This Day in Sports History: September 21

Sports in September are all about Major League Baseball, the start of the NFL and college football seasons, the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the Ryder Cup, and Formula 1. Over the years, Sep. 21 has witnessed plenty of notable sports moments and stories from legends of the game. Here’s a closer look at some of them.

Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records

Great moments in sports history from Sep. 21 include:

  • 1906: Hal Chase got 22 putouts in a baseball game, tying the MLB record.
  • 1934: The Dean brothers shut out the Brooklyn Dodgers in a doubleheader.
  • 1955: In his final fight, Rocky Marciano knocked out Archie Moore in the ninth round to remain the undefeated world heavyweight boxing champion.
  • 1969: Jets punter Steve O’Neal kicked a record 98-yard punt against the Denver Broncos.
  • 1970: Vida Blue pitched a no-hitter against the Minnesota Twins.
  • 1980: The LA Rams’ Johnnie Johnson scored a 99-yard interception.
  • 1980: Richard Todd completed 42 passes in a game, setting an NFL record.
  • 1981: Phillies pitcher Steve Carlton got his 3,118th strikeout for a National League record.
  • 1985: Michael Spinks beat Larry Holmes in 15 rounds and won the heavyweight boxing title.
  • 1986: The Saints’ Mel Gray returned a kickoff 101 yards for a touchdown.
  • 1986: In the Jets vs. Dolphins football game, Ken O’Brien and Dan Marino managed a combined 884 net passing yards, setting an NFL record.
  • 1986: The Padres’ Jimmy Jones pitched a one-hitter in his big-league debut.
  • 1988: Swimmer Silke Hörner set the world record in the women’s 200-meter breaststroke with a time of 2:26.71. It was the first of her two gold medals at the Seoul Olympics.
  • 1988: Anthony Nesty won the men’s 100-meter butterfly event at the Seoul Olympics.
  • 1990: Oakland A’s pitcher Bob Welch became the MLB’s first 25-game winner in 10 seasons.
  • 1997: Mike Piazza became the second player ever to hit a home run out of Dodger Stadium.
  • 1997: Cecil Fielder hit his 300th career home run.
  • 2008: The final home game was played at the original Yankee Stadium.
  • 2008: The United States led from start to finish to win the Ryder Cup, ending a streak of three straight European wins.
  • 2017: Andre Ward retired from boxing. He was the unified light heavyweight champion and the world’s top pound-for-pound boxer.

Two athletes who really stood out on this day were Rocky Marciano and Vida Blue. Marciano was known as the “Brockton Blockbuster,” and his relentless, aggressive fighting style, powerful punching, and exceptional durability made him one of the greatest boxers of all time, despite his smaller stature. Blue was a left-handed pitcher, known for his blazing fastball, who in 1971 became the youngest player to win either the American League Most Valuable Player Award or the Cy Young Award.

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