58 Fun Facts About 90s Sports

Which team did the Bulls beat in the 1998 NBA Finals, ended by Michael Jordan's last shot as a Bull?

The Bulls beat the Utah Jazz in six games; Jordan's jumper over Bryon Russell with 5.2 seconds left gave Chicago an 87-86 lead in Game 6 and a sixth title.

During his 1994 baseball detour, Michael Jordan played for which minor-league team?

Jordan signed a minor-league deal with the Chicago White Sox and hit .202 for their Double-A Birmingham Barons, with three home runs and 30 stolen bases.

What regular-season record did the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls post, an NBA best that stood for twenty years?

Chicago's 72-10 stood as the NBA record until the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors went 73-9, though Golden State lost in the Finals and the Bulls did not.

How many points did Michael Jordan score in the 1997 'Flu Game' against Utah?

Jordan scored 38 points in Game 5 of the 1997 Finals, including the go-ahead three-pointer with 25 seconds left, then collapsed into Scottie Pippen's arms.

The 1994 baseball strike wiped out the World Series for the first time since which year?

The 1904 Series was skipped when the Giants refused to play Boston; the 1994 strike began on August 12, lasted 232 days and cancelled 948 games, including the Series.

Which team owned the best record in baseball, 74-40, when the 1994 players' strike ended the season?

The Montreal Expos, 74-40, never got their shot at a title; the franchise moved to Washington in 2005. Tony Gwynn was hitting .394 when play stopped.

Which future Supreme Court justice's March 1995 injunction effectively ended the baseball strike?

Sonia Sotomayor, then a federal district judge in Manhattan, issued the injunction against the owners on March 31, 1995; players returned for a 144-game season starting in late April.

On September 6, 1995, Cal Ripken Jr. played in his 2,131st consecutive game, breaking whose record?

Lou Gehrig's record of 2,130 straight games had stood since 1939; Ripken kept going until 1998, voluntarily ending his streak at 2,632 games, 502 beyond the old mark.

Which Cubs pitcher gave up Mark McGwire's record-breaking 62nd home run on September 8, 1998?

Steve Trachsel's pitch became a 341-foot liner over the left-field wall, one of McGwire's shortest of the year; he finished with 70, Sammy Sosa with 66 and the NL MVP.

Whose walk-off three-run home run off Mitch Williams won the 1993 World Series for the Toronto Blue Jays?

Joe Carter's homer to left off Mitch Williams in Game 6 made Toronto the first repeat champion since the 1977-78 Yankees; Game 4 of that Series was a 15-14 slugfest.

Who hit the 11th-inning walk-off single in Game 7 of the 1997 World Series for the Marlins?

Édgar Rentería's single off Charles Nagy scored Craig Counsell; the Marlins were the first wild-card champion, and owner Wayne Huizenga then sold off the roster, leading to a 54-108 1998.

What was the final score of Super Bowl XXV, where Scott Norwood's kick went 'wide right'?

The Giants won 20-19 after Norwood's 47-yard attempt sailed wide right; Whitney Houston sang the anthem and New York held the ball for a Super Bowl-record 40 minutes 33 seconds.

Who was named MVP of Super Bowl XXXII after scoring three touchdowns despite a migraine?

Terrell Davis missed most of the second quarter with the migraine and yet ran for a Super Bowl-record three touchdowns; Denver's win snapped the AFC's 13-game losing streak.

How many rushing yards did Barry Sanders gain in 1997, his co-MVP season with Brett Favre?

Sanders ran for 2,053 yards in 1997, topping 100 in each of the final 14 games, an NFL-record streak, and retired in 1999 by faxing a letter to the Wichita Eagle.

How far short of Walter Payton's NFL rushing record was Barry Sanders when he retired in 1999?

Sanders retired with 15,269 yards, 1,457 yards short of Walter Payton's 16,726, walking away the day before Lions camp opened after ten seasons and one playoff win.

Which team did the Dallas Cowboys beat 30-13 in Super Bowl XXVIII in January 1994?

The Buffalo Bills lost their fourth consecutive Super Bowl, the second straight to Dallas, after leading 13-6 at halftime.

The 1994 New York Rangers ended a Stanley Cup drought of how many years?

The Rangers' first Cup since 1940 ended a 54-year wait; they needed seven games to beat Vancouver after blowing a 3-1 series lead, and Mark Messier had delivered a guaranteed Game 6 hat trick against New Jersey.

Which country won the men's ice hockey gold at Nagano 1998, the first Olympics to feature NHL players?

The Czechs, led by Dominik Hašek in goal, beat Russia 1-0 in the final. Nagano also introduced women's ice hockey, curling and snowboarding to the Winter Games.

At 15, who became the youngest individual Winter Olympic gold medallist at Nagano in 1998?

Tara Lipinski, aged 15, upset the favoured Michelle Kwan in the free skate at Nagano and turned professional soon afterwards.

Nancy Kerrigan was clubbed on the leg on January 6, 1994, in the corridor of which building?

The attack came at Cobo Arena, Detroit, the practice rink for the US Championships; Shane Stant swung a baton, the plot traced to Tonya Harding's ex-husband, and Harding was banned for life.

Who lit the Olympic cauldron at the 1996 Atlanta opening ceremony?

Muhammad Ali, visibly shaking from Parkinson's, took the torch from swimmer Janet Evans and lit the cauldron; a record 197 nations took part in Atlanta.

What world-record time did Michael Johnson run in the 200 metres at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics?

Johnson ran 19.32 in gold-coloured Nike spikes, slashing his own record of 19.66, and became the first man to win the 200 and 400 at one Games.

Which Canadian sprinter won the 100 metres in Atlanta in a then world record 9.84 seconds?

Donovan Bailey ran 9.84 to take the 100 metres, then anchored Canada's 4x100 relay to gold ahead of the United States on home soil.

How many people were killed by the pipe bomb in Centennial Olympic Park during the Atlanta Games?

Two people died: Alice Hawthorne was killed by the July 27 blast and a cameraman suffered a fatal heart attack; 111 were injured, and Eric Rudolph later pleaded guilty and got life.

Who was the only college player on the 1992 US Olympic 'Dream Team'?

Christian Laettner, the Duke forward, was picked over LSU's Shaquille O'Neal; the team won by an average of 43.8 points and beat Croatia 117-85 for gold.

Which Detroit Pistons star was controversially left off the 1992 Dream Team roster?

Isiah Thomas was passed over despite back-to-back Pistons titles, even though Dream Team coach Chuck Daly was his own coach in Detroit; Charles Barkley led the team at 18 points a game.

On November 7, 1991, which NBA superstar announced he had HIV and was retiring immediately?

Magic Johnson announced his HIV diagnosis at a Forum press conference; he nonetheless played in the 1992 All-Star Game, scoring 25 points for MVP, then joined the Dream Team in Barcelona.

To how many games was the 1998-99 NBA regular season cut by the lockout?

Teams played a 50-game schedule starting in February 1999 after the 204-day lockout, the first NBA work stoppage to cancel games; San Antonio won the title.

Which team did Houston beat in the 1994 NBA Finals for the first of its back-to-back titles?

Houston beat the New York Knicks in seven games; Game 5 was famously interrupted on TV by O.J. Simpson's white Bronco chase, and Houston swept Orlando the following year.

By how many strokes did 21-year-old Tiger Woods win the 1997 Masters?

Woods won by twelve strokes over Tom Kite after shooting 40 on his first nine holes, finishing at 18-under 270, then a tournament record.

Whose long putt on Brookline's 17th set off the premature US celebration at the 1999 Ryder Cup?

Justin Leonard holed a 45-foot putt on the 17th to spark the stampede across José María Olazábal's line; Europe had led 10-6 going into Sunday, yet the US won 14½-13½.

How much did Nevada's commission fine Mike Tyson for biting Evander Holyfield's ears in 1997?

The Nevada commission fined Tyson $3 million, a tenth of his $30 million purse; referee Mills Lane disqualified him after the third round at the MGM Grand and his licence was revoked until October 1998.

In which city did 42-1 underdog Buster Douglas knock out Mike Tyson in February 1990?

Douglas knocked Tyson out in the tenth round at the Tokyo Dome, weeks after his mother's death; it was Tyson's first professional loss.

Whom did George Foreman knock out in November 1994 to become the oldest heavyweight champion?

Foreman, in his mid-40s, trailed on every scorecard before a tenth-round right hand knocked out Michael Moorer at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, twenty years after losing the title in Zaire.

Which Italian sent his penalty over the bar to hand Brazil the 1994 World Cup?

Roberto Baggio, Italy's star of the tournament, skied the decisive penalty after a 0-0 draw through 120 minutes at the Rose Bowl, giving Brazil a fourth title and its first with the current trophy.

Which Colombian defender was shot dead in July 1994, days after scoring an own goal at the World Cup?

Andrés Escobar's own goal against the United States helped eliminate Colombia in the group stage; he was shot dead outside a Medellín nightclub on July 2, 1994.

Who scored two headed goals from corners for France in the 1998 World Cup final against Brazil?

Zinedine Zidane headed in corners from Emmanuel Petit and Youri Djorkaeff before half-time; France won 3-0 despite Marcel Desailly's red card, with Petit adding the third.

How many spectators watched the 1999 Women's World Cup final at the Rose Bowl, then a record?

A crowd of 90,185 saw the US beat China 5-4 on penalties after a 0-0 draw; Brandi Chastain's shirt-off celebration made the covers of Sports Illustrated, Time and Newsweek.

Which US goalkeeper's save on Liu Ying's penalty set up the 1999 Women's World Cup win over China?

Briana Scurry dived left to stop Liu Ying's kick, the only miss of the shootout; critics noted she stepped off her line early, but the save stood and Brandi Chastain converted the winner.

Which two substitutes scored in injury time against Bayern Munich in May 1999 to complete Ferguson's treble?

Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær struck in the 91st and 93rd minutes, making United the first English club to win the league, FA Cup and European Cup in one season.

Nelson Mandela presented the 1995 Rugby World Cup to which Springbok captain while wearing his jersey?

Mandela wore Francois Pienaar's number 6 jersey as he handed over the trophy; South Africa beat New Zealand 15-12 at Ellis Park on Joel Stransky's extra-time drop goal, the moment behind the film Invictus.

Which Spanish cyclist won five consecutive Tours de France from 1991 to 1995?

Miguel Induráin was the first rider to win five Tours in a row, and in September 1994 he also set the hour record at 53.040 km.

At which corner of the Imola circuit did Ayrton Senna crash fatally on May 1, 1994?

Senna's Williams left the track at the flat-out Tamburello curve and hit the concrete wall; Roland Ratzenberger had died in qualifying the day before.

Who won the 1992 Indianapolis 500 by a record-close 0.043 seconds?

Al Unser Jr. held off Scott Goodyear by 0.043 seconds in 1992, then the closest finish in Indianapolis 500 history, winning the race his father and uncle had also won.

Which team won the first MLS Cup, in October 1996?

D.C. United beat the Los Angeles Galaxy 3-2 in extra time at Foxboro Stadium to win the first MLS Cup; the league had launched that April with ten teams.

Which player was the first ever signed by the WNBA before its 1997 debut season?

Sheryl Swoopes signed in October 1996 as the league's first player and joined the Houston Comets, who won the first four titles; the league launched with eight teams.

Whom did 17-year-old Serena Williams beat in the 1999 US Open final for her first Grand Slam?

Serena beat Martina Hingis 6-3, 7-6 to become the first African-American woman to win a singles major since Althea Gibson in 1958, the first of her 23 singles majors.

Agassi completed the career Grand Slam at the 1999 French Open from two sets down against whom?

He beat Andrei Medvedev 1-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4, becoming the first man to complete the career Grand Slam on three surfaces; that tournament was also Roger Federer's first Grand Slam appearance.

Which club won the 1994-95 Premier League, denying Alex Ferguson's side a third straight title?

Blackburn Rovers, bankrolled by Jack Walker and led by Alan Shearer's 34 league goals, finished one point ahead of Manchester United despite losing at Liverpool on the final day.

Which CFL franchise became the first US-based team to win the Grey Cup, in 1995?

The Baltimore Stallions beat Calgary 37-20 in Regina; the CFL's American experiment folded the following year and the Stallions' organisation relocated to become the Montreal Alouettes.

Which cyclist won the 1999 Tour de France for US Postal Service, a result later erased by USADA in 2012?

Lance Armstrong won the race organisers billed the 'Tour of Renewal' after the 1998 Festina doping scandal; USADA's 2012 ruling stripped this and his six later Tour wins, leaving 1999 without an official winner.

Which NASCAR driver won the inaugural Brickyard 400 in 1994 and racked up 13 wins in 1998?

Jeff Gordon's No. 24 Hendrick crew were the 'Rainbow Warriors'; he won Winston Cup titles in 1995, 1997 and 1998, and his 13 wins in 1998 tied the modern-era record.

In which German city was Monica Seles stabbed on court by a Steffi Graf fan in April 1993?

Günter Parche, an obsessed Steffi Graf fan, stabbed Seles between games at the Citizen Cup in Hamburg; he received only a suspended sentence, and Seles did not play again for 27 months.

John Daly won the 1991 PGA Championship at Crooked Stick after entering the field how?

Daly got in as the ninth and final alternate when Nick Price withdrew, drove through the night with no practice round, and opened with a 69 at the course near Indianapolis.

Which Norwegian speed skater won three golds at the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics?

Johann Olav Koss swept the 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000 metres at Lillehammer, setting world records in all three, and donated his bonus money to Olympic Aid.

How old was Nolan Ryan when he threw his record seventh no-hitter on May 1, 1991?

Ryan, 44, struck out Toronto's Roberto Alomar for the final out of his seventh no-hitter, pitching for the Texas Rangers at Arlington Stadium.

Which owner moved the Cleveland Browns to Baltimore for the 1996 NFL season?

Art Modell announced the move in November 1995; the NFL brokered a deal in which his team became a new franchise, the Ravens, while the Browns name and history stayed in Cleveland.

Whom did 19-year-old Pete Sampras beat in the 1990 US Open final to become its youngest men's champion?

Sampras beat Andre Agassi 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 at 19 years and 28 days, beginning a career of 14 majors, more than any man before him.