This Day in Sports History — June 17

Here are just some of the notable sports moments that happened on June 17

1943 — Boston Red Sox player-manager Joe Cronin hit a three-run pinch homer in both games of a doubleheader against the Philadelphia A’s. (More info.)

1954 —  Rocky Marciano beat Ezzard Charles in 15 rounds at Yankee Stadium for the heavyweight boxing title. (More info.)

1960 — Boston Red Sox slugger Ted Williams hit his 500th home run. (More info.)

1962 — Rookie pro Jack Nicklaus beat Arnold Palmer in an 18-hole playoff for the U.S. Open Golf title at Oakmont Country Club near Pittsburgh. (More info.)

1962 — Brazil defeated Czechoslovakia to win soccer’s World Cup at Santiago, Chile. (More info.)

1973 —  Johnny Miller shot a 63, the lowest final round in the history of a major professional tournament, to win the U.S. Golf Open at Oakmont Country Club near Pittsburgh. (More info.)

1976 — The American Basketball Association agreed to merge its remaining teams (Nets, Pacers, Nuggets and Spurs) into the NBA. (More info.)

1992 — The Philadelphia 76ers traded Charles Barkley to the Phoenix Suns. (More info.)

1993 — Major League Baseball owners voted to expand the baseball playoffs for the first time in 25 years, announcing a wild-card team and the divisional series round will be added in each league in 1994. (More info.)

1997 — The National Hockey League announced it will add franchises in Nashville in 1998, Atlanta in 1999 and Minneapolis-St Paul and Columbus, Ohio in 2000. (More info.)