It was a year where a 13 year-old girl pitched a shutout, a disgraced team owner was forced out, a player said goodbye to a city he made his home, and another returned. As 2014 comes to a close, we look back at the five moments that made this year like no other in the world of sports.
5. World Cup Madness
For the months of June and July, one could not escape the sight of their country’s colors flying high in support of their national teams. Images of people cheering, people crying, and people engulfed in sheer excitement connected soccer fans across the world during the 2014 World Cup.
This year’s World Cup left us with many moments to remember for years to come. Whether it was watching the USA’s Tim Howard’s record-breaking game, witnessing Brazil be dominated by Germany in the semi-final round, or cheering as Germany hoisted the title in the end, there was something for everybody in this year’s contests.
As the World Cup looks to return for its 2018 campaign in Russia, fans and supporters can spend the mean-time looking back at the glorious moments that rocked Rio de Janeiro.
4. Donald Sterling vs. The NBA
It is almost impossible to pick out which is more shocking; an NBA owner who does not like black people, or the fact that the same owner felt he should not be punished for his racist remarks.
In a league that is highly popular for flashy moves, championship glory, and heated debates, the talk of the NBA added much more substance this year. When former Clippers owner Donald Sterling’s racially-insensitive remarks became public, the conversation not only impacted Los Angeles, but the entire culture of the NBA.
Sterling’s constant battle with the NBA peaked when commissioner Adam Siver handed Sterling a maximum fine, banned him for life, and forced the team’s sale. After months of appeals, the $2 billion sale to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer put an official end to one of the year’s craziest sagas.
3. Farewell 2 the Captain
All throughout the Bronx, echos of “DER-EK JE-TER” chants can still be heard months after the future hall-of-famer made his grand exit. After announcing that the 2014 season would be his last, Derek Jeter received gifts and heartfelt tributes across the MLB.
Jeter spent nearly 20 years with the Yankees organization where he took home honors such as the AL rookie of the year, five Golden Glove awards, a World Series MVP, and 14 all-star selections. Jeter would go on to win five World Series titles with the Yankees.
Beyond the accolades and championships he helped bring to Yankees Stadium, Jeter will be remembered by baseball fans as one of the most iconic players to ever play the game. His attitude both on and off the diamond helped Jeter become a household name, a well-deserved title for the man who left a lasting image of a walk-off RBI as he said farewell to the game.
2. Throw Like a Girl
Who would have though that one of 2014’s sports heros would be a 13 year-old girl from South Philly. While we watched in amazement as Mo’ne Davis took the Little League World Series by storm, Davis simply went out and played the game she loved.
Davis rose to the nation’s eyes as she led the Taney Dragons to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. While she may not be the first girl to play in the game, she exceeded limits most girls (and boys) could only dream of. She became the first girl to ever pitch a shutout in the LLWS and quickly became an icon for her inspiring play and champion attitude.
Davis’s success led her to see her share of magazine layouts, commercials, and national late-night television appearances. Giving new meaning to the term “throw like a girl” is just the first step for Davis’s yet-to-come success. The eighth-grader at Springside School hopes to show her skills on the basketball court and eventually become a UConn Husky. For Davis, she may have simply been going out to do her job, but to us, she opened a lane for many more female athletes to take the big stage.
1. The King Comes Home
Never in sports have we seen one man lift the spirits of an entire town and restore life in a city like LeBron James. After years of disappointment, James painfully divorced the city he called home when he took his talents to South Beach in 2010. James’s announcement came with burning jerseys, torn down monuments, and a dark cloud that would suck the life out of Cleveland for years to come.
While James was living his honeymoon in Miami, he won back-to-back NBA titles, and brought home a pair of MVP awards while Cleveland drowned in the waters of sports misery. Things eventually got to the point were the Cavs sat among the NBA’s worst, the Browns still could not reach average, and the Indians gave fans noting to cheer about.
On July 11, the clouds separated and the city of Cleveland rocked once again as James triggered tears of joy from fans across the city with three simple words: “I’m Coming Home.” The image of a sold-out Quicken Loans Arena witnessing King James perform his signature chalk-toss to ear-rattling cheers became the pinnacle of what it truly means to be a sports fan.
As 2014 comes to a close, we can only imagine what new memories will be made in 2015.
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