This Day in Sports History - 1/15/1994

San Francisco 49ers RB Ricky Watters scores an NFL postseason record five touchdowns during a 44 - 3 thrashing of the New York Giants in a divisional playoff game at Candlestick Park. Watters crosses the goal on a run of one yard in the first quarter, jaunts of one and two yards in the second quarter, and six yards and two yards in the third. He is the first to score more than 3 TDs in a playoff game. During the rout of the Giants, Watters gains a total of 118 yards on 24 carries and grabs five passes for another 46 yards.

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 - 4/23/1952

In his first major league at-bat, New York Giants pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm hits a home run to help his club to a 9-5 win over the Boston Braves at the Polo Grounds. It is struck in the fourth inning off Dick Hoover. On the mound, Wilhelm pitches 5.1 innings of relief and allows two runs. He is a 29 year old rookie who finally reaches the majors after bouncing around the minors since 1942. During the 1952 season, Wilhelm will compile a 15-3 record and a league-leading 2.43 ERA in 71 games, all in relief, and 159.1 innings. With a knuckleball as his primary pitch, Wilhelm lasts in the majors until 1972 and plays his last game two weeks shy of his 50th birthday. He pitches in 1,070 career games and holds the all-time record in the category from 1968 through 1998. However, Wilhelm will never hit another home run in the majors in 432 at bats. His career batting average is .088. Wilhelm will be elected to the Hall of Fame in 1985.

Carlos Beltran

The St. Louis Cardinals signed Carlos Beltran to a two year deal. Beltran spent the 2011 season with both the New York Mets & San Francisco Giants. Beltran was the Rookie of the Year in 1999 when he was a member of the Kansas City Royals. He's a six time All Star & three time Gold Glove award winner. Beltran is 83 hits away from 2,000 and has 302 career HRs & 293 SBs.

Related Posts:
1. The Icky Shuffle: MLB Free Agency 2011
2. The Icky Shuffle: This Day in Sports History - 5/31/1964

Super Bowl XLVI Preview

This Sunday February 5th will be Super Bowl 46 between the New York Giants and New England Patriots. Here are 46 facts and stats that hopefully you'll enjoy.

1. This is a rematch of a game from Week 9 as well as Super Bowl XLII
2. Bill Belichick was assistant for the Giants for 12 years
3. New England had 8 players selected for the Pro Bowl
4. New England was 3-1 vs. NFC while New York was 4-0 vs. AFC
5. The Giants have two players from Ohio State (Jake Ballard & Jim Cordle)
6. Eli Manning has a record 15 TDs in the 4th Quarter
7. Tom Brady is tied with Joe Montana with 16 playoff wins
8. This will be Tom Brady's 5th Super Bowl start; which ties him with John Elway
9. New England did not beat any team during the regular season who had a winning record
10. This is New England's 7th Super Bowl appearance & New York's 5th
11. Tom Brady was drafted as a catcher in the 18th round of the 1995 MLB Draft by the Montreal Expos
12. BenJarvis Green-Ellis went to the same High School as actor Carl Weathers
13. Victor Cruz had a Giants record with 1,536 receiving yards during the regular season
14. Tom Coughlin & Bill Belichick were assistant coaches on Giants Super Bowl XXV team
15. New England OC Bill O'Brien has been named the new Head Coach for Penn State
16. Former New England LB Larry Izzo is the Assistant Special Teams Coach for the Giants
17. TEs Rob Gronkowski & Aaron Hernandez combined for 169 receptions
18. New England allowed nine QBs to pass for 300 or more yards during the regular season
19. Jason Pierre-Paul had 16.5 sacks this season; only Michael Strahan & LT have had more in a season
20. Tom Brady has 3 seasons with 35 or more TD passes
21. The last time Wes Welker didn't have a reception in a game was 2005
22. Safety Antrell Rolle led the Giants with 96 tackles
23. Mark Anderson & Andre Carter each had 10 sacks for New England
24. Chad Ochocinco had just 15 receptions during the season
25. Mark Herzlich played lacrosse in High School
26. Stephen Gostkowski's FG % is 84.8
27. DT Vince Wilfork has 2 career INTs
28. Antrell Rolle & Vince Wilfork were college teammates
29. The Giants last six 1st round draft picks are major contributors to the team (Matthias Kiwanuka, Aaron Ross, Kenny Phillips, Hakeem Nicks, Jason Pierre-Paul & Prince Amukamara)
30. Matt Light protected Drew Brees' blind side in college
31. This is the 9th Super Bowl rematch of a regular season game decided by TD or less; 7 of the previous 8 games were won by team that lost 1st game
32. In his first 10 postseason games Tom Brady was 10-0 with 3 INTs; in his last 11 he's 6-5 with 16 INTs
33. Manning & Brady will be 3rd set of QBs to meet in multiple Super Bowls; the others were Bradshaw-Staubach & Aikman-Kelly
34. Lawrence Tynes is 1st player to score winning points in 2 playoff overtime games
35. The Giants drafted LBs Greg Jones & Jacquian Williams in the 6th round of 2011 NFL Draft
36. Chris Snee is Tom Coughlin's son-in-law
37. Bill Belichick is not a member of the NFL Coaches Club
38. The only 100 yard receiving game that Wes Welker has had in the playoffs was Super Bowl XLII loss to the Giants
39. Julian Edelman has played as a WR & CB this season
40. New England TEs coach Brian Ferentz is the son of Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz
41. Eli Manning is 6-1 in road or neutral site games in the playoffs
42. John Mara is the 3rd generation of his family to own the Giants
43. The Patriots have retired 8 player's numbers; the Giants have retired 11
44. Tom Brady has 2 Super Bowl MVPs, Eli Manning & Deion Branch each have 1
45. Tom Brady, Kevin Faulk & Matt Light are only current Patriots who won the 3 New England Super Bowls
46. Giants OC Kevin Gilbride was OC under Tom Coughlin for the Jaguars in 1995 & 1996

This Day in Sports History - 8/22/1965

A game between the Dodgers and Giants at Candlestick Park is marred by one of the ugliest incidents in baseball history. When San Francisco pitcher Juan Marichal comes to bat in the 3rd inning, Sandy Koufax throws two inside pitches and catcher Johnny Roseboro comes close to hitting Marichal with the return throws. After an exchange of words, Marichal raises his bat and pounds Roseboro at least twice in the head. Roseboro bleeds profusely from a gash in his head, and a wild brawl ensues between the two teams. Acting as a peacemaker, Willie Mays leads Roseboro into the dugout and tends to his injuries. Marichal is slapped with a fine of $1,750 and a nine day suspension. Roseboro will file a civil suit against him for $110,000; it's settled for $7,500 in 1971.

This Day in Sports History - 5/31/1964

After a nine-inning 5 - 3 San Francisco win on a Sunday afternoon at Shea Stadium, the Giants and Mets play 23 innings in a game that lasts 7 hours and 23 minutes. The tally is 6 - 6 after 7 innings, but the next 15 innings are scoreless. Gaylord Perry pitches 10 shutout innings of relief (the 13th through the 22nd) for the Giants. Larry Bearnarth hurls 7 shutout innings for New York (the 8th through the 14th) and is relieved by Galen Cisco, who allows no runs for 8 innings before surrendering two to the Giants in the 23rd. San Francisco wins, 8 - 6.

Greatest Coaches Countdown - #33 Bill Parcells

Sport: NFL

Stops: Giants (1983 - 1990) Patriots (1993 - 1996) Jets (1997 - 1999) Cowboys (2003 - 2006)

Record: 172 - 130 - 1(.570 Winning Percentage)

Championships: 2

Fun Facts

1. As an NFL coach and executive, Parcells inherited five losing teams that he helped guide to the playoffs in two seasons or fewer

2. Parcells has an 11 - 8 record in the playoffs

Related Posts:

1. The Icky Shuffle: This Day in Sports History - 1/11/1970

2. The Icky Shuffle: Best by the Numbers - New York Edition

The Giants Win The Pennant

The San Francisco Giants just beat the Phillies in game 6 of the NLCS to advance to the World Series. Here is a clip from "The Shot Heard Round the World" where Bobby Thompson hit a game-winning homerun against Ralph Branca and the Dodgers.

Best by the Numbers - New York Edition

Below is a list of New York athletes according to their jersey number. Please note that there may be players who are better than those listed below not on the list. This is my list, if you want make your own list and put in whoever you'd like.

1. Eddie Giacomin
2. Derek Jeter: The All-Time Yankees Hits Leader
3. Babe Ruth
4. Lou Gehrig: The Iron Horse
5. Joe Dimaggio: Joltin' Joe's consecutive games with a hit record of 56 still stands.
6. Wally Backman: Member of the '86 Mets is now a Minor League Manager for them.
7. Mickey Mantle
8. Yogi Berra
9. Adam Graves
10. Eli Manning: MVP of Super Bowl XLII
11. Mark Messier
12. Joe Namath
13. Don Maynard
14. Theo Fluery
15. Thurman Munson: 3 time Gold Glove winner. AL Rookie of the Year (1970). AL MVP (1976)
16. Frank Gifford: The former Giant was a long-time color commentator for Monday Night Football
17. Plaxico Burress
18. Darryl Strawberry
19. Willis Reed
20. Alan Houston
21. Paul O'neill: Was traded to the Yankees for Roberto Kelly
22. Al Leiter
23. Don Mattingly
24. Ottis "OJ" Anderson: MVP of Super Bowl XXV
25. Joe Girardi
26. Dave Kingman
27. Michael Peca
28. Curtis Martin
29. Leon Washington
30. Willie Randolph
31. Mike Piazza
32. Elston Howard
33. Patrick Ewing: Most Knicks fans are probably still upset he didn't dunk the ball against the Pacers
34. Charles Oakley
35. Mike Richter
36. Jerry Koosman: Was a member of the '69 Mets
37. Casey Stengel
38. Jack Hillen
39. Rick DiPietro
40. Joe Morrison
41. Tom Seaver: Tom had 311 career wins
42. Mariano Rivera: The only current Baseball Player to wear the #42
43. Jeff Nelson
44. Reggie Jackson: Mr. October
45. Tug McGraw
46. Andy Pettite
47. Jesse Orosco
48. Pete Schourek
49. Ron Guidry: Louisiana Lightning
50. Eric Barton
51. Bernie Williams
52. Pepper Johnson
53. Harry Carson
54. Rich "Goose" Gossage
55. Hideki Matsui: MVP of 2009 World Series
56. Lawrence Taylor
57. Mo Lewis
58. Carl Banks
59. Brian Williams
60. D'Brickashaw Ferguson
61. Adam Koets
62. Joba Chamberlain
63. Dewayne Robertson
64. Jim Burt
65. Brandon Moore
66. Pete Kendall
67. Kareem McKenzie
68. Jaromir Jagr
69. Jason Fabini
70. Sam Huff
71. Rick Lyle
72. Osi Umenyura
73. Joe Klecko: Was part of the "New York Sack Exchange" with Mark Gastineau, Abdul Salaam & Marty Lyons
74. Nick Mangold
75. Francisco Rodriguez: "K-Rod"
76. Jumbo Elliott
77. Phil Esposito
78. Wayne Hunter
79. Alexi Yashin
80. Wayne Chrebet
81. Amani Toomer
82. Mark Ingram
83. Santana Moss
84. Joe Jurevicius: Played for the Giants in Super Bowl XXXV
85. Wesley Walker
86. Ken Whisenhunt: The current coach of the Arizona Cardinals was a TE for the Jets
87. Laverneous Coles
88. Eric Lindros
89. Mark Bavaro: Giants TE who went to Notre Dame for college
90. Dennis Byrd
91. Justin Tuck
92. Michael Strahan: Holds the single-season record with 22.5 sacks
93. Petr Nedved
94. Ryan Smith
95. Tom Baldwin
96. Barry Cofield
97. Mathias Kiwanuka
98. Jesse Armstead
99. Wayne Gretzkey: "The Great One's" number has been retired by all of the NHL

Rookie TE Kevin Boss discusses the Super Bowl on ESPN's First Take

Justin Tuck talks about the Super Bowl on ESPN's First Take

Shaun O'Hara on ESPN's First Take

David Tyree on ESPN's First Take

Archie and Peyton Manning discuss Eli and the Giant's Super Bowl win

Primetime guys and the Super Bowl Wrap-up

Sportscenter discusses the magnitude of Super Bowl 42

Sportscenter discusses Plaxico's GW Touchdown

Sportscenter discusses Strahan getting his first ring

Michael Strahan talks about the Super Bowl and Eli Manning