This Day in Sports History: April 17

On this day in 1968, Oakland became an American League town. The Athletics played their first game at the then sparkling new Oakland Coliseum.

Just four years later would bring the city a World Series Championship.

In a different NBA era, on this day in 1967, the Warriors’ Rick Barry scored 55 points in a playoff game against the Philadelphia 76ers. It was the third highest total in a playoff game at that time. 

Also on this day in 2007, NBA referee Joey Crawford was suspended for the remainder of the season. San Antoinio’s Tim Duncan received a second technical foul and ejection for smiling from the bench.