It’s the 30th anniversary of June 17, 1994: World Cup in Chicago; Knicks vs. Rockets; O.J. Simpson car chase

Thirty years ago today was one of the most memorable and infamous days in sports history. There were moments of great celebration that featured iconic sports figures, but they were all overshadowed by the end of the year.OJ Simpson and his white Ford Bronco.

Friday, June 17, 1994, was filled with notable sporting moments, starting with Arnold Palmer opening his final round of the US Open and ending with Los Angeles police taking Simpson into custody after a low-speed car chase of two hours.

In the meantime, New York City had championship fever, the first World Cup on American soil began, and Ken Griffey Jr. accomplished a feat only previously accomplished by Babe Ruth. The thread running through all of these events was the somber discussion of the murder charges brought against Simpson, a former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL MVP who turned his accomplishments on the football field into success as an actor, football analyst and commercial pitcher.

Let’s remember perhaps the most unforgettable day in the history of American sports.

9:07 am | Arnold Palmer tees off in the final round of the US Open

At 64 years old, Arnold Palmer started his final round of the US Open. Palmer hadn’t played in the event in 11 years, but received an exemption from the USGA to play at Oakmont. As expected, Palmer’s score didn’t look great. He missed the cut at 16, but it was still a special day for the golf legend. Palmer received immense support from the crowd and was emotional after the round.

As for the rest of the tournament, Ernie Els won his first major at the age of 24. Els beat Loren Roberts on a sudden-death hole after the two tied at the end of an 18-hole playoff.

10:17 am | Rangers Stanley Cup parade takes place in New York

Just three days earlier, the New York Rangers ended their 54-year Stanley Cup drought when series-clinching Mark Messier scored the decisive goal against the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 at Madison Square Garden. On June 17th, the The Rangers celebrated by parading the Cup in New York’s “Canyon of Heroes.” An estimated 1.5 million people crowded the streets, sidewalks, balconies and rooftops trying to catch a glimpse of Lord Stanley. The parade ended with the players receiving the keys to the city from Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

The Rangers haven’t won a Stanley Cup since 1994, and the closest they’ve come was losing to the Los Angeles Kings in 2014. The Rangers almost made it back to the Finals this year, but lost Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals to Florida. Panthers.

11h09 | Murder charges filed against OJ Simpson

The chaos really began when news broke that murder charges had been filed against Simpson, accused of murdering his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman. The bodies of Brown Simpson and Goldman were found just days earlier outside their home. The pair were brutally stabbed to death and OJ Simpson ended up as the Los Angeles Police Department’s prime suspect after several days of investigation.

3pm | United States hosts its first World Cup match

The 1994 FIFA World Cup was the first time the event was held in the United States. The opening ceremonies were held at Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears, and were star-studded. Oprah Winfrey introduced Diana Ross, who performed a choreographed musical number on the field, and President Bill Clinton addressed the crowd before the start of the opening game. The first World Cup match on American soil was between Germany and Bolivia, with the Germans winning 1-0 that afternoon.

The United States reached the knockout stages of the 1994 World Cup, but were eliminated in the round of 16 by eventual Brazil on July 4. Brazil won its fourth World Cup title, the first in football history.

1:55 pm | Los Angeles Police Press Conference

Just hours after murder charges were filed against Simpson, LAPD Commander David Gascon held a press conference saying authorities were searching for the former NFL MVP. Gascon noted that the department was currently “pursuing” Simpson, who did not turn himself in after charges were filed. Gascon added that he has spoken with Simpson’s attorney, Robert Shapiro, about taking Simpson into custody. “We spoke with Mr. [Robert] Shapiro, we expressed our dismay and indicated to him that we expect to see Mr. Simpson immediately, if not sooner,” Gascon said when asked about Simpson’s whereabouts.

8:06 pm | Ken Griffey Jr. ties Babe Ruth with 30 home runs before June 30

Ken Griffey Jr. had a hot start to the 1994 MLB season. The 24-year-old slugger was hitting the ball out of the park at a speed not seen since Babe Ruth. On June 17, Griffey crushed a solo home run off Kansas City Royals pitcher David Cone, tying him with Ruth as the only players in history to hit 30 homers before June 30. Griffey could have done it in a full season. That’s because earlier in the day, MLBPA executive director Donald Fehr met with 55 players to discuss the owners’ proposal for a salary cap, an idea the players immediately rejected.

Just five days later, on June 22, Griffey would surpass Ruth with his 31st dinger of the season. And, with the players refusing the owners’ proposal, this began the 1994-95 strike. The season ended on August 11 and the World Series was canceled for only the second time in history.

8:56 pm | Police pursuit of OJ Simpson begins

Things really started to get out of hand when Simpson and his friend, Al “AC” Cowlings, fled from the police in the former’s white Ford Bronco. The low-speed chase lasted a few hours and covered about 60 miles of California pavement. The chase was broadcast live on every news broadcast in America. Simpson had a gun in the car with him, but police eventually calmed him down and allowed him to return home without incident. Crowds of people lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the chase or watch Simpson as he fled from authorities. The chase finally ended when Simpson pulled into his driveway at 10:57 p.m.

9pm | NBA Finals Game 5: Knicks vs.

With the tension of the Simpson situation rising in Los Angeles, Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Houston Rockets and New York Knicks was taking place across the country at Madison Square Garden. The start of the game was normal, but about 45 minutes later, during the second quarter, NBC briefly pre-empted the game to provide updates on Simpson’s whereabouts, which by this point were a chase. Eventually, in the third quarter, NBC pushed the game to a small corner of the screen while showing the police chase live in the main image. The NBA Finals may have been an afterthought for some, but the Knicks pulled out a 91-84 victory behind Patrick Ewing’s 25 points. Houston’s Hakeem Olajuwan led all scorers with 27 points.

Unfortunately for the Knicks, that was the last game they won, as they lost Games 6 and 7 in Houston to lose the series. Both clubs reached the NBA Finals once again. Houston beat the Orlando Magic the following season and New York was defeated by the San Antonio Spurs in 1999.

11:47 pm | LAPD takes Simpson into custody

With a number of news crews and passersby on the street in front of Simpson’s home, police finally convinced Simpson to drop the gun, exit the Bronco and enter his home. Simpson then called his mother and drank a glass of orange juice before the LAPD took him into custody.

Simpson would be charged with the murders of his ex-wife and Goldman. The murder trial began in January 1995, lasted until October and became one of the most publicized cases in American history. After a long and controversial trial, Simpson was eventually acquitted of murder charges.

In 1997, Simpson was found liable for wrongful death and assault in a civil lawsuit filed and was ordered to pay more than $30 million in damages to the families of Brown Simpson and Goldman. The case has remained a point of interest over the years, and became the subject of several TV shows and documentaries. On April 10, 2024, Simpson died at age 76 after a battle with cancer.