Events in Sports History in December 1975

Greg Chappell

Dec 2 Greg Chappell in his debut as Australian cricket captain completes a fine double in 8 wicket win in 1st Test v West Indies in Brisbane; scores 109no in 2nd innings to follow his 1st innings 123

Dec 6 41st Heisman Trophy Award: Archie Griffin, Ohio State (RB)

Năstase's 4th ATP

Dec 7 Romanian tennis star Ilie Năstase wins his 4th season-ending ATP Masters Grand Prix title with a 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 rout of Björn Borg of Sweden in Stockholm

Yankees' Great Trade

Dec 11 MLB New York Yankees make great trade getting Willie Randolph, Dock Ellis & Ken Brett from Pittsburgh Pirates for George "Doc" Medich

MLB Second Baseman and Manager Willie Randolph

Dec 13 West Indian cricket opener Roy Fredericks smashes 169 in 2nd Test win v Australia in Perth; hundred in 71 balls

Veeck Buys White Sox

Dec 16 Bill Veeck buys 80% of MLB Chicago White Sox from John Allyn

Dec 17 NHL NY Islanders shut-out NY Rangers, for 1st time in 3-0 win with Billy Smith in goal
Dec 21 Buffalo Sabres set NHL record of 40 points beating Caps 14-2 scoring 5 goals vs Washington Caps in 4:57

Borg Gives Sweden Win

Dec 21 Davis Cup Men's Tennis, Stockholm, Sweden: Home town hero Björn Borg beats Czech Jan Kodeš 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 to give Sweden unassailable 3-1 lead; ends 3-2

Dec 23 Chairman of MLB arbitration panel Peter Seitz rules pitchers Andy Messersmith and Dave McNally to be free agents
Dec 26 5th Fiesta Bowl: #7 Arizona State beats #6 Nebraska, 17-14
Dec 26 Crowd of 85,661 attend the 1st day of the Australia vs West Indies MCG cricket test
Dec 28 "The Hail Mary", with 32 seconds left in the NFC Divisional Playoff Game, Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach throws a legendary 50-yard winning touchdown pass to Drew Pearson to defeat the Minnesota Vikings, and the "Hail Mary" play gains national recognition
Dec 28 Gary Cosier scores 109 v West Indies at MCG on Test Cricket debut
Dec 28 In the aftermath of the Cold War, the New York Rangers become first team in NHL history to face a touring Soviet hockey squad; Soviet Army beats the Rangers, 7-3 at Madison Square Garden

Oleg Blokhin Award

Dec 30 Ballon d'Or: FC Dynamo Kyiv forward Oleg Blokhin claims award for best European football player ahead of former winners, Bayern Munich defender Franz Beckenbauer and Ajax forward Johan Cruyff

Dec 31 42nd Sugar Bowl: #3 Alabama beats #7 Penn State, 13-6