Dec. 6, 1997: “I wanted to stay in Baltimore,” center fielder Brady Anderson says upon signing a five-year, $31 million contract with the Orioles. One year earlier, Anderson hit 50 home runs.

Dec. 6, 1984:The Loyola College men’s basketball team christens Reitz Arena with an 87-73 victory over Holy Cross. Alumnus and sportscaster Jim McKay does player introductions and the Greyhounds’ Tommy Lee (19 points) scores the first basket.

Dec. 5, 1959: The Colts, who’d never won in San Francisco in 10 tries, rout the 49ers, 34-14, to clinch at least a tie for the NFL Western Division title. Johnny Unitas passes for three touchdowns, and Baltimore makes six interceptions, two by linebacker Don Shinnick, to improve to 8-3.

Dec. 6, 1950: Maryland’s Bob Ward, a 185-pound junior defensive guard, is named a first-team football All-American. A year later, Ward is honored on offense and remains the only player ever to make first team on both sides of the ball. He coaches the Terps in 1967 and 1968, going 2-17.

Dec. 9, 1944:A pressing man-to-man defense by the St. Paul’s basketball team helps the Crusaders to a 27-7 win over Forest Park, which is held scoreless in the second half. Bob Sanders (six points) and Charles Compton (five) lead the winners.

Dec. 7, 1929: Western Maryland defeats Maryland, 12-0, before more than 20,000 fans at Baltimore Stadium to win the state football crown. Frank Clary scores both touchdowns for Western Maryland (now McDaniel). Coach Dick Harlow’s Green Terrors outscore opponents, 182-19 to finish 11-0 — the first college team ever to win that many games in one season.

Dec. 8, 1923:Calvert Hall opens its basketball season with a 40-13 victory over Sparrows Point at the Cathedral Street gym. Coach Dutch Lentz’s Cardinals get 16 points from Johnny Mahon, who outscores the entire Pointers team.

Dec. 5, 1904: The first major snowfall of winter brings sleighers out in droves. The Sun reports: “The merry jingling of the sleigh bells began at dusk and, last night, couples and parties were enjoying the sport in the public parks and along the smoother thoroughfares of the city.”

Birthday

Dec. 4, 1875:Joe Corbett, Orioles right-hander who pitched a four-hitter to defeat the Cleveland Spiders, 5-0, in the final game of the 1896 Temple Cup series between the two top National League teams. The brother of heavyweight boxing champion James J. Corbett, he died in 1945.

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