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Dirk Nowitzki and the hurting dozen

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Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas to an 86-83 victory in Game 4 of the NBA Finals despite suffering from flu symptoms and a 101-degree fever, bringing to mind some great performances in the past by athletes who were sick or injured. Whether it was a broken leg (Jack Youngblood), injured ankle (Kerri Strug), heat exhaustion (Ken Venturi) or an injured hamstring and knee (Kirk Gibson), these athletes became famous for putting discomfort aside. Most sports fans will remember Tiger’s drama. But how about Trautmann’s trauma?

Bert Trautmann

Situation: 1956 FA Cup, Manchester City vs. Birmingham City

Condition: Broken neck

What happened: Manchester City had a 3-1 lead when Birmingham City’s Peter Murphy collided with goalie Trautmann, with Murphy’s knee hitting Trautmann in the neck. Trautmann was knocked out for a few seconds but stayed in the game because Manchester City had no substitutions left. He was flawless in the net, making a couple of diving saves to preserve Manchester City’s victory. Three days later, after getting X-rays at the hospital because his neck was still sore, Trautmann was told that he had broken a vertebra in his neck during the collision.

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Bobby Baun

Situation: 1964 Stanley Cup finals, Game 6, Toronto at Detroit

Condition: Broken leg

What happened: Baun blocked a slap shot by Gordie Howe with his leg, breaking it in two places. The Maple Leafs defenseman was taken off the ice on a stretcher in the middle of the third period with the score 3-3. Trainers taped his leg, and Baun scored the game-winning goal in overtime to force a Game 7. Baun played in that game too, a 4-0 Maple Leafs victory.

Ken Venturi

Situation: 1964 U.S. Open

Condition: Heat exhaustion/Dehydration

What happened: Back when the final two rounds of the U.S. Open were played on the same day, Venturi overcame the 100-degree temperature at the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md. Venturi shot 66 and 70 to win the Open by four strokes. He played the final 18 despite being warned by a doctor that his condition could be fatal.

Joe Montana

Situation: 1979 Cotton Bowl, Notre Dame vs. Houston

Condition: Flu

What happened: With his team trailing, 20-12, Fighting Irish quarterback Montana remained in the locker room as the second half began. During the game, his body temperature had dipped to 96 degrees and he had to fight off hypothermia. Montana spent the third quarter eating chicken soup while being covered with hot packs. Houston had built a 34-12 lead when Montana returned to the field with 7:37 remaining in the game and rallied the team to a 35-34 victory, finishing off the comeback with a touchdown pass to Kris Haines on the final play. It was Montana’s last college game.

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Jack Youngblood

Situation: 1979 divisional playoffs, Rams at Cowboys

Condition: broken left leg

What happened: In the first half, Jack Youngblood was blocked by two Cowboys, causing his left leg to break above the ankle. Youngblood persuaded the trainers to tape him up at halftime and got a key sack of Roger Staubach in the second half of the Rams’ 21-19 upset victory. Youngblood used a leg brace as the Rams defeated Tampa Bay the next week for the NFC title, and wore it again in the Rams’ loss to Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XIV.

George Brett

Situation: 1980 World Series, Kansas City vs. Philadelphia

Condition: Hemorrhoids

What happened: Brett’s condition was so bad that the Royals third baseman could play only five innings of Game 1 against the Phillies and was unable to sit on the bench during the game. Between Games 2 and 3, Brett had an operation to relieve the condition and was able to finish the series. He batted .375 with a homer, three RBIs and a stolen base, though the Phillies won the series.

Kirk Gibson

Situation: Game 1, 1988 World Series, A’s at Dodgers.

Condition: Strained hamstring, sprained knee ligament.

What happened: With two out in the bottom of the ninth, Gibson limped to the plate and hit a game-winning, pinch-hit two-run home run off of Oakland closer Dennis Eckersley, giving the Dodgers a 5-4 win. The Dodgers went on to win the championship in five games. It was Gibson’s only at-bat of the Series.

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Pete Sampras

Situation: 1996 U.S. Open quarterfinals vs. Alex Corretja

Condition: Stomach flu

What happened: Hoping for a quick match because of his illness, Sampras instead found himself in a five-set thriller, with the No. 1-ranked player getting shakier and looking more exhausted with each point. Then, in the fifth-set tiebreaker, Sampras threw up on the court and was given a delay-of-game violation. Despite all that, Sampras managed to go up, 8-7, in the tiebreaker after serving an ace, then won when Corretja double-faulted on the next point. Sampras went on to win the title.

Kerri Strug

Situation: 1996 Olympic women’s team gymnastics competition

Condition: Torn ligaments in left ankle.

What happened: After injuring her ankle on her first vault attempt, Strug nailed a one-footed landing on her second attempt, giving the U.S. women’s team the points it needed to win the gold medal in gymnastics.

Michael Jordan

Situation: 1997 NBA Finals, Game 5, Chicago at Utah, series tied 2-2

Condition: Flu

What happened: Jordan scored 38 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter and a pivotal three-pointer with 25 seconds left, to cap Chicago’s rally from a 16-point first-half deficit. The Bulls won the title in six games.

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Curt Schilling

Situation: Game 6 of the 2004 ALCS, Boston vs. New York Yankees

Condition: Torn tendon in ankle

What happened: Trailing 3-2 in the series, the Red Sox needed Schilling to pitch despite his having a torn tendon in his right ankle that was being held together by sutures. With blood staining his sock, Schilling pitched seven innings, giving up one run, and led the Red Sox to victory. The Red Sox would win Game 7 and become the first team in baseball history to come back from a 3-0 deficit.

Tiger Woods

Situation: 2008 U.S. Open

Condition: Double stress fracture and torn ACL in knee

What happened: Woods sank a 12-foot birdie to force an 18-hole playoff against Rocco Mediate in the fourth round at Torrey Pines. In the playoff, he again birdied the 18th hole to send the tournament into sudden death, which Woods won on the first hole. Two days later, Woods revealed he would miss the rest of the season because of a double stress fracture of the leg and torn ACL that would require surgery.

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