With a nod to Tiger Woods’ Masters victory, a look at other remarkable comebacks — team and individual — in sports.
The 2015-16 Cleveland Cavaliers
Trailing 3-1 in the best-of-seven series against the Golden State Warriors, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers launched a comeback. They captured Game 5 on the road, returned home to square the series and then returned to Oakland to win Game 7 and Cleveland’s first championship in decades.
The 2018-19 Virginia Cavaliers
Talk about overcoming an embarrassing loss. In the 2018 NCAA tournament, Virginia was a top seed. The Cavaliers entered their first game against 16th seeded UMBC knowing the record in such matchups was 135-0 in favor of No. 1 seeds. Virginia was vanquished in an inconceivable fashion, getting routed. Fast forward and Virginia ran the table to win the NCAA tournament.
The 2004 Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox were in a hole no baseball team had climbed from. They were being thrashed by the New York Yankees in the 2004 ALCS. Totally dominated. And then, the astonishing one win, two wins, three and then four. Boston came back to sweep their hated rivals, and went on to down the St. Louis Cardinals to give the Red Sox their first World Series win since 1918.
2013 Indianapolis Colts
The Colts were matched up with the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs on Jan. 4, 2014. They trailed 38-10 in the third quarter because launching an astonishing rally. Andrew Luck led the rally that culminated in a 45-44 victory.
The Willis Reed 1969-70 Knicks
One of the greatest returns in NBA or sports history happened after missing most of one game, then another and involved the player making two baskets. The New York Knicks saw their captain, Willis Reed, suffer a knee injury in Game 5 of the NBA Finals in 1970. It seemed like hope was lost. However, the Knicks charged back to take a 3-2 with a comeback in that game. They lost Game 6 before returning to Madison Square Garden, where Reed made an improbable return to the court. He hit two jump shots early in the game and Walt Frazier & Co. did the rest as the Knicks won their first championship.
Buffalo Bills’ 1993 wild-card win
What has become known as “The Frank Reich Game,” saw the Bills fall behind the Houston Oilers, 28-3 at halftime on Jan. 3, 1993. Houston built the advantage to 32 points before momentum changed … and did it ever. The Bills charged back to take 38-35 lead only to see the Oilers come back to tie the game. Could they suffer doom, after all? No, as Steve Christie kicked a field goal in overtime and Buffalo advanced.
Michael Jordan
After retiring in 1993, there were many questions whether Michael Jordan would be His Airness upon a return to the NBA following a run as a baseball player. His great play continued upon the comeback as Jordan led the Bulls to three consecutive titles.
Muhammad Ali returns
“The Greatest” was suspended from boxing for his conscientious objector status when it came to the U.S. military wanting to draft him into service in 1967. He was out of boxing from March of ’67 to October 1970. Eventually in 1974, Ali won the heavyweight crown by knocking out George Foreman in Zaire.
Monica Seles
Monica Seles was at the peak of her tennis game when she was stunningly stabbed by a lunatic fan in 1993. She had to recover and regoup and for two years was away from the sport. Seles eventually did return and won the 1996 Australian Open, a major.
George Foreman
Victimized by Muhammad Ali in his comeback, George Foreman seemed to be done as a heavyweight boxing contender, let alone championship threat. He eventually returned to the ring and in 1994 defeated Michael Moorer for a second championship run.
Mario Lemieux
One of the greatest players to pull on a hockey sweater, Mario Lemieux had to exit the game. He missed more than 100 games with back problems in his career. However, on Jan. 12, 1993, the Penguins announced their 27-year-old superstar center had cancer. He returned for the 1995-96 season and scored 161 points to lead the league.
Ben Hogan
Ben Hogan was his generation’s Tiger Woods. A golfer who won and won and won and was dominant. In 1949 at 36, Hogan suffered massive injuries in a head-on collision with a bus. He was hospitalized for more than eight weeks. Remarkably, he returned to the tour in 1950. In 1953, he went on to win three majors.
Johnny Miller 1973 U.S. Open
Johnny Miller began the final round in 1973 six strokes behind the lead. He went out and shot one of the most memorable rounds in any major. Miller shot a 63 at Oakmont and won a grand total of $35,000. John Schlee was second, a stroke back. After that, check this, Tom Weiskopf, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Lee Trevino trailed.
The 2014 Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings were being manhandled by the San Jose Sharks in the first round of the playoffs. They had been outscored 17-8 in falling into an 0-3 hole. The Kings began to chip away and somehow managed to come all the way back and eliminate San Jose. Those Kings went on to win the Stanley Cup, ousting the Rangers in five games.
Kyle Busch wins 2015 NASCAR crown
Kyle Busch suffered an accident early in the 2015 season that led to multiple surgeries. He missed 11 races. After receiving a waiver from NASCAR, Busch was eligible to race for the crown. And that he did. He won the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway to claim the title.
Tara Moore comes back from 0-6, 0-5
It wasn’t a major but it was a major comeback. Brit Tara Moore trailed in her match with Jessika Ponchet, 0-6, 0-5 and was looking at match point down 30-40 in a Sunderland tournament. Moore, ranked No.479 in singles, somhow rallied, for a 0-6, 7-6(7), 6-3 victory. Tennis authorities did not confirmed whether this was the greatest comeback in the sport’s history.
The Super Bowl LI Patriots
Doom and gloom was all around New England as the Patriots fell behind the Atlanta Falcons, 28-3, in what seemed like a dubious Super Bowl loss. However, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick should never be doubted. They charged and charged, finally tying the game at 28 and forcing overtime. James White scored in the extra session and the Pats had battled back from a 25-point deficit.
