Interesting Facts about Sport

By Daniel P George

• Top salary of New York Yankees legend Babe Ruth: $80,000 in 1930.

Top salary of San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds: $7.29 million in 1993.


• Texas Rangers pitcher Nolan Ryan's best fastball: 100.8 miles per hour.

Florida Marlins pitcher Charlie Hough's best knuckleball: 68 miles per hour.


• Quarterback Frank Reich's greatest NFL game: Leading Buffalo to a 41-38 victory in 1993 after the Bills trailed Houston 35-3.

Frank Reich's greatest college game: Leading Maryland to a 42-40 victory in 1984 after the Terrapins trailed Miami 31-0.


• Number of yards gained by Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton in his first eight NFL rushing attempts: 0.

Yards gained by Payton during his NFL career: 16,726.


• Largest major-league ballpark: Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colo., 76,100 seats.

Largest NFL stadium: L.A. Coliseum, Los Angeles, Calif., 92,488.

Largest NBA arena: Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte, N.C., 23,698 seats.


• Most touchdown passes in a season by an NFL quarterback: 48, Dan Marino, Miami Dolphins, 1984.

Most touchdown passes in a season by a college quarterback: 54, David Klingler, Houston, 1990.


• Most points by Chicago Bulls forward Michael Jordan in a college basketball game: 39.

Most points by Jordan in an NBA game: 69.


Winningest college football team: Michigan, 731 victories.
Most bowl game victories: Alabama, 25.
Most NCAA Basketball Tournament victories: UCLA, 67 (through 1991-92 season).
Most national championships: UCLA, 10 (through 1991-92 season).
Most national championships in college football: Notre Dame, 11.
Winningest college basketball team: North Carolina, 1,536 victories (through 1991-92 season).
Number of times driver Richard Petty has won the Daytona 500: 7.
Number of times Wayne Gretzky has led the National Hockey League in scoring in a single season: 11.
World Series victories by the New York Yankees: 22.

Source: Boys' Life