Some of the accolades achieved and events that occurred on October 27th influenced the course of professional sports forever. Exactly 18 years ago, Walter Payton was passed on the most decorated list that can be accomplished at the running back position. Additionally, one of the wildest moments in World Series history went down just under a decade ago. Days like these are what get fans fired up for sports games each week.

Ricky Eisenbart also contributed to this article.

New Rushing King

YEAR: 2002

SIGNIFICANCE: Emmitt Smith passed Walter Payton (16,726) to become the NFL’s all-time leading rusher

On this day nearly two decades ago, Emmitt Smith officially became the NFL’s all-time leading rusher with a 109-yard performance in a loss to the Seahawks. Surpassing one of his idols, the late, great Walter Payton’s career mark of 16,726 rushing yards, he would finish the day with just 17 more yards than “Sweetness”, but officially stood alone as the record holder, nonetheless. Finally accomplishing the implausible goal he set for himself as a rookie 13 years earlier, Emmitt’s season-high yardage output was capped off by his 150th career rushing TD to extend his other all-time record.

Cards Championships

YEARS: 2006 & 2011

SIGNIFICANCE: The Cardinals won the 2006 WS and also Game 6 of the 2011 WS, thanks to David Freese’s heroics

This day in history is very fond of St. Louis Cardinals teams that are against incredible odds. On this day in 2006, the St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series in five games over the Detroit Tigers. The ’06 Cards became the team with the fewest regular season victories to win the World Series. The Cardinals NL Central Division title is misleading, given that the team only managed to win 83 games. To make matters even more puzzling, the red birds lost 10 of their last 14 regular season games.

Fast forward five years and the Cardinals found themselves in the World Series again. It was Game 6 vs. the Texas Rangers, who were one win away from winning the title. In the 9th inning, with his team losing by two and down to their last strike, Cardinals 3B David Freese hit an opposite field fly ball just over the reach of a leaping Nelson Cruz for a triple, scoring two runs and tying the game at seven. The very next inning, Rangers OF and 2010 AL MVP Josh Hamilton hit a go-ahead two-run home run; a lead that did not last long due to another Cardinals rally in the bottom of the inning.

The Rangers had blown the series-clinching save twice in back-to-back innings, setting the stage for Freese, who had already been awarded NLCS MVP earlier in the postseason, to come through yet again. The kid from Lafayette HS in Wildwood, Missouri went on to hit an iconic walk-off home run to force a decisive Game 7, prompting Joe Buck on calling the famous phrase his dad said in 1991 when the Twins also forced a seventh game: “We will see you tomorrow night!”. What Freese did that night was historic, and it still stands as one of the greatest games and sports moments of the 21st century.

Game 7 Wins

YEARS: 1985, 1991, & 2002

SIGNIFICANCE: The Royals, Twins, and Angels all won their respective Game 7s

The night after walking-off the St. Louis Cardinals to force a Game 7 in 1985, the Kansas City Royals took care of business early in the decisive seventh game. The Royals obliterated the Cardinals 11-0, scoring all of their runs within the first five innings. The Cardinals mustered just five hits in Game 7, compared to the Royals’ 14. Ace Brett Saberhagen started two games and won both of them, allowing just one run in 18 innings of work en route to winning WS MVP. Weeks later, he was named the AL Cy Young winner, the first of his two CYAs in his career. The ’85 series was Kansas City’s first championship, coming 16 years after the franchise’s creation. The Royals also became the first team to lose its first two games of the World Series at home, but still end up winning it all; a feat that has since been done just twice (1986 and 1996).

The Minnesota Twins also wound up winning their Game 7 clash against the Atlanta Braves. In comparison to the Royals-Cardinals game in ’85, this one was the total opposite; a 1-0 victory in 10 innings, the first extra-inning Game 7 in over six decades. The brilliance of Hall of Famers John Smoltz and Jack Morris was in full display, with both combining for 17.1 IP, 13 H, 12 SO, and no runs. Morris, the 36-year-old veteran managed to out-duel the 24-year-old Smoltz in this one, pitching a complete game shutout in this 10-inning masterpiece of a ballgame. Game 7 of the 1991 World Series is considered to be in of the greatest games of all-time, and it ended on a Gene Larkin fly ball single to deep left-center field. Morris won WS MVP after posting a 1.17 ERA in 23 IP; a performance that led to be inducted to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans’ Committee due to his incredible ability coming up big in the most important moments.

11 years later, the Anaheim Angels won their first World title in franchise history, when they beat Barry Bonds’ San Francisco Giants. The Angels won 4-1, with the game’s offense coming in the second and third inning. John Lackey started the game for Anaheim, and he pitched five innings of one-run baseball. But after 86 pitches, Mike Scioscia decided to call upon his incredible bullpen including 20-year-old Francisco Rodriguez, who made just five appearances in the regular season, but quickly became one of the most trusted arms in that ‘pen (1.93 ERA & 28 Ks in 18.2 playoff IP). That was Anaheim’s first and only title in franchise history.

End of the Curse

YEAR: 2004

SIGNIFICANCE: The Red Sox swept the Cardinals to win their 1st World Series since 1918, breaking the “Curse of the Bambino”

After decades of failure and utter embarrassment, the Boston Red Sox had finally conquered their postseason demons that had tormented them since the trade of Babe Ruth in 1920. The 2004 Red Sox won the franchise’s first World Series title since 1918 with 86 years between them, after sweeping the Cardinals in four games. The Sox won eight consecutive games, dating back to their indescribable 3-0 ALCS comeback against the New York Yankees. It was David Ortiz who took care of the Yankees, but this time Manny Ramirez took charge, hitting .412/.500/1.088 over the four games, and taking home the WS MVP.

This championship really opened the door for the Red Sox franchise to flourish with the curse finally behind them. Since 2000, the Sox have the most World Series (4) than any franchise in the league, winning also in 2007, 2013, and 2018. The ’04 Red Sox also had a very significant impact on how front offices manage roster construction today. They were the first team to win the World Series by following Bill James’ sabermetrics philosophy and taking all of the undervalued players around the league that no team seemed to want. Players like Kevin Millar, who was on his way to play overseas, and Ortiz, who, despite having power potential, never seemed to evolve in the Twins system, took the team to a whole new level. Adding the saber metrics department to an already very wealthy franchise was a recipe for success that has influenced the game heavily in the 21st century.

Belichick 300 Wins

https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/1189700260131684352

YEAR: 2019

SIGNIFICANCE: Bill Belichick became just the 3rd Head Coach to win 300 games

Exactly one year ago, longtime Patriots HC Bill Belichick joined a hallowed group of legendary coaches by earning his 300th career victory (reg. season & playoffs). Following timeless legends like Don Shula and George Halas, the milestone victory came against the Cleveland Browns — his very first head coaching stop, where his first 37 victories took place. Ironically, Belichick’s very first career win (with Cleveland) came in a 20-0 shutout over New England in 1991. Currently at 306 career wins, Belichick still has plenty of ground to make up on Shula (347) and Halas (324), but has given no indication that he is considering stepping away any time soon and could certainly become the NFL’s most winningest coach when it’s all said and done.