100 Greatest Days in New York Sports

Stuart Miller has been a journalist for three decades, covering a wide variety of topics for publications including the New York Times, the New York Daily News, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, the Boston Globe, Newsweek, the Guardian, and Variety. He is the author or co-author of The Other Islands of New York City: A History and Guide, Good Wood: The Story of the Baseball Bat, and Where Have All Our Giants Gone. He is a third-generation Brooklynite and lives in the South Slope neighborhood with his wife and two sons.

• Introduction1. Wilmer Flores Becomes a New York Folk Hero, July 31, 2015, Citi Field2. Roberta Vinci Stuns Serena Williams to Stop Her Grand Slam dreams, September 11, 2015, National Tennis Center3. American Pharoah Ends the Triple Crown Wait, June 6, 2015, Belmont Park4. The Rangers Finally Topple the Penguins in Seven, en Route to the Finals, May 13, 2014, Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh5. Linsanity Takes over New York and the NBA, February 4, 2012, Madison Square Garden6. The Patriots Are Again the Favorites, but the Giants Are Again the Champions, February 5, 2012, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis7. Novak Djokovic Dominates the Tennis World and Stuns Roger Federer, September 10, 2011, National Tennis Center8. The Jets “Can’t Wait” to Beat the Patriots in the Playoffs, January 18, 2011, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough9. Hideki Matsui Drives in Six as the Yankees Win Their Only Championship Post-2000, November 4, 2009, Yankee Stadium10. Unheralded Juan Martin del Potro Upsets Invincible Roger Federer, September 14, 2009, National Tennis Center11. Eli Manning Scrambles, David Tyree Uses his Head, and the Giants End the Patriots’ Dream Season, February 3, 2008, University of Phoenix Stadium, Phoenix12. Aaron Boone Sinks the Sox, October 16, 2003, Yankee Stadium13. Justine Henin’s Comeback Undoes and Outdoes Jennifer Capriati’s, September 5, 2003, National Tennis Center14. In a Match for the Ages, Pete Sampras Beats Andre Agassi One Last Time, September 8, 2002, National Tennis Center15. Mike Piazza Picks Up New York with His Post-9/11 Game-Winning Homer, September 21, 2001, Shea Stadium16. The Williams Sisters Take Women’s Tennis into Prime Time, September 8, 2001, National Tennis Center17. The Subway Series Rides Again, October 21, 2000, Yankee Stadium18. Allan Houston Beats the Buzzer and Miami, May 16, 1999, Miami Arena19. Jim Leyritz Powers a Yankees Comeback, October 23, 1996, Fulton County Stadium, Atlanta20. Steffi Graf, Struggling with Her Father’s Arrest, Faces Off against Monica Seles, Struggling to Overcome Her Stabbing Injury, September 9, 1995, National Tennis Center21. Fifty-four Years Later, the Rangers Finally Win the Stanley Cup, June 14, 1994, Madison Square Garden22. Patrick Ewing Lifts the Knicks into the NBA Finals, June 5, 1994, Madison Square Garden23. Stephane Matteau Scores in Double Overtime in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, May 27, 1994, Madison Square Garden24. Grete Waitz and Fred Lebow Run Side by Side, November 1, 1992, Central Park25. Monica Seles and Jennifer Capriati Introduce Power to Women’s Tennis, While Martina Navratilova Does Her Best Jimbo, September 6, 1991, National Tennis Center26. Jimmy Connors Defies Father Time, September 2, 1991, National Tennis Center27. Buffalo Misses Wide Right and the Giants Escape with Their Second Super Bowl, January 27, 1991, Tampa Stadium, Tampa28. The Knicks Beat Boston in Boston, Finally, May 6, 1990, Boston Garden29. Phil Simms Is Almost Perfect as the Giants Win Their First Super Bowl, January 25, 1987, Rose Bowl, Pasadena30. The Mets Come Back One More Time in Game 7, October 27, 1986, Shea Stadium31. Mookie Wilson Hits a Ground Ball to First in Game 6 of the World Series, October 25, 1986, Shea Stadium32. The Mets Finally Vanquish Houston in the 16th, October 15, 1986, Astrodome, Houston33. Every Match Goes the Distance on Super Saturday, September 8, 1984, National Tennis Center34. Bernard King Buries Detroit, April 27, 1984, Joe Louis Arena, Detroit35. St. John’s Revs Up the Big East, March 12, 1983, Madison Square Garden36. The Jets Win and Help the Giants, too, December 20, 1981, Shea Stadium37. John McEnroe Gets Revenge against Bjorn Borg, September 7, 1980, National Tennis Center38. Bobby Nystrom’s OT Goal Gives the Islanders Their First of Four Straight Stanley Cups, May 24, 1980, Nassau Coliseum39. The Rangers Beat the Islanders to Reach the Stanley Cup Finals, May 8, 1979, Madison Square Garden40. Bucky Dent Tops the Green Monster, October 2, 1978, Fenway Park, Boston41. Affirmed Edges Alydar for the Third Straight Time to Win the Triple Crown, June 10, 1978, Belmont Park42. Reggie, Reggie, Reggie, October 18, 1977, Yankee Stadium43. The Marathon Expands to All Five Boroughs, and Bill Rodgers Wins It, October 24, 1976, Central Park44. Chris Chambliss Homers the Yankees Back into the World Series, October 14, 1976, Yankee Stadium45. Dr. J Leads the Nets Back from 22 Down to Win the Final ABA Finals, May 13, 1976, Nassau Coliseum46. The Upstart Islanders Stun the Comeback Rangers in the Playoffs in OT, April 11, 1975, Madison Square Garden47. The “Ya Gotta Believe” Mets Win a Miracle Finish in the 13th against the Pirates, September 20, 1973, Shea Stadium48. Secretariat Ends Horse Racing’s Triple Crown Drought by Dominating at the Belmont Stakes, June 9, 1973, Belmont Park49. The Knicks Finally Beat Boston in Game 7, April 29, 1973, Boston Garden, Boston50. The Fight: Ali–Frazier I, March 8, 1971, Madison Square Garden51. Willis Reed Hobbles to the Rescue, May 8 1970, Madison Square Garden52. The Amazin’ Mets Win the World Series, October 16, 1969, Shea Stadium53. Tommie Agee Saves the Day, Then Does It Again, October 14, 1969, Shea Stadium54. Broadway Joe Makes Good on His Guarantee, January 12, 1969, Orange Bowl, Miami55. The Jets Avenge Their “Heidi” Loss and Win the AFL Title, December 27, 1968, Shea Stadium56. Arthur Ashe Wins the First U.S. Open, September 9, 1968, West Side Tennis Club57. This Time Ralph Terry Finds Success in the Ninth Inning of a Game 7, October 16, 1962, Candlestick Park, San Francisco58. Roger Maris Beats the Babe, October 1, 1961, Yankee Stadium59. Pat Summerall Kicks a Field Goal in the Snow, December 14, 1958, Yankee Stadium60. The Yankees Resurrect Themselves with a 10-Inning Win, October 8, 1958, County Stadium, Milwaukee61. Carmen Basilio and Sugar Ray Robinson Go to War, September 23, 1957, Yankee Stadium62. The Giants Crush the Bears in the NFL Championship Game, December 30, 1956, Yankee Stadium63. Don Larsen Pitches a Perfect Game in the World Series, October 8, 1956, Yankee Stadium64. “Next Year” Finally Arrives for Brooklyn, October 4, 1955, Ebbets Field65. Willie Mays Makes “The Catch,” September 29, 1954, Polo Grounds66. The Yankees Win a Fifth Straight World Series on Billy Martin’s Series-Record 12th Hit, October 5, 1953, Yankee Stadium67. Billy Martin’s Lunging Catch of Jackie Robinson’s Popup Saves Game 7 of the World Series, October 7, 1952, Ebbets Field68. Sugar Ray Robinson Melts against Joey Maxim, June 25, 1952, Yankee Stadium69. The Giants Win the Pennant, October 3, 1951, Polo Grounds70. CCNY Wins Its Second National Championship . . . of the Month, March 28, 1950, Madison Square Garden71. Columbia Ends Army’s Winning Streak, October 25, 1947, Baker Field72. Cookie Lavagetto Ruins Floyd Bevens’s World Series No-hitter, October 3, 1947, Ebbets Field73. Jackie Robinson Shatters the Color Barrier, April 15, 1947, Ebbets Field74. Army and Notre Dame Shut One Another Out in the “Battle of the Century,” November 9, 1946, Yankee Stadium75. Tony Zale Drops Rocky Graziano, September 27, 1946, Yankee Stadium76. Joe DiMaggio Hits in his 45th Straight Game, a New Record, July 2, 1941, Yankee Stadium77. Joe Louis Comes Back to KO Billy Conn, June 18, 1941, Polo Grounds78. Lou Gehrig Proclaims Himself the “Luckiest Man,” July 4, 1939, Yankee Stadium79. The Giants Hold Off the Packers for the NFL Championship, December 11, 1938, Polo Grounds80. Joe Louis Annihilates Max Schmeling, June 22, 1938, Yankee Stadium81. Lazzeri, DiMaggio, and the Yankees Make a Statement against the Giants and Start a New Yankees Dynasty, October 2, 1936, Yankee Stadium82. Ned Irish Launches College Basketball with the First Doubleheader, December 29, 1934, Madison Square Garden83. The Giants Win the NFL Championship in the Sneaker Game, December 9, 1934, Polo Grounds84. At the All-Star Game, Carl Hubbell Strikes Out Ruth, Gehrig, Foxx, Simmons, and Cronin in a Row, July 10, 1934, Polo Grounds85. Columbia Pulls Off a Stunning Rose Bowl Upset, January 1, 1934, Rose Bowl, Pasadena86. Babe Ruth “Calls” His World Series Home Run, October 1, 1932, Wrigley Field, Chicago87. Notre Dame Wins One for the Gipper, November 10, 1928, Yankee Stadium88. The Babe Hits 60, September 30, 1927, Yankee Stadium89. Harry Greb Bests Mickey Walker, July 2, 1925, Polo Grounds90. The Four Horsemen of Notre Dame Triumph over Army, October 18, 1924, Yankee Stadium91. Jack Dempsey Outslugs Luis Firpo, September 14, 1923, Polo Grounds92. Babe Ruth Christens the “House That Ruth Built” with a Home Run, April 18, 1923, Yankee Stadium93. The Giants Win, 1–0, to Capture the First Modern “Subway” Series, October 13, 1921, Polo Grounds94. Bill Tilden Becomes Tennis’ First Superstar with a Revenge Win against Bill Johnston, September 6, 1920, West Side Tennis Club95. Man o’ War Comes Back to Beat John P. Grier at the Dwyer Stakes, July 10, 1920, Aqueduct Race Course96. Marathon Mania Reaches Its Peak, April 3, 1909, Polo Grounds97. Matty Shuts Out the A’s, Again, October 14, 1905, Polo Grounds98. Charles Miller Rides (and Rides) into the Record Books, December 10, 1898, Madison Square Garden99. The Brooklyn Atlantics Hand the Cincinnati Red Stockings Their First Defeat, June 14, 1870, Capitoline Grounds100. New York Gets Its First Glimpse of a Sports-Mad Future, May 27, 1823, Union CourseSelected BibliographyAbout the Author

An invigorating rush through New York sports history that even Mets and Yankees fans can agree is enjoyable. This book will capture the curiosity of the sports fan that has a thirst to learn about their favorite city's biggest moments, and will further educate the fan that has seen most of these with their own eyes. Fans of all ages will feel like they are in their own personal sports time machine.