This Day in Sports History: October 1

Michael Schumacher of Germany prepares for qualifying during the Italian Grand Prix at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza

Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images

Sports in October are all about the MLB postseason, the start of the NBA and NHL seasons, some big college football games, the Xfinity 500 for NASCAR, track events, the UEFA Champions League, and Formula 1. Over the years, Oct. 1 has witnessed many notable moments and stories from sporting legends. Here's a closer look at some of them.

Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records

Great moments in sports history from Oct. 1 include:

1903: The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Boston Americans 7-3 in the first World Series game.
1908: Jack Chesbro recorded his final victory for the Highlanders.
1919: The "Black Sox" World Series began.
1921: Walter Hagen won the PGA Championship to take his third Major title.
1922: Rogers Hornsby got his batting average above .401.
1924: Distance runner Paavo Nurmi set a world record time over four and five miles.
1928: Paavo Nurmi set a 15,000-meter world record time of 46:49.6.
1932: Babe Ruth pointed to center field and hit a home run. It became the famous "called shot" homer.
1933: The New York Giants didn't manage to get one first down but still beat the Green Bay Packers 10-7.
1946: Indians pitcher Bob Feller picked up his 348th strikeout of the season.
1950: Connie Mack managed his last game for the Philadelphia Athletics, later retiring as the longest serving manager in MLB history.
1950: The Giants beat the Browns 6-0, but the Browns won the NFL Championship that season.
1950: Babe Zaharias won the U.S. Open for women's golf, tying with the Open scoring record of nine under par.
1953: Dodgers pitcher Carl Erskine set a World Series record with 14 strikeouts.
1967: Richard Petty got his 10th straight NASCAR win.
1975: Muhammad Ali beat Joe Frazier in 14 rounds to retain his WBC/WBA heavyweight title.
1977: Pelé played his final game.
1988: American sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner won her third gold medal at the Seoul Olympics.
1988: Steffi Graf won the women's singles tennis gold medal at the Seoul Olympics.
1993: Lennox Lewis defended his World Boxing Council heavyweight title.
1995: Michael Schumacher won his second straight Formula 1 World Drivers' Championship.
2004: Ichiro Suzuki set a new, single-season hit record with his 258th.
2023: Brock Purdy set a 49ers record for highest single-game completion rate with 95.2%.

Three athletes who stood out on Oct. 1 were Paavo Nurmi, Connie Mack, and Florence Griffith Joyner.

Nurmi became famous as "The Flying Finn," one of the greatest distance runners of all time, winning nine Olympic gold and three silver medals and setting 22 world records. Mack was a Hall of Famer, inducted in 1937, and holds records for the most games managed, most wins, and most losses in MLB history. Joyner received widespread recognition for her flamboyant style, including distinctive one-legged running suits and long, decorated nails, which made her a pop culture icon.

Sports History