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Today in black history: Joe Frazier wins heavyweight title, Magic Johnson’s jersey retired
The Undefeated edition’s black facts for Feb. 16
1957 – Happy birthday, LeVar Burton. Burton is known for his role as Kunta Kinte in the 1977 award-winning television miniseries Roots, based on the novel by Alex Haley. He also had a recurring role in the Star Trek: Next Generation series and movies and was host for more than 20 years of Reading Rainbow.
1958 – Happy birthday, Ice T. Tracy Marrow, better known as Ice T, is mostly celebrated for his rap songs concerning street life and violence. He has been an influential figure for the gangster rap genre. Highly controversial songs such as “Cop Killer” brought him much fame. He also pursued a career in acting, his most noteworthy character being that of a police officer on the show Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
1970 – Joe Frazier knocks out Jimmy Ellis. Frazier, a 6-1 favorite, fought Ellis for the heavyweight title in front of more than 18,000 people at Madison Square Garden. Ellis was knocked down at the end of the fourth round and trainer Angelo Dundee refused to let him go back out, making Frazier the undisputed heavyweight champion.
1992 – Magic Johnson’s jersey is retired. A tearful Johnson thanked Larry Bird and the fans at the Great Western Forum as his No. 32 jersey was retired by the Los Angeles Lakers.