While everyone can agree that growing up in the 1980’s was a culturally enriching experience, if you happened to be a kid during the 1990’s, you were also shaped by some fairly significant sporting moments.
Here’s some of the best and the worst this decade had to offer:
Joe Carter Walk-Off Home Run, 1993
As if you could forget! Game 6 of the World Series. Toronto Blue Jays defending their title. Bottom of the ninth inning. Sky Dome! Joe smacks a 3 run home run to win the game and the series. Can the current Blue Jays find some similar magic this year?
Mark Messier Guarantee: 1994
During the 1994 conference finals against the New Jersey Devils, Messier’s NY Rangers found themselves down 3 games to 2. Messier guaranteed that his team would win Game 6, which they DID with help from Messier’s three-goal performance. The Rangers would go on to win Game 7 (in double overtime) and the Stanley Cup. Messier has since parlayed this guarantee into promotional endorsements which still haunt us today. Take notes Ovechkin.
Michael Jordan Returns
The best basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan, had left the NBA to pursue his dream of playing baseball in the major leagues. When an MLB strike (see Expos below) halted his progress, MJ announced his return to the Chicago Bulls with a two word press release: “I’m back”. Not missing a step, Jordan eventually led the Bulls to their second in a three-peat string of championships in the 1990s, with title wins in 1996, 1997 and 1998. Be like Mike.
Monica Seles Gets Stabbed, 1993
Ranked #1 in the world of women’s professional tennis, 19 year old Monica Seles was the current queen of the game. During a match in Hamburg, a German spectator reached out from the stands and stabbed her in the back. This crazy fan was simply trying to help Steffi Graf to regain her #1 position in the game.
Tyson Bites Holyfield’s Ear, 1997
The “Bite Fight” took place at the MGM in Las Vegas for the WBA Heavyweight Championship. This was a rematch of an earlier fight between the two boxers in which Holyfield had emerged as the victor. In the 3rd round, Tyson managed to bite off a one-inch piece of cartilage from the top of Holyfield’s ear. Tyson was eventually disqualified from the match, and temporarily lost his boxing license.
Buffalo Bills, Wide Right!: 1991
With 8 seconds remaining in Super Bowl XXV, sure-footed kicker Scott Norwood attempts a 47 yard field goal to win the championship for the Bills. Unfortunately for Scott, and the future luck of the Bills franchise, the ball sails wide of the uprights and the Giants win the game. This would mark the first of four straight Super Bowl losses for the Bills. Ah, Buffalo, always the bridesmaid.
O.J Simpson White Bronco Chase, 1994
No explanation needed. The low speed chase was as incredible and thrilling as the highly publicized murder case. If the glove don’t fit…
Nancy Kerrigan and Tanya Harding, 1994
These two women were considered top female figure skaters for the U.S. and were competing for spots on the Olympic team for Lillehammer. Enter Harding’s ex-husband Jeff Gillool and bodyguard Shawn Eckhardt who decided to hire another person to break Kerrigan’s knee. The subsequent attack was botched, and Kerrigan was injured but not broken. Both women would go on to represent the U.S. at the Olympics with Harding placing 8th and Kerrigan wining silver. Sweet justice!
Chris Webber NCAA Time Out, 1993
In the 1993 March Madness NCAA final, Webber attempted to call a timeout with 11 seconds left in the game. The problem? His team had no timeouts left to call. This lead to a technical foul for his opponents, virtually sealing the win for opponents, North Carolina.
Royce Gracie – The Original UFC Champion, 1993
This Brazillian mixed martial arts master was the winner of the first ever UFC event, before the event became as mainstream as it is today. This original 8 person tournament crowned the winner with $50,000, a purse insignificant in comparison to today’s UFC prize money. Today’s younger fans of UFC should reflect on the history of the UFC and watch the epic battles that Gracie experienced with fellow fighter, Ken Shamrock.
MLB Strike Ruins Expos Season, 1994
During the 1994 season, the Montreal Expos were the best team in baseball. The team was comprised of all-stars such as Moises Alou, Marquis Grissom, Larry Walker and Pedro Martinez and built a record of 74 wins and 40 losses. Unfortunately for the Expos, the MLB season was halted due to work stoppage which meant that there would be no post season that year. Many attribute that twist of fate as the beginning of the end for the Expos, eventually leading to the sale of the club in 2002.
Are you a child of the 90s? What other sporting memories do you have? Leave us a comment and let us know!
~Written by Rob Davies