Oct. 19 – Bobby Orr makes NHL debut
In 1966, NHL legend Bobby Orr made his NHL debut for the Boston Bruins. The future Hall of Famer garnered an assist in his debut game. In his career, Orr would be known as one of the best players in NHL history, scoring 270 goals and dishing out 645 assists.
Oct. 20 – Jim Brown sets NFL single-season rushing record
Running back Jim Brown of the Cleveland Browns broke the record for most yards in a single NFL season in 1963. Brown garnered the yards in just 14 games, which is impressive considering a season is now 17 games. Brown’s record stood for 20 years, with O.J. Simpson’s 2,003 rushing yards breaking the record in 1983. Today, the mark Brown set remains the 13th most in NFL history in a single season.
Oct. 21 – Kicker Rob Bironas scores most points with no TD in a single NFL game
In 2007, Tennessee Titans kicker Rob Bironas scored the most points in an NFL game without scoring a touchdown, racking up 26 points. Bironas kicked eight field goals and two extra points, with a game-winning 29 yard field goal that would win the game for the Titans. Bironas’ record still stands today.
Oct. 22 – Grete Waitz sets world record at the New York City Marathon
Norwegian runner Grete Waitz set the world record finish for a women’s marathon with a time of 2:32:30 in 1978. In fact, that was the first time in history that a woman finished in under two and a half hours. Her record stood for a year before she beat it herself, finishing with a time of 2:27:33. Waitz finished her career with nine wins at the New York City Marathon, giving her the most in history. Her record stood until 2001, when it was broken by Margaret Okayo with a time of 2:24:21.
Oct. 23 – Kyrie Irving breaks debut point record
In his first game as a Brooklyn Net in 2019, Kyrie Irving broke the record for most points in a debut for a new NBA team. The former Boston Celtic signed with the Nets in the 2019 off-season, pairing up with Kevin Durant. Irving put up 50 points on 51% from the field. Irving also contributed seven assists and eight rebounds.
Oct. 24 – Sandy Koufax wins Cy Young Award unanimously
In 1963, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax won the Cy Young Award with a unanimous vote. Koufax was the first unanimous Cy Young winner in MLB history. Koufax’s 1963 campaign saw him have a 25-5 win-loss record with a 1.88 ERA. He also won the National League MVP award, the only one of his career. For his efforts in helping the Dodgers win the 1963 Fall Classic, he won the World Series MVP award. Koufax’s 1963 season is known as one of the best individual seasons of all time.
Oct. 25 – Lewis Hamilton wins second consecutive World Drivers Championship
British Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton won the Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in 2014, resulting in his clinching of the World Drivers Championship. The win was Hamilton’s second, with his current total sitting at seven. It was the beginning of his stretch of six championships in seven years, with his only loss coming in 2016.
