On November 29, 1960, Navy's Joe Bellino won the Heisman Trophy. Hailing from Winchester, MA, he could have chosen a baseball career, having been drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates out of high school. But he yearned to be a running back and to serve his country. As a senior in Annapolis, Bellino rushed for 834 yards and 15 touchdowns while catching another three touchdowns. It was enough to run circles around the rest of the Heisman ballot, beating out Penn State's Richie Luc

History remembers the victors much better than it does the losers. the teams that win it all are instantly immortalized as one of the sport's greatest while the loser can only stand on the sidelines watching as their legacy is forever tarnished all the while thinking: "Was all that work wasted?". Sometimes they find redemption, but for the most part, the losers of the Super Bowl never return. But this article is not about what happened before or after the Super Bowl. Instead,

History remembers the victors much better than it does the losers. the teams that win it all are instantly immortalized as one of the sport's greatest while the loser can only stand on the sidelines watching as their legacy is forever tarnished all the while thinking: "Was all that work wasted?". Sometimes they find redemption, but for the most part, the losers of the Super Bowl never return. But this article is not about what happened before or after the Super Bowl. Instead,

History remembers the victors much better than it does the losers. the teams that win it all are instantly immortalized as one of the sport's greatest while the loser can only stand on the sidelines watching as their legacy is forever tarnished all the while thinking: "Was all that work wasted?". Sometimes they find redemption, but for the most part, the losers of the Super Bowl never return. But this article is not about what happened before or after the Super Bowl. Instead,

For much of the past decade, the three-point shot has been all the rage in the NBA as players such as Steph Curry and James Harden have lit up the scoreboard on a nightly basis. Clearly, we are in the Age of the Three-Point Shot. Of course, it wasn't always this way. There was a time when the three-point line wasn't even on the NBA's radar and when it was first implemented, it was on a one-year trial. So who was the first man to make a three-pointer in the NBA? Chris Ford of

When the Patriots and the Bills face off against one another this weekend, not much will be mentioned of a rivalry. While their's is not a traditional one, there was a fierce one in the mid-1960's. From 1963 through 1966, both teams finished in the top two of their division three times. It was an era where victory was never assured. 1963 In the earliest years of the AFL, neither the Bills nor the Patriots were contenders. But by 1963, both vied for the divisional crown. Led

When the 49ers were formed in 1946, their roster was filled with locally known talent. While their's was a roster that would eventually earn an invitation to the NFL, one man continually stood out among the rest. Alyn Beals was a scoring machine from the moment he stepped foot in Kezar Stadium. In an era where a solid ground attack still ruled the sport, Beals took to the air. His dominance was like a shooting star, short-lived but worth watching. The Early Years Alyn Richar

Last Sunday, the NFL world was taken aback when the lowly Browns defeated the mighty 49ers. As the network cameras gazed upon Cleveland's loyal fanbase, a smattering of dog masks filled the screen. It appeared that Cleveland's Dawg Pound was back in action. In reality, they never left. Despite their years of mediocrity, Cleveland has featured one of the most loyal fan bases in all of sports. But how were they founded? The Year Before the Pound The Browns were hopeless in 198

If ever a man were recognized as the ultimate tragic hero in sports, Dick Butkus would have earned it handily. As a player, he stood out on bad teams in Chicago, only enjoying a single winning season and never sniffing the postseason. He was often misunderstood as a bully, but wouldn't you be perpetually angry if you were a star on lousy teams? Arguably his greatest accomplishment on the gridiron happened in the bleakest year in Chicago sports history. As the team began the

Last week, I went to my first 49ers game. As I walked the streets of Inglewood, I couldn't help but notice the discrepancies in the vibrant town. While I resided on the poorer side of town, surrounded by memories of a smaller environment, just feet away resided opulence and grandeur, with massive stadiums dedicated to showcasing this country's most storied athletic moments. As I traversed those streets, I wondered what it must have looked like as it grew from a sleepy little

A little more than a year ago, I drove across the country looking for adventure and discovery. While in Ohio, I stumbled upon a ginormous high school stadium, much larger than what I am used to in California. Standing in front of Tiger Stadium resides a statue depicting Paul Brown, the legendary coach of the Cleveland Browns who had singlehandedly modernized the NFL. Since then, I've often. wondered just how good his teams were in high school. After all, Massillon built that

Balboa Stadium was originally built in 1915 as part of the Panama-California Exposition. Residing next to San Diego High School, the athletic field featured two sets of concrete bleachers on either side of the field that could hold up to 15,000 spectators. Its first foray into the national consciousness was in September 1919 when President Woodrow Wilson spoke in front of 50,000 spectators, preaching the virtues of the League of Nations. As the years went by and the high sc

It is a well-known fact that most expansion teams run on local flavors. Whether they come from the local high school or starred in the local collegiate program, all that the infant team cares about is getting rumps in the seats in hopes that they can attract an audience and reap the financial benefits for the afternoon. The 1960 Boston Patriots had eight players that hailed from the Boston area. These are their stories. Jim Colclough Jim Colclough was born on March 31, 1936

Through much of its first three decades of existence, the NFL saw 49 teams go under, never to be heard from again. Nary a fan has heard of teams such as the Brooklyn Tigers, the Columbus Panhandles, or the Rock Island Independents. Interestingly, just one team, the Boston Yanks, represents the epicenter of New England. This is their story. The Yanks It was in the middle of World War II and Ted Collins had an idea. After spending the past few years managing famed singer Kate

On July 15, 1876, Saint Louis Brown Stockings' George Bradley stepped on the mound on a hot streak. At the time, he was protecting a 20-inning scoreless streak. What he nor his teammates knew at the time was that he was on the precipice of history that afternoon. In an era where pitch counts were non-existent and the very idea of rest was met with guffaws, Bradley had already beaten that day's opponent, the Hartford Dark Blues, as well as his pitching counterpart, Tommy Bond

On July 12, 1901, Cy Young won his 300th game, beating the Philadelphia Athletics 5-3 in front of his hometown crowd at Boston's Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds. The 34-year-old whose fastballs reminded one of a cyclone and had given him his nickname still had some zip in his arm, completing all nine innings while giving up seven hits and averaging .333 at the plate. Meanwhile, the A's relied on two pitchers to split the load, with neither John McPherson nor Bill Bernhard

On July 11, 1914, 99 years ago today, an up-and-coming pitcher made his major league debut. Although the masses had yet to hear of him, he quickly became a household name not for his greatness at the plate but rather for his productivity on the mound. His name: George Herman Ruth, but most people would simply call him "Babe". Starting for the Boston Red Sox at two-year-old Fenway Park on that afternoon, the left faced off against a slew of the game's greats that littered the

As the winds of change send the game of football to a more pass-oriented sport, some records are bound to be broken multiple times while others are destined to remain intact for generations. Although it has had some scares in previous years, Eric Dickerson's 2,105 yards rushing in 1984 remains safe. But he didn't gain all of those yards overnight. No, it took an extraordinary amount of effort each and every single week of that historic season. Entering 1984, O.J. Simpson was

Major League Baseball's All-Star Game was in just its second year of existence when it set up shop in the Polo Grounds on July 10, 1934. Like many All-Star Games after it, this one would feature a slew of future Hall of Famers on both rosters. In total, 28 of the men who would suit up that day would eventually find their way to Cooperstown. But despite the final score, this day would belong to Carl Hubbell. Starting for the National League in his stomping grounds, the Giants

Ninety years ago today, July 9, 1933, the Frankford Yellow Jackets were sold to Bert Bell and his partners and joined the NFL. The struggling franchise had gone under in 1931, weighed down by seven years of poor play and ineptitude at the box office. In stepped Bert Bell. The son of famed attorney John C. Bell had been cut off from his family fortune after years of drinking, frivolous spending and accruing gambling debts. As a result, he couldn't rely on his father's money t