This Day in Sports History: December 11
Sports in December include the NBA and NHL seasons, NFL teams pushing for the playoffs, the end of the college football season, Grand Prix races, UFC Fight Nights, and some…
Sports in December include the NBA and NHL seasons, NFL teams pushing for the playoffs, the end of the college football season, Grand Prix races, UFC Fight Nights, and some college basketball tournaments. Over the years, Dec. 11 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. 11 included:
- 1924: The first NHL game in the United States was played, with the Boston Bruins beating the Montreal Maroons.
- 1928: The Hamilton Tigers beat the Regina Roughriders, 30-0, and won their third Grey Cup title.
- 1934: The first successful penalty shot by a Toronto Maple Leaf happened.
- 1937: The Toronto Argonauts beat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 4-3, and won their fourth Canadian Football League Grey Cup title.
- 1938: The New York Giants beat the Green Bay Packers, 23-17, winning the National Football League Championship. The game achieved a record 48,120 attendance at a title game.
- 1941: The New York Giants purchased future Baseball Hall of Fame first baseman Johnny Mize from the Cardinals, giving them three players and $50,000.
- 1949: Chicago Bear Johnny Lujack passed for six touchdowns in a 52-29 win over the Chicago Cardinals.
- 1951: Joe DiMaggio announced his retirement from baseball.
- 1966: Al Nelson set an NFL record by returning a missed field goal for 100 yards.
- 1981: Former world heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali fought his 61st, and last, match. He lost to Trevor Berbick by a unanimous decision in 10 rounds.
- 1985: The Edmonton Oilers beat the Chicago Blackhawks, 12-9, and tied for the record of goals in a game.
- 1993: Florida State quarterback Charlie Ward won the 59th Heisman Trophy Award.
- 2002: Joe Sakic scored his 500th career goal.
- 2004: Matt Leinart of USC was awarded the 70th Heisman Trophy Award.
- 2006: Jerry Sloan got his 1,000th career win as a coach.
- 2009: Tiger Woods admitted "transgressions" publicly, later announcing his departure from golf to focus on his marriage.
- 2021: Alabama quarterback Bryce Young won the 87th Heisman Trophy Award.
- 2022: Brock Purdy won his first career start against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Three athletes stood out on Dec. 11 — Johnny Lujack, Joe Sakic, and Jerry Sloan.
Lujack was a two-time unanimous All-American and was named the Associated Press Athlete of the Year in 1947. Sakic is the franchise leader in goals, assists, and points for the Colorado Avalanche and holds the NHL record for most playoff overtime goals. Sloan was best known for his long tenure with the Utah Jazz, where he led the team to 15 consecutive playoff appearances and two NBA Finals. He was also a celebrated, tenacious player for the Chicago Bulls, and they retired his jersey number.
