Here’s what happened on this date in sports history for December 3rd.

1950 – Tom Fears (Los Angeles Rams) caught an NFL-record 18 passes against the Green Bay Packers. Terrell Owens (San Francisco 49ers) broke the record with 20 catches for 283 yards and a touchdown against the Chicago Bears on December 17, 2000.


1950 – Cleveland Browns last NFL team with no-pass game (beat Phila 13-7)


1950 – Cleveland Browns’ Horace Gillom sets club record with 12 punts


1956 – Wilt Chamberlain’s 1st collegiate basketball game (scores 52)

1961 – George Blanda (Houston Oilers) kicked a 55-yard field goal.

1968 – The rules committee of Major League Baseball (MLB) announced that in 1969 the pitcher’s mound would be lowered from 15 to 10 inches. This was done in order to “get more batting action.” The strike zone was also reduced from the knees to the shoulders to the top of the knees to the armpits.

1988 – Barry Sanders of Oklahoma State University won the Heisman Trophy.


1997 – Golden State Warrior guard Latrell Sprewell, four-year, $32 million, contract terminated for attacking his coach P J Carlesimo

Birthdays


1951 – Jim Brewer, Former Cavalier, (Oly-silver-1972)

1965 – Katarina Witt, Staaken GDR, figure skater (Olympic-Gold-1984, 88)

1969 – Ed King, NFL guard (Browns, NO Saints)

1970 – Paul Byrd, Louisville KY, pitcher (NY Mets)

1972 – Eva Nemcova, WNBA forward/guard (Cleveland Rockers)