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Most Significant Sports History on December 17th
Learn about December 17th's most significant sports history including the 1st NFL Title game, the worst NBA blowout, TO's 20 RECs, and more!
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December 17th is an extremely notable day in the history of professional sports. Before the era of the spectacle that is the Super Bowl, there was an NFL Championship that was born in one of the most exciting football games of all time. Combine that with the most lopsided game in NBA history, receptions & steals records, and additional historic events that really set aside 12/17 as one of the most significant days ever in sports history.
OTD 1933
— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) December 18, 2018
° 1933 NFL CHAMPIONSHIP °
The first-ever NFL Championship game sees the Bears and Giants wage battle in a see-saw affair (7 lead changes) full of strange plays at Chicago's Wrigley Field.
After a short NY punt late, the Bears win on a jump pass and lateral TD, 23-21. pic.twitter.com/I8HDsBB38k
YEAR: 1933
SIGNIFICANCE: The Bears defeated the Giants in the NFL’s very 1st scheduled Championship Game
In what may be considered a missed opportunity for the league, the NFL did not pit two teams against each other to name a champion for the first decade-plus of its existence. Rather, they would simply award the team with the best win percentage (excluding ties) the title of “Champion” once the regular season was complete — pretty anticlimactic. At the end of the 1932 season, however, the Chicago Bears and Portsmouth Spartans held the same 6-1 record (excluding ties) to lead the league. Since both games between the teams ended in ties, the NFL arranged for an impromptu “Playoff” between the teams to determine a champion.
After the inaugural Playoff received positive feedback despite poor weather in Chicago forcing a venue change, the league finally decided to institute an annual title game. Pitting the legendary Giants and Bears squads coached by HOFers Steve Owen and George Halas, respectively, the first title game was a back-and-forth classic. Fittingly decided on the final play, HOF HB/DB Red Grange noticed an opposing teammate within lateral range of RB Dale Burnett near the five-yard-line, so the “Galloping Ghost” went for a high tackle to take away the lateral, sealing Chicago’s third title in iconic fashion.
Just 11 years after the inaugural title game would be the final NFL Championship won by Packers HOF founder/HC Curly Lambeau. His sixth, Lambeau helmed Green Bay for three whole decades until leaving for the Chicago Cardinals in 1950. Defeating the New York Giants — still led by the aforementioned Owen — on this date at the Polo Grounds, the Packers would not return to the NFL Championship game for another 16 years until the arrival of HOF HC Vince Lombardi which took their franchise to a whole new level.
On this day in Sports History: In 1991 the Cleveland Cavaliers beat Miami Heat 148-80 setting a NBA Record with a 68 point margin of victory. pic.twitter.com/kzXvtzUTVc
— Sportz Blitz (@sportzblitz) December 17, 2018
YEAR: 1991
SIGNIFICANCE: Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Miami Heat in the most lopsided game ever with a final score of 148-80
Only three years removed from entering the NBA scene, the Miami Heat were still finding their footing in a hyper-competitive league that featured the “Bad Boys” Pistons, Michael Jordan’s Bulls, Larry Bird’s Celtics, and the “Showtime” Lakers. In the Heat’s first three seasons, they carried a combined record of 57-189, finishing dead-last in their conference twice. Their situation hit an all-time low on 12/17 in 1991 versus the Cleveland Cavaliers — who finished the year 57-25 — as they were overwhelmingly outmatched in a brutal 148-80 beatdown.
This 68-point margin of victory established the biggest blowout in NBA history and added to the dark days for the Heat. Miami could only muster a pitiful 38.7% FG rate in the game, while Cleveland shredded their defense to shoot 57.3% from the field. It took a concerted team effort from the Cavaliers with eight players gauging double-figures in the scoring column. Despite these early struggles the Heat faced, Miami managed to salvage a 38-44 record on the season — their best regular season record yet which helped turn the corner and led to more success in the following decades.
On this day in 2000, Terrell Owens sets the record for receptions in a game with 20 against the Chicago Bears. T.O. ended up with 283 yards total in the game! pic.twitter.com/EqR2bIaQu2
— Forever Quarantined🏈 (@ForeverGridiron) December 17, 2019
YEAR: 2000
SIGNIFICANCE: Terrell Owens set an NFL record with 20 REC in a single game
In what the San Francisco faithful at Candlestick Park assumed would be HOF WR Jerry Rice’s final home game with the club, a young Terrell Owens stole the show. The subject of numerous chants from the stands during the 17-point shutout of Chicago, Rice hauled in seven catches for 76 yards while his apprentice broke one of his numerous club records. Catching 20 of his 22 targets from Jeff Garcia for a total of 283 yards and a TD, T.O. not only shattered Jerry’s franchise record of 16 catches, but also the all-time NFL record of 18, set by HOF E Tom Fears half a century earlier.
📌9 years ago today in NBA History
— 🖼️NFT is Life (@NFT_Promoter) December 17, 2017
December 17, 2008
Chris Paul steals an attempted pass from Tony Parker to set a new record for consecutive games with a steal at 106 games, breaking the old record previously held by Alvin Robertson. pic.twitter.com/lU6odVhlbU
YEAR: 2008
SIGNIFICANCE: Chris Paul recorded a steal in his 106th consecutive game, setting a new NBA record
The aggressive defensive approach that PG Chris Paul implements on the court has guaranteed the floor general a spot in the HOF. As a New Orleans Hornet, he began a streak in April of 2007 which climaxed on 12/17 a year and a half later as CP3 set the record for the most consecutive contests with a steal. The bar he surpassed was set by San Antonio’s Alvin Robertson who turned over opponents in 105 straight games from November 1985 to December 1986.
Fittingly, the sticky-fingered 22-year-old Paul broke the record in a 90-83 win over the Spurs by intercepting a pass from Frenchman Tony Parker. The youngster’s incredulous record was extended to 108 games, collecting 14 steals over those next two contests. The curtains finally closed on his steal-marathon on Christmas Day 2008 as the Hornets were walloped by Orlando, 88-68. Paul persists his pesky ways towards ball-handlers as a 6x steals champion and has racked up 2.2 steals per game entering his 16th career season — sitting proudly at the seventh spot on the all-time steals list with 2,233 and counting.
Dan Marino in 1984-
— Four Verts 🏈 (@FourVerticals_) June 22, 2019
362 completions (1st in the NFL that season)
564 attempts (1st)
64.2 completion % (3rd)
5084 passing yards (1st)
48 passing TDs (1st)
9.0 Y/A (1st)
108.9 rating (1st)
*Pro Bowler
*1st Team All-Pro
*MVP
*OPY
*Lead Miami to a 14-2 record & Super Bowl appearance pic.twitter.com/SCCGBZ6dYG
YEAR: 1984
SIGNIFICANCE: Dan Marino established numerous NFL single-season records
Arguably the greatest pure-passer in NFL history, Dan Marino slipped in the 1983 Draft due to statistical regression as a senior and rumors of drug usage despite a 36-3 record through his first three seasons. The second-to-last pick of the first round, Marino took exception to being the sixth QB taken as even his hometown Steelers, in need of an heir to Terry Bradshaw, passed on the Pitt product. After a stellar rookie year in Miami during which he made nine starts, however, Marino and HOF HC Don Shula devised the most potent passing attack the NFL had ever seen during his first full season well before Patrick Mahomes did something similar as a NFL sophomore.
Absolutely shredding each defense in his path en route to a 14-2 record and an eventual Super Bowl appearance, Marino finished his high-flying 1984 season on this date with a plethora of new records. Totaling 340 yards and 4 TDs in a 28-21 victory over Dallas at the Orange Bowl, Marino reached unprecedented marks in PASS YDS (5,084), TDs (48), and CMP (362) to finalize his single-season records and cap off one of the greatest QB seasons in NFL history. Though many have since been thwarted, most were rarely threatened until the late 2000’s, speaking to the truly historic nature of Marino’s MVP season.
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