As a day filled with numerous records and “firsts”, many may remember November 10th last year for Lamar Jackson and Jamal Adams making two extraordinary plays on the same day. Additionally, Dan Marino reached two unprecedented milestones as Roger Clemens also won a record-setting Cy Young award. Lastly, two NBA coaches made history on this date nearly half a century apart, albeit one was hired while the other was fired.

Jaime Segui also contributed to this article.

1st QB to 50K

#OTD in 1996 — Dolphins QB Dan Marino became the first player in NFL history to throw for 50,000 career yards. (AP) https://t.co/UueoHV6swW pic.twitter.com/XZm5w9F9bj
— The Sporting News Archives (@sportsphotos) November 10, 2016

YEAR: 1996

SIGNIFICANCE: Dan Marino became the 1st in NFL history to record 50,000 career PASS YDS

By his age-35 season in 1996, Dan Marino’s resume was chock-full of Hall of Fame-level numbers as the season prior, he became the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards, TDs, and completions. On this date, however, he extended two of those records to brand-new milestones. Completing 17-of-23 attempts for 204 yards and three TDs, Marino not only became the very first player to reach 50,000 career passing yards, but also the first to complete 4,000 career passes. Though he would never reach the ultimate goal of a Super Bowl victory, Marino’s legacy as one of the most prolific passers in NFL history still remains etched into the record books.

1st Half Points Record

On this day in 1990 the Suns set an NBA record when they scored 107 points in the first half of a game against the Nuggets. Phoenix won the game 173-143. #SchoolinSession pic.twitter.com/Aqn1q9HeEW
— Bradley McKee (@Bradley_B_Roll) November 10, 2017

YEAR: 1990

SIGNIFICANCE: The Phoenix Suns set an NBA record with 107 points in the 1st half

On this date thirty years ago, the Phoenix Suns came out firing on all cylinders en route to tying the 1959 Boston Celtics with the highest-ever non-overtime point total. The fourth-highest score by any one team in NBA history with 173 points to the Denver Nuggets’ 143, the two teams combined for what is the eighth-highest score ever with 316 total points. Furthermore, the Suns’ first-half total of 107 not only set a franchise record, but also smashed the previous NBA record of 90, which was set by their opponent just a few days earlier. Nuggets SF Orlando Woolridge led the game with 40 points, but it was no match for the five Phoenix players with 20+ points, including Cedric Ceballos’ 32 off the bench.

NBA Coaching History

This Day In Sports: 1964 - Pistons name Dave DeBusschere coach; at age 24, the youngest coach in history.
— Glory Days Grill (@GloryDaysGrill) November 10, 2016

YEAR: 1964 & 2012

SIGNIFICANCE: Dave DeBusschere became the youngest NBA HC in history AND Mike Brown was fired after just 5 games

Named one of the 50 Greatest NBA Players, Dave DeBusschere’s legacy is incredibly far-reaching. Making his MLB debut for the Chicago White Sox on April 22, 1962, the 22-year-old pitcher also joined the Detroit Pistons that summer and made his NBA debut in October. The Pistons struggled to a 0.356 win percentage in his first two seasons, then began his third with a 2-9 record. Detroit fired HC Charles Wolf 11 games into his second season, and then officially named Dave DeBusschere the player-coach on this day 56 years ago, making him the youngest HC in NBA history to this day. He would lead the Pistons to a victory over the Baltimore Bullets that night with 26 points and 15 rebounds, but the team’s struggles continued as the future HOFer compiled a 79-143 overall record until resigning in March of 1967. After his retirement from the court in 1974, Dave soon became the Commissioner of the ABA and was a key contributor to the ABA-NBA merger.

Heading into the 2012 season, the Los Angeles Lakers were the talk of the NBA just three years removed from their last title. In addition to their current All-Stars — Kobe Bryant, Metta World Peace, and Pau Gasol — they also managed to acquire Dwight Howard and future HOFer Steve Nash, prompting this Sports Illustrated cover. With 33 total All-Star selections among the group, the team featured the league’s tallest and oldest roster, but also the highest payroll. Under HC Mike Brown and his Princeton offense, however, the collection of stars was never able to mesh together and after an 0-8 preseason, the Lakers stumbled to a 1-4 regular season start. Mike Brown was fired on this date, marking the earliest into a season that any NBA coach has ever been fired, solidifying.

In 2012, the Lakers assembled the Big 3 of Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, and Dwight Howard.

Lakers coach Mike Brown was seen as a great man for the job, having coached LeBron in Cleveland for 6 years.

L.A. went 0-8 in the preseason and started the season 1-4 when Brown was fired. pic.twitter.com/puvOUbgQAd
— Dallas Mavs Daily (@DallasMavsDaily) September 14, 2018

Clemens wins 4th CYA

Seasons of ≥220 IP & ≥220 ERA+ in the Live Ball Era:

Bob Gibson (1968 STL)
304.2 IP, 258 ERA+

Dwight Gooden (1985 NYM)
276.2 IP, 229 ERA+

Roger Clemens (1997 TOR)
264.0 IP, 222 ERA+

Zack Greinke (2015 LAD)
222.2 IP, 222 ERA+
— Jim Passon (@PassonJim) August 2, 2020

YEAR: 1997

SIGNIFICANCE: Roger Clemens became the 1st pitcher to win 4 AL Cy Young awards with the 1st Triple Crown season since 1945

In his debut season with the Toronto Blue Jays, Roger Clemens became the first pitcher ever to win four American League Cy Young awards. Clemens had a historic season in 1997, claiming the pitching Triple Crown, the first in the AL since 1945. The Rocket went 21-7 with a 2.05 ERA, racking up 294 punch outs in a major league-leading 264 innings thrown. Clemens became the only the third player in Major League Baseball history to win at least four Cy Young awards; joining Steve Carlton and Greg Maddux, who both did so in the Senior Circuit.

1997 marked the start of Clemens’ second-stage; as he left Boston after four “un-Clemens-like” years (3.77 ERA from 1993-1996, still very decent), and was quickly approaching his mid-30s. From ’97 to his final season (2007), Clemens had 162 wins, a 3.21 ERA, 2,082 strikeouts, and added three more Cy Young awards, bringing his total to an all-time record seven Cy Young trophies that will likely stand as the record for a long time, considering no other pitcher has ever won it more than five times.

NFL's Highlight Day

YEAR: 2019

SIGNIFICANCE: The NFL’s 2019 Offensive and Defensive Plays of the Year both occurred on the same day

On this day just a year ago, what was just a typical NFL Sunday gave way to the most jaw-dropping offensive and defensive plays of the season. To begin the second half of the quadrennial New York showdown, the Jets led the Giants by just a single point until Jamal Adams came screaming toward Daniel Jones on a blitz. Completely blowing up Saquon Barkley’s block, he caught Jones off-guard and not only jarred the ball loose, but literally snatched it out of the QB’s hands and took it 25 yards the other for a TD. Adams single-handedly put six points on the board for a team that struggled to score all season and earned bragging rights for Jets fans in what was otherwise a forgettable season. The 24-year-old Adams would end up requesting a trade after that season, and wound up being sent to the Seattle Seahawks.

Just a few minutes after Adams’ dominant display of strength in MetLife Stadium, something magical happened in Cincinnati. The Ravens held a solid 28-10 lead midway through the third quarter against the worst team in the league (CIN finished with the No.1 overall pick where they would select Joe Burrow). On their very first drive of the second half, Lamar Jackson kept the ball on a zone read option and found a hole to the left side.

Accelerating through it to the second level, he then juked Jessie Bates out of his shoes around the 40-yard line. With Nick Vigil and Shawn Williams closing on him, the eventual MVP then pulled out the ankle-breaking, highlight-reel spin move near the 30-yard-line. Causing multiple defenders to crash into each other, his fancy footwork opened up a clear path to the end zone, capping off an unreal 47-yard TD run, which put the climatic touches on a historic second perfect passing performance of the season. This play will be seen over and over again for years to come, showcasing how electric ‘Action Jackson’ really is.