TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - DECEMBER 21ST

1891 - 18 students play 1st basketball game (Springfield College).

1911 - Josh Gibson, pro baseball player, "Negro Babe Ruth" (hit 800+ HRs) is born.
1918 - Red Sox trade Dutch Leonard, Ernie Shore & Duffy Lewis to Yankees

for Ray Caldwell & Slim Love, Frank Gilhooey, Al Walters & $15,000.

1924 - Joe Paterno, college football coach

(Penn State, SI Sportsman of 1986) (d. 2012) is born.

1941 - Chicago Bears Ray McLean makes last NFL drop kick for an extra point.

1951 - Joe DiMaggio announces his retirement.

1954 - [Christine] Chris Evert, Fort Lauderdale Florida, tennis champion

(18 singles Gram Slams, 3 doubles titles) is born.
1959 - Tom Landry accepts coaching job with Dallas Cowboys (stays until 1988).

1959 - Florence Griffith Joyner, Los Angeles CA, runner (Olympic-3 gold-1988) is born.
1969 - Vince Lombardi (Redskins) coaches his last football game.

1974 - Karrie Webb, Ayr Queensland Aus, LPGA golfer (1994 Aust Strokeplay) is born.

1979 - Gary Unger plays in record 914th consecutive NHL game.
1980 - Harold Carmichael ends NFL streak of 127 consecutive game receptions.
1981 - Cincinnati beats Bradley 75-73 in 7 OTs (NCAA record).
1983 - NBA Indiana Pacers end a 28 game road losing streak.

1995 - SF Giants announce plans to build a new stadium to open in 2000.
1997 - Detroit Lions Barry Sanders is 3rd to run for 2,000 yards in a season.

2001 - Dick Schaap, American sports journalist (b. 1934) dies.