by Len Berman
In a July 1991 Canadian Football League game in Edmonton, punt returner Gizmo Williams—who had already returned one punt for a touchdown—was well on his way to returning another. He broke into the clear, and as Gizmo neared the end zone the TV announcer yelled, “Touchdown!”
There was one problem—Gizmo thought he’d crossed the goal line when he dropped the ball on the ground. Turned out he was at the five-yard line. Oops. No touchdown—it was a turnover instead!
The same thing happened in a July 1992 NFL exhibition game. Standing on the 42-yard line, New York Jets quarterback Browning Nagle threw a pass to wide receiver Rob Carpenter. Carpenter caught the ball on the 14 and had an open field to the end zone. But Carpenter celebrated too early—he spiked the ball at the two-yard line! Only, in this case, the confused referee signaled touchdown… and it counted!
In December 1995, Bluefield was playing Musselman in the West Virginia High School Championship. When the game began, Musselman kicked off and the ball rolled dead on the two-yard line. But nobody on the Bluefield team picked it up. The ball was just lying there on the field—a live ball!
A Musselman player grabbed it and it was their ball on the Bluefield two-yard line! Musselman went on to win the state’s AA Championship.
In December 1994, the Piano East High School football team trailed John Tyler High School 41–17 in a Texas state semifinal game. Piano roared back to score twenty-seven straight points and took a 44–42 lead with just seconds left to go. All they had to do was kick off and tackle the receiver, and the game was over.
TV announcer Mike Zoffuto made the following call as Tyler kickoff returner Roderick Dunn began running up the field: “No… Oh, no! No!! Oh my gosh!! No!!! Come on!! No, no! Gosh… I’m sick, I’m gonna throw up.”
If you haven’t guessed by now, Dunn returned the kick ninety-three yards for a touchdown, and Tyler won the game 48—44.
OVERTIME
Washington Redskins kicker Mark Moseley, who once made a record 23 consecutive field goals, wore five pairs of socks on his kicking foot.
What are the fewest yards gained rushing in an NFL game? A minus 53 by the Detroit Lions in 1943. And the fewest yards gained passing in a game? Also a minus 53, by the Denver Broncos in 1967.
On October 9, 1960, the Dallas Cowboys were just two inches from the goal line. Knowing that everyone expected a run, quarterback Eddie LeBaron stepped back and threw a pass to his left end—touchdown!
In his first college game, LSU receiver Carlos Carson caught five passes, all for touchdowns.
Prairie View A&M University in Texas, a Division I-AA school, lost a record eighty consecutive football games, from November 1989 until September 1998.
Minnesota Vikings kicker Gary Anderson set the NFL record in 1998 for most points after touchdown made in a season, 59, without a miss. He also went 35 for 35 on field-goal attempts during the regular season.
Cal Hubbard is the only man in both the Baseball and Pro Football Halls of Fame. He was a star NFL lineman from 1927–33 and 1935–36 and an American League umpire from 1936–51.
The longest field goal in the NFL is 63 yards, but the longest field goal ever is by a high school player—68 yards, by Dirk Borgognone in Reno, Nevada, in 1985.
Deion Sanders, an All-American defensive back for Florida State University, was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons. He was also drafted by the New York Yankees as an outfielder. On September 5, 1989, Deion hit his first home run in the major leagues. And five days later he scored his first NFL touchdown for the Falcons with a 68-yard punt return!
BASKETBALL
Many people consider basketball to be the only true American sport. It was invented in America— Springfield, Massachusetts, to be exact. The inventor was Dr. James Naismith—a Canadian.
That means that the only true “American” game was invented by someone from another country. Maybe that’s why the basketball often takes such funny bounces.
Naismith invented basketball in 1891 using a soccer ball and two peach baskets. Every time somebody scored, a guy had to climb a ladder to retrieve the ball. It took ten whole years to realize they should cut out the bottom of the basket!
I’ve seen all kinds of crazy things at basketball games. One ball bounced off a player’s head and into the basket. I’ve seen a player bounce the ball hard off the court, high in the air… and into the basket!
I’ve seen a player dribbling down the court on a fast break and the opposing coach run out and block him!
And fans? Some of them pay a great deal of money to sit in the first row. So what happens— huge players run over them at full speed, spilling the fan’s popcorn or soda all over them.
Get ready to “hoop it up” for some of the wildest and craziest moments in basketball.
In the March 17, 1998 Idaho Class A-3 state high school championship game, Kimberly High took a two point lead with just 2.9 seconds to go. The team’s fans were going crazy, hugging and screaming, thinking they’d won. Then Mike Christensen, a senior at tiny Declo High, took the inbounds pass, dribbled to the free throw line, and flung the ball seventy-five feet, nearly the entire length of the court and … it went in! Mike won the championship for Declo, 72–71.
Later, Mike said, “It was just like in the movies. Everything seemed to go totally quiet and the ball just kind of hung in slow motion.”
A few days later Declo High held a pep rally to celebrate. Someone handed Mike a basketball and said, “Let’s see you do it again.” He let fly from the opposite foul line and swished it!
So, what’s the longest shot in professional basketball?
With just one second remaining on the clock, the Indiana Pacers were trailing the Dallas Chapperals 118–116 in a November 13, 1967 American Basketball Association game. Indiana’s Jerry Harkness got the inbounds pass at one end of the court and let fly a stunning ninety-two-foot basket. And since it was a three-point basket, Indiana won the game, 119–118.
“I’ve been practicing that shot all day,” Harkness joked afterwards.
During a February 1992 high school basketball game in Iowa, Waterloo West was trailing 50–49 with one second to go. Scott Ivey took the ball and threw it the length of the court. Nobody caught it.… But it bounced off teammate Sean Corbett’s head and went right in for the winning basket!
In a December 1992 high school basketball game in Tennessee, York Institute was hosting Livingston Academy. As Livingston charged up the court, they passed the ball ahead to Barry Webb. The throw was wild and Barry looked like he’d go out of bounds with the ball, so he just threw the ball down on the court as hard as he could. The ball bounced off the court, up into the air… and right into the basket for two points.
And it counted! The rules don’t say you have to throw the ball into the basket on the fly.
In 1973, fourteen-year-old Craig Schroeder was invited onto center court during the halftime of an NBA game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Buffalo Braves. As part of the Dodge Colt Shootout, Craig launched a shot that stunned the crowd by going in! For making this forty-seven-foot shot, Craig won a new Dodge Colt—a car he was too young to drive.
In December 1993, Tallahassee Community College was playing Macon College. During the game, thirteen players fouled out or got ejected. Just before halftime, Tallahassee only had four players left. So for more than half the game Macon had five players on the court, while Tallahassee had just four.
And yet Macon still lost, 92–87.
In a December 1990 basketball game in Iowa, the Glidden-Ralston High School team was playing Carroll. But when it came time to start the second half, Carroll’s team was still in the locker room.
What to do? The ref handed the ball to Glidden-Ralston, who inbounded. Since they were playing five on none, they scored an easy layup.
Now what to do? Carroll’s players were still in the locker room. But it was now their ball.
The referees counted five seconds, called a delay of game violation, and gave the ball back to
Glidden-Ralston. They inbounded and scored another easy layup.
At. that point Carroll’s players came charging onto the floor and rejoined the game.
By the way, this stuff doesn’t happen just in high school.
In January 1993, the University of Miami was hosting Pittsburgh. Trailing by two points with eighteen seconds remaining in the game, Pitt called time out under its own basket. When the time-out was over Miami was still, in its huddle, so the refs just handed the ball to Pitt. They inbounded and scored an easy two points to tie the game.
At that point Miami came running onto the floor. They inbounded the ball but Pitt stole it and Antoine Jones scored the winning layup with one second left on the clock. That’s about as wild an ending as you’ll ever see.
Before a November 1994 San Antonio Spurs basketball game at the Alamodome, the Spurs used fireworks as part of the pregame show. There was one problem—the fireworks set off the building’s sprinkler system, used to put out fires. Huge torrents of water came shooting out of water cannons into the stands. Fans went scurrying every which way.
Would you believe there was a fifty-minute “rain delay” at an indoor basketball game?
In the fall of 1990, prior to the start of the college basketball season, Michigan State was playing an intrasquad game. Right after the opening tip, Matt Stegenga went up for the dunk. He scored, but he also ripped the rim completely off the backboard, causing the glass to shatter. Game cancelled. Final score 2–0.
Said Stegenga, “That’s one of the best dunks I’ve ever had.” It certainly was the best dunk of that game!
In December 1992, two Los Angeles Clippers teammates combined on a basket. Loy Vaught picked up Kenny Norman, who then dunked it. It would have been an assist for Vaught, but the NBA does not allow a player to pick up a teammate. No basket!
During an NBA game in March 2001 at the Meadowlands, Stephon Marbury of the New Jersey Nets went in for a “showtime” dunk. He nailed a beautiful windmill jam, but after the ball went through the net, it bounced off Marbury’s head and popped back up through the basket and out.
What’s the call? The ball had gone through the basket. But it didn’t stay through. Sorry, Stephon, no basket!
In January 1960, the Burnsville High School team decided to help senior Danny Heater break the West Virginia state record. At first, Heater wasn’t keen on the plan, but after his coach chewed him out, Heater got going. By the third quarter he’d broken the old record of seventy-four points, but the coach kept him in the game.
Burnsville won 173–43, and Heater made fifty-three shots and twenty-nine free throws for a new record of 135 points!
In an NBA game at Madison Square Garden in March 1999, Cleveland Cavaliers coach Mike Fratello called a time out. Nothing unusual about that… until Chris Childs, a guard for the New York Knicks, walked over, leaned in, and listened, just as if he played for Cleveland. Well, he wanted to know what the play was going to be! And there’s no rule against it.
In April 1999, I saw one of the goofiest basketball plays ever.’
There was a jump ball at the foul line in front of the Dallas Mavericks’ basket. Chris Mills of the Golden State Warriors got the ball and tried to score a layup, but he was fouled by the Mavericks’ Samaki Walker.
What’s the problem? Mills was shooting at the wrong basket, and if the ball had gone in it would have counted as two points for Dallas. But he was fouled in the act of shooting.
Can a foul be called when you’re shooting at the wrong basket? The refs huddled and ruled no foul. But they did award the ball to Golden State.
In January 1994, the Natrona High School basketball team in Casper, Wyoming, was trailing by one point in the final seconds. So the coach drew up a very simple play—he told Jason Holt to get down on all fours and bark like a dog. Just before his teammate inbounded the ball, Jason “made like Fido” and the other players stopped to look at him. What in the world was he doing? And while Jason was barking his teammate passed the ball to another teammate. Since nobody was playing defense, Natrona got an easy game-winning basket.
Was Jason the hero? Think about it—the coach probably chose the worst shooter to play the part of a dog. Should Jason take that as a compliment?
In February 2003, there was a very close basketball game between Nutley High School and Immaculate Heart Academy in New Jersey. Sarah Clark of Nutley stole an inbounds pass and dribbled the length of the court for a layup… into the wrong basket! That gave Immaculate Heart the lead. But all’s well that ends well—Sarah hit the winning foul shots as Nutley won the game 54–53 in two overtimes.
In a December 1997 basketball game near Philadelphia, Penncrest High School took the lead 47–46 with four seconds to go. Strath Haven in-bounded the ball, and Bob Kashato took the shot that could win the game. The ball landed on the heel of the rim and just sat there. It didn’t move! Time ran out and the game was over. So close and yet…
A few years later a similar thing happened in an NBA game. In April 2003, the Los Angeles Clippers were trailing the Memphis Grizzlies by three points with two seconds to play. The Clippers inbounded the ball to Eric Piatkowski, who took a three-point shot for the tie. The ball landed and got wedged between the rim and the backboard. And that’s where it was when the buzzer sounded, ending the game.
In an NBA game in December 1991, the Portland Trail Blazers were playing the Denver Nuggets. Coach Rick Adelman of Portland sent Alaa Abdelnaby into the game. He ripped off his warmups and oops… he’d forgotten his jersey. He was wearing a tee shirt instead. Abdelnaby had to race off to the locker room to get his uniform!
Coach Adelman was not amused. I don’t know if there’s any connection, but that was Abdelnaby’s last season in Portland.
In January 2004, the Boston Celtics were hosting the Indiana Pacers. As Boston’s Paul Pierce cut through the lane, Indiana’s Ron Artest tried an interesting defense—he pulled down Pierce’s shorts!
Is that legal? The refs either didn’t see it or they decided not to call it.
And what about Pierce? He pulled up his shorts, got a pass, and hit a three-point shot!
In April 1995, Brian Williams of the Denver Nuggets caught an alley-oop pass and went to dunk the ball. When his dunk bounced off the rim, Williams grabbed the rim with his left hand and, while hanging onto the rim, caught the ball with his right. While still hanging there, he dunked the ball.
What’s the call? No basket. Williams also received a technical foul for hanging on the rim.
What’s the strangest basketball game you ever saw? How about a game where some of the players played for both teams in the same game!
This story begins on November 8, 1978. The New Jersey Nets were visiting Philadelphia and the 76ers won in double overtime, 137–133. Or they thought they’d won.… During the game a Nets player and his coach were both called for three technical fouls. But you can’t be called for three technicals—two is the limit. So the Nets protested, and the game was replayed from the point of the extra technical fouls, with 5:50 left in the third quarter.
Because of scheduling problems, the game couldn’t be replayed until March 23, 1979. Meanwhile, four of the players got traded to the other team. The Nets traded Eric Money and another player to the Sixers for Ralph Simpson and Harvey Catchings.
If you look at a box score for this game you’ll see that Eric Money, Ralph Simpson, and Harvey Catchings all played for both teams in the same game. But only Eric Money has the distinction of scoring for both teams.
By the way, the Nets finally lost the game, 123–117.
OVERTIME
Shaquille O’Neal’s shoe size is 22. The average man’s shoe is size 10.
During a 1985 game, Chicago Bulls guard Quintin Dailey ordered a pizza, which he ate on the bench at the end of the third quarter.
In a game for the New York Knicks, Latrell Sprewell once made a basket while sitting on the floor!
In a 1969 Tennessee girl’s high school basketball game, Chattano
oga East Ridge defeated Ooltewah 38–37 in a record sixteen overtimes.
The shortest player in the NBA was “Muggsy” Bogues at 5 feet, 3 inches. And the winner of the 1986 NBA All-Star Slam Dunk contest was 5-foot-7-inch “Spud” Webb.
The 1981–82 Denver Nuggets are the only NBA team to go an entire season scoring over 100 points or more in every game. They are also the only team to allow 100 points or more in every game. Their record that year was 46 wins, 36 losses.
In Colorado, Las Animas High School defeated La Junta, 2–0, and that game had to go into overtime!
The Los Angeles Lakers won a record 33 games in a row at the start of the 1971–72 season.
During all 79 games of the 1961–62 season, Wilt Chamberlain played every minute of every game.
HOCKEY
As you’ve probably heard, this sport was invented in Canada. Lacrosse players flattened their round ball, altered the stick a bit, found a frozen lake, and laced up some skates. Yeah, that’s the story. Or is it?
It turns out that they played some form of hockey in England in the 1500s, around the time of Queen Elizabeth and the defeat of the Spanish Armada! Would you believe the British banned the game because it was too violent? Hmmm.
There’s no question about it—hockey is not for the timid, no matter when or where it’s played. After all, players are flying around a slippery surface with razor blades attached to their feet. And they slam into their opponents at full speed, knocking them into what people still call the “boards” even though half of them are now made out of glass.
Some call hockey the fastest game in the world. Maybe that explains why the puck can take some pretty strange bounces. I’ve seen goaltenders score goals. I’ve seen a puck go into the net off a player’s rear end. One guy shot the puck so hard that it hit the glass and disintegrated. Not the glass—the puck!
And then there are the fights—I’ve seen goalies fight, coaches fight, and even brothers on opposite teams fight!
