This Day in History: Orlando Magic Play Inaugural Game in Franchise's Existence

When it comes to the Orlando Magic, October 13 is a very important anniversary.

How so? It was on this day in 1989 when not only professional basketball, but professional sports in general got underway in downtown Orlando. The Magic welcomed the reigning champion Detroit Pistons to town for the franchise's first-ever game, a contest the Magic won 118-109.

Regardless of the game's preseason nature, it served as a celebration of the accomplishments Pat Williams, Jimmy Hewitt, and the entirety of Central Florida had achieved in making the NBA's arrival in Orlando a reality. That's before taking into consideration that the Magic defeated the Isaiah Thomas-led Bad Boy Pistons, who were fresh off an NBA title the year prior.

"We beat the World Champs that night and everybody thought we had won the NBA championship that night even though it was just a preseason game,’’ Magic Hall of Famer Nick Anderson said in an NBA.com article. A sold-out Orlando Arena crowd had the type of night it had envisioned for years before its actualization, and Anderson was a star for 10 seasons with the Magic after being the first-ever NBA draft pick selected by the franchise.

"To the Pistons, it was just another preseason game, but to our fans it was like Game 7 of the NBA Finals,’’ Anderson said in another NBA.com article, highlighting the best moments in Magic history. "The electricity in that building was amazing and our fans really wanted us to win that game.’’

It's largely in part because of Williams' vision to help bring professional sports to Orlando in the first place that the Magic exist. With his passing this summer, the franchise he helped birth is honoring him with jersey patches this year.