Odd sports stories from years past
Every night (and countless times the following morning), sports fans can tune into basic cable’s premier sports channel and watch the top plays of the day.
That is, if they have time to show them between all the poker games.
Three hundred sixty-five times a year, ESPN shows the day’s most amazing sports moments, and often some of the weirder, wackier events happening on athletic fields around the world.
But if you think there are weird, wild goings-on in the modern world of sport, you should have seen some of the things that happened back in the old days.
As you get ready to head into your weekend, imagine what it would’ve been like to have been on the sidelines when these gems ‘ recounted courtesy of trivia-library.com ‘ took place:
‘ FOOTBALL: In 1923, Rutgers kicker Homer Hazel scored a touchdown against Villanova only 8 seconds after the game clock began. His kickoff went into the end zone where a Villanova player fumbled the ball; Hazel, who ran the 100-yard dash in 10 seconds flat, raced down field and smothered the ball while it was still in play in the end zone.
‘ A halfback for the University of Washington, J. Haines, scored all the points on both sides during a game against USC in 1935. Haines ran for a 25-yard touchdown; earlier in the game he’d been hit for a safety by the Trojans. The final score was Washington 6, USC 2.
‘ BASEBALL: The record for most errors in a game by one team is 12, held jointly by Detroit (AL) and Chicago (AL). Detroit mishandled the ball 12 times in a game v. Chicago, May, 1901, and Chicago tied the record in a game against Detroit, May, 1903.
‘ The old Philadelphia Athletics baseball team scored 261 runs in one day. In a double-header on October 20, 1865, they defeated Williamsport 101-to-8, and followed up by crushing Danville 160-to-11.
‘ BASKETBALL: In a game in the 1974 regional boys’ tournament in Sweden, 13-year-old Mats Wermelin scored 272 points to lead his team to victory. Final score? 272-0.
‘ Holding the record for the most personal fouls committed in one season is Bailey Howell, of the Baltimore NBA franchise. During the 1964-65 season, Howell was charged with 345 personal fouls.
‘ BOXING: In a boxing match at Hot Spring, S. Dak., on Dec. 26, 1902, Oscar Nelson and Christy Williams knocked each other down a record 47 times. Nelson hit the canvas five times, while Williams went down 42 times.
‘ HOCKEY: The dubious distinction of achieving the most penalties in a single game belongs to Jim Dorey, of the Toronto Maple Leafs, in a clash with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 16, 1968. Dorey was whistled down nine times and wound up with 48 minutes in the penalty box.
Those are just a few bits and pieces, from just five sports. But for more weird, fun facts from those games and others, log on to www.trivia-library.com.
The Internet’s wide open, you might as well have some fun with it. Besides, you might have a column you need to fill really quickly someday.