This Day in Sports History - 1/17/2003

In the highly anticipated first meeting between seven-foot-six Rockets rookie Center Yao Ming and seven-foot-one Lakers Center Shaquille O'Neal, the Rockets prevail 108 - 104 in overtime at the Compaq Center in Houston. Yao blocks Shaq's first three shots and alters Kobe Bryant's shot at the end of regulation. O'Neal finished with 31 points, 13 rebounds, and four assists. Yao manages 10 points, 10 rebounds, and six blocks. Houston Guard Steve Francis leads all scorers with 44 points, the most he will collect in a single game during his nine-year NBA career.

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.

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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Dan Haren

2012 Stats: 30 Games, W-L: 12-13, 4.33 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 142 Ks

The Washington Nationals signed Dan Haren to a 1 year deal worth $13 million. Haren will join a rotation that already includes Stephen Strasberg, Gio Gonzalez, Jordan Zimmerman and Ross Detwiler which helped lead the Nationals to the AL East title. Haren's 2012 numbers may not seem too good, but he will bring a veteran presence to a very young rotation. Look for Haren to have more wins and a lower ERA in 2013 and maybe even lead the Nationals back to the playoffs for a second straight season.

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This Day in Sports History - 12/9/1984

Los Angeles Rams RB Eric Dickerson rushes for 215 yards during a 27 - 16 triumph over the Houston Oilers at Anaheim Stadium, to give him 2,007 yards on the season. This record breaks the previous single-season mark of 2,003 set by O.J. Simpson with the Buffalo Bills in 1973. Dickerson will finish the season with 2,105 yards, a mark which still stands at the close of the 2010 NFL campaign.

This Day in Sports History - 5/23/2002

Dodgers right fielder Shawn Green has one of the greatest games of any offensive player in major league history during a 16 - 3 drubbing of the Brewers at Miller Park in Milwaukee. Green hits a run-scoring double in the first inning and a three-run homer in the second off Glenn Rusch. Facing Brian Mallette, he homers in the fourth and the fifth. With Jose Cabrera pitching, he singles in the eighth and homers in the ninth. In all, Green ties the major league record for most home runs and another for most runs since 1900. His 19 total bases sets a big league mark. In a three game span from May 23rd through the 25th, Green collects 11 hits in 13 at-bats for 33 total bases. Among his 11 hits are seven home runs, the most ever by a player in three straight contests.

RIP Gary Carter

Gary Carter passed away on Thursday at the age of 57. He was an 11-time All-Star and a great teammate. Here is his HOF biography:

C.J. Wilson

Besides for Albert Pujols the Angels signed C.J. Wilson. Wilson joins Ervin Santana, Dan Haren & Jered Weaver in a very good rotation. Wilson started his career as a reliever and has only been a starter for the last two seasons in which he started a total of 73 games. His two seasons as a starter he ranked in the top 10 in Batting Average Against & E.R.A. Wilson hopes that he'll be pitching in the World Series for the third consecutive season.

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Albert Pujols

Albert Pujols signed with the Angels on a 10 year contract. Pujols is regarded as the best right-handed hitter of this generation and possibly of all-time. He had been with the Cardinals since 2001. Pujols is a 3-time MVP & 2-time Gold Glove winner. This past season Pujols batted .299 with 37 HRs & 99 RBIs, which is the first timke in his career that he batted under .300 and had less than 100 RBIs. He is at 445 career HRs and can reach the All-Time record by the time the contract is done.

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Jonathan Broxton

The Kansas City Royals signed Jonathan Broxton to a 1 year contract, worth $4 million. Broxton, who has spent his entire career with the Dodgers will be used as a set-up man for Joakim Soria. Broxton is a 2 time All Star who hasn't been a set-up guy since 2007 when he recorded 32 Holds. In 2011 Broxton had a down season playing in only 14 games and having an ERA of 5.68.

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This Day in Sports History - 11/15/1960

Elgin Baylor collects 71 points on 28 field goals in addition to 15 free throws to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 123 - 108 win over the Knicks in the second game of a doubleheader in New York. With 34 points in the first half and 37 in the second, Baylor breaks his own NBA record of 64, which he accomplished against the Celtics on November 8, 1959, when the Lakers franchise was located in Minneapolis. The Madison Square Garden crowd is also treated to some thrills in the opener when the Detroit Pistons overcome a 20-point deficit to upset the Celtics, 115 - 114. Gene Shue wins the game by sinking a 20-foot jumper at the buzzer.

This Day in Sports History - 11/2/2005

Six says past his 18th birthday, the Los Angeles Lakers' Andrew Bynum becomes the youngest player in NBA history by playing five minutes during a 99 - 97 win over the Nuggets in Denver. The previous mark was held by Jermaine O'Neal at 18 years, 1 month and 22 days with Portland in 1996. Bynum is held without a point in his first seven games, over 34 minutes, before finally scoring a basket on November 22nd. He was drafted by the Lakers in the first round of the 2005 draft (10th overall) out of St. Joseph High School in Metuchen, New Jersey. In 2006, the NBA will pass a rule requiring a player to be at least 19 before entering the draft.

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 - 5/10/1987

Sleepy Floyd scores 29 points for the Golden State Warriors in the fourth quarter of a 129 - 121 win over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals. Golden State, down by three games, begins the fourth quarter trailing by 14 points. In the final 12 minutes, Floyd scores 12 field goals, including 9 in a span of 4:25, to finish the contest with 51 points. His 29 points in one quarter and 39 in one half both set NBA playoff records. Game 5 will go to the Lakers, 118 - 106.

This Day in Sports History - 4/24/1988

The Clippers' Michael Cage needs 29 rebounds to win this year's rebounding title over Charles Oakley of the Chicago Bulls. Cage plays all 48 minutes tonight in the last game of the season and pulls down 30 rebounds in a 109 - 100 loss to the Seattle SuperSonics in Los Angeles. He beats out Oakley 13.03 rebounds per game to 13.00.

Happy Birthday Vlade Divac

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.

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.