The last day of the year in sports is home to some of the most tragic things to ever happen in sports history. Nearly half a century ago, a sports icon passed away in a horrible accident while trying to make the world a better place. To follow the heart-breaking event, it is also the day an NFL franchise finished with only losses for the second time in the league’s history. Other significant sports events on 12/31 bring a brighter light to the final day of the calendar year.

See what happened in sports on this day in: 2020 | 2019

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

Clemente Crashes

Pittsburgh Pirates RF Roberto Clemente 38 d. in a plane crash off the coast of Puerto Rico Dec 31 1972. He was trying to deliver earthquake relief supplies to Nicaragua. #21 played his entire 18 season career for The Pirates, 1955-1972. 15X All Star, 12X Gold Glove, Baseball HOF. pic.twitter.com/eluMRtKg1q
— Sean Mcdowell (@dvesean) December 31, 2020

YEAR: 1972

SIGNIFICANCE: Pirates OF Roberto Clemente was killed in a plane crash while transporting relief supplies to Nicaragua

Following a devastating earthquake in Nicaragua, Roberto Clemente was set to deliver supplies personally to the most affected areas a week after. Unfortunately, at 9pm on the night of December 31, 1972, Clemente and four others died after the plane—which reached just 200 feet of elevation—exploded and crashed just off the coast of Isla Verde, Puerto Rico. Clemente was just three months removed from hitting his milestone hit No. 3,000, and had no plans of retiring anytime soon.

The 37-year-old was known as a pioneer for minorities in baseball, especially for the Latino community. He was also loved for his community work in Pittsburgh and across Latin America. The iconic Pirates outfielder is honored with the Roberto Clemente Award—a recognition given to players that commit to bettering their and all communities across the nation. Clemente was born in 1934 in the city of Carolina, PR, which is known as the “Land of Giants” and Clemente was in every sense of the word a true giant of the game.

Back stateside, the city of Pittsburgh was buzzing earlier in the day. Before news broke of Clemente’s tragic accident, their Steelers hosted the undefeated Miami Dolphins (15-0) in the third-ever AFC Championship Game. Two wins away from perfection, history was within Miami’s grasp, but Pittsburgh didn’t go down quietly. A 7-7 game at halftime, Terry Bradshaw had been injured early on and wouldn’t return until the fourth quarter. The Dolphins made their own QB switch, replacing Earl Morrall with Brian Greise after he missed 10 weeks with a broken leg.

Greise would immediately provide a spark, connecting with Paul Warfield for a 52-yard gain on his first attempt. Jim Kiick finished off the drive with a short TD run and the Steelers later drove down into FG range only to have their kick blocked. Taking over near midfield, the Dolphins went on an 11-play, 49-yard drive with one single pass that was capped off yet again by Jim Kiick. Down 21-10 now, Bradshaw entered the game and immediately led a TD drive to pull within one score. On their next two drives, however, Bradshaw threw INTs to two Miami LBs, allowing the Dolphins to effectively kill the clock and come within one single win of history.

Browns Go Winless

YEAR: 2017

SIGNIFICANCE: Cleveland Browns completed the 2nd 0-16 season in NFL history

On New Year’s Eve, the Browns were more than ready to put 2017 in the past. Coming off a 1-15 season in 2016, during which their only victory came in the “San Diego” Chargers’ second-to-last game before relocation, the Browns didn’t find the same luck the following year. Besting (or worsting?) their 0-14 start from 2016, the week before saw Cleveland become the first franchise with multiple and consecutive 15-loss seasons. On this date in 2017, they entered the final game of the season against the Pittsburgh Steelers with one last chance to avoid the fate of the 2008 Lions.

At 12-3, the Steelers simply were not going to let history escape Heinz Field. They jumped out to a 14-0 lead, then 21-7, but Cleveland pulled within seven points by halftime. After tying the game on their first drive out of the break, they immediately gave the lead right back on a KR-TD by rookie JuJu Smith-Schuster. A Zane Gonzalez FG near the end of Q3 brought the score within four, but the 4th Qtr didn’t see a single point as PIT held on for the 28-24 victory to cement the Browns’ names into the history books. Miraculously, HC Hue Jackson kept his job with a 1-31 record but would be fired eight games into Baker Mayfield’s rookie season.

Lombardi's Glory

#OTD Dec31,1961 RB’s #PaulHornung &#JimTaylor with Coach #VinceLombardi at The 1961 #NFL Championship Game @NFL Played at "New" City Stadium (later Lambeau Field) Green Bay @packers beat the New York @Giants 37 - 0.
Nitschke, Dowler & Hornung, were on leave from the @USArmy pic.twitter.com/jT4AdcHX2d
— ME Music (@espofootball) December 31, 2018

YEAR: 1961 & 1967

SIGNIFICANCE: Vince Lombardi won his 1st NFL Championship and his last: the “Ice Bowl”

Among a legendary list of career accomplishments, New Year’s Eve marks two incredibly special moments the legend that is known as Vince Lombardi. In 1961, after Green Bay’s heartbreaking loss to Philadelphia in the NFL title game the year before, Lombardi’s Packers ran roughshod over his former New York Giants. The former offensive coordinator shut out his former squad 37-0 in a dominant NFL Championship — his very first as a head coach to begin a historic run through the 1960’s.

Exactly six years later, Lombardi would not only coach in his second-to-last game with the Packers, but also secured his fifth and final NFL Championship. Coined the “Ice Bowl” due to an incredibly frigid Lambeau Field, Lombardi met his former colleague, Tom Landry yet again. With a wind chill of -40 degrees, Green Bay jumped out to 14-0 lead before Dallas stormed back in the second half. Scoring 17 unanswered points, the Cowboys held a three-point lead entering the game’s final stages.

The final possession began with 4:50 remaining, and QB Bart Starr masterfully worked the clock with consistent short gains. Getting down to the DAL 11 with under 1:30 left, FB Chuck Mercein then ran Lombardi’s “sucker” play down to the three-yard-line. HB Donny Anderson picked up a first down on the next play, but then slipped while receiving the next two handoffs as conditions continued to worsen. After conferring with Lombardi and star G Jerry Kramer, Starr then called his own number for a QB sneak. Barely gaining traction, he punched it in to clinch the Packers’ third consecutive NFL Championship — the first and only such streak in NFL history.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe0XChUkWgU

MLB HOF Traded

TDIH 12/31/66 Astros trade for future Hall of famer Eddie Mathews. During stay in HOU, Matthews became 7th player to hit 500 HR. #astros 50
— Houston Astros (@astros) December 31, 2011

YEAR: 1966

SIGNIFICANCE: HOF 3B Eddie Matthews was traded from the Atlanta Braves to the Houston Astros

After 15 years playing in the Braves organization, Hall of Fame 3B Eddie Matthews was traded to the Houston Astros for two players. Matthews—the only player in franchise history to play in the three different cities the Braves have called home; Boston, Milwaukee, and Atlanta—hit 493 HRs as a Brave alongside an exceptional 145 OPS+.

The 35-year-old third baseman would get just over 380 plate appearances for the Astros where he hit just .238 and had a .381 SLG. Months after acquiring him, Houston sent the future Hall of Famer to the Detroit Tigers on August 17, 1967. Matthews would retire a year later after the Tigers released him on October 28, 1968.

Most FTA Ever

#TIS 12/31/1954: The #FortWayne #Pistons and #Minneapolis #Lakers combined to attempt 127 free throws, the most ever in a regulation NBA game. Minneapolis won 103-91. https://t.co/84kHhkTPkc
— Sportacity (@sportacity) December 31, 2018

YEAR: 1954

SIGNIFICANCE: Fort Wayne Pistons and Minneapolis Lakers combined for 127 FTAs, the most in NBA history

A pair of two of the more iconic franchises in the NBA’s 75-year existence was making history even prior to relocating to the current major cities they play in today. The 1954-55 season was the league’s ninth year of operation and it was compiled of only eight teams, one of which being the Fort Wayne Pistons who ended up as runners-up in the Finals that year. Losing in Game 7 to the Syracuse Nationals, this was the Pistons’ first-ever Finals appearance.

But, on the last day of the calendar year in 1954, the pre-Los Angeles Minneapolis Lakers and pre-Detroit Fort Wayne Pistons squared off in a stop-start type game that witnessed the most combined free-throw attempts ever. The foul-happy Pistons and Lakers sank 43-of-68 attempts and 47-of-59 attempts, respectively, totaling the record at 127 free throws tries. Fort Wayne suffered severe shooting woes from the charity stripe that night, costing them the contest as Minneapolis emerged victorious 103-91.