This Day in Sports History - 11/29/1971

In a swap of pitchers, the San Francisco Giants trade Gaylord Perry to the Cleveland Indians for Sam McDowell. It appears to be an even exchange. Perry is 33 and has a 133-109 career record. Despite pitching for some terrible teams in Cleveland, the 29 year old McDowell is 122-109 and has led the American League in strikeouts four times. Perry will be 24-16 in 1972, and from that season until the end of his career in 1983, he performs for seven teams with 181 more victories. Perry ends up with a record of 314-265 and a berth in the Hall of Fame. After the trade on this day, McDowell is 25-35 with three clubs and will exit the majors in 1975. He will later admit that alcoholism led to his downfall.

This Day in Sports History - 1/17/1971

In the fifth Super Bowl - the first following the NFL-AFL merger - the Baltimore Colts defeat the Dallas Cowboys, 16 - 13, at the Orange Bowl in Miami. The two teams combine for 10 turnovers on six interceptions and four fumbles. The winning Colts commit six of the turnovers, three of them on interceptions. Colts quarterbacks Johnny Unitas and Earl Morrall, and the Cowboys' Craig Morton combine to complete just 22 passes in 50 attempts. Baltimore ties the score 13 - 13 on a two-yard run by running back Tom Nowatzke with 7:35 left on the clock. With 1:09 remaining, Morton throws an interception to Baltimore linebacker Mike Curtis, who returns it 13 yards to the Dallas 28. As time expires, rookie kicker Jim O'Brien boots a 32-yard field goal to win.