Every day, millions of people around the world watch sports. The Olympics, professional leagues and organizations, and even local competitions provide a wide variety of sports to choose from, plus the opportunity to cheer on your favorite team or player. Memories from these games range from winning a championship game in overtime to watching as one-team-one-player makes an astronomical play in a close contest. Sports are an integral part of American life. They not only provide entertainment but also serve as a community-building tool. Every team has its group of loyal followers who support their players and make them feel like family members. Sports fans can be related to the home teams or enjoy watching games with their friends and family. This article will discuss 2 of the most memorable moments in sports history.
A Moment that Changed College Football
In 1957, one game changed college football forever. In the final game of the season, the University of Alabama defeated their arch-rival, Auburn University, in consecutive games by a combined score of 79-7. The victory gave Alabama their first national championship, and both teams received an invitation to the Sugar Bowl. In the Sugar Bowl game against Arkansas, Alabama got off to a fast start by scoring 21 points in only 6 minutes and 28 seconds. This is the second-highest scoring first half (either half) in bowl history for both teams combined. The game would go on until January 1st, 1958, where Alabama would win by 26-20 over Arkansas. Alabama would then defeat Oklahoma in the national championship game to claim the first-ever national championship with a perfect record. This event catapulted Alabama into college football’s elite and was the first time a team had ever gone through an entire season without losing a game.
A Moment that Changed Baseball
In 1985, one team changed baseball forever. The Boston Red Sox had dominated baseball, but not in the right way. They had won only one World Series title (1918) throughout their history. Their owner sold off their best players when he bought them or sometimes just traded them for cash. In 1986, there were rumors that the owner would sell the Red Sox back to former owner Harry Frazee, who sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees. They sold off even more of their players when that deal fell through. The result was a team full of rookies and free agents that had no chance of making a comeback with this “band-aid” method of getting players. They lost 117 games in 1982 and 101 games in 1983. In 1984, they hired a new manager named John McNamara, who ultimately made an exciting decision to change baseball. McNamara stole signs and ensured that their opponents were not using their best pitcher to beat the New York Yankees in the final series. He managed to rally his team to a 10-6 victory, and they went on to win the World Series by defeating the San Francisco Giants. The 1985 Red Sox would become known as “the greatest team you have never seen” as they went on to win 108 games in both 1985 and 1986.