Sports in November are all about the NBA and NHL seasons, the end-of-season college football games, the NASCAR Cup Series Championship, the ATP World Tour Finals, UFC Fight Nights, and the start of college basketball. Over the years, Nov. 1 has witnessed many notable moments and stories involving sporting legends. Here are some of them.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sports history from Nov. 1 included:
1913: In their first college football game, Notre Dame beat Army 35-13. Quarterback Gus Dorais went 14 of 17 for 243 yards and two touchdown passes.1922: Mickey Walker defeated defending champion Jack Britton on points over 15 rounds.1924: The Boston Bruins became the first U.S.-based team to join the NHL.1938: The National League selected batting champion Ernie Lombardi as the most valuable player.1946: The New York Knicks beat the Toronto Huskies 68-66 in the first Basketball Association of America game.1950: Celtics’ forward Chuck Cooper became the first African-American to play in the NBA while future Hall of Famer Bob Cousy made his Celtics debut.1951: Dodgers’ catcher Roy Campanella won the first of three National League MVP awards.1959: Running back Jim Brown ran in five touchdowns in the Browns’ 38-31 win over the Colts.1964: Running back Jim Brown ran for 149 yards and became the first NFL player to exceed 10,000 in career rushing yards.1964: Oilers quarterback George Blanda attempted an AFL record of 68 passes in a game.1965: Ernie Terrell retained his WBA heavyweight boxing title.1966: Dodgers’ pitcher Sandy Koufax became the first three-time winner of the Cy Young Award.1981: Darrell Waltrip won his fourth straight NASCAR Cup race.1987: Nelson Piquet clinched his third Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship.1992: Jets wide receiver Al Toon became the 10th NFL player to make a reception in 100 straight games.1997: Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne recorded his 250th NCAA career victory.1998: Steve Young and Jerry Rice connected for their 80th career touchdown, exceeding the previous NFL mark.2003: Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald set a new NCAA record with a touchdown reception in his 14th straight game.2006: The Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin became the first NHL player since 1917 to score goals in each of his first six games.2017: The Houston Astros won their first World Series title.2023: The Texas Rangers won their first World Series title.
Three athletes who stood out on Nov. 1 were Roy Campanella, Jim Brown, and Larry Fitzgerald.
Campanella’s powerful hitting and strong defense marked his career with the Brooklyn Dodgers, while the Baseball Hall of Fame inducted him in 1969. Considered one of the greatest football players of all time, Brown was a leader for the Cleveland Browns and a Pro Football Hall of Famer who earned three MVP awards. Fitzgerald was second in NFL history for career receptions and receiving yards, an 11-time Pro Bowler, and a future Hall of Famer.