LA’s 100 Greatest Moments (From 1996)

*Please note that all moments before 2005 are listed chronologically and not ranked.

 

1999

  1. Future Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne scores four touchdowns as Wisconsin beats UCLA in Rose Bowl Game, 38-31. (January)

  2. UCLA women's softball team upsets Washington to win NCAA title. (May)

  3. Phil Jackson hired as Lakers coach. (June)

  4. U.S. Women's World Cup soccer team defeats China in final at the Rose Bowl. (July)

  5. Former USC track star Inger Miller wins two gold medals and one silver medal at IAAF World Championships. (August)

  6. STAPLES center hosts first sporting event. (October)

  7. Bob Daly named chairman of the Dodgers. (October)

  8. L.A. Galaxy defeats Dallas to reach MLS championship game. (November)

  9. USC football team ends eight-game losing streak to UCLA with 17-7 victory. (November)

  10. Laffit Pincay breaks Bill Shoemaker's record of 8,833 career wins at Hollywood Park. (December)

1998

  1. Michigan defeats Washington State in 84th Rose Bowl Game, 21-16, to win a share of the national championship. (January)

  2. New $350 million STAPLES Center breaks ground. (January)

  3. Four L.A. Lakers (Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Earl Jones, Nick Van Exel) selected to play in NBA All-Star Game. (February)

  4. Michelle Kwan of Torrance skates to silver medal at Nagano Olympics; wins gold at World Championships. (February)

  5. USC baseball team wins NCAA College World Series for the 12th time, defeating Arizona State, 21-14. (June)

  6. Tennis' Lindsay Davenport of Newport Beach wins U.S. Open; climbs to world no. 1 ranking. (September)

  7. Los Angeles launches first Olympic bid in 20 years in an effort to host the Games of XXX Olympiad in 2012. (October)

  8. Heisman finalist Cade McNown leads UCLA to undefeated Pac-10 football season and 20-game win streak. (November)

  9. Marion Jones of Thousand Oaks ranked no. 1 in the world in three track events: 100 m, 200 m, and long jump. (December)

  10. Fox, Inc. overhauls historic Dodger franchise--from the trade of Mike Piazza to the hiring of manager Davey Johnson and signing of pitcher Kevin Brown to the richest contract in baseball history. (December)

1997

  1. Peter O'Malley announces Dodgers are for sale. (January)

  2. Tiger Woods from Cypress wins golf's Masters by record 12 strokes. (April)

  3. Mighty Ducks make NHL playoffs for the first time. (April)

  4. Inaugural WNBA game draws 14,000 to see L.A. Sparks play the New York Liberty at the Great Western Forum. (June)

  5. Oval track auto racing returns to Southern California with opening of California Speedway; sellout crowd of over 83,000 attend California 500 NASCAR race. (June)

  6. Marion Jones of Thousand Oaks becomes world's fastest woman by winning 100 m gold at World Championships in Athens. (August)

  7. Anita DeFrantz, president of Amateur Athletic Foundation, elected IOC vice president. (September)

  8. Venus Williams, age 17, of Compton reaches U.S. Open tennis finals. (September)

  9. New $300 million downtown sports/entertainment arena approved by Los Angeles City Council. (October)

  10. UCLA football team wins nine straight games to finish with its highest national ranking (No. 5) at the end of the regular season since 1982. (November)

1996

  1. Galaxy signal a return of big-time soccer to Los Angeles; traffic stops as 69,000 attend opening game at Rose Bowl. (April)

  2. Oscar de la Hoya from East Los Angeles beats Julio Cesar Chavez for boxing's 140-pound title. (June)

  3. Lakers sign center Shaquille O'Neal to long-term, $120 million contract. (July)

  4. Tommy Lasorda era comes to an end as Dodgers manager retires after 20 seasons. (July)

  5. Gold rush by Southern California athletes at the Atlanta Olympics, highlighted by Karch Kiraly and Kent Steffes (beach volleyball); Dot Richardson and Lisa Fernanadez (softball); Amanda Beard (swimming); Gail Devers (track); Justin Huish (archery); Lisa Leslie (basketball). (July-August)

  6. Golfer Tiger Woods from Cypress turns pro and emerges as a force on the PGA Tour. (August)

  7. Brett Butler returns to the Dodger lineup after battling back from cancer. (September)

  8. Dodgers' Hideo Nomo pitches a no-hitter against the Colorado Rockies at the Coors Field. (September)

  9. UCLA's 48-41 double-overtime comeback win over USC, the Bruins' unprecedented sixth straight against the Trojans. (November)

  10. USC defeats Notre Dame in comeback win in overtime, 27-20, ending the Trojans' 13-game winless streak against the Fighting Irish. (November)