Binge Media Sports: The 20th Anniversary of June 17, 1994

It’s hard to believe it’s been twenty years since that crazy Friday in 1994, but here we are on June 17, 2014, two decades removed from one of the craziest days in sports history, or at least American media history. What should have gone down as one of the best single days in sports turned into a circus before the night was done. This day is so famous that as part of its “30 for 30” series, ESPN even produced a documentary simply titled “June 17th, 1994”.

Are the pictures jogging your memory a little bit? Well, just in case you’ve forgotten, allow me to explain how the events of June 17, 1994 went down.

We start in Oakmont, PA for the 94th U.S. Open. One of the most legendary figures in golf history, Arnold Palmer, is making his 32nd appearance on one of the world’s biggest stages. Sure, he hasn’t played in a U.S. Open since 1983, but due to a special exemption from the USGA, Palmer will play his final U.S. Open round in the same place he played his first in 1953. After a 77 on Thursday, Arnie is certainly no threat to win the tourney and not even a threat to make the cut. But it’s still Arnold Palmer, and that Friday afternoon, after shooting an 81 for a two day total of 16-over par, “The King” made his final exit from our national championship.

Meanwhile, in New York, sports fans are on cloud nine. Later that evening, their beloved Knicks will play at the Garden (I’ll get to that in a few minutes), but right now, the focus is hockey and the newly crowned Stanley Cup champions, the New York Rangers. After a grueling seven game series with the Vancouver Canucks, the 54-year drought without a title is now over and the man who guaranteed victory, Mark Messier, is celebrating with all of New York as the Rangers hold their victory parade.

On to Chicago and more history being made. For the first time in history, the biggest sporting event in the world has made its way to American soil. That’s right, June 17th also marked the beginning of the 1994 FIFA World Cup. After a wild celebration to kick off the tournament that included Oprah taking a tumble off a stage, Diana Ross missing the honorary first kick to the left, Richard Marx of all people singing the national anthem, and a speech from President Bill Clinton, Germany held off Bolivia 1-0 at Soldier Field.

Not to be forgotten, baseball had its moment when Ken Griffey Jr. tied Babe Ruth for the most homeruns before June 30th, hitting number thirty that night, keeping himself on a pace to break the all-time single season record, a feat he wouldn’t get the chance to pursue as baseball went on strike a couple of months later, which I’ll get to later this summer in its own feature.

And back again to New York City and historic Madison Square Garden. That night was Game 5 of the 1994 NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the Houston Rockets. With the series tied at 2 games apiece, Patrick Ewing would tie an NBA record with eight blocks and lead the Knicks to victory 91-84. They would not win another game in the series as Houston would win in 7 games…..

….but the story that would dominate the headlines that night was just developing as that game got underway. Soon into the telecast, NBC put the game on a small screen in the corner to join the rest of the networks in their coverage of this………

O.J. and the White Bronco. In actuality, the story had been developing all day. A few days before, the bodies of O.J. Simpson’s ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman had been found and O.J., a former Heisman Trophy winner, an NFL Hall of Famer, actor, and football analyst, had become the prime suspect. Through a deal, he was given a time of 11:00 a.m. on June 17, 1994 to turn himself in. Obviously, he did not and by 2 p.m., a bulletin had been put out to arrest him on sight. At around 6:20 that evening, a random motorist spotted the now infamous white Ford Bronco and called the police, leading to what became a national event, with some 95 million people tuning in at some point throughout the 50 mile chase. Driven by friend Al Cowlings, who claimed that Simpson had a gun to his own head, this TV phenomenon may have been the real start of reality television. Thousands of citizens throughout the L.A. area ran to get a glimpse as the country looked on from home. Eventually, the Bronco would make its way to Simpson’s home in Brentwood, where he would eventually exit and surrender to police. This night would lead to this mugshot…..

……and 17 months of crazy media coverage of the arrest, the longest jury trial in California history, and a verdict reading that over 100 million people tuned in for.

So there you have it. June 17, 1994. What could have been one of the coolest days in American sports history turned into one of the craziest days in American media history. Those of you old enough to remember this day probably watched at least one or more of these events, so if you can remember, let me know where you were that day. What were you doing? What were you watching? Comment below or follow me and tweet @THElukenorris.