Hall of Champions: 1970
1970 World Series
Baltimore Orioles 9, Cincinnati Reds 3
Orioles win series 4 games to 1 (4-3, 6-5, 93, 5-6, 9-3).
The 1970 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1970 season, and the 67th edition of the World Series. It featured the National League (NL) champion Cincinnati Reds (102-60) against the American League (AL) champion Baltimore Orioles (108-54). The series featured the first World Series games to be played on artificial turf, as Games 1 and 2 took place at Cincinnati's first-year Riverfront Stadium. It was the also the first World Series to feature names on the back on both team uniforms.
Game Date
Thursday, October 15, 1970
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Brooks Robinson won the World Series MVP Award hitting .429, broke the record for total bases in a five-game series with 17, tied the record for most hits in one game with four, and tied teammate Paul Blair for most hits in a five-game Series with nine.
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1971 World Series
Total Baseball described Brooks Robinson's fielding with, "other-worldly defense at third (which) gave Reds right-handed hitters nightmares through the Series."
- Pitching was a strength for the Baltimore Orioles as manager Earl Weaver had three, healthy 20-game winners. Mike Cuellar (24–8, 3.48 ERA), Dave McNally (24–9, 3.22) and future Hall of Famer Jim Palmer (20–10, 2.71) were all well-rested.
- The Reds featured a heavy-hitting lineup that included future Hall of Famers Johnny Bench (45 home runs, 148 RBI), third baseman Tony Perez (40 HR, 129 RBI, .317 BA), Pete Rose (.316 BA) and NL stolen base leader Bobby Tolan.
- Coming into the World Series, the Orioles had won 14 straight including the final 11 during the regular season then defeated the Minnesota Twins, three games to none, in the American League Championship Series.
- Of the four World Series Earl Weaver managed the Orioles to, the 1970 World Series was the only one that they won. They lost to the New York Mets in 1969, and to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1971 and 1979.
©CCM Feb 21 2022
1970 NFL Season: Super Bowl V
Baltimore Colts 16, Dallas Cowboys 13
Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida. Attendance 79,204.
1970 NFL Season: Super Bowl V featured the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys (10-4) against the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Baltimore Colts (11-2-1). It is considered the first modern-era NFL championship game. The Colts defeated the Cowboys by the score of 16–13 on a field goal with 5 seconds left in the game. The game was the first Super Bowl played after the completion of the AFL–NFL merger/ All 26 AFL and NFL teams were divided into two conferences with 13 teams in each. Along with the Colts, the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers agreed to join the ten AFL teams to form the AFC; the remaining 13 NFL teams formed the NFC.
Game Date
Sunday, January 17, 1971
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The game is often referred to as the "Blunder Bowl," "Blooper Bowl," or "Stupor Bowl" due to it being marred with poor play, a blocked PAT, missed opportunities, penalties, turnovers, and officiating miscues.
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1971 NFL Season: Super Bowl VI
Don McCafferty became the first rookie head coach to win a Super Bowl. Colts defensive end Bubba Smith would later refuse to wear his Super Bowl V ring because of the "sloppy" play.[
- Colts rookie kicker Jim O'Brien made a 32-yard field goal with five seconds left in regulation time to win the game, then a Super Bowl record for least time in the lead for a champion.
- Cowboys' linebacker Chuck Howley won the MVP Award, the first non-quarterback to win the award, after making two interceptions, the only player in Super Bowl history to lose the Super Bowl but still win MVP.
- The Colts Earl Morrall was the top passer of the game, with 7 out of 15 completions for 147 yards, with 1 interception, all in relief of Johnny Unitas, who had been knocked out of the game.
- Dallas running back Walt Garrison was the leading rusher of the game with 65 rushing yards, and added 19 yards on 2 pass receptions.
©CCM Feb 21 2022
1971 NBA Finals
Milwaukee Bucks 118, Baltimore Bullets 106
Bucks win the series 4 games to 0 (98-88, 102-83, 107-99, 118-106).
The 1971 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1971 NBA Playoffs, which concluded the National Basketball Association 1970–71 season. The Baltimore Bullets (42-40) from the Eastern Conference took on the Western Conference champion Milwaukee Bucks (66-16). The Bucks were founded as an expansion team only three years earlier, while the Bullets (who originally started out as the Chicago Packers) had dethroned the 1969–70 NBA champion New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals.
Game Date
Friday, April 30, 1971
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The Bucks were the first champions from the West Division or Conference to win the league's championship since the St. Louis Hawks did so in 1958
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1972 NBA Finals
The series was the second (and last) time in NBA history that the teams alternated home games, the other being in 1956. Most other series were held in the 2-2-1-1-1 or 2-3-2 format.
- Milwaukee posted a 66–16 record in only its third year of existence, and its second since drafting Lew Alcindor (later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar). Alcindor was Finals MVP, as well as regular-season MVP.
- The Bullets entered The Finals hobbled by injuries to Earl Monroe, Gus Johnson and Wes Unseld and became the second Finals sweep victim in NBA history.
- A key part of the Bucks championship season was the acquisition of guard Oscar Robertson. Other key Bucks included Bob Dandridge (18.4 ppg), Jon McGlocklin (15.8 ppg), and power forward Greg Smith.
- The Bullets had been led in the regular season by Gus Johnson (All-NBA Second Team, NBA All-Defensive First Team 17.1 reg), Earl Monroe (21.4 ppg) and Wes Unseld (14,1 ppg, 16.9 reg).
©CCM Feb 22 2022
1971 Stanley Cup Finals
Montreal Canadiens 3, Chicago Black Hawks 2
Canadiens win the series 4 games to 3 (2-1 (OT), 3-5, 4-2, 5-2, 0-2, 3-4, 3-2).
The 1971 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 1970–71 season, and the culmination of the 1971 Stanley Cup playoffs. It featured the East Division champion Montreal Canadiens (42-23-13) and the West Division champion Chicago Black Hawks (49-20-9), who were making their first appearance in the finals since 1965. The Canadiens (who had last played in and won the final in 1969) won the hotly contested series, four games to three.
Game Date
Saturday, May 8, 1971
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The playoff system changed in 1970-71 to allow cross-over between the divisions during the playoffs. This set up the first "Original Six" Final since the 1967 final.
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1972 Stanley Cup Finals
Chicago head coach Billy Reay would be attacked in the media by Hawks star forward Bobby Hull for his excessive employment of two little used forwards, Lou Angotti and Eric Nesterenko, as well as hobbled defenseman Keith Magnuson in game seven.
- Brothers Frank and Peter Mahovlich starred for the Canadiens, scoring nine goals in the seven-game final series. Goalie Ken Dryden debuted for the Canadiens, and he played so well he was named MVP.
- With a 2–0 Blackhawks Game 7 lead, both Hull and Hawks star center Stan Mikita were left on the bench for extended periods in favor of Lou Angotti and Eric Nesterenko, who were on the ice for the first two Canadien goals.
- Injured Black Hawk defenseman Keith Magnuson was beaten one on one by speedy Montreal center Henri Richard for the ultimate game winner.
- Canadien coach Al MacNeil benched alternate captain Henri Richard in game five. Following the 2-0 loss, Richard ripped MacNeil in the media calling him incompetent and "the worst coach I ever played for."
©CCM Feb 22 2022