Johnuel "Boogie" Fland shoots hoops in the gymnasium of Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, N.Y., Monday, May 2, 2022. Fland is among a growing number of high school athletes who have signed sponsorship deals for their name, image and likeness following a Supreme Court decision last year that allowed similar deals for college athletes.Β
AP Photo/Robert Bumsted
CLEVELAND (AP) β Ian Jackson and Johnuel "Boogie" Fland are among the brightest stars in the firmament of high school basketball and now have business deals to prove it.
The New York City teens and friendly rivals are cashing in on their name, image and likeness through marketing contracts often referred to as NIL deals. The contracts have begun to trickle down to the high school level after the NCAA's decision last year to allow college athletes to monetize their stardom.
Seven states have so far approved the deals for prep athletes. Other states, such as Ohio, continue to debate whether NILs would sully high school sports.
Jackson and Fland, both of whom are ranked as top college prospects for the 2024 graduating class, are paid a percentage of sales on a merchandise company's products carrying their likeness and four-figure monthly checks to post about the brand on social media.
Johnuel "Boogie" Fland is among the brightest stars in the firmament of high school basketball. He now has business deal to prove it. The New York City teen is cashing in on his name, image and likeness through marketing contracts often referred to as NIL deals. The contracts have begun to trickle down to the high school level after the NCAA's decision last year to allow college athletes to monetize their stardom. Seven states have so far approved the deals for prep athletes. Other states, such as Ohio, continue to debate whether NILs would sully high school sports. Fland, who is ranked as a top college prospect for the 2024 graduating class, is paid a percentage of sales on a merchandise company's products carrying his likeness and four-figure monthly checks to post about the brand on social media. Fland, 15, said he wants to help his family.
Jackson, 16, said he is saving the money he earns from the merchandise company Spreadshop and several other deals to buy a home for his family.
"I want to put my family in a better place," Jackson said.
Fland, 15, also said he wants to help his family.
"It's been a very big deal," he said. "All the hard work is finally paying off."
In Ohio, high school principals began voting May 1 on whether to change the state high school athletic association's bylaws to allow athletes to sign deals.
"A lot of us here at the OHSAA and school administrators don't like NIL," said Ohio High School Athletic Association spokesperson Tim Stried. "We wish we weren't having to deal with this, but it's not going away. We can have a hand in shaping it or do what the NCAA did and fight it until otherwise."
Karissa Niehoff, CEO of the National Federation of State High School Associations, said NIL rights for high school athletes could prove disruptive, but she tempered her criticism, saying, "I don't think we're going to see a lot of this."
High school, Niehoff said, "is not intended to be an opportunity to earn a living, and we hope it will stay that way."
The issue of NIL deals for high school athletes follows a U.S. Supreme Court decision last June that said the NCAA cannot restrict education-related compensation benefits for the country's nearly 500,000 college student-athletes. Since then, Alaska, California, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Louisiana and Utah have created laws or policies allowing NIL compensation for high school athletes.
Jackson, who attends Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx, is represented by his AAU coach. Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, New York, has hired a marketing consultant to help Fland and other students at the school with NIL deals.
Johnuel "Boogie" Fland poses for a portrait on the basketball court at Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, N.Y., Monday, May 2, 2022.Β
AP Photo/Robert Bumsted
Generally, college and high school athletes can use sports agents to market their name, image and likeness, but they are not permitted to hire agents to represent them professionally without endangering their eligibility. The standard fee for marketing agents is 15-20% of an athlete's NIL deal.
High school athletic associations in states where NIL deals are permitted bar students from using their school names and team logos in the deals they strike.
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In Florida, high school athletes are not allowed to benefit from their stardom. But Laney Higgins, a senior volleyball player at Carrollwood Day School in Lake Magdalene, cut a deal after her season ended that has her donating earnings to a concussion center that treated her.
She signed with Q30 Innovations, a Connecticut company that produces devices to help reduce brain injuries, after suffering numerous concussions playing her sport. She donates the earnings to the University of South Florida Concussion Center in Tampa.
Higgins is continuing her volleyball career at Oglethorpe University in Brookhaven, Georgia, this fall.
"Brands are going to continue to see that female student athletes can fulfill goals in a unique and authentic way because the biggest name doesn't always mean the best success," Higgins said.
According to the latest data gathered by Opendorse Deals, a company that its officials say have helped connect 100,000 college athletes with third parties for NIL deals, the average payout has been small thus far. Division I athletes with at least one deal have earned about $664 on average, according to the data. For Division II athletes, it's $59 and just $43 in Division III.
Nearly 70% of deals involve social media posts, the Opendorse data shows.
David Ridpath, an associate professor of sports business at Ohio University, frames the opportunity for student-athletes to benefit financially as a civil rights issue. Athletes are not employees of the schools they attend and should not be restricted from earning money, he said, adding that amounts won't be large but could put "a few extra bucks in their pockets."
"In my view, it's all been positive," Ridpath said. "College and, by extension, high school athletes, are not employees and should not be restricted to any market place where they have value."
Basketball phenom Mikey Williams is among the exclusive group of high school athletes who have signed lucrative NIL deals. Williams, who will play his senior year at San Ysidro High School in San Diego, signed a deal with shoe and athletic apparel maker Puma for an undisclosed amount while attending a sports academy in Florida.
Texas NCAA college football quarterback Quinn Ewers talks to the media following a spring practice, Thursday, April 14, 2022, in Austin, Texas.Β
AP Photo/Eric Gay
Former Texas high school football star Quinn Ewers is another exception to the norm of modest earners. The highly touted quarterback chose to forgo his senior year to enroll early at Ohio State University last year, a move that allowed him to sign a reported $1.4 million in NIL deals before arriving on campus last summer. Ewers played only two meaningless snaps for the Buckeyes last season before choosing to transfer to the University of Texas.
Matthew Mitten, a sports law professor at Marquette University in Milwaukee, said there are potential pitfalls in NIL deals at both the high school and college levels, which he called the "last bastion of amateurism."
Mitten noted that University of Texas alumni and supporters in December announced that up to 16 football offensive lineman on scholarship would each receive $50,000 starting in August to support charitable causes.
"It's almost become a de facto pay to play," Mitten said.
Mitten and others wonder about the affect NIL opportunities could have on the forbidden yet hardly uncommon practice of high schools recruiting athletes. He raised the possibility that wealthy alumni from private high schools might copy the University of Texas alumni model.
Mitten and others say parents of high school athletes need to become educated about NIL deals to protect their children should an opportunity arise.
"I think they're going to have to be careful," Mitten said. "There's a whole lot of legal issues that minors and their parents and guardians won't be familiar with."
***
100 sports records and the stories behind them
100 sports records and the stories behind them
Updated
May 9, 2022
The 1989 film βBack to the Future Part IIβ predicted that there wouldnβt be much of a need for sports almanacs in the 21st century. True to form, todayβs internet allows us to instantaneously relive great sports moments of yesteryear and find data and recaps of a majority of games from the past century. Still, even some of the sports worldβs most heralded records contain multiple backstories that could take days to pore through, even in a time-traveling DeLorean.
Thatβs why Stacker compiled a list of 100 sports records from the 20th and 21st centuries, and the stories behind them. Sources included statistical databases, Hall of Fame records, official league records, record books, and news reports.
Most baseball buffs know that Nolan Ryan holds the record for most strikeouts in a season, but do you know how many innings he had to pitch in his final start of the 1973 season to break Sandy Koufaxβs mark? There are plenty of hoop heads who can easily remember that Mike Krzyzewski has the most career NCAA basketball wins, but can they name the coach who previously had the most victories across all levels of college hoops?
Not all of the records are great athletic feats, but they provide interesting fodder nonethelessβanyone who can crush more than one can per second deserves a tip of the hat, donβt you think? This story also examines important records beyond pro and college sportsβlike the X Games athlete who overcame a serious injury to inspire us in 2009βand recognizes just plain impressive control over body and mind (like averaging almost three pull-ups a minute over a 24-hour period).
Click through for a drive down memory lane, a look into the absurd and the story of one record that is all but certain to be the most overblown sports story ever.
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MICHAEL KAPPELER/DDP/AFP via Getty Images
1911: Cy Youngβs 749 complete games
Updated
May 9, 2022
Cy Young holds the MLB record for complete games with 749. During a 22-year career, Young pitched 7,356 innings, also a record. Young also holds records for wins, losses, starts, hits allowed and earned runs allowed .
Transcendental Graphics // Getty Images
1919: Babe Ruthβs reported 587-foot home run
Updated
May 9, 2022
MLB Statcast has only been used in this century, but baseball fans have always been enamored with tape-measure home runs. In 1919, media reported that Babe Ruth swatted a 587-foot homer at Tampaβs Plant Field. Some historians have speculated the home run was closer to 550 feet, but it remains a monstrous feat regardless and is earmarked with a historical marker at the current site of Plant Field.
Library of Congress // Getty Images
1920: The longest MLB game ever
Updated
May 9, 2022
On May 1, 1920 , the Brooklyn Robins and Boston Braves played 26 innings before it was called due to darkness, with the score tied, 1-1. The longest game in terms of duration, a 25-inning tilt in 1984 that the Chicago White Sox won over the Milwaukee Brewers, lasted eight hours, six minutes over the course of two days.
Transcendental Graphics // Getty Images
1930: Hack Wilsonβs 191 RBI
Updated
May 9, 2022
During Hack Wilsonβs RBI tear in 1930, he did not hit one grand slam . Still, Wilsonβs 191 runs batted in remain the best single-season mark in MLB history; Lou Gehrigβs 184 RBI the following year is the closest anyoneβs come to hacking Wilson off the top spot.
Chicago History Museum // Getty Images
1940: Chicago mauls Washington, 73-0
Updated
May 9, 2022
The 1940 Washington Redskins were riding high with a 9-2 record and earned the right to host the NFL Championship Game. Their opponent, the Chicago Bears, went 8-3, including a loss to the Redskins a few weeks earlier. In the rematch, the Bears recorded the biggest blowout in NFL history, stomping Washington, 73-0 .
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Bettmann // Getty Images
1941: Joe DiMaggioβs 56-game hitting streak
Updated
May 9, 2022
Joe DiMaggioβs box score for the New York Yankeesβ game on May 15, 1941, was nothing special: 1-for-4, 1 RBI . But that lone hit was the beginning of one of baseballβs most revered records, a 56-game hitting streak that stands today. Pete Rose came the closest to DiMaggioβs record, recording at least one hit in 44 consecutive games in 1978.
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1944: Red Barrettβs 58-pitch complete game
Updated
May 9, 2022
Today, baseball pitch counts heavily dictate a pitcherβs career longevity. In 1944, relief pitchers were an anomaly, and starters tossed well over 100 pitches per outing. Charley βRedβ Barrett only needed about half that many pitches when he took the mound on Aug. 10, as he threw a 58-pitch complete game , which remains the fewest number of pitches ever needed for a complete game.
Diamond Images // Getty Images
1950: Jim Hardy throws eight interceptions
Updated
May 9, 2022
The Chicago Cardinalsβ 1950 game against the Philadelphia Eagles was one to forget for Jim Hardy. The Cardinals quarterback threw eight interceptions in a 45-7 loss. Hardy bounced back, though, and was named to the Pro Bowl team at seasonβs end.
Collegiate Images // Getty Images
1957: Oklahoma football team wins 47 straight games
Updated
May 9, 2022
The Oklahoma Sooners were unbeatable on the gridiron for the better part of five seasons during the mid-1950s. Oklahoma, led by coach Bud Wilkinson, won 47 straight games . Notre Dame ended the streak in 1957. Toledoβs 35 wins in 1969-1971 have come the closest since that reign of Sooner dominance.
Bettmann // Getty Images
1962: The Big Oβs triple-doubles
Updated
May 9, 2022
In 1962, Oscar Robertson recorded 41 triple-doubles in a season, an NBA record that stood for 55 years until Russell Westbrook notched 42 in 2017. Robertson also averaged a triple-double for the season (30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists). Only eight other players have hit 41 or more triple-doubles through their entire NBA careers.
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Bettmann // Getty Images
1962: Wilt Chamberlain reaches the century mark
Updated
May 9, 2022
On March 2, 1962, Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a game for the Philadelphia Warriors. Chamberlain took 63 shots and made 28 of 32 free-throw attempts. The βtrack meetβ was a rare 300-point game, with the Warriors beating the New York Knicks, 169-147.
Bettmann // Getty Images
1967: The Ice Bowl
Updated
May 9, 2022
The kickoff temperature for the 1967 NFL Championship Game in Green Bay was minus-13 degrees. Later, the temperature dropped to minus-18, prompting the battle between the Packers and Dallas Cowboys to be dubbed βThe Ice Bowl. β The Packers went on to win what is believed to be the coldest game in NFL history.
Bruce Bennett // Getty Images
1969: Bill Russell earns his 11th ring
Updated
May 9, 2022
Bill Russell won his 11th championship as a player in 1969 but also served double duty. Since 1966, Russell had been coaching the Boston Celticsβhe was also the first Black coach in NBA history . Today, the NBA Finals MVP award is named after Russell; the honor was first given out in 1969 and won by Jerry West, whose Lakers lost to Russellβs Celtics.
Bettmann // Getty Images
1972: Miami Dolphins achieve perfection
Updated
May 9, 2022
The 1972 Miami Dolphins were coming off a Super Bowl loss to the Dallas Cowboys. To return to the big game, Miami reeled off 14 straight wins in the regular season and then swept through the playoffs, culminating with a 14-7 victory over the Washington Redskins in the Super Bowl. The 1972 Dolphins remain the only NFL team to achieve an undefeated season.
Ross Lewis // Getty Images
1973: Nolan Ryanβs 383 strikeouts
Updated
May 9, 2022
In 1973, young flamethrower Nolan Ryan took aim at Sandy Koufaxβs record of 382 strikeouts in a season. Ryan topped Koufax by one K during his last start of the year; Ryan pitched 11 innings and struck out 16 Minnesota Twins in that game.
Robert Riger // Getty Images
1976: Nadia Comaneci scores a perfect 10
Updated
May 9, 2022
At the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, a largely unknown 14-year-old gymnast from Romania became a worldwide phenomenon. Nadia Comaneci scored the first perfect 10 at the Olympics , then went on to duplicate 10s six more times en route to three gold medals. She later scored two more perfect 10s at the 1980 Moscow Games.
PA Images Archive // Getty Images
1977: Tampa Bayβs terrible start
Updated
May 9, 2022
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers began play in 1976 and lost their first 26 NFL games. The Bucs finally won by defeating the New Orleans Saints, 33-14 , in December 1977. During the 26-game losing streak, the Buccaneers were shut out 11 times, and the 26 losses were by an average of 16 points. The second-worst NFL losing streak belongs to the Detroit Lions, with 19 straight in 2007-2009, a team that also lost 12 straight through mid-November 2021.
Afro American Newspapers/Gado // Getty Images
1980: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar wins his sixth MVP
Updated
May 9, 2022
Kareem Abdul-Jabbarβs record-breaking sixth MVP season came as the writing on the wall signaled a new heir apparent. His rookie teammate Magic Johnson mesmerized crowds and stifled opponents with his magnificent play, and when Abdul-Jabbar went down with an injury in the 1980 NBA Finals, Johnson stepped in at center and won Finals MVP honors. Michael Jordan, with five, has come closest to matching Kareemβs six-pack of MVP trophies.
Focus on Sport // Getty Images
1983: Nolan Ryan becomes strikeout king
Updated
May 9, 2022
By the time Nolan Ryan finished his career, he led all pitchers in MLB history with 5,714 strikeouts . No one has come close ever since. Randy Johnson is second all-time with 4,875 Ks, while Reggie Jackson holds the records for the most times striking out at 2,597 . Ryan overtook the previous record with his 3,509th in 1983 and pitched for another decade.
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Ron Vesely // Getty Images
1984: Eric Dickerson runs for 2,105 yards
Updated
May 9, 2022
Eric Dickerson thought heβd break O.J. Simpsonβs single-season rushing record in the final game of the 1984 season. Instead, in the seasonβs penultimate game against the Houston Oilers, Dickerson jumped ahead of schedule to top Simpsonβs 2,003 yards one week early with a 215-yard game. The player to come closest to the LA Rams starβs record is Adrian Peterson, whose 2,097 yards in 2012 missed it by eight yards.
Rob Brown // Getty Images
1984: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar breaks NBA scoring mark
Updated
May 9, 2022
For over a decade, Wilt Chamberlain reigned supreme as the NBAβs all-time leading scorer. But on April 5, 1984, his Laker brethren Kareem Abdul-Jabbar surpassed his record of 31,419 points . Altogether, six players have overtaken Chamberlainβs record, led by Abdul-Jabbarβs record of 38,387 points, Karl Maloneβs 36,928 and LeBron Jamesβ 35,500-plus as of mid-November 2021.
Bettmann // Getty Images
1984: Richard Pettyβs 200 NASCAR wins
Updated
May 9, 2022
Richard Petty is known as The King of racing for good reason. On July 4, 1984, in his final triumph, Petty won his 200th NASCAR race at the Firecracker 400. Thatβs nearly double the number of wins by the career runner-up (and Pettyβs contemporary), David Pearson, with 105 wins. President Ronald Reagan was in attendance for the monumental victory and later had a meal of Kentucky Fried Chicken with Petty and other racers.
Robert Alexander // Getty Images
1985: Pete Rose becomes the hit king
Updated
May 9, 2022
In September 1985, Pete Rose surpassed Ty Cobb to become MLBβs all-time hit king. Inconsistent MLB records have led some to believe Rose topped Cobb on Sept. 8 , but Sept. 11 is widely regarded as the correct date. Either way, Rose finished his career with 4,256 hits, 65 more than Cobb and 485 more than third-best Hank Aaron.
Focus on Sport // Getty Images
1986: Mike Tyson, the prodigal heavyweight champ
Updated
May 9, 2022
Mike Tyson, at just 20 years old, became the youngest heavyweight champion when he knocked out Trevor Berbick in the second round of their November 1986 fight. Tyson threw more power punches (46) than Berbick threw in the whole fight (43). The oldest heavyweight champion? George Foreman at 46.
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CARLOS SCHIEBECK/AFP // Getty Images
1986: Wayne Gretzky wins his seventh Hart Trophy
Updated
May 9, 2022
Edmonton Oilers legend Wayne Gretzky won his seventh straight Hart Trophy (the NHLβs MVP award) for his 1986β1987 season. That gave him the most Harts, passing Gordie Howe. Gretzky finished his career with nine MVP awards . Only Howe (six) and 1930s star Eddie Shore (four) have won more than three.
Bruce Bennett Studios // Getty Images
1986: Wayne Gretzky scores 215 points in one season
Updated
May 9, 2022
During the 1985β86 NHL season, Wayne Gretzky amassed 215 points in 80 games , the most in NHL history. It was Gretzkyβs third straight season with 200 or more points (no other player has ever scored 200) and culminated in winning his seventh straight Hart Trophy (he won eight straight overall). Gretzkyβs 163 assists that season is also an NHL record.
Andrew D. Bernstein // Getty Images
1988: Orel Hershiserβs 59 consecutive scoreless innings
Updated
May 9, 2022
On Aug. 30, 1988, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Orel Hershiser pitched a complete game, ending with four-plus scoreless innings, to close out the win. Over his next six starts, he did not allow an earned run. In fact, no team scored a run against him in a regular-season game until the 1989 season. In all, Hershiser pitched 59 consecutive scoreless innings , the longest such streak in MLB history, to top Dodgers predecessor Don Drysdaleβs 58 straight in 1968.
Owen C. Shaw // Getty Images
1990: Derrick Thomas records seven sacks
Updated
May 9, 2022
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Dave Krieg did not have a good day at the office on Nov. 11, 1990. Kansas City Chiefs pass-rusher Derrick Thomas sent Krieg to the turf seven times that afternoon, a new NFL record for sacks in one game . There have only been four six-sack games, and Thomas has one of those too.
Focus on Sport // Getty Images
1991: Rickey Henderson steals Lou Brock's record
Updated
May 9, 2022
After Oakland Athletics star Rickey Henderson stole his 939th base on May 1, he lifted the bag from the ground and raised it above his head. Henderson would go on to steal 1,406 bases, which is still miles ahead of runner-up Lou Brockβs 938 stolen bags. But his record-breaking steal that day was amazingly overshadowed by another accomplishment later that night (see next item).
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Focus on Sport // Getty Images
1991: Nolan Ryan tosses his seventh no-hitter
Updated
May 9, 2022
Hendersonβs 939th stolen base looked to be the story of the day. But it happened during a day game in Oakland shortly before Nolan Ryan took the mound in Arlington for the Texas Rangers. Ryan ended up tossing his seventh career no-hitter, which still stands as the MLB record. Ryanβs sixth no-hitter came a year beforeβagainst Henderson and the Aβs. Sandy Koufax, the all-time runner-up in the category, βonlyβ pitched four no-hitters.
Ron Vesely // Getty Images
1993: Bullets teammates were tallest NBA tandem
Updated
May 9, 2022
In 1993, the Washington Bullets drafted Gheorghe Muresan , a 7-foot-7 center from Romania, who was tied as the tallest player in NBA history . Who was Muresan tied with? Teammate Manute Bol , a 7-foot-7 center from Sudanβalthough Bol played just two games for Washington that season.
Focus on Sport // Getty Images
1994: Kim Jong-ilβs alleged 38-under-par round
Updated
May 9, 2022
This oneβs for kicks, folks, and is hardly believable. But the story goes that in 1994, North Korean media reported that Kim Jong-il, the countryβs leader at the time, shot 38 under on a par-72. Kim was said to have made five holes in one during his first time playing golf, at a course in Pyongyang. If this wild tale highlights anything (other than the fact that disinformation is nothing new), it is how the existence of a cult of personality often dominates information in North Korea.
noboru hashimoto/Sygma via Getty Images
1994: Wayne Gretzky scores his 802nd NHL goal
Updated
May 9, 2022
Entering the 1994 season, Wayne Gretzky seemed destined to pass Gordie Howeβs NHL record of 801 goals. In the weeks leading up to Gretzkyβs 802nd goal, Howe spent a lot of time with βThe Great One.β After Gretzky lit the lamp for the 802nd time, a 15-minute ceremony stopped play to celebrate the new record, which he would later pad with 92 more goals. He and Howe are still the only NHL players to score more than 800 goals.
B Bennett // Getty Images
1995: Cal Ripken Jr.βs consecutive-game streak
Updated
May 9, 2022
Lou Gehrigβs streak of 2,130 consecutive games played stood as an MLB record for almost 60 years. But on Sept. 6, 1995 , Cal Ripken Jr. broke the record many thought was unbreakable. Ripken made his debut in 1981, and some attribute his longevity to helping revive baseball one year after a strike halted the sport.
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Doug Pensinger/Allsport // Getty Images
1995: John Stockton breaks Magic Johnsonβs assist mark
Updated
May 9, 2022
John Stocktonβs record-breaking 9,222nd assist came in familiar fashion, with a pass to Utah Jazz forward Karl Malone. Stockton and Malone played 18 seasons together, making two NBA Finals. After topping Magic Johnsonβs mark, Stockton received a video message from Magic, who called him βthe greatest team leader I have ever played against." Stockton went on to notch 15,806 assists, which now leads runner-up Jason Kiddβs 12,091.
Focus on Sport // Getty Images
1995: Pro wrestling in North Korea draws over 300,000
Updated
May 9, 2022
In 1995, U.S.-based wrestling promoter WCW and Japanese-based promoter New Japan Pro Wrestling staged a show in North Korea at Pyongyangβs May Day Stadium. The two-day event reportedly drew crowds of 150,000 and 190,000, making it the largest pro wrestling event in history. The event was partly a political ploy, as New Japanβs Antonio Inoki, who was also a politician, was looking to improve his public image among local voters .
JUNJI KUROKAWA/AFP // Getty Images
1996: Michael Jordan wins his fourth Finals MVP
Updated
May 9, 2022
Millions have relived Michael Jordanβs heyday watching ESPNβs βThe Last Dance β docuseries, now streaming on Netflix. Jordan won six NBA Finals MVP awards, but his fourth in 1996 gave him the most of any player. Magic Johnson, Shaquille OβNeal, Tim Duncan, and LeBron James are tied for second place with three apiece .
BRIAN BAHR // Getty Images
1997: Gordie Howeβs six decades of hockey history
Updated
May 9, 2022
Gordie Howe first broke into the professional ranks in 1945. His NHL career ended in 1980 with the Hartford Whalers, but in 1997, Howe signed a one-day deal with the Detroit Vipers of the International Hockey League at age 69. No other player has played professional hockey through as many decades.
Denis Brodeur/NHLI // Getty Images
2001: Barry Bondsβ 73 home runs
Updated
May 9, 2022
Barry Bonds broke the MLB record for home runs in a single season when he crushed 73 long balls in 2001 . Ever since, baseball fans have argued over the validity of the record because of the steroid allegations that trailed Bonds during his time in a San Francisco Giants uniform. No teams came forward to sign him after his 2007 release from the Giants even though he hit 28 homers that year.
Sporting News // Getty Images
2001: Seattle Mariners win 116 games
Updated
May 9, 2022
After going 116-46 during the 2001 regular season, the Seattle Mariners were clear favorites to win the World Series. Edgar Martinez, Ichiro Suzuki and John Olerud supplied the lumber, and manager Lou Piniella pulled the strings. But the Mariners could not overcome the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series and fell short of the World Series despite its 116 wins, which tied the 1906 Chicago Cubs (116-36) as MLBβs winningest team in history.
DAN LEVINE // Getty Images
2002: Brazil captures fifth World Cup
Updated
May 9, 2022
Brazilβs 2-0 win over Germany in the 2002 World Cup Final gave them their fifth championship , the most of any country. Italy and Germany are second with four winsβthough during Germanyβs 2014 championship run, they gained a modicum of revenge, crushing Brazil, 7-1. The 2002 World Cup also made history as the first one held in Asia and the first to be hosted by two countries (South Korea and Japan).
VANDERLEI ALMEIDA/AFP // Getty Images
2002: Cael Sandersonβs 159-0 record
Updated
May 9, 2022
No NCAA wrestler has had an amateur career like Cael Sandersonβs. The Iowa State star went a perfect 159-0 in college, and he was the second wrestler to win four NCAA titles. Oklahoma Stateβs Pat Smith accomplished the four-peat a decade earlier but lost five matches.
Joe Connell/NCAA Photos // Getty Images
2002: Mark Henry lifts Thomas Inch dumbbell
Updated
May 9, 2022
Before 2002, reportedly no one had lifted a βThomas Inchβ dumbbell off the floor clean with one hand. The Inch dumbbell is 172 pounds, with a handle approximately 2.5 inches in diameter. Mark Henry , a former powerlifter and professional wrestler, became the first to lift one, in front of a room full of strongmen and lifters at a private dinner.
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WWE Network
2004: Barry Bonds wins his seventh MVP crown
Updated
May 9, 2022
Barry Bonds won his seventh MVP award (and fourth straight) after the 2004 season, though many believe he was βjuicedβ during some of those Steroid Era years. Mike Trout and Albert Pujols are the only current players tied for second place with three MVPs, and just 31 players have won multiple MVP awards.
Jed Jacobsohn // Getty Images
2004: Barry Bondsβ 120 intentional walks
Updated
May 9, 2022
Barry Bondsβ 2004 season featured one of the best offensive outputs ever. Bonds was so lethal with the bat that he was intentionally walked 120 times (and 232 times overall), still nearly triple the number of the #2 and #3 players in the category (Willie McCoveyβs 45 and Albert Pujolβs 44). He had long been a feared hitter; in 1998, the Arizona Diamondbacks intentionally walked him with the bases loaded .
Jon Soohoo // Getty Images
2004: Eric Gagneβs consecutive saves streak
Updated
May 9, 2022
Early in his career, Eric Gagne was regarded mostly as a mediocre starter with a history of Tommy John surgery. After moving into the closerβs role for the Los Angeles Dodgers, however, Gagne became a revelation. From Aug. 28, 2002, until July 3, 2004, Gagne converted 84 consecutive save attempts . Later, perhaps explaining the dramatic turnaround, he revealed his usage of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) during his career.
Jon Soohoo // Getty Images
2004: Lance Armstrong wins sixth Tour de France
Updated
May 9, 2022
Four cyclists have five Tour de France victories, but there was a time when one man surpassed them all. In 2004, Lance Armstrong won his sixth straight Tour de France, but his titles (seven overall) would be scratched from the record books in 2012 , when Armstrong accepted a ban from the sport of cycling after evidence of doping was published in the press.
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Doug Pensinger // Getty Images
2004: Roger Clemens wins his seventh Cy Young
Updated
May 9, 2022
Roger Clemens retired in 2003 with six Cy Young awards. But Clemens changed his mind and returned in 2004, picking up his MLB-record seventh Cy Young with the Houston Astros. Randy Johnson is second all-time, with five Cy Young plaques. Unlike Clemens, however, Johnsonβs reputation has not been tarnished by evidence or allegations of steroid use.
YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP // Getty Images
2006: Alan Shearerβs 260 goals
Updated
May 9, 2022
Alan Shearer finished his English Premier League career with 260 goals, the most all-time. Shearer played in 441 games over 14 seasons and tops Wayne Rooney, in a distant second, by 52 goals.
Owen Humphreys/PA Images // Getty Images
2006: LaDainian Tomlinson rushes for 28 TDs
Updated
May 9, 2022
LaDainian Tomlinson put up video game numbers in 2006. Aside from rushing for a record 28 touchdowns (and scoring 31 overall), LT was responsible for 186 points, breaking a 46-year record held by Paul Hornung. From Games 7 to 15, Tomlinson ran for 100 or more yards and two touchdowns or more in all but one game.
Sporting News // Getty Images
2007: Adrian Peterson runs for 296 yards
Updated
May 9, 2022
On Nov. 4, 2007, in a 35-17 Minnesota Vikings win over the Chargers, Adrian Peterson broke the NFL record for rushing yards in a game. Peterson tallied 296 yards but only had 43 in the first half. Peterson topped the 295 yards gained by Jamal Lewis in 2003.
Rob Tringali/Sportschrome // Getty Images
2007: Barry Bonds surpasses Hank Aaron
Updated
May 9, 2022
Six years after breaking Mark McGwireβs single-season home run record, Barry Bonds etched his name atop another list. With his 756th career homer, Bonds passed Hank Aaron for most ever by an MLB player. Aaron was mostly quiet as Bonds, hounded by steroid allegations, neared his record, but he videotaped a congratulatory message that was aired the night Bonds hit 756.
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2008: Danica Patrick wins Indy Japan 300
Updated
May 9, 2022
Danica Patrick made her IndyCar debut in 2005 and won her firstβand onlyβrace at the 2008 Indy Japan 300 . The race was Patrickβs 50th IndyCar start, and she finished almost six seconds ahead of second-place finisher Helio Castroneves. No other woman has won an IndyCar race since.
Jonathan Ferrey // Getty Images
2008: Michael Phelps tops Mark Spitz
Updated
May 9, 2022
At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Michael Phelps won his record eighth gold medal in the 4x100-meter medley relay. Mark Spitzβs seven-gold-medal performance at the 1972 Olympics was the previous high mark. Phelpsβ career total of 28 Olympic medals makes him tops all-time in any Olympic sport.
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2009: Chris Ridgway enters Summer X Games history
Updated
May 9, 2022
At the 2009 Summer X Games, Chris Ridgway became the first amputee to win gold. Ridgway won the adaptive Moto X class event in its first official year; previously, adaptive Moto X was a demo event , which Ridgway won in 2008. In 2002, Ridgway had his left leg amputated below the knee after a motocross crash several years earlier.
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2009: Usain Bolt runs 100m in 9.58 seconds
Updated
May 9, 2022
In less time than it takes to reheat chicken, Usain Bolt broke his own world record at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin. The six-foot-five sprinterβs 9.58-second 100-meter run required only 41 steps. Five days later during the Worlds, Bolt also broke the 200m world record in a stunning 19.19. Both times are still world records.
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2010: Brett Favreβs 297 consecutive starts
Updated
May 9, 2022
While not as high as Cal Ripkenβs 2,632-game iron-man streak, Brett Favreβs record of 297 consecutive starts is not too shabby (the NFL only plays 16 games per season, too). Favreβs streak spanned 19 seasons (two more than Ripken) and included several broken bones, but a damaged shoulder forced him to sit out a 2010 game against the New York Giants. After Favre missed the game, his website sold commemorative footballs honoring the streak.
Jonathan Daniel // Getty Images
2012: 234 climbers reach summit of Mount Everest
Updated
May 9, 2022
The first person to climb Mount Everest achieved the feat in 1953. On May 19, 2012, 234 climbers reached the peak, a new record for most in a day. Nearly 6,000 climbers have reached the top of Mount Everest to date.
David Cheskin/PA Images // Getty Images
2012: North Carolinaβs 21 NCAA soccer titles
Updated
May 9, 2022
Since the NCAA womenβs soccer tournament was first held in 1982, the North Carolina Tar Heels have won a record 21 titles , led by players like Mia Hamm and Cindy Parlow, and coached the entire time by Anson Dorrance. North Carolina won 12 of the first 13 titles, only dropping the 1985 title game, 2-0, to George Mason. They have not, however, won any titles since 2012.
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2012: Sam Grothβs 163-mph serve
Updated
May 9, 2022
Aussie Sam Groth, then ranked 340th in the world, became #1 in one regard in 2012. Groth served one point at 163 mph in a South Korea match, the fastest recorded serve in an ATP event. The previous record was around 156 mph by Ivo Karlovic.
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2021: Justin Tuckerβs 66-yard field goal
Updated
May 9, 2022
Broncos kicker Matt Prater set the NFL field goal record of 64 yards in 2013, though it was in the thin air of Denver (along with two previous 63-yarders). But on September 26, 2021, Justin Tucker of the Baltimore Ravens airmailed the ball a record 66 yards in sea-level Detroit, simultaneously crushing the record, winning the game as time expired and seeing it bounce over the crossbar. His 90.8 completion percentage (as of Nov. 2021) is also best all-time.
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2013: Peyton Manning throws 55 touchdowns
Updated
May 9, 2022
In 2011, some thought Peyton Manningβs career was over after he missed the entire NFL season due to neck surgery . But two years later, he threw 55 touchdown passes, crushing Tom Bradyβs single-season record of 50 (which beat Manningβs previous record of 49 in 2004). Manning won the MVP award that year but lost the Super Bowl to the Seattle Seahawks.
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2013: The Undertakerβs WrestleMania streak
Updated
May 9, 2022
Results in professional wrestling are predetermined, but one streak earned respect from fans and athletes alike. WWEβs The Undertaker won 21 consecutive matches at Wrestlemaniaβthe sportβs βSuper Bowlββand put his streak on the line at Wrestlemania XXX against MMA star Brock Lesnar. Some betting sites had The Undertaker as a huge favorite, but Lesnar shockingly pinned The Undertaker, giving him his first loss at WrestleMania.
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2014: Canadaβs golden womenβs hockey trio
Updated
May 9, 2022
Jayna Hefford , Hayley Wickenheiser and Caroline Ouellette won four consecutive Olympic gold medals (2002 to 2014) for Canada, the most by any players in Olympic hockey history. In 2018 and 2019, Hefford and Wickenheiser were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and Ouellette might not be far behind.
Bruce Bennett // Getty Images
2014: LA Galaxy win fifth MLS Cup
Updated
May 9, 2022
The 2014 MLS Cup was a battle of league originals, and the LA Galaxy came out on top, defeating the New England Revolution, 2-1.. The win gave the Galaxy a record five MLS Cups , while the Revolution fell to 0-5 all-time in the Cup finalβthree of those losses handed to them by the Galaxy.
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2015: Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather shatter records
Updated
May 9, 2022
Fight fans waited years for Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather to face off in the ring, and their 2015 βFight of the Centuryβ drew in about 4.6 million pay-per-view buys , the most in boxing history. Mayweather, who won the bout by decision, earned about $250 million, while Pacquiao earned somewhere in the neighborhood of $150 million. Those made it the richest-ever fight in history.
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2015: Most-watched Super Bowl ever
Updated
May 9, 2022
Pete Carroll might not be too happy about this one. A record 114.4 million viewers watched Super Bowl XLIX on NBC, featuring the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots. The dramatic game all but ended when Carroll called a pass play instead of a run near the goal line, and Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson was intercepted, deflating a last-second comeback bid.
Focus on Sport // Getty Images
2016: Crushing 77 cans with an elbow in 1 minute
Updated
May 9, 2022
If thereβs one record on this list that you could maybe take a run at while at home, it might be this one. In 2016, Muhammad Rashid crushed 77 full drink cans in one minute with his elbow, setting a new world record. Then again, Rashid founded the Pakistan Academy of Martial Arts, so thereβs probably no chance of a regular Joe coming close to his mark.
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2016: Deng Wei adds to her world records
Updated
May 9, 2022
Chinaβs Deng Wei executed a 147-kilogram (more than 324 pounds) clean and jerk in the 63-kilogram (139-pound) category, setting a new world record at the 2016 Summer Olympics. Wei also holds several other world records and has won five World Championship titles.
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2016: Eva Clarkeβs 3,737 pull-ups
Updated
May 9, 2022
Australian Eva Clarke holds the world record for most pull-ups in a 24-hour period. In an effort to raise funds for the Task Brazil charity, Clarke did 3,737 pull-ups on March 10, 2016. She also set another world record that same day by completing 725 pull-ups in one hour . Try that at the local schoolyard!
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2016: Geno Auriemma overtakes John Wooden
Updated
May 9, 2022
By winning the 2016 NCAA womenβs tournament, University of Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma hoisted his 11th championship trophy , the most by a Division I basketball coach. Auriemma won all 11 with the UConn Huskies, coaching stars like Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore and Tina Charles. Auriemmaβs title stash bested the 10 won by former UCLA menβs basketball coach John Wooden.
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2016: Golden State wins 73 games
Updated
May 9, 2022
The Golden State Warriors broke the 1995β96 Chicago Bullsβ record of 72 wins by going 73-9 . Steve Kerr, coach of the Warriors, was a guard on that Bulls team; however, unlike Chicago, Golden State did not win the NBA title, falling to the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James after leading the Finals, 3-1.
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2016: Ichiroβs 4,257 hits
Updated
May 9, 2022
In 2016, Ichiro Suzuki reached 4,257 hits between his pro careers in Japan and MLB. That was enough to top Pete Roseβs career total in the majors and had some arguing that Ichiroβs achievement was equally or even more impressive . Whether or not he deserves the crown as the true hit king, Ichiroβs achievement is one to marvel at.
Rich Schultz // Getty Images
2016: Max Verstappen races into Formula One history
Updated
May 9, 2022
Max Verstappen became the youngest driver to win a Formula One Championship race at age 18 (and 228 days). The teenage speed racer took the Spanish Grand Prix in May 2016 and also became the first Dutch racer to win an F1 Championship race.
Alex Caparros // Getty Images
2017: Diana Taurasi passes Tina Thompson
Updated
May 9, 2022
Diana Taurasi became the WNBAβs all-time leading scorer in her 13th season , passing Houston Comets great Tina Thompson, who set the former mark of 7,488 points over 17 seasons. Taurasiβs achievement is especially impressive because she spent many offseasons playing abroad , taxing her body year-round. Since then, she has seemingly put the record out of reach with 9,174 career points after the 2021 season.
Tim Clayton/Corbis // Getty Images
2017: Sean McVay becomes NFLβs youngest coach
Updated
May 9, 2022
Sean McVay became the NFLβs youngest head coach in 2017 when he was tapped to lead the Los Angeles Rams at age 30. In his second season, McVay led the Rams to a Super Bowl appearance. Lane Kiffin , who began coaching the Oakland Raiders in 2007, is the second-youngest to coach a team at 31 years, eight months.
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2017: Serena Williams sets several records in Australia
Updated
May 9, 2022
The biggest news regarding Serena Williamsβ 2017 Australian Open victory was that it gave her 23 Grand Slam titles , which broke a tie with Steffi Graf for the most in the Open era . But Williams, then 35, also set other Open-era records that week by becoming the oldest woman to win a Grand Slam and capturing her fifth Australian Open (most of any player, ahead of Roger Federerβs four).
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2017: Sorry, Atlanta: 28-3
Updated
May 9, 2022
The biggest comeback in Super Bowl history occurred on Feb. 5, 2017. The Atlanta Falcons held a 28-3 lead over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI but then allowed 31 unanswered points and lost the game. Even Patriots fans thought the game was over: Mark Wahlberg was seen leaving the Super Bowl early with his hometown team getting thrashed.
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2017: UConn women win 91 straight games
Updated
May 9, 2022
The UConn Huskies womenβs basketball team owns a plethora of college basketball records. In 2017, they extended a winning streak to 91 games , the most in NCAA history. UConn broke the previous record of 90, which was set by earlier Huskies teams, and in all, won 111 straight games before a loss in the 2017 NCAA Tournament.
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2018: Joey Chestnut gobbles 74 hot dogs
Updated
May 9, 2022
The annual Nathanβs Hot Dog Eating Contest has become a widely viewed event every Fourth of July. The sometimes gross contest has seen some astounding records, too. In 2018, Joey Chestnut set a new world record, eating 74 hot dogs in 10 minutes βdevouring his previous record of 72.
Steven Ferdman/WireImage // Getty Images
2018: Lindsey Vonnβs 82 World Cup victories
Updated
May 9, 2022
In 2018, Lindsey Vonn won her 82nd World Cup race , a womenβs skiing record. Vonn is ranked as the greatest womenβs skier in history, but oddly won only one Olympic gold medal, the downhill, in 2010.
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2018: Marit BjΓΈrgenβs 15 Winter Olympic medals
Updated
May 9, 2022
Marit BjΓΈrgen won her 15th Olympic medal at the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and retired as the most decorated Winter Olympian ever. The Norwegian cross-country skier first medaled at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City but didnβt win Olympic gold until 2010.
Tim Clayton/Corbis // Getty Images
2019: Coach K becomes all-time winningest coach
Updated
May 9, 2022
Harry Statham was a big name at a small university, McKendree, leading its NAIA basketball team to 1,122 wins, the most in NCAA history. However, Statham was bumped when Mike Krzyzewski won his 1,123rd game in 2019. Krzyzewski coached Army for five years, beginning in 1975, before his current gig with Duke, highlighted by five NCAA titles. He plans to retire after the 2021-22 season, so he wonβt threaten Stathamβs record of 1,635 games coached .
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2019: Eliud Kipchoge breaks the two-hour marathon mark
Updated
May 9, 2022
Breaking the two-hour marathon barrier has been the holy grail of runners for decades. In late 2019, Eliud Kipchoge finally did it on a course in Vienna, completing 26.2 miles in 1:59:40 . The time is not recognized as a world record, however, because he was aided by the use of professional pacesetters. But Kipchoge still owns the recognized world record of 2:01:39 (4:38 per mile) and has won the last two Olympic marathons.
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2019: Joe Burrow sets college TD mark
Updated
May 9, 2022
LSUβs Joe Burrow broke the NCAAβs single-season passing touchdown record with a four-yard pass to Thaddeus Moss in the 2020 National Championship Game. Burrow finished his final season at LSU with a Heisman Trophy and 60 touchdowns passes, two more than Hawaiiβs Colt Brennan (58) in 2006. Burrow is now contracted to be the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback through 2025.
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2019: Mariano Rivera earns unanimous election
Updated
May 9, 2022
Before 2019, none of the hundreds of members of the Baseball Hall of Fame entered the hallowed halls by unanimous voteβnot even Jackie Robinson or Hank Aaron or Randy Johnson. That summer, though, Mariano Rivera became the first to appear on 100% of baseball writersβ ballots, thanks to a career in which he became the majorsβ all-time leader in saves.
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2019: Mike Troutβs $430 million contract
Updated
May 9, 2022
In March 2019, Mike Trout signed baseballβs biggest contract ever, a 12-year, $430 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels. Just one month earlier, Bryce Harper had signed a 13-year, $330 million contract, which at that point was the biggest ever. Trout went on to win the American League MVP award that year for the third time.
Jason Miller // Getty Images
2019: Simone Biles flips world record
Updated
May 9, 2022
In 2019, Simone Biles won her 25th World Artistic Gymnastics medal, surpassing Vitaly Scherboβs old record of 23. She also became the first gymnast to execute a double-double beam dismount and the first female to accomplish a triple-double in a gymnastics competition. In all, the gymnastics GOAT has six world records .
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2019: U.S. wins fourth World Cup
Updated
May 9, 2022
The United States womenβs national soccer team captured their fourth World Cup title in 2019, the most in womenβs soccer. The first tournament was held in 1991, and Germany is the only other winner of at least two titles. The Womenβs World Cup was skipped in 2021 but will resume in Australia/New Zealand in 2023.
Molly Darlington/AMA // Getty Images
2019: UFCβs 5-second KO
Updated
May 9, 2022
At UFC 239, Jorge Masvidal knocked out Ben Askren in five seconds , the fastest KO in UFC history. Masvidal won the bout with a knee, followed by a series of punches to his defenseless opponent. The American welterweight really won in about two seconds, but it took five seconds for the referee to call the match.
Sean M. Haffey // Getty Images
2020: Aaron Gordonβs perfectly imperfect dunks
Updated
May 9, 2022
Aaron Gordon scored perfect 50s on his first five dunks at the 2020 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, giving him a total of eight all-time, the most in NBA dunk contest history. However, Gordon lost the 2020 contest in a judged dunk-off, which many NBA fans blamed on judge Dwyane Wade , a former teammate of winner Derrick Jones Jr.
Ivan Shum/Clicks Images // Getty Images
2020: Patrick Mahomes becomes a half-billion-dollar man
Updated
May 9, 2022
The $503 million, 12-year contract the Kansas City Chiefs awarded Patrick Mahomes was jaw-dropping even by professional sports standards. Only soccer star Lionel Messi earns more; baseball star Mike Troutβs $426 million (also for 12 years) comes in third. The contract awards the superstar quarterback that amount through 2031, when he will be 36, and doesnβt include the fortune he is earning through endorsements.
Mark Brown // Getty Images
2020: Christine Sinclairβs 188 goals
Updated
May 9, 2022
Canadian soccer captain Christine Sinclair holds the record for most international goals with 188. Sinclair passed American star Abby Wambach and may have her sights on 200. βWhen I get tired of scoring, thatβs when Iβll stop playing,β Sinclair told reporters after netting #186.
Brad Smith/ISI Photos // Getty Images
2020: Super Mario Bros. speedrun record
Updated
May 9, 2022
Gaming is steadily gaining recognition in the sports world. In 2020, gamer Kosmic set a new fastest time in beating Super Mario Bros., posting a mark of 4:55.64. More than 1 million viewers have watched that speedrun on YouTube , and speedruns in other classic games make up one of the most popular genres of competitive gaming.
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2021: Tom Brady gets fitted for a seventh ring
Updated
May 9, 2022
Tom Brady had already played on the most winning Super Bowl teams when he took the field for Super Bowl LV. By crushing the Kansas City Chiefs, 31-9 , in Tampa on February 7, 2021, he earned his seventh ring. That one was different because the longtime Patriot won it for his new team, the Tampa Bay Bucs, and he did it with a torn MCL. The ageless GOAT will have to be fitted for thumb rings if he wins two more.
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Patrick Smith // Getty Images
2021: Novak Djokovic catches Roger and Rafael
Updated
May 9, 2022
By taking his sixth Wimbledon title on July 11, 2021, Novak Djokovic pulled into a three-way tie with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal by winning his 20th Grand Slam title , the most all-time for men. By the time theyβve all retired, the Swiss and Spanish tennis stars will probably yield to the Serb in the title race because, at 34, Djokovic is six years younger than Federer and is still on top, winning three of the four 2021 Grand Slam titles.
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