The year 1966 consisted of Sports Championship winners Baltimore Orioles (MLB), Boston Celtics (NBA), Montreal Canadiens (NHL)
HIGHLIGHTS
The
1966 World Series was a classic matchup between the
Baltimore Orioles and the
Los Angeles Dodgers. The Orioles had won the American League pennant on the strength of their pitching staff, led by Jim Palmer, Wally Bunker and Dave McNally, while the Dodgers had won the National League pennant on the strength of their offense, led by Maury Wills, Tommy Davis and Willie Davis. The Orioles won the series in four games, with the decisive game being won by a score of 2-1. The Orioles' pitching staff held the Dodgers to only four runs in the entire series, while the Orioles' offense managed to score 17 runs, led by Boog Powell's four home runs. The Orioles' victory marked the first time in history that a team had won a World Series after losing the first two games.
The
1966 NBA championship final series between the
Boston Celtics and the
Los Angeles Lakers was a classic showdown between two of the greatest teams in basketball history. The Celtics, led by Bill Russell, were looking to win their 8th championship in a row, while the Lakers, led by Jerry West and Elgin Baylor, were looking to win their first title in
Los Angeles. The series went the full seven games, with the Celtics eventually prevailing in a hard-fought battle. The Celtics won the first two games, but the Lakers managed to win the third game to stay alive. The Celtics then won the next two games to take a 3-1 series lead. The Lakers won game five to extend the series, but the Celtics finished the job in game seven, winning 95-93 to take the championship.
The
1966 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven series between the
Montreal Canadiens and the
Detroit Red Wings. The Canadiens had the home-ice advantage, and they took full advantage of it, winning the first four games of the series. The Red Wings had a chance to make a comeback in Game 5, but the Canadiens held on to win 4-2. The Canadiens then went on to win the sixth game by a score of 4-1 to win the Stanley Cup. The Canadiens won the series 4-2, with Jean Beliveau leading the way with 10 points (7 goals and 3 assists). The Canadiens' goaltender, Gump Worsley, was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the most valuable player of the playoffs.