The NCAA announced Thursday afternoon the cancelation of March Madness and all other winter and spring championships for the rest of the 2019-20 academic calendar.

This is the first time the NCAA men's or women's basketball tournament has been canceled.

The NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament has been held every year since its inception in 1939. The NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament has been held every year since it began in 1982.

Here are three times other major sporting events were canceled that the NCAA Tournament still occurred.

1940 Summer, Winter Olympics canceled; not NCAA

The 1940 Winter Olympics were scheduled to be held in Sapporo, Japan, and the 1940 Summer Olympics were scheduled to be held in Tokyo.

Both Olympics were canceled due to World War II.

The NCAA still held its second annual NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament that year. Indiana defeated Kansas 60-42 in the title game, which was held in Kansas City, Missouri.

1944 Summer, Winter Olympics canceled; not NCAA

The 1944 Winter Olympics were scheduled to be held in Cortina D'Ampezzo, Italy, and the 1944 Summer Olympics were scheduled to be held in London.

A second consecutive Olympics was canceled due to World War II.

The NCAA played on that year, and every year in between.

In 1944, Utah defeated Dartmouth 42-40 in overtime to capture the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament title in New York City.

1990 West Coast Conference Tournament canceled; not NCAA

The sudden death of Loyola Marymount player Hank Gathers during a tournament semifinal game on March 4, 1990, led to the cancelation of the remainder of the 1990 West Coast Conference Tournament.

The NCAA proceeded to hold the men's basketball tournament, and UNLV defeated Duke 103-73 in the title game, which took place in Denver.

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Here is the statement from the NCAA canceling all championships for the rest of the 2019-20 academic year: "Today, NCAA President Mark Emmert and the Board of Governors canceled the Division I men’s and women’s 2020 basketball tournaments, as well as all remaining winter and spring NCAA championships. This decision is based on the evolving COVID-19 public health threat, our ability to ensure the events do not contribute to spread of the pandemic, and the impracticality of hosting such events at any time during this academic year given ongoing decisions by other entities."

Erik Hall is the lead digital producer for sports with the USA Today Network. You can find him on Twitter @HallErik.