Greatest Moments in Chicago History

SI Staff | Sep 28, 2010

Greatest Moments in Chicago History /

Greatest Moments in Chicago History

Bobby Hull breaks 50-goal barrier

The top sports moments to happen within the city itself, including neutral-site matchups such as college bowl games, super bowls, NCAA Tournaments, etc. On March 12, 1966, Blackhawks star Bobby Hull rocketed a 40-foot slapshot past Rangers goalie Cesare Maniago to tie the score at 2. That blast made Hull the first player in NHL history to score more than 50 goals in one season. His 51st on net moved him past Maurice "Rocket" Richard and Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion. Hull finished the season with 54 goals.

Walter Payton breaks all-time rushing record

Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton passed Jim Brown (12,312 yards) as the all-time rushing leader in the third quarter of the Bears' 20-7 victory over New Orleans in October 1984. Payton took a pitchout from quarterback Jim McMahon and dashed into the record books with a 6-yard run. As soon as the play was over, cameramen and photographers rushed onto the field to capture Payton exchanging high-fives with teammates. Payton finished the game with 154 yards, his record-setting 59th career 100-yard game.

1932 World Series Game 3

Some call it fantasy, some call it legend. Others call it reality. Did Babe Ruth call his shot in the fifth inning of Game 3 of the 1932 World Series? The Babe's ambiguous gesture toward center field before he clobbered a towering home run into the Wrigley Field bleachers is the stuff of baseball mythology. Ruth's blast landed at least 440 feet from home plate, with some estimates as high as 490 feet. The homer was his second of the game, and led the Yanks to a 7-5 win over the Cubs.

1992 NBA Finals Game 1

Michael Jordan put on a remarkable show in the first half, scoring an NBA Finals-record 35 points. After his sixth 3-pointer, Jordan jogged back down the court, turned to the broadcast table, and shrugged. With his palms up and a wry grin on his face, even Jordan could only chuckle at the performance for the ages. The Bulls won the game and went on to take the NBA title in six games.

1991 NBA Finals Game 2

The Bulls' 107-86 Game 2 win over the Lakers in the 1991 NBA Finals was relatively ordinary. That is except for one memorable play in which Michael Jordan caught the ball at the top of the key, drove the lane and leaped toward the right side of the rim, palming the ball with his arm outstretched. But at the last instant, sensing resistance from Lakers center Sam Perkins, Jordan switched hands and went lefty on the other side of the glass with astonishing ease in what would go down in history as "The Move."

DeWayne Wise's saves Mark Buerhle's perfect game

White Sox lefty Mark Buerhle got some help from DeWayne Wise, who was inserted as a defensive replacement in center field in the ninth inning. Wise robbed Tampa Bay's Gabe Kapler of a home run with a ridiculous juggling catch at the left-center field wall, preserving Buerhle's perfecto as all of Chicago held its breath. The words "The Catch" were later imprinted on the outfield fence where Wise made the play.

2005 World Series Game 2

In the bottom of the ninth, Astros closer Brad Lidge faced outfielder Scott Podsednik, who had not hit a home run during the regular season. Podsednik hit a 2-1 fastball for a walk-off homer (just the 14th in World Series history) to give the Sox a 2-0 series lead. Chicago rode the momentum to the franchise's first World Championship since 1917.

Rocky Marciano knocks out Jersey Joe Walcott

Rocky Marciano retired undefeated, but didn't win the world heavyweight title until 1952, when he knocked out Jersey Joe Walcott in the 13th round of a dogfight in Philadelphia. A year later, the two squared off in Chicago, with Marciano looking to defend his heavyweight title, the first of six title defense fights. He didn't need long as he knocked out Walcott just 2:25 into the first round on May 15, 1953.

Ernie Banks' 500th home run

Twice voted NL MVP, 11 times an All-Star, Ernie Banks is known to Chicago baseball fans simply as "Mr. Cub." Banks joined the 500 home-run club on May 12, 1970 at Wrigley Field off Pat Jarvis of the Atlanta Braves. Banks finished his career with 512 home runs (No. 21 all-time), and his No. 14 jersey was retired by the Cubs in 1982.

Sammy Sosa hits Nos. 61 and 62

The summer of 1998 was one of the most exciting baseball has seen in the last few decades, with both Mark McGwire of St. Louis and Sammy Sosa of Chicago chasing history's long-standing single season home run record. The two hitters went back and forth into September, seemingly trading homers every game. Five days after McGwire hit a new record with 62, Sammy Sosa blasted Nos. 61 and 62 on a Sunday afternoon at Wrigley against the Brewers to pass Roger Maris and tie McGwire. Send comments to siwriters@simail.com.

Published Sep 28, 2010

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