Some of the biggest sporting events in the world, such as the Olympics and World Cup, come on a quadrennial basis. Leap Day, February 29, does this as well. However, in the history of sports, it has had relatively little significance. The NBA and NHL seasons are chugging along. Spring Training has just gotten under way. The day makes you wait one day longer for March Madness. Simply put, Leap Day's impact on sports isn't that much. Nonetheless, I will give you a brief history of what noteworthy things have taken place on this day.
1952: Dick Button won his fifth consecutive world men's figure skating championship in Paris.
1972: Mark Spitz won the Sullivan Award, being named the top amateur athlete in the United States. He went on to win seven gold medals at the Summer Olympics in Munich.
1972: Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron became the first baseball player to sign a $200,000 contract.
1980: Hartford Whaler Gordie Howe became the first NHL player to score his 800th career goal.
1996: Wayne Gretzky scored a goal in his debut playing for the St. Louis Blues.
2004: College football's Bowl Championship Series added a fifth bowl to improve the chances of mid-major teams playing in the games.
2004: Tiger Woods defeated Davis Love III in the 36-hole final of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.
There are also of course athletes who have been born on Leap Day. There has been 40 players in the four major U.S. sports leagues born on the day, including former American League Most Valuable Player Al Rosen in 1924 and current Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward in 1984.
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