June 23 in sports history: Backward thinking by Mets outfielder

2005: In NBA championship No. 3 of the Coach Pop era in San Antonio, the Spurs beat the Pistons in a seven-game Finals. In Game 7 in San Antonio, Finals MVP Tim Duncan was dominant in the second half, scoring 17 of his 25 points in an 81-74 win against the defending champions.

"He put his team on his shoulders and carried them to the championship," Detroit's Ben Wallace told reporters. "That's what great players do." 

Wrote David Moore of the Dallas Morning News: 

"Duncan is one of the best players in the game. Arguably the best. But when you're known as the Big Fundamental and you've struggled against the Pistons' interior defense, critics wonder if you're too analytical, too unselfish for your own good. Sometimes, a great player needs to just let if fly. That's what Duncan did in Game 7."

Popovich said the title — Duncan's third with the Spurs — enhanced the center's legacy.  

"My teammates were more confident in me than I was," said Duncan, who also grabbed 11 boards. "That is more appreciated than they will ever understand."

1969: Joe Frazier was never the media darling, as Muhammad Ali was throughout much of his career. But, sheesh, the man could box. 

In a heavyweight title fight before a pro-Jerry Quarry crowd at Madison Square Garden, Frazier pounded Quarry, winning when the fight was stopped after seven rounds. At the end of the fight, Quarry's right eye was nearly shut from the pummeling by Smokin' Joe. 

Wrote Frazier's hometown Philadelphia Inquirer: 

The battle of Mt. Quarry having been fought and won so decisively, the real Joe Frazier is back among us once again. The transformation took place in a corner of his Madison Square Garden dressing room late last night. With the clock approaching midnight, the Joe Frazier who in recent weeks had snarled at newsmen, battered his sparring partners with grim detachment and delivered hometown Philadelphia another punch in its vulnerable midsection, evaporated. Pooof ... from ogre to happy warrior in a crunching, crowd-pleasing seven rounds."

Afterward, Frazier said he was due for a long vacation, "maybe forever." If his wife told him to quit the sport, Frazier said, "I'm gone." 

But three fights with Ali awaited, and Frazier didn't retire for good until 1981. 

IT'S ABOUT TIME

1972: In a move that eventually benefited thousands of female athletes, President Nixon signed into law the Higher Education Act of 1972. Title IX of the congressional act barred sex bias in athletics and other activities at colleges receiving federal assistance.

BASEBALL NUGGETS

1950: In Detroit's 10-9 win over the Yankees, the teams combined for a then-major league record 11 homers — five by the Tigers. The record for most homers in a game by both teams was set last season, when the Phillies and Diamondbacks combined for 13 in Arizona's 13-6 win.

1971: In a 4-0 win over the Reds in Cincinnati, Rick Wise pitched a no-hitter AND hit two home runs — the first time that's happened in a gem. Pete Rose lined out for the final out of the game.

"He got all fastballs," Wise told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "I was not going to get beat (out of a no-hitter) on a breaking ball." 

2008: In a 5-2 interleague win over the Mets, Seattle's Felix Hernandez hit the first grand slam by an American League pitcher in 37 years. King Felix went yard to right-center with two outs in the second inning off fellow Venezuelan Johan Santana — the right-handed hitter's only at-bat of the season.

"My approach?" he said when asked by a reporter about his blast. "Just swing. I closed my eyes. I was happy and I was thinking that's all I need — four runs."

Hernandez left the game early in the fifth inning with a sprained ankle and didn't qualify for the win.

1939: In his nine-year career in the NFL, Pro Football Hall of Famer Bronko Nagurski was known for his toughness. Hell, he had to be tough. Football players didn't wear facemasks in Nagurski's heyday in the early 1930s. 

Nagurski, shown wrastlin' in a clip above from 1938, was also quite a professional wrestler — back in the days when the "sport" was not as flamboyant [fake] as today's WWE variety. Before 9,000 fans in Houston, Bronko beat Lou Thesz, considered one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, for the National Wrestling Association World title. 

"Thesz tossed Nagurski in the first fall with an airplane spin and drop-kick," according to a wire service account. "Nagurski scored the second fall with reverse slam and then clinched the match by pinning Thesz after series of flying mares."

Grrrr.

The Houston mayor reportedly presented Nagurski with a $10,000 diamond-studded championhip belt.

Happy birthday ...

• LaDainian Tomlinson, Hall of Fame running back. Considered among the greatest at his position, Tomlinson was the fifth overall pick in the 2001 draft by San Diego and won an MVP and two rushing titles over his 11-year career. (41)
• Former Packers and Broncos wide receiver Robert Brooks, who is tied all time for the longest pass play from scrimmage. Brooks took a pass from Brett Favre 99 yards in a “Monday Night Football” game in 1995. (50)
• Colin Montgomerie, Scottish professional golfer. Montgomerie is fourth all time in European Tour victories. (57)
• Soccer great Zinedine Zidane, three-time FIFA World Player of the Year and the 1998 winner of the Ballon d’Or. Zidane played most of his award-winning career with France. (48)

R.I.P.

1969: Former pro basketball player Chuck Taylor, famous for the Converse All-Star shoes nicknamed for him. Taylor played semipro and pro ball for 11 seasons before becoming a salesman for Converse and his name was added to the trademark shoe. The Converse All-Stars became best-sellers. He was 67 when he died of a heart attack.

2007: Relief pitcher Rod Beck, winner of the 1994 NL Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award. The wild-haired closer with an intimidating stare was a three-time All-Star and is second all time in saves for the Giants. He was found dead at his home. He was 38.

June 22: Anthony Young's not-so-Amazin' night