Events in Sports History in October 1974

Baseball Record

Oct 2 Future Baseball Hall of Fame right fielder Hank Aaron hits his final home run as a member of the Atlanta Braves, in a 13-0 drubbing of the Cincinnati Reds; Aaron's 733rd career HR on his last NL at bat

Contract of Interest

Oct 3 39-year old Frank Robinson becomes MLB’s first African-American manager when he signs as player-manager for Cleveland Indians; agrees to 1-year contract estimated at $180,000

Baseball Outfielder and Manager Frank Robinson

Sports History

Oct 3 Future Basketball Hall of Fame guard Jerry West (“Mr. Clutch”) retires after 14 NBA seasons with the LA Lakers; West has 25,192 career points; averages 29.1 ppg in 153 playoff games

F1 World Champion

Oct 6 Brazilian McLaren driver Emerson Fittipaldi finishes 4th in the US Grand Prix at Watkins Glen to win his second Formula 1 World Drivers Championship by 3 points from Clay Ragazzoni

Oct 9 MLB American League Championship: Oakland Athletics beat Baltimore Orioles, 3 games to 1
Oct 9 MLB National League Championship: Los Angeles Dodgers beat Pittsburgh Pirates, 3 games to 1
Oct 9 Washington Capitals 1st NHL game, losing 6-3 to NY Rangers at Madison Square Garden; start of a 37 game road losing streak for Washington
Oct 10 MLB Oakland A's Mike Andrews files $25 million lawsuit against team owner Charlie Finley
Oct 10 US Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff army General George Brown's deplores Jewish influence in US security policy during question and answers after speech at Duke University
Oct 12 1st time Washington Capitals are shutout as they are beat 6-0 by Minnesota
Oct 15 Washington Capitals 1st NHL tie, playing LA Kings to 1-1 tie

Sports History

Oct 16 MLB Oakland As' pitcher Ken Holtzman, in his 1st at bat of the season, belts 3rd inning home run in Game 4 of the World Series, and gets the win, 5-2

Oct 17 Baseball World Series: Oakland A's 3-peat; beat LA Dodgers, 3-2 in Oakland for 4-1 series win; MVP: A's pitcher Rollie Fingers
Oct 17 NBA New Orleans Jazz begin a 28 game road losing streak
Oct 17 Washington Capitals 1st NHL home victory, beating Chicago 4-3
Oct 18 1st NBA game at Market Square Arena - Pacers beat Spurs 129-121

Sports History

Oct 18 Chicago Bull Nate Thurmond becomes 1st in NBA to complete a quadruple double-22 pts, 14 rebounds, 13 assists & 12 blocks

Sports History

Oct 19 Australian tennis star Evonne Goolagong wins her first WTA Tour Championship; beats Chris Evert 6-3, 6-4 in the final at the Los Angeles Sports Arena

Oct 19 Detroit Pistons beat Trailblazers in Portland (next win 6-1-90)
Oct 19 NHL Detroit Red Wing Mickey Redmond scores 1st hat trick against Washington Capitals
Oct 21 NHL New York Islanders and goaltender Billy Smith's 1st shut-out win, 5-0 vs Washington Capitals

Baseball Trade

Oct 22 MLB New York Yankees trade outfielder Bobby Murcer to San Francisco Giants for outfielder Bobby Bonds

Oct 23 Chicago Cubs trade 6-time MLB All Star outfielder Billy Williams to Oakland A's for second baseman Manny Trillo and 2 pitchers

Sports History

Oct 24 Billy Martin named AL Manager of Year (Texas Rangers)

Baseball Player and Manager Billy Martin

Oct 26 Cleveland Coliseum opens for NBA's Cavaliers & MISL's Crunch
Oct 27 French runner Chantal Langlacé sets female world marathon record (2:46:24) in Neuf-Brisach, France
Oct 28 1st time 2 Islanders hat trick in same game-MacMillian & Westfall

Boxing Title Fight

Oct 30 "The Rumble in the Jungle": Muhammad Ali KOs George Foreman in the 8th round in Kinshasa, Zaire; regains world heavyweight boxing title with famous "rope-a-dope" tactic