TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY DECEMBER 29

2009  NY Mets sign Jason Bay to a 4 year $66 million deal

2007  The New England Patriots end the season a perfect 16-0 – ironically they beat the NY Giants who will beat them in the Super Bowl

2006  San Francisco signs Barry Zito to a 7 year $126 million deal

2001  Jerry Sloan of Utah becomes the 10^th NBA coach to have 800 wins

2001  Don Nelson of Dallas is the 3^rd NBA coach to have 1,000 wins

1997  Dallas’ Bubba Wells fouls out in a NBA record 3 minutes vs. Chicago – fouled Dennis Rodman intentionally to keep the ball from shooters Jordan and Pippen – Rodman made 9 of 12

1995  Padres sign Rickey Henderson to a 3 year deal

1989  Wayne Gretzky and Martina Navratilova named Athletes of the Decade by the Associated Press

1982  Paul “Bear” Bryant ends his career with Alabama with 323 wins – died less than a month later

1969  The NY Times reports that Curt Flood will sue baseball and challenge its reserve clause

1968  Baltimore wins the NFL championship and NY Jets the AFL championship to set up Super Bowl III – Namath will guarantee a win

1965  CBS purchases the NFL TV rights for 1966-68 for $18.8 million per year

1961  Wilt Chamberlain scores 60 points in a win over the Lakers – 7^th straight game he has scored 50 or more points

1957  Detroit beats Cleveland Browns 59-14 in the NFL championship game – Detroit QBs throw 5 TDs and Cleveland threw 4 interceptions