Twenty-eight years ago this Wednesday, Kansas City Chiefs running back Joe Delaney went into a water hole to try to save three boys from drowning, and didn’t come out alive. He was only 24 years old, and had been the 1981 AFC Rookie of the Year. I wrote about Delaney and other NFL players that died too soon a couple of years ago, and if you really want to read excellent long form sports writing, I would recommend going back in the Sports Illustrated archives for Frank DeFord’s feature on the life and death of Joe Delaney: “Sometimes the Good Die Young.”

LeBron drafted by Cleveland (2003) . . . Timberwolves take high schooler Kevin Garnett in NBA draft (1995) . . . Watergate hearings begin (1973) . . . Darryl Kile died of coronary blockage (2002) . . . Cameroon, behind the heroics of 38 year old Roger Milla, becomes the first African nation to reach World Cup quarterfinals (1990) . . . Dennis Miller to join the MNF Booth (2000) . . . Ingemar Johansson over Floyd Patterson (1959) . . . Ilie Nastasie and Jimmy Connors, Tennis Villains at Wimbledon (1977) . . . Bull Durham opens (1988) . . .

Argentina over West Germany in World Cup Final, as Maradona’s decisive pass to Burruchaga results in late winner (1986) . . . Rick Wise throws a no-hitter and hits two home runs in the game (1971) . . . Chris Benoit, sad (2007) . . . Jerome Brown dies in car crash (1992) . . . Cleveland outfielder Al Luplow catches ball while going over fence into bullpen (1963) . . . Coconut Water is very useful (1995) . . . Who remembers the National Sports Festival? (1983) . . . Casey Stengel wants Mickey Mantle to hit slow rollers on the infield rather than try for home runs (1953) . . . Television networks scramble to fill void from baseball strike (1981) . . .



Umpire ejects organist at minor league game for playing “three blind mice” (1985) . . .  New regulations from Department of Health, Education and Welfare don’t require equal spending, but do require equal opportunity for women athletes (1975) . . . Kenny Rogers pushes cameraman (2005) . . . Fox Sports Net is created (1997) . . . Bob Gibson, five straight shutouts (1968) . . . Fifty individual sports federations from 16 countries join Olympic boycott (1980) . . . Dolphins running back David Overstreet dies in car crash (1984) . . . Joe Louis announces retirement (1948) . . . Doug Flutie signs with BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (1990).