December 15th is by far one of the most significant days in all of sports history for reasons many may not yet know of. The largest reason being, the game of basketball was invented and played for the first time ever under extremely different circumstances over a century ago. Additionally, a couple of NFL legends accomplished massive feats on the field to set their names aside as some of the best of all-time. More significant sports events on 12/15 make an interesting day to look into.

Jaime Segui & Alex Raphael covered the MLB & NBA sections in this article.

Basketball Invented

YEAR: 1891

SIGNIFICANCE: James Naismith invented the game of basketball

Before the fundamental pick-and-roll and concept of shooting 3s from half-court, the original idea of basketball was incepted. On December 15, 1891, the beautiful game that is adored world-wide was created by a 31-year-old physical instructor, graduate student and Ontario-native named James Naismith. Documents of Naismith’s provide great detail into his invention, proving basketball was inspired by a Canadian children’s game he played growing up called “Duck on a Rock”. The sport has evolved leaps and bounds with the original intention being to offer a safer alternative to football which would, also, keep athletes indoors during the winter.

The birthplace of the world-renowned sport is the YMCA International Training School (today called Springfield College) in Springfield, Massachusetts where a janitor provided Naismith the first peach baskets that served as hoops. James Naismith witnessed his game spread like wildfire across the country prior to his death in 1939, but never could he have foreseen it becoming the multi-billion dollar industry that it is today.

All-Time NFL Records

YEAR: 1996 & 2002

SIGNIFICANCE: John Elway became the winningest QB in NFL history AND Marvin Harrison broke the single-season REC record

Before his sending off with consecutive Super Bowl victories in 1997-98, John Elway and the Broncos suffered three resounding Super Bowl defeats in the 1980’s. The team sunk to relative mediocrity during the mid-90’s, but Elway was a routine Pro Bowler and even led the NFL in yardage in 1993. By 1996, however, the Broncos were officially back with a 12-1 record and multiple paths to the AFC’s number one seed.

After sitting out the previous game — a 41-6 blowout loss to the Packers — Elway returned for the home finale against the Oakland Raiders on this date. Jumping out to a 24-3 halftime lead, Denver’s offense began to sputter as a sack-fumble of Elway was returned for a TD, sparking a comeback effort. Holding on to the 24-19 victory despite three turnovers and less than 300 total offensive yards, John Elway won his 126th career game to surpass the great Fran Tarkenton as the winningest QB in NFL history.

Exactly six years later, Marvin Harrison made his own history for the team that Elway refused to play for back in 1983. A rookie out of Syracuse during the aforementioned 1996 season, Marvin Harrison was quite effective despite the pitfalls behind center, then saw his production skyrocket with the arrival of Peyton Manning in 1998. Securing 100+ passes in four straight seasons (1999-2002), the HOF connection reached its climax during the latter of that four-year run (2002).

In a 28-23 victory over the Cleveland Browns on this date, Harrison logged his 124th REC of the season to break Herman Moore’s former single-season record. Totaling nine catches for 172 yards and two TDs in the win, Harrison finished the day with 127 RECs on the season and would extend his new record to 143 after the final two games. His 1,722 REC yards would rank fourth all-time while his catch record would last for 17 years until Michael Thomas broke it with 149 RECs just last season.

NBA Steals Leader

Today in NBA History: In 1984, Gus Williams recorded his 1,404th steal to become the NBA's then all-time leader. pic.twitter.com/TRTiOJzBwc
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) December 15, 2015

YEAR: 1984

SIGNIFICANCE: Gus Williams became the NBA’s all-time leader in steals with his 1,404th career STL

A little over a decade before the Bullets made the branding change to the Wizards, Washington star Gus Williams, nicknamed “The Wizard”, forged his way into history. In the latter half of his two-year spell in the nation’s capital, 2x All-NBA PG Williams climbed to the top of the leaderboard in all-time steals. The turnover tyrant only snagged one steal against the Clippers in a 109-103 defeat on December 15^th, 1984, but it was enough to notch his historical 1,404^th career takeaway.

This record has since been trampled by NBA talent past and present with the pick-pocket artist John Stockton leading the pack by a substantial margin with a whopping 3,265. Throughout Gus Williams’ 11-year career, the fast-handed fiend forced 2.5 steals or more in seven of those seasons, averaging 2.0 over the entirety of his time in the pros.

Sad Day in the Bay

YEAR: 2019

SIGNIFICANCE: Raiders lost their final game in Oakland AND Madison Bumgarner & Corey Kluber left their respective teams

Born in Oakland after the Vikings spurned the upstart AFL, the Raiders brought an AFL Championship (1967) and two Super Bowls to the East Bay before leaving for LA in 1982, where they’d win another one. Returning in 1995, the team seemed close to returning to its former glory in the beginning of the new millennium under HC Jon Gruden. Then came the “Tuck Rule” game in January of 2002, prompting his trade to Tampa Bay. After an embarrassing defeat in Super Bowl XXXVII to their former mastermind the following season, the Raiders fell into an abysmal streak of seven straight 10+ loss seasons (10 of 12 until 2015).

Despite brief flashes of improvement in 2010, 2011, 2015, and 2016, the relative successes were unsustainable as the team fell apart under both Hue Jackson and Jack Del Rio. Planning to move to Las Vegas in 2020, the Raiders’ pried Gruden away from ESPN after a nine-year coaching hiatus in January of 2018 with a 10y/$100M contract. After some controversial moves kicked off his second stint (Kolton Miller, Khalil Mack, Amari Cooper), the plan seemed to begin coming to fruition with a 6-4 start in 2019 — until a disaster in New York sent them into a 1-5 tailspin.

That collapse was accentuated with a blown 16-3 halftime lead to the 4-9 Jaguars in their farewell to Oakland on this date during Oakland’s final home NFL game. The Raiders allowed 17 unanswered points as sixth-round rookie QB Gardner Minshew hit WR Chris Conley for two TDs in the fourth, including the go-ahead score with only 31 seconds remaining. Unable to muster a last-minute comeback, the Raiders’ final chapter in Oakland was basically a microcosm of their entire second stint in Northern California — a promising start gravely hindered by adversity that inevitably led to a catastrophic collapse.

On the other side of the bay, SP Madison Bumgarner signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks on a 5yr/$85M deal—a division rival of the San Francisco Giants, the team where he won three World Titles and WS MVP award in 2014. In 11 seasons with the Giants (2009-2019), Bumgarner, in over 280 starts, had a 3.13 ERA—the seventh lowest ERA in baseball during that span (min. 1,000 IP).

Also that day (unrelated to the Bay Area), SP Corey Kluber was traded to the Texas Rangers from the Cleveland Indians in exchange for OF Delino DeShields Jr. and RP Emmanuel Clase. The 2x AL Cy Young winner worked his magic between 2014 and 2018. During that span, he had a 2.85 ERA and not only won individual awards, but was instrumental in the 2016 Indians’ trip to the World Series.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTy_p-vW5CU

Parcells Era Begins

#TBT - December 15, 1982 - Bill Parcells is promoted to head coach of the @Giants. The rest is history! #NFL pic.twitter.com/LYEaIj2HHJ
— Pete Lembo (@Pete_Lembo) December 15, 2016

YEAR: 1982

SIGNIFICANCE: Bill Parcells was officially named HC of the New York Giants

Though he would eventually become one of the most well-respected football minds in the NFL, there was a point early in Bill Parcells’ coaching career where he attempted to live a life away from football. After bouncing around numerous college programs during the 1960’s and ’70’s, he landed a job as Ray Perkins’ LBs coach for the New York Giants during the 1979 season. Six weeks into his new position, however, Parcells resigned to move back to Colorado with his family, where he became a season ticket holder for the Denver Broncos.

Miserable at his land-development job, Parcells’ family urged him to return to the gridiron, and he was hired as the Patriots’ LBs coach in 1980. Coming back to New York as defensive coordinator the next year, the Giants’ defense improved from 24th in total yards allowed to third in 1981. Following another top-ten defensive unit in 1982, Parcells became a prime candidate for the Giants’ HC job as Ray Perkins decided to return to his alma mater and replace the great Bear Bryant at Alabama.

Not even 24 hours after the job opened, Bill Parcells was officially named the 12th HC of the New York Giants — and the rest is history: 3 Division Titles, 2 Super Bowls, AP NFL COTY (1986), Only 2 losing seasons, 8–3 playoff record, Pro Football HOF. Perhaps, he’s most remembered for grooming Bill Belichick, who was Parcells’ DC during their Giants Super Bowl runs and became known as the Greatest Coach of All-Time after winning six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots.

https://twitter.com/Giants/status/1185370560978718722