This Day in Sports History - 1/12/1975

The Pittsburgh Steelers capture their first NFL Championship in franchise history, downing the Minnesota Vikings, 16 - 6, in Super Bowl IX at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans. The Steel Curtain defense dominates throughout and creates a 2 - 0 halftime lead on a safety when DE Dwight White sacks QB Fran Tarkenton in the end zone.

This Day in Sports History - 1/7/2003

Kobe Bryant breaks the NBA record for most three-pointers in a game, sinking 12 of them during the Lakers' 119 - 96 drubbing of the Seattle Sonics at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The record had been 11 by Dennis Scott of the Orlando Magic in 1996. On March 28, Bryant will tie an NBA mark for most three-pointers in a half with eight. He will have a total of nine three-pointers in that contest, and 55 overall, as the Lakers cruise to a 108 - 94 triumph over the Washington Wizards in Los Angeles.

This Day in Sports History - 1/3/1993

In one of the greatest comebacks in NFL History, the Buffalo Bills rally from a 32-point deficit to defeat the Houston Oilers, 41 - 38, at Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. The Bills are down 35 - 3 early in the third period. Buffalo scores five touchdowns in the third and fourth quarters for a 38 - 35 lead. RB Kenneth Davis crosses the goal line on a one-yard run, and QB sub Frank Reich fires four TD tosses; one to WR Don Beebe and three to WR Andre Reed. With 12 seconds left, the Oilers tie the contest, 38 - 38, on a kick from Al Del Greco, but the Bills prevail on Steve Christie's 32-yard field goal 3:06 into OT.

This Day in Sports History - 1/2/1984

Miami (Florida) edges Nebraska, 31 - 30, in a thrilling Orange Bowl. Trailing 17 - 0, the Cornhuskers record their first TD in the second quarter on a trick play known as the "fumblerooskie." RG Dean Steinkuhler picks up the center's intentional fumble, and runs 19 yards for the score. With 48 seconds left in the game, Nebraska RB Jeff Smith races 24 yards for a TD on a 4th-and-8 play to make the score 31 - 30. Coach Tom Osborne is worried a tie will cost his team a National Championship. (College Football will have no overtime until the 1995 bowl season.) So he calls for a two-point conversion, which fails, and Miami takes the National Title.

This Day in Sports History - 12/31/1972

Roberto Clemente dies when the chartered DC-& on which he is traveling crashes into the Atlantic Ocean one mile from San Juan, Puerto Rico. He is 38. The plane is carrying relief supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. During his stellar 18-year career, all with the Pirates, Clemente batted .317 and collected exactly 3,000 hits. He won four betting titles, led the NL in hits twice, was named to 12 All-Star teams, and won 12 Gold Gloves. He was also the NL MVP in 1966 and the World Series MVP in 1971. He will be elected posthumously to the Hall of Fame in 1973.

This Day in Sports History - 12/30/1962

Under coach Vince Lombardi, the Green Bay Packers win the NFL Championship for the second straight year by defeating the New York Giants, 16 - 7, at Yankee Stadium on a day in which the temperature in New York is 13 degrees F with wind gusts of 40 mph. The Packers capped the 1961 season by devouring the Giants, 37 - 0, in the Championship tilt in Green Bay.

Happy Birthday Ozzie Smith

Happy Birthday Ken Stabler

Josh Hamilton

2012 Stats: 148 Games, .285 BA, 43 HRs, 128 RBIs & .930 OPS

Josh Hamilton signed a 5 year contract with the Los Angeles Angels worth $125 million. Last off-season the Angels signed Albert Pujols & C.J. Wilson and the signing of Hamilton should help the team immensely. Hamilton will play in an outfield that includes Rookie of the Year Mike Trout and Peter Bourjos. If Hamilton repeats his homerun and hits numbers this year he will reach the milestones of 200 HRs and 1,000 Hits.

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Zack Greinke

2012 Stats: 34 Games, W-L: 15-5, 3.48 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 200 Ks

The top free-agent pitcher Zack Greinke signed a 6 year contract worth $147 million with the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2012 Greinke started the season with the Milwaukee Brewers and finished it with the Los Angeles Angels. Greinke is 9 career wins away from 100 and has a strikeout-walk ratio of 3.5. In 2009 he won the Cy Young Award while leading the AL in ERA and WHIP. Greinke joins a rotation which includes Clayton Kershaw, Josh Beckett and Chad Billingsley. The Dodgers are definitely going "all-in" and expect to see them playing in October.

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Shane Victorino

2012 Stats: 154 Games, .255 BA, 11 HRs, 55 RBIs, 39 SBs, .704 OPS and 72 Runs Scored

Shane Victorino spent the 2012 season between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Victorino signed this off-season with the Boston Red Sox for $39 million over 3 years. Victorino had a down year in 2012 but will look to rebound in a lineup that will include Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz & Jonny Gomes among others. Victorino will have the ability to bat in the lower part of the lineup and alleviate some of the pressure he felt in the first half of last season in Philadelphia. Victorino has been in the top five in the NL from 2008-2011 in triples and look for him to have a solid amount of triples this season as he will be playing in Fenway Park.

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This Day in Sports History - 12/17/1972

Falcons RB Dave Hampton loses a chance at a 1,000-yard rushing season during a 17 - 14 loss to Kansas City at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. Hampton comes into the game, the last of the regular season, needing 70 yards to reach the coveted figure. A run early in the fourth period puts Hampton at exactly the 1,000-yard mark, and the game is stopped to present him with the football. But Hampton loses six yards on the next play when tackled on a pitch-out. Hampton gains only one more yard to finish the season at 995. He will fall just short again with a 997-yard season in 1973. He finally attains the 1,000-yard figure with 1,002 yards rushing in 1975 with 61 yards in the final game of the season.