This Day in Sports History: October 18
Sports in October are all about the MLB postseason, the start of the NBA and NHL seasons, college football games, the Xfinity 500 for NASCAR, track events, the UEFA Champions…
Sports in October are all about the MLB postseason, the start of the NBA and NHL seasons, college football games, the Xfinity 500 for NASCAR, track events, the UEFA Champions League, and Formula 1. Over the years, Oct. 18 has witnessed many notable moments and stories involving sporting legends.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sports history from Oct. 18 include:
- 1889:Â The first all-NYC "World Championship" baseball series happened when the New York Giants played the Brooklyn Bridegrooms. The Giants won the series six games to three.
- 1902:Â Auburn beat Alabama 23-0 in the seventh ever Iron Bowl.
- 1924:Â Football player Harold Edward "Red" Grange got four long touchdown runs.
- 1925:Â Tony Lazzeri hit his 60th home run of the season.
- 1955:Â Track and Field magazine called Jesse Owens the best track athlete of all time.
- 1964:Â Swimmer Kevin Berry set a world record time of 2:06.6 in the men's 200-meter butterfly at the Tokyo Summer Olympics and won gold.
- 1968:Â The U.S. Olympic Committee suspended Tommie Smith and John Carlos for their Black Power salute to protest racism and injustice against African-Americans.
- 1974:Â Nate Thurmond became the first player in NBA history to complete the quadruple double of 22 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists, and 12 blocks.
- 1977:Â Reggie Jackson hit three consecutive home runs and tied Babe Ruth's World Series record of three home runs in a game.
- 1978:Â The New York Islanders had their first scoreless tie.
- 1981:Â Giants kicker Joe Danelo tied an NFL record of six field goals in a game.
- 1992:Â The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Atlanta Braves in six games and became the first non-American team to win a Baseball World Series game.
- 1995:Â The Winnipeg Jets were sold and moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where they became the Phoenix Coyotes.
- 2009:Â Jenson Button won his first F1 World Drivers' Championship.
- 2009:Â Tom Brady threw five touchdown passes against the Titans in one quarter, an NFL record.
- 2012:Â The Detroit Tigers beat the New York Yankees four games to zero and won the American League pennant.
- 2013:Â The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Los Angeles Dodgers four games to two and won the National League pennant.
Three athletes who stood out on Oct. 18 were Nate Thurmond, Reggie Jackson, and Tom Brady.
Thurmond was among the NBA's greatest centers, known for his exceptional rebounding, defense, and scoring ability. He had seven All-Star selections and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985. Jackson was a powerful slugger with 563 career home runs, a 14-time All-Star, a 1973 MVP winner, and a five-time World Series champion. Brady is considered the greatest player of all time due to his record-setting seven Super Bowl victories, numerous MVP awards, and consistent career-long excellence.
