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Most Significant Sports History on December 8th
Learn about December 8th's most significant sports history including Chris Paul to LA part 1, NBA free-throw and scoring records, and more!
Andrew D. Bernstein / NBAE
A massively significant day for the NBA, December 8th is remembered most recently for the season-shortening lockout’s end as well as the league’s veto of a blockbuster trade occurring within hours of each other. Years earlier, however, two all-time greats each set their own free-throw records in polar opposite fashions, and multiple scoring records were established as well. Additionally, Patrick Mahomes’ historic win a year ago showed he’s far from an average 24-year-old while the Bears put on a record-breaking show exactly 80 years ago, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg in regards to 12/8’s significant sports history.
12/8/2011
— Brandon M. Wright, J.D. (@wrightbefore) December 8, 2017
NBA commissioner David Stern vetoes a proposed three-year trade that would have sent New Orleans Hornets all-star guard Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers. Paul is traded to the Los Angeles Clippers six days later instead.#TDiSH#SASM2250 pic.twitter.com/B4byZ2MCgZ
YEAR: 2011
SIGNIFICANCE: The NBA vetoed a 3-team trade that would have sent Chris Paul to the Lakers AND the NBA lockout ended
Being the No. 4 overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft, Chris Paul of Wake Forest was an immediate breath of fresh air for the New Orleans Hornets as Paul won rookie of the year honors. Developing into the All-NBA talent that he is, the New Orleans franchise soaked up his six years of 18.7 points, 9.9 assists, and 2.4 steals per game. As all good things do, CP3’s time in Louisiana came to an end as a three-team deal, that would send Paul to play with Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, was agreed to on this day in 2011.
In a wild turn of events, Commissioner David Stern vetoed this trade just 45 minutes later due to the NBA owning a majority stake of the team since it was sold in 2010 and had yet to find a new owner. Speculation indicates Stern did this in response to pressure from other team owners disapproving of the unfair trade, and in fear that the Hornets’ resale value nose-diving without Paul. Subsequently, the now 10x All-Star Chris Paul was traded to the Lakers’ Staples Center roommate Clippers prior to NOR being sold to Saints owner Tom Benson. Future HOFer Chris Paul spent six seasons in L.A. but now resides in Phoenix following brief pit-stops in HOU & OKC.
On the same day of the league’s power-shifting Paul trade, the NBA and Players’ Association officially ended its fourth lockout, pertaining to the NBA reducing player’s salaries. After 161 days, operations within free agency, trades, and training camps resumed as usual. Though, postponement of NBA action shortened the season by 16 games with opening day commencing on Christmas Day in a memorable season that led to LeBron James’ first career championship win as a member of the ‘Big 3’ Miami Heat.
James Harden went 24/24 from the free throw line Tuesday night, breaking Dominique Wilkins record of 23 free throws made without missing in a single game. pic.twitter.com/t7MsX7Qv0i
— NBA.com/Stats (@nbastats) December 4, 2019
YEAR: 1992 & 2000
SIGNIFICANCE: Dominique Wilkins set a record for FTM without a miss AND Shaquille O’Neal broke a missed FTs record
The Atlanta Hawks legend Dominique Wilkins, who attended college at the University of Georgia, was a high-flying freak of nature who was well-before his time. His abrasive assaults on the rim granted him the nickname “The Human Highlight Film”, but, well into his prime, in 1992 he captured a record for most made free throws in a game without a single miss. Wilkins finished the Hawks’ triumphant 123-114 win over the visiting Chicago Bulls 23-for-23 from the line in a year that he made 82.8% of his free throws. This record was only just taken down last year by James Harden who converted on 24-of-24 free throws.
Exactly eight years later, a free throw record on the opposite side of the spectrum veered its ugly head. The notoriously poor free-throw shooter Shaquille O’Neal of the Lakers broke a long-lasting 40-year-old NBA record by missing all 11 of his free throw attempts in a 103-95 loss to Seattle. He became so synonymous with missing from the charity stripe, shooting a hideous career 52.7%, that teams adopted the “Hack-a-Shaq” strategy of intentionally fouling to force him to the line. Wilt Chamberlain held the original record after coming up empty from the line on 10 attempts in a game against Detroit in 1960.
December 8, 2000 -
— Skill Dev Coach (@skilldevcoach) December 8, 2017
Shaquille O'Neal of the Los Angeles Lakers broke a 40-year-old NBA record when he missed all 11 of his free throw attempts against Seattle. Wilt Chamberlain missed all 10 of his free throw attempts against Detroit on November 4, 1960. #Shaq #Lakers #NBA pic.twitter.com/c4YXpqEmmU
On this day in 1961 Wilt Chamberlain recorded 78 points in a single game, the third-most in NBA history. #DubNation pic.twitter.com/gWmrmNmfqc
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 8, 2016
YEAR: 1961 & 1988
SIGNIFICANCE: Wilt scored the most PTS ever, Larry Costello set a consecutive PTS record, AND NY Knicks set a 3PT record
Wilt Chamberlain is a figure in NBA history who was larger than life, figuratively and literally, with an imposing presence anytime he took the court. Taken out of Kansas University by the Philadelphia Warriors in 1959, the Philly Native was saturating stat sheets in no time, averaging 50.4 points and 25.7 rebounds in his third year. This 1961-62 season saw the towering skyscraper of a man eviscerate his opponents as he produced 78 points in a tough 151-147 loss to the L.A. Lakers in 3OT on this day. This 78-pt eruption stood as the league record for most points ever scored in a game, later broken by himself three months later when he put up 100.
On this day in 1961 Larry Costello scores 32 consecutive pts without a miss (NBA rec) Would become head coach Milwaukee Bucks NBA Champions 1971 pic.twitter.com/u1wCK7oIC2
— Robert Bruce (@RFB1956) December 8, 2017
On the same exact day of NBA action, 6x All-Star Larry Costello, who is known to be the league’s last two-handed set shooter, caught fire for his hometown Syracuse Nationals as he scored a season-high 32 points. He made efficient work of his attempted shots by sinking all 13-of-13 field goals and going 6-for-6 from the free-throw line, the most consecutive FG makes without a miss. Despite his historically efficient efforts, Syracuse would fall 123-111 at Boston.
The New York Knicks operation of 1988 was spearheaded by top-tier assist maestro Mark Jackson and juggernaut down low Patrick Ewing. Exactly 32 years ago, the Knicks held their heads high as the aforementioned Jackson, along with Johnny Newman and Trent Tucker each sank three 3’s to add to the team’s total of 11. This was a groundbreaking NBA record, as New York — who was 0-for-7 from deep their previous game — shot an effective 57.9% from downtown. The current record stands at an unfathomable 27 3-pointers in a single game, established by the Houston Rockets last season in a thumping victory over Phoenix.
https://twitter.com/KevG163/status/1071427837444415488
YEAR: 1940 & 2019
SIGNIFICANCE: CHI dominated the NFL Championship AND Mahomes became the youngest QB to defeat Belichick/Brady at NE
Three years after Washington defeated Chicago in the 1937 NFL Championship, the two met yet again for another highly-anticipated title bout to close out the 1940 season. Despite a lesser record (8-3 to 9-2) and a narrow loss in their regular season matchup three weeks earlier, the Bears entered Washington, D.C.’s Griffith Stadium as slight favorites to be crowned champions due to their league-leading rushing attack. Amped up by owner George Preston Marshall’s postgame comments from a few weeks earlier, George Halas’ team ran roughshod over Washington in their own house, turning in an all-time beatdown.
Scoring a whopping eleven TDs, six PATs, and one two-point conversion, the Bears not only won by the widest margin of all-time, but also set the still-standing NFL record for points by a single team. They had tuned their offense up in the previous two games, scoring 78 total points, but Washington clearly wasn’t ready for the 73-0 shellacking they’d be receiving. After FB Bill Osmanski ripped of a 68-yard TD within the first minute, QB Sid Luckman and the vaunted rushing attack would add three more TDs before completely burying Washington in the second half with seven more — including three from the defense to cap off the biggest win in NFL history.
Nearly eight decades later, the NFL’s reigning MVP would make his own history in Foxborough, MA on this date just a year ago. Amid their run to Super Bowl LII, the Kansas City Chiefs entered Gillette Stadium hoping to end the Patriots’ 21-game home winning streak — tied for the third-longest in NFL history. New England HC Bill Belichick’s history against young QBs is well-documented as the Brady/Belichick duo held claim to a 41-0 home record against starting QBs under the age of 25 entering this AFC Championship re-match that the Patriots barely beat the Chiefs in OT.
As he’s consistently shown since assuming the starting role, Patrick Mahomes was no regular second-year starter. Though Brady and Julian Edelman began the scoring on a 37-yard flea-flicker in the first quarter, Kansas City’s explosive offense was mostly contained besides a 48-yd TD to Mecole Hardman and a few 20-yard strikes. In a game mostly controlled by KC, the defense ended up saving the day by stopping Tom Brady at the 5-yard line with well under 2:00 to play, sealing the historic victory. This would be the last time the two generational GOATs faced off while TB12 was in New England as he departed for Tampa Bay after that season.
YEAR: 1999 & 2008
SIGNIFICANCE: Charles Barkley suffered a career-ending injury AND 4x Cy Young Greg Maddux officially retired
As an important fixture of the 1992 “Dream Team”, 11x All-Star Charles Barkley carved himself out a prominent place in NBA history. The affectionately nicknamed “Round Mound of Rebound” put up 22.1 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per contest in his storied 16-year career which came to a screeching halt on this day in 1999. “Sir Charles” spent the large-part of his peak playing days in Philadelphia and Phoenix; however, the tail-end of the HOFer’s journey was with the Rockets where he’d suffer an injury at age 36 that effectively ended his career.
Fittingly, the event which caused Barkley’s premature departure from the association happened against the 76ers in Philadelphia, where his career began. It was in the first quarter of Houston’s 83-73 defeat that Barkley attempted to block Tyrone Hill’s shot but instead tore the left quadriceps tendon away from the kneecap. This wouldn’t be the last of “Chuck”, however, determined to leave the league on his own terms he returned in the final regular-season game to play token minutes. The MVP finished his career top 15 in all-time points and rebounds which serve as reminders to just how physically dominate the undersized PF had been before starting a legendary career as NBA analyst on TNT with Shaq and others.
After 23 years and 355 career wins, SP Greg Maddux officially announced his retirement from the game of baseball exactly 12 years ago. The 4x NL Cy Young winner spent 11 years with the Atlanta Braves, 10 with the Chicago Cubs, and four years between the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers. Maddux, who owns a 3.16 career ERA won all of his Cy Young awards in consecutive years (1992-95), which made him the most dominant pitcher of the ‘90s. Moreover, he is still the all-time Gold Glove winner with 18—winning 13 of them consecutively (1990-2002). In 2014, he was voted into the Hall of Fame alongside fellow ace Tom Glavine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GefEhZb73_g&ab_channel=MadeTheCut
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