June 12, 2016: Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, is hosting a Latin Night when 102 people are shot by a single gunman. Of those, 49 died.
The shooter was Omar Mateen, a 29-year-old Long Island native, a son of Afghan immigrants, who was working for the Florida Department of Corrections. His family was described as moderate Muslims, but going back to his childhood, he had a preoccupation with violence. He had sworn allegiance to the terrorist group ISIL, and said that the killing of ISIL official Abu Waheeb in Iraq the month before set him off. After a 3-hour standoff inside the club, Orlando police shot and killed him.
The massacre was officially classified a terrorist attack, and still ranks as the deadliest one in America since 9/11. It was the deadliest mass shooting in American history, but that record only lasted until October 1, 2017, in Las Vegas -- one that has not been officially classified as a terrorist attack.
The massacre deeply shook the people of Central Florida, and gay Americans everywhere. At the time, what was then named Orlando City Stadium was being constructed in Orlando, to be the home of Major League Soccer's Orlando City SC (Soccer Club), and the National Women's Soccer League's Orlando Pride, a name obliquely referencing women's soccer's ties to the gay community.
When the stadium opened on February 24, 2017, 49 seats in Section 12 were painted in a rainbow pattern, as a memorial to the Pulse victims. The venue was renamed Exploria Stadium in 2019. (UPDATe: It was renamed Inter&Co Stadium in 2024.)
Pulse had opened in 2004. It never reopened after the shooting, not even in a different location. The building is being converted into a memorial and museum, with its opening planned for later in 2022. (UPDATE: As of June 12, 2026, various reasons have delayed the start of construction.)
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June 12, 2016 was a Sunday. Though the shooting took place at 2:00 AM on Sunday, June 12 -- meaning that some people had gotten in on Saturday night, June 11 -- not one single sporting event scheduled for the 12th was postponed.
It was the off-season for the NFL. The NBA Finals were underway, and the Golden State Warriors had a 3-games-to-1 lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers. But the Cavs won the next 3 straight to take the title.
Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals was played that night. The Pittsburgh Penguins beat the San Jose Sharks, 3-1 at the SAP Center in San Jose, to clinch the Cup.
And there was a full slate of Major League Baseball games played that day:
* The New York Yankees lost to the Detroit Tigers, 4-1 at Yankee Stadium II. Michael Pineda gave up a home run to Ian Kinsler, and got outpitched by Michael Fullmer.
* The New York Mets lost to the Milwaukee Brewers, 5-3 at Miller Park (now named American Family Field) in Milwaukee.
* The Washington Nationals beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 5-4 at Nationals Park in Washington.
* The Chicago Cubs beat the Atlanta Braves, 13-2 at Turner Field in Atlanta.
* The Tampa Bay Rays beat the Houston Astros, 5-0 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.
* The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Baltimore Orioles, 10-9 at the Rogers Centre in Toronto.
* The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 8-3 at PNC Par in Pittsburgh.
* The Oakland Athletics beat the Cincinnati Reds, 6-1 at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.
* The Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White Sox, 3-1 at U.S. Cellular Field (now Rate Field) in Chicago.
* The Minnesota Twins beat the Boston Red Sox, 7-4 at Target Field in Minneapolis. Max Kepler hit a 3-run walkoff home run in the 10th inning.
* The Colorado Rockies beat the San Diego Padres, 2-1 at Coors Field in Denver.
* The Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Miami 6-0 at Chase Field in Phoenix.
* The Cleveland Indians beat the Los Angeles Angels, 8-3 at Angel Stadium of Anaheim.
* The San Francisco Giants beat their arch-rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, 2-1 at Oracle Park in San Francisco.
* And the Texas Rangers beat the Seattle Mariners, 6-4 at Safeco Field (now T-Mobile Park) in Seattle.
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