This Day in Sports History: November 8
Sports in November are all about the NBA and NHL seasons, end of season college football games, the NASCAR Cup Series Championship, UFC Fight Nights, and the start of college…
Sports in November are all about the NBA and NHL seasons, end of season college football games, the NASCAR Cup Series Championship, UFC Fight Nights, and the start of college basketball. Over the years, Nov. 8 has witnessed many notable moments and stories involving sporting legends.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sports history from Nov. 8 include:
- 1934: Ford Frick was named the National League President for the MLB.
- 1947: Don Bradman scored his 99th first-class cricket century mark.
- 1951: New York Yankees catcher Yogi Berra won the first of his three MVP awards.
- 1959: Elgin Baylor scored a career high of 64 points for the Minneapolis Lakers against the Boston Celtics, marking a new record. He later went on to beat his own record with 71 points.
- 1961: Whitey Ford won the Cy Young Award.
- 1966: Baltimore Orioles outfielder Frank Robinson was selected as the American League MVP. He was the first player to win the award in both the National League and the American League.
- 1970: In the fifth Rugby League World Cup, Australia beat Great Britain 12-7.
- 1970: The New Orleans Saints kicker Tom Dempsey kicked an NFL record 63-yard field goal.
- 1981: Baseball head coach Don Shula recorded his 200th NFL victory, as the Miami Dolphins beat the New England Patriots in overtime.
- 1986: Tulsa quarterback Steve Gage became the first quarterback to rush and pass for over 200 yards in a single game.
- 1989: The Cubs' Jerome Walton won the National League Rookie of the Year Award.
- 1990: Darryl Strawberry signed a five-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
- 1991: Paul Coffey set the NHL record for most goals by a defenseman with his 311th goal.
- 1992: Racing driver Nigel Mansell won his first Formula One World Drivers' Championship by 52 points.
- 1994: The Cleveland Cavaliers played their first game at the Gund Arena and lost 100-98 to the Houston Rockets.
- 1997: Larry Rothschild became the first manager of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
- 2008: In the 18th College Football Holy War, Boston College beat Notre Dame 17-0.
- 2009: Flavia Pennetta beat Melanie Oudin 7-5 and 6-2, helping her team win the Federation Cup for Women's Tennis.
- 2013: Jimmie Johnson clinched his sixth NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship.
- 2015: The Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds broke the NCAA record for career rushing touchdowns, with 78.
- 2017: Surfer Rodrigo Koxa broke the world record for the largest wave ever surfed at 24.38 meters.
Three athletes who stood out on Nov. 8 were Yogi Berra, Steve Gage, and Jimmie Johnson.
Apart from his sportsmanship, Berra was widely known for his unique and often humorous "Yogi-isms" — witty, memorable quotes that have become part of American culture. Gage was inducted into the University of Tulsa's Athletics Hall of Fame and was known for his versatility as both a runner and passer. Johnson is known for his unprecedented five consecutive championships, from 2006 to 2010, and his 83 career wins in the NASCAR Cup Series.
