MLB 1995

1. Greg Maddux: Won his 4^th straight NL Cy Young award. He was a unanimous choice. He finished 3^rd in the NL MVP voting.

He earned the Gold Glove, Pitcher of the Year awards by AP, Sporting News and Baseall Digest. He was the NL Pitcher of the Month in July and September.

He led the league in wins (19), winning percentage (.905) after losing just twice. He was the leader with a 1.63 ERA (3^rd lowest since 1968), 10 complete games, 3 shutouts, 209.2 IP and .81 WHIP.

He was an NL All-Star team.

Maddux went an amazing 51 IP without allowing a walk.

In the playoffs, the “mad dog” won the clinching Game Four over Colorado going seven while striking out seven.

In the NLCS sweep of Cincinnati, Maddux went eight innings giving up just one earned run to pick up the win in Game Three.

In the World Series opener, Maddux outdueled Orel Hersheiser and the high powered Indians. He allowed just two hits and two unearned runs en route to a complete game 3-2 Braves win.

Atlanta upset Cleveland in six games to win the World Series. The Braves went 90-54 (144 games due to the strike) and won the NL East.

2. Albert Belle: Was Sporting News and Baseball Digest Player of the Year in MLB. He finished 2^nd in the AL MVP voting. He was also the starting LF for the AL All-Stars and a Silver Slugger.

He led the league in Home Runs (50), RBIs (126),doubles (52), total bases (377), runs (121), slugging (.690) and was second in OPS (1.091). He also hit .317 which was good for 8^th in the AL.

He was the player of the month in the AL in August and September.

Belle was the first major leaguer with 50 HR and 50 doubles in the same season.

The Indians left fielder finished with a vengeance 18 HR in the final 29 games.

In Game 1 of the ALDS Belle pull Cleveland even with Boston twice, including a two-run double in the sixth off Roger Clemens and a solo HR in the eleventh. Cleveland would go onto win 5-4 in 13.

In Game 5 of the World Series he helped Cleveland force a Game Six with a two-run bomb in the first inning off Greg Maddux, and scored thego-ahead run in the sixth following and intentional walk.

For the postseason Belle homered four times and drove in eight runs and scored eight times in 14 games.

The Indians won a ML best 100 games and were an incredible 30 games in front of second place Kansas City in the Central Division. They swept Boston in the ALDS and beat Seattle in six in the ALCS before falling to Atlanta in the World Series in six games.

Cleveland led baseball with 840 runs scored and a .291 team batting average.

3. Randy Johnson: Won the AL Cy Young. He was the Sporting News AL Pitcher of the Year, starter of the AL All-Star team, and 6^th in the MVP.

The Big Unit led the AL in ERA (2.48) and was 18-2 (tops in winning percentage), and his 294 strikeout were best in the league.

He also had six CGs and 3 SHOs.

Johnson dominated down the stretch including a 7-0 mark in his final ten games as Seattle erased a 13 game division deficit to California.

In the one game playoff win over the Angels Johnson stuck out 13 and just gave up three hits and one run in a complete game.

In the ALDS Seattle held off elimination when Johnson went seven and struck out ten in their 7-4 win.

With one day rest Johnson came on in relief and rescued the Mariners in Game Five. He pitched a scoreless ninth and tenth (allowed one run in the top of the 11th). He struck out six in those three innings and got the win as Seattle scored twice in the bottom of the 11^th to advance to the ALCS.

In the ALCS Game 3 he gave the Mariners a 2-1 series lead with 8 IP 6 K’s 4 H and 1 ER as Seattle won 5-2 in 11.

He finished the postseason with a 2.48 ERA and 29 K’s in 25.1 IP.

Seattle went 79-66, and won the AL West. They beat New York in five to get to their first ALCS, which they fell to Cleveland in six games.

NBA 1995

1. Hakeem Olajuwon: Was the Finals MVP. He put up 32.8 PPG, 11.5 rebs, and 5.5 ast. In the four game sweep of the Magic. Hakeem had a league high 33.8 PPG in the playoffs, and added 10.3 rebs,

4.5 asts, and 2.8 blk, while shooting 53% in 22 postseason games.

He was an All-Star, 3^rd team All-NBA and 2^nd team All-Defense and fifth in the MVP voting.

The Dream was 2^nd in the NBA in scoring with 27.8 points, and blocks with 3.4. He pulled down 10.8 boards per game in the regular season and shot 51%.

He was the first player to finish in the top 10 in the league in blocks and steals in the same season.

He posted 35 PPG in round one vs Utah, including 40 and 33 in games four and five to clinch the series.

Olajuwon averaged 30-11.6-5.7 in the final three games in round 2, as he led Houston back from down 3-1 to stun Phoenix in seven.

With the famous use of the “dream shake.” Hakeem powered the Rockets past MVP David Robinson and Spurs with 41-16 in a Game Two win, 42-9-8 in Game Five and 39-17 and five blocks to clinch the West in Game Six.

The Rockets were 47-35 in the regular season. They beat the top three seeds in the West (San Antonio, Phoenix, Utah) on their way to the Finals.They pummeled the East’s top seed Orlando towin their second straight NBA crown.

2. Shaquille O’Neal: Won the scoring title and was MVP runner-up. He was 2^nd team All-NBA., and starting center for the East All-Stars (22 points and 7 rebounds). He was also the NBA Player of the month in November.

Shaq averaged 29.3 point game and also led the league in field goals. He was second in FG % (58.3), and 3^rd in rebounds (11.4).

In Round two against Chicago, O’Neal put the Magic on his back with 23-22 and five blocks in Game Five and 27-14 in the clincher in Game Six.

In the East Finals he dominated Indiana with 39 and 10 in Game Two.

In Game Five to break a 2-2 series tie, he had 35-13 in the Magic 108-106 win.

He averaged 28-12.5 and 2.4 blocks in the Finals loss to Houston.

Orlando had the top record in the East (57-25). They beat Boston in four, Chicago in six and Indiana in seven to get to their first Finals, where they were swept. The Magic led the NBA in scoring with 110.9 points per game.

3. David Robinson: Won the 1995 MVP. He was first team All-NBA and All-Defense.

He was third in the league with 27.4 points and 4^th with 3.2 blocks and field goals with 788. He led the league with 656 free throws.

He added 10.4 boards per game and hit on 53% of his shots and nearly three assist per contest

In the playoffs Robinson averaged 25.2 ppg and 12.1 rebs. In the second round against the Lakers he put up 28-16 and 3.8 blocks in the Spurs four wins.

The Spurs had the top record in the NBA (62-20). They swept Denver in the first round and beat the Lakers in six in the second. They were beat in six games by Houston.