2017: Los Angeles Chargers TE Antonio Gates broke Tony Gonzalez’s NFL record for the most career Receiving TD by a Tight End in NFL history with his 112th REC TD. His 116 career TD still stand as the all-time TE record
1984: At 38 years old, California Angels OF Reggie Jackson hit his 500th career home run on the 17-year anniversary of his very 1st
1967: New Orleans Saints lost their NFL debut 27-13 to the Los Angeles Rams at Tulane Stadium
1961: Led by future HOF QB Fran Tarkenton in his NFL debut, the Minnesota Vikings crushed the Chicago Bears 37-13 to become the 1st (and only until 2002) expansion team to win their NFL debut
1953: Future HOF SS/1B Ernie Banks became the very 1st black player in Chicago Cubs history during his MLB debut
1950: The San Francisco 49ers, formerly of the AAFC, played their very 1st game in the NFL and lost 21-17 to the New York Yanks
1947: Sporting News officially named Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Jackie Robinson the inaugural “Rookie of the Year” with 2 weeks left in the season, whom the Award would eventually be named after in 1987
1930: Chicago Cubs OF Hack Wilson broke Lou Gehrig’s MLB single-season RBI record (173) during a 4-RBI performance. Wilson ended the season with a whopping 190 (later officially became 191) RBI’s that still stands as the MLB record
1920: The American Pro Football Association (re-named NFL in 1922) was officially formed in Canton, Ohio as 12 teams each paid a $100 membership fee
1917: Pittsburgh Pirates SS Honus Wagner announced his retirement as 1 of the greatest players of baseball’s early generation, and the club immediately retired his jersey (#33)