Sports in December include the NFL teams pushing for the playoffs, the NBA and NHL seasons, the end of the college football season, Grand Prix races, UFC Fight Nights, and college basketball tournaments. Over the years, Dec. 12 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. 12 included:
- 1908:Â Fred Alexander beat Alfred Dunlop and won the Australasian Championship for men's tennis. He was the first non-Australasian to win the title.
- 1933:Â Ace Bailey was hit from behind by Eddie Shore, which caused him to fall and hit his head on the ice. Bailey's skull was fractured, putting an end to his playing career.
- 1937:Â The Washington Redskins beat the Chicago Bears, 28-21, and won the NFL Championship.
- 1950:Â Ohio State halfback Vic Janowicz won the 16th Heisman Trophy.
- 1959:Â Driver Jack Brabham became the first Australian to win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship.
- 1961:Â Forward Omar SÃvori won the Ballon d'Or.
- 1965:Â Chicago halfback Gale Sayers tied an NFL record for most touchdowns in a game, with six. The Chicago Bears beat the San Francisco 49ers 61-20.
- 1968:Â Arthur Ashe became the first African American tennis player to be ranked No. 1 by the United States Lawn Tennis Association.
- 1971:Â Tennis star Ilie Nastase clinched the ATP Masters Grand Prix by winning all five of his matches.
- 1971:Â The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Atlanta Hawks to win their 21st game in a row.
- 1976:Â Quarterback Joe Namath played his last game with the New York Jets.
- 1982:Â Chris Evert-Lloyd won her first Australian Open title.
- 1984:Â Kareem Abdul-Jabbar became the first player in NBA history to pass 32,000 career points.
- 1986:Â James "Bone Crusher" Smith got a technical knockout on the WBA champ Tim Witherspoon in the first round.
- 1991:Â The New Jersey Nets got an NBA record of 22 blocks in a game, as they beat the Denver Nuggets 121-81.
- 1992:Â University of Miami quarterback Gino Torretta won the 58th Heisman Trophy Award.
- 2002:Â Forward Ronaldo won the Ballon d'Or for the second time.
- 2004:Â Emmitt Smith scored an NFL record with 164 rushing touchdowns. This was the last rushing touchdown of his career.
- 2011:Â Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III won the 77th Heisman Trophy.
- 2016:Â Real Madrid soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo won the Ballon d'Or for the fourth time.
- 2021:Â Driver Max Verstappen won the F1 Drivers' Championship for Red Bull Racing.
Three athletes who stood out on Dec. 12 were Chris Evert, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Emmitt Smith.
Evert is famous for being an American former world No. 1 tennis player. She won 18 Grand Slam singles titles and holds a career-winning percentage of approximately 90%. Abdul-Jabbar is known for his legendary basketball career, which includes being the NBA's all-time leading scorer, a record six-time NBA MVP, and a six-time NBA champion. Smith is famous for his success with the Dallas Cowboys, where he won three Super Bowls and earned the 1993 NFL MVP award.
