This Day in Sports History: November 3
Sports in November are all about the NBA and NHL seasons, end-of-season college football games, the NASCAR Cup Series Championship, ATP World Tour Finals, UFC Fight Nights, and the start…
Sports in November are all about the NBA and NHL seasons, end-of-season college football games, the NASCAR Cup Series Championship, ATP World Tour Finals, UFC Fight Nights, and the start of college basketball. Over the years, Nov. 3 has witnessed many notable moments and stories involving sporting legends.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sports history from Nov. 3 included:
- 1899: James J. Jeffries retained his world heavyweight boxing title beating Tom Sharkey in the full 25 rounds.
- 1926: Ty Cobb resigned as the manager of the Detroit Tigers.
- 1934: Lou Gehrig won the American League Triple Crown.
- 1942: Ted Williams won the American League Triple Crown.
- 1960: The Pirates' starting pitcher Vern Law won the Cy Young Award.
- 1962: Warriors center Wilt Chamberlain scored 72 points against the Los Angeles Lakers. This was the fourth-highest point total in NBA history at the time.
- 1963: Joe Weatherly retained his NASCAR Sprint Cup title.
- 1965: Sandy Koufax won the Cy Young Award for the second time.
- 1968: David Pearson won the NASCAR Grand National title.
- 1968: Driver Graham Hill won his second Formula 1 World Drivers' Championship.
- 1973: Receiver Jay Miller set an NCAA football single-game record, with 22 catches for 263 yards.
- 1975: Chris Evert became the first tennis player to get the No. 1 ranking when the WTA Tour rankings were introduced.
- 1981: Rollie Fingers won the American League Cy Young award.
- 1985: Bill Elliott became the first driver to win 11 super-speedway races in one season.
- 1987: The Rangers center Marcel Dionne became the second NHL player to pick up 1,700 career points.
- 1987: Mark McGwire won the American League Rookie of the Year.
- 1990: Center Moses Malone set an NBA record for career free throws, passing Oscar Robinson's record of 7,694.
- 1993: Pitcher Greg Maddux became the first pitcher since Sandy Koufax to win the National League Cy Young award in back-to-back years.
- 1996: Lakers star Kobe Bryant became the youngest player to make his NBA debut. He was 18 years, 2 months, and 11 days old.
- 1996: Wide receiver Jerry Rice became the first player in NFL history to reach 1,000 career receptions.
- 2002: Janette Husárová won her first title with the Federation Cup for women's tennis.
- 2013: Nick Foles became the seventh passer in NFL history with seven touchdowns in a game.
Three athletes who stood out on Nov. 3 were Chris Evert, Kobe Bryant, and Jerry Rice.
Evert was one of the greatest professional tennis players of all time. He won 18 Grand Slam titles and holds a .900 winning percentage. Bryant's fame stems from his immense skill, including being named MVP in 2008 and an 18-time All-Star, as well as his iconic "Mamba Mentality." Rice is famous for being the greatest wide receiver in NFL history, a status he earned through his incredible work ethic, dedication, and numerous records.
