April 29 in sports history: Bo to Bucs? What a 'waste,' says Heisman winner

In 1980, most NFL teams had Sims, the 1978 Heisman Trophy winner from Oklahoma, rated the top player in the draft. So it was no surprise he was selected No. 1 overall by the Lions.

Sims was confident he'd excel in the NFL: "If I have the quality players in front of me on the line, I can pick up where I left in college." He rushed for 5,106 yards in five seasons in the NFL.

Rogers, who won the Heisman in 1980 at South Carolina, went No. 1 overall to the Saints.  He led the league in rushing as a rookie and finished his seven-year career with 7,176 yards on the ground. But the second pick in his draft — future Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor of North Carolina — had a slightly more distinguished career.

AN EPIC HOOP BY 'MR CLUTCH'

1970: The Lakers ended up losing Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Knicks in OT in L.A.,  but Jerry West's desperation, 60-foot basket to tie the score at the buzzer in regulation remains the stuff of legend. "I just threw the ball up," West told the Los Angeles Times. "I had no idea what was going to happen to it. " West played all 53 minutes in the 111-108 loss. The Lakers lost the Finals in seven games.

STRIKEOUT KINGS

1981: In a 6-2 win over the Expos, Philadelphia's Steve Carlton became the first left-hander in MLB history to reach 3,000 strikeouts. He struck out the side in the first inning; the final batter, Tim Wallach, was the historic victim. The crowd of 30,142 at Veterans Stadium in Philly roared after every strike in the first. "Hey, it was kind of fun, actually," Wallach told the Philadelphia Inquirer. 

1986: Red Sox's right-hander Roger Clemens became the first pitcher in the 111-year history of Major League Baseball to strike out 20 in a game. "Has any pitcher been more overpowering?" the Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy wrote of Clemens' performance in a 3-1 win over Seattle at Fenway Park.

Said Red Sox manager John McNamara: "Most awesome display of pitching I've ever seen." 

"When the last out was made," Seattle's Gorman Thomas said, "I wanted to tip my hat. He was that good. It's the finest effort you'll ever see."

Clemens threw 138 pitches, several of them clocked as high as 97 mph. He struck out eight straight, tying an American League mark for consecutive strikeouts in a game.

"This was something I'll cherish for a long time," Clemens said. "And I hope it stands for a while."

Since Clemens' remarkable game, three pitchers have tied the record —Clemens himself with the Red Sox again in 1996, Kerry Wood of the Cubs in 1998 and Max Scherzer of the Nationals in 2016.

AN UGLY STREAK ENDS

1988: A day after they lost their American League-record 21st straight game to start the season, the Orioles beat the White Sox, 9-0, in Chicago. "At Last, Orioles Win!" proclaimed the massive headline stripped across the front of the Baltimore Sun sports section.

The Orioles had provided champagne in the postgame locker room, according to Sun columnist Mike Littwin, but the team wasn't in the mood to celebrate with the bubbly. Instead, he wrote, the "players settled for a quiet contentment and a clubhouse full of smiles."

Orioles star Cal Ripken Jr. was elated the ugly streak was over. His father, Cal. Sr., was fired as manager after the Birds lost their first six games. "Losing," he said, "eats away at you." 

ALSO

2007: In what turned out to be one of the greatest heists in NFL history, the Patriots acquired wide receiver Randy Moss in a deal with the Raiders. All it cost New England was a fourth-round pick. "I don't think you all understand," Moss said on the speaker phone with Boston media, "how excited I am to be part of this organization."

To play with Tom Brady in New England, Moss took a massive pay cut, according to the Boston Globe. His original deal called for him to make $9.75 million in 2007; $11.25 million the next season. With the Patriots, he signed a one-year deal, which included $2 million in incentives.

In the Patriots' 16-0 regular season in 2007, Moss caught 98 passes for 1,423 yards and 23 TDs. New England's bid for a historic 19-0 season was derailed by the Giants in the Super Bowl.

1963: After winning the LPGA Titleholders Championship in an 18-hole playoff, Marilynn Smith wept tears of joy. It was the first major tournament victory on the LPGA Tour for one of the original founders of the organization.

Happy birthday ...

• Former tennis star Andre Agassi, whose career included an Olympic gold medal and eight Grand Slam titles (50).
• Sports broadcaster and former pro golfer Johnny Miller, who won the 1973 U.S. Open and 1976 British Open (73).

R.I.P.

2015: Professional golfer Calvin Peete, who won 12 PGA Tour titles, died of lung cancer at 71.

2019: Pro Football Hall of Famer Gino Marchetti, an 11-time Pro Bowler and star D-linemen for the Colts, died of pneumonia at 93.

April 28 in sports history: The word on '88 Birds? #$@%*!