This Day in Sports History: December 13
Sports in December include the NBA and NHL seasons, NFL teams competing for the playoffs, the conclusion of the college football season, Grand Prix races, UFC Fight Nights, and college…
Sports in December include the NBA and NHL seasons, NFL teams competing for the playoffs, the conclusion of the college football season, Grand Prix races, UFC Fight Nights, and college basketball tournaments. Over the years, Dec. 13 has witnessed many notable moments and stories involving sporting legends. Here are some of them.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sports history from Dec. 13 included:
- 1936: The Green Bay Packers beat the Boston Redskins 21-6. It was their fourth NFL Championship title.
- 1942: The Washington Redskins beat the Chicago Bears 14-6 and won the NFL Championship.
- 1956: The Dodgers traded Jackie Robinson to the Giants, but hours later, he decided to retire instead of accepting the trade.
- 1958: Detroit Red Wings legend Gordie Howe scored the 400th goal of his NHL career.
- 1960: Barcelona midfielder Luis Suarez won the Ballon d'Or.
- 1960: Italy beat the U.S. in the Davis Cup.
- 1981: The U.S. beat Argentina and won the Davis Cup.
- 1982: Johan Kriek won his second straight Australian Open title in tennis.
- 1983: The Detroit Pistons beat the Denver Nuggets 186-184 in triple overtime. It was the highest-scoring game in NBA history.
- 1991: Ricky Pierce's streak of 75 consecutive free throws ended.
- 1996: Pitcher Roger Clemens was signed with the Toronto Blue Jays.
- 1997: Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson won the 63rd Heisman Trophy.
- 1998: The International team won the Presidents Cup of golf for the first time.
- 2003: Oklahoma quarterback Jason White won the 69th Heisman Trophy.
- 2004: Soccer player Andriy Shevchenko won the Ballon d'Or.
- 2010: Quarterback Brett Favre's NFL record streak of 297 consecutive starts ended due to a shoulder injury that sidelined him for the Minnesota Vikings' game.
- 2015: Alabama running back Derrick Henry won the 81st Heisman Trophy award.
- 2015: Conor McGregor won his first featherweight title after knocking out Jose Aldo 13 seconds into the fight.
- 2016: Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson was named the Associated Press' college football Player of the Year.
- 2018: Basketball player Dirk Nowitzki became the player with the most NBA seasons, with a total of 21 played with the Dallas Mavericks.
- 2020: Driver Lewis Hamilton finished third at the season-ending Abu Dhabi GP and got his seventh Formula One World Drivers' Championship by 124 points.
- 2022: Hockey star Alexander Ovechkin scored the 800th goal of his NHL career. He joined Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe as the only players in NHL history to get to 800 goals or more.
Three athletes who stood out on Dec. 13 were Derrick Henry, Dirk Nowitzki, and Alexander Ovechkin.
Henry is a renowned NFL running back, known for his powerful running style, size, and speed. Nowitzki is celebrated as one of the greatest power forwards in basketball history. He's an exceptional shooter with a signature one-legged fadeaway and was the first European-born player to win the NBA MVP award (2007). Ovechkin is recognized as one of the greatest ice hockey players of all time and is the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer.
