The GOAT Begins
September 23, 2001. Flashback 24 years and 2 days ago: the Patriots are trailing the Jets 10-3 in the 4th quarter of their week 2 matchup. Drew Bledsoe, the Patriots starting QB, attempts to scramble for the first down and gets knocked out of the game. New England had no other option but to turn to their backup: A lanky 6th-round pick, 2nd-year quarterback out of Michigan named Tom Brady. No one knew it yet, but a dynasty had just been born.
The Pats lost that game, dropping them to 0-2. However, Brady and the Patriots went on to finish the season 11-3, march through the playoffs, and stun the Rams in the Super Bowl, picking up his first of many SB MVP trophies.
The No-Hit KING
September 26, 1981. 44 years ago tomorrow, Nolan Ryan made history. Pitching in the Astrodome on a Saturday afternoon, Ryan tossed his fifth career no-hitter, breaking Sandy Koufax’s record. Ryan threw 136 pitches, walked three, struck out eleven, and shut out the Dodgers 5-0.
The wild part is, this wouldn’t be his last. He’d go on to throw no-hitter number six in 1990, and then number seven in 1991. Seven no-hitters in total, which is the combined number of the second and third on the all-time list (Sandy Koufax (4) and Justin Verlander/Cy Young/Larry Corcoran/Bob Feller (3)).
Oh, and if you want something crazier, those last two were when he was 43 and 44 years old. Unreal.