Sports Fact of the Day 12/15-12/18/2008

Dec. 15:
12/15/1979:
Brigham Young defeats LaSalle, 108-106, in triple overtime to win its own Cougar Classic tournament in Provo, Utah. Michael Brooks of the Explorers is brilliant in defeat, scoring a school record (since broken) 51 points. Completing his career this season at LaSalle, Brooks will pass Tom Gola to become the school's all-time leading scorer with 2,628 points (since broken). He not only averages a double-double for each of his four seasons at LaSalle but averages 20 or more pointsw per game each year as well with career norms of 23.1 ppg and 12.8 rpg.

Birthdays:
Joe Walton b. 1935
Nick Buoiconti b. 1940
Charlie Scott b. 1948
David Wingate b. 1963
Mo Vaughn b. 1967

1980:
Dave Winfield becomes the highest-paid player in team sports when the New York Yankees signed him to a 10-year free-agent contract worth about $16 million.

"Not bad for a man who hit .276 last year with 20 homers and 87 runs batted in. In fact, for all but two seasons of his eight-year major league career with the San Diego Padres, Winfield has been an athlete whose potential has far surpassed his performance." -Ron Fimrite, January 5, 1981

Packers Fact:
Center Jim Ringo made the Pro Bowl seven times in his 11 seasons with the Packers (1953-1963). Reportedly, though, he and his agent showed up in Vince Lombardi's office to make a contract demand in 1964. Lombardi excused himself from the room and returned five minutes later - to tell Ringo he had been traded to the Eagles!

Dec. 16:
12/16/1970:
The South Carolina Gamecocks crush maryland, 96-70, foiling their opponents' slow-down style of play by jumping out to a 14-2 lead early in the game. With the outcome already decided in the second half, a contentious battle for a rebound turns into a fight that spills into the courtside seats, requiring police intervention. To avert further fireworks between the bitter rivals, the officials end the contest with 4:52 remaining on the clock.

Birthdays:
Buddy Parker b. 1913
Mike Flanagan b. 1951
Orlando Woolridge b. 1959
William Perry b. 1962
Donovan Bailey b. 1967

1930:
The golfer Bobby Jones received the first Sullivan Award as the nation's outstanding amateur athlete.

"Although golf gave Jones international renown, he didn't make a nickel out of the game until he retired, for he played only as an amateur. And for all of his enormous success, he actually played about as often as the average weekend hacker." -Ron Fimrite, April 11, 1994

Packers Fact:
Fullback Jim Tyalor was the leading rusher for the Packers' team that won Super Bowl I in the 1966 season. He gained 705 yards on the ground.

Dec. 17:
12/17/1967:
The Oakland Raiders assert their dominance of the American Football League with a 38-29 thrashing of the New York Jets. Oakland quarterback Daryle Lamonica and the Jets' Joe Namath each throw three touchdown passes, but the Raiders assume a 31-14 lead early in the fourth quarter and make it stand up. Namath suffers a fractured cheekbone in the third quarter on a ferocious sack by defensive end Ike Lassiter but stays in the game to its conclusion.

Birthdays:
Ray Jablonski b. 1926
Leo Cardenas b. 1938
Bobby Ojeda b. 1957
Vincent Demphousse b. 1967
Takeo Spikes b. 1976

1983:
The Washington Redskins defeated the New York Giants, 31-22, and Washington's fullback John Riggins set an NFL record when he scored his 24th rushing touchdown of the season.

"There's a blocky, indestructible look to his body. It's not contoured along gymnasium lines-the exaggerated, pumped-up look of the weightlifter; it has more of the appearance of muscle carefully and slowly amassed by years of hard labor." -Paul Zimmerman, September 1, 1983

Packers Fact:
Ray Nitschke was a college fullback who went on to become a Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker in hish 15 seasons with the Packers (1958-1972).

Dec. 18:
12/18/2005:
Displaced from their home city by the ravages of Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans Hornets treat their appreciative hosts in Oklahoma City to an 89-76 win over the world champion San Antonio Spurs at the Ford Center. Eventually to be named Rookie of the Year, guard Chris Paul just misses a triple-double with 17 points, 12 rebounds and 9 assists. Although the Hornets will fail to make the playoffs and steadfastly proclaim their intention to return to New Orleans when the conditions permit, they receive unconditional encouragement from the fans in OK City, who turn out in droves all season long to support the storm-tossed team.

Birthdays:
Ty Cobb b. 1886
Gene Shue b. 1931
Zoilo Versalles b. 1939
Charles Oakley b. 1963
Aranixa Sanchez Vicario b. 1971

1990
The Louisiana State center Shaquille O'Neal scored 53 points in a game against Arkansas State.

"Shaquille O'Neal crashes into this college basketball season like Bigfoot, half man, half myth. Hulking yet spry, burying soft hooks from the baseline, spinning for pull-up jumpers and musclingn in for thunderous jams, he leaves opponents reeling like tenpins." -Franz Lidz, November 25, 1991

Packers Fact:
Fullback Jim Grabowski was the leading rusher for the Packers' team that won Super Bowl II in the 1967 season. He gained 466 yards.