Born in 1921, Chuck Connors was a real-life Jack of all trades. In his life, Connors played professionally in both basketball and baseball. After his sports career, he went on to have a successful acting career in Hollywood with over 40 years in the business including a hit TV series.

On this day, November 5th, in 1946, the Boston Celtics Chuck Connors became the first pro basketball player to shatter a backboard. The event took place during the warm ups of the Boston Celtics first ever game. While the spectacle is usually the result of a rim-shaking dunk, or similarly aggressive play, Connors’ play was actually the result of a shot hitting the front of a rim on an improperly installed backboard.

Connors did not stay with the Celtics for the entire season and went on to pursue a baseball career that year. After a stint in the minor leagues, Connors eventually made it onto the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1949.