 Classic SI photo by Tony Triolo |
Four wheelin'
Bruins defenseman Bobby Orr redefined the position en route to a career that included three Hart Trophy awards and two season scoring titles. The Parry Sound, Ont., native also won the Norris Trophy in eight consecutive seasons between 1967-68 and 1974-75.
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GREATEST ATHLETES |
Rocky Marciano, Brockton
Boxing's most relentless brawler won title in 1952; retired in '56 as only unbeaten heavyweight champion.
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Doug Flutie, Natick
Heisman winner and miracle worker at Boston College (1981-84); eight-time CFL Most Outstanding Player; triumphant NFL returnee with Bills.
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Patrick Ewing, Cambridge
The first of Georgetown's string of dominant big men in 1980s; one of NBA's 50 Greatest.
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FLASHBACK |
1986: Good To The Very Last Out
The Mets, one strike from defeat, staged a couple of remarkable comebacks to deny the Red Sox their first World Series in 68 years
There were two outs in the ninth inning Monday night, and the Mets were ahead for good, 8-5, in the seventh game of the 1986 World Series. The Shea Stadium fans, frenetic but orderly for a change, were on their feet crying for the final blow ...
FULL STORY
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THE SI POLL |
Who do Bay Staters root for? SI asked the residents to weigh in* on sports.
Favorite major league baseball team
Boston Red Sox | 86% |
New York Yankees | 6% |
Favorite NFL team
New England Patriots | 83% |
New York Giants | 5% |
Favorite NBA team
Boston Celtics | 67% |
No favorite | 24% |
Favorite NHL team
Boston Bruins | 72% |
No favorite | 20% |
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Favorite college team
Boston College | 33% |
Notre Dame | 10% |
UMass | 8% |
UConn | 4% |
Greatest athlete who ever lived in or played for a team in your state
Ted Williams | 40% |
Larry Bird | 17% |
Bobby Orr | 10% |
Babe Ruth | 8% |
Bill Russell | 4% |
State's biggest rivalry
Red Sox-Yankees | 73% |
BC-BU | 6% |
Harvard-Yale | 4% |
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Favorite pro team
Boston Red Sox | 44% |
New England Patriots | 34% |
New York Yankees | 4% |
Boston Celtics | 4% |
State's biggest rival
New York | 89% |
Connecticut | 3% |
Favorite announcer
Jerry Remy | 30% |
John Madden | 14% |
Curt Gowdy | 7% |
More a fan of college or pro sports?
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*Harris Interactive poll, conducted online, of 401 Massachusetts residents who identified themselves as sports fans. Margin of error +/- 5%.
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FAST FACTS |
Admission to statehood: February 6, 1788 (6th state)
Area: 10,555 square miles
Bird: Chickadee
Capital: Boston
Economy: Agriculture -- Seafood, nursery stock, dairy products, cranberries, vegetables. Industry -- Machinery, electric equipment, scientific instruments, printing and publishing, tourism.
Flower: Mayflower (Epigaea regens)
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Nickname: Bay State
Population: 6,349,097 (13th)
Pro sports teams: Boston Bruins (NHL), Boston Breakers (WUSA), Boston Celtics (NBA), Boston Red Sox (MLB), New England Patriots (NFL), New England Revolution (MLS)
Major college programs: Boston College Eagles, Boston University Terriers, Harvard University Crimson, Northeastern University Huskies, University of Massachusetts Minutemen
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Sports Illustrated's 50th Anniversary |
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STATITUDES |
0 Number, in accordance with NCAA rules, of dunks Julius Erving threw down while at UMass (1969-71), though he did set career average records for points (26.3) and rebounds (20.2) per game.
.412 Ted Williams' batting average between May 15 and July 16, 1941, the period over which Joe DiMaggio compiled his 56-game hitting streak. DiMaggio hit .408 over that period.
4 Members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic men's hockey team from Massachusetts. That team was named Sports Illustrated's 1980 Sportsmen of the Year.
5 NBA MVP awards won by Bill Russell between 1957-65, in addition to being a 12-time All-Star and 11-time title winner. Russell was named Sports Illustrated's 1968 Sportsman of the Year.
16 Major NHL trophies awarded to Bobby Orr in 10 seasons with the Bruins, including the Calder (1966-67), Norris (1967-68 to 1974-75), Art Ross (1969-70, 1974-75), Conn Smythe (1969-70, 1971-72) and Hart (1969-70, 1970-71, 1971-72). He was also named Sports Illustrated's 1970 Sportsman of the Year.
44 Home runs Carl Yastrzemski hit en route to the 1967 Triple Crown (.326 average, 121 RBIs), the Red Sox franchise's fourth such season. "Yaz" was named Sports Illustrated's 1967 Sportsman of the Year.
45 Pass completions by Drew Bledsoe on Nov. 13, 1994 to set an NFL record, on 70 attempts. Bledsoe was 37 of 53 with 354 yards and three touchdowns in the second half of that game, a comeback win over the Vikings.
49 Undefeated fights during Rocky Marciano's eight-year (1948-55) heavyweight boxing career. All but six of those wins were by knockout before he retired at the age of 32.
14,448 Seating capacity for a hockey crowd at the Boston Garden; the basketball configuration made room for 14,890.
125,000 Dollars for which Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees in 1919.
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ENEMY OF THE STATE |
George Steinbrenner
Chalk up another Enemy win (an SI Poll-leading seventh) for the New York Yankees' owner. Bay Staters' most hated opponents: the Yankees (94%), the New York Jets (2%) and the UConn Huskies (1%).
George Steinbrenner | 53% |
Roger Clemens | 16% |
Bill Parcells | 8% |
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