SI Photo Blog

Your link to sports history, one photo at a time. Curated by Andy Gray & Dave Kaye.

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Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrate in the fourth quarter during Game Four of the Western Conference First Round against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 24, 2010 at Ford Center in Oklahoma City. Seven-time All-Star Kevin Durant, the 2007-08 Rookie of the Year and 2013-14 MVP, returns to Oklahoma City for the first time since leaving the Thunder after nine seasons with the franchise to play for the Warriors, as Golden State (44-8) travels to OKC (31-23) on Friday night, Feb. 10, 2017. (John W. McDonough)

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Patrick Ewing grabs a rebound over New York Knicks teammate Charles Oakley during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Chicago Bulls on May 11, 1996 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Oakley was removed from the stands and arrested Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden after he got into a physical altercation with security guards. After his release from jail around midnight, Oakley said he was originally asked to leave because Knicks owner James Dolan didn't want him there. (Manny Millan)

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New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy following his team's 34-28 overtime win against the Atlanta Falcons. Brady led one of the greatest comebacks in sports history lifting New England from a 25-point hole to the Patriots' fifth NFL championship in the first Super Bowl overtime. The Pats scored 19 points in the final quarter, including a pair of 2-point conversions, then marched relentlessly to James White's 2-yard touchdown run in overtime to beat the Atlanta Falcons 34-28. (Al Tielemans)

GALLERY: SI’s Best Photos from Super Bowl LI

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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach makes a leaping pass over Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Alan Page on Oct. 18, 1970 at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, Minn. Arguably the greatest Dallas Cowboy of all time, Staubach best embodies the Cowboys’ glory days, leading Dallas to four Super Bowls and two championships. His six Pro Bowls and Super Bowl VI MVP award led to his 1985 induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Known as "Roger The Dodger" for his scrambling abilities, "Captain America" as quarterback of America's Team, and also as "Captain Comeback" for his fourth quarter game-winning heroics, Staubach turned 75 years old on Feb. 5, 2017. (Walter Iooss Jr.)

GALLERY: Classic SI Photos of Roger Staubach

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Minnesota Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton poses during a photo shoot on Oct. 31, 1975 in Green Bay, Wis. The Hall of Famer nicknamed “The Scrambler,” who made nine Pro Bowls in his 18-year career, turned 77 years old on Feb. 3, 2017. (Neil Leifer)

GALLERY: Classic SI Photos of Fran Tarkenton

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The 2008 Wimbledon final between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer is featured on the cover of the July 14-21, 2008 double issue of Sports Illustrated. A 14-time major winner, Nadal will face Federer, a 17-time major winner, in a highly anticipated match-up of a classic tennis rivalry at the Australian Open final on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2017. Nadal leads their head-to-head record 23-11 and has beaten Federer in six of their eight Grand Slam final meetings. (Simon Bruty)

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Venus and Serena Williams pose together during a photo shoot on May 1, 1999 in Rome, Italy. The sisters are set to meet for the 28th time in their careers at the Australian Open final on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017. (Bob Martin)

GALLERY: Classic Photos of The Williams sisters

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A 16-year-old Wayne Gretzky has breakfast at McDonald’s on Jan. 15, 1978 in Sault Ste. Marie, Canada. “The Great One” retired in 1999 with 894 NHL goals, 2,857 points, four 200+ point seasons and 61 NHL records. Gretzky turned 56 years old on Jan. 26, 2017. (Lane Stewart)

GALLERY: Wayne Gretzky: Off the Ice

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New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath sits by the beach with fans and media, including a 29-year-old Brent Musburger (far left), on Jan. 10, 1969, just two days prior to Super Bowl III in Miami. Musburger announced he is calling an end to his broadcast career and will call his last game for ESPN on Jan. 31, a college basketball contest pitting Kentucky against Georgia. (Walter Iooss Jr.)

GALLERY: Classic Photos of Brent Musburger

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Kansas City Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura sits in the dugout before a game against the New York Yankees on May 17, 2015 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City. Ventura was killed in a car crash Sunday in the Dominican Republic. He was 25. Believed to have been driving under the influence at the time of the crash, Ventura’s death comes on the same day former Indians infielder Andy Marte was killed in a car crash in the Dominican. The accidents are unrelated. (David Eulitt)

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Mike Bossy appears on the cover of the May 14, 1984 issue of Sports Illustrated. Bossy scored 53 goals as a rookie in 1977-78, the first of his nine straight 50-plus seasons that included four Stanley Cups. The New York Islanders legendary right wing was the 1982 Conn Smythe winner and his career average of .762 goals per game is the highest percentage in NHL history. The greatest pure goal scorer of all time turned 60 years old on Jan. 22, 2017. (Anthony Neste)

GALLERY: Classic Photos of Mike Bossy

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U.S. Senator Barack Obama poses with a basketball at the Spencer Family YMCA while on the Presidential Campaign Trail on Dec. 16, 2007 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Bill Frakes)

GALLERY: Barack Obama and Basketball

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Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey owners Kenneth Feld and his father Irvin pose with clowns during a 1979 photo shoot at Bayfront Center in St. Petersburg, Fla. The ‘Greatest Show on Earth’ will close in May, bringing an end to 146 years of the famed show. With displays of exotic animals, bright costumes and daring acrobatic stunts, the circus has been a part of American culture since the mid-1800s. (Neil Leifer)

GALLERY: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus

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Albert Pujols points up to the sky as he crosses home plate after hitting a two-run home run during Game 1 of the NLCS between the St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros on Oct. 13, 2004 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. A 10-time All-Star and three-time NL MVP, “The Machine,” “Prince Albert” turned 37 years old on Jan. 16, 2017. (John Biever)

GALLERY: Classic SI Photos of Albert Pujols

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Fifty years ago on Jan. 15, 1967, the Green Bay Packers played the Kansas City Chiefs in the first AFL-NFL World Championship Game, known retroactively as Super Bowl I. Despite ticket prices of $6, $10, and $12, more than 30,000 seats at the Los Angeles Coliseum went empty for the “world championship.” The Packers won 35-10, with Bart Starr's 250 yards passing and two touchdowns, both to Max McGee, earning him the MVP.  (Neil Leifer)

GALLERY: Super Bowl I: 50th Anniversary

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Joe Frazier corners Muhammad Ali during their WBC/WBA World heavyweight title fight on March 8, 1971 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Referred to as The Fight of the Century, as it was the first time that two undefeated boxers fought each other for the heavyweight title, Frazier won by unanimous decision. Relentless, swarming and implacable with that terrible, swift left hook, “Smokin’ Joe” reigned as the undisputed heavyweight champion from 1970 to 1973, and as an amateur won a gold medal at the 1964 Summer Olympics. Frazier was born on Jan. 12, 1944 and died of liver cancer on Nov. 7, 2011. (Neil Leifer)

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On Jan. 10, 1982, one of the most famous plays in NFL history, Dwight Clark’s leaping, fingertip touchdown grab of a Joe Montana pass—forever known as “The Catch"—gave the 49ers a 28-27 lead over the Cowboys with just 51 seconds on the clock in the NFC Championship Game. San Francisco would go on to win the game and the Super Bowl. (Walter Iooss Jr.)