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Most Significant Sports History on December 9th
Learn about December 9th's most significant sports history including T-Mac's legendary clutch performance, the "Miami Miracle", and more!
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December 9th is a day that belongs to some of the greatest icons ever to enter professional sports. It is the day that Tracy McGrady pulled off one of the wildest endings in NBA history that has remained in the heads of fans ever since. Furthermore, NFL legends Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers accomplished some of the largest feats possible. The significant sports events on 12/9 remain some of the most memorable moments in all of sports history.
YEAR: 2004
SIGNIFICANCE: Tracy McGrady scored 13 points in the final 35 seconds of the game to lead a comeback victory over the Spurs
Known as one of the most electric scorers the NBA has ever seen, HOFer Tracy McGrady was one of greatest offensive players to ever grace the hardwood. His prowess on that side of the ball consistently kept him in the conversation for being one of the best bucket-getters in the league as a 2x scoring champion and 7x All-Star. The first year of his six-season-stay with Houston was 2004, and on this date of that 25.7 points per game season, “T-Mac” defied the odds by mounting a miraculous comeback single-handedly.
The San Antonio Spurs’ lead seemed insurmountable as Houston fans left the arena in despair prior to the final horn sounding. McGrady didn’t give up hope, though, as he put the team on his back by scoring 13 points in the final 35 seconds to steal an 81-80 win in the in-state rivalry game. A three-point party took place with McGrady drilling four 3’s (plus one free-throw), including the game-sealing triple to ice the game with 1.7 seconds left.
#DOLPHINS BEAT THE #PATRIOTS. IT'S A MIAMI MIRACLE
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 9, 2018
ARE YOU SERIOUS!! https://t.co/RGee6UrRd5
YEAR: 2018
SIGNIFICANCE: Tom Brady became the all-time PASS TD leader in a wild loss known as the “Miami Miracle”
At 6-6, the Miami Dolphins hosted the New England Patriots on this day two years ago with slim playoff hopes in a very competitive AFC Wild Card race. Entering a game behind the Chiefs for the AFC’s top seed, the Patriots needed a win to keep pace after uncharacteristically starting the season 1-2. As Kansas City was busy clinching a playoff berth with a wild home victory themselves over the Ravens in OT (fueled by one of Patrick Mahomes’ greatest passes on 4th down), New England was having a hard time fending off their mediocre division rivals.
Though Tom Brady would pass Peyton Manning with his 582nd career PASS TD (regular season + playoffs), his 358-yard day would be matched by Ryan Tannehill (13.9 YPA), the ageless Frank Gore (116 total yards), and former teammate Brandon Bolden (two TDs). A 22-yard Stephen Gostwkowki FG gave New England a 33-28 lead, leaving Miami with seven seconds to go 65 yards. Needing a miracle, Tannehill hit Kenny Stills for 14 yards near the right hash, who secured the catch through contact. He twisted, turned, and lateraled to Davante Parker, who then lateraled to Kenyan Drake near the sideline.
Drake would break a tackle, cut back inside to set up a few blocks, then hit the jets towards the pylon with three more Patriots to beat — including TE Rob Gronkowski playing Safety. Outrunning each one to the end zone, the HardRock Stadium crowd erupted as they slowly realized they’d witnessed one of the most incredible game-winning plays in NFL history to upset their dominant division rival. Aaron Rodgers made history that afternoon as well, avoiding an INT for his 359th consecutive pass attempt to break Brady’s record, providing further insult to injury to what many consider the Greatest Of All-Time.
On this touchdown throw to Randall Cobb, Aaron Rodgers broke Tom Brady's NFL record for most consecutive passes (359) without an interception #GoPackGo https://t.co/XIIYvnZiy2
— FanDuel (@FanDuel) December 9, 2018
Also, if I'd had a baseball Hall of Fame ballot: Ken Griffey Jr., Tim Raines, and Mike Hampton's contract.
— Seth Emerson (@SethWEmerson) January 6, 2016
YEARS: 2000 & 2019
SIGNIFICANCE: Rockies signed SP Mike Hampton to a 8y/$121M deal & Stephen Strasburg signed a 7y/$245M deal with the Nats
On this day in baseball history, free agency worked its magic as a pair of starting pitchers made history nearly two decades apart. Exactly 20 years ago, the Colorado Rockies inked SP Mike Hampton to a record-setting 8y/$121M deal, making him the highest-paid player in the history of baseball. For a day at least, as 3B Alex Rodriguez signed his colossal 10y/$252M deal with the Texas Rangers the very next day. The Rockies were desperate to speed-up their rebuilding process and decided to empty the bank on the 1999 NL Cy Young runner-up. Hampton, like many pitchers that call Coors Field home, flopped massively.
The highest-paid pitcher in MLB history lasted just two seasons in Colorado and posted a 5.27 ERA during that span. No pitcher received over $100M in free agency again until Barry Zito in 2006. Exactly 19 years after Hampton’s historic payday, the Washington Nationals and SP Stephen Strasburg agreed on a 7y/$245M deal, the largest contract ever for a pitcher in MLB history at the time. Strasburg had opted-out of his initial contract with the Nationals days after the World Series, where he was named World Series MVP. Strasburg was Washington’s first overall draft pick in 2009 and made his famous debut for them in 2010.
Before signing his record contract, Strasburg had a 3.17 ERA in his first 10 seasons in the Majors. In 2020, he made just two starts before being diagnosed with carpal tunnel in his right wrist. The jury is still out on whether Strasburg is worth the contract or if he could be Hall of Fame bound, but the fact of the matter is that when healthy, he is no doubt one of the most dominant pitchers in the game. Strasburg’s contract, however, was surpassed within a day by Gerrit Cole’s 9yr/$327M deal with the New York Yankees. History-making contracts repeated itself about two decades apart.
One more note on Strasburg’s new seven-year, $245M contract with #Nationals: Factoring in deferrals, players’ union calculates present-day value to be $228.9M, per source. David Price (no deferrals) was valued at $217M; Zack Greinke at $194.5M; Max Scherzer at $191.4M.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 10, 2019
#OTD in 1965, the @Orioles acquired Frank Robinson in a trade with the Reds. Robinson would go on it win the 1966 AL Triple Crown and MVP Award while leading Baltimore to the World Series championship. https://t.co/OKvJw0BIch pic.twitter.com/Een8c7yXu3
— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) December 9, 2018
YEAR: 1965
SIGNIFICANCE: Frank Robinson was traded by the Reds to the Orioles and would win the MVP in his very 1st season
After 10 magnificent seasons in a Cincinnati Reds uniform, OF Frank Robinson was traded to the Baltimore Orioles on this day in 1965. Robinson, 1956 Rookie of the Year and 1961 NL MVP, hit 324 home runs and had a 150 OPS+ during his first decade in the bigs. The trade quickly proved to be a win for the Orioles as Robinson won the AL MVP and became the first player ever to win the award in both leagues.
During his debut season in Baltimore, he also became the 15th Triple Crown winner in MLB history. In 1966, the 30-year-old hit an astounding .316/.410/1.047 with 49 HRs and 122 RBIs. Robinson spent six total years with Baltimore (averaged .944 OPS per season) before getting traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers after the 1971 season where he would stay for a year until he was traded once again to the Angels and then got traded one more time to the Indians before calling it a career at 40 years old in 1976.
#RIP Jerry Sloan, famous for coaching the Utah Jazz for a 23 years, the longest tenure in any American professional league. pic.twitter.com/b3gW1H3SMq
— Sivan John 🇦🇷 ⭐⭐⭐ (@SivanJohn_) May 22, 2020
YEAR: 1988
SIGNIFICANCE: Jerry Sloan was named HC of the Utah Jazz to begin his 23-year-long tenure
The late, great Jerry Sloan was a defensive menace and 2x All-Star during his 11-year career, but he earned his HOF status in his post-playing days as a head coach. He tipped-off his coaching career with Chicago, who he pledged his loyalty to as a player, but would make the move West to the Utah Jazz in 1985 as an assistant coach. Three years later on December 9th, Jerry Sloan took over as Utah’s head coach to replace Frank Layden who had resigned.
This impromptu happen-stance kick-started the longest modern term of service among head coaches in the NBA with his tenure lasting 23 incredulous seasons (later surpassed by Gregg Popovich). Officially coaching in four different decades from 1988-to-2011, Sloan would receive coach of the month honors seven times and reach the NBA Finals in back-to-back years (1997-1998) as part of a tenure that brought the Utah Jazz franchise the most success their fanbase has ever enjoyed.
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