In 1984 when I was 13-years old, my shoe size finally caught up with my age. To say I was clumsy was an understatement. I could barely drive to the basket for a layup without tripping over my own feet. Even walking on the sidewalk was a challenge as I struggled to adapt to my body that had sprouted up over the summer.
As unexciting as my story would be in basketball that season, what was happening in the real sports world that year was magical. I remember thinking at the time how “cool” it was that this or that was happening. Looking back now, “cool” doesn’t even start to describe what happened that year.
Basketball
No other rivalry in the NBA comes close to the one shared by the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. What better way to end and NBA season than with these two going toe-to-toe in a seven-game battle showcasing their incredibly contrasting styles of play.
The Celtics, down 2-1 after getting trounced by 33 points in Game Three of the series, caught the ire of a different No. 33 in the locker room following the game. NBA MVP Larry Bird told reporters his team played like “sissies” following Boston’s worst playoff defeat in franchise history.
His team responded and Boston won three of the next four games, including a Game Seven that was played in 90-degree temperatures at the old Boston Garden. Bird would win the NBA Finals MVP award as well.
In the NCAA Basketball Championship, we were treated to a showdown rarely seen now. Long gone are the days when we can truly sit back and watch two great post players battle it out in the paint like two gladiators in an arena. But that’s exactly what came to a head in Seattle on April 2, as the Georgetown Hoyas advanced to meet the Houston Cougars, highlighting a pair of centers that would become two of the NBA’s 50 greatest players of all time.
Patrick Ewing of Georgetown won the tournament MVP for his ability to contain former MVP Hakeem Olajuwan‘s offensive arsenal. With the Hoyas taking the game 84-75, Ewing would pave the way for future centers to come through the school including Alonzo Mourning and Dikembe Mutombo.
Looking back at who was drafted into the NBA that year, you will find four pretty recognizable names: Hakeem Olajuwan, John Stockton, Charles Barkley, and a certain fellow named Michael Jordan.
Baseball
The World Series that year was won by the Detroit Tigers, and man were they good. Lead by manager Sparky Anderson, they blasted out of the gates winning 35 of their first 40 games and dominated the October Classic by beating the San Diego Padres in the best of seven series 4-1.
They were a colorful group of players with teammates nicknamed "Sweet Lou", "Ho-Jo", and "Senor Smoke". The ace of the staff was Jack Morris, who played brilliantly in the World Series, posting a 3-0 record and allowing only five runs in 26 innings. As good as Morris was, he wasn't the best pitcher on the staff that year. That distinction goes to the closer Willie Hernandez, whose 1.92 ERA in over 140 innings of work not only garnered team MVP but the AL MVP as well.
As colorful as the Tigers were that year, winning 104 games, the more notable stories may have come from two teams that fell just short of the ultimate goal. The Chicago Cubs ended a playoff drought and won an NL best 96 games behind the NL MVP Ryne Sandberg and Cy Young Winner Rick Sutcliffe. They even traded for Dennis Eckersly midway through the season.
But all the magic they captured during the regular season was lost when they fell to the San Diego Padres in the NL Championship Series. The Padres themselves enjoyed newfound success as they won a club record 92 games behind the NL batting champ and 24-year old Tony Gwynn.
In addition, the infamous Goose Gossage would save 25 games all the while winning 10 more and posting a 2.90 ERA. Oh yeah, and Steve Garvey would play 161 games at first base that season and not commit a single error.
Even if you didn't have a team in the playoffs, you still saw Dale Murphy and Mike Schmidt battle it out and tie for the NL home run total, and also witnessed the start of the tabloid career of Rookie of the Year winner Dwight Gooden.
Players drafted that year were All-World pitchers Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, as well as former "Bash Brother" Mark McGwire.
Football
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