TODAY'S EVENTS IN SPORTS HISTORY 2024

DECEMBER 22

• 1877 "American Bicycling Journal" begins publishing (Boston, Mass)

Sullivan vs. Kilrain
1888 Heavyweight boxing champ John L. Sullivan challenges Jake Kilrain


Heavyweight Boxing ChampionJohn L. Sullivan

• 1894 United States Golf Association forms in New York
• 1915 Organized baseball and Federal League sign a peace treaty at Cincinnati; Federal Baseball League dissolves
• 1917 In the NHL's first official week of play, 3 players score hat tricks in the same game, for the same team; Corb Denneny, Reg Noble, & Harry Meeking each score 3 for the Toronto Arenas in an 11-4 win over the Ottawa Senators

Highest Australian Partnership
1923 Bill Ponsford and Edgar Mayne make record 456 opening stand for Victoria against Queensland - highest first wicket partnership by an Australian pair


CricketerBill Ponsford

• 1924 Babe Dye of NHL's Toronto St Patricks scores 5 goals beat Bruins 10-2
• 1941 1942 NFL Draft: Bill Dudley from University of Virginia first pick by Pittsburgh Steelers
• 1943 Manufacturers get permission to use synthetic rubber for baseball core
• 1946 Cleveland Browns beat NY Yankees 14-9 in AAFC championship game
• 1951 Australia cricket all out 82 v West Indies at Adelaide
• 1953 Jack Dunn III, owner of Baltimore Orioles in Intl League, turns name over to newly relocated St Louis Browns
• 1959 Baseball's new Continental League awards its 7thfranchise to Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
• 1959 NY Ranger goalie Marcel Paille wears a customized mask
• 1962 1,000,000th NBA point scored

Award to Denis Law
1964 Ballon d'Or: Manchester United striker Denis Law wins award for best European football player; beats Inter midfielder Luis Suárez and Real Madrid winger Amancio Amaro; first Scotsman to win the award


Football StarLuis Suárez Miramontes

• 1969 Pete Marovich sets NCAA record of hitting 30 of 31 foul shots

Esposito Scores 500
1974 Phil Esposito, Boston, became 6th NHLer to score 500 goals


NHL StarPhil Esposito
Cardinals Release Bonds
1980 MLB St. Louis Cardinals release outfielder Bobby Bonds


MLB Outfielder and CoachBobby Bonds

• 1983 Indiana Pacers win, 133-132 in Denver to end a 28 NBA game losing streak on the road
• 1983 NHL NY Islanders score 3 shorthanded goals against Washington Capitols
• 1984 Test Cricket debut of Craig McDermott, v WI at the MCG
• 1985 74th Davis Cup: Sweden beats Germany in Munich (3-2)
• 1986 India score 7-676 v Sri Lanka at Kanpur in Cricket

Coffey 2nd to Score 1000
1990 Paul Coffey becomes the second NHL defenceman to record 1000 points, doing so in a record-breaking 770 games


NHL StarPaul Coffey
Ballon d'Or
1992 Ballon d'Or: Milan's Dutch striker Marco van Basten wins his 3rd title as best football player in Europe ahead of Barcelona forward Hristo Stoichkov and Ajax forward Dennis Bergkamp


Soccer StarMarco van Basten

FootballerHristo Stoichkov
Contract of Interest
1995 David Cone signs $19.5 million 3 year contract with NY Yankees


Baseball PitcherDavid Cone
Brett Hull Equals Father's Record
1996 St Louis Blues’ right wing Brett Hull scores his 26th NHL career hat trick to reach 500 career goals in a 7-4 win over the LA Kings; with father Bobby Hull, first father/son combo to each record 500 goals


NHL LegendBrett Hull

NHL LegendBobby Hull

• 1996 Steelers' Kordell Stewart runs quarterback record 80 yds for TD
• 1996 Zimbabwe & England draw Bulawayo Test Cricket with England needing 1 run to win

Kerrigan and Harding Record Show
1997 Nancy Kerrigan & Tonya Harding pre-record a show to air on FOX on Feb 5


Figure SkaterTonya Harding

Figure SkaterNancy Kerrigan
1st Coach to 200 Wins
1997 Scotty Bowman's Red Wings beat the Boston Bruins, 4-2 giving him 200 wins with Detroit, and making him the first NHL coach to record 200 wins with 3 different teams; also Montreal and Buffalo


NHL CoachScotty Bowman
Award to Zidane
1998 Ballon d'Or: Juventus' French midfielder Zinedine Zidane is named best football player in Europe ahead of Real Madrid striker Davor Šuker and Inter forward Ronaldo


Football StarRonaldo

Football Player and ManagerZinedine Zidane
Ballon d'Or
2003 Ballon d'Or: Juventus' Czech midfielder Pavel Nedvěd is named best football player in Europe ahead of Arsenal forward Thierry Henry and Milan defender Paolo Maldini


Footballer and ManagerThierry Henry
NY Knicks Hire Isiah Thomas
2003 The New York Knicks hire Isiah Thomas as President of Basketball Operations


NBA Point Guard and CoachIsiah Thomas

• 2012 Tomasz Adamek outpoints Steve Cunningham in a split decision in the IBF heavyweight title eliminator at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
• 2019 New Orleans wide receiver Michael Thomas sets NFL record for most catches in a season with his 144th as Saints beat Tennessee 38-28; breaks 17-year old record held by Marvin Harrison (143)

Messi Overtakes Pele Record
2020 Argentine soccer superstar Lionel Messi scores his 644th goal for FC Barcelona during 3-0 win over Real Valladolid to break Pele's record for most goals for one club; Pele, 643 goals for Santos 1956-74


Football StarLionel Messi
Sports History
2020 Caitlin Clark registers her first triple-double at Iowa with 13 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists against Western Illinois


Basketball PlayerCaitlin Clark

 

DECEMBER 23

• 1866 First yacht race across the Atlantic won by the schooner Henrietta owned by Gordon Bennett of New York, first to reach Bishop Rock in the Scilly Isles after racing from NY
• 1923 Yankees pitcher Carl Mays sold to Reds for $85,000

Morenz Goal Record
1933 Montreal Canadiens center Howie Morenz scores in 3-0 win v Detroit Red Wings; his NHL record 249th career goal


NHL StarHowie Morenz

• 1951 National Football League Championship, LA Memorial Coliseum: Los Angeles Rams beat Cleveland Browns, 24-17; first coast-to-coast televised NFL title game
• 1953 Dodgers 2nd baseman Jim Gilliam wins NL Rookie of Year

Cricket Debut
1957 Test cricket debut for all-time great Australian wicketkeeper Wally Grout and future captain and coach Bobby Simpson, 1st Test v South Africa in Johannesburg


Cricket WicketkeeperWally Grout
Ballon d'Or
1969 Ballon d'Or: Milan midfielder Gianni Rivera wins award for best European football player ahead of Cagliari forward Luigi Riva and Bayern Munich striker Gerd Müller


Footballer and StrikerGerd Müller

• 1972 "Immaculate Reception" Steelers turns around a 7-6 defeat with a last second touchdown reception against Raiders to win 13-7 [1]
• 1972 2nd Fiesta Bowl: #15 Arizona State beats Missouri, 49-35
• 1972 New York Islanders end 15 games winless streak
• 1975 Chairman of MLB arbitration panel Peter Seitz rules pitchers Andy Messersmith and Dave McNally to be free agents

Trootier Sets Scoring Record
1978 NY Islanders center Bryan Trottier sets NHL record scoring 6 points - 4 goals & 2 assists - in 2nd period of 9-4 win over rival NY Rangers; adds goal & assist for game total 8 points; Islanders undefeated home streak stands at 16 games


NHL StarBryan Trottier

• 1979 NY Islanders greatest shutout lose (8-0) vs Chicago Black Hawks
• 1981 Geoffrey Boycott becomes leading run-scorer in Test Cricket with 8033

Richards Bats 208
1984 West Indies batsman Viv Richards scores 208 vs Ausatralia in test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground


Cricketer and Master BlasterViv Richards

• 1987 Buffalo goaltender Tom Barrasso leads the Sabres to a 5-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings to record his 100th NHL victory; makes him the youngest player to reach milestone at just 22 years, 9 months
• 1994 Baseball owners impose salary cap, fiercely opposed by players

Ballon d'Or
1997 Ballon d'Or: Barcelona/Inter's Brazilian striker Ronaldo wins his first of 2 best football player in Europe awards ahead of Real Madrid forward Predrag Mijatović and Juventus midfielder Zinedine Zidane


Football StarRonaldo

Football Player and ManagerZinedine Zidane
Jackson Quickest to 500 Wins
1997 Chicago Bulls coach Phil Jackson is quickest to reach 500 wins (682 games)


NBA CoachPhil Jackson
Kurri Scores 800
1997 Colorado Avalanche Jari Kurri is 8th NHLer to score 600 career goals


NHL StarJari Kurri

• 2000 Cricket Women's World Cup: New Zealand defeats Australia by 4 runs

Ovechkin Most Career Goals
2022 Washington Capitals center Alex Ovechkin scores two goals to move past Gordie Howe on most NHL career goals list in 4-1 win over visiting Winnipeg Jets


NHL StarAlex Ovechkin

Ice Hockey LegendGordie Howe

 

DECEMBER 24

• 1889 Daniel Stover and William Hance patent a bicycle with a back-pedal brake
• 1921 Ottawa’s Harry Broadbent scores in 10-0 Senators blowout of the Montreal Canadiens; first in 16-game NHL record goal-scoring streak; Charlie Simmer’s 13 game streak (1979) is considered modern-day record
• 1927 Test cricket debut of Walter Hammond, who scores 51 and takes 5-36 against South Africa

• 1950 National Football League Championship, Cleveland Stadium: Cleveland Browns beat LA Rams, 30-28; Cleveland has 5 interceptions, Rams 1

Oilers Beat Chargers

1961 AFL Championship, Balboa Stadium, San Diego: Houston Oilers beat San Diego Chargers 10-3; Billy Cannon scores game's only TD


NFL Running BackBilly Cannon

• 1968 Ballon d'Or: Manchester United's winger George Best wins award for best European football player ahead of teammate Bobby Charlton and Red Star Belgrade winger Dragan Džajić; first Northern Irish national to win the award

Flood Urges Free Agency
1969 Curt Flood writes to baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn refusing to accept the Cardinals’ right to deal him and in favor of free agency [1]


MLB CommissionerBowie Kuhn

Baseball PlayerCurt Flood
Brock Sportsman of the Year
1974 The Sporting News bestows St Louis Cardinals outfielder Lou Brock their MLB Player of the Year Award


Baseball Hall of Fame OutfielderLou Brock

• 1982 Chaminade, with a student body of only 850 students, defeats #1 ranked Virginia 77-72 in a Honolulu holiday basketball classic

Ballon d'Or
1985 Ballon d'Or: Juventus' French midfielder Michel Platini is named Europe's best football player for the 3rd consecutive time; beats Verona striker Preben Elkjær and Barcelona midfielder Bernd Schuster


FootballerMichel Platini
Raines to White Sox
1990 Expos trade Tim Raines to White Sox for Ivan Calderon & Barry Jones


MLB OutfielderTim Raines

• 1991 Ballon d'Or: Marseille forward Jean-Pierre Papin is named Europe's best football player; first from the French League to win the trophy
• 1995 Ballon d'Or: PSG/Milan's Liberian striker George Weah is named Europe's best football player; first edition where players born outside Europe permitted to receive votes

Ballon d'Or
1996 Ballon d'Or: Borussia Dortmund's German sweeper Matthias Sammer is named best football player in Europe ahead of PSV/Barcelona striker Ronaldo and Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer


Football StarRonaldo

Football StarAlan Shearer

 

DECEMBER 25. HO HO HO Merry Christmas

• 1862 40,000 watch Union army men play baseball at Hilton Head, South Carolina
• 1888 First indoor baseball game played at fairgrounds in Philadelphia; 2,000 watch the Uptowners beat the Downtowners, 6-1
• 1930 Mt, Van Hoevenberg bobsled run at Lake Placid, NY opens; first American bobsled run open to public

Bradman's Christmas Duck

1940 Cricket master batsman Don Bradman is dismissed for a Xmas Day first ball duck (0) for South Australia v Victoria in a Sheffield Shield match at the Adelaide Oval


Cricket LegendDonald Bradman

• 1951 West Indies wrap up 6 wicket defeat of Australia on first Christmas Day of Test cricket, the 3rd day of 3rd Test at the Adelaide Oval

Howe's Christmas Hat Trick
1956 Detroit's future Hockey Hall of Fame right wing Gordie Howe picks up a Xmas hat-trick & 3 assists in Red Wings' 8-1 win over NY Rangers; most points he scores in a single game in entire 26-year NHL career


Ice Hockey LegendGordie Howe

• 1971 Longest game in NFL history as Miami Dolphins beat KC Chiefs, 27-24 in 2OT in AFL playoff game; duration: 82 minutes and 40 seconds

Johan Cruyff's Second Award
1973 Ballon d'Or: Ajax forward Johan Cruyff wins his second award for best European football player ahead of Juventus goalkeeper Dino Zoff and Bayern Munich striker Gerd Müller


Soccer Player and CoachJohan Cruyff

Footballer and StrikerGerd Müller

• 1976 6th Fiesta Bowl: #8 Oklahoma beats Wyoming, 41-7
• 1977 7th Fiesta Bowl: #8 Penn State beats #15 Arizona State, 42-30
• 1978 8th Fiesta Bowl: #8 Arkansas ties #15 UCLA, 10-10
• 1979 9th Fiesta Bowl: #10 Pittsburgh beats Arizona, 16-10
• 1979 Ballon d'Or: Hamburg's English forward Kevin Keegan wins his 2nd consecutive trophy as best football player in Europe; beats Bayern Munich forward Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Ajax sweeper Ruud Krol

Nazar, Khan Put Pakistan on Top
1982 Mudassar Nazar scores 119 in Pakistan's 2nd innings of 452 before Imran Khan takes 6 wickets in 2nd Test against India in Karachi; Pakistan will win by an innings and 86 runs


Cricketer and Prime Minister of PakistanImran Khan
Michel Platini's Second in a Row
1984 Ballon d'Or: Juventus' French midfielder Michel Platini is named Europe's best football player for the 2nd consecutive time; beats Bordeaux midfielder Jean Tigana and Verona striker Preben Elkjær


FootballerMichel Platini

• 1984 Knicks basketball forward Bernard King scores 60 points, but New York loses, 120-114 to the New Jersey Nets on Xmas Day at Madison Square Garden
• 1990 Ballon d'Or: Inter's German sweeper Lothar Matthäus is named best football player in Europe ahead of Juventus striker Salvatore Schillaci and Inter defender Andreas Brehme

Emmitt Smiths 25th Touchdown
1995 Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith scores NFL record 25th touchdown of the season in 37-13 win against Arizona Cardinals at Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe AZ


American Football PlayerEmmitt Smith
Sixth Coach to Win 1,000
2008 Phil Jackson becomes the sixth coach in NBA history to win 1,000 games as his LA Lakers beat Boston Celtics, 92-83 at the Staples Center, Los Angeles


NBA CoachPhil Jackson

• 2020 New Orleans running back Alvin Kamara equals Ernie Nevers 1929 NFL record of 6 touchdowns in a match in the Saints' 52-33 win over the Minnesota Vikings at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome

 

DECEMBER 26

• 1860 First ever inter-club football match between Hallam F.C. and Sheffield F.C. at Sandygate Road ground in Sheffield, England

Jackson vs. Burns

1908 African-American boxer Jack Johnson stops Canadian defending champion Tommy Burns in the 14th round in Sydney, Australia, to become the first black man to win world heavyweight title; Burns is favorite in 12th title defense but Johnson dominates before police stop the bout


World Heavyweight Boxing ChampionJack Johnson

Boxer and World Heavyweight ChampionTommy Burns

• 1917 1st NHL defensemen to score a goal: Toronto Maple Leaf Harry Cameron
• 1918 1st day of 1st-class cricket in Aust after WW I (Vic v NSW)

Babe Ruth to NY
1919 Yankees and Boston Red Sox reach agreement to move future Baseball Hall of Fame pitching slugger Babe Ruth to New York


Baseball LegendBabe Ruth

• 1925 1st East-West Shrine Bowl game of college football 'all-stars' played before 25,000 fans at Ewing Park, San Francisco. Proceeds continue to benefit Shriners Hospitals for Children.
• 1925 NY Americans and Pittsburgh Pirates set an NHL record by recording a combined 141 shots on goal in Americans' 3-1 win; Roy Worters makes incredible 70 saves for Pittsburgh and Jake Forbes has 67 for NY

Weissmuller Retires
1928 Johnny Weissmuller announces his retirement from amateur swimming


Swimmer and ActorJohnny Weissmuller

• 1934 Yomiuri Giants, Japan's 1st professional baseball team forms
• 1938 Tom Goddard takes a cricket hat-trick for England v South Africa
• 1940 1st-class cricket debut of Arthur Morris, who scores 148
• 1943 National Football League Championship, Wrigley Field, Chicago: Chicago Bears beat Washington Redskins, 41-21; Bears 6th title
• 1950 Gillette & Mutual buy All Star & World Series rights ($6M for 6 yrs)
• 1954 National Football League Championship, Cleveland Municipal Stadium: Cleveland Browns thrash Detroit Lions, 56-10; Browns' placekicker Lou Groza makes 8 extra points, a new title game record
• 1955 National Football League Championship, LA Memorial Coliseum: Cleveland Browns beat Los Angeles Rams, 38-14; Browns defend title and win their 3rd NFL Championship of the 1950s in a second straight rout

Eagles Defeat Packers
1960 National Football League Championship, Franklin Field, Philadelphia: Philadelphia Eagles beat Green Bay Packers, 17-13; lone playoff defeat for Packers coach Vince Lombardi before Packers establish dynasty


NFL CoachVince Lombardi

NFL Player and SportscasterTom Brookshier

• 1964 AFL Championship, War Memorial Stadium, Buffalo: Buffalo Bills beat San Diego Chargers 20-7; defending champions can't overcome 1st quarter injury to star RB Keith Lincoln
• 1965 AFL Championship, Balboa Stadium San Diego: Buffalo Bills beat San Diego Chargers 23-0; repeat previous year's win over SD
• 1967 Ballon d'Or: Ferencváros forward Flórián Albert wins award for best European football player ahead of Manchester United midfielder Bobby Charlton and Celtic winger Jimmy Johnstone
• 1968 Bruin Ted Green sets NHL penalty record of 3 minors, 2 majors & 2 game misconducts in a game against NY Rangers in NY's Madison Square Garden

Ali vs. Blin
1971 Muhammad Ali finishes off German Jürgen Blin with a thundering right cross for a 7th-round knockout in a non-title heavyweight boxing contest in Zurich, Switzerland


Heavyweight Boxing ChampionMuhammad Ali
Ballon d'Or
1972 Ballon d'Or: Bayern Munich defender Franz Beckenbauer wins award for best European football player ahead of tied fellow German duo of Gerd Müller and Günter Netzer


Footballer and StrikerGerd Müller

FootballerFranz Beckenbauer

• 1974 NHL Washington Capitals 1st franchise sellout
• 1975 5th Fiesta Bowl: #7 Arizona State beats #6 Nebraska, 17-14
• 1975 Crowd of 85,661 attend the 1st day of the Australia vs West Indies MCG cricket test

Raiders Beat Steelers
1976 AFC Championship, Oakland Coliseum: Oakland Raiders beat Pittsburgh Steelers, 24-7


NFL Coach and SportscasterJohn Madden

• 1976 NFC Championship, Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington: Minnesota Vikings beat Los Angeles Rams, 24-13
• 1980 10th Fiesta Bowl: #10 Penn State beats #11 Ohio State, 31-19
• 1981 One of the great day's Test Cricket at the MCG Australia v West Indies
• 1983 Test Cricket debut of Gregory Richard John Matthews, v Pakistan at the MCG
• 1985 Steve Waugh makes his Test cricket debut against India at the MCG
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• 1986 Hartford center Doug Jarvis sets NHL record of 916 consecutive games as the Whalers tie 1-1 after OT against his old club Montreal Canadiens

Messier Suspended
1986 Mark Messier is suspended for 10 games for instigating a fight with Jamie Macoun and breaking his cheekbone


NHL LegendMark Messier
Ballon d'Or
1989 Ballon d'Or: Milan's second straight 1-2-3; Dutch striker Marco van Basten wins his 2nd best football player in Europe title ahead of Franco Baresi and Frank Rijkaard


Soccer StarMarco van Basten
Taylor and Jayasuriya Debut
1989 ODI cricket debut for Australia's Mark Taylor and Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya at the MCG


CricketerSanath Jayasuriya
Kasparov Defeats Karpov
1990 Garry Kasparov defeats fellow Russian Anatoly Karpov to retain the world chess championship


Chess Grandmaster and Political ActivistGarry Kasparov

Chess GrandmasterAnatoly Karpov

• 1990 Reggie Williams becomes the first general manager of the WLAF's NY-NJ Knights
• 1990 Senior Professional Baseball Association folds

Pittsburgh Routs Toronto
1991 Future Hockey Hall of Fame right wing Joe Mullen scores 4 goals for the second straight NHL game as the Pittsburgh Penguins rout Toronto, 12-1; Mario Lemieux adds 2 goals & 5 assists and Kevin Stevens has 2 goals & 4 assists


NHL Legend and OwnerMario Lemieux
Chuck Noll Retires
1991 Future Pro Football HOF coach Chuck Noll retires as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers (1969–1991)


NFL Head CoachChuck Noll

• 1991 NY Islander Derek King ties NJ Devils 5-5 with ½ second left
• 1992 New York Jets announcer Marty Glickman retires at 75
• 1992 The NHL's San Jose Sharks end a 13-game losing streak with a 7-2 win over the LA Kings, albeit allowing 59 shots, the most in team history; Jeff Hacket makes 57 saves
• 1995 Paul Adams becomes South Africa's youngest Test Cricket player at 18 yrs 340 days
• 2006 At 40 years, 268 days, Teddy Sheringham scores for West Ham United in a 2-1 loss to Portsmouth at Upton Park, London; becomes oldest goalscorer in EPL history

Warne 1st to 700 Test Wickets
2006 Spin bowling great Shane Warne becomes first bowler in Test cricket history to take 700 wickets; bowls England opener Andrew Strauss for 50 during Australia's 4th Test win in Melbourne


Cricketer and BroadcasterShane Warne

• 2023 The Detroit Pistons suffer a 118-112 loss to the Brooklyn Nets at home to set an NBA single-season record with their 27th straight defeat

 

DECEMBER 27

• 1892 Biddle University beats Livingstone College 5-0 in 1st black college football game, in Salisbury, North Carolina
• 1897 Stanley Cup, Victoria Rink, Montreal, Quebec: Montreal Victorias beat Ottawa Capitals, 15-2
• 1905 Australian cricket all-rounder Monty Noble scores 281 (369 mins with 21 fours) in NSW total 805 v Victoria in Melbourne

Sports History

1919 Red Sox owner Harry Frazee announces they will deal any player except Harry Hooper, Hooper is sent to the White Sox after 1920 season


MLB Team OwnerHarry Frazee

• 1937 German immigration officials with no explanation bar Juan Carlos Zabala (Arg), 1932 Olympic marathon champion, from entering Germany
• 1942 5th NFL All Star Game, Shribe Park, Philadelphia: NFL All-Stars beat Washington Redskins, 17-14
• 1953 National Football League Championship, Briggs Stadium, Detroit: Detroit Lions beat Cleveland Browns, 17-16 to retain title
• 1956 45th Davis Cup: Australia beats USA in Adelaide (5-0)

Sharman's Streak Ends
1956 Bill Sharman (Boston) ends NBA free throw streak of 55 games


NBA GuardBill Sharman

• 1959 National Football League Championship, Memorial Stadium, Baltimore: Baltimore Colts beat New York Giants, 31-16; Colts score 24 straight points in 4th quarter
• 1960 1961 NFL Draft: Tommy Mason from University of Tulane first pick by Minnesota Vikings
• 1962 28th Heisman Trophy Award: Terry Baker, Oregon State (QB)
• 1964 National Football League Championship, Cleveland Stadium: Cleveland Browns shutout Baltimore Colts, 27-0; last championship win by a major-league pro sports team from Cleveland until 2016 NBA Cavaliers
• 1966 Ballon d'Or: Manchester United midfielder Bobby Charlton wins award for best European football player; claims award by a single point ahead of Benfica striker Eusébio
• 1971 1st Fiesta Bowl: #8 Arizona State beats Florida State, 45-38
• 1972 LA Kings start Islanders on 12 game losing streak
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• 1973 MLB Los Angeles Dodgers announce their home night games will start at 7:30 instead of 8
• 1974 40th Heisman Trophy Award: Archie Griffin, Ohio State (RB)

Ballon d'Or
1977 Ballon d'Or: Borussia Mönchengladbach's Danish forward Allan Simonsen is named Europe's best football player ahead of Hamburg forward Kevin Keegan and Nancy midfielder Michel Platini


FootballerMichel Platini

• 1978 Ballon d'Or: Hamburg's English forward Kevin Keegan wins his 1st of 2 consecutive trophies as best football player in Europe; beats Barcelona striker Hans Krankl and Anderlecht winger Rob Rensenbrink
• 1979 Los Angeles left wing Charlie Simmer scores in a Kings' 3-0 shutout of the Quebec Nordiques to extend his modern day NHL goal-scoring streak to 13 straight games (ends next game)
• 1979 Red Army beats NY Rangers 5-2 at Madison Square Garden
• 1980 Calvin Murphy (Rockets) begins longest NBA free throw streak of 78

Lille Leading Wicket-taker
1981 Australian Dennis Lillee becomes the leading wicket-taker in test cricket with 310 wickets


Cricketer and Fast BowlerDennis Lillee
Gretzky Fastest to 100
1981 Edmonton Oiler Wayne Gretzky becomes fastest NHLer to get 100 point in a season (his 38th game), with 4 goals and an assist in 10-3 win over visiting Los Angeles Kings


Ice Hockey GreatWayne Gretzky
Khan's 8-60 Ensures Victory
1982 Pakistani bowler Imran Khan's 8-60 to brings about innings victory v India at Karachi


Cricketer and Prime Minister of PakistanImran Khan

• 1983 Ballon d'Or: Juventus' French midfielder Michel Platini claims first of 3 trophies for Europe's best football player ahead of Liverpool midfielder Kenny Dalgleish and Vejle BK striker Allan Simonsen
• 1984 Padres' free agent pitcher Ed Whitson signs with NY Yankees
• 1987 Steve Largent sets all-time NFL record for career catches when he catches his 752nd pass

Ballon d'Or
1988 Ballon d'Or: Milan 1-2-3; Dutch striker Marco van Basten wins his 1st of 3 best football player in Europe awards ahead of Ruud Gullit and Frank Rijkaard


Soccer StarMarco van Basten

• 1989 Oregon begins taking bids on NBA games
• 1990 Edmonton Oilers beat the Calgary Flames, 4-1 to record their 500th all-time NHL victory; set in just 915 games for a record of 500-295-120, good for a winning % of .612; best in history upon reaching milestone
• 1991 Bengals hire Dave Shula as youngest NFL coach (32)

Boons' 21st Test Century
1995 Australian cricketer David Boon completes his 21st Test Cricket century (110 v SL, MCG)


Cricket BatsmanDavid Boon

• 1996 Carquest Bowl 7: Miami beats Virginia, 31-21

Sakis' 1,000th Point
1999 Joe Sakic records his 1,000th career point, an assist against the St. Louis Blues


NHL LegendJoe Sakic
Lemieux's Return
2000 Pittsburgh Penguins center and part-owner Mario Lemieux scores a goal and 2 assists in his return to the NHL after more than 3 years out with injury problems and lingering cancer issues; Penguins beat Toronto Maple Leafs, 5-0


NHL Legend and OwnerMario Lemieux
Manchester City's Record Streak
2017 Raheem Sterling scores to give Manchester City 1-0 win over Newcastle United at St. James' Park; EPL record 18th consecutive win; streak ends with 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace 31/12


FootballerRaheem Sterling
Dončić 1st 60-20 Triple Double
2022 Luka Dončić becomes the first player to register a 60-21-10 triple-double in NBA history as the Dallas Mavericks beat the NY Knicks, 126-121; first 60-point game in Mavs franchise history


Basketball PlayerLuka Dončić

 

DECEMBER 28

• 1887 John Layton Jarvis becomes first British race horse trainer to be knighted for services to racing

Vezina 1st Assist

1918 Montreal's Georges Vezina becomes the first NHL goalie to record an assist during the Canadiens’ 6-3 win over the Toronto Arenas


NHL GoalieGeorges Vezina

• 1934 First ever Women's cricket international begins England vs Australia in Australia
• 1938 Paul Gibb scores 106 on Test Cricket debut v South Africa
• 1940 Cricketer Arthur Morris scores 111 in 2nd innings of 1st game after 148
• 1944 Former Wash 3rd baseman Buddy Lewis wins Distinguished Flying Cross

Richard 8 Point Game First
1944 Montreal right wing Maurice 'Rocket' Richard becomes first player in NHL history to score 8 points in one game with 5 goals and 3 assists in the Canadiens' 9-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings


Ice Hockey PlayerMaurice Richard
US Defeats Australia
1946 Davis Cup Men's Tennis, Melbourne, Australia: Jack Kramer & Ted Schroeder give US unassailable 3-0 lead; beat Australians John Bromwich & Adrian Quist 6-2, 7-5, 6-4; ends 5-0


Tennis PlayerJohn Bromwich

Tennis PlayerJack Kramer

Tennis PlayerAdrian Quist

• 1947 Chic Cards beat Philadelphia Eagles 28-21 in NFL championship game
• 1947 National Football League Championship, Comiskey Park, Chicago: Chicago Cardinals beat Philadelphia Eagles, 28-21; Cardinals' only title victory

Australia Defeats US
1951 Davis Cup Men's Tennis, White City, Sydney: Frank Sedgman outclasses Vic Seixas 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 in the deciding rubber as Australia beats US, 3-2 in Sydney to retain Cup


Tennis PlayerFrank Sedgman

Tennis PlayerVic Seixas

• 1952 National Football League Championship, Cleveland Municipal Stadium: Detroit Lions beat Cleveland Browns, 17-7
• 1954 43rd Davis Cup: USA beats Australia in Sydney (3-2)
• 1955 44th Davis Cup: Australia beats USA in New York (5-0)
• 1957 46th Davis Cup: Australia beats USA in Melbourne (3-2)
• 1957 CBS states it won't broadcast baseball where minor league games are on
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• 1958 "The Greatest Game Ever Played": Baltimore Colts win the 26th NFL championship against the New York Giants 23-17 at Yankee Stadium, in the first sudden-death overtime game in NFL history. 17 future members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame are involved in the game.
• 1960 49th Davis Cup: Australia beats Italy in Sydney (4-1)
• 1961 50th Davis Cup: Australia beats Italy in Melbourne (5-0)
• 1962 51st Davis Cup: Australia beats Mexico in Brisbane (5-0)

US Thrilling Victory
1963 Davis Cup Men's Tennis, Adelaide: American Chuck McKinley beats Australia's John Newcombe 10-12, 6-2, 9-7, 6-2 in the deciding rubber to give US a thrilling 3-2 victory


Tennis Player and Wimbledon ChampionChuck McKinley

Tennis PlayerJohn Newcombe
Clark 1st Scot to Win
1963 Scottish Lotus driver Jim Clark wins his record 7th Grand Prix of the F1 season, the South African event at Prince George Circuit; first Scotsman to win the World Drivers Championship


Auto RacerJim Clark

• 1965 Ballon d'Or: Benfica striker Eusébio wins award for best European football player; first Portuguese national to win, and still only Benfica player

Australia Win Over Spain
1965 Davis Cup Men's Tennis, Sydney: John Newcombe & Tony Roche beat José Luis Arilla & Manuel Santana of Spain 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 to give Australia unassailable 3-0 lead; ends 4-1


Tennis PlayerJohn Newcombe

Tennis Player and CoachTony Roche
Australia Defeats India
1966 55th Davis Cup, Melbourne: Australian Roy Emerson beats Ramanathan Krishnan of India 6-0, 6-2, 10-8 for an unassailable 3-1 lead; ends 4-1


Tennis PlayerRoy Emerson

• 1967 56th Davis Cup: Australia beats Spain in Brisbane (4-1)
• 1968 57th Davis Cup: USA beats Australia in Adelaide (4-1)

Ballon d'Or
1971 Ballon d'Or: Ajax forward Johan Cruyff wins award for best European football player ahead of Inter forward Sandro Mazzola and Manchester United winger George Best; first Dutch national and Ajax player to win award


Soccer Player and CoachJohan Cruyff

• 1974 4th Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma State beats #17 BYU, 16-6
• 1975 "The Hail Mary", with 32 seconds left in the NFC Divisional Playoff Game, Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach throws a legendary 50-yard winning touchdown pass to Drew Pearson to defeat the Minnesota Vikings, and the "Hail Mary" play gains national recognition
• 1975 Gary Cosier scores 109 v West Indies at MCG on Test Cricket debut
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• 1975 In the aftermath of the Cold War, the New York Rangers become first team in NHL history to face a touring Soviet hockey squad; Soviet Army beats the Rangers, 7-3 at Madison Square Garden

Ballon d'Or
1976 Ballon d'Or: Bayern Munich defender Franz Beckenbauer wins title of Europe's best football player for a 2nd time; beats Anderlecht winger Rob Rensenbrink and Dukla Prague goalkeeper Ivo Viktor


FootballerFranz Beckenbauer
Islander's 30th Hat Trick
1978 30th hat trick in NHL New York Islander franchise history, scored by Mike Bossy


Ice Hockey GreatMike Bossy

• 1982 Ballon d'Or: Juventus striker Paolo Rossi is named best European football player; beats Bordeaux midfielder Alain Giresse and Juventus' Polish midfielder Zbigniew Boniek
• 1983 72nd Davis Cup: Australia beats Sweden in Melbourne (3-2)
• 1986 75th Davis Cup: Australia beats Sweden in Melbourne (3-2), helped by Pat Davis ranked 412th in the world
• 1990 Blockbuster Bowl 1: Florida State beats Penn State, 24-17
• 1991 8 are crushed to death at a RAP basketball game at City College, NYC
• 1991 Blockbuster Bowl 2: Alabama beats Colorado, 30-25
• 1993 Ballon d'Or: Juventus' Italian striker Roberto Baggio is named Europe's best football player ahead of Inter forward Dennis Bergkamp and Manchester United striker Eric Cantona

Boon Makes It 20
1994 David Boon completes his 20th Test Cricket century (131 v England, MCG)


Cricket BatsmanDavid Boon

• 1996 India all out for 66 at Durban after making 100 in cricket 1st innings
• 2008 Detroit Lions crash to a 31-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, the first team in NFL history to go winless in a 16-game season
• 2013 Chris Weidman defeats Anderson Silva to retain the UFC Middleweight Championship
• 2018 UFC bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes of Brazil moves up in weight and KOs dominant featherweight Cris "Cyborg" Justino just 51 seconds into the opening round at the Forum in Inglewood, CA; first female to win UFC titles in multiple weight classes
• 2019 49th Fiesta Bowl (College Football Playoff semifinal), #3 Clemson beats #2 Ohio State, 29-23
• 2019 52nd Peach Bowl (College Football Playoff semi final): #1 LSU beats #4 Oklahoma, 63-28
• 2021 Test cricket debutant Scott Boland takes 6 for 7 as Australia retain the Ashes (3-0) with an innings & 14 run win against England in the 3rd Test in Melbourne

 

DECEMBER 29

• 1906 Stanley Cup, Montreal Arena, Westmount, Quebec: Montreal Wanderers beat New Glasgow (NS), 7-2 for 17-5 aggregate challenge series victory

Yankees Refuse Babe Ruth Release

1933 New York Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert refuses to release future Baseball Hall of Fame slugger Babe Ruth to manage the Cincinnati Reds


Baseball LegendBabe Ruth

• 1934 First collegiate basketball doubleheader is played at Madison Square Garden, NYC; New York University beats Notre Dame, 25-18; Westminster edges St. John's, 37-33

Thesz vs. Marshall
1937 Lou Thesz beats Everett Marshall in St Louis, to win NWA World heavyweight title - youngest ever


Professional WrestlerLou Thesz

• 1940 3rd NFL All Star Game: Chicago Bears beats NFL All-Stars, 28-14

Maurice Richards Fastest to 100
1945 Montreal right wing Maurice Richard scores twice in Canadiens' 5-4 loss to Chicago Black Hawks to record his 100th NHL career goal; reaches mark in 145 games, then fastest in history; since broken by Mike Bossy, 100 goals in 129 games


Ice Hockey PlayerMaurice Richard

• 1955 NHL officials wear new vertically striped black-and-white sweaters for the first time in Montreal Canadiens' 5-2 win over Toronto Maple Leafs
• 1957 National Football League Championship, Briggs Stadium, Detroit: Detroit Lions beat Cleveland Browns, 50-14; Lions score 2 touchdowns in each quarter
• 1962 Australian cricket batting champion Doug Walters makes 1st-class debut for NSW v Queensland in Sydney at just 17 years, 8 days; scores 50 in NSW 2nd innings

Hill F1 Champion
1962 British driver Graham Hill wins the South African Grand Prix at Prince George Circuit in a BRM; takes out his first F1 World Drivers Championship by 12 points from Scotsman Jim Clark


Auto RacerGraham Hill

Auto RacerJim Clark

• 1963 National Football League Championship, Wrigley Field, Chicago: Chicago Bears beat New York Giants, 14-10; Giants 3rd consecutive championship defeat; played in temperatures under 10 °F (−12 °C)
• 1965 CBS purchases NFL TV rights for 1966-68 at $18.8 million per year

NY Jets Beat Oakland Raiders
1968 AFL Championship, Shea Stadium, NYC: New York Jets beat Oakland Raiders 27-23; Joe Namath 3 TD passes sparks Jets to win


NFL Coach and SportscasterJohn Madden

NFL QuarterbackJoe Namath

• 1968 NFL Championship, Cleveland Municipal Stadium: Baltimore Colts shutout Cleveland Browns, 34-0

Award to Gerd Müller
1970 Ballon d'Or: Bayern Munich striker Gerd Müller wins award for best European football player ahead of West Ham United defender Bobby Moore and Cagliari forward Luigi Riva


Footballer and StrikerGerd Müller

• 1972 Test Cricket debut of Jeff Thomson and Max Walker v Pakistan at MCG
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• 1974 AFC Championship, Oakland Coliseum: Pittsburgh Steelers beat Oakland Raiders, 24-13
• 1974 NFC Championship, Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington: Minnesota Vikings beat Los Angeles Rams, 14-10
• 1978 Test Cricket debut of Allan Robert Border, v England at the MCG
• 1979 Red Army beats NY Islanders 3-2 at Nassau Coliseum
• 1981 Ballon d'Or: German 1-2-3 with Bayern Munich forward Karl-Heinz Rummenigge taking title of Europe's best football player for the 2nd straight year; beats teammate Paul Breitner and Barcelona midfielder Bernd Schuster

Sports History
1982 American college football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant ends his career with University of Alabama (323 wins)


College Football CoachPaul "Bear" Bryant

• 1983 2nd College Football Holy War: Notre Dame beats Boston College 19-18 in Memphis
• 1983 Australian cricket batsman Graham Yallop completes a painstaking 268 (716 mins) v Pakistan in the drawn 4th Test in Melbourne

Gavaskar Surpasses Bradman
1983 Indian cricket opening batsman Sunil Gavaskar scores an unbeaten 236 in drawn 6th Test v West Indies at Chennai; his 4th Test double century and 30th century, surpassing Don Bradman's record of 29


Cricket LegendDonald Bradman

CricketerSunil Gavaskar

• 1984 NHL St. Louis Blues launch 27 shots in 1 period during 5-1 loss to visiting New York Islanders; NY goaltender Kelly Hrudey finishes game with 47 saves

Gretzky Reaches 100 Points
1984 Wayne Gretzky scores his NHL career 32nd hat trick & adds 3 assists in Edmonton's 6-3 win over Detroit Red Wings for his 100th point in just 35 games; 2nd fastest in history - recorded 100 points in 34 games in 1983


Ice Hockey GreatWayne Gretzky

• 1987 Ballon d'Or: Milan's Dutch midfielder Ruud Gullit wins best football player in Europe award ahead of Paulo Futre (Porto/Atlético Madrid) and Real Madrid striker Emilio Butragueño
• 1988 Soviet Red Army Team edges NY Islanders, 3-2 at Nassau Coliseum
• 1988 Toronto’s Ed Olczyk and Gary Leeman score goals just 4 seconds apart in the 3rd period, tying the NHL record for fastest 2 goals by one team; Leafs beat the Quebec Nordiques, 6-5.
• 1989 Wayne Gretzky and Martina Navratilova are named Athletes of the Decade by the Associated Press

Warne's Famous Hat-trick
1994 Australian cricket's spin king Shane Warne dismisses England's Phil DeFreitas, Darren Gough and Devon Malcolm for a famous hat-trick in 2nd Test win in Melbourne


Cricketer and BroadcasterShane Warne

• 1997 Carquest Bowl 8: Georgia Tech beats West Virginia, 35-30
• 1997 Cricket Women's World Cup: Australia defeats New Zealand by 5 wickets
• 2007 American boxer Steve Cunningham defends his IBF cruiserweight title for the first time with a 12th-round TKO of local favourite Marco Huck in Bielefeld, Germany

Brady Throws Record 50th TD Pass
2007 Tom Brady sets a then-NFL record, throwing his 50th touchdown pass, and the New England Patriots become the first team in NFL history to finish the regular season 16-0


NFL QuarterbackTom Brady
Schumacher's Ski Accident
2013 7-time world F1 motor racing champion Michael Schumacher suffers a serious head injury in a ski accident in the French Alps; his condition still remains unclear


Formula 1 DriverMichael Schumacher

• 2018 85th Orange Bowl: #1 Alabama beats #4 Oklahoma, 45-34
• 2020 Milwaukee Bucks break NBA record for most 3-pointers made by a team in a single game with 29 in a dominant 144-97 victory over the Heat in Miami

Sports History
2022 Rashid Khan is named the captain of Afghanistan's T20I team


CricketerRashid Khan

 

DECEMBER 30

• 1896 Stanley Cup, Granite Rink, Winnipeg, Manitoba: Ernie McLea scores a hat-trick as Montreal Victorias beat Winnipeg Victorias, 6-5; first SC Challenge game played outside of Montreal
• 1907 Abraham Mills' Mills Committee declares baseball was invented in 1839 by future American Civil War general Abner Doubleday in Cooperstown, New York; widely disproven, now known as 'the Doubleday myth'
• 1908 Stanley Cup, Montreal Arena, Westmount, Quebec: Montreal Wanderers outscore Edmonton HC, 14-9 in 2 game challenge series

• 1911 English cricketer Sydney Barnes takes 5-6 in 1st 11 overs v Australia at MCG
• 1926 Chicago Tribune reports the Tigers threw a 4-game series to the White Sox in 1917 to help Chicago win the pennant (never substantiated)
• 1934 New York Rangers and Boston Bruins battle out a 0-0 tie; first of a 37-game overtime undefeated streak for the Bruins, the longest in NHL history; streak spans over 4 years and includes 27 ties

Bradman's 34th Double Century

1939 Donald Bradman scores 267 for South Australia against Victoria, a world record 34th first-class double century


Cricket LegendDonald Bradman

• 1943 Phillies trade Babe Dahlgren to Pitts for Babe Phelps & cash
• 1956 National Football League Championship, Yankee Stadium, NYC: New York Giants beat Chicago Bears, 47-7; Giants' 4th NFL title

Packers Defeat Giants
1962 National Football League Championship, Yankee Stadium, NYC: Green Bay Packers beat NY Giants, 16-7; MVP: Ray Nitschke, Green Bay, LB


NFL LegendRay Nitschke

• 1971 Long Island NHL franchise purchased (NY Islanders)

Dolphins Defeat Raiders
1973 AFC Championship, Miami Orange Bowl: Miami Dolphins beat Oakland Raiders, 27-10


NFL Coach and SportscasterJohn Madden

• 1973 NFC Championship, Texas Stadium, Irving: Minnesota Vikings beat Dallas Cowboys, 27-10

Oleg Blokhin Award
1975 Ballon d'Or: FC Dynamo Kyiv forward Oleg Blokhin claims award for best European football player ahead of former winners, Bayern Munich defender Franz Beckenbauer and Ajax forward Johan Cruyff


Soccer Player and CoachJohan Cruyff

FootballerFranz Beckenbauer
Evonne Goolagong Cawley Champion
1977 Australian Open Women's Tennis: Evonne Goolagong Cawley wins her 6th career Grand Slam title; beats fellow Australian Helen Gourlay Cawley 6-3, 6-0


Tennis PlayerEvonne Goolagong Cawley
Rummenigge Ballon d'Or
1980 Ballon d'Or: Bayern Munich forward Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is named best European football player; beats German international teammate Bernd Schuster of FC Barcelona and Saint-Étienne midfielder Michel Platini


FootballerMichel Platini

Fastest 50 Points in 50 Games
1981 Wayne Gretzky scores 5 goals and an assist in Edmonton's 7-5 win over Philadelphia; gives Gretzky 50 goals in 39 games, the fastest 50 in 50 in NHL history; also sets NHL record with 15-game assist streak


Ice Hockey GreatWayne Gretzky

• 1982 England defeat Australia by three runs at cricket MCG
• 1986 Ballon d'Or: Dynamo Kyiv's Ukrainian forward Igor Belanov is named best football player in Europe ahead of Barcelona striker Gary Lineker and Real Madrid forward Emilio Butragueño

Warne Leads Australia Win
1992 Australian cricket spin bowling great Shane Warne takes 7/52 to lead Australia to 139 run win v West Indies in 2nd Test in Melbourne


Cricketer and BroadcasterShane Warne

• 1992 Last day of Test Cricket for Michael Whitney
• 1992 Washington defenseman Al Iafrate becomes first player in NHL history to have his shot officially break 100 miles per hour; records 101.4 mph during the Capitals Superskills competition
• 1995 Carquest Bowl 6: North Carolina beats Arkansas, 20-10

Broncos Fire Shanahan
2008 NFL head coach Mike Shanahan is fired by the Denver Broncos


NFL Head CoachMike Shanahan

• 2013 NFL head coach Mike Shanahan is fired by the Washington Redskins
• 2016 83rd Orange Bowl: #10 Florida State beats #6 Michigan, 33-32
• 2017 84th Orange Bowl: #6 Wisconsin beats #11 Miami (Florida), 34-24

Mahomes's Double Record
2018 Patrick Mahomes becomes only the 2nd quarterback in NFL history to throw for 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns during KC Chiefs' 35-3 win over Oakland Raiders; achieves both marks with 3rd quarter 89-yard TD pass to Demarcus Robinson


NFL QuarterbackPatrick Mahomes

• 2019 86th Orange Bowl: #6 Florida beats #24 Virginia, 36-28
• 2020 San Antonio assistant Becky Hammon becomes first female to coach an NBA team after Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is ejected in a 121-107 loss to the LA Lakers

 

DECEMBER 31

• 1906 Australasian Championships Men's Tennis, Christchurch, NZ: All-NZ final; Antony Wilding beats Francis Fisher 6-0, 6-4, 6-4
• 1918 Kid Gleason replaces Pants Rowland as Chicago White Sox manager; reach World Series but lose in the "Black Sox" betting scandal; Gleason not involved

US Beats Australasia

1920 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Auckland, NZ: Bill Johnson & Bill Tilden (US) beat Norman Brookes & Gerald Patterson (Australasia) 6-4, 4-6, 6-0, 6-4 for an unassailable 3-0 lead; ends 5-0


Tennis PlayerBill Tilden

Tennis PlayerGerald Patterson

Tennis PlayerNorman Brookes

• 1920 Victorian all-rounder Roy Park makes Test cricket debut for Australia v England in 2nd Test in Melbourne; bowled by Harry Howell for a first ball 'golden duck' in his first and only Test innings
• 1921 Australasian Championships Men's Tennis, Perth: Australian Rhys Gemmell beats countryman Alf Hedeman 7-5, 6-1, 6-4

Bradman's 1st Post-war Century
1945 Before the biggest Adelaide Oval crowd of the season, batting maestro Don Bradman scores his first post-WWII century; 112 for South Australia v Australian Services


Cricket LegendDonald Bradman
Shoemaker and Culmone Tied
1950 American thoroughbred jockeys Bill Shoemaker and Joe Culmone end the year tied, leading the nation with record 388 wins


Racing Hall of Fame JockeyBill Shoemaker
Nardico vs. LaMotta
1952 Danny Nardico stops former world middleweight champion Jake LaMotta in 7 rounds in a light heavyweight non-title bout in Coral Gables, Florida; LaMotta is knocked down for the only time in his career, his corner stopping fight after the round


World Middleweight Boxing ChampionJake LaMotta
Australia Retains Title
1952 Davis Cup Men's Tennis, Memorial Drive, Adelaide: Vic Seixas beats Ken McGregor in 4 sets but Australia retains title for third straight year; beats US, 4-1 in Adelaide


Tennis PlayerVic Seixas

• 1953 42nd Davis Cup: Australia beats USA in Melbourne (3-2)
• 1953 Bill Shoemaker shatters record, riding 485 winners in a year
• 1958 47th Davis Cup: USA beats Australia in Brisbane (3-2)
• 1958 Bill Shoemaker 1st jockey to win national riding championship 4X

Packers Defeat Giants
1961 National Football League Championship, City Stadium, Green Bay: Green Bay Packers shutout NY Giants 37-0; first of 5 NFL titles won in 7-season span by Packers and head coach, Vince Lombardi


NFL CoachVince Lombardi

• 1962 American Basketball League announces suspension of operation
• 1966 Test Cricket debut of Bishen Singh Bedi, India v WI Calcutta, 2-92
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• 1967 1st NBA game at Great Western Forum, LA Lakers beat Houston 147-118

Raiders Beat Oilers
1967 AFL Championship, Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland: Oakland Raiders beat Houston Oilers 40-7; George Blanda 4 field goals for Raiders in club's 1st AFL Championship


NFL Coach and SportscasterJohn Madden

NFL Quarterback and PlacekickerGeorge Blanda

• 1967 NFL Championship, Lambeau Field, Green Bay: Green Bay Packers beat Dallas Cowboys, 21-17; "The Ice Bowl", -13°F
• 1968 NY Jets win AFL championship
• 1970 Would have been start of Aust/Eng Test Cricket at MCG, washed out
• 1972 39th Sugar Bowl: #2 Oklahoma beats #5 Penn State, 14-0
• 1972 AFC Championship, Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh: Miami Dolphins beat Pittsburgh Steelers, 21-7

Australian Open Women's Tennis
1972 Australian Open Women's Tennis: Margaret Court beats Evonne Goolagong Cawley 6-4, 7-5 for her record 11th and final Australian singles crown


Tennis LegendMargaret Smith Court

Tennis PlayerEvonne Goolagong Cawley

• 1972 NFC Championship, RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.: Washington Redskins beat Dallas Cowboys 26-3
• 1973 40th Sugar Bowl: #3 Notre Dame beats #1 Alabama, 24-23

Goologong Defeats Evert
1973 Australian Open Women's Tennis: Australian Evonne Goolagong Cawley beats Chris Evert 7-6, 4-6, 6-0 for her first of 4 home singles titles


Tennis LegendChris Evert

Tennis PlayerEvonne Goolagong Cawley
Johan Cruyff Honored
1973 Johan Cruyff chosen European Football Player of theYear


Soccer Player and CoachJohan Cruyff

• 1974 41st Sugar Bowl: #8 Nebraska beats #18 Florida, 13-10

Goolagong Retains Title
1974 Australian Open Women's Tennis: Australian Evonne Goolagong Cawley retains her title; beats Martina Navratilova of Czechoslovakia 6-3, 6-2


Tennis PlayerMartina Navratilova

Tennis PlayerEvonne Goolagong Cawley

• 1974 Ballon d'Or: Ajax forward Johan Cruyff wins back-to-back awards, and his 3rd overall, for best European football player ahead of Bayern Munich defender Franz Beckenbauer and Legia Warsaw midfielder Kazimierz Deyna
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• 1974 New York Yankees sign Cy Young Award winner Jim "Catfish" Hunter for 5 years for a record $3.75 million from the Oakland A's
• 1975 42nd Sugar Bowl: #3 Alabama beats #7 Penn State, 13-6

Gerulaitis Defeats Lloyd
1977 Australian Open Men's Tennis: American Vitas Gerulaitis wins his first and only Grand Slam event; beats Englishman John Lloyd 6-3, 7-6, 5-7, 3-6, 6-2


Tennis PlayerVitas Gerulaitis

• 1980 NY Islanders greatest shutout margin (9-0) vs Chicago Black Hawks
• 1984 Test Cricket debut of Mohammad Azharuddin, v England at Calcutta

The 1988 Fog Bowl
1988 A heavy, dense fog rolls over Soldier Field in Chicago during the second quarter of the Bears vs. Eagles NFC Divisional Playoff Game, cutting visibility to 15-20 yards in a game known as "The Fog Bowl" (Bears win 20-12)


A photo taken as the Bears and Eagles face off in the 1988 "Fog Bowl"
Lemieux's Famous Five
1988 Pittsburgh NHL center Mario Lemieux accounts for all his team's goals in Penguins 8-6 win over the NJ Devils; famously scores 5 goals, each in a different way: even strength, power play, shorthanded, penalty shot and empty net; also 3 assists


NHL Legend and OwnerMario Lemieux
Desormeaux's Win Record
1989 Jockey Kent Desormeaux sets a record with 598 wins in a single year


JockeyKent Desormeaux

• 1991 Daniel R. McCarthy elected NY Yankee managing general partner
• 1991 J. Donald Crump resigns as CFL Commissioner
• 1995 62nd Sugar Bowl: #13 Virginia Tech beats #9 Texas, 28-10
• 1995 Matthew Elliott scores separate cricket century same day for Victoria
• 1996 63rd Orange Bowl: #6 Nebraska beats #10 Virginia Tech, 41-21
• 1997 27th Fiesta Bowl: #10 Kansas State beats #14 Syracuse, 35-18
• 1997 72 year-old Marv Levy retires as coach of the NFL Buffalo Bills after 12 seasons, including 4 consecutive losing Super Bowl appearances
• 1997 Buffalo's Czech NHL goalie Dominik Hasek stops 36 shots for his 27th career shutout in Sabres' 3-0 win over Ottawa Senators; his 6th shutout in month of December; first since George Hainsworth in 1928-29 to achieve the feat
• 2006 The final contest at the old Lansdowne Road Stadium in Dublin is a rugby match with Leinster beating Ulster 20-12 in a Celtic League game
• 2014 44th Fiesta Bowl: #20 Boise State beats #10 Arizona, 38-30
• 2014 81st Orange Bowl: #10 Georgia Tech beats #8 Mississippi State, 49-34
• 2015 82nd Orange Bowl: #1 Clemson beats #4 Oklahoma, 37-17
• 2017 Cleveland Browns crash to a 28-24 loss to Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field to become only the 2nd team in NFL history to finish season with 0-16 record
• 2018 Houston guard James Harden scores 43 points in Rockets' 113-101 win over Memphis Grizzlies; 4th straight NBA game with 40+ points and 8th straight with 35+; joins Oscar Robertson as only player with at least 35 points & 5 assists in 8 straight games