floor like they won the NBA championship when they called my name.”

Sadly for Portland, Oden, just like Bowie, was snake-bitten by injuries as he missed his rookie season and played only 105 NBA games over parts of three seasons in Portland and Miami. Durant would go on to become one of the greatest small forwards of all time, and the world awaits his return in the NBA’s full season when he finally suits up for the Brooklyn Nets.

OTHER NOTABLE TOP PICKS

Several other NBA drafts took place on this day:

• 1995: Golden State took Maryland PF Joe Smith
• 2000: New Jersey selected Cincinnati’s Kenyon Martin
• 2005:  Milwaukee nabbed Utah center Andrew Bogut
• 2006: Toronto drafted forward/center Andrea Bargnani from Italy
• 2012: New Orleans picked Anthony Davis from Kentucky

BASEBALL INFAMY

1907: The original Washington Senators (today’s Minnesota Twins) stole a then-AL-record 13 bases off New York Highlanders (now Yankees) catcher Branch Rickey in a 16-5 win. The future Hall of Fame baseball executive also struck out three times and committed an error.

1987: In the top of the sixth inning of a 6-2 Boston win, the Yankees’ Rick Rhoden plunked Red Sox designated hitter Don Baylor. It was the 244 ^th time the power-hitting Baylor would be hit by a pitch, then a major league record in the modern era. The 1969 AL MVP and former manager was known for crowding the plate, and he got beaned 267 times. (The record now belongs to Hall of Famer Craig Biggio with 285.)

DREAM ON

1992: Arguably the greatest sports team ever assembled, the Dream Team — the U.S. men’s national basketball team that featured 11 Basketball Hall of Fame players — demolished the Cuban national team, 136-57, in an exhibition game that served as one of several warm-ups to the Summer Olympics. Jordan, who scored just six points, was asked about some sort of turning point in the game. “The turning point? When they threw the ball up.”

1995:  At the New Jersey Devils’ Stanley Cup victory parade, backup goaltender Chris Terreri held up a sign that said “Nashville? NO WAY!” Rumors of a move to the Music City were rampant even as the team marched to its first of three titles. The Devils remained in New Jersey, though they moved from the Meadowlands to Newark. Nashville would get an expansion team, the Predators, three years later.

LIGHTNING CRASHES

1975: In one of the most bizarre, but miraculous moments in the history of golf, five players — reigning PGA champion Lee Trevino, Bobby Nichols, Jerry Heard, Tony Jacklin and Jim Ahern — were struck by lightning on the 13th hole in the third round of the Western Open in the Chicago suburbs. Or rather, they were jolted by the lightning, which actually struck a scoreboard held by 14-year-old Bobby Mortimore of nearby Hinsdale.

When lightning strikes reached the course, sirens wailed to tell everyone to get off the course, but it appeared that neither Trevino nor Heard heeded the warnings. They got under an umbrella while still on the 13th green. Not long after, a bolt struck a nearby lake, went through the grass and ended up electrifying Trevino’s putter as he was leaning on his bag.

By the grace of the sports gods, all of the golfers were treated for minor burns, though Trevino dealt with spine issues that affected his play. In a TV interview with Jacklin, the late Arnold Palmer joked that “I called over to the hospital and heard the doctor told Lee: ‘Your condition is like being a little bit pregnant.’” Thankfully, Trevino is still with us. Otherwise, how else would we have known that Grizzly Adams had a beard?

Happy Birthday…

• Hall of Fame Denver Broncos quarterback and current GM John Elway . In 16 seasons in Denver, the prolific passer led his team to five AFC championship wins and two Super Bowl victories. MVP of Super Bowl XXXIII and 1987 league MVP, Elway ranks ninth all-time in passing yards and 12th in passing TDs. (60)
• Jack Harbaugh , former Buffalo Bills running, longtime head coach at Western Kentucky and father of John and Jim Harbaugh. (81)
• Former MLB pitcher Al Downing , who gave up Hank Aaron’s record-breaking 715th home run. Downing was a 20-game winner with the Dodgers and won the 1971 NL Comeback Player of the Year Award. (79)
• Bradley Beal , third overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards. Beal is second all-time in points for Washington and in February became the first player since Kobe Bryant in 2007 to score 50 points in consecutive games. (27)
• Arizona State basketball head coach Bobby Hurley, who holds the record for most assists in college basketball. Hurley won two national championships with Duke. He was picked in the first round of the 1993 NBA Draft by Sacramento and played five years in the Association. (49)