The 1997 World Series: Seven Games & Then Some
This look back on the seven-game battle that was the 1997 World Series is part of a series of sports history articles celebrating the best of 1997 sports…
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The 1997 Arizona Wildcats Slay Three Giants En Route To A National Title
The Arizona Wildcats had been knocking on the door of a national championship for at least ten years, under the building of Lute Olson, one of the great architects in college basketball history when it came to building a program from the ground up.
1996 World Series: The New York Yankees Return To The Top
The New York Yankees had not been in the World Series for fifteen years when they won the American League pennant and reached the Fall Classic in 1996. The Atlanta Braves had become regulars, with the 1996 World Series being their fourth appearance in the last five tries. Though the respective histories of each organization was quite different before and would be different after, the intersecting year of 1996 saw the Braves in the role of dynasty and heavy favorite and the Yankees of aspiring underdog.
1996 NBA Finals: The Chicago Bulls Complete Their Mission
The 1996 Chicago Bulls were a team on a mission. It was the first full season since Michael Jordan’s return from his hiatus playing minor league baseball in the Chicago White Sox system. Jordan’s return late in the 1995 season was too late to get in rhythm and the Bulls were ousted by the Orlando Magic.
1996 Stanley Cup Finals: A Colorado Avalanche Pours Down On Florida
The 1996 Stanley Cup Finals paired up two teams that the hockey world hadn’t expected to see there. The Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers each had different levels of standing so far as prestige and regular season success, but both were surprise entrants in the Finals.
1996 Final Four: Showdown At The Meadowlands
Kentucky and UMass were not only ranked 1-2 in the country, but either one or the other had been ranked #1 in the country for all but three weeks in December and they held the top two spots from Christmas forward. Ironically, given his future in Lexington, it was John Calipari who was coaching UMass as they were in their fifth year of national prominence.
1982 NBA Finals: The Magic Is Back
The 1982 Los Angeles Lakers got off to a rocky start. They were coming off a disappointing season in 1981 and an early first-round playoff exit, and before we got out of December in this season, tensions between Magic Johnson and head coach Paul Westhead had reached the point that Westhead was fired. Considered a spoiled coach-killer at the start of the year, Magic had a chance for redemption in the 1982 NBA Finals.
1976 Philadelphia Phillies: The Spark That Lit A New Era
The Phils were a proud franchise, but they were on hard times. They had not seen the World Series since 1950. Even a winning season had been elusive since 1967. Danny Ozark took the managerial reins in 1973, and by ’75, the Phils finally won more than they lost. Now the question was if they could overtake the Pittsburgh Pirates, the traditional power in what used to be the National League Eas
Giving The 1994 Montreal Expos Their Due
This post is part of a series of sports history articles commemorating under-the-radar teams and moments in a given year. This article focuses on the 1994 Montreal Expos, the best team in the National League and deserving of a better fate than a greed-driven strike gave them.
The 1992 Miami Hurricanes Run Of Miracle Finishes
Editor’s Note: This post is part of a series of sports history articles commemorating under-the-radar teams and moments in a given year. This article about the 1992 Miami Hurricanes recalls a memorable run of miracle finishes as the team made a drive at a repeat national title that ultimately came up just short.
The 1991 Boston Celtics & The Big Three’s Last Stand
This post is part of a series of sports history articles commemorating under-the-radar teams and moments in a given year. This article focuses on the 1991 Boston Celtics, where the original Big Three of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish made their last stand together.
1996 UMass Basketball Breaks Down The Door To The Final Four
This post is part of a series of sports history articles commemorating under-the-radar teams and moments in a given year. This article focuses on the 1996 UMass basketball team of John Calipari and Marcus Camby that after several years of knocking on the Final Four door, finally beat it down.