Page 125 - 2020

TWO FIRST MAJOR
LEAGUE WINS
The sporting world saw two
big firsts in 2019, one of
which was long overdue.
The St. Louis Blues, Phila-
delphia's 52-year-old NHL
franchise, started the year
in dead last place out of 31
teams . Thanks to rookie
goalie Jordan Binnington
and asolid defence, the
Blues fought their way to
the Stanley Cup finals, defeating the Boston Bruins on their home ice to capture their first league win. Meanwhile, D.C. saw its first World Seriesvictory in nearly acentury, when the
......r~~1~., WashingtonNationalsbeattheHoustonAstrosintheseventhgameoftheWorldSeries, ~~~~~==~------~ takinghometheteam'sfirstpennantinits15-seasonhistory.
~~~~~S~~~S~~ EVENFOOTBALLFANSLOVECATVIDEOS
A black cat covered more ground more quickly than any player during a November
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE
Mike Babcock had asolid coaching record: He took the Detroit Red Wings to Stanley Cup victory in 2008 , got the Anaheim Mighty Ducks to the finals in 2003 , and helped the Canadian men's hockey team win Olympic gold in 2010 and 2014. But he had obviously never encountered achallenge like the Toronto Maple Leafs, ateam that hasn't won the Stanley Cup since 1967. When Babcock signed a $50-million , eight-year contract with the Leafs in 2015, hopes of success were high. But Babcock was unable to get the team past the first round of playoffs in three seasons. He was fired on November
20, 2019, after a six-game losing streak. ·,
Washington Nationals (over Houston Astros) Super Bowl:
New England Patriots (over Los Angeles Rams) NBA Final:
Toronto Raptors (over Golden State Warriors) Stanley Cup:
St. Louis Blues (over Boston Bruins)
4, 2019, NFL game between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants. The cat, reportedly a stray that lives in the bleachers of Metlife Stadium, was spotted on the field during the second quarter, stopping play and captivating viewers of Monday Night Football.
A SAD DAY FOR BASKETBALL
On January 28, 2020, a helicopter carrying basketball legend Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and six family friends crashed into the side of amountain north of Los Angeles, killing everyone aboard, including the pilot. The exact cause of the crash wasn't immediately known, but the copter was flying in extreme fog that hampered visibility. The L.A. Lakers, Bryant's team for his entire 20- year NBA career, paid an emotional tribute a few days later during a memorial game against the Portland Trailblazers, featuring performances by Usher and Boys II Men.
Maja Hitij/Getty lmages/TNS