Inhistoric

Today in Sports History: March 18th

2010-03-18T03:38:43Z

(Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle. Photo by Malcolm Emmons, US Presswire)

3/18/1985 - Mays, Mantle reinstated

MLB commissioner Peter Ueberroth reinstates Hall of Fame outfielders Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle, who had been banned from baseball by former commissioner Bowie Kuhn. Mays was ostracized in 1979 when he signed a ten-year deal to become an associate with the Park Place Hotel in Atlantic City. Mantle, feeling that the banishment of Mays was a frivolous one, went ahead and became a greeter for the Claridge casino in Atlantic City in 1983. Not long after that, Kuhn banned him as well.

"(Bowie Kuhn) said 'Why can't you do like Reggie Jackson and do a Panasonic commercial or like Joe DiMaggio and do a Mr. Coffee commercial?' I've been out of baseball 14 years and I don't have Panasonic and Mr. Coffee knocking at my door," Mantle said.

Since the Black Sox scandal of 1919, the golden rule of baseball was that no betting or gambling would ever be tolerated, out of fear that the players could again be bribed into throwing games. Kuhn believed that any association with gamblers was reason enough to be expelled. And while the ban did not affect Mays' or Mantle's Hall of Fame status, it did forbid them from taking part in any function of Major League Baseball.

The decisions were extremely unpopular to the fans, who felt that Kuhn's decisions breached the intended purpose of the "no betting" rule. Mantle and Mays were not only two of the most popular players of their time, they had been hired to work in a city where any amount of sports betting would be 100% legal. And since both men were retired, it was also questioned why it would be wrong for either man to take part in gambling (plus both men were only assigned to PR spots).

Ueberroth stated that he found "no fault with the previous ruling," but that he was making "two exceptions for these two great players because of what they mean to the game." Kuhn expressed displeasure over the decision, stating that he felt creating exceptions was not the best way to approach the gambling issue. Both Mays and Mantle said they were thrilled to be off the permanently ineligible list.

"I can't hit, I can't run, but now I have options," said Mays, who expressed interest in becoming an ambassador of the game.

"This is one of the happiest days of my life," said Mantle. "I acted like it didn't bother me, but it did. You don't want to get kicked out of your favorite bar and you don't want to be banned from baseball."

3/17/1995 - Jordan returns to the NBA

With a two-word statement to the press that simply stated, "I'm back," Michael Jordan returned to the NBA. Jordan had been retired since October 1993 and had spent the last year playing minor league baseball with the White Sox organization. But baseball hadn't worked out so well and over the last week, Jordan had been practicing at the Chicago Bulls' training facility. There had been immense speculation that Michael would at last re-enter the league that had made him famous, and sure enough, after a few more days of waiting, he did.

Jordan's comeback was one of the two or three greatest things that ever happened to the NBA. After a disappointing result in the 1995 playoffs, Michael played three additional full years in Chicago before retiring once again. Those three years were three of the greatest years the league ever had: Jordan led the league in scoring in all three seasons, he won MVP awards in 1996 and 1998, and he led the Bulls to championships in all three seasons.

When Jordan rejoined the Bulls, he carried the legend of being one of the greatest athletes of all time. By showing that all his accolades were justified and by leading the 1996 Bulls to a 72-10 mark -- the best in NBA history -- Jordan actually managed to raise his popularity. The second edition of the 90's Bulls were the most popular, most followed team in the nation. Chicago sold out every single game. Ratings were at an all-time high. Everything about the team became a part of pop culture: Dennis Rodman's hair, Phil Jackson's beard. Even Ray Clay, the Bulls' PA announcer, became a household name for his energetic introductions of Jordan.

By the time Jordan hit the game-winning shot in the 1998 finals, there was no question who the most revered American athlete of the twentieth century was. There was also no question which athlete had made the greatest comeback from retirement. But it took awhile for the Jordan return to get good. When he took the floor against the Indiana Pacers the day after he un-retired, it was clear he had a lot of catching up to do.

Today in Sports History: March 17th

2010-03-17T13:26:07Z

3/17/1999 - Jays fire manager for 'Nam fibbing

Tim Johnson had done a solid job as the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays. In just one season, he had improved their record to 88-74, and had them within a few games of the playoffs. Much of the team's success was attributed to his ability to fire up the team with his war stories from Vietnam. The problem was that in November of 1998, Johnson admitted that all the 'Nam stories he had told had been completely made up. As a part of the Marine Corps, he had never once taken part in the Vietnam War.

Johnson had no trouble admitting that the stories were fake, as he felt that there wouldn't be any fallout. ''Credibility, to me, is going out there and watching the game, watching the players play for you,'' he said. ''That's going to show if you have credibility or not. Nothing's going to change my way of going after the players and talking to them and when you need to get on them. Nothing's going to change.''

The players felt differently. There was a serious lack of credibility with Johnson, having lied about his service, and eventually the Blue Jays management felt it was too much of a distraction to go on. They fired Johnson in the middle of spring training and replaced him with former major leaguer Jim Fregosi. Since then, the Blue Jays have yet to have a season where they won more than 88 games.

Tiger's back, and it all makes sense

2010-03-16T18:01:04Z

It was almost 15 years ago today, on March 18, 1995, that Michael Jordan announced that he was returning to the NBA with a two-word statement that simply read: "I'm back." Jordan, who had been retired since the end of the 1993 season, suited up for the Bulls that Sunday in a nationally-televised contest against the Indiana Pacers on NBC's Game of the Week. That game remains the most watched regular season game in the history of the NBA.

How fitting is it then that Tiger Woods announced his return to his sport on almost the same day Jordan did? Is it a coincidence? Maybe (probably). But Woods is the only athlete in the last twenty or so years who you can even compare to Michael Jordan. Who else but Woods and Jordan have single-handedly carried their respected sports to the degree that they have? When LeBron James took his Cavaliers to the finals against the Spurs, the ratings for the games were three times lower than the ratings Jordan's Bulls got in the '98 championship. Similarly, the total purse money given out at PGA tour events is more than three times higher than it was before Tiger joined up in 1996. Without Jordan and without Woods, the NBA and PGA just haven't been the same, and no matter what you think of Woods, the game of golf is better with him on the tee range than it is with him in a sex clinic.

When Woods arrives at Augusta National on the first week of April, the atmosphere and coverage there will be something out of this world. And if you don't think that that played into Woods' decision-making, then you must not know Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan. After retiring from minor league baseball, Jordan could've picked any time to come back to the Chicago Bulls. It wasn't a coincidence that he came back on a game airing on NBC, back when NBC was the most-watched network in the country. It isn't a coincidence that Woods is coming back at the Masters, the biggest and most highly-covered golf tournament in the country, which also happens to draw the highest ratings. It certainly wasn't a coincidence that his first press conference since the car crash happened during the Accenture golf tournament, a decision everyone saw as a jab to the company that had dropped him as a sponsor that December.

Of course, there are other reasons why Woods would pick Augusta of all places to come back to. It gives him the opportunity to win a major -- his primary objective in golf -- and it allows him to play in a place where the media will be screened, which will be very important for the remainder of Woods' career. But he could have just as easily come back at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, a tournament that also enforces the media people it lets in. Had he done that, he could have lessened the impact of his later events, including his appearance at the Masters.

Instead he's playing at an event where all the pressure in the world will be on him. Not only will Woods inevitably be favored, he'll be competing on the toughest golf course in the country, on the biggest stage, on his first try since the car crash, in front of one of the largest audiences in PGA history, in front of a hostile crowd that may boo or jeer him whenever they see him. And lost within all the hubbub over the scandal is that Woods hasn't won it there in five years, and that in his last PGA tour event, he came up short in a one-on-one duel with Y.E. Yang -- the first time he had ever relented a lead in the final round of a major. With all that in the backdrop, with his conception of invincibility potentially shattered, it'd be hard to imagine anyone having any success in a tournament of that magnitude.

But not Tiger. For him, this is the greatest challenge he could possibly set forth for himself. When he competes on April 8, he'll not only be putting his golf game on the line, he'll be showcasing his professionalism, his public persona, his relationship status and what's left of his positive image. He can take a stab at all his issues in one fell swoop. If he wins, the surrealism of the whole ordeal will be trumped by one unmistakable fact: that Woods is not just the greatest golfer of all time, but one of the greatest athletes of all time as well. It's that sort of potential glory that continues to draw the likes of Brett Favre and Junior Seau back to their respect sports; it's what drew Michael Jordan out of retirement twice.

Woods may never admit it, and in fact he may explicitly deny it. But somewhere in his subconscious, there has to be a part of him that's excited for the Masters. It may be hard to deal with the paparazzi and the hecklers and the media members, all of whom will hound him whenever they'll get the chance. But that'll just make it so much sweeter when and if he actually wins. And while the last few months may not have been worth it, it's given him something that all great athletes ostensibly pine for from the moment their young: the greatest challenge of his athletic life.

Today in Sports History: March 16th

2010-03-16T16:53:10Z

3/16/2003 - Ricky Davis goes for a triple-double

The Cavaliers were seconds away from a 27-point victory over the Utah Jazz when Ricky Davis committed basketball sacrilege. Davis, with 26 points, 12 assists, and 9 rebounds, was well aware that he was a board away from his first career triple-double. Jumaine Jones inbounded the ball to Davis near the Jazz basket, where he was supposed to run out the clock. Ricky instead lobbed a gentle flip off the backboard, which was his attempt at a shot, and collected the ball, his attempt at a rebound. Seeing what he was doing, Utah's DeShawn Stevenson fouled Davis hard in retaliation.

"I have nothing against Ricky," Stevenson said. "But for someone to go out there and do that is not right. I'm not going to let that happen."

"[Ricky] was trying to embarrass us, and that's not how the game should be played," said Jazz coach Jerry Sloan. "This is not schoolyard basketball. Let him try to get it when the game means something. I was proud of DeShawn and I would have knocked him down harder. They can put me in jail for saying that, but that's the way it is."

Most agreed with Sloan's sentiments. Shooting at the other team's basket to pad his rebounding stats drew cries for a suspension (Davis was later fined an undisclosed amount). Fortunately, NBA rules safeguarded such a maneuver. Davis was not credited with a 10th rebound and triple-double because a rebound can only come from a legitimate shot at the hoop, which Davis' certainly wasn't.

An interesting side note is that the Associated Press actually got the story wrong. The ESPN recap of the game says that, "After Utah's Scott Padgett scored with six seconds left, Davis took an inbounds pass and was ready to attempt a shot at the wrong basket to get his 10th rebound. DeShawn Stevenson wrapped his arms around Davis before the attempt and was whistled for a foul. Davis made two free throws to complete the scoring."

However, anyone who watched the game could tell you that that's not what happened. Davis got his shot off before Stevenson fouled him. The AP made it sound like Stevenson prevented the triple double, when in reality it was the NBA rulebook that prevented it.

Today in Sports History: March 14th

2010-03-15T01:48:47Z

3/14/2007 - Suns and Mavs play 2OT thriller

There was a lot of hype when the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks met in March of 2007. No two teams as good (record-wise) had played each other 60 games into the season in 37 years. Plus, the Suns and Mavs had faced each other in the postseason the previous two years, and it was a face-off between Steve Nash and ex-teammate Dirk Nowitzki -- the reigning MVP and player who would win it from him.

What followed was easily one of the greatest regular season games of all time. It shouldn't have come as a surprise; the two teams had combined for five separate ten-game winning streaks, and were two of the most exciting teams in the league to watch. Dallas was coming off a blowout in Golden State, where their 17-game winning streak was snapped (a prelude of things to come), while the Suns looked to gain ground in the conference standings.

In a game that the Suns led by 16 and the Mavericks led by 17, the game managed to equal itself out in regulation. The game went to two overtimes before the Suns finally clinched it, with a phenomenal 129-127 win. The Mavericks had a seven point lead and the ball with 1:14 left in the 4th quarter, but Steve Nash rose to the occasion, scoring ten points in less than sixty seconds, including the game-tying three-pointer, to knot it up at 111. Nash entered the final period with a mediocre 14 points and 9 assists, but the like great player he was, he finished with 32 points, 16 assists and 8 rebounds. Nowitzki had a great game as well, but he left the door open by missing two enormous free throws during that minute.

Amare Stoudemire was sensational, scoring a game-high 41 points while being more or less unstoppable down low (16-19 shooting). Of Dallas' 127 points, 109 of them came from Nowitzki, Josh Howard, Jerry Stackhouse, and Jason Terry -- who hit a game-tying three to send the game to double overtime. Dallas' Erick Dampier became just the third player to ever record double-digit rebounds without a single one coming on the defensive end. The Suns were essentially a two-man show down the stretch, with Nash and Stoudemire scoring 28 straight points at one point.

In the end, Dallas still finished with the best record in the NBA while Nowitzki, and not Nash, would win the MVP.

Today in Sports History: March 13th

2010-03-15T01:44:42Z

3/13/1930 - Robbie ball switched for fruit

At spring training, Brooklyn manager Wilbert Robinson attempts to best a cult accomplishment. In 1908, Gabby Street caught a baseball that was thrown to him from the top of the Washington Monument -- more than 500 feet from the ground. Robinson insisted that it was no big deal, and when his players asked him to back up his words, he ordered an airplane to deliver him a pitch from about the same height.

As the 51 year-old waited for the ball to arrive, Ruth Law, the plane's pilot, dropped a grapefruit instead of a baseball. She later said she had forgotten to bring a baseball, though it was always suspected that Brooklyn teammate Casey Stengel had made the switch. As the orb reached the Brookyln skipper, the fruit's red pulp splattered all over the former catcher, who believed that he had been drenched in blood. "Jesus, I'm killed!" he screamed. "I'm dead! My chest's split open! I'm covered with blood!"

He was fine, though his teammates were doubled over in laughter.

3/13/1999 - Williams calls it for Holyfield

The name "Eugenia Williams" doesn't mean anything right now, nor did it mean anything up to March 12, 1999. But after a 1999 heavyweight bout, the most important one in New York City in years, Williams was the most talked about woman in the country... not named Monica Lewinsky.

In the heavyweight championship match between Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield, all observers had Lewis as the winner. Yet of three judges scoring the match, one gave it to Lewis 116-113, another had it as a draw, while Williams somehow had Holyfield as the winner. It was a draw.

There was an incredible amount of outrage from the decision, with many questioning if it had been fixed. Williams, as the lone judge to have Holyfield as the victor, received an enormous amount of criticism. Eugenia testified in court and after watching the video of the match, she admitted that she had made a mistake. Her excuse was that the photographers were blocking her view and that she couldn't see the fight properly.

"There were times when I couldn't see," she said. "I couldn't judge what I couldn't see. The other judges may have seen what I couldn't see. I couldn't go to the other side. I even hit my head on a camera when I tried to get closer.''

Eight months later, Lewis and Holyfield hooked up again for a rematch. Lewis prevailed in an undisputed decision.

Further reading:

None too great the old grapefruit play [New York Times]

How a clerk maid got on the main card [New York Times]

Merlin Olsen, a former football star who made the crossover into acting, died yesterday at the age...

2010-03-12T20:07:11Z

Merlin Olsen, a former football star who made the crossover into acting, died yesterday at the age of 69. Along with playing football, Olsen was also the lead color commentator for NBC for more than a decade and called such games as "The Drive Game."

New York Times Obit: Merlin Olsen, Football Star, Commentator and Actor, Dies at 69

Today in Sports History: March 12th

2010-03-12T19:52:23Z

(Abdul-Rauf in front of the US flag. Photo courtesy of the AP)

3/12/1996 - Mahmoud suspended for anthem absences

America is a nation that prides itself on having freedom of speech, but it often recoils when that freedom is used in an alien or unfamiliar way (i.e, the Dixie Chicks). Former NBA player Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf found that out in 1996. Born as Chris Jackson, Mahmoud embraced Islam shortly after being drafted by the Denver Nuggets. He quickly earned a reputation as one of the league's best shooters and finished his career as a 90% foul shooter, even though suffered from Tourette's Syndrome.

But there were some things the fans didn't appreciate that he did on the court, mainly his decision to stay in the locker room during the Star-Spangled Banner. Fans started to take notice and with the help of Denver talk shows the issue turned into a nation-wide commotion. The NBA, who had allowed Mahmoud to do as he pleased, caved under the pressure and asked him to appear during the anthem.

Abdul-Rauf refused, citing that it conflicted with his Muslim beliefs to worship the American flag. "It's also a symbol of oppression, of tyranny," Mahmoud said, "so it depends on how you look at it. I think this country has a long history of that. If you look at history, I don't think you can argue the facts." Various Muslims disputed Mahmoud's claims that it violated the Qur'an, including Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon. Player reaction was mixed, although polls even conducted in Denver showed that fans were fervently against his stance. Nevertheless, Mahmoud remained adamant in his decision.

Finally, the league suspended him indefinitely for refusing to "stand and line up in a dignified posture" during the national anthem. The suspension would only last one game; Abdul-Rauf agreed to remain on the floor as long as he could look down at his hands and pray. The compromise saved Mahmoud from further punishment, but it didn't placate the fans, who booed him the rest of his career.

After the season, the Nuggets traded Abdul-Rauf to the Sacramento Kings, even though he had been their leading scorer the previous four seasons. Mahmoud quit the NBA after just two seasons with the Kings, stating that he was disappointed in the fans' reaction. "I left the NBA because I started to lose the desire and enthusiasm to play, but also of what was happening, especially after the anthem," he said. "It seemed like my career was just going downhill. I couldn't get any playing time. They had a hands-off approach to me. Nobody wanted to touch me. And I felt that it was unjustified. And I was just tired of it."

Abdul-Rauf would later become the victim of vandalization. In 2001, his house, which had previously been graffitied and damaged by people who wrote "KKK" on the walls, burned down, presumably by arsonists. "This is just an indication, I think, of how far we've got to go in terms of human relations in this country," Abdul-Rauf said.

3/12/2006 - Edgerrin James heads to AZ

With the Indianapolis Colts unwilling to re-sign him due to his expensive price tag, running back Edgerrin James signs with the Arizona Cardinals for four years and $30 million. It was one of the highest contracts ever given to a running back.

Many thought the addition of James would give the lowly Cardinals a much-needed boost. However James, who came onto the team as a 27 year-old, got old in a hurry. In his three years in Arizona, Edge had only five regular season rushes of 20 yards or more. With his production wavering, James was benched for half of the 2008 season. He later returned to the lineup and played well in the postseason, though when the Cardinals advanced to the Super Bowl, James had a very poor game.

After the Cards' last-second defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the former Pro Bowler asked to be released. And in April 2009, after drafting Ohio RB Cris "Beanie" Wells, the Cardinals did just that.

Today in Sports History: March 11th

2010-03-11T17:14:58Z

3/11/2002 - Robbed by Rivera

It was on this day in 2002 that the New York Yankees released Ruben Rivera from his contract. Ruben, the younger cousin of Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, was a major prospect who never quite panned out. After eight years in the big leagues, he finished his career with a lifetime batting average of just .216.

You may be wondering what's so interesting about a so-so baseball player getting the axe. As it turned out, Rivera was released because he had stolen the glove and bat of Yankees star Derek Jeter and sold them to a memorabilia store for $2,500. The Yankees confronted him when they found out, and Rivera was able to give Jeter back his equipment. It mattered not and the Yankees bought out his $1 million contract, leaving him with just a $200,000 settlement.

"Everyone makes mistakes. I haven't killed anybody," River said. "It was just a moment when I wasn't thinking right. I've repented. I gave it all back to him the next day. It wasn't correct what I was doing."

Jones isn't the first sprinter to dabble in basketball

2010-03-10T18:49:57Z

(Tulsa Shock President Steve Swetoha, new player Marion Jones, and Head Coach Nolan Richardson as the Tulsa Shock announce the signing of former Olympian Marion Jones. Photo by Rich Crimi, Getty Images)

In an unlikely side-story in the career of Marion Jones, the woman who was once the most recognized female sprinter in the nation has signed on with the Tulsa Shock of the WNBA. Jones, 34, was the starting point guard on the North Carolina basketball team that a won a national championship in 1994. Jones won five medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, including three gold. She was later stripped of all her medals after admitting that she had taken performance-enhancing drugs and also spent a half-year in prison for lying in a court of law.

Although Marion hasn't played basketball in about 15 years, she is easily the highest-profiled woman to join the WNBA over the last ten years.

Jones is not the first sprinter to make a crossover into other sports. Back in the day, when the NFL and NBA drafts went more than 15 rounds, it wasn't unheard of for teams to draft Olympics sprinters in the quixotic hope of them joining the team. In 1984, for instance, Carl Lewis was drafted by both the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL and the Chicago Bulls of the NBA (Lewis, of course, wasn't interested in playing with either, and signed with neither of them). Even now, people talk about what it would be like if Usain Bolt -- the world's fastest man -- were to play in the NFL.

Today in Sports History: March 10th

2010-03-09T19:23:49Z

3/10/1976 - The Fat Lady sings

On this day in 1976, one of the most famous sports adages in the nation is born, according to Fred Shapiro's The Yale Book of Quotations. The Dallas Morning News published an article on this day that stated:

Despite his obvious allegiance to the Red Raiders, Texas Tech sports information director Ralph Carpenter was the picture of professional objectivity when the Aggies rallied for a 72-72 tie late in the SWC tournament finals. "Hey, Ralph," said Bill Morgan, "this... is going to be a tight one after all." "Right," said Ralph. "The opera ain’t over until the fat lady sings."

This is this earliest recorded usage or variation of the now popular phrase, "It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings." Although Carpenter is now recognized as its originator, the phrase was long credited to Washington Bullets coach Dick Motta, who popularized it by making it the team's motto in 1978. That was the year the Bullets shocked everyone and won the championship despite a mediocre 44-38 record. By the time Motta celebrated the title with a shirt that read "The Opera Isn't Over 'Til The Fat Lady Sings," the phrase had been entered into the American lexicon.

Motta first heard the adage when his Bullets were visiting the San Antonio Spurs. Dan Cook, a local sports writer, used the phrase in an effort to encourage Spurs fans that they could beat the Bullets. Motta took a liking to it.

In 1979, the Bullets went back to the finals against the same team they beat in 1978: the Seattle SuperSonics. This time, the Sonics came out on top with a 4-1 series victory.

Contraction: discussed but never implemented

2010-03-07T19:32:41Z

(The Montreal Expos in 2002. The Expos were one of several MLB teams in financial trouble; rather than ceasing operations, they moved to Washington and became the Nationals. Photo by Paul Chiasson, AP)

Every once in a while, you'll hear grumblings about how sports leagues should consider contracting their number of teams. Usually these complaints come only from the fans and are rarely uttered by anyone within the sport. There are exceptions though. When Major League Baseball was on the verge of a work stoppage in 2002, the Florida Marlins and the Minnesota Twins appeared destined to get erased, and the same was true of several NHL teams after the league canceled the entire 2004-2005 season. Recently, Jerry West voiced his opinion that the NBA would be better off if several teams were to be wiped from the books.

As much as we hear about contraction -- so much so that the word is in the lexicon of any sports fan -- it's worth noting that none of the big sports leagues have ever done it. The Twins and Marlins escaped disaster, as did all of the NHL franchises. And if you've heard David Stern's plans to build an entire European division of the NBA in the future, you know that reduction is the last thing on his mind.

We're in an age of sports where more is better, and the notion of over-saturating the product is often ignored. The NFL plans to expand its regular season to 18 games while both Major League Baseball and the NCAA basketball tournament are considering adding even more opening-round playoff games. The same is true of the number of sports teams in each league. The big four see addition as their best way to globalize their sport; more teams mean more fans, and more fans mean more money.

As such, none of the leagues will ever take the initiative to reduce their workload. There have been cases when sports teams have gotten in such financial ruin that they could no longer be a part of the league, but even that's an exception. Nowadays when teams go bankrupt, they're either sold to a new owner or just moved to a different city and state (ala the Seattle SuperSonics). The last time a sports team ceased operations, essentially dropping out of the league, was the Cleveland Barons of the NHL, who waved the white flag in 1978. The last NBA team to cease operations was the first incarnation of the Baltimore Bullets (way back in 1954), and the last NFL team to cease operations was the first incarnation of the Dallas Texans (way back in 1952, before either the AFL-Dallas Texans or the Dallas Cowboys existed).

Even then, those teams were forced to fold because of their lack revenue, not because the leagues demanded it. As long as teams are willing and able to continue existing, neither the commissioners nor the owners are going to cut off the revenue stream. At this point, all four leagues have at least 30 teams, with the NFL (by far the strongest league) maintaining 32. To have 30 teams is essentially a right of passage, and dipping below that number would be a black eye to any of the leagues.

Still, a strong case can be made that contraction would be a good thing for the leagues, at least most of them. The NFL is the one league immune to contraction talks, since in past years it's seen every one of its regular season games sold out. And there are so many cities willing to inherit an NFL team that the owners would never simply allow one to disappear.

The same, however, cannot be said of the NHL, which virtually all experts admit has expanded too much. By putting teams in places like Florida, Arizona, Atlanta and Nashville, where their local following is virtually irrelevant, the league has taken a serious hit. Instead of seeing cold-weather teams in the Stanley Cup Finals like the Red Wings and Penguins, the NHL has often sported a championship with at least one warm-weather team with relatively no national following. A perfect example of this came in 2006, when the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Edmonton Oilers in what was then the lowest-rating finals in league history.

Both the NBA and MLB mirror the NHL's blight to a lesser degree. Both leagues are dominated by big-market teams like the Lakers and Yankees that routinely show up in the championship games. However, the down side to having 30 teams is that when a team that isn't the Yankees or Lakers or Cubs or Celtics shows up, the ratings can be catastrophic. This was the case when the Tampa Bay Rays made it to the World Series in 2008, or when the San Antonio Spurs won the NBA Finals four times from 1999 to 2007. In both cases, viewers were nonexistent, and the leagues suffered because of it.

Others argue that contraction would improve the talent-level of the leagues, since it would filter out the very worst players by giving them one less team to play on. But no matter what we may think of contraction, the fact remains that only the most fledgling of sports leagues would ever eliminate one of its teams, and only because they absolutely had to. Contraction is only done when a league has overproduced its product, and as much as the NBA or NHL has suffered of late, it's never gotten that bad. Until one of the leagues goes on the verge of dying, it's hard to imagine we'll see it any time soon.

Today in Sports History: March 6th

2010-03-06T16:34:58Z

(O'Neal goes up against the Clippers on his birthday. Photo courtesy of AP)

3/06/2000 - Shaq scores 61 on birthday

On March 6, 2000, Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal turned 28 years old. That night, the Lakers played "on the road" against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center -- which was the same arena the Lakers played their home games at. For his birthday, O'Neal had asked the Clippers to give him free seats for his family and friends; the Clippers denied, and Shaq was forced to spend the money himself.

Feeling spurned, O'Neal laid waste to the atrocious Clippers, who had lost 25 of 27 games and had just recently fired Chris Ford, their head coach. In 45 minutes, O'Neal went 24-35 from the field, made 13 of 22 foul shots, scored 61 points and pulled down 23 rebounds, as the Lakers (who would finish 67-15) destroyed the Clippers who adversely finished 15-67), 123-103. It was the most points anyone had ever scored on their birthday, and was the first 60-20 performance the league had seen since 1969, when Wilt Chamberlain accomplished it.

"We tried to do everything conceivable to stop him and slow him down," said Clippers interim coach Jim Todd. "He just had it going and it was tough going against Goliath. He obviously wanted to make a point. ... I hoped he would stop at 50."

Afterward, O'Neal -- who would win his only MVP that season -- gave a warning to the other NBA teams: "Don't ever make me pay for tickets."

Today in Sports History: March 5th

2010-03-06T16:34:00Z

3/05/1973 - Yankee pitchers trade families

New York Yankee pitchers Mike Kekich and Fritz Peterson appeared almost inseparable. They were both friendly with each others wives and families and regularly spent time with one another. No one had any idea how close they were to each others lives... until today in 1973, when the two pitchers announced that they were swapping families. No, not just their wives -- they planned on living with each other's wife, kids, and pets. Needless to say, people found the unorthodox deal a tad... weird.

"Some people are going to think it's a wife swap. Mike and I agreed it was a life swap," Peterson said. He added, "We've known each other for three or four years. In the beginning, it was fun just being together, the four of us. Then as things went along it became more serious. ... We both found we were unbelievably happy with the other. We each had found something we had both been lacking."

Peterson got the better end of the deal -- Kekich and Marilyn Peterson split shortly after their pairing, while Fritz and Sussane Kekich wound up staying married.

Today in Sports History: March 4th

2010-03-04T22:38:21Z

(It took a long time for Manny to re-sign. Photo by Harry How, Getty Images)

3/04/1990 - Hank Gathers dies on court

It was one of the most horrendous moments in all of sports.

Seconds after he threw down a dunk, Hank Gathers of Loyola Marymount collapses at midcourt during a conference tournament game against the University of Portland. The 3,000 fans in attendance, among them Gathers' own aunt and mother, watched in stunned silence as doctors rushed onto the floor to try to resuscitate the 23 year-old, who had gone into a seizure. The game was postponed and he was taken to the hospital, where the physicians on-hand were unable to revive him. He was pronounced dead less than two hours later.

"Words are hard right now," said Loyola coach Paul Westhead. "This is the hardest thing I've experienced. To be so close to a player and see him fall and for it to be over. I feel a deep hurt for his family."

Gathers had already made a name for himself in the world of sports. The dynamic duo of him and teammate Bo Kimble had taken an otherwise irrelevant team from the West Coast Conference and made them into a national contender. They were the first two players to score 40 apiece in a single game, led the Lions to 25 games with more than 100 points, and -- with Kimble leading the nation in scoring -- were on pace to become just the second school to post back-to-back years with a different player leading the nation in points. They had even appeared on the Today Show in tandem. At the time of his death, Loyola Marymount was ranked No. 11 in the nation with a 23-5 record, while Gathers was averaging 29 points and 10.8 rebounds per game.

Gathers, who in 1989 became just the second player in Division I basketball to lead the nation in both points and rebounds, was on track to receiving a first round selection in the NBA draft. Later that day, he had planned to take in an NBA game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves. "It's so ironic," said Lakers coach Pat Riley, who had invited Gathers to several of his team's practices. "The issue of life is so ironic. Mychal Thompson's family just had a baby, James (Worthy) had a baby, and tonight, Larry Drew was helping his wife go through labor with their first child. At a time when new people are coming into this world, a very young one gets taken."

It was not the first time that Gathers had collapsed during a game. In a game just three months earlier, he had fainted as he was about to attempt a free throw. Gathers was subsequently diagnosed with an irregular heart beat and was given large doses of propanolol to even it out. Medical officials determined that the drug was working, but Gathers didn't like it. It was making him sluggish and moody and was hurting his basketball game. He convinced the doctors to wean his body off the drug and he soon began feeling and playing like his old self.

It was a costly mistake; an autopsy revealed that he also had cardiomyopathy, a heart condition that could prove lethal if there was too much stress on the heart. In Gathers' case, it did.

The WCC tournament was canceled and Loyola Marymount, who had a 13-1 record in conference play, was given an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The Lions went on a remarkable run and advanced all the way to the Elite Eight before getting hammered by UNLV, the national champions. Bo Kimble provided the highlight of that year's tournament by shooting his first free throw of each game left-handed, in honor of the left-handed Gathers. Kimble made all three of his lefty freebies.

3/04/2008 - Brett Favre retires (for the first time)

Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre announces that his NFL career has come to an end. Little did he know that his NFL career was alive and kicking, and that his return to football would become an immense headache for his longtime team.

To read the longest article that I've ever written for this site, click here for an in-depth Inhistoric article:

3/04/2009 - Dodgers re-sign Manny Ramirez

Normally when a sports team re-signs someone, the news isn't that significant or relevant. It was, however, for Manny Ramirez when he signed a two-year, $45 million deal with the L.A. Dodgers. Since becoming a free agent, Ramirez and agent Scott Boras had been looking from team to team, hoping to find someone to give Manny a max contract. The Dodgers, who had traded for Manny the previous summer, were offering him $20 million a year. Ramirez declined, stating that he was looking for a long-term deal worth at least $100 million.

No one was willing to give in to Boras' standards. Although Manny was coming off a monster season with the Dodgers, he was 36 years old and was known for his colorful and often tumultuous antics. Ramirez continued to hold out, all the way to spring training, until it became painfully clear that the Dodgers were the only team willing to give him so much money. Ramirez at last accepted the $45 million deal, a deal that he had been offered in December.

In the end, Manny's money holdout was mostly fruitless. In May of that year, Ramirez was suspended 50 games for using a women's fertility drug common among steroid users. By sitting out a third of the season, Manny lost both $7.7 million and the credibility of everyone outside of Los Angeles.

3/04/2008 - Favre announces brief retirement

2010-03-04T18:07:22Z

(Favre at his retirement press conference. Photo by Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images)

There have been many athletes who came back after announcing their retirement. What makes Brett Favre's volte-face so infamous is that he didn't even sit out a year; only a few months after his ultimatum, he was filing for reinstatement.

On March 4th, 2008, Favre gave word of his retirement to ESPN's Chris Mortensen in the form of a voice mail. "I know I can still play," he said, "but it’s like I told my wife, I’m just tired mentally. I’m just tired. I know it shouldn’t feel unsuccessful, but the only way to come back and make that be the right decision would be to come back and win a Super Bowl. And honestly, the odds of that, they’re tough."

Brett's decision was a considerable surprise to most -- for years, he had waffled between retiring and staying on as the Packers' quarterback. Favre had weak years in 2005 and 2006, throwing 47 interceptions between them, but still chose to stick around. In 2007, with a healthy receiving unit and a solid running back in Ryan Grant, Favre had one of the best seasons of his career. He toned down on the interception-prone longballs he was known for and relied on a more succinct offense. That year, the Packers finished 13-3 and made it all the way to the NFC Championship Game.

But in that game, Favre had a poor second half and threw an interception in overtime that led to the Packers' defeat. Even though Favre was a 38 year-old veteran, the sub-par way he went out and his rejuvenation on the football field led many to believe he'd join the Packers for a 17th season.

Alas, as of March 2008, this was not the case. A few days later, Favre officially announced his farewell in an hour-long press conference to his media companions. The Green Bay phenom tried to hold back tears as he explained why it was time to go: he was going out on top, having led his team within a point of the Super Bowl; he had one last great season and would've won the MVP had Tom Brady not thrown 50 touchdowns; he knew he could still play, but the Monday-through-Saturday grind was too much for him to endure...

The end of Favre's Hall of Fame career had many assessing his place in history. He had started in 253 consecutive games at quarterback, an impressive record that appeared insurmountable. Thanks to his longevity, Favre was the all-time-leader in passes, completions, incompletions, interceptions, yards, touchdowns, and wins. In the nineteen years before Favre arrived, the Packers had made the playoffs just once and hadn't won a single playoff game. In his sixteen years with the Pack, Green Bay made the postseason eleven times, won twelve playoff games, and were even victorious in Super Bowl XXXI.

(Favre throws a pass against the Seahawks. Photo by Matthew Stockman, Getty Images)

And yet, as authentic as his teary-eyed goodbye appeared, many analysts were skeptical that he would still be retired by the beginning of the season. There was a long list of legendary athletes who just couldn't walk away -- Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Chris Carter, Mario Lemieux, Jim Palmer, and Mark Spitz were just a few. Not only did Favre possess the passion of those players, he had shaken off retirement thoughts before and was still capable of playing in the NFL. Even in his farewell address, Favre lamented that he would miss playing on Sundays.

The stars seemed to align for a comeback and hints of a reversal came fast and furious. Less than a month after his departure, the LA Times reported that Favre, who had yet to turn in his retirement papers, was asking various teams if they'd be interested in trading for him. Favre denied this, and the Packers filed his retirement papers a few weeks later.

This was, of course, not the last rumor to surface. Over the next couple months, Favre's name appeared omnipresent despite his recent unemployment. Not even a week after the LA Times report, Favre told the Biloxi Sun Herald that he'd rejoin the Packers if they were maligned by injuries: "It would be hard to pass up, I guess." When he appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman, Favre didn't denounce a comeback possibility: "Something's bound to happen." And the cou de gras: a July report that Favre was "itching" to return at the behest of his family. Favre denied the story, but since the report was conducted by Chris Mortensen, and because members of his own family were used as sources, there was little to deny.

There was just one problem: the Packers didn't want him back. Green Bay had drafted California QB Aaron Rodgers in 2005 with the mindset that he would succeed Favre when he retired. And when the three-time MVP finally called it quits, the Packers had made it clear that Rodgers had their full support. But now a serious conflict of interest had surfaced -- could the Packers really turn away Favre if he asked to come back?

That answer would be defined over the next month, as Favre dropped all pretense and asked the Packers to release him just nine days later. Favre's change of heart and the Packers' indecision would become the biggest sports story of the year. The second half of July was all-Favre all the time on ESPN, who decided to give him his own daily section on their news ticker.

(Mike McCarthy meets with reporters. Photo by Morry Gash, Associated Press)

The story wouldn't have been what it was had the Packers not faced a public relations nightmare. Favre was still under contract, but they couldn't just keep him around if they really had Rodgers' back. They could bring back Favre, but they'd run the risk of completely disconcerting Aaron Rodgers. They couldn't meet Brett's request and waive him when they could get something in return, but Favre had a no-trade clause and moving him would be difficult. None of their options were easy or particularly desirable, but one was going to have to be made soon. Training camp was only a week away.

Favre's preferred destinations were Tampa Bay, Chicago, and Minnesota -- all NFC teams. The Packers didn't want to move him within the conference, where they might run the risk of turning an NFC rival into a Super Bowl contender. The Vikings seemed particularly out of the question, not just because they were a great QB away from being dangerous, but because the Packers played them in their first game of the season, and were supposed to retire Favre's No. 4 jersey in that game. Could Brett Favre be playing against the Packers to open the season, with his old Packers uniform being lifted into the rafters? Was it even possible?

Favre's first post-unretirement interview came with Fox News' Greta Van Susteren, who was an aficionado and stockholder of the Packers. "Okay, you guys have a different path, fine," Favre said, recalling a June conversation he had with Packers coach Mike McCarthy. "What does that mean for me? So that means either you give me my helmet, welcome [me] back, or release me, or attempt to trade me. We all know that's a possibility, but way-out-there possibility.

"You're telling me playing there is not an option, but playing elsewhere, we just can't -- we're trying to protect your legacy. Well, thank you. I appreciate that. But apparently now, they're trying to protect my legacy by bringing me back and having me be a backup. Boy, that is really good."

Favre had maintained a stellar, almost sycophantic relationship with the media throughout his career. But in his comeback attempt, Favre lost a lot of support from both columnists and fans. He had publicly contemplated retirement for six years and many were tired of him dramatically prolonging his exit. It was particularly unfair to Aaron Rodgers, who had waited three years to become the starting quarterback and even allowed Favre to start meaningless games just to prolong his consecutive games streak. Plus, his comments with Van Susteran and others were rather selfish and self-motivated, and lost meaning when he blamed the Packers for not talking him out of his decision to retire.

Hours before training camp began, Packers' GM Ted Thompson told Favre to stay home until they could make a decision. As quickly as the public turned against Favre, the Packers and Thompson began getting hammered as well. Green Bay appeared to want it both ways: they were sticking behind Rodgers but they didn't want to give Favre away either.

Favre filed for reinstatement at the end of July, and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell spoke with him and the Packers for over a week. Many criticized Goodell's involvement in the Packers' issues, while others thought the story had gone on too long and was becoming a distraction. Goodell failed to negotiate a resolution between the two parties and reinstated Favre on August 3rd.

Now the Packers had to make a decision. They had 24 hours to either put Favre on the active roster or allow him to become a free agent. The Packers were so willing to end the ordeal that they offered Favre a preposterous 10-year, $25 million deal to stay home and play for no one. Favre considered the proposal but turned it down, insisting that playing football was his No. 1 priority. Because letting him go would allow NFC teams like the Vikings and Bears to sign him, the Packers reluctantly added Favre to the active roster.

A few hours later, Brett and his wife Deanna hopped on a private jet and flew to Green Bay, Wisconsin. He was to arrive at training camp, where the Packers grudgingly told the media that he would compete with Rodgers for the starting job. Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy had lost all their support. Offering Favre, who was still under contract with Green Bay, a ridiculous 10-year contract to do nothing was bad enough, but now they were turning their backs on Rodgers by having him compete with an immensely popular Hall of Fame quarterback.

Favre arrived in Green Bay and was greeted by hundreds of adoring fans, all of whom had braved the downpour of a recent thunderstorm. He was intercepted by team officials a half an hour before the start of practice and instead drove to his nearby home, where he, Thompson, and Packers CEO Mark Murphy discussed trade possibilities. Back at the training field, Rodgers was met with boos and chants of "We want Brett" as he scrimmaged. "Yeah, I take it personally," Rodgers said of the hecklers. "But like I said, it's not the first time and it won't be the last time."

(Rodgers practices in front of Favre fans. Photo by Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images)

The Favres hopped on their private plane and flew back to their home in Mississippi. The Packers had made it clear that Favre was going to be traded, somewhere, and that his time in Green Bay was over. An exasperated Mike McCarthy told the reporters on August 6th that the Favre era had come to a close. "The football team has moved forward, okay?" he said. "The train has left the station, whatever analogy you want. He needs to jump on the train and let's go, or if we can't get past all of the things that have happened, I need to keep the train moving, and he respects that. He understands that."

There were numerous reports that the Packers were coming to terms with the Tampa Bay Bucaneers, who were more than willing to dispel Jeff Garcia, himself a 38 year-old quarterback. The deal fell through, however the Packers were able to finally make a transaction later that night. Shortly before midnight, Green Bay traded Favre to the New York Jets for a conditional draft pick.

The following morning, Favre arrived in New York donning a dark green Jets cap. It was fitting that Favre went to a team called the Jets, as he had used a private one to transport him throughout the affair. It was also appropriate that the most famous player in Jets history was Joe Namath -- Namath retired after his team won Super Bowl III but wound up playing another nine seasons, something Favre could certainly relate to.

(Favre arrives in New York in a Jets cap. Photo by Steve Coleman, AP Photos)

The Jets handed Favre his new uniform later that day, thus ending the saga once and for all. Rodgers was assured as the Packers' starting quarterback, where he would face a tremendous amount of pressure. The Packers canceled the ceremony where Favre's number was to be retired. EA Sports, who had begun shipping copies of Madden NFL 2009, were in a bind because Favre was on the cover in his old Packers' jersey. EA produced new covers with Favre in his Jets attire, but the released versions had Favre as a free agent, and not as a New York Jet.

Today in Sports History: March 3rd

2010-03-03T17:29:18Z

Gary Glitter - Rock'n Roll Part 2 1972 (via fritz5134)

3/03/1875 - First indoor hockey game

At the Victoria Skating Rink in Montreal, Canada, the first recorded indoor hockey game takes place. Hockey was usually confined to the outdoors on ice or in the fields and typically lacked any rules or regulation. This game featured two teams, two goaltenders, a referee, a puck, a time limit, and most importantly, was referred to as a "hockey" match in an advertisement for the game.

3/03/1990 - Olajuwon briefly has historic game

Hakeem Olajuwon, then known as "Akeem Olajuwon," fills out the box score in every single category. In a 129-121 victory over the Golden State Warriors, the Rockets center compiled 29 points, 18 rebounds, 11 blocks, 9 assists, and 5 steals. After the game, members of the Rockets' scoring crew went back and reviewed the tape. They decided that he had not been rightfully given an assist on a first quarter shot by Buck Johnson, so they gave him a tenth assist.

With that extra digit, Olajuwon had become just the third player to record a quadruple-double in NBA history, joining a list that only included Nate Thurmond and Alvin Robertson. However, it was short lived. NBA vice president Rod Thorn looked over the game tape and decided to remove the additional assist.

"A box score should not be changed after the fact for the purpose of achieving a statistical milestone," Thorn said. "If an appreciable statistical change needs to be made after the box score is distributed, the league office is responsible for making the change, if is deemed necessary."

The decision would have been a terrible footnote in the career of Hakeem Olajuwon, except that just 26 days later, he recorded an NBA-approved quadruple-double against the Milwaukee Bucks (18 points, 16 rebounds, 11 blocks, 10 assists).

3/03/1972 - Hey Song reaches sports world

It was on this day in 1972 that sports history was shipped to record stores across the country. Gary Glitter released his self-titled album, Glitter, and with it came "Rock and Roll" parts 1 and 2, or the "Hey Song" as it was mostly referred to. The song began receiving airtime throughout sports stadiums in the 1970's. With it's rhythmic clapping, one-syllable lyrics, and adrenaline-pumping ambiance, "Rock and Roll" was perfect for arenas packed with 50,000 screaming fans.
No song was played more frequently in sporting venues.

The song's airtime began dwindling, however, since the turn of the 21st century, thanks to Gary Glitter's sordid rap sheet. Glitter was arrested on child pornography charges in 1997 and 1999. Rumors of underage sex circled the performer for several years, and in 2005, he was sentenced to three years in jail for molesting 11 and 12 year-old girls.

His label as a sex offender and pedophile forced many teams to stop playing the song. In 2006, the NFL asked every team to remove the Hey Song from its playlist. The Denver Broncos, who were one of the first teams to adopt Glitter's tune, switched their touchdown celebration music to "Go Daddy-O" from Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (it was later changed to something else).

Despite the baggage, the Hey Song could still be heard at a plethora of sports arenas. Though it begs the question: if your favorite piece of art was painted by Adolf Hitler, is it still a good painting? Or if your favorite movie was directed by Roman Polanski, can you still watch it?

Today in Sports History: March 2nd

2010-03-03T02:02:51Z

(The Joker + foliage + costume = the Stanford Tree. Kyle Terada, US Presswire)

3/02/1962 - Chamberlain scores 100 points

A million people claim to have been at a game that only about 4,000 people really got to see. Wilt Chamberlain, with his team barn-storming in Hershey, Pennsylvania, scored an NBA record 100 points, the greatest single-game performance in league history.

To read more about this story, click here for an in-depth Inhistoric article:

3/02/1972 - Stanford Indian goes bye bye

In an 18-4 decision, the ASSU (or Associated Students of Stanford University) vote to ban the university's portrayal of a Native American, stating that "any and all Stanford University use of the Indian Symbol should be immediately disavowed and permanently stopped." From 1930-1972, the Stanford Cardinal sports teams had used a man dressed as an Indian as their mascot. Native Americans were not amused, and in 1972, 55 students submitted a petition, stating that their portrayal of the Indian was an offensive one.

And thus, one of the weirdest mascots in all of sports was born. Filling the place of the Stanford Indian was the Stanford Tree, a fake mascot used by the school band that caught on with the students. Besides looking completely ridiculous, the Tree is one of the only mascots in sports based on an inanimate object -- which is unique if nothing else.

Oh and in case you were wondering, the team is actually named after the color cardinal and not the bird, thus they are the Stanford Cardinal and not the "Cardinals".

(The cracked backboard after Morris' powerful dunk)

3/02/1993 - Morris breaks backboard

With 4:21 remaining in a regular season game in New Jersey, Nets forward Chris Morris throws down a monster two-hand slam that leaves the backboard shattered. It would take 21 minutes for the basket to be replaced, and Morris was assessed a technical foul for hanging on the rim. The Chicago Bulls won, 87-80.

1993 was the year of the dunk in the NBA. In February of that year, Shaquille O'Neal brought down the entire basket in a game against Phoenix, and just one month after Morris' jam, O'Neal ripped down the basket in a game against the New Jersey Nets. What made Morris' dunk particularly impressive was that the NBA had installed breakaway rims and backboards that were designed to withstand impact. Shattering a backboard was pretty much impossible, and since his jam in 1993, no one has done it since (in the NBA at least).

3/02/1962 - The 100-point game

2010-03-02T15:00:14Z

(Wilt Chamberlain famously hold up No. 100. Photo by Paul Vathis, AP Photos)

In front of a half-filled arena in Hershey, Pennsylvania, Wilt Chamberlain put on the greatest single-game display in the history of sports: scoring 100 total points.

Back in the early 60's, NBA teams barnstormed from town to town because the young league was struggling to find its niche. Only 4,124 people were in attendance to see the "home" Philadelphia Warriors take on the Knicks. There were no television cameras, no major sports journalists, only a few photographers, and one man (Bill Campbell) calling the radio play-by-play.

"The Big Dipper" attempted 63 shots and made 36 of them, scored 61 in the second half including 31 in the 4th quarter, and also pulled down 25 rebounds. He even made 28 of his 32 free throws despite being one of the five worst foul shooters in league history.

"Once we were far ahead, the Knicks disregarded trying to win the game and concentrated on stopping me," Chamberlain said. "If they hadn't just tried to stop me without regard to whether they would win or not, I could have scored a lot more."

The Knicks players did their best to make sure Chamberlain never got the ball. But Wilt was 7'1'' and was more or less unstoppable. Chamberlain scored his 100th point of the night with 46 seconds remaining; the raucous crowd ran onto the court and forced the game to come to a hault.

"Sure it was a farce," Wilt's teammate Joe Riklick said of the 4th quarter. "But they made it that way. They triple-teamed Wilt and fouled other guys to send them to the line. (Warriors coach) Frank McGuire saw what they were doing and said, 'Okay, if that's how you want to play...'"

"I think the Knicks were trying desperately to stay out of the record books," Warriors rookie Tom Meschery said. "And there's no doubt we made a conscious effort to help Wilt get his 100."

Amidst the confusion of the fans rushing onto the hardwood, 14 year-old Kerry Ryman, who had snuck into the arena with some of his friends, took the basketball and raced out of the stadium. Ryman and his friends used the ball at their local park until the asphalt surface made it worn and deflated. Little did they know that the ball would become the most valuable piece of basketball merchandise in the world. It has been auctioned off repeatedly and has sold for over a half a million dollars.

Security recognized that Kerry was the thief, but Wilt didn't want the ball and no attempt to get it back was made. "If there was some way I could put that ball in his casket, I'd do it," Ryman said in 1999, a few days after Chamberlain died. "I took something that didn't belong to me."

Many of the game's finer details are murky from the game's dearth of coverage. Most sources claim that the game resumed once the fans were removed from the court, though the official record says that the game was called with 46 seconds still on the clock. There are various versions as to how Chamberlain scored his 100th point, with some saying it was a layup and others claiming it was a dunk. "I don't even know how I scored the last basket," Chamberlain later admitted.

"Your mind does get clouded, but one thing that isn't clouded is that Wilt did score 100 and we did win the ballgame," Al Attles said.

After the game, photographers huddled around the sweating Chamberlain. Statistician Harvey Pollack, who worked from the NBA's inaugural season in 1947 to the 21st century (the only man to do so), pencilled "100" on a sheet of paper and handed it to Chamberlain. The image of Wilt holding 100, much like DiMaggio walking through 56, has stood the test of time.

No Knick was more embarrassed by Wilt than Darrall Imhoff, who started opposite him at the center position. The rookie bigman fouled out after only 20 minutes. "I spent 12 years in his armpits, and I always carried that 100-point game on my shoulders," said Imhoff. Two nights later, the Warriors replayed the Knicks back in New York and lost 129-128. Imhoff played the entire game and was received warmly for playing much better defense against the Dipper. "I got a standing ovation for holding Wilt to 58 points," he said.

Chamberlain's 100-point performance was one game out of perhaps the most statistically daunting season in the history of sports. In the 1961-62 season, Chamberlain averaged 50.4 points per game, 25.7 rebounds per game, and 48.5 minutes per game. The MVP however went to Bill Russell, who continually bested Chamberlain when it mattered most.

Wilt's 100 points in a game seemed to be a record that no one could ever eclipse. Entering the 21st century, no other player had scored more than 73 (Wilt also scored 78 in a triple-overtime game). Then in 2006, Kobe Bryant scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors, an amazing accomplishment that was still 19 shy of the record.

What makes Chamberlain's 100-point game remarkable is the symmetry to it. It isn't an oblong number like 755 or 714 or 56, it's a perfect 100. It's the same number that all basketball teams try to aim for each night, and Wilt reached it by himself.

Further reading:

Ryman Stole the Ball! Ryman Stole the Ball! [New York Times]

The Night Wilt Scored 100 [Wiltfan]

Today in Sports History: March 1st

2010-03-01T15:31:42Z

(Mickey Mantle holding a bat. Photo courtesy of Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

3/01/1969 - Mantle hangs it up

After 18 years with the New York Yankees, Mickey Mantle announces his retirement from baseball. Mantle was one of the greatest sluggers the game had ever seen and in 1961, he rivaled teammate Roger Maris in an attempt to break Babe Ruth's single-season home run record. But he had played much of his career in excruciating pain and was coming off a year where he batted a career-low .237. At 37 years old, Mantle was not hesitant to call it quits.

"I can't play anymore," Mantle said plainly and unemotionally. "I can't hit the ball when I need to. I can't steal second when I need to. I can't go from first to third when I need to. I can't score from second when I need to. I have to quit." "I feel bad I didn't hit .300," he added, noting that his final years had brought his career average down to .298. "But there's no way I could get it back over .300 again. There's no use trying."

Mantle retired with 536 home runs, the third most all time behind Babe Ruth and Willie Mays. He also tallied three MVP awards and won the AL triple crown in 1956. His retirement ended fifty years of a great Yankee succession that began with the Babe (who wore No. 3). Lou Gehrig (No. 4) then came along just as Ruth was wrapping up his career, then Joe DiMaggio (No. 5) emerged, and finally Mantle. Mickey originally wore No. 6 to keep the streak going, but he was sent to the minors early in his career and returned wearing the No. 7. His number was retired by the Yankees that summer, joining Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Bob Feller, and Ted Williams as the only players to have their numbers retired.

Mantle's private life took several twists and turns from there. He made a large amount of money as a presenter at sports memorabilia shows, was expelled from baseball for working at a casino, and was later reinstated by commissioner Peter Ueberroth. In 1994, Mantle admitted to Sports Illustrated that he was an alcoholic and stated that he wasn't happy with his life anymore. His alcoholism, partly brought on by the pressure he faced in living up to his Yankee predecessors, was front page news. He later checked into the Betty Ford Clinic in an attempt to rehabilitate himself, but nothing he did could repair the forty years of drinking he had done; in 1995, he died of liver cancer at the age of 63.

In one of the final public appearances in his life, Mantle pleaded with his admirers to live their lives differently from him. "You talk about a role model? This is a role model: Don't be like me... God gave me the ability to play baseball and I wasted it. I was given so much, and I blew it."

3/01/2000 - "Bird is not walking through that door"

Rick Pitino had a fantastic run as a college basketball coach, but it never quite worked out for him in the NBA. At first he did okay; when he took over as the New York Knicks coach in 1987, he stayed there for two years and led the Knicks to their first division title in two decades. But the University of Kentucky offered him a job, and Pitino -- whose first love was college basketball -- couldn't pass it up.

At Kentucky, Pitino reaffirmed his status as one of the best coaches in the nation. He led them to three Final Four appearances and an NCAA championship in 1996. Once again though, the lure of a higher-paying, glorifying job was offered to him, and Pitino left Kentucky to coach the Boston Celtics. It seemed like a good fit, since his first coaching was at Boston University.

Had the Celtics won the NBA lottery in 1997, and had they been able to draft Tim Duncan, maybe things would have gone differently. Instead, Pitino did terribly; in his four years coaching the team, the best the team could muster was a 36-win season in 1996. Pitino was frequently on-edge, and it became obvious that the stress of not living up to the expectations in Boston -- who had won more titles in history than everyone -- was frustrating him to no end.

Finally, after a home loss to the Toronto Raptors on March 1, 2000, Pitino vented with one of the more memorable memes in NBA history: "Larry Bird is not walking through that door, fans. Kevin McHale is not walking through that door, and Robert Parish is not walking through that door. And if you expect them to walk through that door, they're going to be gray and old. What we are is young, exciting, hard-working, and we're going to improve. People don't realize that, and as soon as they realize those three guys are not coming through that door, the better this town will be for all of us because there are young guys in that (locker) room playing their asses off. I wish we had $90 million under the salary cap. I wish we could buy the world. We can't; the only thing we can do is work hard, and all the negativity that's in this town sucks. I've been around when Jim Rice was booed. I've been around when Yastrzemski was booed. And it stinks. It makes the greatest town, greatest city in the world, lousy. The only thing that will turn this around is being upbeat and positive like we are in that locker room... and if you think I'm going to succumb to negativity, you're wrong. You've got the wrong guy leading this team."

The line "Larry Bird is not walking through that door" would live on long after Pitino resigned in 2001. Like Lee Elia, the Cubs coach who went on a postgame rant in the 1980's, Pitino's words signified the losing the culture that had embraced the team -- and for a team like the Celtics, who had been so great for so long, it was a memorable statement indeed. For eight years, that line was the de facto mantra of the Boston Celtics, as they tried desperately to reclaim their glory years. Eventually they were able to do it, though only after they traded for Kevin Garnett in 2007.