4 One-hitters among pitcher Billy Pierce's 186 White Sox victories. On June 27, 1958, Pierce retired the first 26 Washington Senators batters before surrendering a double to pinch-hitter Ed Fitz Gerald.

5 Touchdowns scored by Illinois running back Harold "Red" Grange in one game against Michigan in 1924. The Galloping Ghost scored on each of his first four carries, including a 95-yard return of the opening kickoff.

6 Olympic medals won by Champaign native Bonnie Blair. SI's 1984 Sportswoman of the Year is the only U.S. Winter Olympian to win a gold medal in the same event in three Consecutive Olympics (in the 500 meters in 1988, '92 and '94).

34 Consecutive football games lost by Northwestern University from 1979-82 (the longest such streak in Division I-A history). The Wildcats ended their slide by defeating Northern Illinois 31-6 on Sept. 25, 1982.

180 Years of combined World Series futility on the part of Windy City baseball teams. It has been 85 years since Chicago's last World Series champion, the 1917 White Sox.

610 Consecutive home sellouts by the Chicago Bulls from 1987-2000, the third-longest streak in NBA history. Chicago sold more tickets (12,400,000) during its streak than did Portland (10,370,360 tickets over 814 consecutive games) or Boston (9,857,180 over 662 games)

1939 Year the term "March Madness" was born. Henry V. Porter is credited with coining the phrase in the Illinois High School Athletic Association's magazine. The IHSAA trademarked it in the late 1970s, and CBS reporter Brent Musburger first used it in reference to the NCAA in 1982. After a court battle over the ownership of the term, both organizations were granted the right to use it in 1996.

16,726 Career rushing yardage total of NFL Hall of Famer Walter Payton, who ranks second all time. The Bears running back became the league's all-time leading rusher when he surpassed Jim Brown's mark of 12,314 in 1984, and held the record until Emmitt Smith surpassed it on Oct. 27, 2002. Payton still holds the NFL record for 100-yard games (77).