Before the 1976 Montreal Olympics, the Games’ timekeepers Omega asked the IOC if they needed a new scorecard to display a score of perfect 10, as extra space was required to show 10.00. But the IOC refused, saying a perfect score was not possible.
On this day back in 1976, Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci, aged just 14, took part in the team compulsory portion.
Her routine on the uneven bars was simply flawless. The judges awarded her full marks but since the scoreboard couldn’t accommodate the digits, 1.00 was flashed on the screen.
It took some time for everyone to realise that history had been created as Comaneci was given a standing ovation.
1896: Ranjitsinhji scores a century on Test debut for England but Australia end up winning the Ashes Test at Old Trafford by three wickets.
1951: Jersey Joe Walcott, at 37, becomes oldest boxer to win the heavyweight championship.
1970: San Francisco Giants’ Willie Mays becomes 10th MLB player to get 3,000 hits.
2010: Louis Oosthuizen wins the Open Championship with a score of 16 under par 272, seven shots clear of the runner up.
