This Day in Sports History: October 3
Sports in October are dominated by the MLB postseason, the start of the NBA and NHL seasons, some major college football games, the Xfinity 500 for NASCAR, track events, the…
Sports in October are dominated by the MLB postseason, the start of the NBA and NHL seasons, some major college football games, the Xfinity 500 for NASCAR, track events, the UEFA Champions League, and Formula One. Over the years, Oct. 3 has witnessed numerous notable sports moments and stories from legends of the game. Here's a closer look at some of them.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sports history from Oct. 3 include the following.
- 1884: Jack Simpson won the British Open for men's golf by four strokes.
- 1904: New York Giants pitcher Christy Mathewson struck out 16 Cardinals in a 3-1 Giants victory.
- 1920: St. Louis Browns first baseman George Sisler achieved his 257th hit of the season and set an MLB record that lasted until the 21st century.
- 1940: The Reds won Game 2 of the World Series, ending a 10-game losing streak for the National League.
- 1951: Bobby Thomson hit a three-run, walk-off home run, and the Giants won the National League pennant. It was known as the "Shot Heard 'Round the World."
- 1953: The United States won the Ryder Cup for the sixth consecutive time.
- 1962: The Giants beat the Dodgers 6-4 and won the National League pennant on the final day of the season.
- 1971: Driver Jackie Stewart won his second Formula One World Drivers' Championship title.
- 1974: Jerry West retired from the NBA.
- 1981: Mike Weaver beat James Tillis in a 15-round points decision and retained his WBA heavyweight title.
- 1990: First baseman Cecil Fielder became the 11th player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs in a season.
- 1990: George Brett became the first player in MLB history to win a batting title in three different decades.
- 1999: Chelsea achieved an upset win over Manchester United, beating them 5-0.
- 2001: Paul Coffey officially retired from the NHL. He won four Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers and finished second on the all-time list for points by a defenseman.
- 2001: Rickey Henderson tied the MLB record for career runs scored by scoring his 2,245th run.
- 2001: Barry Bonds broke Babe Ruth's single-season record for walks by achieving his 171st walk of the season.
- 2004: The New England Patriots won their 18th consecutive NFL game.
- 2008: Surfer Kelly Slater clinched his ninth World Championship title.
- 2012: Miguel Cabrera won the MLB's first Triple Crown since 1967.
- 2012: Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first Champions League hat-trick.
- 2021: Tom Brady became the NFL's all-time leader in career passing yardage.
Three athletes who really stood out on this day over the years were Kelly Slater, Miguel Cabrera, and Tom Brady.
Slater is renowned for being an 11-time world champion and widely regarded as the greatest professional surfer of all time. Cabrera had over 3,000 hits, 500 home runs, and won a World Series championship. Brady is one of the greatest American football quarterbacks of all time, winning a record seven Super Bowl titles and holding multiple NFL career records for passing yards, touchdowns, and completions.
