Sports Fact of the Day 2/17/2007

2/17/1972:
Marquette center Jim Chones leaves his undefeated and second-ranked Warrior teammates in the lurch, signing a five-year, $1.5 milion contract with the New York Nets. Intent on building a strong frarnchise in New York, ABA executives authorized the Nets to make their pitch to Chones, and on the advice of Marquette head coach Al McGuire he accepts their cash offer even though he won't be able to play until next season because technically he hasn't been drafted yet.

Birthdays:
Red Barber b. 1908
Jim Brown b. 1936
Rick Majerus b. 1948
Michael Jordan b. 1963
Luc Robitaille b. 1966