This Day in Sports History: October 1
Sports in October are all about the MLB postseason, the start of the NBA and NHL seasons, some big college football games, the Xfinity 500 for NASCAR, track events, the…
Sports in October are all about the MLB postseason, the start of the NBA and NHL seasons, some big college football games, the Xfinity 500 for NASCAR, track events, the UEFA Champions League, and Formula 1. Over the years, Oct. 1 has witnessed many notable moments and stories from sporting legends. Here's a closer look at some of them.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sports history from Oct. 1 include:
- 1903: The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Boston Americans 7-3 in the first World Series game.
- 1908: Jack Chesbro recorded his final victory for the Highlanders.
- 1919: The "Black Sox" World Series began.
- 1921: Walter Hagen won the PGA Championship to take his third major title.
- 1922: Rogers Hornsby got his batting average above .401.
- 1922: The Chicago Bears played their first game under the Bears name.
- 1924: Distance runner Paavo Nurmi set a world record time over four and five miles.
- 1928: Paavo Nurmi set a 15,000-meter world record time of 46:49.6.
- 1931: The Philadelphia Athletics, seeking their third straight World Series title, beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-2 in the opener at Sportsman's Park. The Cardinals ultimately won the series 4-3.
- 1932: Babe Ruth pointed to center field and hit a home run. It became the famous "called shot" homer.
- 1933: The New York Giants didn't manage to get one first down but still beat the Green Bay Packers 10-7.
- 1944: St. Louis Browns beat New York Yankees 5-2 at Sportsman's Park III to win their only AL pennant.
- 1946: Indians pitcher Bob Feller picked up his 348th strikeout of the season.
- 1950: Connie Mack managed his last game for the Philadelphia Athletics, later retiring as the longest-serving manager in MLB history.
- 1950: The Giants beat the Cleveland Browns 6-0, but the Browns won the NFL Championship that season.
- 1950: Babe Zaharias won the U.S. Open for women's golf, tying with the Open scoring record of nine under par.
- 1953: Dodgers pitcher Carl Erskine set a World Series record with 14 strikeouts.
- 1955: Baltimore Colts fullback Alan Ameche became the first NFL rookie to rush for more than 100 yards in his debut.
- 1956: American jockey Johnny Heckmann became the first to ride seven winners at Hawthorne Race Course in Stickney/Cicero near Chicago, Illinois.
- 1961: Roger Maris hit his 61st home run to break Babe Ruth's single-season record.
- 1967: Richard Petty got his 10th straight NASCAR win.
- 1975: Muhammad Ali beat Joe Frazier in 14 rounds to retain his WBC/WBA heavyweight title.
- 1977: Pelé played his final game.
- 1988: American sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner won her third gold medal at the Seoul Olympics.
- 1988: Steffi Graf won the women's singles tennis gold medal at the Seoul Olympics.
- 1993: Lennox Lewis defended his World Boxing Council heavyweight title.
- 1999: Edmonton Oilers retired Wayne Gretzky's #99 in a pre-game ceremony before a 1-1 tie against the New York Rangers.
- 2004: Ichiro Suzuki set a new single-season hit record with his 258th.
- 2015: The Yankees recorded the 10,000th win in franchise history.
- 2023: Brock Purdy set a 49ers record for highest single-game completion rate with 95.2%.
Three athletes who stood out on Oct. 1 were Paavo Nurmi, Connie Mack, and Florence Griffith Joyner.
Nurmi became famous as "The Flying Finn," one of the greatest distance runners of all time, winning nine Olympic gold and three silver medals and setting 22 world records. Mack was a Hall of Famer, inducted in 1937, and holds records for the most games managed, most wins, and most losses in MLB history. Joyner received widespread recognition for her flamboyant style, including distinctive one-legged running suits and long, decorated nails, which made her a pop culture icon.
