Today's events in sports history

NOV 30

• 1872 First international soccer game, Scotland draws with England (0-0) in Glasgow
• 1893 2nd Iron Bowl: Auburn beats Alabama 40-16 in Montgomery

Sports History

1908 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Melbourne, Australia: Anthony Wilding representing Australasia beats American Fred Alexander 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 to give defending champions a 3-2 victory


Tennis PlayerAnthony Wilding

• 1912 CFL Grey Cup, AAA Grounds, Hamilton: Hamilton Alerts win their only title; beat Toronto Argonauts, 11-4
• 1912 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Melbourne, Australia: James Cecil Parke beats Rodney Heaths 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 to give British Isles 3-2 victory over defending champions Australasia
• 1924 National Football League Championship: Cleveland Bulldogs (7-1-1) [formerly Canton] win first past the post title

Sports History
1928 Australian cricket legend Don Bradman makes an inauspicious Test debut; scores 18 & 1 vs England in 1st Test in Brisbane; dropped to 12th man for 2nd Test


Cricket LegendDonald Bradman

• 1929 CFL Grey Cup, AAA Grounds, Hamilton: Hamilton Tigers take their 4th title; beat Regina Roughriders, 14-3
• 1937 3rd Heisman Trophy Award: Clint Frank, Yale (HB)
• 1940 CFL Grey Cup (Game 1), Varsity Stadium, Toronto: Ottawa beats Toronto Balmy Beach, 8-2

Sports History
1942 Bill Terry resigns as supervisor of NY Giants minor league system


Baseball PlayerBill Terry

• 1946 Bradman scores 187 in 1st Test Cricket v England at the Gabba
• 1946 CFL Grey Cup, Varsity Stadium, Toronto: Toronto Argonauts claim 7th Championship and retain title with 28-6 win over Winnipeg Blue Bombers
• 1948 Baseball's Negro National League disbands

Sports History
1952 Jackie Robinson accuses the NY Yankees of racial bias on national television


Baseball PlayerJackie Robinson

• 1954 20th Heisman Trophy Award: Alan Ameche, Wisconsin (FB)

Boxing Title Fight
1956 At 21 years, 10 months, 3 weeks, 5 days Floyd Patterson becomes youngest world heavyweight boxing champion; KOs Archie Moore in 5th round in Chicago; first Olympic gold medalist to win a professional heavyweight title


Boxing ChampionFloyd Patterson

Boxing ChampionArchie Moore

• 1956 Australian Betty Cuthbert takes Olympic sprint double when she runs OR equalling 23.4s to win the 200m gold medal at the Melbourne Games; beats Christa Stubnick in repeat of 100m final 4 days earlier
• 1956 Gert Fredriksson of Sweden wins his 2nd straight K-1 10,000m canoeing gold medal at the Melbourne Olympics; last time event held in the Summer Olympics; also wins 3rd consecutive K-1 1,000m gold
• 1956 Jon Henricks swims world record 55.4 to win the men's 100m at the Melbourne Olympics; rare Australian 1-2-3 with John Devitt and Gary Chapman taking the minor medals
• 1956 Milt Campbell sets Olympic record total of 7,937 points to upset fellow American and world record holder Rafer Johnson, and win the decathlon gold medal at the Melbourne Games
• 1957 22nd Iron Bowl: Auburn beats Alabama 40-0 in Birmingham
• 1957 CFL Grey Cup, Varsity Stadium, Toronto: Hamilton Tiger-Cats take out their 2nd title; beat Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 32-7

Sports History
1959 1960 NFL Draft: Billy Cannon from LSU first pick by Los Angeles Rams


NFL Running BackBilly Cannon

• 1959 Joe Foss named 1st commissioner of AFL
• 1961 Billy Williams of the Cubs is voted NL Rookie of Year
• 1963 28th Iron Bowl: Auburn beats Alabama 10-8 in Birmingham, Auburn's first points in the series in five years
• 1963 CFL Grey Cup, Empire Stadium, Vancouver: Hamilton Tiger-Cats defeat BC Lions, 21-10; features controversial sequence involving American players Angelo Mosca and Willie Fleming
• 1968 33rd Iron Bowl: Alabama beats Auburn 24-16 in Birmingham
• 1968 CFL Grey Cup, CNE Stadium, Toronto: Ottawa Rough Riders defeat Calgary Stampeder, 24-21; MVP Vic Washington's 79-yard TD run remains a Grey Cup record
• 1969 CFL Grey Cup, Autostade, Montreal: Ottawa Rough Riders defeat Saskatchewan Roughriders, 29-11; first Grey Cup game played in its entirety on a Sunday

Television Premiere
1971 Emmy and Peabody Award-winning TV movie "Brian's Song", about the friendship of Chicago Bears football teammates Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers (based on Sayers' autobiography) premieres on ABC, starring James Caan and Billie Dee Williams


NFL Running BackGale Sayers

• 1974 20th time Islanders shut-out (3-0 vs Canucks)
• 1976 42nd Heisman Trophy Award: Tony Dorsett, Pittsburgh (RB)

Sports History
1981 NY Yankee Dave Righetti wins AL Rookie of Year Award


MLB Pitcher and CoachDave Righetti

• 1983 Denver Nuggets coach Doug Moe, hoplessly behind, advise team to let Blazers break their scoring record
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• 1985 50th Iron Bowl: Alabama beats Auburn 25-23 in Birmingham

Sports History
1986 American-based Czech tennis star Ivan Lendl is first player to make over $10 million in career earnings


Tennis Player and Eight-Time Major ChampionIvan Lendl

• 1986 CFL Grey Cup, BC Place, Vancouver: Hamilton Tiger-Cats defeat Edmonton Eskimos, 39-15; Al Bruno's 2nd Grey Cup win, 1st as head coach, also as a player with 1952 Toronto Argonauts

Sports History
1988 NYC furrier sues Mike Tyson for $92,000 for non payment of purchase


Heavyweight Boxing ChampionMike Tyson

• 1991 56th Iron Bowl: Alabama beats Auburn 13-6 in Birmingham
• 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup Final, Tianhe Stadium, Guangzhou, China: Michelle Akers scores twice as US beats Norway, 2-1

Sports History
1992 David Boon's 14th Test Cricket century, 111 v WI at Brisbane


Cricket BatsmanDavid Boon

• 1993 NFL announces 30th franchise - Jacksonville Jaguars
• 1996 South African cricket opening batsman Gary Kirsten follows his 1st innings 102 with 133 in the Proteas' 329 run 2nd Test win v India in Kolkata
• 1997 86th Davis Cup: Sweden sweeps US in Gothenburg (5-0)
• 2003 92nd Davis Cup: Australia beats Spain in Melbourne (3-1)

Sports History
2005 The Boston Bruins trade captain Joe Thornton to the San Jose Sharks


NHL StarJoe Thornton

• 2013 14th Rugby League World Cup: Australia beats New Zealand 34-2
• 2013 78th Iron Bowl: Auburn beats Alabama 34-28 in Auburn
• 2014 CFL Grey Cup, BC Place, Vancouver: Calgary Stampeders beat Hamilton Tiger-Cats, 20-16 for their 7th Championship

Sports History
2015 NBA star Kobe Bryant (LA Lakers) announces his intention to retire at the end of the season


NBA GuardKobe Bryant

• 2019 83rd Iron Bowl: #16 Auburn beats #5 Alabama, 48-45
• 2019 Australian cricket batsman David Warner smashes 335 not out in the 2nd Test against Pakistan; second-highest Test score by an Australian (Matt Hayden 380); highest Test score at Adelaide Oval
• 2019 On the way to 36 in 2nd Test v Pakistan, Australian cricket batsman Steve Smith overtakes Don Bradman’s run-tally of 6,996 Test runs; becomes fastest batsman to 7000, in terms of innings (126)

 

DEC 1

• 1653 An athlete from Croydon is reported to have run 20 miles from St Albans to London in less than 90 minutes
• 1912 Boston Braves MLB franchise owner James Gaffney buys the Allston Golf Club on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston with a plan to construct a ball park there; ground breaking for Braves Field starts on March 20, 1915

• 1923 Grey Cup, Varsity Stadium, Toronto: Queen's University retains title with 54-0 win over Regina Rugby Club; biggest Grey Cup victory margin ever
• 1924 The Boston Bruins beat fellow expansion Montreal Maroons, 2-1 at Boston Arena; first NHL game to be played in the United States
• 1928 CFL Grey Cup, AAA Grounds, Hamilton: Hamilton Tigers win 3rd Cup with 30-0 shutout of Regina Roughriders
• 1928 National League President John Heydler first to propose a baseball rule change calling for a 10th man, or 'designated hitter', to bat in place of the pitcher; ironically, the NL vote in favour of proposal, but the American League turn it down
• 1930 NHL drops 20 minute slashing-about-the-head penalty

NHL Record

1934 Toronto Maple Leafs beat St. Louis Eagles, 4-3 to set an NHL record for the most wins to start the season with 8; Leafs do it again 59 years later; won 10 in a row to start 1993-94 season


NHL GoalieGeorge Hainsworth

• 1936 2nd Heisman Trophy Award: Larry Kelley, Yale (E)
• 1940 Four sets of brothers play in one NHL game when Chicago Blackhawks beat NY Rangers, 4-1; Lynn & Muzz Patrick and Neil & Mac Colville (Rangers); Max & Doug Bentley and Bob & Bill Carse (Chicago)
• 1942 With WWII travel restrictions in mind, MLB owners decide to restrict travel to a 3-trip schedule rather than customary 4; Spring training in 1943 limited to locations north of Potomac or Ohio rivers and east of the Mississippi
• 1945 CFL Grey Cup, Varsity Stadium, Toronto: Toronto Argonauts win their 6th title with a 35-0 shutout of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Sports History
1947 In first cricket Test match between the 2 nations, India is dismissed for 58 by Australia in Brisbane; fast bowler Ernie Toshack takes 5 for 2 off 2.3 overs; Don Bradman scores 185 as Australia wins by an innings & 226 runs


Cricket LegendDonald Bradman

• 1949 MLB announces attendance for the season is 20.2 million, down from 20.9 in 1948; New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians each finish with over 2.2 million, but the St. Louis Browns fall to 270,000
• 1951 17th Heisman Trophy Award: Dick Kazmaier, Princeton (HB)
• 1951 Legendary Australian cricket fast bowler Ray Lindwall takes his 100th Test wicket when he bowls West Indian spinner Sonny Ramadhin in the 2nd Test in Sydney; Australia wins by 7 wickets
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• 1953 Red Sox trade for slugger Jackie Jensen, sending pitcher Mickey McDermott and outfielder Tom Umphlett to Washington; Jensen averages 25 HRs a year for his 7 seasons in Boston; AL RBI leader x 3, and AL MVP in 1958
• 1954 NY Yankees and Baltimore Orioles complete largest trade in MLB history as 17 players, including Don Larsen, Gene Woodling, Bob Turley change teams; first phase of transaction began November 18 and concludes today after the MLB draft
• 1956 21st Iron Bowl: Auburn beats Alabama 34-7 in Birmingham
• 1956 Algerian-born French long-distance runner Alain Mimoun wins the men's marathon in 2:25:00.0 at the Melbourne Olympics; first time runners follow painted line
• 1956 American Mildred McDaniel jumps world record 1.76m to win the women's high jump gold medal at the Melbourne Olympics; Briton Thelma Hopkins and Russian Mariya Pisareva dead-heat for silver (1.67m)
• 1956 Australian women's 4 x 100m relay team of Norma Croker, Betty Cuthbert, Fleur Mellor & Shirley Strickland de la Hunty run world record 44.65 to win the gold medal at the Melbourne Olympics; Cuthbert's 3rd gold of the Games
• 1956 Gert Fredriksson of Sweden wins his 3rd consecutive K-1 1,000m canoeing gold medal by 2.5s from Igor Pissarov of the Soviet Union at the Melbourne Olympics; also wins K-1 10,000m gold
• 1956 Hungarian boxer László Papp wins his 3rd straight Olympic gold medal when he beats future Hall of Famer José Torres representing the US on points in the light-middleweight final at the Melbourne Olympics
• 1956 In front of 100,000 fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, a US Army baseball team beats an Australian all-star team, 11–5 in an Olympic exhibition game; Sergeant Vance Sutton belts a grand slam for Army

Olympic Gold
1956 Led by future Basketball Hall of Famers Bill Russell and K.C. Jones, the US wins it's 4th consecutive Olympic gold medal with an 89-55 victory over the Soviet Union at the Melbourne Games


Basketball PlayerBill Russell

• 1956 Legendary Australian swimmer Dawn Fraser sets world record 1:02.0 to win the women's 100m freestyle at the Melbourne Olympics; first of Fraser's 3 consecutive gold medals in the event
• 1956 Romanian canoeist Leon Rotman wins the men's C-1,000m gold medal at the Melbourne Olympics; claims the singles double after also winning the C-1 10,000m gold
• 1956 US men's 4 x 100m relay team of Thane Baker, Leamon King, Bobby Morrow & Ira Murchison sets world record 39.60s to win the gold medal at the Melbourne Olympics; Morrow's 3rd gold medal of the Games

Heisman Trophy
1959 25th Heisman Trophy Award: Billy Cannon, LSU (HB)


NFL Running BackBilly Cannon

• 1962 27th Iron Bowl: Alabama beats Auburn 38-0 in Birmingham, their fourth straight shutout in the series
• 1962 Classifications in minor league baseball are overhauled; Eastern and South Atlantic leagues are promoted from Class-A to Class-AA; classes B, C and D are abolished with those leagues being promoted to Class-A
• 1963 Wendell Scott wins the Grand National Series Jacksonville 200 at Speedway Park in Jacksonville, Florida, becoming the first black driver to win a race at NASCAR's premier level
• 1964 After just 3 seasons in MLB the Houston Colt .45s change name of the team to Astros; owners say move signals a step into the future for the franchise and the city of Houston
• 1966 Ecuadorian national baseball team defends its title with a 4-3 win over Brazil in the South American Championship; last win for next 50 years; Eloy Guerrero drives in Ramón Sotomayor with the winning run
• 1967 Pacific Northwest Sports, Inc. is awarded one of the 2 American League baseball expansion franchises; new team named the Seattle Pilots

NBA Record
1967 Philadelphia center Wilt Chamberlain scores 52 points in 76ers' 133-109 win over Seattle SuperSonics; sets NBA record for 22 free throw misses


NBA LegendWilt Chamberlain
Baseball Record
1971 Chicago Cubs release longtime star and future Hall of Famer Ernie Banks, ending his 19-year MLB career; announce Banks will serve as a coach on manager Leo Durocher's staff; Banks finishes with 512 home runs and 1,636 RBI


MLB shortstopErnie Banks

Baseball Player and ManagerLeo Durocher

• 1973 38th Iron Bowl: Alabama beats Auburn 35-0 in Birmingham

Davis Cup
1973 Davis Cup Men's Tennis, Cleveland, Ohio: Rod Laver and John Newcombe beat American pair Stan Smith and Erik van Dillen 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 to give Australia an unassailable 3-0 lead, (ends 5-0); 23rd Cup title for Australia


Tennis PlayerRod Laver

Tennis PlayerStan Smith
Golf Tournament
1973 Jack Nicklaus finishes at 13-under-par 275 to win the Walt Disney World Open by 1 stroke from Mason Rudolph; becomes the first player to reach $2 million in PGA Tour career earnings


GolferJack Nicklaus

• 1974 American Jacqueline Hansen runs female world record marathon 2:43:54.5 in Culver City, California
• 1974 South Africa is awarded the Davis Cup tennis title after India refuses to travel to South Africa for the final in protest of the South African government's apartheid policies

Sports History
1978 Australian cricket fast bowler Rodney Hogg debuts in 1st Test v England in Brisbane; after Australia all out 116, Hogg makes instant impact by dismissing both high profile England openers Graham Gooch (2) and Geoff Boycott (13)


CricketerGraham Gooch

• 1979 44th Iron Bowl: Alabama beats Auburn 25-18 in Birmingham
• 1979 Australia's World Series Cricket men return to the fold in the drawn 1st Test v West Indies in Brisbane; ex-WSC players Bruce Laird (92), Greg Chappell (74) & David Hookes (33no) provide the scoring on Day 1 in home side's 229/5
• 1980 46th Heisman Trophy Award: George Rogers, South Carolina (RB)

Sports History
1981 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar passes Oscar Robertson (26,710) to become the NBA’s second all-time leading scorer behind Wilt Chamberlain; scores 14 points in 117-86 Lakers' win over Utah Jazz in Los Angeles


NBA LegendKareem Abdul-Jabbar

• 1984 49th Iron Bowl: Alabama beats Auburn 17-15 in Birmingham

Heisman Trophy
1984 50th Heisman Trophy Award: Doug Flutie, Boston College (QB)


NFL QuarterbackDoug Flutie

• 1984 American boxer Greg Page KOs home town favourite Gerrie Coetzee in 8th round to win WBA heavyweight title in Sun City, South Africa

Sports History
1984 American tennis icon Chris Evert wins her 1,000th career professional match; beats Pascale Paradis of France 6-1, 6-7, 6-2 in the round of 16 at the Australian Open; Evert goes on to win the event


Tennis LegendChris Evert

• 1988 NBC bids a record $401 million to capture television broadcasting rights for the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympic Games

Sports History
1989 Romanian 5-time Olympic gold medal winning gymnast Nadia Comăneci arrives in NYC requesting political asylum to the United States; granted


GymnastNadia Comăneci

• 1990 55th Iron Bowl: Alabama beats Auburn 16-7 in Birmingham
• 1990 56th Heisman Trophy Award: Ty Detmer, Brigham Young (QB)

Davis Cup
1990 Davis Cup Tennis, St. Petersburg, Florida: Rick Leach and Jim Pugh beat Australian pair Pat Cash and John Fitzgerald 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 to clinch an unassailable 3-0 lead (ends 3-2) for the US


Tennis Player & Wimbledon ChampionPat Cash
Sports History
1990 New York Knicks center Patrick Ewing scores career high 22 field goals in his 50 point haul in 113-96 win v Charlotte at Madison Square Garden


Hall of Fame NBA CentrePatrick Ewing
Davis Cup
1991 Davis Cup Tennis, Lyon: Frenchman Guy Forget upsets Pete Sampras 7-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to clinch a 3-1 final win over the US


Tennis PlayerPete Sampras
NFL Record
1991 Miami quarterback Dan Marino sets an NFL record when he reaches 3,000 yards passing for the 8th time in his career during Dolphin's 33-14 win over Tampa Bay at Joe Robbie Stadium


Hall of Fame NFL QuarterbackDan Marino
Sports History
1991 Reigning US Open champion Payne Stewart wins only 1 hole, but claims the Skins Game at La Quinta and sets record in the process; 3-foot birdie putt at 14th hole earns 8 skins worth $260,000; record for most money won on 1 hole


GolferPayne Stewart

• 1993 St Louis Blues' Bob Berry coaches his 800th career NHL game, a 4-2 loss to the Maple Leafs in Toronto; also coached LA Kings, Montreal Canadiens & Pittsburgh Penguins
• 1996 Davis Cup Tennis, Malmo, Sweden: Arnaud Boetsch beats Sweden's Nicklas Kulti in closest deciding match in Cup history 7-6, 2-6, 4-6, 7-6, 10-8 to give France 3-2 victory
• 1996 Flamboyant Australian rugby union winger David Campese ends his 15-year, 101 Test career at Cardiff Arms Park in Wales; Wallabies beat Wales, 28-19; Campese scores record 64 career tries
• 1996 South African cricket all-rounder Lance Klusener takes 8-64 on debut in Proteas' 329 run 2nd Test win v India in Kolkata

Sports History
1996 Wayne Gretzky becomes first and only player in NHL history to reach 3,000-point plateau (including playoffs); records an assist in NY Rangers' 6-2 win over Montreal Canadiens at Madison Square Garden


Ice Hockey GreatWayne Gretzky

• 1997 Golden State Warriors NBA guard Latrell Sprewell assaults head coach P.J. Carlesimo; suspended for 10 games
• 1997 In their 81st season, Montreal Canadiens become first team in history to play 5,000 NHL games; host the Penguins but lose, 1-0; franchise record 2,625-1,603-772 with .620 winning percentage
• 2001 Nicaraguan baseball team wins the Central American Games; Ramon Padilla ends 15 year stint with the national team with 2 homers in the 9-0 finale against Guatemala
• 2002 Davis Cup Tennis, Paris: Mikhail Youzhny beats Paul-Henri Mathieu 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 to give Russia 3-2 win over France; only time in event history that a 2-set deficit turned around in a live 5th rubber of a Final
• 2006 Canadian jockey Russell Baze becomes North American horse racing's all-time win leader when Butterfly Belle wins 4th race at Bay Meadows, San Mateo, California; 9,531 victories passes record of Laffit Pincay Jr
• 2007 12th Big 12 Championship Game: #9 Oklahoma beats #1 Missouri, 38-17
• 2007 16th SEC Championship Game: #5 LSU beats #14 Tennessee, 21-14
• 2007 3rd ACC Championship Game: #6 Virginia Tech beats #12 Boston College, 30-16
• 2007 Davis Cup Tennis, Portland, Oregan: Bob and Mike Bryan team to give US an unassailable 3-0 lead (ends 4-1) over Russia; beat Nikolay Davydenko and Igor Andreev 7-6, 6-4, 6-2; 32nd US title

Sports History
2007 T. C. Williams High School’s newly constructed basketball court is named after Earl Lloyd


Basketball PlayerEarl Lloyd

Ballon d'Or
2009 Ballon d'Or: FC Barcelona forward Lionel Messi is named best football player in the world; wins award by a then record margin, 240 points ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid with Barcelona midfielder Xavi 3rd


Football StarLionel Messi

Football StarCristiano Ronaldo

• 2012 21st SEC Championship Game: #2 Alabama beats #3 Georgia, 32-28
• 2012 8th ACC Championship Game: #13 Florida State beats Georgia Tech, 21-15

Sports History
2012 Ex-England soccer captain David Beckham leaves LA Galaxy triumphantly with a second MLS Cup winner's medal after a 3-1 win over Houston Dynamo in Carson, CA; final game of a 6-year stint in US


Football PlayerDavid Beckham

• 2012 FC Barcelona with 13 wins and a draw sets new La Liga start to Spanish football season record; Lionel Messi scores twice in 5-1 win over Athletic Bilbao; pass Real Madrid's 1991-92 season mark
• 2012 Ukrainian Anna Ushenina beats Antoaneta Stefanova of Bulgaria, 3½-2½ in 2 rapid tie breaks to win the World Women's Chess Championship in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia
• 2014 Utility Claudio Liverziani becomes first 3-time MVP in the Italian Baseball League; 291/.444/.472 season, with 30 HRs and 20 RBI in 38 games for Fortitudo Bologna
• 2015 After finishing the season with the largest payroll in MLB history at $298.3 million, the Los Angeles Dodgers are assigned the largest luxury tax bill ever, $43.7 million
• 2015 In the largest deal ever for a MLB pitcher, Boston Red Sox land one of the biggest catches of the off-season, signing free agent David Price for 7 years and $217 million
• 2018 British boxer Tyson Fury dominates much of the fight but survives 2 knockdowns to force a split decision draw with defending WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder at the Staples Center, Los Angeles

Sports History
2019 British Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton wins season-ending Abu Dhabi GP to claim his 6th F1 World Drivers C'ship by 87 points from teammate Valtteri Bottas; Mercedes' 6th straight Constructors title


Formula 1 DriverLewis Hamilton

 

DEC 2

• 1887 International Baseball League disbands; teams in Syracuse, Toronto, Hamilton, and Buffalo form the International Association; those in Newark, Jersey City, Wilkes-Barre, and Scranton become the Central League
• 1902 Dutch soccer club Be Quick - later Go Ahead, forms in Deventer; suffix 'Eagles' added in 1971

• 1907 Association of Football Players' and Trainers' Union (English Professional Football Players' Association) is formed by Charlie Roberts and Billy Meredith in Manchester, England

Boxing Title Fight
1907 Canadian world heavyweight boxing champion Tommy Burns retains his title; KOs Englishman Gunner Moir in 10th round at the National Sporting Club, Covent Garden, London


Boxer and World Heavyweight ChampionTommy Burns

• 1909 National Hockey Association (NHA) is formed in Montreal; original members include Montreal Wanderers and Montreal Canadiens; becomes NHL after some NHA teams leave due to ownership disagreements, and create their own league
• 1916 National Baseball Commission orders that injured players get full pay for duration of their contracts; injury clause previously let clubs suspend players after 15 days' pay
• 1922 CFL Grey Cup, Richardson Stadium, Kingston: Queen's University win first of 3 straight titles; defeat Edmonton Elks, 13-1

Sports History
1928 St. Louis Cardinals future Baseball HOF first baseman Jim Bottomley is voted NL MVP


Baseball PlayerJim Bottomley

• 1932 Australia ends Day 1 of controversial 'Bodyline' cricket series v England at 290/6 in Sydney; Stan McCabe 127no (finishes at 187no); notorious England fast bowler Harold Larwood takes 4 wickets; England wins by 10 wickets

Sports History
1941 New York Giants name Mel Ott as player-manager; replaces another future Baseball Hall of Famer Bill Terry, who heads Giants' farm system


Baseball Player and ManagerMel Ott

Baseball PlayerBill Terry

• 1944 10th Heisman Trophy Award: Les Horvath, Ohio State (QB)

Sports History
1946 In rain affected 1st Test in Brisbane, Australia compiles 1st innings total 645 on Day 3 v India (Bradman 187, Hassett 128); Australia wins by an innings and 332


Cricket LegendDonald Bradman

• 1947 13th Heisman Trophy Award: Johnny Lujack, Notre Dame (QB)

Baseball Record
1948 After one of the best seasons in baseball history, St Louis Cardinals utility Stan Musial is named NL MVP; leads NL in batting average (.365), runs (135), RBI (131), hits (230), doubles (46), triples (18) & slugging (.702), with 39 HRs


MLB LegendStan Musial

• 1950 15th Iron Bowl: Alabama beats Auburn 34-0 in Birmingham
• 1950 South African world bantamweight boxing champion Vic Toweel sets a record for knockdowns in a title fight against Englishman Danny Sullivan in Johannesburg; Sullivan floored 14 times in 10 rounds before fight stopped
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• 1951 16th Iron Bowl: Alabama beats Auburn 25-7 in Birmingham

Sports History
1951 Future Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Don Hutson has his #14 jersey retired by the Green Bay Packers; first number retired in franchise history


First NFL Wide Receiver in HistoryDon Hutson

• 1951 Philadelphia Eagles set NFL record of 25 1st-downs rushing in 35-21 win over Washington Redskins at Griffith Stadium
• 1952 18th Heisman Trophy Award: Billy Vessels, Oklahoma (HB)
• 1954 Milwaukee Hawks shooting guard Frank Selvey sets then NBA record of 24 of 26 free throws as he scores 42 points in 117-108 win over the Minneapolis Lakers at Milwaukee Arena
• 1957 NFL Draft: Rice quarterback King Hill #1 pick by Chicago Cardinals
• 1957 Pacific Coast League franchises forced to relocate when Dodgers and Giants confirm their move to California for 1958 MLB season; Hollywood Stars move from LA to Salt Lake City; LA Angels move to Spokane, and San Francisco Seals transfer to Phoenix
• 1958 1959 NFL Draft: Randy Duncan QB University of Iowa #1 pick by Green Bay Packers
• 1958 24th Heisman Trophy Award: Pete Dawkins, Army (HB)
• 1961 26th Iron Bowl: Alabama beats Auburn 34-0 in Birmingham
• 1961 CFL Grey Cup, CNE Stadium, Toronto: A 6th title for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers; beat Hamilton Tiger-Cats, 21-14
• 1962 50th Grey Cup, Exhibition Stadium, Toronto: Winnipeg Blue Bombers edge Hamilton Tiger-Cats, 28-27; play starts 1 December; only final ever suspended during play (fog), and first to be finished on a Sunday
• 1963 1964 NFL Draft: Dave Parks from Texas Tech first pick by San Francisco 49ers
• 1963 MLB Rules Committee bans oversized catcher's mitts; rule effective only in 1965
• 1967 32nd Iron Bowl: Alabama beats Auburn 7-3 in Birmingham
• 1967 CFL Grey Cup, Landsdowne Park, Ottawa: Hamilton Tiger-Cats defeat Saskatchewan Roughriders, 24-1; Alan Ford's 87 yard punt, on a quick kick, is the longest in Grey Cup history
• 1969 Two years after doubling its size from six to 12, the NHL announces 2 new teams would be joining the League the following year; Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks

Sports History
1971 Frank Robinson is traded from the Baltimore Orioles to the Los Angeles Dodgers


Baseball Outfielder and ManagerFrank Robinson

• 1972 37th Iron Bowl: Auburn beats Alabama 17-16 in Birmingham

Sports History
1972 Romanian tennis star Ilie Năstase successfully defends his ATP Masters Grand Prix title with a 6–3, 6–2, 3–6, 2–6, 6–3 win over American Stan Smith in Barcelona, Spain


Tennis ChampionIlie Năstase

Tennis PlayerStan Smith

• 1973 Capital Centre (USAir Arena) opens in Landover Maryland; NBA's Washington Bullets beat Seattle SuperSonics, 98-96 in opening game; arena demolished 2002

Davis Cup
1973 Davis Cup Men's Tennis, Cleveland: After clinching a famous victory the previous day, Australians Rod Laver and John Newcombe finish a 5-0 rout of the US with wins over Stan Smith and Tom Gorman


Tennis PlayerRod Laver

Tennis PlayerStan Smith

• 1974 MLB Rules Committee changes long time philosophy to permit the use of cowhide, rather than just horsehide in the manufacture of baseballs
• 1975 Greg Chappell in his debut as Australian cricket captain completes a fine double in 8 wicket win in 1st Test v West Indies in Brisbane; scores 109no in 2nd innings to follow his 1st innings 123
• 1977 First day of World Series Cricket at VFL Park in Melbourne; barely 200 people see Australia dismissed for 256 by West Indies; Ray Bright top scores with 69; Michael Holding captures 4 wickets & Andy Roberts 3; WI go on to win 1st WSC 'Test' by 3 wickets
• 1978 43rd Iron Bowl: Alabama beats Auburn 34-16 in Birmingham

Sports History
1978 Sunil Gavaskar scores his second double century (205) in Test cricket (as well as 73 on the final day) to guide India to a draw against the West Indies in the 1st Test in Bombay


CricketerSunil Gavaskar

• 1978 The Sporting News announces Baltimore Orioles shortstop Mark Belanger winner of his 8th (and final) MLB Gold Glove Award

Sports History
1981 Pitcher Fernando Valenzuela becomes 3rd consecutive LA Dodgers player to be named National League Rookie of the Year; Rick Sutcliffe 1979, Steve Howe 1980


Baseball Hall of Fame PitcherFernando Valenzuela

• 1982 American track and field record holder Steve Scott sets record for fastest round of golf played on a regulation course; posts a 95, completing 18 holes in 29:33.05s at Miller Golf Club in Anaheim, California; he used only two clubs, and ran between holes
• 1984 Australian Test cricket spin bowler Bob Holland takes a career best 9-83 for NSW in the Sheffield Shield match against South Australia in Sydney

Sports History
1984 Miami quarterback Dan Marino breaks NFL single-season touchdown pass record when he throws his 37th in the Dolphins' 45-34 loss to the Raiders; finishes season with 48 TD passes


Hall of Fame NFL QuarterbackDan Marino
Sports History
1985 Chicago Bears' head coach Mike Ditka and defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan almost come to blows at halftime in a 38-24 loss to the Miami Dolphins at the Orange Bowl, Miami; Chicago's only loss of the NFL season


NFL Head CoachMike Ditka

• 1985 NFL quarterback legends Dan Marino and John Elway (Denver Broncos) face each other for the first time, a 30-26 win for Marino's Miami Dolphins (390 yards and 3 TDs)
• 1987 "334" club forms as 334 brave Devil fans journey through 20" of snow to attend New Jersey Devils 7-5 NHL victory over Calgary at Meadowlands
• 1989 54th Iron Bowl: Auburn beats Alabama 30-20 in Auburn
• 1989 55th Heisman Trophy Award: Andre Ware, Houston (QB)
• 1991 Australia routs India by 10 wickets in the 1st cricket Test in Brisbane; first Test to be officiated by a match referee; former England captain MJK Smith does the honours
• 1991 Former Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bobby Bonilla becomes highest paid player in MLB when he agrees to record $29 million-5 year deal with New York Mets
• 1992 Kiwi opening batsman John Wright becomes first New Zealander to make 5,000 runs in Test cricket when he scores 14 in the 2nd innings of the drawn 1st Test against Sri Lanka in Moratuwa

NBA Record
1993 Houston Rockets score a 94-85 win over the Knicks at New York’s Madison Square Garden, recording their 15th straight win to start the season; tie Washington Capitols' all-time NBA record 1948-49; streak ends next game


NBA CenterHakeem Olajuwon
Film Premiere
1994 "Cobb" a film about baseball player Ty Cobb, starring Tommy Lee Jones premieres


MLB LegendTy Cobb

• 1995 4th SEC Championship Game: #2 Florida beats #23 Arkansas, 34-3

Sports History
1995 Montreal Canadiens coach Mario Tremblay leaves goaltender Patrick Roy in the game too long, allowing an embarrassing 9 goals in 11-1 rout by Detroit Red Wings; Roy demands trade; moves to Colorado Avalanche and wins Stanley Cup that season


NHL Goalie and CoachPatrick Roy

• 1997 MCI Center opens in Washington, D.C., Wizards vs SuperSonics
• 2000 5th Big 12 Championship Game: #1 Oklahoma beats #8 Kansas State, 27-24
• 2000 9th SEC Championship Game: #7 Florida beats #18 Auburn, 28-6
• 2000 England holds off a determined comeback by South Africa to notch up their 3rd Southern Hemisphere rugby scalp of the autumn with a 25-17 win at Twickenham; previously beat Australia, 22-19 and Argentina, 19-0
• 2001 Davis Cup Tennis, Melbourne: Nicolas Escudé defeats Wayne Arthurs of Australia 7-6, 6-7, 6-3, 6-3 to give France a 3-2 victory; 9th French title, despite not playing a single match on home soil
• 2006 11th Big 12 Championship Game: #8 Oklahoma beats #19 Nebraska, 21-7
• 2006 15th SEC Championship Game: #4 Florida beats #8 Arkansas, 38-28
• 2006 2nd ACC Championship Game: #16 Wake Forest beats #23 Georgia Tech, 9-6

Ballon d'Or
2008 Ballon d'Or: Manchester United's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo wins his first award as best football player in the world; Barcelona forward Lionel Messi 2nd, Liverpool striker Fernando Torres 3rd


Football StarCristiano Ronaldo

Football StarLionel Messi

• 2014 After featuring in a magazine article with long-time life partner, veteran MLB umpire and crew chief Dale Scott openly acknowledges his homosexuality; overwhelmingly positive reaction from baseball circles
• 2016 For 6th time in 7 years, Cincinnati Reds 1st baseman Joey Votto wins Tip O'Neill Award as best Canadian MLB player; hit .326 with NL-leading .434 OBP, 29 HRs & 97 RBIs in an outstanding all-around season for last-place club

Ballon d'Or
2019 FIFA Ballon d'Or: Barcelona forward Lionel Messi wins his record 6th award from Liverpool's Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk; American midfielder Megan Rapinoe is Women's World Player of the Year


Football StarLionel Messi

Soccer StarMegan Rapinoe

 

DEC 3

• 1901 At the MLB meeting, the Milwaukee Brewers franchise is officially dropped from the American League and replaced by the St. Louis Browns
• 1921 CFL Grey Cup, Varsity Stadium, Toronto: Toronto Argonauts win 2nd Championship; beat Edmonton Eskimos, 23-0

NHL Record

1929 Boston Bruins beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-1, the first win of an NHL record 14-game winning streak, and a 22-game home winning streak


NHL GoalieGeorge Hainsworth

• 1932 CFL Grey Cup, AAA Grounds, Hamilton: Hamilton Tigers defeat Regina Roughriders, 25-6 for their 5th Championship

Sports History
1933 As part of a famous MLB fire sale of players, Philadelphia A's owner Connie Mack sells catcher Mickey Cochrane to Detroit for $100,000; Cochrane is immediately named Tigers manager


Baseball LegendConnie Mack

Baseball CatcherMickey Cochrane

• 1933 Joe Lilliard QBs Chic Cardinals; last NFL black until 1946
• 1943 9th Heisman Trophy Award: Angelo Bertelli, Notre Dame (QB)
• 1944 Temporary merger of 2 NFL teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chicago Cardinals, dissolves at finish of season; WWII ends before start of 1945 season, so both teams resume normal operations
• 1946 12th Heisman Trophy Award: Glenn Davis, Army (HB)

Sports History
1948 Australian cricket icon Don Bradman scores 123 for the Bradman XI in his own testimonial match against the Lindsay Hassett's XI in front of 52,360 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground


Cricket LegendDonald Bradman

• 1949 14th Iron Bowl: Auburn beats Alabama 14-13 in Birmingham
• 1950 Cleveland Browns last NFL team with no-pass game (beat Philadelphia 13-7)
• 1956 Australian 4 x 200m freestyle relay team of Kevin O'Halloran, John Devitt, Murray Rose & Jon Henricks swim world record 8:23.6 to take the gold medal at the Melbourne Olympics; Rose's 2nd of 3 gold at the Games

Sports History
1956 Basketball icon Wilt Chamberlain makes his much anticipated varsity debut; scores 52 points and grabs 31 rebounds, breaking both all-time Kansas records in an 87–69 win against Northwestern


NBA LegendWilt Chamberlain

• 1957 23rd Heisman Trophy Award: John Crow, Texas A&M (HB)
• 1961 Dutchman Anton Geesink becomes 1st non-Japanese judo world champion
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• 1961 George Blanda of Houston Oilers kicks 55-yard field goal
• 1962 1963 NFL Draft: Terry Baker from Oregon State first pick by Los Angeles Rams
• 1966 31st Iron Bowl: Alabama beats Auburn 31-0 in Birmingham
• 1967 Australian Derek Clayton runs world marathon record 2:09:36.4 at the Fukuoka Marathon in Japan
• 1968 MLB Rules Committee adopts a series of changes designed to increase amount of offensive run production; decreases strike zone size and lowers height of pitcher's mound from 15" to 10"; changes are successful
• 1970 Claude Ruel resigns as coach of the NHL Montreal Canadiens; replacement Al MacNeil leads Habs to a Stanley Cup championship 5 months later
• 1972 CFL Grey Cup, Ivor Wynne Stadium, Hamilton: Hamilton Tiger-Cats defeat Saskatchewan Roughriders, 13-10; Tiger-Cats first team in CFL's modern era to win Grey Cup at home
• 1979 45th Heisman Trophy Award: Charles White, Southern California (RB)
• 1980 Don Sutton, the winningest pitcher in Los Angeles Dodgers history, signs a 4-year contract with Houston; Astros career shortened by a patellar fracture; returns to Dodgers in 1988 after stints with 3 other MLB clubs

Boxing Title Fight
1982 After losing his world welterweight boxing titles to Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns wins WBC Super Welterweight crown in a majority points decision over Wilfred Benitez at Superdome, New Orleans


BoxerSugar Ray Leonard

BoxerWilfred Benítez

BoxerThomas Hearns

• 1983 48th Iron Bowl: Auburn beats Alabama 23-20 in Birmingham
• 1983 49th Heisman Trophy Award: Mike Rozier, Nebraska (RB)

Sports History
1986 Chasing the West Indies 248/5, Sri Lanka is sensationally dismissed for just 55 in cricket's Champions Trophy in Sharjah; Windies pace bowler Courtney Walsh takes 5 for 1 in 4.3 overs


West Indian CricketerCourtney Walsh

• 1988 54th Heisman Trophy Award: Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State (RB)

Sports History
1989 Stefan Edberg of Sweden claims his first and only ATP Masters Grand Prix tennis title with a 4–6, 7–6, 6–3, 6–1 win over defending champion Boris Becker at Madison Square Garden, NYC


Tennis LegendBoris Becker

Tennis PlayerStefan Edberg

• 1994 3rd SEC Championship Game: #6 Florida beats #3 Alabama, 24-23

Davis Cup
1995 Davis Cup Tennis, Moscow: Pete Sampras beats Russian Yevgeny Kafelnikov 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 to give US a winning 3-1 lead (ends 3-2); record 31st US title


Tennis PlayerPete Sampras

• 1995 England cricket wicket-keeper Jack Russell dismisses Clive Eksteen with his record 11th catch in 2nd Test v South Africa in Johannesburg
• 1997 Golden State Warriors terminates guard Latrell Sprewell's four-year, $32 million NBA contract for attacking coach P.J. Carlesimo
• 1999 Ottawa Senators' right wing Kevin Dineen becomes 5th player in NHL history to score 300 career goals and record 2,000 penalty minutes; picks up a misconduct penalty in 7-4 loss to NJ Devils

Sports History
2000 French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil wins the season-ending Tennis Masters Cup for the only time; beats Andre Agassi 6–4, 6–4, 6–4 in the final in Lisbon, Portugal


Tennis LegendAndre Agassi

• 2005 10th Big 12 Championship Game: #2 Texas beats Colorado, 70-3
• 2005 14th SEC Championship Game: #13 Georgia beats #3 LSU, 34-14
• 2005 1st ACC Championship Game: #22 Florida State beats #5 Virginia Tech, 27-22
• 2006 Davis Cup Tennis, Moscow: Marat Safin beats José Acasuso of Argentina 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 to clinch Russia's 3-2 victory
• 2011 20th SEC Championship Game: #1 LSU beats #16 Georgia, 42-10
• 2011 7th ACC Championship Game: #21 Clemson beats #5 Virginia Tech, 38-10
• 2014 Australian Rugby star David Pocock is arrested after protesting against a coal mine under construction in an Australian national forest

Ballon d'Or
2018 Ballon d'Or: Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modrić wins; first time since 2007 that either Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't win award; Norwegian striker Ada Hegerberg is inaugural women's winner


FootballerLuka Modrić

Football StarCristiano Ronaldo

Football StarLionel Messi

 

DEC 4

• 1909 1st CFL Grey Cup, Rosedale Field, Toronto: University of Toronto Blues beat Toronto Parkdale Canoe Club, 26-6; Blues undefeated
• 1909 Oldest still-operating NHL franchise is officially established as J. Ambrose O’Brien and Jack Laviolette create the “Club de Hockey Canadien,” known today as the Montreal Canadiens

Sports History

1914 Walter Johnson accepts money from Federal League Chicago Whales; Clark Griffith threatens to take Johnson to court


MLB PitcherWalter Johnson

• 1920 CFL Grey Cup, Varsity Stadium, Toronto: U of Toronto Blues win 4th title; beat Toronto Argonauts, 16-3
• 1921 American Professional Football Association Championship, Cubs Park, Chicago: Chicago Staleys beat Buffalo All-Americans, 10-7 in de facto championship game after teams tied in standings
• 1926 CFL Grey Cup: Ottawa Senators retain Championship with 10-7 win over U of Toronto Blues
• 1927 Pittsburgh Pirates future Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder Paul Waner wins NL MVP

Sports History
1943 MLB Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis announces any baseball club may sign Negroes


1st MLB CommissionerKenesaw Mountain Landis

• 1945 11th Heisman Trophy Award: Doc Blanchard, Army (FB)
• 1947 In the first cricket Test match between the 2 nations, India is dismissed for 98 by Australia in Brisbane to lose by an innings & 226 runs; fast bowler Ernie Toshack takes 6 for 29 for match figures of 11 for 31
• 1948 13th Iron Bowl (first since 1907): Alabama beats Auburn 55-0 in Birmingham
• 1949 Bob Gage ties NFL record of a 97 yard touchdown run
• 1956 22nd Heisman Trophy Award: Paul Hornung, Notre Dame (QB)
• 1956 American diver Pat McCormick wins the 3m springboard gold medal at the Melbourne Olympics with 142.46 points; later wraps up the women's double when she takes the 10m platform gold
• 1956 Australian swimmer Murray Rose sets world record 4:27.3 to claim the 400m gold medal at the Melbourne Olympics; Rose later also wins 1,500m gold
• 1961 1962 NFL Draft: Ernie Davis from University of Syracuse first pick by Washington Redskins

Boxing Title Fight
1961 Floyd Patterson KOs Tom McNeeley in 4 for heavyweight boxing title


Boxing ChampionFloyd Patterson

• 1961 Smallest NY Knick, 49th St Madison Square Garden crowd-1,300 (snowstorm)
• 1963 Boston Bruins' right wing Andy Hebenton sets a new NHL record by playing in his 581st consecutive game in 2-2 tie with Chicago Black Hawks; reaches 630 straight games
• 1964 Baseball approves a free-agent draft
• 1964 Commissioner's office given full powers in baseball disputes
• 1964 Test Cricket debut of Ian Chappell, v Pakistan MCG, 11, 0-49, 0-31
• 1965 2nd NY Knicks game postponed (due to death of opponent 76ers' owner)

Contract of Interest
1965 San Francisco Giant Masanori Murakami, 4-1 this year, does not renew his contract signing instead with the Nankai Hawks of Osaka for $40,000


Baseball Player In Major LeaguesMasanori Murakami

• 1977 Davis Cup Men's Tennis, Sydney: John Alexander beats Adriano Panatta of Italy 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 8-6, 11-9 in a 3 hour, 54 minute classic to give Australia a 3-1 victory
• 1977 NFL's 5,000th game, Cincinnati beats KC 27-7

Sports History
1977 West Indies win 1st World Series Cricket 'Test' against Australia at VFL Park in Melbourne by 3 wickets; chasing 235 for victory, Viv Richards with 56 and Clive Lloyd 44 guide WI to 237/7 with 2 days to spare


Cricketer and Master BlasterViv Richards

• 1979 Cleveland Cavaliers retire jersey # 7, Bingo Smith
• 1980 Islanders end 15 game undefeated streak (13-0-2) (Col Rockies)
• 1982 48th Heisman Trophy Award: Herschel Walker, Georgia (RB)
• 1983 NJ Devils 1st shut-out, beating Minnesota North Stars 6-0

Sports History
1985 Slobodan Živojinović of Yugoslavia upsets No. 2 seed John McEnroe 2-6, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4, 6-0 in the Australian Open quarter finals; leaves McEnroe without a major singles title for the first time since 1978


Tennis PlayerJohn McEnroe
Sports History
1987 Defending champion Ivan Lendl of Czechoslovakia wins 3rd straight season-ending ATP Masters Grand Prix tennis title by defeating Mats Wilander of Sweden 6–2, 6–2, 6–3 in the final at Madison Square Garden, NYC


Tennis Player and Eight-Time Major ChampionIvan Lendl

Tennis Player and Seven-Time Major ChampionMats Wilander

• 1988 Edmonton center Jimmy Carson becomes just the third player to score 6 NHL hat tricks before the age of 21 in the Oilers 10-6 win over the New York Rangers

Sports History
1988 Orioles trade veteran 1B Eddie Murray to the Dodgers


MLB 1st BasemanEddie Murray

• 1993 2nd SEC Championship Game: #9 Florida beats #16 Alabama, 28-13

World Record
1993 Dan Jansen skates world record 500m (35.92 sec)


Speed SkaterDan Jansen

• 1994 83rd Davis Cup: Sweden beats Russia in Moscow (4-1)
• 1996 Orlando Magic tie NBA record of fewest points scored since inception of 24 second clock losing to Cleveland Cavalier, 84-57
• 1997 NBA suspends former Golden State Warriors guard Latrell Sprewell for 1 year for attacking coach P.J. Carlesimo
• 1999 8th SEC Championship Game: #7 Alabama beats #5 Florida, 34-7
• 2004 13th SEC Championship Game: #3 Auburn beats #15 Tennessee, 38-28
• 2005 94th Davis Cup: Croatia beats Slovak Republic in Bratislava (3-2)
• 2007 Ballon d'Or: Milan's Brazilian midfielder Kaká is named best football player in the world; first year in which players from clubs outside the UEFA federation eligible for nomination
• 2009 Montreal Canadiens retire Hall of Fame center Elmer Lach's jersey (No. 16), as part of team's centennial celebration
• 2010 15th Big 12 Championship Game: #10 Oklahoma beats #13 Nebraska, 23-20
• 2010 19th SEC Championship Game: #2 Auburn beats #18 South Carolina, 56-17
• 2010 6th ACC Championship Game: #12 Virginia Tech beats #20 Florida State, 44-33
• 2011 100th Davis Cup: Spain beats Argentina in Seville (3-1)
• 2017 New York Giants fire head coach Ben McAdoo and manager Jerry Reese after a 2–10 start
• 2018 Ownership group Seattle Hockey Partners led by billionaire businessman Davis Bonderman is unanimously granted an NHL license by the Board of Governors; to start play 2020-21 season at KeyArena
• 2020 New Zealand cricket captain Kane Williamson smashes 251 to set up the home side's innings & 134 run win over the West Indies in the 1st Test in Hamilton
• 2021 New Zealand cricket spin bowler Ajaz Patel (10-119) joins Jim Laker and Anil Kumble as the only three men to take all ten wickets in a Test innings, on Day 2 of the 2nd Test against India in Mumbai

 

DEC 5

• 1868 1st American bicycle college opens (NY)
• 1914 CFL Grey Cup, Varsity Stadium, Toronto: Toronto Argonauts win first Championship; beat U of Toronto Blues, 14-2

• 1924 Hamilton Tiger Red Green scores 5 goals to beat Tor Maple Leafs 10-5
• 1925 CFL Grey Cup, Landsdowne Park, Ottawa: Ottawa Senators win first title; beat Winnipeg Tammany Tigers, 24-1
• 1931 CFL Grey Cup, Molson Stadium, Montreal: Montreal AAA Winged Wheelers shutout Regina Roughriders, 22-0 for their first title
• 1936 CFL Grey Cup, Varsity Stadium, Toronto: Sarnia Imperials defeat Ottawa Rough Riders, 26-20 for their 2nd Championship
• 1942 CFL Grey Cup, Varsity Stadium, Toronto: Toronto RCAF Hurricanes beat Winnipeg RCAF Bombers, 8-5
• 1943 NFL Philadelphia Eagle-Pitts Steeler merger dissolves

Boxing Title Fight

1947 Joe Louis beats Jersey Joe Walcott in 15 for heavyweight boxing title


Boxer and World Heavyweight ChampionJoe Louis

World Heavyweight Boxing ChampionJersey Joe

• 1948 NY Giant Charley Conerly sets NFL record of 36 pass completions

Boxing Title Fight
1949 Ezzard Charles defeats Jersey Joe Walcott for heavyweight boxing title


Boxer and World Heavyweight ChampionEzzard Charles

World Heavyweight Boxing ChampionJersey Joe

• 1950 Ezzard Charles KOs Nick Barone in 11 for heavyweight boxing title
• 1956 17 year old British swimmer Judy Grinham and American Carin Cone both swim world record 1:12.9 in the women's 100m backstroke at the Melbourne Olympics; Grinham is awarded gold medal
• 1956 Danish yachtsman Paul Elvstrøm wins the Finn class gold medal at the Melbourne Olympics; his 2nd straight Finn gold and 3rd consecutive Olympic gold in sailing

Olympic Gold
1956 Soviet artistic gymnast Larisa Latynina wins the women's vault and ties for gold in the floor exercise section at the Melbourne Olympics; later takes gold total to 4 with teams and individual all-round titles


GymnastLarisa Latynina

• 1958 Phils drop plans for NY sportcast as Yanks threat to do same in Philadelphia
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• 1959 Future Pakistan cricket captain Intikhab Alam bowls Australian opener Colin McDonald with his first ball in Test cricket in drawn 3rd Test in Karachi

Sports History
1968 Future Hockey Hall of Fame center Phil Esposito of the Boston Bruins scores 2 goals in his goaltender brother Tony's (also HOF) NHL debut for the Montreal Canadiens; 2-2 tie


NHL StarPhil Esposito

• 1970 LA Rams Willie Ellison sets NFL record of 247 yards rushing
• 1970 Stanley Cup, Conn Smythe Trophy & Bill Masterson Trophy stolen from Hockey Hall of Fame
• 1972 38th Heisman Trophy Award: Johnny Rodgers, Nebraska (FL)
• 1973 Chicago Cubs Ron Santo becomes 1st baseball player to invoke 10-5 rule and veto his trade (with the California Angels)
• 1974 Birmingham Americans defeat the Florida Blazers 22-21 in the WFL's World Bowl
• 1974 NFL's Seattle Seahawks forms

Contract of Interest
1978 Free agent Pete Rose signs 4-year, $32 million contract with Phillies becoming highest paid baseball player


MLB Player and ManagerPete Rose

• 1978 Islanders took 28 shots in 1 period vs Penguins, Penguins' Ross Lonsberry failed on 7th penalty shot against Islanders

Sports History
1979 Ex-World Series Cricket combatants Greg Chappell (124) and Kim Hughes (130no) return to rescue Australia on last day of the drawn 1st Test v West Indies in Brisbane


CricketerKim Hughes

• 1981 47th Heisman Trophy Award: Marcus Allen, Southern Cal (RB)
• 1982 Ingrid Berghmans (Neth) retains judo's world championship
• 1982 Mel Gray ends NFL streak of 121 consecutive game receptions
• 1982 NFL Cleveland Browns' Brian Sipe sets club record with 33 pass completions
• 1982 PGA Seniors' Championship Men's Golf, PGA National GC: Don January wins his lone Champions Tour major title by 1 stroke over Julius Boros
• 1983 LA Dodger pitcher Steve Howe is suspended for 1 year for cocaine use

Sports History
1984 A's trade Rickey Henderson to Yankees for Jay Howell & Jose Rijo


MLB OutfielderRickey Henderson

• 1984 New York Yankees trade catcher Rick Cerone to Atlanta Braves for pitcher Brian Fisher
• 1987 53rd Heisman Trophy Award: Tim Brown, Notre Dame (WR)

Sports History
1987 David Boon's 5th Test Cricket century, 143 v NZ at Brisbane


Cricket BatsmanDavid Boon
Sports History
1988 Boris Becker beats defending champion Ivan Lendl 5–7, 7–6, 3–6, 6–2, 7–6 in a classic final to win his first of 3 ATP Masters Grand Prix tennis titles at Madison Square Garden, NYC


Tennis LegendBoris Becker

Tennis Player and Eight-Time Major ChampionIvan Lendl

• 1990 Blue Jays trade F McGriff & T Fernandez to SD for R Alomar & J Carter
• 1992 1st SEC Championship Game: #2 Alabama beats #12 Florida, 28-21
• 1993 82nd Davis Cup: Germany beats Australia in Dusseldorf (4-1)
• 1996 Portland's Jermaine O'Neal at 18 becomes the youngest NBA player
• 1997 1st Game at Wash Capitals' MCI Center vs Fla Panthers
• 1998 3rd Big 12 Championship Game: #10 Texas A&M beats #2 Kansas State, 36-33 (2 OT)
• 1998 7th SEC Championship Game: #1 Tennessee beats #23 Mississippi State, 24-14
• 1999 88th Davis Cup: Australia beats France in Nice (3-2)
• 2004 93rd Davis Cup: Spain beats USA in Seville (3-2)

Sports History
2006 Greg Maddux signs a one-year deal with the San Diego Padres worth $10 million


MLB Pitching LegendGreg Maddux
Sports History
2008 Former NFL star O.J. Simpson is sentenced to 33 years in prison for kidnapping and armed robbery


NFL Running Back and Convicted CriminalO.J. Simpson

• 2009 14th Big 12 Championship Game: #3 Texas beats #21 Nebraska, 13-12
• 2009 18th SEC Championship Game: #2 Alabama beats #1 Florida, 32-13
• 2009 5th ACC Championship Game: #12 Georgia Tech beats #25 Clemson, 39-34
• 2010 99th Davis Cup: Serbia beats France in Belgrade (3-2)
• 2017 Russia is banned from the next Winter Olympics in South Korea over state-sponsored doping

 

DEC 6

• 1913 White Sox beat Giants 9-4 in exhibition game in Tokyo
• 1925 Record 73,000 pay to watch Chicago Bears beat NY Giants 19-7

• 1930 CFL Grey Cup, Varsity Stadium, Toronto: Toronto Balmy Beach win their 2nd and final title; defeat Regina Roughriders, 11-6
• 1939 5th Heisman Trophy Award: Nile Kinnick, Iowa (HB)
• 1955 New York psychologist Joyce Brothers wins "$64,000 Question" with topic of boxing
• 1956 Against the background of the Soviet invasion of Hungary the nations square off at the Melbourne Olympics in a famous water polo match; game called off with Hungary leading 4-0 and near riot halted by police; Hungary goes on to win gold medal
• 1956 Australian swimmer David Theile sets world record 1:02.2 to win the 100m backstroke gold medal at the Melbourne Olympics
• 1956 Australian women's 4 × 100m freestyle relay team of Dawn Fraser, Faith Leech, Sandra Morgan & Lorraine Crapp swim world record 4:17.1 and beat powerful US team to win the gold medal at the Melbourne Olympics
• 1956 German WWII prisoner of war Helmut Bantz and Soviet gymnast Valentin Muratov tie for the vault gold medal with 18.85 points at the Melbourne Olympics
• 1956 Randhir Singh Gentle scores the winner as India beats Pakistan, 1-0 in the Melbourne Olympics field hockey final to win it's 6th consecutive gold medal in the sport
• 1956 Soviet gymnast Viktor Chukarin follows his parallel bars gold medal with the individual all-round title and teams gold at the Melbourne Olympics

Davis Cup

1957 Gardnar Mulloy becomes oldest American to win a Davis Cup tennis match at age 44 years, 14 days; teams with Vic Seixas to give US a match-clinching, 3-0 lead over the Philippines in the Inter Zone 1st round in Adelaide, Australia


Tennis PlayerVic Seixas

• 1960 MLB American League grants American entertainer and businessman Gene Autry a franchise: Los Angeles Angels
• 1961 27th Heisman Trophy Award: Ernie Davis, Syracuse (HB) (1st African American to win)
• 1963 Test Cricket debut of Graeme Pollock at the Gabba
• 1968 Baseball dismisses Commissioner William Eckert after 3 years
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• 1970 Cleveland Cavaliers 1st NBA home victory, beating Buffalo Braves 108-106
• 1973 NL votes to move San Diego Padres to Washington, D.C. (doesn't happen)
• 1975 41st Heisman Trophy Award: Archie Griffin, Ohio State (RB)

Sports History
1981 PGA Seniors' Championship Men's Golf, Turnberry Isle CC: Miller Barber wins his first of 5 Champions Tour major titles by 2 strokes from Arnold Palmer


GolferArnold Palmer

• 1981 Rob de Castella of Australia sets Marathon record at 2:08:18

Sports History
1984 Helena Suková snaps Martina Navratilova's 74-match winning streak 1-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the semi finals of the Australian Open in Melbourne; ends Navratilova's hopes of completing the Grand Slam


Tennis PlayerMartina Navratilova

• 1986 52nd Heisman Trophy Award: Vinny Testaverde, Miami Fla (QB)
• 1988 Agnes Neil Williams purchases Baltimore Orioles for $70 million Eli Jacobs becomes CEO of Baltimore Orioles
• 1988 Milwaukee Bucks win their 1,000th NBA game (2nd fastest)
• 1990 NHL grants conditional membership to Tampa Bay Lightning
• 1992 81st Davis Cup: USA beats Switzerland in Fort Worth (3-1)
• 1992 Davis Cup Tennis, Ft. Worth, Texas: Jim Courier defeats Jakob Hlasek of Switzerland 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to give the US a 3-1 victory

NFL Record
1992 San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice catches NFL record 101st touchdown in a 27-3 win over Miami Dolphins at Candlestick Park


NFL LegendJerry Rice
Agreement of Interest
1992 San Francisco Giants sign record $43million USD pact with Pirates MLB outfielder Barry Bonds


MLB LegendBarry Bonds

• 1997 6th SEC Championship Game: #3 Tennessee beats #11 Auburn, 30-29
• 1998 87th Davis Cup: Sweden beats Italy in Milan (4-1)
• 2003 12th SEC Championship Game: #3 LSU beats #5 Georgia, 34-13
• 2003 8th Big 12 Championship Game: #13 Kansas State beats #1 Oklahoma, 35-7
• 2008 13th Big 12 Championship Game: #4 Oklahoma beats #19 Missouri, 62-21
• 2008 17th SEC Championship Game: #2 Florida beats #1 Alabama, 31-20
• 2008 4th ACC Championship Game: Virginia Tech beats #18 Boston College, 30-12
• 2009 98th Davis Cup: Spain beats Czech Republic in Barcelona (5-0)
• 2014 10th ACC Championship Game: #2 Florida State beats #12 Georgia Tech, 37-35
• 2014 23rd SEC Championship Game: #1 Alabama beats #14 Missouri, 42-13
• 2018 Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry explodes for franchise-record 238 yards & 4 touchdowns in 30-9 win v Jacksonville Jaguars in Nashville; 99-yard TD run ties Dallas Cowboys HOF RB Tony Dorsett's longest run in NFL history

 

DEC 7

• 1907 Eugene Corri becomes 1st referee in a boxing ring

Golf Tournament
1929 PGA Championship Men's Golf, Hillcrest CC: Defending champion Leo Diegel defeats Johnny Farrell, 6 & 4 in the final


Golfer and Two-Time PGA ChampionLeo Diegel

PGA Championship
1930 PGA Championship Men's Golf, Fresh Meadows CC: American based Scotsman Tommy Armour defeats Gene Sarazen 1 up in the final for the 2nd of his 3 major titles


GolferGene Sarazen
Sports History
1931 After scoring 226 in 1st Test in Brisbane, Don Bradman belts 219 for NSW against the visiting South Africa at the Sydney Cricket Ground


Cricket LegendDonald Bradman

• 1935 CFL Grey Cup, AAA Grounds, Hamilton: Winnipeg Pegs (later Blue Bombers) defeat Hamilton Tigers, 18-12

Contract of Interest
1937 Red Sox acquire the contract of 19-year-old Ted Williams


Baseball PlayerTed Williams

• 1937 Russian chess player Alexander Alekhine recaptures his final world title from Dutch grand master Max Euwe by a large margin (+10−4=11)

Hall of Fame
1939 Lou Gehrig, 36, is elected to Baseball's Hall of Fame


Baseball PlayerLou Gehrig

• 1940 CFL Grey Cup (Game 2), Lansdowne Park, Ottawa: Ottawa beats Toronto Balmy Beach, 12-5
• 1949 15th Heisman Trophy Award: Leon Hart (end), Notre Dame
• 1956 American diver Pat McCormick wraps up the women's double when she wins the 10m platform gold medal at the Melbourne Olympics with 84.85 points; also won the 3m springboard gold
• 1956 Australian swimmer Murray Rose claims his 3rd gold medal at the Melbourne Olympics when he wins the 1,500m in 17:58.9; also wins 400m & 4 x 200m relay

Olympic Gold
1956 Soviet artistic gymnast Larisa Latynina takes her gold medal tally to 4 at the Melbourne Olympics; wins teams and individual all-round titles having earlier won vault and floor exercise sections


GymnastLarisa Latynina

• 1957 Tony Kubek of the Yanks selected as AL Rookie of the Year
• 1973 Orioles sell pitcher Eddie Watt to the Phillies

Sports History
1975 Romanian tennis star Ilie Năstase wins his 4th season-ending ATP Masters Grand Prix title with a 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 rout of Björn Borg of Sweden in Stockholm


Tennis ChampionIlie Năstase

Tennis PlayerBjörn Borg

NHL Record
1978 Islander's Mike Bossy's 1st career hat trick


Ice Hockey GreatMike Bossy

• 1980 69th Davis Cup: Czechoslovakia beats Italy in Prague (4-1)

Sports History
1980 PGA Seniors' Championship Men's Golf, Turnberry Isle CC: Arnold Palmer wins with a birdie on the 1st playoff hole against Paul Harney


GolferArnold Palmer
Sports History
1984 Allan Border's 1st Test Cricket match as captain (v WI Adelaide)


Test CricketerAllan Border
Heisman Trophy
1985 51st Heisman Trophy Award: Bo Jackson, Auburn (RB)


NFL Running Back and Baseball OutfielderBo Jackson
Australian Open Women's Tennis
1985 Australian Open Women's Tennis: Martina Navratilova beats Chris Evert-Lloyd 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 for her 3rd and final Australian singles crown


Tennis PlayerMartina Navratilova

Tennis LegendChris Evert
Contract of Interest
1988 MLB Texas Rangers sign free-agent pitcher Nolan Ryan to a one-year contract


MLB Pitching LegendNolan Ryan
Sports History
1988 NHL NY Islanders fire head coach Terry Simpson, and replace him with former coach Al Arbour


Ice Hockey Player and CoachAl Arbour

• 1995 NBA settles strike of referees, refs to return on Dec 12
• 1996 1st Big 12 Championship Game: Texas beats #3 Nebraska, 37-27
• 1996 5th SEC Championship Game: #4 Florida beats #11 Alabama, 45-30
• 1996 Australian rugby union team ends 12-game European tour unbeaten after 39-19 victory over the Barbarians at Twickenham; Wallabies fullback Matt Burke scores 2 tries and lands 4 conversions, 2 penalties
• 2002 11th SEC Championship Game: #4 Georgia beats #22 Arkansas, 30-3
• 2013 22nd SEC Championship Game: #3 Auburn beats #5 Missouri, 59-42
• 2013 9th ACC Championship Game: #1 Florida State beats #20 Duke, 45-7

Ballon d'Or
2017 Ballon d'Or: Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo wins his 5th award to equal Lionel Messi's record; 2nd consecutive win for Ronaldo


Football StarCristiano Ronaldo

• 2017 Former US gymnastics physician Larry Nasser is sentenced to 60 years on child pornography charges
• 2020 Breaking, the competitive form of breakdancing, confirmed as an Olympic sport for the Paris 2024 games

 

DEC 8

• 1940 National Football League Championship, Griffith Stadium, Washington, D.C.: Chicago Bears beat Washington Redskins, 73-0; most one-sided victory in NFL history; first NFL title game broadcast on national radio
• 1942 8th Heisman Trophy Award: Frank Sinkwich, Georgia (HB)

• 1948 14th Heisman Trophy Award: Doak Walker, SMU (HB)
• 1953 19th Heisman Trophy Award: Johnny Lattner, Notre Dame (HB)
• 1955 21st Heisman Trophy Award: Howard Cassady, Ohio State (HB)

Sports History

1955 Brooklyn catcher Roy Campanella wins his 3rd MVP Award


MLB CatcherRoy Campanella

• 1956 XVI Summer Olympic Games close in Melbourne, Australia; start of an Olympic tradition - amidst international tensions, athletes mingle together, parade into and around MCG arena for final appearance to close the Games

Sports History
1959 President Eisenhower watches Pakistan v Aust Test Cricket at Karachi


34th US President & WWII GeneralDwight D. Eisenhower

• 1960 MLB expansion team Los Angeles Angels sign a 4 year lease to use Dodger Stadium
• 1961 Larry Costello scores 32 consecutive pts without a miss (NBA rec)

NBA Record
1961 Philadelphia Warriors center Wilt Chamberlain scores 78 points in 151-147 3OT defeat to LA Lakers at Philadelphia Civic Center; 2nd highest game total in the NBA history


NBA LegendWilt Chamberlain
Sports History
1966 A terrible New York Yankee trade, Roger Maris for St' Louis Card's Charlie Smith


Baseball PlayerRoger Maris

• 1967 NHL California Seals change name to Oakland Seals
• 1973 39th Heisman Trophy Award: John Cappelletti, Penn State (RB)

Sports History
1973 Romanian tennis star Ilie Năstase wins his 3rd consecutive season-ending ATP Masters Grand Prix title with a 6–3, 7–5, 4–6, 6–3 win over Dutchman Tom Okker in Boston, Massachusetts


Tennis ChampionIlie Năstase

• 1977 43rd Heisman Trophy Award: Earl Campbell, Texas (RB)
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• 1978 Commencement of the 1st day/night World Series Cricket supertest at VFL Park, Melbourne

Australian Open Women's Tennis
1984 Australian Open Women's Tennis: Chris Evert-Lloyd beats Helena Suková 6-7, 6-1, 6-3; continues streak of winning at least 1 major per year since 1973


Tennis LegendChris Evert
Australian Men's Tennis Open
1985 Australian Open Men's Tennis: Stefan Edberg wins 1st career Grand Slam singles title; beats defending champion & fellow Swede Mats Wilander 6-3, 6-3, 6-3


Tennis Player and Seven-Time Major ChampionMats Wilander

Tennis PlayerStefan Edberg
Sports History
1987 Flyers' Ron Hextall becomes 1st goalie to actually score a goal


NHL GoalieRon Hextall

• 1988 Knick's set NBA record of 11 3-pointers & sink Bucks, 113-109

Sports History
1994 Darryl Strawberry indicted on tax evasion charges


Baseball PlayerDarryl Strawberry

• 2001 10th SEC Championship Game: #21 LSU beats #2 Tennessee, 31-20
• 2007 73rd Heisman Trophy Award: Tim Tebow, Florida (QB)
• 2011 The NBA and players union reach financial agreement to end a 161-day lockout, shortening the season by 16 games
• 2018 84th Heisman Trophy Award: Kyler Murray, Oklahoma (QB)

 

DEC 9

• 1892 English football club Newcastle United founded

Sports History
1913 Heavyweight Jack Johnson-Jim Johnson fight to no decision in Paris


World Heavyweight Boxing ChampionJack Johnson

• 1913 John K Tener becomes president of baseball's National League
• 1922 1st Australasian Championships Women's Tennis, Sydney: Margaret Molesworth wins inaugural title; beats fellow Australian Esna Boyd 6-3, 10-8

Sports History
1922 Australasian Championships Men's Tennis, Sydney: James Anderson wins 1st of 3 Australasian titles; beats fellow Australian Gerald Patterson 6-0, 3-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2


Tennis PlayerGerald Patterson
Contract of Interest
1925 AL extends Ban Johnson's contract to 1935 & raise to $40,000


Founder of Baseball's American LeagueBan Johnson

• 1926 USGA legalizes steel shaft golf clubs
• 1931 Baseball cuts squad from 25 to 23 players & NL continues to prohibit uniform numbers
• 1933 CFL Grey Cup, Athletic Park, Sarnia: Toronto Argonauts edge Sarnia Imperials, 4-3 for their 3rd Championship

NFL Championship
1934 National Football League Championship, Polo Grounds, NYC: New York Giants defeat Chicago Bears, 30-13


American Football PlayerMel Hein

• 1935 1st Heisman Trophy Award: Jay Berwanger, Chicago (HB)
• 1936 AL OKs night baseball for St Louis

Sports History
1936 Australia all out for 58 v England, Bradman out for a duck


Cricket LegendDonald Bradman

• 1938 1939 NFL Draft: Ki Aldrich from TCU first pick by Chicago Cardinals
• 1939 1940 NFL Draft: George Cafego from University of Tennessee first pick by Chicago Cardinals
• 1939 CFL Grey Cup, Landsdowne Park, Ottawa: Winnipeg Blue Bombers claim 2nd title; defeat Ottawa Rough Riders, 8-7
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• 1941 7th Heisman Trophy Award: Bruce Smith, Minnesota (HB)
• 1949 NFL merges with AAFC; Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers & Baltimore Colts join league intact, other teams in New York and Los Angeles are merged with existing units
• 1953 Montreal Canadiens (106) & Toronto Maple Leafs (98) combine for 204 penalty minutes

Sports History
1965 Frank Robinson is traded from the Cincinnati Reds to the Baltimore Orioles


Baseball Outfielder and ManagerFrank Robinson

• 1973 NFL St. Louis Cardinal Jim Bakken kicks 6 field goals vs Atlanta Falcons
• 1978 1st game of Women's Pro Basketball League (WBL), Chicago Hustle vs Milwaukee Does
• 1982 World Boxing Council first to reduce the length of championship fights from 15 to 12 rounds, and allows referees to order standing 8-count for fighters in trouble

Australian Men's Tennis Open
1984 Australian Open Men's Tennis: Sweden's Mats Wilander wins 2nd straight Australian title; beats Kevin Curren of South Africa 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 6-2


Tennis Player and Seven-Time Major ChampionMats Wilander
Sports History
1984 LA Ram Eric Dickerson rushes 215 yards for season record 2,105 yards


NFL Running BackEric Dickerson

• 1984 PGA Seniors' Championship Men's Golf, PGA National GC: Australian Peter Thomson wins his lone Champions Tour major title by 3 strokes from Don January

Sports History
1985 SF 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice begins NFL streak of 274 consecutive games with a reception in a 27-20 loss to LA Rams at Candlestick Park


NFL LegendJerry Rice
Sports History
1987 Larry Bird ends streak of 59 consecutive free throws


NBA LegendLarry Bird

• 1988 NY Yankees sign 12-year television contract with MSG for $500M
• 1990 NFL NY Giant Otis Anderson becomes 8th to rush for 10,000th yard
• 1992 Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott apologizes for racist remarks
• 1992 NHL NJ Devils organization announces that it will change its colors to black, red, & white for the 1992-93 season
• 1992 Sri Lanka's third-ever Test Cricket victory (v NZ by 9 wkts)
• 1995 61st Heisman Trophy Award: Eddie George, Ohio State (RB)
• 2000 Tottenham defender Ledley King scores fastest goal in English Premier League history when he nets after 9.82 seconds in 3-3 draw at Bradford City
• 2006 72nd Heisman Trophy Award: Troy Smith, Ohio State (QB)

Sports History
2012 Juan Manuel Márquez knocks out Manny Pacquiao in round six for the WBO light welterweight title


BoxerManny Pacquiao
Sports History
2013 Mike Ditka's #89 jersey is retired by the Chicago Bears


NFL Head CoachMike Ditka

• 2013 MLB pitcher Roy Halladay announces his retirement due to persistent back injury
• 2017 83rd Heisman Trophy Award: Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma (QB)

NFL Record
2018 Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rogers breaks Tom Brady's NFL record with his 359th straight pass without an interception during Packers 34-20 win over Atlanta Falcons; finishes game with streak intact at 368


NFL QuarterbackTom Brady

• 2018 New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady breaks Peyton Manning's record for most touchdown passes in NFL history; moves to 582 with 3 TD passes during 34-33 defeat by Miami Dolphins; record includes TDs thrown in regular season & post-season
• 2019 World Anti-Doping Agency bans Russia from all major sporting events including 2020 Tokyo Olympics and 2022 football World Cup in Qatar for manipulating laboratory data
• 2021 Chicago Black Hawks Marc-Andre Fleury becomes 3rd NHL goaltender to reach 500 career wins in 2-0 shut-out over the Canadiens at Montreal

 

DEC 10

• 1810 English bare-knuckle boxer Tom Cribb beats African-American Tom Molineaux in 33rd of 40 round bout at Copthall Common, England; first interracial boxing match
• 1831 "Spirit of the Times" begins publishing in New York City, the premier sports journal of the 19th century

• 1918 John Heyder becomes president of baseball's National League for the 2nd time
• 1919 NL votes to ban the spitball's use by all new pitchers

Sports History

1919 NY, Boston, & Chicago, oppose AL resolution accusing Ban Johnson of overstepping his duties


Founder of Baseball's American LeagueBan Johnson

• 1922 1st National Football League Championship: undefeated Canton Bulldogs (10-0-2) named inaugural champions
• 1922 Pete Henry makes longest known NFL drop-kicked field goal, 45 yards
• 1924 Agreement reached on permanent rotation of World Series with each league, getting games 1, 2, 6, 7 in alternating years
• 1934 NFL adopts player waiver rule; applies after 6th game of season

Contract of Interest
1935 Philadelphia Athletics sell infielder Jimmie Foxx's contract to Boston Red Sox for $150,000 (about $2.8M in 2020 dollars)


MLB Hall of Fame 1st BasemanJimmie Foxx

• 1935 White Sox sell Al Simmons to the Tigers for $75,000
• 1938 CFL Grey Cup: In repeat of last year, Toronto Argonauts defeat Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 30-7 to retain Championship

NFL Championship
1939 National Football League Championship, Dairy Bowl, West Allis, Wisconsin: Green Bay Packers beat New York Giants, 27-0; Packers 5th title


American Football PlayerMel Hein
Sports History
1940 1941 NFL Draft: Tom Harmon from University of Michigan first pick by Chicago Bears


American Football Player and BroadcasterTom Harmon

• 1945 Aust Services lose 3rd Victory Test Cricket to India by 6 wkts
• 1954 Philadelphia Phillies purchase Connie Mack Stadium

Sports History
1961 Houston Oilers utility back Billy Cannon gains AFL record 373 yards combined rushing/receiving in 48-21 win over NY Titans at the Polo Grounds, NYC


NFL Running BackBilly Cannon

• 1965 Test Cricket debut of Doug Walters v England at the Gabba

Boxing Title Fight
1968 Joe Frazier beats Oscar Bonavena in 15 for heavyweight boxing title


Heavyweight Boxing ChampionJoe Frazier

• 1970 North American Soccer League awards NY & Toronto franchises

Sports History
1973 First time since 1885, tennis has 2 top male players - Americans Stan Smith and Jimmy Connors


Tennis LegendJimmy Connors

Tennis PlayerStan Smith

• 1978 67th Davis Cup: USA beats Great Britain in Rancho Mirage (4-1)
• 1978 Islanders ends 15 game undefeated streak (12-0-3) to Canadians

Boxing Title Fight
1982 Heavyweight Michael Doakes KOs Mike Weaver in 1:03 in Las Vegas


WBA World Heavyweight ChampionMike Weaver
Australian Open Women's Tennis
1983 Australian Open Women's Tennis: Martina Navratilova wins 8th career Grand Slam singles event; beats Kathy Jordan of the US 6-2, 7-6


Tennis PlayerMartina Navratilova

• 1983 Last NFL game at Shea Stadium; Steelers beat NY Jets 34-7
• 1986 Atlanta Hawk Dominique Wilkins scores 57 points vs Chicago Bulls

Sports History
1986 Ivan Lendl repeats previous year's result with a 6–4, 6–4, 6–4 win over Boris Becker to claim back-to-back season-ending ATP Masters Grand Prix tennis titles at Madison Square Garden, NYC


Tennis Player and Eight-Time Major ChampionIvan Lendl

Tennis LegendBoris Becker

• 1988 Washington Capitals 1st NHL scoreless tie, vs Montreal Canadiens

Sports History
1991 Howard Spira sentenced to 2½ years in prison for trying to extort money from Yankees owner George Steinbrenner


New York Yankees OwnerGeorge Steinbrenner

• 1992 NHL awards franchises to Miami & Anaheim for 1994-95
• 1992 NY Yankees sign free agent pitcher Jimmy Key
• 1994 60th Heisman Trophy Award: Rashaan Salaam, Colorado (RB)
• 1995 1st meeting of NBA expansion teams, Raptors beat Grizzlies 93-81
• 1995 Australian cricket opening batsman Michael Slater scores career high 219 (15 x 4, 5 x 6) in innings and 36 run, 1st Test win v Sri Lanka in Perth
• 1995 Ricky Ponting makes 96 on Test Cricket debut (Aust v Sri Lanka, WACA)
• 2000 89th Davis Cup: Spain beats Australia in Barcelona (3-1)
• 2001 67th Heisman Trophy Award: Eric Crouch, Nebraska (QB)
• 2005 71st Heisman Trophy Award: Reggie Bush, USC (RB); Bush later forfeits trophy

Sports History
2006 British Broadcasting Corporation gives Swedish tennis icon Björn Borg a Lifetime Achievement Award; presented by Boris Becker


Tennis PlayerBjörn Borg

Tennis LegendBoris Becker

• 2012 78th Heisman Trophy Award: Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M (QB); first freshman to win the award

Sports History
2012 Norwegian Magnus Carlsen breaks Garry Kasparov’s 13-year Elo rating record


Chess Grandmaster and Political ActivistGarry Kasparov

Chess GrandmasterMagnus Carlsen

• 2016 82nd Heisman Trophy Award: Lamar Jackson, Louisville Cardinals (QB), youngest player to win at 19

 

DEC 11

• 1866 1st yacht race across Atlantic Ocean; schooners Fleetwing, Vesta and the Henrietta, with NY playboy Gordon Bennett on board, leave Sandy Hook for the Scilly Isles (the Henrietta wins)
• 1926 Leo O'Connor is unbeaten on 143 as Queensland wins their first Sheffield Shield match by 5 wickets vs NSW at the Sydney Cricket Ground

• 1934 1st Toronto Maple Leaf penalty shot, Conacher unsuccessful vs Rangers
• 1934 Ford C. Frick becomes president of baseball's National League
• 1934 NL votes to permit night baseball (up to 7 games per home team)
• 1937 25th CFL Grey Cup, Varsity Stadium, Toronto: Toronto Argonauts claim their 4th Championship; beat Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 4-3

NFL Championship

1938 National Football League Championship, Polo Grounds, NYC: New York Giants beat Green Bay Packers, 23-17; record title game attendance 48,120


American Football PlayerMel Hein
Sports History
1941 Australian state cricket associations, South Australia, Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales decide at meetings with new Prime Minister John Curtin to abandon all interstate first class matches for the duration of WWII


Prime Minister of AustraliaJohn Curtin

• 1941 NY Giants acquire future Baseball Hall of Fame first baseman Johnny Mize from Cardinals for 3 players & $50,000
• 1947 Pacific Coast League application for major league status rejected
• 1949 Chicago Bear Johnny Lujack passes for 6 touchdowns vs Chicago Cards (52-29)
• 1949 Cleveland Browns beat SF '49ers 21-7 in final AAFC championship game

Sports History
1951 Joe DiMaggio announces his retirement from baseball


Baseball PlayerJoe DiMaggio

• 1954 Phillies purchase Connie Mack Stadium

Sports History
1959 NY Yankees trade Marv Thronberry, Don Larsen, Hank Bauer and Norm Seibern for Roger Maris, Kent Hadley and Joe Deaestri


Baseball PlayerRoger Maris

• 1966 Al Nelson sets NFL record returning missed field goal, 100 yards
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• 1972 New York Jets' Don Maynard becomes all time pro reception leader (632)
• 1973 NA Soccer League awards LA, San Francisco, Seattle & Vancouver franchises

Sports History
1975 Great Yankee trade getting Willie Randolph, Dock Ellis & Ken Brett from Pirates for George "Doc" Medich


MLB Second Baseman and ManagerWillie Randolph

Baseball PlayerKen Brett

• 1979 Geoff Boycott scores cricket century in a limited-over international

Boxing Title Fight
1981 Former world heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali's 61st and last fight; loses to Trevor Berbick by unanimous decision in 10 rounds at Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre, Nassau, Bahamas


Heavyweight Boxing ChampionMuhammad Ali

BoxerTrevor Berbick

• 1981 Wash Capitals biggest margin of victory (9) beating Toronto 11-2

Australian Men's Tennis Open
1983 Australian Open Men's Tennis: Mats Wilander of Sweden wins 2nd career Grand Slam title; beats Ivan Lendl 6-1, 6-4, 6-4


Tennis Player and Seven-Time Major ChampionMats Wilander

Tennis Player and Eight-Time Major ChampionIvan Lendl

• 1985 NHL Record 62 points scored, Edmonton (36) beats Chicago (26) 12-9 & ties record of 21 goals
• 1989 Mark Davis signs record $3.25 million per year KC Royals contract
• 1993 59th Heisman Trophy Award: Charlie Ward, Florida State (QB)
• 1995 Thomas O Hicks buys NHL Dallas Stars for $84 million
• 2000 66th Heisman Trophy Award: Chris Weinke, Florida State (QB)

NHL Record
2002 Joe Sakic scores his 500th career goal at Vancouver


NHL LegendJoe Sakic

• 2004 70th Heisman Trophy Award: Matt Leinart, USC (QB)

Sports History
2009 Tiger Woods announces an indefinite leave from professional golf to focus on his marriage.


GolferTiger Woods

• 2021 87th Heisman Trophy Award: Bryce Young, Alabama (QB)

 

DEC 12

• 1898 1st first-class cricket game between Australian states NSW and Tasmania
• 1899 George F Bryant of Boston patents the wooden golf tee

• 1908 Australasian Championships Men's Tennis, Sydney: American Fred Alexander beats Alfred Dunlop of Australia 3-6, 3-6, 6-0, 6-2, 6-3
• 1930 Baseball Rules Committee greatly revises the rule book, ball bouncing into stands not a HR, now a double

Sports History

1933 Eddie Shore hits Toronto Maple Leaf star Ace Bailey from behind, fracturing his skull and ending his career


NHL StarEddie Shore

• 1936 1937 NFL Draft: Sam Francis from University of Nebraska first pick by Philadelphia Eagles
• 1937 1938 NFL Draft: Corbett Davis from University of Indiana first pick by Cleveland Rams
• 1937 National Football League Championship, Wrigley Field, Chicago: Washington Redskins beat Chicago Bears, 28-21
• 1950 16th Heisman Trophy Award: Vic Janowicz, Ohio State (HB)
• 1959 Jack Brabham finishes 4th in season-ending US Grand Prix at Sebring to become first Australian F1 World Drivers Championship winner; takes title by 4 points from Briton Tony Brooks

Ballon d'Or
1961 Ballon d'Or: Juventus' Argentine forward Omar Sívori wins award for best football player in Europe ahead of Spanish midfielder Luis Suárez and English forward Johnny Haynes


Football StarLuis Suárez Miramontes

• 1964 Cleveland Browns' Frank Ryan sets club record of 5 TD passes

NFL Record
1965 Chicago halfback Gale Sayers ties NFL record for most touchdowns in a game with 6 in 61–20 victory over San Francisco 49ers at Wrigley Field


NFL Running BackGale Sayers

• 1965 Doug Walters makes maiden Test ton in 1st Test, goes on to 155
• 1966 US Supreme Courts votes 4-3 allowing Braves to move to Atlanta

Sports History
1968 Arthur Ashe becomes 1st black person be ranked #1 in tennis


Tennis PlayerArthur Ashe

• 1969 Decathlon Bill Toomey achieves world record-score of 8417 points

Sports History
1971 Romanian tennis star Ilie Năstase finishes ATP Masters Grand Prix with a perfect 6-0 record to win the rich season ending event at the Coubertin Stadium, Paris


Tennis ChampionIlie Năstase

• 1973 Canada begins selling Olympic coins ($5 & $10 silver coins)
• 1973 San Diego files anti-trust against NL (stopping Padres move to DC)

Sports History
1976 QB Joe Namath last game as a NY Jet


NFL QuarterbackJoe Namath

• 1976 Spaniard Manuel Orantes beats Wojtek Fibak of Poland 5–7, 6–2, 0–6, 7–6, 6–1 to win his first and only season-ending ATP Masters Grand Prix tennis title in Houston, Texas
• 1977 Yanks purchase Andy Messersmith from Braves

Australian Open Women's Tennis
1982 Australian Open Women's Tennis: Chris Evert-Lloyd wins her first Australian title; beats Martina Navratilova 6-3, 2-6, 6-3


Tennis LegendChris Evert

Tennis PlayerMartina Navratilova
Sports History
1986 Australian cricketer David Boon's fourth Test century, 103 v England at Adelaide


Cricket BatsmanDavid Boon

• 1986 James "Bone Crusher" Smith TKO's WBA champ Tim Witherspoon in Madison Square Garden
• 1987 Mookie Blaylock sets NBA record of 13 steals in a game
• 1987 Okla's sets NCAA record of 33 steals vs Centenary

Sports History
1988 Sandra Miller of Queens sues Mike Tyson for sexual harassment


Heavyweight Boxing ChampionMike Tyson

• 1991 NJ Nets set NBA record of 22 blocks beating Nuggets 121-81
• 1991 Tampa Bay Buccaneer Dexter Manley retires after failing drug test
• 1992 58th Heisman Trophy Award: Gino Torretta, U of Miami (QB)
• 1992 NY Giants lose 19-0 to Phoenix Cardinals
• 1995 NBA referees return to work after striking
• 1997 Red Sox sign Pedro Martinez to record 6 year $69 million contract

Ballon d'Or
2002 Ballon d'Or: Inter/Real Madrid forward Ronaldo is named best football player in Europe for a second time ahead of Real Madrid left back Roberto Carlos and Bayern Munich goalkeeper Oliver Kahn


Football StarRonaldo

• 2011 77th Heisman Trophy Award: Robert Griffin III, Baylor (QB)

Ballon d'Or
2016 Ballon d'Or: Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo claims award for the 4th time; record winning margin of 429 from Lionel Messi


Football StarCristiano Ronaldo

Football StarLionel Messi
Sports History
2021 Dutchman Max Verstappen wins Formula 1 Drivers' C'ship for Red Bull with a controversial last lap win over Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton in the season-ending Abu Dhabi GP


Formula 1 DriverLewis Hamilton

F1 Racing Car DriverMax Verstappen

 

DEC. 13

• 1901 Test debut of English cricketer Sydney Barnes vs Australia at the SCG, took 5-65 in 1st innings
• 1930 George Sisler's career ends when Boston Braves release him

• 1931 National Football League Championship: Green Bay Packers (12-2-0) win 3rd straight first past the post title

NFL Championship

1936 National Football League Championship, Polo Grounds, NYC: Green Bay Packers beat Boston Redskins, 21-6; Packers 4th title; Redskins move to Washington, D.C. for 1937 season


NFL Head CoachCurly Lambeau

• 1942 National Football League Championship, Griffith Stadium, Washington, D.C.: Washington Redskins upset Chicago Bears, 14-6
• 1952 NFL Dallas Texans (former NY Yanks) play final game, losing 41-6 to the Lions in Detroit; finish with record of 1-11

Sports History
1956 Dodgers trade Jackie Robinson to Giants for pitcher Dick Littlefield & $35,000. Robinson will retire rather than be traded.


Baseball PlayerJackie Robinson
Ballon d'Or
1960 Ballon d'Or: Barcelona midfielder Luis Suárez is named best football player in Europe ahead of Real Madrid's Hungarian forward Ferenc Puskás and Hamburg striker Uwe Seeler


Football StarLuis Suárez Miramontes

• 1960 Italy beats US in Davis cup (1st time in 24 years US not in finals)
• 1966 Test debut of Clive Lloyd, v India Bombay, 82 & 78

Sports History
1969 MLB manager Billy Martin fired by the Minnesota Twins


Baseball Player and ManagerBilly Martin

• 1970 Greg Chappell scores 108 on Test debut v England at the WACA
• 1975 West Indian cricket opener Roy Fredericks smashes 169 in 2nd Test win v Australia in Perth; hundred in 71 balls
• 1977 14 University of Evansville basketball players die in plane crash
• 1981 70th Davis Cup: USA beats Argentina in Cincinnati (3-1)
• 1982 Australian Open Men's Tennis: South African Johan Kriek wins 2nd straight Australian title; repeats previous year's win over American Steve Denton 6-3, 6-3, 6-2
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• 1983 9,655 see highest-scoring NBA game: Detroit 186, Denver 184 (3 OT)

Sports History
1985 Australian cricketer David Boon's 1st Test century, 123 v India at Adelaide


Cricket BatsmanDavid Boon

• 1985 Test debut of cricketers Merv Hughes, Geoff Marsh and Bruce Reid (v India)
• 1989 Walter Davis (Denver) ends NBA free throw streak of 53 games
• 1991 Ricky Pierce (Seattle) ends NBA free throw streak of 75 games

Sports History
1996 Free agent Roger Clemens signs with Toronto Blue Jays


MLB Pitching LegendRoger Clemens

• 1997 63rd Heisman Trophy Award: Charles Woodson, Michigan (CB)

President's Cup
1998 Presidents Cup Golf, Royal Melbourne GC: International team wins for first time; Shigeki Maruyama and Steve Elkington unbeaten as Internationals beat US 20½–11½


Golfer and PGA ChampionSteve Elkington

• 1999 65th Heisman Trophy Award: Ron Dayne, Wisconsin (RB)
• 2003 69th Heisman Trophy Award: Jason White, Oklahoma (QB)

Ballon d'Or
2004 Ballon d'Or: Milan's Ukrainian striker Andriy Shevchenko is named best football player in Europe ahead of Deco (Porto/FC Barcelona) and Barcelona midfielder Ronaldinho


Football PlayerRonaldinho

• 2007 The Mitchell Report is publicly released listing the names of 89 Major League Baseball players that have presumably used anabolic steroids and human growth hormones. Notable players named include Roger Clemens and Miguel Tejada.
• 2010 76th Heisman Trophy Award: Cam Newton, Auburn (QB)
• 2014 80th Heisman Trophy Award: Marcus Mariota, Oregon (QB)
• 2015 81st Heisman Trophy Award: Derrick Henry, Alabama (RB)

Sports History
2015 Irishman Conor McGregor knocks out Brazilian Jose Aldo in 13 seconds to win his 1st featherweight title in Las Vegas


Mixed Martial ArtistConor McGregor

• 2018 German basketball forward Dirk Nowitzki takes the court for his record 21st NBA season with the Dallas Mavericks, surpassing Kobe Bryant's 20 seasons with the LA Lakers

Sports History
2020 British Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton finishes 3rd in season-ending Abu Dhabi GP to claim record equalling 7th F1 World Drivers C'ship by 124 points from teammate Valtteri Bottas; Mercedes' 7th straight Constructors title


Formula 1 DriverLewis Hamilton

 

DEC 14

• 1894 Day One 1st Test Cricket Aus v Eng Aust 5-346 (Giffen 161, Gregory 85)
• 1894 Test cricket debut of future Australian captain Joe Darling, great all-rounder Ernie Jones and outstanding England batsman Archie MacLaren; England wins 1st Test in Sydney by 10 runs

• 1901 1st table tennis tournament is held at the London Royal Aquarium

Boxing Title Fight

1920 Jack Dempsey KOs Bill Brennan in 12 for heavyweight boxing title in NYC


Heavyweight Boxing ChampionJack Dempsey

• 1930 National Football League Championship: Green Bay Packers (10-3-1) repeat with best record in first past the post title
• 1930 NY Giants defeat Notre Dame 22-0 in a charity game
• 1935 Test Cricket debut of "Chuck" Fleetwood-Smith v South Africa, Durban

Agreement of Interest
1938 Major League Baseball agrees on use of a standard ball; disagrees on increasing rosters from 23 to 25 players, although Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis eventually decides on 25


1st MLB CommissionerKenesaw Mountain Landis

• 1938 Will Harridge is elected to a 10-year-term as AL president
• 1941 1st NFL division playoff, Bears beat Packers 33-14
• 1947 Cleveland Browns beat NY Yankees 14-3 in AAFC championship game
• 1947 The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is founded in Daytona Beach, Florida
• 1950 Baseball owners choose Lou Perini (Braves), Phil Wrigley (Cubs), Del Webb (Yankees), & Ellis Ryan (Indians) to select new commissioner
• 1952 R H Shodhan scores 110 on Test Cricket debut v Pakistan, Calcutta

Sports History
1953 Brooklyn Dodgers sign pitcher Sandy Koufax


Baseball PitcherSandy Koufax
Sports History
1958 Pat Summerall kicks game winning field goal for the New York Giants against the Cleveland Browns at Yankee Stadium


CBS, Fox, and ESPN SportscasterPat Summerall

• 1960 Australia v West Indies 1st Test Cricket at the Gabba ends in a tie
• 1960 Washington Senators joins American League

NHL Record
1968 Bobby Orr scores first career hat trick (vs Chicago Blackhawks)


Ice Hockey LegendBobby Orr
Sports History
1974 Viv Richards scores 1st Test Cricket ton 192 v India 20 fours 6 sixes


Cricketer and Master BlasterViv Richards

• 1977 MLB Boston Red Sox trade Fergie Jenkins to Texas Rangers for John Poloni & cash

Sports History
1977 Test Cricket debut of Pakistan spin bowling great Abdul Qadir v England in 1st Test at Lahore


Cricket Spin BowlerAbdul Qadir

• 1980 Minnesota Vikings pass for 456 yards against Cleveland Browns, winning 28-24
• 1980 New Orleans Saints end 14 game losing streak, beat NY Jets 21-20

Sports History
1982 LA Kings' Marcel Dionne becomes 9th NHLer to score 500 goals


NHL StarMarcel Dionne
Sports History
1987 Allan Border scores 205 vs NZ to become Australia's top rungetter


Test CricketerAllan Border

• 1988 CBS' $1.1 B bid wins exclusive 1990-94 major-league baseball rights
• 1988 NBA's Miami Heat wins 1st game ever, 89-88 (Clippers), after 17 loses
• 1991 57th Heisman Trophy Award: Desmond Howard, Michigan (WR)

Sports History
1992 Lennox Lewis given WBC title, when Riddick Bowe refused to fight him


BoxerRiddick Bowe

Heavyweight Boxing ChampionLennox Lewis

• 1996 62nd Heisman Trophy Award: Danny Wuerffel, Florida (QB)

Sports History
1997 Phoenix Coyote winger Mike Gartner becomes 5th NHLer to score 700 goals


NHL StarMike Gartner

• 1998 64th Heisman Trophy Award: Ricky Williams, Texas (RB)
• 2009 75th Heisman Trophy Award: Mark Ingram, Jr., Alabama (RB)

Heisman Trophy
2019 85th Heisman Trophy Award: Joe Burrow, Louisiana State University (QB); highest percentage of first place votes ever with 90.7%


NFL QuarterbackJoe Burrow

• 2020 US Open Women's Golf, Champions GC, Houston: Kim A-lim wins her first major title by 1 stroke from fellow South Korean Ko Jin-young and American Amy Olson
• 2021 Steph Curry makes his 2,974th three-point shot to pass Ray Allen as the NBA's greatest career 3-point shooter during Golden State Warriors' 105-96 win over NY Knicks at Madison Square Garden

 

DEC 15

• 1894 Day 2 of first cricket test between Australia and England, Australia 586 runs (Gregory 201) England 3-130
• 1909 Thomas J. Lynch becomes president of baseball's National League

• 1925 1st hockey game at Madison Square Garden, NYC: Montreal Canadiens 3, NY Americans 1
• 1929 National Football League Championship: Green Bay Packers (12-0-1) win first past the post title

Sports History

1930 Occasional leg-spin bowler Don Bradman takes his 1st of only 2 Test cricket wickets when he traps West Indian batsman Ivan Barrow lbw for 27 in the 1st Test in Adelaide


Cricket LegendDonald Bradman

• 1933 Baseball owners agree to ban Sunday doubleheaders until after June 15
• 1935 In major upset, Dutch grand master Max Euwe becomes World Chess Champion beating Russian Alexander Alekhine (9 wins, 13 draws, 8 losses) in Zandvoort, Netherlands

NFL Championship
1935 National Football League Championship, University of Detroit Stadium: Detroit Lions beat New York Giants, 26-7; Lions first title


American Football PlayerMel Hein

• 1946 Giants Filchock & Hapes suspended by NFL, didn't report bribe attempt
• 1946 National Football League Championship, Polo Grounds, NYC: Chicago Bears beat New York Giants, 24-14; record attendance 58,346 at final NFL title game played at Polo Grounds

Ballon d'Or
1959 Ballon d'Or: Real Madrid forward Alfredo Di Stéfano wins his second award for best football player in Europe ahead of teammate Raymond Kopa and Juventus' Welsh utility John Charles


Football Player and CoachAlfredo Di Stéfano

FootballerRaymond Kopa

• 1965 William Eckert replaces Ford Frick as 4th Commissioner of Baseball
• 1967 Retired baseball player Joe Garagiola joins "Today" show panel

Sports History
1970 Stan Smith and Rod Laver finish with 4-1 records atop inaugural season ending ATP Masters Grand Prix tennis standings in Tokyo, Japan; Smith wins event after beating Laver 4–6, 6–3, 6–4 in the rounds


Tennis PlayerRod Laver

Tennis PlayerStan Smith

• 1973 Sandy Hawley becomes 1st jockey to win 500 races in 1 year
• 1973 Tennessee beats Temple 11-6 in low scoring NCAA basketball game

Sports History
1974 Guillermo Vilas of Argentina beats defending champion lie Năstase 7–6, 6–2, 3–6, 3–6, 6–4 to win his first and only season-ending ATP Masters Grand Prix tennis final in Melbourne, Australia


Tennis Player and Four-Time Major ChampionGuillermo Vilas

• 1978 Test Cricket debut of Malcolm Marshall, v India at Bangalore

Sports History
1980 NY Yankee Dave Winfield becomes highest-paid player, 10 years $15M


Baseball Hall of Fame OutfielderDave Winfield
Sports History
1982 Bill Parcells becomes 12th head coach of NY Giants


NFL Coach LegendBill Parcells

• 1983 3 Kansas City Royals (Willie Wilson, Willie Aikens, and Jerry Martin) suspended due to cocaine usage

Sports History
1988 Lori Davis of Long Island sues Mike Tyson for grabbing her buttocks


Heavyweight Boxing ChampionMike Tyson
Sports History
1992 Arthur Ashe is named Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year


Tennis PlayerArthur Ashe

• 1995 The European Communities Court of Justice hands down the "Bosman ruling", giving EU footballers the right to a free transfer at the end of their contracts, with the provision that they are transferring from one UEFA Federation to another.

Sports History
1997 SF 49ers retire Joe Montana's #16


NFL QuarterbackJoe Montana

• 2002 68th Heisman Trophy Award: Carson Palmer, USC (QB)
• 2008 74th Heisman Trophy Award: Sam Bradford, Oklahoma (QB)

Sports History
2011 Barry Bonds is sentenced to 30 days of house arrest, two years of probation and 250 hours of community service, for an obstruction of justice conviction stemming from a grand jury appearance in 2003


MLB LegendBarry Bonds

• 2019 Presidents Cup Golf, Royal Melbourne GC: US wins 6 of the 12 final day singles with 4 tied to beat the International team, 16-14; 8th straight American victory
• 2019 Raiders play their final NFL game in Oakland conceding 17 unanswered 2nd half points to go down 20-16 to the Jacksonville Jaguars; team to play out of Las Vegas in 2020

 

DEC 16

• 1892 Commencement of 1st Sheffield Shield cricket game, SA v NSW
• 1899 Italian football club A.C. Milan founded as Milan Foot-Ball and Cricket Club by Englishmen Alfred Edwards and Herbert Kilpin (disputed possibly 13 Dec)

Boxing Title Fight
1918 Jack Dempsey KOs Carl Morris in 14 seconds


Heavyweight Boxing ChampionJack Dempsey

• 1922 Mutual Association of Eastern Colored Baseball Clubs formally organizes
• 1922 NSW all out for 786 against South Australia Cricket
• 1923 National Football League Championship: undefeated Canton Bulldogs (11-0-1) repeat as champions

Contract of Interest
1926 MLB owners renew contract with Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis for a second 7-years term


1st MLB CommissionerKenesaw Mountain Landis
Sports History
1927 Australian cricket's batting maestro Don Bradman makes his 1st-class debut for NSW v South Australia at the Adelaide Oval finishing Day 1 on 65 not out


Cricket LegendDonald Bradman

• 1928 National Football League Championship: Providence Steam Roller (8-1-2) win first past the post title
• 1929 Chic Blackhawks 1st game at Chicago Stadium, beat Pittsburgh Pirates, 3-1

Sports History
1930 Golfer Bobby Jones is the first to win the James E. Sullivan Award (best US amateur athlete)


GolferBobby Jones

• 1939 Bradman scores 251* SA v NSW, 271 minutes, 38 fours 2 sixes

Boxing Title Fight
1940 Joe Louis KOs Al McCoy in 6 for heavyweight boxing title in Chicago


Boxer and World Heavyweight ChampionJoe Louis

• 1945 National Football League Championship, Cleveland Stadium: Cleveland Rams beat Washington Redskins, 15-14; last game before Rams move west to Los Angeles
• 1946 1947 NFL Draft: Bob Fenimore from University of Oklahoma A&M first pick by Chicago Bears

Ballon d'Or
1958 Ballon d'Or: Real Madrid's French midfielder Raymond Kopa wins award for best football player in Europe ahead of German winger Helmut Rahn and French forward Just Fontaine


FootballerRaymond Kopa

• 1962 NY Giant Y. A. Tittle sets NFL season touchdown pass record at 33 with 6 touchdowns vs Dallas (41-31)

Sports History
1967 Wilt Chamberlain of NBA Philadelphia 76ers scores 68 points vs Chicago


NBA LegendWilt Chamberlain

• 1972 Miami Dolphins become 1st undefeated NFL team (14-0-0)

Sports History
1973 O.J. Simpson becomes 1st NFL running back to rush for 2,000 yards in a season


NFL Running Back and Convicted CriminalO.J. Simpson
Sports History
1975 Bill Veeck buys 80% of MLB Chicago White Sox from John Allyn


MLB Team Owner and PromoterBill Veeck
Sports History
1976 Charlie Finley's $10 million damage suit against Bowie Kuhn begins


MLB CommissionerBowie Kuhn

• 1979 68th Davis Cup: USA beats Italy in San Francisco (5-0)
• 1979 Dallas QB Roger Staubach throws 3 TDs and 336 yards in his last NFL regular season game with the Cowboys, a 35-34 win over Washington Redskins at Texas Stadium

Sports History
1983 Yogi Berra named New York Yankees manager for 2nd time


MLB Catcher and ManagerYogi Berra

• 1989 Commencement of 1st Test Cricket play at Bellerive Oval, Hobart (v SL)
• 1991 MLB expansion club Florida Marlins sign their 1st player, 16 year old pitcher Clemente Nunez
• 2012 Corinthians defeat Chelsea 1-0 to win the 2012 FIFA Club World Cup
• 2013 79th Heisman Trophy Award: Jameis Winston, Florida State (QB)

NFL Record
2019 Drew Brees breaks Peyton Manning's NFL record (539) for career touchdown passes as New Orleans Saints rout Indianapolis Colts, 34-7; Brees 29 of 30 for 307 yards & 4 TDs for record 96.7% pass completion


NFL QuarterbackDrew Brees

• 2020 US Major League Baseball announces it is elevating the Negro Leagues to Major League status

 

DEC 17

• 1894 Cricket day 3 1T Australia v Engand; England 325 all out, 261 behind on 1st innings
• 1920 AL votes to let spitball pitchers to continue using it

• 1924 The Hamilton Tigers and Ottawa Senators battle out the first scoreless game in NHL history; Jake Forbes (Hamilton) and Alex Connell (Ottawa) each record shutouts

Sports History

1927 Australian cricketing prodigy Don Bradman scores 118 in his 1st-class debut for NSW against South Australia at the Adelaide Oval


Cricket LegendDonald Bradman
Sports History
1927 Victoria score 793 against Queensland, Bill Ponsford 437


CricketerBill Ponsford
Sports History
1932 St. Cardinals trade future Baseball HOF first baseman Jim Bottomley to Cincinnati Reds for Estel Crabtree & Ownie Carroll


Baseball PlayerJim Bottomley

• 1933 B H Valentine scores 133 on Test Cricket debut, Eng v India at Bombay
• 1933 Lala Amarnath scores century on Test Cricket debut (went on to 118)

NFL Championship
1933 National Football League Championship - 1st title game, Wrigley Field, Chicago: Chicago Bears beat New York Giants, 23-21; "Bronko Nagurski Rule" - forward pass is legal anywhere behind line of scrimmage


Hall of Fame American Football PlayerBronko Nagurski

American Football PlayerMel Hein
NFL Championship
1944 National Football League Championship, Polo Grounds, NYC: Green Bay Packers beat New York Giants, 14-7 for 6th and final league title under long-time coach Curly Lambeau


NFL Head CoachCurly Lambeau

American Football PlayerMel Hein

• 1946 Bradman & Barnes complete 405 run 5th wicket stand, score 234 each

Ballon d'Or
1957 Ballon d'Or: Real Madrid forward Alfredo Di Stéfano wins award for best football player in Europe ahead of Englishmen Billy Wright and Duncan Edwards


Football Player and CoachAlfredo Di Stéfano

• 1957 The largest trade in NHL history at the time in terms of quantity; Chicago Black Hawks move Nick Mickoski, Jack McIntyre, Bob Bailey & Hec Lalonde to Detroit Red Wings for Earl Reibel, Billy Dea, Bill Dineen & Lorne Ferguson

Sports History
1958 Ted Lindsay becomes highest scoring left wing in NHL history, passing Aurel Joliat who retired with 270; scores twice and adds an assist In Chicago Black Hawks' 5-2 win over the Boston Bruins at Chicago Stadium


NHL StarTed Lindsay

• 1963 Ballon d'Or: Dynamo Moscow goalkeeper Lev Yashin wins award for best European football player; beats Milan midfielder Gianni Rivera and Tottenham striker Jimmy Greaves; first Russian national to win trophy
• 1975 1st time NY Islanders shut-out NY Rangers, 3-0-Billy Smith's 5th
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• 1977 Rookie defenseman Barry Beck scores first career hat trick and adds an assist in Colorado Rockies' 5-1 win v Minnesota North Stars; sets NHL record for rookie defensemen with a goal in his 6th straight game

Sports History
1983 In his 352nd NHL game, Wayne Gretzky scores a goal & 5 assists in 8-1 rout of Quebec Nordiques to record his 800th point and 500th assist; averages 2.27 points, 1.42 assists, 0.85 goals per game to start career


Ice Hockey GreatWayne Gretzky

• 1986 Edmonton's Wayne Gretzky scores 4 goals, including a natural hat trick in the 1st period and also records an assist as the Oilers win 5-3 over the visiting Quebec Nordiques; his 41st NHL career hat trick
• 1988 77th Davis Cup: Germany beats Sweden in Gothenburg (4-1)
• 1988 Bryan Murray becomes 17th NHL coach to win 300 games (Wash Caps)
• 1988 NY Islanders break 12 game losing streak, beat Devils 5-2
• 1989 78th Davis Cup: Germany beats Sweden in Stuttgart (3-2)
• 1989 Michael Bevan scores cricket century on 1st-class debut (114 SA v WA)
• 1991 Cleveland Cavaliers beat Miami Heat 148-80, by record 68 pts
• 1991 NBA's most lopsided game Cleveland beats Miami 148-80
• 1991 Pittsburgh Penguins score team record 8 goals in one period in 2nd session of 10-2 win over NHL expansion San Jose Sharks

Sports History
1999 Ray Bourque becomes just the 3rd player in NHL history to score 1,100 assists, and goaltender Byron Dafoe records his 100th NHL victory in Boston Bruin's 3-1 win over the Thrashers in Atlanta


NHL LegendRay Bourque

• 2013 Australia wins the 3rd test to take win the 2013-14 Ashes test cricket series
• 2014 103-year-old Gus Andreone records the 8th ace of his career on the 113-yard, 14th hole of the Lakes Course, Palm Aire, Sarasota, FL; oldest golfer to record a hole-in-one
• 2015 José Mourinho is sacked as manager of British Premier football club Chelsea
• 2017 Brazilian footballer and former AC Milan and Real Madrid player Kaka retires
• 2019 England's Fallon Sherrock becomes first woman to win a match at the PDC World Darts Championship, beating compatriot Ted Evetts, 3-2 at the Alexandra Palace in London

 

DEC 18

• 1894 Day 4 of the 1st cricket test Australia v England, England following on 4-268, 7 in front
• 1932 National Football League Championship; Playoff, Chicago Stadium: Chicago Bears beat Portsmouth Spartans, 9-0

Sports History

1935 Don Bradman scores 117 in his debut Sheffield Shield cricket match for South Australia in an innings & 5 run win over his old team, New South Wales


Cricket LegendDonald Bradman

• 1936 Queensland cricket all out for 49 v Vic, Fleetwood-Smith 7-17
• 1949 National Football League Championship, Philadelphia Eagles beat Los Angeles Rams, 14-0; played in driving rain that caused field to become a mud pit
• 1952 Ellis W. Ryan resigns as Cleveland Indians president

Ballon d'Or
1956 Ballon d'Or: Blackpool & England winger Stanley Matthews wins inaugural award for best football player in Europe; beats Real Madrid pair Alfredo Di Stéfano & Raymond Kopa


Football Player and CoachAlfredo Di Stéfano

FootballerRaymond Kopa
Radio History
1956 Phil Rizzuto signs as NY Yankees radio-TV announcer


Sportscaster and MLB ShortstopPhil Rizzuto
Sports History
1959 Sammy Baugh named 1st coach of NY Titans (AFL)


American Football Player and CoachSammy Baugh

• 1961 For 2nd consecutive year, AP names Wilma Rudolph female athlete of year
• 1962 Ballon d'Or: Dukler Prague midfielder Josef Masopust wins award for best European football player; beats Benfica striker Eusébio and FC Köln defender Karl-Heinz Schnellinger
• 1973 Yanks sign Dick Williams as manager, overturned later by AL Pres
• 1977 NBA Cleveland Cavaliers retire jersey # 42, Nate Thumond
• 1983 NBA San Diego Clippers ends 29 game road losing streak
• 1984 73rd Davis Cup: Sweden beats USA in Gothenburg (4-1)
• 1988 Cricket Women's World Cup: Australia defeats England by 8 wickets
• 1988 Seattle Seahawks win their 1st ever division title with 9-7 record

Sports History
1994 Darryl Strawberry pleads not guilty on tax evasion charges


Baseball PlayerDarryl Strawberry

• 1996 Start of 1st Test Cricket match between Zimbabwe & England
• 2001 Ballon d'Or: Liverpool forward Michael Owen is named best football player in Europe ahead of Real Madrid striker Raúl and Bayern Munich goalkeeper Oliver Kahn
• 2017 Australia regains cricket's Ashes against England, winning by an innings to take 3 game lead at the WACA in Perth
• 2018 Manchester United sacks high profile Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho; United in 6th place in EPL, 19 points behind league leaders Liverpool; Ole Gunnar Solskjaer new caretaker manager