This Day in Sports History: November 20
Sports in November are dominated by the NBA and NHL seasons, the end of the college football season, the NASCAR Cup Series Championship, the Association of Tennis Professionals World Tour…
Sports in November are dominated by the NBA and NHL seasons, the end of the college football season, the NASCAR Cup Series Championship, the Association of Tennis Professionals World Tour Finals, Ultimate Fighting Championship Fight Nights, and the start of the college basketball season. Over the years, Nov. 20 has witnessed many notable moments and stories involving sporting legends.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sports history from Nov. 20 included the following:
- 1902:Â Geo Lefevre and Henri Desgrange conceived and proposed the idea of the Tour de France bike race.
- 1915:Â The Hamilton Tigers won their second Canadian Football League Grey Cup title.
- 1928:Â The Boston Gardens opens and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Boston Bruins, 1-0.
- 1934:Â Busher Jackson, the Toronto Maple Leafs' left winger, became the first NHL player to score four goals in a single period.
- 1952:Â The Chicago Cubs left fielder Hank Sauer won the National League MVP Award.
- 1960:Â Driver Jack Brabham retained his F1 World Drivers Championship by nine points.
- 1962:Â Mickey Mantle won the American League MVP Award for the third time.
- 1966:Â The Dallas Cowboys sacked the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks for an NFL record 12 times.
- 1967:Â Mets pitcher Tom Seaver was named the National League Rookie of the Year.
- 1969:Â San Francisco Giant Willie McCovey won the National League MVP Award.
- 1971:Â Richard Petty won the NASCAR Winston Cup Series.
- 1977:Â Cale Yarborough won the NASCAR Winston Cup Series.
- 1977:Â Walter Payton rushed for an NFL record of 275 yards.
- 1983:Â The Cleveland Browns shut out the Patriots 30-0.
- 1984:Â New York Mets pitcher Dwight Gooden won the National League Rookie of the Year Award.
- 1985:Â The New York Yankees' Don Mattingly won the American League MVP Award.
- 1988:Â Tennis star Gabriela Sabatini won her first WTA Tour Championship.
- 1990:Â Oakland A's outfielder Rickey Henderson won the American League MVP Award.
- 1992:Â Boris Becker won his second ATP Tour World Championship.
- 1994:Â Pete Sampras won his second ATP Tour World Championship.
- 1994:Â Gabriela Sabatini won the WTA Tour Championship.
- 1997:Â A.C. Green set an NBA record of 907 consecutive games played.
- 2005:Â David Nalbandian won his only career season-ending Tennis Masters Cup title.
- 2011:Â Jim Furyk won all five of his matches as the United States beat the International team.
- 2016:Â Andy Murray won his first season-ending ATP World Tour Finals tennis title.
- 2022:Â Novak Djokovic won a record-equaling sixth ATP World Tour Finals title.
Three athletes who stood out on Nov. 20 were Mickey Mantle, Walter Payton, and Gabriela Sabatini.
Mantle is celebrated for his powerful, long-distance home runs and charismatic presence on the field. Known as "Sweetness," Payton, who was revered for his exceptional skill, durability, and character, retired as the NFL's all-time leading rusher. Sabatini was known for her singles and doubles career in the 1980s and 1990s. Visit us tomorrow to find out what happened on that day in sports history.
