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Sports in December include the NBA and NHL seasons, NFL teams pushing for the playoffs, the end of the college football season, F1, UFC Fight Nights, and college basketball tournaments. Over the years, Dec. 21 has witnessed many notable moments and stories involving sporting legends. Here are some of them.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sports history from Dec. 21 included:
- 1891: Students in Springfield, Massachusetts, played the first game of basketball. The U.N. later declared this date as World Basketball Day.
- 1937: Chicago Blackhawks’ left winger Paul Thompson became the first player in NHL history to score against a brother, Boston Bruins’ goaltender Cecil Thompson.
- 1941: The Chicago Bears beat the New York Giants 37-9 and became the first team in the NFL championship game era to win consecutive titles.
- 1944: The Cards’ Marty Marion won the National League Most Valuable Player award.
- 1959: Tom Landry accepted a coaching job for the Dallas Cowboys, where he remained until 1988.
- 1969: Vince Lombardi coached his last football game, a 20-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, and finished his career with a 105-35-6 record.
- 1973: Arizona State beat Pittsburgh 28-7 in the third Fiesta Bowl.
- 1975: The Buffalo Sabres set an NHL record of 40 points, defeating the Washington Capitals 14-2.
- 1975: Sweden won the Davis Cup for men’s tennis.
- 1979: Garry Unger’s NHL record for consecutive games played ended at 914.
- 1980: Harold Carmichael’s streak of 127 games in a row with at least one reception ended.
- 1981: Cincinnati beat Bradley 75-73 in seven overtimes, which was an NCAA record.
- 1984: Eric Dickerson of the Los Angeles Rams became the second player in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a season.
- 1984: Brigham Young University beat Michigan 24-17 to win the Holiday Bowl.
- 1997: Detroit Lions’ Barry Sanders was the third football player to run for 2,000 yards in a season.
- 1999: FC Barcelona’s Rivaldo won the Ballon d’Or award.
- 2005: Joe Sakic became the captain of the 2006 Team Canada Olympic team.
- 2008: The Detroit Lions were the first NFL team to start a season 0-15.
- 2009: Goaltender Martin Brodeur set an NHL record with his 104th career shutout.
- 2010: The UConn Huskies women’s basketball team set an NCAA record with 89 consecutive wins.
- 2014: Houston Texans’ Andre Johnson became the 10th player in NFL history to reach 1,000 career receptions.
- 2022: Caitlin Clark tied Elena Delle Donne for being the fastest NCAA Division 1 player to reach 2,000 career points.
Three athletes who stood out on Dec. 21 were Vince Lombardi, Martin Brodeur, and Caitlin Clark.
Fans remember Lombardi for his discipline, motivational genius, and famous quotes, such as, “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing,” with the Super Bowl trophy named in his honor. Brodeur produced record-breaking statistics with the New Jersey Devils (three Stanley Cups, most wins/shutouts) and took home Olympic gold medals with Team Canada, while Clark’s incredible long-range shooting and court vision have earned her multiple Player of the Year and one Rookie of the Year awards.
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