Sports Fact of the Day 12/25-12/28/2008

Dec. 25:

Speaking before an assemblage of New York Giants from the team's halcyon days of yore, Frank Gifford paid modern-day star Tiki Barber a huge compliment with just a few words: "He's one of us."

Birthdays:
Nellie Fox b. 1927
Lefty Driesell b. 1931
Ken Stabler b. 1945
Larry Csonka b. 1946
Rickey Henderson b. 1958

1971:
The Miami Dolphins beat the Kansas City Chiefs, 27-24, in their AFC divisional playoff game. The game-the longest game in NFL history-was decided after 22 minutes, 40 seconds of overtime when Miami kicker Garo Yepremian booted a field goal.

"The game had gone from a slug-colored unseasonably warm Missouri afternoon through nightfall. It had been played both crisply and sloppily, with consummate skill and heartbreaking error. It had been dull and heavy, and then exquisitely exciting." -John Underwood, January 3, 1972

Packers Fact:
Kicker Don Chandler was the top scorer for each of the Packers' Super Bowl champions in 1966 and 1967.

Dec. 26:
12/26/1991:
After falling behind 6-1, the New York Rangers score seven unanswered goals and beat Washington, 8-6, at the Capital Centre. John Ogrodnick scores at 19:59 of the first period to make it 6-2 and the Rangers unleash 31 shots on goal during the last two periods in their furious rally while the Caps manage only 7 shots in return. Eight different Rangers score goals and John Vanbiesbrouch is perfect over the final 40 minutes after Mike Richter surrenders all six Washington goals in the opening stanza, including a hat trick by Michal Pivonka. The Rangers' victory not only draws them even with the Caps on the season at 24-12-1, but also deadlocks their all-time lifetime record (since 1974) at 45-45-14.

Birthdays:
Bill Yeoman b. 1927
Norm Ullman b. 1935
Carlton Fisk b. 1947
Susan Butcher b. 1954
Ozzie Smith b. 1954

1954:
Quarterback Otto Graham led the Cleveland Browns to a convincing 56-10 triumph over the Detroit Lions in the NFL championship game.

"He passed for three touchdowns, ran to three more, pitched out to another. He did it by himself and with the help of a Cleveland line that picked up his inspired tempo and on crucial plays tore apart the Detroit line as if it had been made of wet paper." -Martin Kane, January 3, 1955

Packers Fact:
Halfback Tony Canadeo was a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 1974. He was the first 1,000-yard rusher in Packers' history (1,052 yards in 1949).

Dec. 27:
12/27/1971:
Sophomore halfback Woody Green scores his third touchdown of the game on a two-yard run with 34 seconds left to give Arizona State a 45-38 victory over Florida State in the inaugural Fiesta Bowl at Tempe, Arizona. The powerful Sun Devils, coached by Frank Kush, will win four of the first five Fiesta Bowls, going 46-4 in those four seasons (1971, '72, '73 and '75) but are routinely overlooked and underranked in the wire-service polls. Over time, the Fiesta Bowl will grow in stature and eventually supersede the Cotton Bowl as one of the four major New Year's Day bowl games.

Birthdays:
Nolan Richardson b. 1941
Roy White b. 1943
Andre Tippett b. 1959
Jim Leyritz b. 1963
Deuce McAllister b. 1978

1958:
The Baltimore Colts defeated the New York Giants in Yankee Stadium and won the NFL championship in what is referred to as "The Greatest Game Ever Played."

"Baltimore won the first sudden-death game in National Football League history when fullback Alan Ameche plunged across from the one-yard line on third down, 8:15 into overtime. Colt supporters piled on the jubilant Ameche in a hysterical frenzy. The home crowd sat stunned." -Ron Fimrite, January 26, 1987

Curly Lambeau led the Packers to the more NFL championships than Vince Lombardi. Green Bay won six titles in his 29 seasons as coach, the Packers won five championships in nine seasons under Lombardi.

Dec. 28:
12/28/1979:
Toronto hockey fans are stunned when right winger Lanny McDonald is traded to the Colorado Rockies after falling out of vaor with Maple Leafs general manager Punch Imlach despite three straight 40-goal seasons. Not only will McDonald score another 281 goals over the next decade for Colorado before joining the Calgary Flames, finishing with an even 500 goals lifetime, but he'll continue to enjoy league-wide adulation as one of the NHL's most popular players.

Birthdays:
Steve VanBuren b. 1920
Terry Sawchuk b. 1929
Ray Knight b. 1952
Ray Bourque b. 1960
Benny Agbayani b. 1971