June 17th, 1994: Making Sense of Events of That Day

30 years ago, Viewers were captivated by not only the major sporting events of the day but a brooding and developing situation that was about to happen during the prime-time airing of the 1994 NBA finals

It was June 17th, 1994, kids are on their summer breaks, the hot weather, pools are jumping and busy, and there’s a great load of sporting events happening.

First, June 17th, 1994 brought us the opening day of the United States’ staging of the FIFA World Cup. Held in a nation where soccer is not a popular sport, FIFA hoped that staging the tournament there would lead to a growth in the interest of the sport. The U.S. made the attempt to stage the event back in 1986 but there were so many misgivings that FIFA gave it to Mexico instead (despite the nation suffering from the after effects of the 1985 Mexico City Earthquake) and what was worse was that the U.S. hadn’t qualified for the FIFA World Cup between 1950-1986. FIFA imposed a rule though: Create a new soccer league. Major League Soccer was created in order to appease FIFA.

Other nations laughed at the prospect of the United States hosting such a prestigious tournament and thought it would be a failure because the sport wasn’t popular then at the time. Little did they know, the U.S. was already ahead of the game with large football stadiums that can host matches and only really had to upgrade them.

During the opening ceremony that day at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, there were a few hiccups, like Oprah Winfrey giving a speech then falling off of the dais then twisting her ankle and then a lip-synching Diana Ross who would subsequently kick the ball wide left of the goal but the goal did break in half to go on with the show (it led to groans and boos throughout). Bill Clinton, the then president declared the FIFA World Cup open. Games would begin the next day.

Second, 64-year-old Arnold Palmer was playing in his final U.S. Open. Arnold Palmer was struggling throughout the tournament and doing his best to glorify his fans with one more run. Palmer hadn’t competed in a U.S. Golfing Association event in 11 years and he earned an exemption because he playing in his home state. He tried his best but did not make the cut (finishing with a 10 over 81). At his news conference, he was in tears because of the great cheers from the crowd trying to push him to the next round. He was visibly shaken by all of the support he was given during the tournament.

Third, The New York Rangers finally ended the 54-year curse on not winning the Stanley Cup and were celebrating with a ticker-tape parade on the streets of New York City. The Rangers defeated the Vancouver Canucks, 4 games to 3 (winning the final game, 3-2). As the cup was hoisted by the legendary Rangers of that star studded 1993-1994 team, things were starting to build up in another part of the country which would captivate audiences to be glued to their television sets throughout the evening’s programming.

Fourth, Ken Griffey Junior was on pace to break Roger Maris’s record of 61 homeruns. On June 17th, Ken Griffey Junior slammed his 30th homerun of the year vs. the Kansas City Royals, becoming the first player to have 30 homeruns before June 30th.

During the day, a situation involving sports superstar O.J. Simpson was brooding in California that began 5 days prior on June the 12th that would later push things over the top on the day in question. Simpson at the time was spending the night of his friend and high powered lawyer Robert Kardashian. At 8:30am Pacific Daylight Time, Los Angeles Police Department detectives recommended a pair of first-degree murder charges with special circumstance of multiple killings be placed on Simpson and that he would in fact had to turn himself in that day according to Robert Shapiro.

At 9:30am PDT, Robert Shapiro informed Robert Kardashian that Simpson would have to turn himself in by 11am. Simpson said he would turn himself in and police agreed that a person with celebrity status like Simpson himself wouldn’t make an attempt to flee and would do the right thing. Little did they know…

The police then agreed to a 12 noon PDT delay so that Simpson could see a mental health specialist. He updated his will, called his mom and children, and wrote three sealed letters, one to his mother, one to his children, and finally, one to the public at large.

More than 1,000 reporters had gathered for Simpson to come out and surrender to authorities but he never arrived outside. At 1:50pm, the commander of the Los Angeles Police Department declared O.J. Simpson a fugitive, issued an All-Points Bulletin, and an arrest warrant for him.

By this time, game 5 of the 1994 NBA Finals between the Houston Rockets and New York Knicks was about to take place in New York City at Madison Square Garden, it was going on 4:30pm on the West Coast, and it was 7:30pm on the East Coast with the game starting at 9:00pm. O.J. Simpson was nowhere to be found and news outlets were searching high and low for the suspect.

At 5pm PDT, Robert Kardashian came out with the super team of lawyers that O.J. Simpson had hired and read a statement:

To whom it may concern: First, everyone understand I have nothing to do with Nicole’s murder. I loved her, always have and always will. If we had a problem, it’s because I loved her so much.

Recently, we came to the understanding that for now we were not right for each other, at least for now. Despite our love we were different, and that’s why we mutually agreed to go our separate ways. It was tough splitting for a second time, but we both knew it was for the best.

Inside I had no doubt that in the future, we would be close as friends or more. Unlike what has been written in the press, Nicole and I had a great relationship for most of our lives together, Like all long-term relationships, we had a few downs and ups. I took the heat New Year’s 1989 because that’s what I was supposed to do. I did not plead no contest for any other reason but to protect our privacy and was advised it would end the press hype.

I don’t want to belabor knocking the press, but I can’t believe what is being said. Most of it is totally made up. I know you have a job to do, but as a last wish, please, please, please, leave my children in peace. Their lives will be tough enough.

I want to send my love and thanks to all my friends. I’m sorry I can’t name every one of you, especially A.C. man, thanks for being in my life. The support and friendship I received from so many: Wayne Hughes, Lewis Markes, Frank Olson, Mark Packer, Bender, Bobby Kardashian.

I wish we had spent more time together in recent years. My golfing buddies, Hoss, Alan Austin, Mike, Craig, Bender, Wyler, Sandy, Jay, Donnie, thanks for the fun. All my teammates over the years, Reggie, you were the soul of my pro career. Ahmad, I never stopped being proud of you. Marcus, You’ve got a great lady in Catherine, don’t mess it up. Bobby Chandler, thanks for always being there. Skip and Kathy, I love you guys, without you I never would have made it through this far. Marguerite, thanks for the early years. We had some fun. Paula, what can I say? You are special. I’m sorry we’re not going to have our chance. God brought you to me I now see. As I leave, you’ll be in my thoughts.

I think of my life and feel I’ve done most of the right things. What the outcome, people will look and point. I can’t take that. I can’t subject my children to that. This way they can move on and go on with their lives. Please, if I’ve done anything worthwhile in my life. Let my kids live in peace from you (press).

I’ve had a good life. I’m proud of how I lived. My mama taught me to do unto other. I treated people the way I wanted to be treated. I’ve always tried to be up and helpful so why is this happening? I’m sorry for the Goldman family. I know how much it hurts.

Nicole and I had a good life together. All this press talk about a rocky relationship was no more than what every long-term relationship experiences. All her friends will confirm that I have been totally loving and understanding of what she’s been going through. At times I have felt like a battered husband or boyfriend but I loved her, make that clear to everyone. And I would take whatever it took to make it work.

Don’t feel sorry for me. I’ve had a great life, great friends. Please think of the real O.J. and not this lost person.

Thanks for making my life special. I hope I helped yours.

Peace and love, O.J.

http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/Simpson/911.html#O.J.%27s%20Suicide

The horrified crowd of reporters quietly deduced it as a suicide note from Simpson and as the conference closed, Robert Shapiro thanked everyone and stated to O.J., “O.J., O.J., if you hear this, please surrender.”

But what was about to take place would keep people in their seats just absolutely stunned by what was going on.

Flash Forward to 8:30pm EDT, Bob Costas and the NBA on NBC team were working on prepping for their telecast. Bob Costas questioned the production team on how they were going to run the finals and the O.J. Simpson situation at the same time. NBC agreed to do something interesting and sort of “out-of-bounds” by acknowledging coverage by Tom Brokaw by using a double-box format in jumping into the O.J. Simpson situation first if something major transpired.

At 6:21pm, a motorist saw O.J. Simpson speeding down the highway and by 6:45pm, CBS 2 Los Angeles was the first to find Simpson and air the White Bronco chase. What was worse was that with all the television coverage, there was co-channel interference from the helicopters from other news stations. NBC officially went to double boxes of the chase at 6:54pm.

The event emptied streets in Los Angeles and bars were filling up with people who wanted to watch the event unfolding. Every network was showing the chase and pulled in nearly 100 million viewers nationwide. You could see spectators cheering from the bridges saying: “GO O.J. GO!”

They finally got in touch with O.J. through his phone from coach John McKay at Southern California. Simpson was adamant on ending his life but McKay cooled and quelled the situation quickly. More and more sports stars were pleading with O.J. to give up and turn himself in. Tom Lange, who was a LAPD Detective, remembered that he had Simpson’s number after an interview and called him up. Lange pleaded with him to throw the gun away and just end the chase. There was so much mystery that was going on that sportscaster Jim Hill was outraged that people were actually cheering on Simpson.

At 8:00pm PDT, Simpson made it to his Brentwood Estate and sat in his Bronco for 45 minutes.

Simpson went inside his home and his son Jason gestured to SWAT not to do anything and just allow him to go inside.

He was inside for about an hour, having himself a glass of orange juice (which made reporters laugh at the presser).

June 17th, 1994 will mark itself a milestone that began the revolutionizing of sports and media coverage is now standard practice today. But at the same time, you can consider it one of the confusing days in the history of the sports world.