The History, The Greats, The Moments GO!

Americas Four Major Sports Major League Baseball The National Football League The National Basketball Association The National Hockey League Other Notable Sports Go EXIT

Major League Baseball Brief Points of History NEXT PREVIOUS Founded in 1869 when the first professional team, The Cincinnati Red Stockings was started. In 1902, three major leagues signed agreement that would be the basis for the current major league system. Pitchers dominated the game from during the dead ball era. Major League Baseball was integrated in 1947 when Jackie Robinson became the first black player to play in a Major League game with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Free agency was started in 1975, changing the financial landscape of Major League Baseball for good.

Major League Baseball Three of the Greats Nolan Ryan Pitcher, Babe Ruth Pitcher, OF, Josh Hamilton OF, 1999-? PREVIOUS NEXT

Major League Baseball One Great Moment In 2001, a few short weeks after the trauma of September 11 had jolted America, the Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Yankees played one of the most exciting World Series in history. After six exciting games that saw ninth inning comebacks and extra inning heroics, the series was tied 3-3. The Diamondbacks won the seventh game in fitting fashion as they came back against baseballs best closer, Mariano Rivera, in the bottom of the ninth inning. While New York did not win the series, they did have some great moments and comebacks in game 4 and 5 in New York, which seemed to further galvanize the city after the September 11 terror attacks. MENU EXIT PREVIOUS NEXT

The National Football League Brief Points of History Founded in 1920 First championship game was in 1933 In 1965, the NFL supplanted Major League Baseball as the most televised sport in America. Merged with the American Football League in 1970, expanding the sport and as a result creating the most watched sporting event in the America, the Superbowl. The NFL has shown incredible stability, not losing a franchise since PREVIOUS NEXT

The National Football League Three of the Greats Lawrence Taylor Linebacker, Jerry Rice Wide Receiver, Emmitt Smith RB, PREVIOUS NEXT

The National Football League One Great Moment In Superbowl 42 between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants, no one gave the Giants a chance to win the game. New England was considered one of the most dominant teams in league history. They had won their division by nine games and were undefeated up until the Superbowl. With 2:39 left in the game, the Giants were down by 4, and then The Drive began. Eli Manning led his team 83 yards on 12 plays climaxing with a spectacular move away from a sack and a breath-taking pass caught with fingertips by David Tyree and somehow secured against his helmet. Plaxico Burress caught a touchdown on a fade route moments later and sealed one of the greatest Super Bowls of all time. MENU EXIT PREVIOUS NEXT

The National Basketball Association Brief Points of History Founded in 1949 When the league first formed, it had seventeen franchises located in a mix of large and small cities, as well as large arenas and smaller gymnasiums and armories. Starting in 1957, the Boston Celtics won eleven championships in a span of thirteen seasons. In 1979, the three-point field goal was added to the game. In 2010, the NBA all-star game was played before a crowd of over 108,000 people. PREVIOUS NEXT

The National Basketball Association Three of the Greats Wilt Chamberlain Center, Larry Bird Power Forward, Michael Jordan Shooting Guard, PREVIOUS NEXT

The National Basketball Association One Great Moment With the Chicago Bulls trailing by three points in the final minute, Michael Jordan first scored on a drive. Then he stripped the ball from Karl Malone at the defensive end. Finally, he buried the game-winning shot, a 20-footer with 5.2 seconds left, that gave the Bulls an victory and their sixth championship in eight years. Jordan had overcome fatigue and finished with 45 points as he won his sixth Finals Most Valuable Player award, while reaffirming his status as the NBA's best player. MENU EXIT PREVIOUS NEXT

The National Hockey League Brief Points of History Founded in 1917 in Canada The league started with four teams and has expanded to thirty. The league has been bi-national since 1924 when it expanded to the United States. In the past decade, labor disputes have become a normal part of the league, seriously hindering its public perception. The NHL is considered the premier ice hockey league throughout the world. PREVIOUS NEXT

The National Hockey League Three of the Greats Bobby Orr Defenseman, Wayne Gretsky Center, Mario Lemieux Center, PREVIOUS NEXT

The National Hockey League One Great Moment Wayne Gretzky obliterated the record of fastest to fifty goals in , when he scored 50 goals in just 39 games. When "The Great One" reached 50 goals, nobody else in the league had scored 30 yet. By the end of the season, Gretzky had scored an NHL-record 92 goals and 212 points. The 92-goal record still stands today, while the NHL's all-time scoring leader broke his own record by scoring 215 points in Nobody has come close to Gretzky's record since, and it remains the standard by which all goal scorers are measured. MENU EXIT PREVIOUS NEXT

Other Notable Sports Major League Soccer Ultimate Fighting Championship Womens National Basketball League PGA and LPGA Association of Tennis Professionals MENU EXIT PREVIOUS