This Day in Sports History - 1/30/1996

Magic Johnson appears in his first NBA game since testing positive for HIV in November 1991. Playing for the Lakers against the Golden State Warriors at the Great Western Forum in Los Angeles, Johnson enters the contest as a substitute 2 minutes and 21 seconds into the game. He plays 27 minutes and comes up with 19 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds.

Look Alikes 12: Castle Menagerie

Welcome to another exciting version of Look Alikes. This is our 12th installment and there are many more to come.



First up is cyclist Lance Armstrong and former MLB player Jeff Conine

Next we have Mark McGrath and Ethan Hawke

Next up is Roger Goodell and Ric Bucher

Next is Mary Amons and actress Stockard Channing

Next is NBA player Manu Ginobilli and Bronson Pinchot

Next up is Darren Oliver and Barry Bonds

Lastly is Wilford Brimley and Pops from The Muppets

Happy Birthday Wayne Gretzky

This Day in Sports History - 1/24/1982

Led by rising star QB Joe Montana, who completed 14 of 22 passes for 157 yards and 1 touchdown while also rushing for 18 yards and 1 touchdown on the ground, the San Francisco 49ers win Super Bowl XVI, 26 - 21, over the Cincinnati Bengals at the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan. It's the only Super Bowl that will ever be played at the Silverdome, although Michigan will host Super Bowl XL at Ford Field in Detroit. Announced by Pat Summerall and John Madden, it's also the highest-rated Super Bowl telecast to date.

This Day in Sports History - 1/21/1954

The Boston Celtics' Bob Cousy is a one man show in overtime as the East wins the NBA All-Star Game, 98 - 93, at Madison Square Garden. The game is tied 84 -84 after the Western All-Stars sink two free throws as time expires. Cousy, who has 10 points in the first 48 minutes, scores 10 more in overtime and dribbles out the clock. Basketball's All-Star Game does not yet enjoy the popularity it will gain in years to come. Tonight's matchup is the second of a doubleheader; it's preceded by a game between two military teams from Fort Belvoir and the Aberdeen Proving Grounds.

Today's Birthdays:

Jack Nicklaus b. 1940

Hakeem Olajuwon b. 1963

Detlef Schrempf b. 1963

Rusty Greer b. 1969

Adam LaRoche

First-Baseman Adam LaRoche signed a 2 year $16 million contract with the Washington Nationals. The Nationals have already signed RF Jayson Werth and LaRoche will replace Adam Dunn at 1st. LaRoche has averaged 23 Home-Runs/Year in his career and is a better defender than Dunn. Look for the Nationals to improve this year and possibly contend in 2012.

Related Posts:
1. The Icky Shuffle: MLB Free Agency 2010
2. The Icky Shuffle: Jayson Werth
3. The Icky Shuffle: Adam Dunn

Adrian Beltre

The Texas Rangers signed 3B Adrian Beltre to a 6 year $96 million contract. Beltre is 111 hits away from 2,000 and 22 homeruns away from 300. Besides for his offensive numbers Beltre brings a great glove at third base, as he won a Gold Glove in 2007 & 2008. Texas did make the World Series last year and they hope that although they lost Cliff Lee that they can return to the World Series and the signing of Beltre will definitely help.

Related Posts:
1. The Icky Shuffle: MLB Free Agency 2010

This Day in Sports History - 1/19/1998

Legendary Los Angeles Lakers play-by-play announcer Chick Hearn, credited with inventing the phrases 'slam dunk', 'charity stripe', 'triple-double' and 'air ball', broadcasts his 3,000th consecutive game. The streak began in 1965 and will eventually reach 3,338 consecutive Lakers games before ending midway through the 2001-02 season when Hearn undergoes cardiac bypass surgery. Hearn also appeared as an announcer in several movies and was the voice on the castaways' radio in the TV series Gilligan's Island.

Happy Birthday Mark Messier

Happy Birthday Bobby Goldsboro

Today is Bobby Goldsboro's 70th birthday. Here is a great song that I first heard on the TV show "Yes, Dear".

Greatest Coaches Countdown - #35 Walter Alston

Sport: MLB
Stops: Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers (1954 - 1976)
Record: 2,040 - 1,613 (.558 Winning Percentage)
Championships: 4

Fun Facts

1. On top of the 7 N.L. pennants he led the Dodgers to, Alston also managed the N.L. to a record 7 All-Star Game wins
2. His number 24 was retired by the Dodgers in 1977
3. In one career at-bat Alston struck out
   

Related Posts:
1. The Icky Shuffle: Greatest Coaches Countdown - #41 Tony La Russa
2. The Icky Shuffle: Greatest Coaches Countdown - #48 Tommy Lasorda

This Day in Sports History - 1/16/2002

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban works for a day at a Dairy Queen. Cuban had unleashed one of his frequent tirades about NBA officiating and the league's manager of officials, Ed T. Rush, who he insisted "wouldn't be able to manage a Dairy Queen." Offended by the remark, Dairy Queen invited Cuban to fill in for a day at a franchise in Coppell, Texas.

This Day in Sports History - 1/15/1997

Chicago Bulls forward Dennis Rodman stumbles into TV cameraman Eugene Amos on the sideline and proceeds to kick him in the groin during a 112 - 102 win over the Timberwolves in Minneapolis. Rodman receives an 11 game suspension, the second-longest in NBA history as of this date.

Derrek Lee

The Baltimore Orioles signed 1B Derrek Lee to a one year contract. Lee joins 2B Brian Roberts, and newly acquired SS J.J. Hardy and 3B Mark Reynolds. Lee has won 3 Gold Gloves and is 157 hits away from 2,000 in his career. Lee also has 312 career home runs including a career high of 46 in 2005. This will be the first AL team that Lee will play for.

Related Posts:
1. The Icky Shuffle: MLB Free Agency 2010

Happy Birthday Dominique Wilkins

Orlando Hudson

The San Diego Padres signed Orlando Hudson to a two year deal. Hudson will play 2B and bring some veteran leadership to a young team. Hudson is a 2 time All-Star and has won 4 Gold Gloves. He is part of a new up-the-middle duo with recently acquired SS Jason Bartlett. This is Hudson's 4th team in as many years and has helped lead the Dodgers and Twins into the post-season in 2009 & 2010 respectively.

Related Posts:
1. The Icky Shuffle: MLB Free Agency 2010

Happy Birthday Darryl Dawkins

This Day in Sports History - 1/11/1970

Led by quarterback Len Dawson and a staunch defense, the AFL champion Kansas City Chiefs defeat the NFL champion Minnesota Vikings, 23 - 7, in Super Bowl IV in New Orleans. In the first two Super Bowls, the NFL's Green Bay Packers easily beat the Chiefs 35 - 10 and the Oakland Raiders 33 - 14. Super Bowl III on January 12, 1969, featured one of the greatest upsets in sports history when the AFL's New York Jets downed the Baltimore Colts, 16 - 7. The two leagues are set to merge later this year, so today's Super Bowl is the last NFL-AFL matchup. The Chiefs' one-sided victory over the Vikings puts to rest any claims of NFL superiority.

Peyton Hillis 4

The Browns were 5-7 entering the final quarter of the season and had a chance to be near .500 with games against Buffalo, Cincinnati, Baltimore and Pittsburgh. Peyton Hillis was at 962 yards on the season before this quarter of the season began. Hillis got his 1,000 yards but did little else.

Week 14: @Buf 21 Att. 108 Yds.

Week 15: @Cin 14 Att. 59 Yds.

Week 16: Bal 12 Att. 35 Yds.

Week 17: Pit 6 Att. 13 Yds.

Totals Weeks 14 - 17: 53 Att. 215 Yds. 4.1 Yards/Carry

Season Totals: 270 Att. 1177 Yds. 4.4 Yards/Carry 11 TDs

This Day in Sports History - 1/9/2004

Phoenix Coyotes goalie Brian Boucher breaks a 55-year-old NHL record when he stifles the Minnesota Wild, 2 - 0, for his fifth-straight shutout. He also sets a modern league record for consecutive scoreless minutes by a goaltender with 332 minutes and 1 second. His shutout streak will end when the Atlanta Thrashers tie the Coyotes 1 - 1, on January 11.

This Day in Sports History - 1/4/2006

Quarterback Vince Young scrambles eight yards for his third touchdown run to boost #2 Texas over top-ranked USC, 41 - 38, in the BCS championship game at the Rose Bowl. The win gives the Longhorns their first National Championship since 1970, when they defeated Notre Dame by the score of 21 - 17 in the Cotton Bowl, and snaps USC's 34-game winning streak. In all, Young connects on 30 of 40 passes and rushes 19 times for 200 yards.