HOT
Most Significant Sports History on October 26th
Learn about October 26th's most significant sports history including numerous World Series titles, NBA debuts for multiple legends, and more!
Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune
The 26th of October is a day known not only for a number of historic World Series bouts, but also the debuts for numerous NBA Hall-of-Famers. Significant championship droughts were broken, playoff and World Series records were established, and a new Cy Young Award precedent was set. In addition to the on-field moments, this also marks the day that the Mets signed a HOF catcher to the most lucrative contract in baseball history at the time that set the standard for how teams value players to this day.
YEARS: 1996, 1997, 2000, & 2005
SIGNIFICANCE: The Yankees (2x), Marlins, and White Sox all won historic World Championships on this day
For the first time since 1978, the New York Yankees had reached the pinnacle of the baseball world. The 23rd World Championship in franchise history came on this day in 1996, when the Yankees beat the Atlanta Braves 3-2 in Game 6. The Yankees bounced back after the devastating loss to the Mariners a year prior with a perfect 8-0 away record throughout the playoffs. The ’96 title was the start to a special time in the Bronx, one that saw the birth of a dynasty that won four titles in five years, including a three-peat through the end of the 20th century.
The very next year, the 5-year-old Florida Marlins won the World Series against a strong Cleveland Indians team. Game 7 of the 1997 World Series ended on SS Edgar Renteria’s walk-off single in the bottom of the 11th inning. The Marlins quickly proved to be one of the most successful expansion teams in American sports history. Florida won its first championship in their fifth year of existence, the third youngest franchise to win a title behind the Arizona Diamondbacks (4y.o., 2001) and the Milwaukee Bucks (3 y.o., 1971).
Four years after claiming their first title in 18 seasons, the Yankees completed the fourth three-peat in MLB history and third in franchise history. After sweeping the San Diego Padres in 1998, beating the Braves again in 1999, the Yankees took down their crosstown rival New York Mets in five games to win the first ever Subway World Series. Derek Jeter won WS MVP after hitting .409/.480/1.344, including a lead-off home run that set the tone in the decisive fifth game.
Five years later, the Chicago White Sox ended their 87-year championship drought with a sweep of the Houston Astros, highlighted by a Juan Uribe grab in the stands to maintain a 1-0 lead in the 9th inning. The White Sox last appeared in the World Series in 1959, when they lost to the Dodgers in six games. But Chicago never seemed to get over the hump of the huge 1919 “Black Sox” scandal, where the Cincinnati Reds defeated the White Sox after some Chicago players agreed to throw the series for money behind the scenes.
Jordan, Barkley, and Stockton made their NBA debuts 33 years ago today.
— Cycle (@bycycle) October 26, 2017
Is the 1984 draft class history's greatest? pic.twitter.com/FuhzmHgq6u
YEAR: 1984 & 1985
SIGNIFICANCE: Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, John Stockton, & Patrick Ewing made their NBA debuts in consecutive seasons
On this day in 1984, many recent draftees made their respective NBA debuts including Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and John Stockton. In a comfortable victory over the Washington Bullets, Jordan filled up the stat sheet with 16 points to go along with six rebounds, seven assists, four blocks, and two steals, showing his lofty potential right from the jump. The star-studded 76ers also won in Barkley’s debut against the Cleveland Cavaliers as he totaled 11 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Lastly, the NBA’s all-time assist leader John Stockton debuted as well in a loss to the Seattle SuperSonics with four points, five assists, and two steals.
On the same exact day just a year later, the New York Knicks’ highly-anticipated number one overall draft pick made his NBA debut — albeit in a loss to Barkley and the 76ers. Battling in the post with the “Round Mound of Rebound” and HOFers Moses Malone and Julius Erving, Ewing finished with 18 points, six rebounds, three blocks, and two steals despite the loss. In total, the successive draft classes produced an eye-popping eight Hall-of-Famers as the ’84 group is widely considered one of the greatest of all-time and would greatly impact the rest of NBA history and the culture of sports.
This week in @NBA history: Patrick Ewing makes his debut for @nyknicks in 1985 pic.twitter.com/EMzH40hEBs
— NBA.com (@NBAcom) October 25, 2016
Most career Cy Young awards:
— Jeremy Frank (@MLBRandomStats) November 27, 2018
Roger Clemens (7)
Randy Johnson (5)
Steve Carlton (4)
Greg Maddux (4)
YEAR: 1982
SIGNIFICANCE: Steve Carlton became the 1st in MLB history to win 4 Cy Young Awards
On this day in 1982, Philadelphia Phillies SP Steve Carlton won the 1982 NL Cy Young award. Carlton became the first pitcher in MLB history to claim four Cy Young awards. The 1994 Hall of Fame inductee won his fourth CYA a decade after winning his first in 1972. Carlton spent 15 seasons with the Phillies, and during that span he won his four Cy Youngs, made seven All-Star games, and had a 246-167 W-L record with a 3.12 ERA, alongside 3,089 strikeouts.
In ’82, Carlton had one of his last years where he performed on par to his outstanding career numbers. The 37-year-old led the majors in wins with 23 and posted a 3.10 ERA. He also led the majors in innings pitched (295.2) and led the Senior Circuit with 253 punch outs. As it stands currently, Roger Clemens is all-time leader with seven Cy Young awards, then Randy Johnson with five, and Carlton and Greg Maddux tied at third with four CYAs each.
YEAR: 2018
SIGNIFICANCE: Dodgers defeated Boston on a walk-off HR from Max Muncy in the 18th inning, the longest WS game ever
Two years ago, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Boston Red Sox squared off in Game 3 of the World Series with the Sox up 2-0. That game ended with a Max Muncy walk-off home run in the bottom of the 18th inning. That game was the longest in World Series history, lasting seven hours and 20 minutes. The story of the game, besides the excruciating duration of play, and the Muncy walk-off, was Red Sox reliever Nathan Eovaldi’s performance.
Eovaldi pitched six innings of two-hit, shutout baseball until the game-winning round tripper. That game proved to be the Dodgers’ only win that World Series, and it took them 18 innings to finally get one over the 108-win Red Sox. Boston fed off Eovaldi’s performance in Game 3 and rallied off of it in the next two games. The Red Sox would win the 2018 World Series in Game 5 and celebrate on the Dodger Stadium mound, the second straight year an opposing team lifted the trophy in Hollywood.
YEAR: 1998
SIGNIFICANCE: Mike Piazza signed the richest contract in MLB history at the time (7yr/$91 million) with the Mets
After acquiring him via trade earlier that year in May, the New York Mets locked up Catcher Mike Piazza to a monster 7yr/$91M contract. That deal became the richest contract in MLB history at the time, surpassing Pedro Martinez’s 6yr/$75M deal with the Red Sox in total and average annual value. Piazza had turned down a 6yr/$79M contract from the Dodgers earlier in the year, which prompted his trade to the Florida Marlins.
Eight days later, the Marlins flipped the perennial All-Star catcher to the Mets. The 2016 Hall of Fame inductee played eight seasons with the Mets and hit an astounding .296/.373/.915, averaging 28 HRs and 83 RBIs as he led the Mets to perennial championship contention, including a NL pennant in 2000. From 1999 to 2005, Piazza made six All-Star appearances, won four Silver Slugger awards, and was unanimously viewed as the best offensive Catcher in baseball.
