This week’s Friday Flashbacks takes us back to a time when football was no longer king by late January(well, unless it was the draft that was occurring about this time), when boxing dominated the newspapers, and when news of baseball players’ signing their new yearly contracts was big stuff. Here’s your headlines for the week of January 21 to January 27.  

Dwayne Schintzius can’t come back to Florida team until he gets a haircut (1990) . . . John Madden and Pat Summerall to call first Super Bowl together (1982) . . . Cassius Clay carried Floyd Patterson (1966) . . . Jason Whitlock’s favorite quarterback announces that he will transfer from Purdue to the University of Miami (1987) . . . Favre played like a kid out there, a kid who threw six interceptions, three returned for touchdown (2002) . . . Pitchers Johnny Antonelli and Warren Spahn complain about the Dodgers’ new home park in Los Angeles, the Coliseum, calling it a farce (1958) . . . Nugget fans stuff ballot box, Dan Issel starting at center in all-star game over Abdul-Jabbar and Walton (1977) . . . Michael Jordan to play baseball in the minors for the White Sox? (1994) . . .

Johnny Unitas on being traded to Chargers: “There are two ways of doing business: the right way and Baltimore’s way.” (1973) . . .  Racial tension in University of Cal-Berkeley athletics (1968) . . . A blocked punt and Jack Squirek’s interception return with 7 seconds left were key plays in the Raiders’ victory over Washington, 38-9 (1984) . . . Latrell Sprewell to the Knicks (1999) . . . Something called the “two minute rule” in college basketball is controversial, and various conferences adopt their own rules for fouls at the end of a game. Can’t believe this was once a rule. (1950) . . . Terry Bradshaw selected first overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers (1970) . . . Branch Rickey ponders a pro football franchise (1945) . . .

Johnny Bench announces he will marry model Vicki Chesser, who he met a month earlier (1975) . . . William Clay Ford becomes the President of the Detroit Lions Football Club (1961) . . . Magic Johnson to start in All-Star game even though he retired before season after announcing he has contracted HIV virus (1992) . . . George Bush calls for pro sports to end steroid use (2004) . . . Buddy Davis, from boy with polio to Olympic high jump champion and NBA player (1954) . . . Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins in a fight over whether the Penguins can switch to black and gold colors like Pittsburgh’s successful Pirates and Steelers (1980) . . . Within minutes of the Patriots’ Super Bowl loss, Bill Parcells versus Robert Kraft (1997).

[photo via Getty]