TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
1909 In a Canadian Football League exhibition game played in Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, N.Y.; the Hamilton Tigers beat the Ottawa Rough Riders, 11-6, before a crowd of 15,000. 1928 Major League Baseball’s National League president John Heydler proposes a designated hitter for pitchers. 1934 Ford C. Frick becomes president of baseball’s National League. 1934 The National League votes to permit night baseball (up to seven games per home team). 1937 25th Grey Cup: Toronto Argonauts defeat Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 30-7. 1938 The New York Giants win the NFL championship. 1941 The New York Giants acquire Johnny Mize from St. Louis Cardinals for three players and $50,000. 1947 Pacific Coast League application for major-league status rejected. 1949 Chicago Bears’ Johnny Lujack passes for six touchdowns versus the Chicago Cardinals (52-29). 1949 The Cleveland Browns beat the San Francisco 49ers, 21-7, in the final AAFC championship game. 1951 Joe DiMaggio announces his retirement from baseball. 1966 Al Nelson sets an NFL record, returning a missed field goal 100 yards. 1968 The U.S. Soccer Football Association refuses to let the NASL disband. 1972 New York Jets’ Don Maynard becomes the all-time pro reception leader with 632. 1973 Houston Astros’ Caesar Cedino is jailed in the death of a 19-year-old woman. 1973 The North American Soccer League awards Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Vancouver franchises. 1981 In Muhammad Ali’s 61st and last fight, he loses to Trevor Berbick. 1983 Gremio (Brazil) becomes the new world soccer champion, beating Hamburger SV (Germany) 2-1. 1983 72nd Australian Open men’s tennis: Mats Wilander beats Ivan Lendl, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4. 1985 The NHL sees a record 62 points scored when Edmonton (36) beats Chicago (17), 12-9, and ties the record for most goals in a game (21). 1986 A. Bartlett Giamatti becomes the president of baseball’s National League. 1993 59th Heisman Trophy Award: Charlie Ward, Florida State (quarterback). 1995 Thomas O. Hicks buys the NHL’s Dallas Stars for $84 million. 2000 Alex Rodriguez signs the richest contract in sports history, a 10-year deal with the Texas Rangers worth $252 million.