This Day in Sports History: October 21
Notable sports events in October include the MLB playoffs, NBA and NHL preseason games, college football, the Xfinity 500 NASCAR Cup Series race, track meets, the UEFA Champions League, and…
Notable sports events in October include the MLB playoffs, NBA and NHL preseason games, college football, the Xfinity 500 NASCAR Cup Series race, track meets, the UEFA Champions League, and Formula 1. Over the years, Oct. 21 has witnessed many momentous moments and stories involving sporting legends. Here are some of them.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Oct. 21 featured the following memorable sporting events:
- 1911:Â This date witnessed the formation of the Western Canada Rugby Football Union.
- 1964:Â Ethiopian Abebe Bikila set a world record time of 2:12:11.2 to win the men's marathon at the Tokyo Olympics.
- 1964:Â The U.S. men's 4x400-meter relay team defeated Great Britain by 0.9 seconds and set a world record time of 3:00.7 to win the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
- 1973:Â Benny Parsons won the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
- 1973:Â The Oakland Athletics defended their World Series title by defeating the New York Mets 4-3. Reggie Jackson was the most valuable player.
- 1973:Â Fred Dryer became the first player in NFL history to score two safeties in the same game.
- 1974:Â Goalie Billy Smith got his first shutout win as the Islanders beat the Capitals 5-0.
- 1975:Â Carlton Fisk hit a 12th-inning home run to beat the Reds and force a game seven in the World Series.
- 1976:Â The New York Knicks retired Willis Reed's No. 19, their first number retirement.
- 1979:Â Bill Rodgers won the New York City Marathon in 2:11:42, making it his fourth straight men's title.
- 1979:Â Ozzie Newsome began his NFL streak of 150 straight game receptions.
- 1984:Â Niki Lauda became a three-time Formula 1 World Drivers' Champion.
- 1984:Â Cleveland Browns' kicker Steve Cox set a club record with a 60-yard field goal.
- 1990:Â Ayrton Senna clinched his second Formula 1 World Drivers' Championship.
- 1997:Â Outfielder Marquis Grissom recorded a hit in his 15th straight World Series game.
- 1998:Â The Yankees swept the Padres in the World Series to win their second title in three years.
- 2007:Â Driver Kimi Raikkonen claimed his first World Drivers' Championship by one point.
- 2007:Â Titans kicker Rob Bironas set an NFL record for most points scored in a game with 26 in a 38-36 win over the Texans.
- 2009:Â The Phillies beat the Dodgers 4-1 to win the National League pennant.
- 2015:Â Climber Alex Puccio ascended Free Range in Boulder Canyon, Colorado.
The outstanding athletes on Oct. 21 were Carlton Fisk, Willis Reed, and Rob Bironas.
Fisk's 24-season career as a catcher set longevity records for the position, earning him induction into the Hall of Fame. Reed had a legendary career as a New York Knicks center, leading them to two NBA championships in 1970 and 1973. Bironas set franchise records for game-winning kicks and total points, and for an NFL single-game record of eight field goals.
