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Most Significant Sports History on October 12th
Learn about October 12th's most significant sports history including the infamous Herschel Walker trade, Magic and Bird's debuts, and more!
Jim Mone / AP Images
A day that has featured a variety of significant events, October 12th will aways be known as the day the Minnesota Vikings mortgaged their entire future for essentially one single player in 1989. Additionally, one of the greatest pairs of rivals the NBA ever saw made their respective debuts exactly ten years earlier. This day has also seen legendary playoff comebacks, World Series records, and a significant NFL receptions record.
YEAR: 1989
SIGNIFICANCE: The Minnesota Vikings traded a massive package to the Dallas Cowboys for Herschel Walker
During his fourth NFL season (after a successful stint in the USFL) and just two years after leading the league in total scrimmage yards (1,606), RB Herschel Walker was acquired by the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for the largest trade package in NFL history. In total, Dallas received 18 players and draft picks including Minnesota’s first through third round picks for the next THREE seasons while trading only Walker, two thirds, a fifth, and a tenth round pick.
Many of those picks were utilized in other trades that resulted in the likes of RB Emmitt Smith, DL Russell Maryland, S Darren Woodson, and CB Kevin Smith, among many others. After finishing 3-13 the season before, which allowed them to select QB Troy Aikman at number one overall, the Cowboys would finish a league-worst 1-15 in 1989. Emmitt Smith would be their first selection in 1990 and the team would improve to 7-9, then 11-5 with a deep playoff run, then broke through with a victory in Super Bowl XXVII. This Herschel Walker trade is viewed as the turning point of Dallas’ franchise into a 1990s dynasty.
The Vikings, on the other hand, went to the NFC Championship in 1987 and won anther playoff game the following season after an 11-5 record. Walker would debut with an outstanding 148-yard performance in a victory over the Packers and at 4-2, this was exactly what Minnesota had envisioned. That was, however, Walker’s last 100-yard game until 1991, but the Vikings still made the playoffs at 10-6 in his first season, losing 41-13 to the 49ers in the Divisional Round. They would miss the playoffs at 6-10 and 8-8 in his last two years with the team, cutting their losses after the 1991 season with this trade now seen as the worst trade in NFL history.
40 years ago today, Magic Johnson & Larry Bird made their NBA debuts.
Magic: 26 PTS, 8 REB, 4 AST, 4 BLK
Bird: 14 PTS, 10 REB, 5 ASTBird would end up winning Rookie Of The Year after leading the Celtics from a 29-win season to a league-best 61. pic.twitter.com/0BX6nXuEUI
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) October 12, 2019
YEAR: 1979
SIGNIFICANCE: Larry Bird and Earvin “Magic” Johnson both made their NBA debuts for the Celtics and Lakers
Although he didn’t expressly declare for the 1978 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics went out on a limb and selected PF Larry Bird with the sixth overall pick. Bird remained at Indiana State for another year, facing off with Michigan State and PG Magic Johnson in the 1979 NCAA Championship. Still unsigned with the 1979 Draft approaching, Bird leveraged his final collegiate season into the richest rookie contract in sports history (five years, $3.25 million) from the Celtics as the Lakers selected Johnson first overall.
On this day in 1979, the future Hall-of-Famers made their highly-anticipated NBA debuts — both victories for their respective franchises. Defeating the San Diego Clippers at the buzzer with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar‘s last-second hook, Magic debuted with a stellar stat line: 26 points, eight rebounds, four assists, four blocks, and a steal, providing a sneak peak into his all-time versatility. Bird and the Celtics, on the other hand, would roll to a double-digit victory over the Houston Rockets with Larry “Legend” posting a double-double (14 points, 10 rebounds) with five assists as SG Chris Ford hit the very first three-pointer in NBA history (implemented in 1979).
Los Angeles would finish 60-22 while Boston was a single win better at 61-21, marking the beginning of their 1980s run’s among the best teams in league history. Averaging 21.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.7 steals per game, Bird would win Rookie of the Year with 95% of the vote. Second-place Magic and the Lakers, however, would win the franchise’s seventh title in six games over the 76ers, who eliminated Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals.
YEARS: 1929 & 1986
SIGNIFICANCE: A’s came back in 1929 WS Game 4 & Angels blew Game 5 in ’86, prompting a 3-1 series collapse to the Red Sox
Down 8-0 entering the bottom of the 7th inning in Game 4 of the World Series, it looked like the Philadelphia Athletics were going to allow the Chicago Cubs to crawl back into the series, which had started 2-0 in favor of the A’s and was 2-1 after a Game 3 Cubs’ win. But something clicked for Philadelphia’s offense in that legendary 7th inning, as they erupted for 10 runs and never looked back. The Athletics ended up winning the game 10-8 in one of the most unbelievable World Series comebacks ever, and arguably the greatest single-inning resurgence in baseball history. Instead of 2-2, the series became 3-1 in Philly’s favor which led them to clinching the pennant the very next game.
Exactly 57 years later, the California Angles were one strike away from clinching the 1986 American League pennant against the Boston Red Sox. Down to his last strike in a 5-4 game, Red Sox OF Dave Henderson changed the entire series by taking CP Donnie Moore deep to the left field seats for a two-run home run and silencing the crowd. The Sox had suddenly taken the lead, and Anaheim Stadium was left stunned. California tied the game in the bottom half, sending the game to extra-innings. In the 11th inning, Henderson came through again, this time driving in Don Baylor via a sacrifice fly for the game-winning run. This Game 5 thriller kick started a 3-1 series comeback that saw Boston win its ninth AL title and earn a spot against the Mets in the World Series.
YEARS: 1967, 1982, & 1984
SIGNIFICANCE: Lou Brock had a record 7 World Series SB; Paul Molitor had a WS-record 5 hits; Padres walked a record 11 batters
On this day in history, the baseball world saw a trio of World Series records being set throughout a span of almost two decades. First, the Cardinals defeated the Boston Red Sox in Game 7 thanks to Bob Gibson’s (1967 WS MVP) complete game. In the series, the Cards were led offensively by OF Lou Brock, who stole a WS-record seven stolen bases throughout the series after stealing 52 during the regular season. Brock also hit an astounding .414/.452/1.107 in 29 AB on the biggest stage.
Then on October 12th in 1982, Milwaukee Brewers 3B Paul Molitor set a new World Series record when he collected five hits against the Cardinals in Game 1. Molitor led off for Milwaukee and led them to a 10-0 victory by going 5-for-5. Lastly, in Game 3 of the 1984 Fall Classic, the San Diego Padres issued 11 walks to Detroit Tigers’ hitters, setting a World Series record for the most walks ever allowed in a single WS game. The three pitchers used by the Padres issued at least three walks each and five different Tigers walked at least twice. The Tigers won the game 5-2 and took a 2-1 series lead thanks to San Diego’s inability to throw strikes.
On this date in 1992, Art Monk became the NFL all-time receiving leader with 820 receptions in Redskins' 34-3 win over Denver. #HTTR #TBT pic.twitter.com/DRcV5EzHlr
— David Menassé (@Frekiwolf) October 12, 2017
YEAR: 1992
SIGNIFICANCE: Art Monk made his 820th career reception, breaking the all-time NFL record
The leader of Washington’s famed “Posse” (including Gary Clark, Ricky Sanders), Art Monk became the NFL’s all-time leader in receptions on this day in 1992. Passing Steve Largent with his 820th career reception, Monk extended his record to 940 by the end of his 16-year career (14 w/ WAS). Though the record has now been shattered by multiple players, Monk and “The Posse” were the main beneficiaries of HC Joe Gibbs‘ dynamic passing attack that brought the team to four Super Bowls, winning three. Ironically, Monk only led the league in catches once (1984) despite owning the career record.
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