TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - FEBRUARY 2ND

1876 - Baseball's National League forms with teams in Boston, Chicago, 

Cincinnati, Hartford, Louisville, New York, Philadelphia, St Louis.
1892 - Longest boxing match under modern rules; 77 rounds in Nameoki, 

Illinois between Harry Sharpe & Frank Crosby.

1895 - George S Halas, [Papa Bear], end/coach (Bears), co-founder NFL is born.

1908 - Clarence "Buster" Crabbe, California, swimmer (Olympic-gold-1932)/actor is born.

1919 - Allie Reynolds, NY Yankee pitcher (1952 AL ERA leader (2.07)) is born.
1923 - Al "Red" Schoendienst, baseball manager/2nd baseman (St Louis Cards) is born.
1943 - Cubs return to original uniform after experimenting with a vest.
1944 - Baseball meets in NYC to discuss postwar action.
1949 - Golfing champ Ben Hogan seriously injured in an auto accident.
1954 - Bevo Francis, Rio Grande College, scores 113 pts in basketball game.

1959 - Vince Lombardi signs a 5 year contract to coach Green Bay Packers.
1962 - First Pole Vault over 16' (4.88m) (John Uelses-16', Melrose Games).

1967 - Formation of American Basketball Association is announced.
1969 - Stan Coveleski & Waite Hoyt are voted into Baseball Hall of Fame.
1970 - Pete Maravich becomes first to score 3,000 college basketball points.

1995 - Fred Perry, English tennis star (Wimbledon 1934-36), dies at 85.
2005 - Max Schmeling, German boxer (1930-32 World Heavyweight Champion), dies at 99.
2007 - Masao Takemoto, Japanese gymnast (b. 1919) dies.

Guy, Brooks, Jones & Strahan among 7 elected to Hall of Fame

The hang time is over for Ray Guy. The longtime punter for the Oakland Raiders is all by himself once again.

After waiting 23 years, Guy is the first punter elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

''Good things are worth waiting for,'' Guy said Saturday night after being elected along with six other players. ''It's just a matter of time when it will show up. And I knew it would, sooner or later. It had to, whether it was me or somebody down the road. But sooner or later, it had to show up, because that is a part of a football game.''

Defensive end Michael Strahan, receiver Andre Reed, defensive back Aeneas Williams and defensive end Claude Humphrey also were part of the class of 2014. Two first-time eligible players, linebacker Derrick Brooks and offensive tackle Walter Jones, were selected.

The announcement was made at the NFL Honors award show, less than 24 hours before the Denver Broncos take on the Seattle Seahawks in the first Super Bowl.

Among the finalists who didn't get in were two with ties to the Indianapolis Colts and current Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning - coach Tony Dungy and receiver Marvin Harrison.

Each incoming Hall of Famer walked to the stage and was announced individually. Strahan, who helped the Giants make two Super Bowls, got a huge cheer from the home crowd.

Induction will be on Aug. 1 in Canton, Ohio.

Guy turned the punting job into a defensive weapon after he became the first player at his position to be selected in the first round of the draft in 1973. He made ''hang time'' part of the football vernacular while playing all of his 207 games in 14 seasons with the Raiders.

The Southern Mississippi product averaged 42.4 yards for his career. Only three of his 1,049 punts were blocked, and he had 209 punts downed inside the 20-yard line.

''It's gratifying to now see a punter go into the Hall of Fame,'' Guy said, who joins Jan Stenerud as the only kickers enshrined . ''Whether it was me or somebody else, they needed representation in that position.''

Brooks was the cornerstone of a Bucs defense that led the league in 2002 and '05, and the NFC five times. He was The Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year when Tampa Bay won its only Super Bowl after the 2002 season.

The linebacker never missed a game in his 14 seasons and averaged a remarkable 146 tackles. Six of his 25 interceptions were returned for touchdowns, including a league-record three in '02.

Seattle certainly got a winner when it moved up to the No. 6 spot in the 1997 draft to take Jones. He immediately provided blindside protection for Warren Moon and quickly became the first Seahawks lineman to earn a Pro Bowl spot. He was one of the chief road graders who helped Shaun Alexander rush for 266 yards in a 2001 game - the fourth-highest total in NFL history - and then rush for a team-record 1,880 yards and 28 TDs in his MVP season in 2005.

''Coming into the league all I wanted to do was get here, and ... say I could play this game,'' Jones said. ''For me to be here now, and for my team that I started with and finished with, to be here in the Super Bowl is just like the icing on the cake.''

Strahan set the NFL record for sacks in a single season, getting 22 1/2 in 2001. The one most people remember is the record-setter in the final game of the regular season, when Green Bay's Brett Favre seemed to lay down on a play late in the game.

While there is controversy about that play, the gap-toothed Strahan was one of the top two-way defensive ends. Younger teammates said he taught them how to work to become NFL players, and he walked away from the NFL after winning the Super Bowl in February 2008.

''It's hard to find guys with everything, but this guy had everything . size, speed, power, toughness, endurance, motor, smarts, leadership, heart, love for the game, but what I admired most about Michael was his pride,'' Giants general Jerry Reese said. ''No matter what the circumstances were, when he walked out on that field on Sunday, he was going to give it ALL to you. There aren't many guys who can say that.''

Reed came out of little Kutztown (Pa.) University and played his first 15 seasons with Buffalo, getting to four Super Bowls, but never winning one. His final season was with Washington. His 951 career receptions are third in league history, highlighted by nine consecutive seasons of 50-plus catches.

Long before people spoke about yards after the catch, Reed was doing it. He finished with 13,198 yards and 87 touchdowns.

''Having to wait this long for him is a sin, but the bottom line is he's in and that's what counts,'' former Bills quarterback Jim Kelly said of Reed's nine-year wait to get into the Hall.

A walk-on at Southern University, Williams was a shutdown cornerback in his 14 NFL seasons, the first 10 with the Cardinals and the last four with the Rams. He had 55 career interceptions, getting at least one in every season except his last. He had five or more in picks in six seasons, with nine being his best in 1994.

Williams spent his last four seasons with St. Louis. He started at cornerback for the Rams in the 2001 Super Bowl and played safety in his final two seasons.

The Hall of Fame doors finally opened for Humphrey on his 28th year of eligibility and his fifth as a finalist. The durable six-time Pro Bowl pick had 122 career sacks in 14 seasons with the Falcons and Eagles, who acquired him after a brief retirement in the 1978 season.

''I never really gave up hope,'' said Humphrey, whose only regret was his wife died in July and didn't get to see his election. ''I always figured there was a place for me here.''

Charles Tillman named 2013 Walter Payton Man of the Year

After making many impactful plays for the Bears over the years, cornerback Charles Tillman was rewarded for his contributions off the field on Saturday when he was announced as the 2013 Walter Payton Man of the Year.

“I'm grateful to be the recipient of such a prestigious award,” said Tillman in a press release. “Walter Payton's legacy continues to be a beacon of service and giving, and I'm just trying to do my small part. I don't think any of the finalists do what they do to get recognition, but we do it because we are passionate about helping others."

Tillman started his Cornerstone Foundation in 2005 to help ill Chicago-area children in numerous ways through a handful of programs. “Charles’ Locker” provides chronically sick kids access to entertainment devices such as iPads, DVD players and portable Play Station game systems. One of his other programs, “Field of Dreams”, helps kids live out their sports-related wishes. 

Tillman was a finalist for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2011 and won the NFL Salute to Service Award in 2012. He's the fifth Bear to win the award and first since 2000 when Jim Flanigan won.

The 11-year veteran recorded three interceptions for the Bears in eight games and is set to be a free agent this offseason.

Manning wins 5th MVP award and AP offensive player

Peyton Manning made his fifth MVP award a family affair.

Manning's record-setting season earned him The Associated Press NFL MVP award Saturday night in a landslide. No other player has won more than three.

Denver's record-setting quarterback, who threw for 55 touchdowns and 5,477 yards in leading the Broncos to the AFC's best record, earned 49 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league. New England quarterback Tom Brady got the other vote.

Manning won his other MVPs with Indianapolis in 2003, '04, '08 and '09. He also was the runner-up last season to Adrian Peterson.

''I am humbled by this recognition and grateful to my family, (Broncos owner) Pat Bowlen, John Elway, John Fox and the entire Denver Broncos organization, and of course, my coaches and my teammates,'' Manning said in a prepared video acceptance speech. He was not on hand as he gets ready for Sunday's Super Bowl against Seattle.

''Now, I sent a couple of guys over there tonight to pick up the trophy on my behalf: my father Archie and my son Marshall. Thank you very much and God bless you.''

Archie Manning, holding his grandson Marshall in his arms, accepted the award from two more MVPs, Joe Montana and Aaron Rodgers.

Manning still trails several Hall of Famers for total MVPs in their sport. Wayne Gretzky won nine NHL MVPs, Barry Bonds owns seven in baseball, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won six in the NBA.

Manning also took the AP's Offensive Player of the Year award for the second time. Elway accepted the Offensive Player award on Manning's behalf.

''I can say I have never seen a better year played by a quarterback than Peyton Manning,'' said Elway, a Broncos executive who won the MVP award in 1987. ''To see what he did this year, it was truly amazing.''

Manning received 33 votes for the offensive player honor. He also was runner-up last year to Peterson for the award.

This time, running back LeSean McCoy of Philadelphia was second with 10 votes, followed by Kansas City running back Jamaal Charles with four.

Carolina grabbed two major awards, with Ron Rivera winning AP NFL Coach of the Year and linebacker Luke Kuechly voted top defensive player.

Rivera engineered the Panthers' turnaround from a 7-9 record to 12-4, the NFC South title and a first-round playoff bye. Kuechly keyed a defense that allowed 241 points, less than every team except NFC champion Seattle.

''I had no idea,'' he said of adding the award to the top defensive rookie honors he got last season. ''You look at the list of guys: Robert Mathis, a sack master, a guy that forced a lot of fumbles. And obviously, everybody knows about Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas. Those guys are both studs.''

Green Bay running back Eddie Lacy and Jets defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson were the top rookies for 2013.

San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers took the Comeback Player of the Year award at the NFL Honors show.

Rivera's fine work in his third season in charge in Carolina brought him 21 1/2 votes. That outdistanced Kansas City's Andy Reid, who got 13 1/2 votes. In his first year with the Chiefs, Reid took them from 2-14 to 11-5 and an AFC wild-card berth.

''I do feel a lot of pride because it has been a long journey, but it also was a part of the process,'' Rivera said. ''Just like us getting to where we are winning 12 games was part of the process. We started, the team was 2-14 before I got there and we went to 6-10 and then 7-9, and this year we broke through at 12-4. It was part of the process of growing and developing.''

Rivera is the second Panthers coach to win the award. Dom Capers was AP Coach of the Year in 1996, Carolina's second season in the NFL.

All-Pro Kuechly received 19 votes, ahead of Indianapolis All-Pro linebacker Mathis, who earned 11 1/2.

Kuechly was credited with 96 tackles, four interceptions, two sacks, eight passes defensed, and was a presence from sideline to sideline on the NFL's No. 2 unit.

A second-round pick (61st overall) from Alabama, Lacy was a key performer in the Packers' offense, particularly when star quarterback Aaron Rodgers was sidelined for seven games. He rushed for 1,178 yards on 284 carries (4.1 average), with 11 touchdowns. He also had 35 receptions.

That was good enough for 35 votes.

''I'm comfortable where I am, and my teammates believe in me, and they make me feel comfortable, so I'm able to play the way I'm capable of playing,'' said Lacy, who beat out San Diego wide receiver Keenan Allen, who received 12 votes.

Richardson, the 13th overall pick in April's draft on a selection acquired when New York traded star cornerback Darrelle Revis to Tampa Bay, won a close race over Buffalo linebacker Kiko Alonso. Richardson received 23 votes; Alonso, a second-round choice (46th overall), got 19.

Often double-teamed as the season wore on, Richardson made 42 tackles and had 3 1/2 sacks. He clogged the running lanes so effectively that the Jets ranked third against the run this season.

''I'm surprised,'' Richardson said of beating Alonso and Arizona safety Tyrann Mathieu, who got two votes. ''Kiko and Tyrann most definitely had outstanding rookie years and it was a toss-up to me. Kiko made a lot of tackles and Tyrann made a lot of plays down the field. Unfortunately he got hurt, but it was a tight race.''

Richardson joked about the possibility of winning both awards - he scored two touchdowns as a fullback in goal-line situations.

''Eddie Lacy beat me out there,'' Richardson said. ''He had a few more touchdowns than I did.''

Rivers led the Chargers to a wild-card playoff spot with four straight victories to close out the schedule, giving them a 9-7 record. He led the league with a 69.5 completion rate and threw for 32 TDs against 11 interceptions.

He received 13 votes in balloting so widespread that 12 players got votes. He was not at the awards show at Radio City Music Hall.

Chicago cornerback Charles Tillman won the Walter Payton Man of the Year award, and accepted the honor with tears in his eyes.

''As a Chicago Bear, this award has a special meaning to me,'' Tillman said.

Georgetown beats No. 7 Michigan State 64-60

Georgetown's Aaron Bowen (23) 

Georgetown didn't care how its losing streak ended, just that it did. Beating No. 7 Michigan State made this elusive win even better.

''You lose a couple in a row and life is hard. It's hell,'' Georgetown coach John Thompson said Saturday after the Hoyas snapped their five-game skid with a surprising 64-60 victory over the Spartans at Madison Square Garden. ''It's a good win and I would feel that way regardless of the opponent the way we've been going.''

Markel Starks, who led Georgetown with 16 points and made a couple of key plays in the final minute, summed up the team's feeling.

''It's a relief to get a win,'' he said. ''It feels good, finally.''

Jabril Trawick came up with two big plays late for the Hoyas (12-9) in the late-season nonconference game that was part of the New York area's celebration of Sunday's Super Bowl.

Michigan State (19-3) played without injured frontcourt players Adreian Payne and Branden Dawson and had a tough time shooting.

''It's disappointing but not upsetting,'' Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. ''They took it right at us. I feel we didn't play with the toughness we needed. They're a good team, I don't care what their record is. They played harder than us. They deserved to win and we got what we deserved.''

Georgetown opened the second half on an 11-2 run to take a 40-32 lead on a 3-pointer by Starks with 14:26 to play.

Michigan State closed within two points, but the Hoyas kept the Spartans at bay.

''You're not going to beat Michigan State or any team in the Big East if you aren't physically tough,'' Thompson said. ''You need to be tough enough to make the hustle plays, run down the loose balls, run down the long rebounds and have communication on defense.''

Gary Harris finally started connecting for Michigan State and his 3-pointer brought the Spartans within 56-54 with 1:32 to play.

On the ensuing possession, Trawick tipped in a missed shot to give the Hoyas a four-point lead. He came up big again when his breakaway dunk gave Georgetown a 63-55 lead with 30 seconds to go.

''Jabril and Nate (Lubick) were very, very good today,'' Thompson said. ''Their presence out there was unbelievable down the end and Markel made plays. Big, big plays.''

Trawick finished with eight points on 4-for-6 shooting while Lubick had eight points and six rebounds. The Hoyas finished with a 37-30 advantage on the boards against a team that had been outrebounded only four times all season.

''Everybody contributed in the frontcourt,'' Lubick said. ''Coach told us this is a team notorious for rebounding and we beat them up pretty good on the boards and that was a point of emphasis for us.''

D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera added 12 points for the Hoyas, who shot 44.9 percent from the field (22 of 49) but were just 2 of 12 from 3-point range.

Harris led the Spartans with 20 points, including going 4 of 10 from 3-point range. Michigan State finished 21 of 53 from the field (39.6 percent) and was 9 of 29 from beyond the arc.

Harris agreed with his coach about the Spartans' performance.

''We've got to get tougher as a team. They dominated us on the boards,'' he said. ''We can't let that happen. That is our strength.''

This was just the second meeting ever between the schools with Michigan State winning the other in the second round of the 1986 NCAA tournament.

The loss dropped the Spartans to 2-1 in New York City this season. They won the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic in Barclays Center in Brooklyn in November.

Payne has missed the last six games with a sprained foot while Dawson has missed the last two with a broken bone in his right hand.

Izzo said Payne is ''supposed to do a little bit of drill work at practice Monday. Don't use that as an excuse this time. We got out-toughed. We got outplayed.''

San Diego's Rivers wins AP Comeback Player

Philip Rivers' turnaround season has earned him The Associated Press NFL Comeback Player of the Year award.

Rivers led the San Diego Chargers to a wild-card playoff spot with four straight victories to close out the schedule, giving them a 9-7 record. He led the league with a 69.5 completion percentage and threw for 32 TDs against 11 interceptions.

He received 13 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league. The balloting announced Saturday night was so widespread that 12 players got votes.

Finishing behind Rivers were Denver running back Knowshon Moreno and Philadelphia left tackle Jason Peters with eight selections apiece. Tampa Bay cornerback Darrelle Revis got six votes.

Rivers is the second Chargers quarterback to win the award; the man he replaced, Drew Brees, won in 2004.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - FEBRUARY 1ST

1914 - NY Giants & Chicago White Sox play an exhibition baseball game in Egypt.

1959 - Zack Wheat unanimously elected to baseball Hall of Fame.

1968 - Vince Lombardi resigns as coach of Green Bay Packers.
1973 - Monte Irvin elected to Baseball Hall of Fame.

1976 - East Lansing police arrest Dodgers reliever Mike Marshall 

for taking batting practice at Michigan State Univ. after he is warned not to.
1977 - Hillsdale High School defeats Person High School 2-0 in basketball.

1984 - Daniel Stern becomes NBA commissioner.

1992 - Barry Bonds signs baseball's highest single year contract ($4.7 mil).
1992 - Denis Potvin's #5 becomes 1st number retired by NY Islanders.

1995 - John Smith, CEO (Liverpool FC), dies at 74.

2004 - Janet Jackson's breast is exposed during the half-time show of 

Super Bowl XXXVIII, resulting in US broadcasters adopting a stronger 

adherence to FCC censorship guidelines.

2004 - Super Bowl XXXVIII: New England Patriots beat Carolina Panthers, 

32-29 at the Reliant Stadium MVP: Tom Brady, New England, QB.
2009 - Super Bowl XLIII: Pittsburgh Steelers beat Arizona Cardinals, 

27-23 at the Raymond James Stadium MVP: Santonio Holmes, Pittsburgh, WR.