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Most Significant Sports History on December 10th
Learn about December 10th's most significant sports history including Gerrit Cole to NYY, REC records, the "Designated Hitter", and more!
Danielle Parhizkaran / USA TODAY Sports
Known for some historic decisions in MLB history, December 10th lays claim to numerous NBA and NFL records as well, including a historic scoring barrage from a 10x NBA All-Star. The longevity and consistency of two HOF WRs was also quantified through cumulative records, while a monumental rule-change for baseball was adopted on a trial basis in only one league that changed the game forever. Just last year, the hottest pitcher on the free agent market agreed to sign a record deal with one of baseball’s top-spending clubs, adding recent relevance to the significance of this date’s history.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtg6PrIKCpc
YEAR: 2019
SIGNIFICANCE: Yankees signed Gerrit Cole to a 9y/$324M contract and MLB announced the 1st ever All-MLB Team
A day after Stephen Strasburg and the Washington Nationals agreed on a 7y/$245M deal, which broke records for the highest AAV and total contract value for a pitcher, Gerrit Cole and the New York Yankees agreed on a massive 9yr/$324M contract, instantly blowing those records out of the water. Cole’s contract surpassed Strasburg’s by nearly $80M, becoming the biggest contract for a pitcher ever and the second richest Free Agent contract in MLB history behind only Bryce Harper‘s $330M from the Phillies.
In his first season with the Yankees, Cole continued his great run of form, pitching to a 7-3, 2.84 ERA season and earning 2nd Team All-MLB honors. That same day exactly a year ago, MLB announced the inaugural All-MLB Team featuring the best player in each position that season. The selection included a 1st team and a 2nd team that covered every position on the field, including five starting pitchers, and 2 relievers which will now be revealed on an annual basis.
Today in #NFLHistory@Seahawks HOF WR Steve Largent became the first @NFL player to record 100 TD receptions, breaking Don Hutson's record set in 1945. pic.twitter.com/aaY5sGjT6n
— NFL Legacy (@NFLLegacy) December 10, 2017
YEAR: 1989 & 1994
SIGNIFICANCE: Steve Largent’s 100th REC TD AND Art Monk’s catch streak both set NFL records
One of the most under appreciated pass-catchers in NFL history, Steve Largent’s 14-year career in the Great Northwest was nothing short of spectacular. Despite his lack of size (5’11”, 185 lbs) and speed (4.7s 40-yard-dash), Largent’s top-notch hand-eye coordination and knack for finding soft spots made him a QB’s best friend. On this date in his final season with the Seahawks’ slim playoff chances in the balance, he would become the very first in NFL history to catch 100 TD passes, adding yet another career record on top of his all-time receptions (819) and yardage (13,089) marks.
Exactly five years later, another lesser-known all-time great, Art Monk, made history on 12/10 as well. After 14 years and three Super Bowls in D.C., the 36-year-old and his 164-game catch streak left for the Big Apple. Maintaining it through 13 more GP, he successfully tied the former record of the aforementioned Largent a week earlier, setting up the potential record-breaker for a home date with the Lions. It wouldn’t take long, as he logged the record-setting catch on the game’s very first play from scrimmage. His only season with NYJ, Monk’s HOF career (and streak) would come to an end the next year after just three appearances with Philly.
Today in Sports History: 12.10.1994-Art Monk set an NFL record of 178 straight games w... http://t.co/gaAYGfRudl pic.twitter.com/zclRxB4NU2
— Full Sport Press (@fullsportpress) December 10, 2014
The American League votes unanimously to adopt the designated hitter rule on a trial basis for three yrs OTD Dec 10 1972. The concept that permits a team to designate a player to bat for the pitcher remains in effect today. In 1973 #Yankees Ron Blomberg became MLB's first DH. pic.twitter.com/svcJt4Sgm4
— #Re2pect ✊ (@iLetsPlayBall) December 10, 2018
YEAR: 1972
SIGNIFICANCE: The AL voted to adopt a 3-year trial of the DH rule; it would be permanently adopted in 1975
On this day in 1972, the American League voted to adopt a trial on the designated-hitter rule. For years, MLB officials debated whether pitchers should be forced to hit or not as baseball had not seen a pitcher that succeeded offensively since Babe Ruth early in his career. The rule was clearly a success as it brought new fan excitement to the game and was permanently adopted in 1975.
The National League has somehow avoided the conversation for years and to this day has not officially adopted the DH rule. However, with the unique circumstances of the 2020 season, this past campaign was the first time with a universal DH for all leagues. After years of conversation, the reality of both leagues accepting the DH rule is becoming more of a reality by the day and looks to be a fixture in Major League Baseball for all 30 teams in the future.
#InsidePitch: Dec. 10, 1935: Philadelphia A’s trade Jimmie Foxx to the Boston Red Sox. http://t.co/8Z6D3y5zhK
— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) December 10, 2014
YEAR: 1935
SIGNIFICANCE: The Philadelphia Athletics sold MVP-winning 1B Jimmie Foxx to the Boston Red Sox for $150,000
On December 10, 1935 the Philadelphia Athletics sent 1932 and 1933 MVP Jimmie Foxx to the Boston Red Sox in exchange of two players and $150,000. Foxx, who was 28 years old at the time of the trade, was still in the prime of his career. In his seven years with the Red Sox, “Double X” was a .320/.429/1.034 hitter with 222 home runs and 788 runs driven in. In 1938 he won the MVP award again, after leading the majors in OPS (1.166) and RBI (175).
THIS DAY IN NBA HISTORY: In 1996, Detroit’s Terry Mills began an NBA record-tying streak of 13 straight 3 pt field goals made over 3 games.
— NBA Alumni 🏀 (@NBAalumni) December 4, 2013
YEAR: 1971, 1996, & 2008
SIGNIFICANCE: Lakers tied historic win streak, Terry Mills’ 3PM record ended AND Carmelo Anthony tied a Qtr PTS record
On this day in 1971, the Los Angeles Lakers continued to wreak havoc on the league, tying the record for the longest win streak in NBA history. A hardy 32 points from the Lakers’ leading scorer Gail Goodrich, along with contributions from Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, and Elgin Baylor pushed them past a tough Phoenix Suns team who threatened to prematurely end their streak. However, in OT L.A. outscored them 15-6 to tie the 1948 Washington Capitols (who did so over two seasons) and the 1971 Milwaukee Bucks record of 20 straight wins, which they would break in their very next game.
As a mid-first-round draft pick out of the University of Michigan, Terry Mills translated his play style to the league as a 1990s stretch-four who was ahead of his time. By 1996, he was receiving sizable minutes for his home-state Detroit Pistons, a year in which he averaged a career-best 2.2 made 3s per game. On December 10th of that year, Mills’ fiery streak of knocking down an NBA-record 13 consecutive 3-point field goals without missing came to a close.
His last made triple came against the Nets on December 7th, while the Milwaukee Bucks were the culprits to extinguish this hot shot’s 3-point record yet falling to Detroit 93-85 — up-ticking the Pistons’ record to 16-3. It was just last season when this incredible numerical mark was surpassed by Shake Milton who strung together 14 consecutive 3-pointers without a miss.
In one of the rare seasons that 10x All-Star Carmelo Anthony was not elected to an All-Star team, he did however climb the ladder to reach a historical mark on December 10th exactly 12 years after Mills’ 3PM record ended. Five years removed from Carmelo’s NBA debut, the future HOFer of the Denver Nuggets doused Minnesota with his entire arsenal of stock-pilled offensive weapons.
In a pivotal 40-22 Denver-favored third quarter, scoring champion Anthony met history with an unbelievable 33 points to match George Gervin’s NBA record for the most points scored in a single quarter. He’d go on to gauge a season-high 45 points (16-29 FG, 4-8 3PT) in a 116-105 victory — the Nuggets’ eighth straight win over the T-Wolves. The current record resides with Golden State’s Klay Thompson since he put on an exceptional shooting display (13-13 FG, 9-9 3PT) for 37 points in 2015.
🗓 This Day in Stats, 2008: @carmeloanthony ties George Gervin's then NBA-record with 33 points in a quarter (later passed by Klay Thompson). pic.twitter.com/ZTRJY9XEUf
— StatMuse (@statmuse) December 10, 2018
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