As Momentous Occasions Go, This Is Right Up There

Mark McGwire’s 62nd homer is the accomplishment of a season, a career, a lifetime.

But it will be remembered mostly as a moment.

One line drive, one emotional jog around the bases, 15 seconds, tops.

Isn’t that how all the best of modern sports appears to us, in moments?

We marvel at Cal Ripken Jr.’s 16-year playing streak.

But we remember Kirk Gibson’s three-second bomb.

When we think of Super Bowls, we think of 13 consecutive years of NFC domination.

But we remember Jim O’Brien’s kick. And Scott Norwood’s miss.

So it will be with McGwire, whose wondrous summer eventually will be remembered not for six months of power hitting under incredible pressure, but simply for the moment he hits No. 62.

It is a moment that will instantly take its place among the other great ones in sports.

Where? That’s for history, and you, to decide.

What follows is one man’s opinion of the 61 others.

I am defining a memorable sports moment as something that brings you out of your chair in one minute or less.

I am restricting them to anything that happened after Bobby Thomson set the memorable-moment bar with his 1951 home run.

I have undoubtedly left out at least 61 worthy items, but, heck, I guess the top requirement for a memorable moment is that you first have to remember them.

1. THE SHOT HEARD ‘ROUND THE WORLD by Thomson, a three-run homer in the ninth inning for the New York Giants that defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers in a playoff for the 1951 National League championship. Every memorable moment since has been judged in comparison to this one.

2. THE LIMPING HOME RUN by Kirk Gibson that beat the Oakland Athletics in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. Watch the video closely and you can see an even more compelling moment--as the ball soars into the right-field pavilion, brake lights are being illuminated in the parking lot.

3. THE FIVE LATERALS on a kick return that led to a last-second California touchdown through the bewildered Stanford band, giving Cal a 25-20 victory in the 1982 Big Game.

4. THE SINGLE THAT CHANGED HISTORY by Francisco Cabrera, a two-run hit with two out in the ninth inning of the seventh game of the 1992 National League playoffs that gave the Atlanta Braves a comeback victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. One pitch from the end of their season, the Braves suddenly found themselves in the World Series. The Pirates, on the other hand, have never been the same. It remains the only time that a playoff series ended with a hit that turned a series loss into a series win.

5. OUR MOST HATED HOME RUN, a two out, two-run shot by Boston’s Dave Henderson in the ninth inning against the Angels’ Donnie Moore in Game 5 of the 1986 American League playoffs. At the time, the Angels were one strike from advancing to the World Series. The homer led to an extra-inning win by the Red Sox, who then swept the devastated Angels in Boston to advance.

6. THE IMMACULATE RECEPTION by Franco Harris of Terry Bradshaw’s fourth-down pass in a 1972 playoff game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland Raiders. The ball ricocheted off either Pittsburgh running back John Fuqua or Oakland safety Jack Tatum and landed in the hands of Harris, who ran 42 yards for the winning touchdown.

7. THE TURNAROUND JUMP SHOT by Duke’s Christian Laettner at the buzzer that beat Kentucky in overtime in the 1992 NCAA East Regional championship game in what is considered the best college game ever. Rick Pitino, then-Kentucky coach, is still answering questions as to why he didn’t guard Grant Hill, whose 75-foot inbounds pass to Laettner set up the shot. Thus inspired, Duke won the national championship.

8. THE BOOTED GROUNDER by Bill Buckner of the Boston Red Sox in the 10th inning of Game 6 of the 1986 World Series. At the time, the Red Sox were tied with the New York Mets and only one victory from the championship. But Mookie Wilson’s grounder rolled between Buckner’s legs, a run scored, the Mets won, then won Game 7 for the title. Few remember that the Red Sox actually led by a run and were only one out from victory, but Bob Stanley threw a wild pitch to score a run before Buckner’s mistake. But Buckner will always be known as the goat.

9. THE WIDE-RIGHT MISS of a 47-yard field goal kick by Buffalo’s Scott Norwood in the final seconds of the Super Bowl XXV in 1991, costing the Bills a championship that the New York Giants won, 20-19.

10. THE SHOT HEARD ‘ROUND PITTSBURGH by Bill Mazeroski, a home run in the bottom of the ninth inning of the seventh game of the World Series that gave the Pirates the 1960 championship over the New York Yankees.

11. THE SHOT HEARD ‘ROUND CANADA by Joe Carter, a two-run homer in the ninth inning of the sixth game that gave the Toronto Blue Jays the World Series championship over the Philadelphia Phillies. We can still see Carter dancing around the bases.

12. THE HIPPIE-ACCOMPANIED HOMER by Hank Aaron, his record-breaking 715th, hit against Al Downing on April 8, 1974. After Aaron rounded second base at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, he was joined by two hippies from the crowd.

13. THE CHAMPIONSHIP-WINNING 17-FOOT JUMP SHOT by Michael Jordan with 5.2 seconds left in what might have been his final NBA finals, last spring against Utah. We could list 62 memorable sports moments involving Jordan alone, but we are limited by space.

14. MIDCOURT TEARS from Jordan, who clutched the ball and fell to the floor sobbing after the Chicago Bulls defeated the Seattle SuperSonics on Father’s Day for the 1996 NBA championship. Jordan was both celebrating the victory and mourning the death of his father, James, who had been killed by muggers.

15. THE TONGUE-WAGGING JUMP SHOT by North Carolina freshman Jordan that beat Georgetown in the final moments of the 1982 NCAA championship game.

16. THE AIRBALL by North Carolina State’s Dereck Whittenberg in the final seconds of the 1983 NCAA championship game against Houston. Lorenzo Charles grabbed the errant shot and dropped it through the basket to give the Wolfpack one of the great upset championships in college history.

17. THE THREE-POINT BASKET by Charlotte Smith of North Carolina with seven-tenths of a second remaining in the 1994 women’s national championship game against Louisiana Tech, giving the Tar Heels a 60-59 victory. Because an easier two-pointer would have sent the game into overtime, this is considered the most courageously successful shot in a title game by any college man or women in history.

18. THE BODY ENGLISH by Boston’s Carlton Fisk that seemed to will his fly ball into fair territory for a 12th-inning home run in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. Despite the dramatic victory, the Red Sox lost Game 7.

19. THE STEAL by Larry Bird of an inbounds pass from Isiah Thomas, leading to Dennis Johnson’s layup in the final seconds that gave the Boston Celtics a 108-107 victory over the Detroit Pistons in Game 5 of the 1987 NBA Eastern Conference finals. The Celtics eventually won the series before losing to the Lakers in the championship series.

20. A 55-FOOT, ONE-HANDED PUSH SHOT by Jerry West at the buzzer of Game 3 of the 1970 NBA championship series between the Lakers and New York Knicks. The shot, taken with the Lakers trailing by two, sent the game into overtime because there was no three-point shot then. This moment would be ranked higher except the Lakers eventually lost, 111-108.

21. THE JUNIOR SKY HOOK by Magic Johnson with two seconds left in Game 4 of the 1987 NBA championship series between the Lakers and Celtics. The 12-foot shot somehow dropped through the net, the Lakers won, and two games later they were NBA champions. Johnson still calls it his greatest shot.

22. A FOUR-PUNCH COMBINATION by James “Buster” Douglas, a 50-to-1 shot, that knocked out undefeated heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson in Tokyo in 1990. Douglas was famous for all of eight months, until he lost his first title defense in three rounds to Evander Holyfield.

23. THE HAIL MARY PASS from Doug Flutie to Gerard Phelan in the final second of Boston College’s 1984 game against defending national champion Miami. Surrounded by three defenders, Phelan caught the 65-yard pass in the end zone to give BC, trailing by four, the victory. And, oh yeah, it gave Flutie the Heisman Trophy.

24. THE HAIL MARY II, from Kordell Stewart to Michael Westbrook in 1994, covering 64 yards, resulting in a diving grab by Westbrook for a touchdown that gave Colorado a 27-26 victory over Michigan.

25. THE ORIGINAL HAIL MARY, PRO DIVISION, from Roger Staubach to Drew Pearson with 24 seconds remaining in the 1975 divisional playoff game between the Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings. Pearson sneaked back between two defenders, grabbed the ball, and hopped into the end zone to give the Cowboys a victory. It was one of the few times in NFL history--and maybe the most memorable--that a Hail Mary actually worked.

26. THE RUN by O.J. Simpson, covering 64 yards that seemed like 100, that ended in a touchdown and a 21-20 USC victory over UCLA in 1967.

27. THE KICKOFF RETURN of 102 yards by Anthony Davis for USC to begin the second half of the 1974 game against Notre Dame. Before the kick, the Trojans trailed, 24-6. After the touchdown return, well, you know what happened.

28. THE RAISED, BLACK-GLOVED FISTS of U.S. sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos during the playing of the national anthem after they had finished first and third, respectively, in the 200-meter final of the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. The fists, accompanied by a downward stare, were a startling form of protest and somber reminder of this country’s racial problems.

29. THE ONE-FOOTED LEAP by Kerri Strug in the 1996 Olympic vault when it appeared a successful jump was needed for a U.S. team victory. Strug had badly sprained the ankle when she fell on her previous jump, but limped back and tried again, this time landing successfully despite her obvious pain. The U.S. team won, and she became a national hero.

30. THE BROKEN SHOELACE on the skate of Tonya Harding, which caused her to be late for her freestyle program at the 1994 Olympics, then caused her to leave the ice in tears after only 45 seconds. She later returned and skated to eighth place, then much later was banned by the U.S. Figure Skating Assn. for her involvement in the attack of rival Nancy Kerrigan.

31. THE VICTORY LAP by Dan Jansen, with his baby daughter in his arms, after he’d finally won an Olympic gold medal, in the 1,000-meter speedskating event in 1994.

32. A FATHER-SON HUG between Tiger Woods and his father, Earl, as Woods walked off the 18th green at Augusta with a record-setting victory in the 1997 Masters.

33. THE KICK by Jim O’Brien, a 32-yard field goal with five seconds left to win Super Bowl V in 1971 for the Baltimore Colts over the Dallas Cowboys. It was a poorly played game, but remains the only time that a Super Bowl has been won on the final play of the game.

34. THE LEAPING CATCH by Dwight Clark of Joe Montana’s pass that gave the San Francisco 49ers a 28-27 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in the 1981 NFC championship game, marking the start of the 49ers’ era of dominance.

35. A RUNNING TOUCHDOWN GRAB by John Taylor from a perfect pass from Montana with 39 seconds left in the 1989 Super Bowl between the 49ers and Cincinnati Bengals. The score capped the greatest Super Bowl comeback drive, covering 92 yards in 3 minutes 10 seconds.

36. THE RUMBLE of Alan Ameche into the end zone with the winning overtime touchdown for the Baltimore Colts over the New York Giants in the 1958 championship game, which marked the beginning of pro football’s national popularity.

37. THE 99-YARD TOUCHDOWN RUN from scrimmage by Tony Dorsett for the Dallas Cowboys against the Minnesota Vikings in 1983. It is one NFL record that can never be broken.

38. A RIGHT CROSS from Muhammad Ali into the jaw of George Foreman in the eighth round in the 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle” heavyweight title fight. An exhausted Foreman fell to the canvas and Ali regained the title, saved his career and cemented his legacy.

39. A REVERSE LAYUP by Julius Erving of the Philadelphia 76ers against the Lakers in Game 4 of the 1980 championship series. In a play still seen on scoreboards around the country, Erving left the floor on the right side of the basket, just inside the foul line. He soared around Mark Landsberger and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and ended up on the left side of the basket, where he banked the ball in.

40. A LOOK INTO THE STANDS for his father by flag-draped U.S. goalie Jim Craig after the U.S. hockey team had defeated Finland for the gold medal in the 1980 Olympics that featured a 4-3 victory over the Soviet Union in what was called “The Miracle on Ice.”

41. HIT NO. 4,192, a single by Pete Rose against San Diego’s Eric Show, that gave Rose the all-time record for hits in 1985. It was the last moment of glory for a man who was subsequently banned from baseball for gambling.

42. THE HOME-PLATE COLLISION between Rose and Ray Fosse in the 12th inning of the 1970 All-Star game in Cincinnati. Rose scored, the National League won, and Fosse, despite later collecting two World Series rings in Oakland, was never the same.

43. A BERRA HUG shared by pitcher Don Larsen and catcher Yogi Berra after Larsen’s perfect game in the 1956 World Series. The 2-0 victory by the Yankees over the Brooklyn Dodgers remains the only no-hitter in postseason history.

44. THE VOMITING by Pete Sampras on the court during the fifth set of his eventual quarterfinal victory over Alex Corretja in the 1996 U.S. Open. It was here that Sampras filled out his already impressive resume with “toughness.”

45. THE RIP-OFF LAYUP by the Soviets’ Alexander Belov after the third replay of the final three seconds of the 1972 Olympic gold-medal basketball game. Belov, who scored after catching a floor-length pass following some questionable timekeeping, gave the Soviets a 51-50 victory over the United States, which suffered its first Olympic defeat.

46. THE EAR BITING by Mike Tyson of Evander Holyfield during their heavyweight title fight in 1997.

47. A VISIT FROM FAN MAN to the 1993 heavyweight title fight between Evander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe in Las Vegas. A foolish para-glider crashed onto the ring apron during the fight, which was delayed but eventually was won by Holyfield.

48. THE SEA AND THE OLD MAN, when the Texas Rangers rushed to the mound and carried away 44-year-old Nolan Ryan after his seventh and final no-hitter, in 1991 against the Toronto Blue Jays. Even at that age, Ryan was still so overpowering, only four Blue Jays hit the ball out of the infield.

49. A DEFLECTION by Miami defensive back Ken Calhoun of a pass by Nebraska quarterback Turner Gill, denying the Cornhuskers a potential game-winning, two-point conversion in the final seconds of the 1984 Orange Bowl. If Nebraska had gone for the tie, it might have won a national championship. Instead, the 31-30 loss gave the national title to upstart Miami--and forever changed the football fortunes of the Hurricanes.

50. THE TEAM HUG shared by the giants of Villanova and pint-sized coach Rollie Massimino after the Wildcats had pulled one of the most stunning upsets in the NCAA basketball championship game, a 66-64 victory over Georgetown in 1985.

51. THE STUMBLE of Ruffian in the first minute of her celebrated 1975 match race with Foolish Pleasure at Belmont Park. The champion filly had shattered her right ankle, and was later euthanized and buried in the Belmont infield.

52. THE LONG BLAST to center field by Reggie Jackson in the eighth inning of Game 6 of the 1977 World Series between the Yankees and the Dodgers. It was his third of the game.

53. THE JOYOUS LAP along the edge of the Camden Yard stands by Cal Ripken Jr. in 1995. He slapped the hands of fans and stadium workers after breaking Lou Gehrig’s consecutive-games streak of 2,130.

54. THE LIMP onto the Madison Square Garden court by Willis Reed for Game 7 of the 1970 NBA championship series against the Lakers. Despite a badly pulled thigh muscle, Reed limped out just before the opening tip, scored two quick baskets, and the Lakers were finished.

55. THE TOUCHDOWN SNEAK by Green Bay’s Bart Starr to win the 1967 NFL championship game over Dallas in a game known as “the Ice Bowl” because of below-zero temperatures.

56. A JUMP INTO HISTORY by Bob Beamon, who leaped 29 feet 2 1/2 inches in the 1968 Olympic long jump in Mexico City. That broke the world record by almost two feet. Beamon collapsed in tears when he saw his numbers, which stood as the record for 23 years.

57. A METAL-BANGING STRETCH RUN between cars driven by Richard Petty and Cale Yarborough in the Firecracker 400 at Daytona Beach in 1984. Petty won the duel by less than half a car length for his 200th--and final--stock car victory.

58. THE INCREDIBLE BLAST out of a sand trap by Bob Tway on the final hole of the final day for victory in the 1986 PGA championship over Greg Norman.

59. THE EVEN MORE INCREDIBLE CHIP INTO THE HOLE from 140 feet by Larry Mize on the second playoff hole for victory in the 1987 Masters over, yes, Greg Norman.

60. THE PUNCH thrown by Ohio State Coach Woody Hayes at Clemson linebacker Charlie Baumann during the 1978 Gator Bowl game. Hayes was fired one day later, marking the end of an era when all college football coaches were tough guys.

61. A BICYCLE KICK by Marcel Balboa for the United States against Colombia in the 1994 World Cup. Although the ball sailed just wide of the net, the display of athleticism and daring did as much for U.S. soccer popularity among the common fan as any goal before or since.