This Day in Sports History: November 6
In November, sports are all about the NBA and NHL seasons, end-of-season college football games, the NASCAR Cup Series Championship, the ATP World Tour Finals, Ultimate Fighting Championship Fight Nights,…
In November, sports are all about the NBA and NHL seasons, end-of-season college football games, the NASCAR Cup Series Championship, the ATP World Tour Finals, Ultimate Fighting Championship Fight Nights, and the start of college basketball. Over the years, Nov. 6 has witnessed many notable moments and stories involving sporting legends.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sports history from Nov. 6 included:
- 1883: The New York Athletics Club organized the first American cross-country championship race.
- 1929: The Providence Steam Rollers became the first NFL team to host a game at night under floodlights. The Steam Rollers went on to lose to the Chicago Cardinals, 16-0.
- 1934: The Philadelphia Eagles beat the Cincinnati Reds, 64-0.
- 1955: The United States won the Ryder Cup, 8-4, in their seventh straight win.
- 1974: The Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Mike Marshall was the first relief pitcher to win the Cy Young Award.
- 1976: Twins ace relief pitcher Bill Campbell was the first free agent to sign with a new team, joining the Boston Red Sox for over four years at a cost of $1 million.
- 1981: Larry Holmes got a technical knockout on Renaldo Snipes in the 11th round, winning him the heavyweight boxing title.
- 1983: James Wilder, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back, rushed for 219 yards in a game against the Minnesota Vikings.
- 1988: In the Japan and MLB All-Stars Series, the teams tied 6-6 in the second of seven games.
- 1988: Grete Waitz won the New York City Women's Marathon for the ninth time.
- 1990: The Braves' Dave Justice won the National League Rookie of the Year Award.
- 1993: Evander Holyfield beat Riddick Bowe in 12 rounds, which gave him the heavyweight boxing title.
- 1994: The New York City Marathon was won by German Silva, with a time of 2:11.21.
- 1996: Todd Hollandsworth of the Los Angeles Dodgers won the National League Rookie of the Year Award.
- 1997: San Francisco Giants manager Dusty Baker was named the National League Manager of the Year.
- 1999: In the fourth Rugby World Cup Final, Australia beat France, 35-12.
- 2011: Tennis pairs Lucie Hradecká and Květa Peschke beat Maria Kirilenko and Elena Vesnina, 3-2, for the Federation Cup for Women's Tennis.
- 2021: In the rebranded Federation Cup tournament, Daria Kasatkina and Liudmila Samsonova won their singles matches and guided the Russian Tennis Federation to a 2-0 win over Switzerland in the first Billie Jean King Cup matches of women's tennis.
Three athletes who stood out on Nov. 6 were Mike Marshall, James Wilder, and Grete Waitz.
Marshall was known as "Iron Mike." He was a highly intelligent and scientific pitcher who played in MLB from 1967 to 1981 for nine different teams. He held multiple pitching records, particularly for appearances and durability in a single season. Wilder, known as "The Sikeston Train," was a Pro Bowl selection in 1984. He holds several NFL records, including for single-game carries. Waitz's accomplishments made her a pioneer for women's running and gained her recognition for her numerous world records.
