This Day in Sports History: December 4

Kaka of AC Milan celebrates his goal and AC Milan's third during the FIFA Club World Cup

Photo by Koji Watanabe/Getty Images

Sports in December include the NBA and NHL seasons, the end of the college football season, Grand Prix races, Ultimate Fighting Championship Fight Nights, and some college basketball tournaments. In addition, NFL teams push to qualify for the playoffs. Over the years, Dec. 4 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. 4 include:

1909: The first Canadian Football League Grey Cup took place, and the University of Toronto Varsity Blues beat the Toronto Parkdale Canoe Club 26-6.
1927: Paul Waner, the Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder and future Baseball Hall of Famer, won the National League MVP Award.
1945: Army fullback Doc Blanchard won the Heisman Trophy Award.
1948: In the 13th Iron Bowl, Alabama beat Auburn 55-0.
1949: Bobby Gage tied the NFL record for the longest touchdown run, with a 97-yard score for the Steelers.
1961: Floyd Patterson knocked out Tom McNeeley in the fourth round and retained the heavyweight boxing title.
1961: Syracuse University running back Ernie Davis was picked first overall by the Washington Redskins.
1977: In men's tennis, Australia won the Davis Cup.
1979: The Cleveland Cavaliers retired Bingo Smith's No. 7 jersey.
1980: The New York Islanders' 15-game undefeated streak ended.
1983: The New Jersey Devils beat the Detroit Red Wings 6-0.
1985: In the Australian Open quarterfinals, Slobodan Živojinović defeated No. 2 John McEnroe.
1987: Ivan Lendl won his third straight season-ending Association of Tennis Professionals Masters Grand Prix tennis title.
1988: Edmonton Oilers center Jimmy Carson became the third player to score six NHL hat tricks before the age of 21.
1993: Dan Jansen skated a world record time of 35.92 seconds in the 500-meter race.
1994: Sweden beat Russia 4-1 and won the Davis Cup.
1996: The Orlando Magic tied an NBA record for the fewest points scored since the inception of the 24-second shot clock, as they lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers 84-57.
1999: In the eighth Southeastern Conference Championship Game, No. 7 Alabama beat No. 5 Florida 34-7.
2007: Milan's Brazilian midfielder Kaká won the Ballon d'Or.
2009: The Montreal Canadiens retired center Elmer Lach's No. 16 jersey.
2011: Pitcher Pedro Martínez officially retired from professional baseball.
2022: Caitlin Clark scored 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists for Iowa in a game against Wisconsin, and she surpassed the Big Ten career triple-double record set by Samantha Logic.

Three athletes who stood out on Dec. 4 were Bobby Gage, Jimmy Carson, and Caitlin Clark.

Gage was a first-team All-American at Clemson University, where he set over 30 records and was named MVP of the 1949 Gator Bowl, capping a perfect 1948 season for the Tigers. Carson was the second overall pick in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft and the second teenager in history to score 50 goals in a season, after Wayne Gretzky. Clark's popularity exploded during her time at the University of Iowa, leading to increased interest in women's basketball.

Sports History