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December 1996 in Sports

Dec. 2 -- Clyde Drexler of the Houston Rockets became the fourth NBA player to reach 2,000 career steals in a 100-89 loss to the Tornto Raptors.

Dec. 3 -- Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Leon Lett was suspended a minimum of one year by the NFL for violating the league's drug policy for a second time.

Dec. 4 -- The Orlando Magic scored 57 points in 84-57 loss to Cleveland Cavaliers, matching NBA record for fewest points since inception of the 24-second clock in 1954-55.

Dec. 5 -- Baseball players ratified the labor deal approved by the owners on Nov. 26.

Dec. 5 -- Portalnd's Jermaine O'Neal, who turned 18 on Oct. 13, became the youngest player ever to participate in an NBA game. O'Neal scored two points in the Trail Blazers 115-104 vicotry over Denver.

Dec. 6 -- Walter Case Jr., the leading harness driver at Yonkers Raceway, was suspended after failing a drug test. The New York State Racing and Wagering Board suspended the 35-year-old Case indefinitely. It was the third drug-related suspension for the driver, who had 534 victories this year, including 334 at Yonkers.

Dec. 7 -- Detroit's Terry Mills tied the NBA record for consecutive 3-point field goals, with 13, after connecting on his first attempt during a 95-69 win over New Jersey.

Dec. 8 -- The Carolina Panthers became the first second-year expansion team ever to make the playoffs by beating San Francisco 30-24.

Dec. 9 -- The Big Ten, seeking increased TV exposure and another money maker, adopted a men's postseason basketball tournament.

Dec. 9 -- John Force, who set numerous drag racing record this season, broke tradition when he was honored as the 1996 Driver of the Year. He became the first driver in the 29 years of the award to come from a series other than NASCAR Winston Cup, CART or Formula One. Force, winner of an unprecedented 13 of 19 NHRA Funny Car events in 1996, drew eight of the 12 votes from a national panel of writers and broadcasters.

Dec. 13 -- Roger Clemens agreed to a $24.75 million, three-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. The three-time Cy Young Award winner with the Boston Red Sox, became the highest paid pitcher ever with an $8.25 million average annual salary.

Dec. 14 -- Florida's Danny Wuerffel, the most accurate passer in NCAA history, received the Heisman Trophy, edging Iowa State running back Troy Davis by 189 points.

Dec. 15 -- Eddie Kennison of the St. Louis Rams caught five passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns in St. Louis' 34-27 victory over Atlanta. Isaac Bruce of the Rams set an NFL record for most receptions in the first three years of a career. Bruce caught two passes to give him 216 for his career, breaking the mark of 215 set by Andre Rison from 1989-91.

Dec. 15 -- Desmond Howard's 92-yard punt return for a touchdown in Green Bay's 31-3 rout of Detroit was the fourth-longest in Packers history. It also gave him 738 punt return yards for the season, breaking the NFL record of 692 by Fulton Walker in 1985.

Dec. 22 -- Brett Hull became the 24th player in NHL history to score 500 goals when he completed a hat trick in the third period of the St. Louis Blues' 7-4 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. In gaining the milestone, Hull joined Hall of Famer Bobby Hull as the only father-son combination to score 500 goals apiece.

Dec. 22 -- Carolina's John Kasay kicked three field goals in an 18-14 victory over Pittsburgh, giving him with 37 for the season, an NFL record.

Dec. 22 -- Vinny Testaverde, Ravens, became the eighth quarterback in NFL history to pass for 4,000 yards and throw at least 30 touchdown passes in a single season. In Baltimore's 24-21 loss to Houston, he was 23-for-32 for 307 yards and three TDs to finish with 4,177 yards and 33 touchdown passes.

Dec. 22 -- Wayne Chrebet of the New York Jets finished the year with 84 receptions to give him 150 receptions in his first two seasons, an NFL record. Gary Clark held the previous mark of 146.

Dec. 22 -- Kordell Stewart of the Pittsburgh Steelers ran 80 yards for a touchdown in the first half of an 18-14 loss to Carolina, the longest scoring run by a quarterback in NFL history.

Dec. 23 -- Barry Sanders of the Detroit Lions ran for 175 yards in a 24-14 loss to San Francisco to finish with 1,553 yards for the season. It was Sanders' third straight season with at least 1,500 rushing yards, the first time that's been done in NFL history.