HOT
Most Significant Sports History on October 25th
Learn about October 25th's most significant sports history including Bill Buckner's error, Jerry Rice's multiple milestones, and more!
Stan Grossfeld / Associated Press
The accolades and accomplishments that occurred in sports on October 25th stand out as some of the greatest of all-time. To begin, a World Series Game 6 was won off of an infamous ground-ball humiliation. Additionally, one of the greatest NFL players ever conquered multiple milestones that solidified his legacy forever. Events like these are what set players aside as the greatest in the history of professional sports.
YEAR: 1986
SIGNIFICANCE: Mets won WS Game 6 after a ground ball infamously went through Red Sox 1B Bill Buckner‘s legs
In pre-2004 baseball, it seemed like bad things would always happen right before the Red Sox would even get a sniff of the Commissioner’s trophy. The Curse of the Bambino was real and it tormented the lives of every Boston player and fan. And the 1986 World Series proved to be the prime example. Entering Game 6, Boston was one win away from what could’ve been their first World Series since trading away Babe Ruth after their 1918 Championship.
Fast forward to the bottom of the 10th inning, and Boston was three outs away from the title after scoring two runs in the top half. The Mets proceeded to hit two fly outs to begin the inning; the Sox were one (1) out away from breaking the curse. However, Gary Carter got a two-out single that was followed by a Kevin Mitchell pinch-hit base hit. The Mets had the tying run at the plate in Ray Knight, but the Sox still owned a 92% Winning Probability. Knight singled, scoring Carter and moving Mitchell to third. Red Sox manager John McNamara would bring in former All-Star Bob Stanley to close out the series.
However, that’s where things would begin to unravel. On the seventh pitch of the at-bat to Mookie Wilson, Stanley threw a wild pitch, scoring Mitchell and moving Knight, the tying run, to scoring position. On the 13th pitch of this epic at-bat, Stanley managed to get Wilson to chop one into first base that would’ve ended the season. An easy play for the first baseman Bill Buckner and… it went right through his legs. Pandemonium ensued inside Shea Stadium. The Sox at one point during that nightmare frame, had a 99% Winning Probability. The very next night the Mets won 8-5 in Game 7, and Boston’s championship drought would last for another 18 more years.
in 1998 Jerry Rice @49ers set an #NFL record with his 184th consecutive catch becoming the 1st player to surpass 17,000 career receiving yds pic.twitter.com/MIvhs93Kgz
— OTBS Online (@OTBSonline) October 25, 2016
YEAR: 1998
SIGNIFICANCE: Jerry Rice caught a pass in 184 consecutive games & became the 1st to compile 17,000 receiving yards
Widely considered the greatest offensive weapon in NFL history, Jerry Rice set two major milestones in the 49ers’ 28-10 victory over the St. Louis Rams. A meager performance (by his standards), the 2x Offensive Player of the Year totaled just 64 yards on four catches with a TD. Yet, with a reception in his record-setting 184th consecutive game, Rice became the very first player in NFL history to break past the 17,000 career receiving yards threshold.
Despite a 12-4 record, San Francisco would finish second in the NFC West to the Atlanta Falcons. After barely scraping past the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card Round, the 49ers’ season would end in the Divisional Round to the 14-2 Falcons, who would go on to their first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history. Rice, on the other hand, had already been the NFL’s all-time leading receiver and scorer since 1995 and ’94, respectively and still remains in that spot.
YEAR: 1987
SIGNIFICANCE: The Minnesota Twins won the 1st World Series title in franchise history
After a 4-2 Game 7 win over the St. Louis Cardinals, the Minnesota Twins won their first World Championship in franchise history. Game 7 featured a pitching matchup between Twins’ Ace Frank Viola and Cardinals’ rookie Joe Magrane. Viola outlasted the rookie with a 7 K, 8 IP performance, that led the Twins past the Cardinals. That performance netted him the WS MVP and made him a legend in Minnesota.
Offensively, the Twins saw their big hitters Don Baylor and Kirby Puckett put up big numbers in the Fall Classic, but they also received heroics from role player Steve Lombardozzi, who hit .412/.474/1.121 in the World Series and became a difference-maker in the Twins winning their first ever title. Four years later, the Twins would win their second championship by defeating the Atlanta Braves in an iconic seventh game.
Cy Young Award in both leagues:
— Christopher Kamka (@ckamka) November 16, 2016
Max Scherzer
Roy Halladay
Roger Clemens
Randy Johnson
Pedro Martinez
Gaylord Perry
YEAR: 1978
SIGNIFICANCE: Gaylord Perry became the 1st in pitcher to win the Cy Young Award in both leagues
On this day in 1978, San Diego Padres SP Gaylord Perry won the NL Cy Young award after a 21-6, 2.73 ERA season. The 39-year-old became the first pitcher in MLB history to win the Cy Young award in both leagues. Perry won the AL Cy Young as a member of the Cleveland Indians in 1972 when he went 24-16 with a 1.92 ERA. Perry, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991, played 22 Major League seasons between eight different teams.
He finished his career in 1983 with a 314-265 W-L record, and a 3.11 ERA in over 5,300 career innings pitched. Since Perry won the NL CYA in ’78, there have been five pitchers that have been able to claim the prestigious award in both leagues; Pedro Martinez (1997 and 1999), Randy Johnson (1995 and 1999), Roger Clemens (1986 and 2004), Roy Halladay (2003 and 2010), and Max Scherzer (2013 and 2016).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWrUiRvvBmw
YEAR: 1964
SIGNIFICANCE: Jim Marshall picked up a fumble and returned it 66 yards the wrong way, resulting in a safety
In the fourth quarter of a victory over the San Francisco 49ers, the Minnesota Vikings held the lead at 20-17 after a Fran Tarkenton rushing TD. The ensuing drive would result in a 49ers fumble, which was returned by Carl Eller for a defensive TD to give Minnesota a 27-17 lead. The 49ers would fumble yet again on their very next drive (eight turnovers), and this time it was recovered by fourth-year DL Jim Marshall.
Picking the ball up in-stride, he took off to the races with nobody else in sight… towards his own end zone. He “scored” easily, then tossed the ball out of bounds in celebration as the officials gave the signal for a 49ers safety. Fortunately for Marshall, the Vikings held on to win 27-22 and he would go on to enjoy a 20-year career, but the play remains one of the greatest “football follies” moments of all-time.
