Sport

On This Day - December 12 2009: Tiger Woods announces he is taking an "indefinite break" from golf to try to save his marriage

 Tiger Woods is taking a break from golf
 Tiger Woods is taking a break from golf  Tiger Woods is taking a break from golf

ON THIS DAY

1912: American boxer Henry Armstrong was born. He was the only man to simultaneously hold three world titles when he won the feather, light and welterweight titles, although this reign only lasted for one month in 1938.

2002: Leeds midfielder Lee Bowyer was caught stamping on the head of a Malaga player during the UEFA Cup match between the teams. He was subsequently banned for six European matches.

2004: Double Olympic gold medallist Kelly Holmes was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

2007: The Football Association confirmed it had opened talks with Fabio Capello about the England manager's job. He was officially appointed two days later.

2008: The inaugural Champions League Twenty20 was cancelled due to terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

2009: Tiger Woods announced he was taking an "indefinite break" from golf to try to save his marriage in the wake of a series of shocking revelations about his private life.

2011: England's World Cup-winning fly-half Jonny Wilkinson retired from international rugby. Wilkinson, whose drop-goal secured victory against Australia in the final of the 2003 World Cup, won 91 caps for his country as well as making six Test appearances for the British and Irish Lions.

2012: England coaches Andy Farrell and Graham Rowntree, along with Rob Howley of Wales, were named assistant coaches for the British and Irish Lions' 2013 tour to Australia.

2014: Sam Burgess made his full rugby union debut for Bath. Burgess went on to be a part of England's 2015 World Cup squad, but after a dismal tournament for the hosts he faced widespread criticism and returned to rugby league with South Sydney Rabbitohs.

2015: Anthony Joshua beat Dillian Whyte by a knockout to win the British heavyweight title at London's O2 Arena.

2016: Cristiano Ronaldo crowned a memorable year by being named the world's best player for a fourth time when he won the 2016 Ballon d'Or.

BIRTHDAYS

Emerson Fittipaldi (motor racing) - Brazilian who was Formula One world champion in 1972 and 1974, born 1946.

Tracy Austin (tennis) - American who became the youngest US Open winner ever in 1979, born 1962.

Will Carling (rugby union) - former England captain, born 1965.

Robbie Kearns (rugby league) - former Australia prop, born 1971.

Gary Breen (soccer) - former Coventry, Sunderland and Republic of Ireland defender, born 1973.

Nolberto Solano (soccer) - former Newcastle and Peru midfielder, born 1974.

Craig Moore (soccer) - former Rangers, Newcastle and Australia defender, born 1975.

Dean Macey (athletics/bobsleigh) - 2006 Commonwealth Games decathlon champion who switched to bobsleigh after retiring from track and field, born 1977.

Yuvraj Singh (cricket) - Indian all-rounder, born 1981.

Stephen Warnock (soccer) - Burton defender, born 1981.

Daniel Agger (soccer) - former Liverpool and Denmark defender, born 1984.

Sohail Tanvir (cricket) - Pakistan bowler, born 1984.

Victor Moses (soccer) - Chelsea and Nigeria forward, born 1990.

QUICK QUIZ

1. Which of these countries has never reached a football World Cup final: Uruguay, Hungary, Portugal or Sweden?

2. How many of Rafael Nadal's 16 grand slam titles have come at the French Open?

3. Who scored the winning point in this year's All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final? 

4. Who won the women's 100 metres final at the 2015 athletics World Championship in Beijing?

5. Who defeated Ruairi Og Cushendall in the 2016 All-Ireland Club SHC final at Croke Park? 

(See quiz answers at bottom)

SPORT ON TV 

Today (Tuesday, December 12)

SOCCER: Premier League, Huddersfield v Chelsea - BT Sport 1 1915; Bundesliga, Wolfsburg v RB Leipzig and Mainz v Borussia Dortmund - BT Sport 2 1730 and 1930, Hamburg v Eintracht Frankfurt - BT Sport/ESPN 1930.

CRICKET: New Zealand v West Indies, second Test - Sky Sports Cricket 2155, Sky Sports Main Event 2330; India v Sri Lanka, one-day international - Sky Sports Cricket 0550 (Wed).

SNOOKER: Scottish Open - Eurosport 1 1245 and 1845.

ICE HOCKEY: NHL, St Louis Blues v Tampa Bay Lightning - eir Sport 1 0100 (Wed).

Tomorrow (Wednesday, December 13)

CRICKET: Australia v England, third Test - BT Sport 1 0130 (Thurs); India v Sri Lanka, one-day international - Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Cricket 0600.

SOCCER: Premier League, West Ham v Arsenal - BT Sport 1 1915; Scottish Premiership, Hibernian v Rangers - Sky Sports Main Event 1930; Ligue 1, Strasbourg v Paris St Germain - BT Sport/ESPN 2000.

GOLF: European Tour, Indonesian Masters - Sky Sports Golf 0500 (Thurs).

SNOOKER: Scottish Open - Eurosport 1 1245 and 1845.

BOXING: WBA lightweight title bout, Katie Taylor v Jessica McCaskill - Sky Sports Action 1800, Sky Sports Main Event 2145.

BASKETBALL: NBA, Indiana Pacers v Oklahoma City Thunder - BT Sport 2 0000.

QUICK QUIZ answers: 1. Portugal; 2. Ten; 3. Dean Rock; 4. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce; 5. Na Piarsiagh of Limerick