A fax machine whirred to life. The newsroom of The Wichita Eagle, unaware of the pressing news they were receiving, bustled about, each journalist surely walking their own beat. Over 950 miles away, a blisteringly hot day in Detroit, Michigan was about to be swept by Hell freezing over.
Detroit Lions running back and 10-time Pro Bowl selection Barry Sanders announced his retirement from the NFL after only 10 seasons via a written statement faxed to his hometown newspaper; Lions fans were taken by storm.
“The reason I am retiring is simple: My desire to exit the game is greater than my desire to remain in it.