“In order to excel, you must be completely dedicated.” - Willie Mays
“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence. ” - Vince Lombardi
Jan. 27, 1991 - Whitney Houston sang the national anthem at Super Bowl XXV
“If you were there, you could feel the intensity. You know, we were in the Gulf War at the time. It was an intense time for a country. A lot of our daughters and sons were overseas fighting. I could see, in the stadium, I could see the fear, the hope, the intensity, the prayers going up, you know, and I just felt like this is the moment. And it was hope, we needed hope, you know, to bring our babies home and that’s what it was about for me, that what I felt when I sang that song, and the overwhelming love coming out of the stands was incredible.” - Whitney Houston talking about how she felt at the moment when she belted out the national anthem at Super Bowl XXV
10 days into the Persian Gulf War, Whitney Houston took the field at Tampa Stadium and performed “The Star Spangled Banner,” backed by the Florida Orchestra along with music director Jahja Ling, before 73,813 fans, 115 million viewers in the United States and a worldwide television audience of 750 million.
Because of the Gulf War situation, this marked the first time the Super Bowl would be telecast in most countries around the world. Outside of North America and the United Kingdom, the Super Bowl was broadcast for the first time in such countries as Australia, Russia, and most other countries. Houston’s performance was later used as a music video of the song.
The Giants defeated the Bills by the score of 20–19, winning their second ever Super Bowl. It is the only Super Bowl decided by one point. The Bills and their explosive no-huddle offense were making their first Super Bowl appearance after finishing the regular season with a 13-3 record, and leading the league in total points scored with 428. In advancing to their second Super Bowl, the Giants also posted a 13-3 regular season record, but with a ball-control offense and a defense that allowed a league low 211 points.
Stadium: Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida
Attendance: 73,813
MVP: Ottis Anderson, Running back
Favorite: Bills by 7
Cost of 30-second commercial: US$800,000
Video of the performance:
“Belief in oneself is one of the most important bricks in building any successful venture.” - Frank Gifford
“In order to excel, you must be completely dedicated to your chosen sport. You must also be prepared to work hard and be willing to accept constructive criticism. Without a total 100 percent dedication, you won’t be able to do this.” - Willie Mays
Jan. 14, 1973 - Dolphins became first team to go undefeated in NFL season
They also defeated the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII.
The 2007 New England Patriots also went undefeated in the regular season, going 16-0. However, after winning their first two playoff games, they were upset by the New York Giants 17-14 in Super Bowl XLII to finish the season at 18-1.
Highlights from Super Bowl XII:
“This is nothing. I’ve got nine writers standing here. McGwire had 200 writers when he had 30 home runs.” - Barry Bonds
“It isn’t hard to be good from time to time in sports. What is tough, is being good every day.” - Willie Mays
Oct. 3, 2001 - Barry Bonds broke Babe Ruth’s season record for walks at 171
He finished the season with 177 walks. Barry is such a threat at the plate that during the 1998 season the Arizona Diamondbacks walked Barry with the bases loaded. They would rather give up one run vice a Grand Slam and give up 4.
Career Distinctions
Besides holding Major League career records in home runs (762), walks (2,558), and intentional walks (688), at the time of his retirement, Bonds also led all active players in RBI (1,996), on-base percentage (.444), runs (2,227), games (2,986), extra-base hits (1,440), at-bats per home run (12.92), and total bases (5,976). He is 2nd in doubles (601), slugging percentage (.607), stolen bases (514), at-bats (9,847), and hits (2,935), 6th in triples (77), 8th in sacrifice flies (91), and 9th in strikeouts (1,539), through September 26, 2007.
Bonds is the lone member of the 500–500 club, which means he has hit at least 500 home runs (762) and stolen 500 bases (514). He is also one of only four baseball players all-time to be in the 40–40 club (1996), which means he hit 40 home runs (42) and stole 40 bases (40) in the same season; the other members are José Canseco, Alex Rodriguez and Alfonso Soriano.
Sept. 29, 1954 - Willie Mays makes his famous over the shoulder catch
The Catch refers to a memorable defensive baseball play by Willie Mays on September 29, 1954, during Game 1 of the 1954 World Series between the New York Giants and the Cleveland Indians at the Polo Grounds in New York on a ball hit by Vic Wertz. The score was tied 2-2 in the top of the 8th inning. Starting pitcher Sal Maglie walked Larry Doby and gave up a single to Al Rosen, putting runners on first and second. Giants manager Leo Durocher summoned left-handed relief pitcher Don Liddle to replace Maglie and pitch to Cleveland’s Wertz, also a left-hander.
Wertz worked the count to two balls and one strike before crushing Liddle’s fourth pitch approximately 420 feet to deep center field. In many stadiums the hit would have been a home run and given the Indians a 5-2 lead. However, this was the spacious Polo Grounds, and Giants center fielder Willie Mays, who was playing in shallow center field, made an on-the-run, over-the-shoulder catch on the warning track to make the out. Having caught the ball, he immediately spun and threw the ball, losing his hat in characteristic style. Doby, the runner on second, might have been able to score the go-ahead run had he tagged at the moment the ball was caught; as it was, he ran when the ball was hit, then had to scramble back to retag and only got as far as third base. (Rosen stayed at first on this play.) Liddle was then relieved by Marv Grissom, to which he supposedly remarked “Well, I got my man!” (The next batter walked to load the bases, but the next two batters were retired to end the inning with no runs scored.)
Willie Mays “the Catch”
“In the end, the game comes down to one thing. Man against man. May the best man win.” - Sam Huff
“Live like a bad son of a bitch and let’s play some ball.” - Lawrence Taylor
Aug. 8, 2007 - Barry Bonds Hits No. 756 to Break Hank Aaron’s Record
Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants hit his 756th career home run to break the record held by Hank Aaron since 1974.
Aug. 2, 1959 - Willie McCovey gets first home run
McCovey would hit 521 home runs his great career. McCovey’s first home run was hit in San Francisco and sailed about 385 feet. Today, the home of the San Francisco Giants features McCovey Cove, one of the most recognizable stadium aspects in all of baseball.
June 21, 1939 - Lou Gehrig is forced to quit baseball due to illness.
The Farewell Speech
“Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about a bad break I got. Yet today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth. I have been in ballparks for seventeen years and I have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans. Look at these grand men. Which of you wouldn’t consider it the highlight of his career just to associate with them for even one day? Sure I’m lucky. Who wouldn’t have considered it an honor to have known Jacob Ruppert? Also, the builder of baseball’s greatest empire, Ed Barrows? To have spent six years with that wonderful little fellow, Miller Huggins? Then to have spent the next nine years with that outstanding leader, that smart student of psychology, the best manager in baseball today, Joe McCarthy? Sure, I’m lucky. When the New York Giants, a team you would give your right arm to beat and vice versa, sends you a gift, that’s something. When everybody down to the groundskeeper and those boys in white coats remember you with trophies, that’s something. When you have a father and mother work all their lives so that you can have an education and build your body, it’s a blessing. When you have a wife who has been a tower of strength and shown more courage than you dreamed existed, that’s the finest I know. I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the Earth. And I might have been given a bad break, but I’ve got an awful lot to live for.” - July 4, 1939 at Yankee Stadium on Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day
