This Day in Sports History: December 29
End-of-the-year sports include the NBA and NHL seasons, NFL teams competing for the playoffs, the conclusion of the college football season, Grand Prix races, UFC Fight Nights, and select college…
End-of-the-year sports include the NBA and NHL seasons, NFL teams competing for the playoffs, the conclusion of the college football season, Grand Prix races, UFC Fight Nights, and select college basketball tournaments. Over the years, Dec. 29 has witnessed many notable moments and stories involving sporting legends. Keep reading to learn about some of them.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sports history from Dec. 29 included:
- 1937: Lou Thesz beat Everett Marshall, winning the NWA World heavyweight title and being the youngest fighter to ever do it.
- 1945: Montreal Canadiens winger Maurice Richard picked up his 100th NHL career goal after only 145 games, which was the fastest in league history.
- 1957: The Detroit Lions defeated the Cleveland Browns, 59-14, and won the National Football League Championship.
- 1962: Driver Graham Hill won the South African Grand Prix and claimed his first F1 World Drivers Championship by 12 points.
- 1968: The New York Jets beat the Oakland Raiders, 27-23. Quarterback Joe Namath threw three touchdown passes.
- 1970: Striker Gerd Müller won the Ballon d'Or award.
- 1979: The Red Army defeated the New York Islanders, 3-2.
- 1982: College football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant ended his career with the University of Alabama after achieving 323 wins.
- 1983: In the second College Football Holy War, Notre Dame beat Boston College, 19-18.
- 1984: The St. Louis Blues had 27 shots in the first period.
- 1984: Wayne Gretzky got his NHL career 32nd hat-trick. It was also his 100th point in just 35 games, which was the second fastest in history.
- 1987: Midfielder Ruud Gullit won the Ballon d'Or.
- 1989: Wayne Gretzky and Martina Navratilova were named the Athletes of the Decade by the Associated Press.
- 1997: In the Carquest Bowl Eight, Georgia Tech beat West Virginia, 35-30.
- 2007: Boxer Steve Cunningham defended his IBF cruiserweight title for the first time and got a 12-round technical knockout, beating Marco Huck.
- 2007: Quarterback Tom Brady set an NFL record by throwing his 50th touchdown pass, and the New England Patriots became the first team in NFL history to finish the regular season 16-0.
- 2018: In the 85th Orange Bowl, No. 1 Alabama beat No. 4 Oklahoma, 45-34.
- 2020: The Milwaukee Bucks broke the NBA record for most three-pointers made by a team in a single game, as they got 29 three-pointers and beat the Miami Heat, 144-97.
Three athletes who stood out on Dec. 29 were Wayne Gretzky, Steve Cunningham, and Tom Brady. Gretzky holds 61 NHL records, including most goals, assists, and points, and is the only player with four 200-plus point seasons. Cunningham is famous for being the World's Fastest Blind Man, holding land speed and powerboat records, captaining the England Blind Football team, and inspiring others as a motivational speaker after losing his sight at 12, proving that disability doesn't limit potential. Brady is recognized for an unparalleled record of seven Super Bowl wins, which is more than any single franchise.
