This Week in sports history – October 15,2019

October 15

NHL player Wayne Gretzky breaks point record

Wayne Gretsky broke the points record in 1989 for NHL, a record previously held by Gordie Howe. Gretsky started against the Edmonton Oilerswith 1.849 points and tied Howe’s record by the first period. He didn’t play for nearly the whole game, but when he got called off the bench, he was ready. His team was behind, but once he got on the ice, he made the shot that both tied the game and broke the points record.

October 16

Babe Ruth defies Landis

Commissioner Kenesaq Landis enforced a rule that banned World Series players from participating in postseason barnstorming tours. Ruth was going on a barnstorming tour, when sports teams or individual players travel to various locations to stage exhibition matches, but the commissioner canceled it. This, however, did not stop Ruth, and other players from the Yankees team, from going on the tour themselves. Ruth was sure that if he did the tour, it would get people to see them next season, and so he went on the tour. He was suspended from playing until May 20, 1922.

October 17

Chicago Bears win first game

The Chicago Bears, originally called the Staley’s because of the person who founded the team, changed their name to the Bears when they were sharing the field with the Chicago Cubs. 1922 is when the Bears started their first official season, and some players even made the Football Hall of Fame. When the Bears played their first game against the APFA Rock Island Independents, they won 7-0.

October 18

The beginning of a rivalry: NYC vs. Brooklyn

It was the first time that the New York National League and the Brooklyn American Association ever played together. When Brooklyn became an AA, the two teams arranged a postseason championship event. They had played games before, but this was the first championship game. When the sun set, the game stopped and Brooklyn won 12-10, placing them in the lead in the series.

 

October 19

First woman jockey in North America

Anna Lee Wiley becomes the first North American woman ever to join the jockey team in Mexico. At the Agua Caliente Race Horse Track, Wiley competed in the Coronado Town Plate race, and after a lot of primping, Anna Lee Wiley won in a walk in 1941.

Photo: J. Lopez

Written: Ashley Diaz 

 

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