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:Â James J. Jeffries retained his world heavyweight boxing title beating Tom Sharkey in the full 25 rounds.
- 1926:Â Ty Cobb resigned as the manager of the Detroit Tigers.
- 1934:Â Lou Gehrig won the American League Triple Crown.
- 1942:Â Ted Williams won the American League Triple Crown.
- 1960:Â The Pirates' starting pitcher Vern Law won the Cy Young Award.
- 1962:Â 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:Â Joe Weatherly retained his NASCAR Sprint Cup title.
- 1965:Â Sandy Koufax won the Cy Young Award for the second time.
- 1968:Â David Pearson won the NASCAR Grand National title.
- 1968:Â Driver Graham Hill won his second Formula 1 World Drivers' Championship.
- 1973:Â Receiver Jay Miller set an NCAA football single-game record, with 22 catches for 263 yards.
- 1975:Â Chris Evert became the first tennis player to get the No. 1 ranking when the WTA Tour rankings were introduced.
- 1981:Â Rollie Fingers won the American League Cy Young award.
- 1985:Â Bill Elliott became the first driver to win 11 super-speedway races in one season.
- 1987:Â The Rangers center Marcel Dionne became the second NHL player to pick up 1,700 career points.
- 1987:Â Mark McGwire won the American League Rookie of the Year.
- 1990:Â Center Moses Malone set an NBA record for career free throws, passing Oscar Robinson's record of 7,694.
- 1993:Â Pitcher Greg Maddux became the first pitcher since Sandy Koufax to win the National League Cy Young award in back-to-back years.
- 1996:Â Lakers star Kobe Bryant became the youngest player to make his NBA debut. He was 18 years, 2 months, and 11 days old.
- 1996:Â 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:Â 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.
