Scott Harper Gets His Fifteen Minutes Of Fame

 On August 9, 2005, in the 8th inning of a Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees game, 18 year-old Scott Harper got his fifteen minutes fame. 

Much like Patrick Lawler, a man who received notoriety because he didn't know he had a nail in his skull for four months, Scott Harper will not be remembered as "Scott Harper." He'll be remembered as the guy who dove 40 feet off the upper deck of Yankee Stadium and lived to tell about it.
Harper's fall ended when he crashed into the safety net behind home plate. The local YES telecast rattled as the net vibrated the camera line. The game temporarily came to a stop; everyone in the stadium watched as the kid, who was visibly shaken up, began to climb up the net towards the middle section of Yankee Stadium. Harper received a thunderous ovation from the crowd when he reached the seating area and was forcefully pulled away by security.

Harper left the stadium in a stretcher and was taken to a local hospital. When he was released the next day, Scott got a knock on his door from the police. Harper pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment and received three years of probation. Even worse, he was permanently banned from all future New York Yankee home games.

Scott told the police that he wanted to test if the net could hold him and that he was pretty drunk at the time. "It was just like a stupid dare," said one of the friends who went to the game with him. ESPN decided not to air the clip of him falling when they learned it was intentional. Yankees owner George Steinbrenner called the stunt, "the only exciting thing that happened today," noting that the Yankees lost the game, 2-1.
Harper's plunge was not the first time a fan had jumped onto the safety net; Stephen Laurenzi had pulled the same stunt back in 2000.

Three weeks after his dive, Harper was pulled over for speeding in a residential area. He was again arrested, this time for the possession of marijuana. And that was the last of his fifteen minutes of fame.

Boston Red Sox Legend Carlton Fisk Ties MLB Record

On Aug. 8, 1990, Boston Red Sox legend Carlton Fisk ties Johnny Bench for hitting the home most home runs by a catcher with home run number 327, albeit with the Chicago White Sox.

Fisk would go on to pass Bench for home runs hit by a catcher, finishing his career with 351 home runs in line up as a catcher, and with 376 total. However he would not pass the total amount of home runs Bench hit, 389; he would also be passed by Mike Piazza who hit 396 as a catcher and 427 in his career.

Fisk was known by the nickname "Pudge" due to his six foot two inch, 220 lb. frame, was the first player to be unanimously voted American League Rookie of the Year, in 1972.

Fisk is best known for "waving fair" his game-winning home run in the twelfth inning of Game 6 of the 1975 World Series.

Fisk held the record for most games played at the position of catcher with 2,226 games behind the plate, until June 17, 2009 when he was surpassed by another "Pudge", Iván Rodríguez.

Fisk still holds the American League record for most years served behind the plate with 24 seasons under his belt. As well several other records including being the oldest catcher in Major League history to hit 20 home runs in 1987. Being the oldest player to record a hit in an All-Star game in 1991. Holding the record for most home runs hit after the age of 40, 72.

Fisk is one of only seven players in history who have caught more than 150 games in a season multiple times (Jim Sundberg, Randy Hundley, Ted Simmons, Frankie Hayes and Gary Carter).

Fisk is one of only sixteen catchers elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Among those, Fisk has the most hits with 2,356, and runs scored with 1,276.

Over his 24-year career Fisk totaled 11 All-Star appearances, including three consecutive appearances from 1972-1974, 1976-1978 and 1980-1982. He would earn three Silver Slugger Awards in 1981, 1985 and 1988. He was a Gold Glove Winner in 1972.

Fisk finished his career with a .269 batting average with 2,356 hits with 421 doubles, 47 triples, and 375 home runs. He has 849 walks to go along with 1,330 RBIs and 1,276 runs scored. He struck out 1,386 times.

Seven times over his career Fisk was in the MVP conversation, and four times was in the top 10 in voting.

The Chicago White Sox retired his no. 72 jersey in 1997.

The Boston Red Sox retired his no. 27 jersey in September of 2000.

Also in 2000 Fisk was inducted into Cooperstown Major League Baseball Hall of Fame with 79.6 percent of the vote.

Nolan Ryan And Dave Winfield Scuffle

On Aug 4, 1993, Nolan Ryan gets into an altercation with Dave Winfield.

Ryan was one of the most intimidating pitchers of his time. He was the only man to strike out 5,000 batters and was synonymous for his wicked fastball and propensity to pitch inside. 

But in 1980, he was involved in an altercation with Dave Winfield after beaming him with a fastball. Winfield, a notorious seagull murderer, rushed the mound to take a few swings at Ryan, who protectively huddled on the ground to shield his pitching arm. 

The reaction Ryan received was poor and he vowed to do better the next time he got in a fight.

He didn't get a chance to redeem himself until August 4, 1993, when a young Robin Ventura charged the mound in the third inning.

By then Ryan was 46 years old and pitching in his final season. When he nailed Ventura in the ribs, the 26-year old third baseman blitzed the Hall of Fame pitcher. "I decided I was going to be the aggressor," Ryan said. "I wasn't going to just take it." Nolan was more than prepared and wrapped him in a head lock, landing six blows to the top of Robin's head as the benches cleared. Both Ventura and White Sox manager Gene Lamont were ejected, while Ryan, who barely moved off the pitcher's mound, stayed in the game. He then retired twelve of the next thirteen batters and earned his 322nd career win.

"It's no secret that he was throwing at me, and I have to do what I have to do to protect myself and I don't care who it is," Ventura said after the game. "I'm all right. He gave me a couple of noogies, but that was about it."

Ventura went on to have a terrific career in the big leagues, good enough to make it on the Hall of Fame ballot in 2010. He finished with 18 career grand slams, the third most in history, and six Gold Gloves. Yet he could never surpass the lasting image of his career: getting worked by 46 year-old Nolan Ryan.

Chicago White Sox Mark Buehrle Tosses Perfect Game

On July 23, 2009, Mark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox becomes just the eighteenth pitcher to throw a perfect game in Major League Baseball history, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 5-0.

Buehrle would join Lee Richmond, Monte Ward, Cy Young, Addie Joss, Charlie Robertson, Don Larsen, Jim Bunning, Sandy Koufax, Catfish Hunter, Len Barker, Mike Witt, Dennis Martinez, Kenny Rogers, David Wells, David Cone, and Randy Johnson as pitchers to have thrown a perfect game in the Major Leagues.

Since Buehrle threw the perfect game five more pitchers including

Dallas Braden, Roy Halladay, Phillip Humber, Matt Cain and Felix Hernandez have achieved it.

The shortest span of time between perfect games throw was just five days between Richmond’s perfect game on June 12, 1880 and Ward’s perfect game on June 17, 1880. The longest span between perfect games is just under 24 years, between Ward’s perfect game on June 17, 1880 and Young’s perfect game on May 5, 1904.

The American League has seen 14 prefect games while the National League only nine times.

No single player has ever thrown more than one perfect game.

The most perfect games comes from the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees who have had three perfect games pitched each. However, only two of the Yankees perfect games came in the regular season, with Larsen’s perfect game coming in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers, meaning the Chicago White Sox have more regular season perfect games.

Larsen’s perfect game in the World Series was the first and last time a perfect game has been thrown in the playoffs, let alone the World Series.

The team with the most perfect games pitched against them is the Tampa Bay Rays, with three. All of them coming since 2009 with Chicago White Sox Buehrle, Oakland Athletics Braden, and Seattle Mariners Hernandez all doing the feat against the Rays.

2012 saw the most perfect games in a single season as Cain, Hernandez and Humber all pitched perfect games in one season, the most since 2010 when Braden and Halladay both pitched perfect games.

As of Monday, July 22, Buehrle is now pitching for the Toronto Blue Jays and has a 5-7 record in 20 starts with a 4.83 ERA in 123 innings pitched with 82 strikeouts and 33 walks.

So far in Buehrle’s career he has been an All-Star four times, including back-to-back appearances in 2005 and 2006. He was a Gold Glove winner four times, including four consecutive times from 2009-2012.

He was also fifth in Cy Young voting in 2005, when he has a 16-8 record in 33 starts with a 3.12 ERA with 149 strikeouts and just 40 walks.

Buehrle’s career numbers over 15 seasons are 196 wins and 148 losses in 474 games, 449 starts, with 29 complete games, nince shutouts and one perfect game. He has a total of 1,738 strikeouts compared to just 690 walks in 3,015 innings pitched.

Twice Buehrle has led the league in innings pitched, in 2004 and 2005 when he pitched 245.1 innings and 236.2 innings respectively.

His best year for wins was 2002 when he won 19 games and lost just 12 in 34 starts, that year he had five complete games with two shutouts.

Check out the video below of the final three outs from Buehrle's perfect game:

Disco Demolition Night At Comiskey Park

On July 12, 1979, a double header at Comiskey Park took place, which has since been called Disco Demolition Night. The White Sox had to forfeit the second game as fans ran all over the field during Disco Demolition Night.

Thursday, July 12, 1979, at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois, during which a crate filled with disco records was blown up on the field. It was held during night half of the Chicago White Sox and the Detroit Tigers double header.

During the climax of the event, rowdy fans surged onto the field, and a near riot ensued. It would ultimately prove to be one of the most notable promotional ideas and one of the most infamous since "Ten Cent Beer Night" in Cleveland in 1974.

Although White Sox owner Bill Veeck took much of the public heat for the fiasco, it was known among baseball people that his son Mike was the actual front office "brains" behind it. As a result, Mike was blacklisted from Major League Baseball for a long time after his father retired.

To this day, the second game of this doubleheader is still the last game forfeited in the American League. The last game to end in this manner in the National League was on August 10, 1995, when a baseball giveaway promotion went awry and resulted in the Los Angeles Dodgers forfeiture.

 Check out the video below of ESPN's coverage of Disco Demolition Night:

Major League Baseball Hosts First All-Star Game

On July 6, 1933, Major League Baseball (MLB) hosts its first ever All-Star Baseball Game. The American League wins 4-2 at Comiskey Park, the home of the Chicago White Sox.

The All-Star game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball exhibition game between players from the National League and the American League.

Currently selected by the fans are the starting fielders, while each teams head manager decides the pitchers, managers and players for reserves.

The game usually occurs on the second Tuesday in July and marks the symbolic halfway point in the Major League Baseball season (though not the mathematical halfway point; in most seasons, that actually takes place one week earlier). The league goes into an All-Star break, with no regular-season games scheduled on the day before or the day after. From 1959 to 1962, two all-star games were held each season, but this format was abandoned.

Unlike all star games in other sports, the baseball players usually wear their own team uniforms, with the home team dawning a white uniform and the road team dawning a grey uniform.

The first All-Star Game was held as part of the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago, Illinois, at Comiskey Park and was the brainchild of Arch Ward, then sports editor for the Chicago Tribune. Initially intended to be a one-time event, its great success resulted in making the game an annual one.

Ward's contribution was recognized by Major League Baseball in 1962 with the creation of the "Arch Ward Trophy", given to the All-Star Game's most valuable player each year.

The game's venue traditionally alternates between the two leagues every year. This tradition has been broken twice.

The first time was in 1951, when the American League's Detroit Tigers hosted the annual game as part of the city's two hundred and fiftieth birthday.

A ticket to the MLB's first All-Star Game.

It was broken again in 2007, when the National League's San Francisco Giants were the host for the 2007 All-Star Game. That scheduling set it up so the 2008 game could be held in the American League stadium for the scheduled final season at Yankee Stadium in New York.

As of 2009, an American League stadium is scheduled to host the all-star game in even-numbered years and a National League stadium in odd-numbered years.

The "home team" is the league in which the host franchise plays its games.

The criteria for choosing the venue are subjective; for the most part, cities with new parks and cities who have not hosted the game in a long time – or ever – tend to get the nod.

In the first two decades of the game, ballparks in Philadelphia and St. Louis were home to more than one team.

This led to some shorter-than-usual gaps between the use of those two ballparks: Shibe Park (later known as Connie Mack Stadium) in Philadelphia and Sportsman's Park (the third ballpark with that name; later known as Busch Stadium, the first of three stadiums with that name) in St. Louis. In Philadelphia, the AL’s Athletics hosted the game in 1943, and the NL's Phillies in 1952. In St. Louis, the National League's Cardinals hosted the game in 1940, and the American League's Browns in 1948.

To date, only two franchises have never hosted a game: the Miami Marlins (although scheduled to host the game in 2000, Major League Baseball moved the game to Atlanta), and the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Washington Nationals franchise hosted the game when they were the Montreal Expos, and All-Star Games have been played in the District of Columbia, hosted by both incarnations of the Washington Senators (now the Minnesota Twins and the Texas Rangers).

Of the remaining 28 franchises, the New York Mets have gone the longest period without hosting since their sole hosting duty in 1964, but this streak will come to an end in next week. The Dodgers will then become the team with the longest active hosting drought (1980).

 

A total of 84 All-Star Games have been played (including two games per year from 1959-1962), with the National League winning 43, the American League 39, and two ties.

The All-Star Game has seen several "eras" in which one league tended to dominate.

From 1933 to 1949, the American League won 12 out of the first 16.

The National League dominated from 1950 to 1987, winning 33 of 42 with 1 tie. This included a stretch from 1963 to 1982 when it won 19 of 20, including 11 in a row from 1972 to 1982.

Since 1988 the American League has dominated, winning 19 of 24 with one tie, including a 13 game unbeaten streak (12-0-1) from 1997 to 2009.

The National League ended their 13-year drought with a 3-1 victory in 2010 and won again in 2011 and 2012.

As of the 2013 All-Star Game, the cumulative run totals for all 84 games played was 696 – closely split between the leagues – with 344 runs for the American League and 352 for the National League.

The longest All-Star Game, in terms of innings lasted 15 innings, which has occurred twice: 1967 and 2008. The longest game, in terms of time was 2008, with a total time of 4 hours and 50 minutes.

This years All-Star Game will take place at Target Field on Tuesday, July 15th at 5 p.m. It will be the first All-Star Game held at Target Field, home of the Minnesota Twins.

Atlanta Braves' Tony Cloninger Hits Two Grand Slams

On July 3, 1966, in the Atlanta Braves 17-3 rout of the San Francisco Giants, Tony Cloninger hits two grand slams and collects nine RBI's at Candlestick Park. 

The Braves' pitcher is the first National league player to hit two home runs with the bases full in the same game.

Only 12 other players have hit two grand slams in one game, with four players doing it before Cloninger. 

Tony Lazzeri did it for the New York Yankees in 1936. Jim Tabor did it for the Boston Red Sox on July 4, 1939. Rudy York also did it for the Boston Red Sox, in 1946, and Jim Gentile did it for the Baltimore Orioles in 1961.

The following players completed the feat after Cloninger. In 1968 Jim Northup did it for the Detroit Tigers. Frank Robinson did it for the Baltimore Orioles in 1970. In 1995 Robin Ventura did it while a member of the Chicago White Sox. Later Ventura became the only player to hit a grand slam in each game of a doubleheader, while playing for the New York Mets in 1999.

Chris Hoiles did it as a member of the Baltimore Orioles in 1998. 
 
In 1999 Fernando Tatis hit two grand slams in one inning as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals. Tatis was also the first National League player to complete the feat since Cloninger. Tatis also holds the record for most RBIs in a single inning.

Also in 1999, Nomar Garciaparra did it as a member of the Boston Red Sox. Garciaparra was the only player on the list to hit two grand slams in one game, to be playing on the home team. He also hit another home run that day finishing the day with 10 RBIs.

Former Giants third baseman Bill Mueller did it in 2003 with the Boston Red Sox and in 2009 Josh Willingham did it as a member of the Washington Nationals.

Toronto Blue Jays Frank Thomas Hits 500th Home Run

Frank Thomas hitting home run 500.

On June 28, 2007, former MVP slugger Frank Thomas is the first of three players to hit their 500th career home run in 2007.

Thomas' blast came in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays.

The longtime White Sox player had been ungracefully cut by Chicago after they won the championship in 2005. Thomas then bounced to Oakland and then to Toronto; in 2008, he returned to Oakland after being waived by the Jays.

The fan who caught the home run ball, 24 year-old Todd Eisenlohr, gave the ball back to Thomas in exchange for a chance to meet him.

Jim Thome launching his 600th home run.

Thomas got his 500-ball and awarded Eidenlohr with an autographed bat, ball, and jersey. It would have been a perfect story ... except that Thomas argued a call in the ninth inning and was promptly ejected, earning him the distinction as the first player to get ejected in a game where he hit his 500th homer.




The other two players to hit their 500th home run in the 2007 season were Jim Thome and Alex Rodriguez.

Alex Rodriguez hitting his 500th home run.

Thome would go on to finish his career with 612 home runs, while Rodriguez currently has 654 home runs, although he will have to wait until next season to see if he can add on to his total due to a season long suspension.

Los Angeles Dodgers Jerry Reuss' No-Hits San Francisco Giants

On June 27, 1980, the Los Angeles Dodgers Jerry Reuss' throws a no-hitter against the San Francisco Giants in an 8-0 game.

Reuss played for eight teams in his major league career; along with the Dodgers (1979–87), he played for the St. Louis Cardinals (1969–71), Houston Astros (1972–73), and Pittsburgh Pirates (1974–78). At the end of his career (1987–90), he played for the Cincinnati Reds, California Angels, Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, and the Pirates again (Reuss is one of only two Pirates to have played for Danny Murtaugh, Chuck Tanner, and Jim Leyland, the other being John Candelaria).

 

Reuss was the third oldest active player when he retired at age 41 in 1990. He was one of only 29 players in major league history to play in four different decades. In 1988 he became the second pitcher in history, joining Milt Pappas, to win 200 career games without ever winning 20 in a single season.

He was later joined by Frank Tanana, Charlie Hough, Dennis Martínez, Chuck Finley, Mike Mussina, Kenny Rogers, and Tim Wakefield. (Mussina won 20 for the first time after recording his 200th win.)

Reuss finished his career with 220 wins and 191 losses, a 3.64 ERA and 1,907 strikeouts.

His career also saw accomplishments come in the form of two All-Star selections in 1975 and 1980, with the Pirates and Dodgers respectively. Also in 1980 Reuss was named the National League Comeback Player of the Year, after posting eighteen wins and only six losses, and leading the majors in shutouts with six.

His no-hitter against the San Francisco Giants on June 27, only saw him strike out two batters, narrowly missing a perfect game due to a throwing error in the first inning by shortstop Bill Russell.

Reuss finished second behind Steve Carlton in the running for the Cy Young Award that same year.

In 1981 Reuss was on the Dodgers World Series Championship team.

After his playing time in baseball, Reuss became a broadcaster for baseball, working nationally for ESPN from 1991 to 1993, and was also a color commentator for the California/Anaheim Angels from 1996-98.

He also served as a pitching coach with the minor league Iowa Cubs before returning to broadcasting with the Dodgers in 2006, serving as a color commentator alongside Rick Monday.

President William Taft Throws Out First Pitch

On April 14, 1910, William Howard Taft, the 27th United States president, throws the "first ball" to Washington Senators pitcher Walter Johnson. Traditionally, the commissioner of the District of Columbia would throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the Senators' first game of the season.

But with Taft in the audience, the ball was handed to him instead. Taft was unaware that would be throwing the pitch, as he had been sitting in the stands. Rather than throwing it to the catcher, as norm, Taft threw the ball in to Johnson -- reasoning that he would need the ball anyway.

And just that like, a Major League Baseball tradition was born.

From 1910 to 1972, every acting president threw out the first pitch of the year at least once at the Senators' home stadium.

There were a few instances, including four straight years during World War II, when national issues prevented the president from attending. In 1912 for instance, Vice President James Sherman attended in place of Taft, who was the mourning the loss of Archibald Butt, who died on the Titanic.



In 1973, the Senators moved out west and became the Texas Rangers. Washington eventually regained a baseball team at around the turn of the century, but the tradition of presidential opening day pitches persisted nonetheless.

In 1973, Richard Nixon threw out the first pitch at Anaheim Stadium. A year later, Gerald Ford threw out the first pitch in Texas.

The presidential streak came to an end with Jimmy Carter, who threw out the first ball prior to Game 7 of the 1979 World Series, but never to begin the season.

Ronald Reagen started a new streak by throwing out the first pitch in 1984.

President Barrack Obama has held up the streak started by Reagan by throwing at the first pitch at both Chicago White Sox and Washington Nationals' games.

Toronto Blue Jays Play First Game

On April 7, 1977, the Toronto Blue Jays played their first ever regular season game, the attendance was 44,649 as the Jays took on the Chicago White Sox at Exhibition Stadium.

Exhibition Stadium in 1977 for the Toronto Blue Jays first ever regular season game.

The game was most remembered for the weather, which was cold and snowing at the time of the scheduled first pitch. However, snow would stop and the game would continue as planned.

The Jays would come out as the victor of the American League teams by a final score of 9-5.

The win for the Jays was one of just a few that year as they compiled a 54-107 record that year, 45.5 games behind the division winner Yankees.

Michael Jordan Returns

On March 19, 1995, Michael Jordan returns to the Chicago Bulls to beat the Indiana Pacers. The return from Jordan to the NBA came after a 17-month retirement, in which he played baseball for the Chicago White Sox minor league team the Birmingham Barons.

Michael Jordan with the Chicago White Sox in Spring Training of 1994.

On March 18, Jordan announced his return to the NBA through a two-word press release: "I'm back." The next day, Jordan donned jersey number 45 (his number with the Barons), as his familiar 23 had been retired in his honor following his first retirement. He took to the court with the Bulls to face the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis, scoring 19 points.

The game had the highest Nielsen rating of a regular season NBA game since 1975.

Michael Jordan wearing the jersey No. 45 upon his return to the Chicago Bulls ii the March 19, 1995 game against the Indiana Pacers.

Although he hadn't played an NBA game in a year and a half, Jordan played well upon his return, making a game-winning jump shot against Atlanta in his fourth game back. He then scored 55 points in the next game against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on March 28, 1995 (his first appearance at Madison Square Garden since retiring). Boosted by Jordan's comeback, the Bulls went 13–4 to make the playoffs and advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Orlando Magic.

Though at the end of Game 1, Orlando's Nick Anderson stripped Jordan from behind, leading to the game-winning basket for the Magic; he would later comment that Jordan "didn't look like the old Michael Jordan", after which Jordan returned to wearing his old number. Jordan averaged 31 points per game in the series, but Orlando prevailed in six games.

The return of the Jordan to the NBA was good for television and the league, but even greater for the Bulls. His “Airness” would lead the Bulls to their second three-peat championships from 1996-1998.

Jordan is talked about as one of the best players of all-time, and with good reason he won six NBA Championships, earning the NBA Finals MVP each time. He was named the NBA’s MVP five times, an All-Star 14 times, and the MVP of the All-Star game three times. He was a 10 time NBA scoring champion, and three times the NBA steals champ, he was also a two time NBA Slam Dunk Contest Champion and was the Defensive Player of the Year in 1988.

He was nominated to the All-NBA First Team 10 times, Second Team once, All-Defensive First Team nine times, the All-Rookie First Team as well being named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1985.

The Miami Heat has retired twice by the Bulls and Jordan/s no. 23 jersey once. He was named to the NBA’s 50 Anniversary All-Time Team in 1996.

In his career Jordan scored 32,292 points for an average of 30.1 points per game. Only he and Wilt Chamberlain have averaged 30 or more points per game over their entire career. He also pulled in 6,672 rebounds and 5.633 assists. Jordan still ranks third all-time in steals with 2,514 trailing John Stockton and Jason Kiss.

In August 2009, the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, opened a Michael Jordan exhibit containing items from his college and NBA careers, as well as from the 1992 "Dream Team".

Jordan also won two Gold medals with Team USA at the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics and the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics.

After Jordan received word of his being accepted into the Hall of Fame, he selected Class of 1996 member David Thompson to present him. As Jordan would later explain during his induction speech in September 2009, growing up in North Carolina, he was not a fan of the Tar Heels, and greatly admired Thompson, who played at rival North Carolina State.

He was inducted into the Hall in September, with several former Bulls teammates in attendance, including Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Charles Oakley, Ron Harper, Steve Kerr, and Toni Kukoc.  Former coaches of Jordan's, Dean Smith and Doug Collins, were also among those present.

Jordan Scores 20,000

On Jan. 8, 1993, Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls picked up the 20,000^th point of his NBA career. The historic point came during a big win over the Milwaukee Bucks. It was the 620^th game of his career. Only Wilt Chamberlain had reached the milestone faster than Jordan.

Jordan finished his career 32,292 points, and is the third highest scorer all-time behind only Los Angeles Lakers great Kareem Abdul-Jabar with 38,387 points and Utah Jazz great Karl Malone who scored 36,928 in his career.

Despite not being the leagues All-Time leading scorer, Jordan is recognized as the best, or one of the best players to play the game.

“His Airness” as Jordan has been refereed to has won six NBA Championships, with three-peats in 1991-1993 and 1996-1998. He was the NBA Finals MVP in each of the NBA Championships they won. Jordan won the leagues NBA MVP in 1988, 1991-1992, 1996 and 1998.

Jordan was named an All-Star 14 times, and three times he was named the NBA All-Star game MVP in those games. He was also the NBA defensive player of the year in 1988, and the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1985. He was a 10-time NBA scoring champion and a three-time NBA steals champion.

Jordan was named to the All-NBA First Team 10-times, and ALL-NBA Second Team once, his rookie year. He was nine-times named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team, and the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

Showing off his high-flying skills Jordan won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in back-to-back years in 1987-1988 beating out Dominique Wilkins and Spud Webb for the honors.

On Nov. 1, 1994 the Chicago Bulls retired Michael Jordan’s no. 23 jersey, while he was on his first pseudo-retirement leave from the league

Jordan was named to the NBA’s 50^th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1996, while he was still playing for the Bulls.

In 2009 Jordan was inducted into the NBA’s Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Carlton Sets A New NL Strikeout Record

On Sept. 21, 1981, Philadelphia Phillies great and Hall of Fame pitcher Steve Carlton strikes out a National League record 3,118 batters, fanning Montreal Expos outfielder Andre Dawson. Carlton would end his career with 4,000 strikeouts in the National League, which is still the most of all-time.

The next highest player who is currently playing is Livan Hernandez with 1,922, so it is fairly easy to say that Carlton will most likely hold the National League strikeout record forever.

Carlton’s 4,000 career strikeouts in one league are also the second highest mark of any player in a single league to that of Roger Clemens, who has 4,167 career strikeouts in the American League.
Carlton spent the majority of his 24-year career with the Philadelphia Phillies, but also saw time with the St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians and the Minnesota Twins.

Carlton finished his career with 10 All-Star appearances, including four consecutive appearances from 1979-1982. He was a four time National League CY Young Award winner, a Gold Glove winner in 1981 and a two-time World Series Champion, winning the 1967 World Series with the Cardinals and 1980 World Series with the Phillies.

Although he never won an MVP award, he was in the conversation six-times, being in the top five in voting three times.

Over his career Carlton stacked up some impressive numbers including 329 wins, 244 losses with two saves in 744 games, including 709 starts. He was able to pitch 254 complete games and 55 shutouts. Over his career Carlton put together a lifetime 3.22 ERA over 5,217.2 innings pitched with 4,136 strikeouts allowing 4,672 hits, 1,864 earned runs, 1,833 walks and 414 home runs.

Over the course of his career Carlton led the league in wins four times, with his highest single season total coming in 1972 with 27 wins. He led the league in losses twice, with his highest single season total coming in 1973 with 20. He led the league in ERA once in 1972, with his lowest single season ERA coming that same year with a 1.97 mark. He also led the league in games started four times, with his highest single season total of starts coming in 1972 with 41.

Carlton also led the league in complete games three times, with his highest single season total coming in 1972 with 30. He led the league in shutouts once in 1982 with six, although his highest single season total came in 1972 when he had eight. He led the league in innings pitched five times, with his highest single season total of innings pitched coming in 1972 with 346.1. He also led the league in strikeouts five times, with his highest single season total coming in 1972 with 310.

Carlton’s No. 32 jersey was retired by the Phillies in 1989.

In 1994 Carlton was inducted into the Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame with 95.8 percent of the vote on the first ballot on which he appeared.