Holmes vs. Ali
Oct 2 38-year-old Muhammad Ali comes out of a two-year retirement to challenge undefeated world heavyweight champion Larry Holmes at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas. Ali is pounded unmercifully for ten rounds before his corner throws in the towel.
Baseball Record
Oct 4 Future Baseball Hall of Fame 3rd baseman Mike Schmidt's 2-run homer off Stan Bahnsen in 11th inning gives Philadelphia, 6-4 win v Montreal and NL East title; Schmidt's 48th of the season; breaks Eddie Mathews' single-season MLB record for 3rd basemen
F1 World Champion
Oct 5 Australian Williams driver Alan Jones wins the United States East Grand Prix to claim his first Formula 1 World Drivers Championship; wins by 13 points from Nelson Piquet of Brazil
- Oct 10 MLB American League Championship: Kansas City Royals beat New York Yankees, 3 games to 0
- Oct 10 Yanks lose 4-2 & are swept by Royals in AL Championship series
- Oct 11 Dallas Mavericks open debut NBA season with a 103-92 victory against interstate rival San Antonio Spurs at Reunion Arena
- Oct 12 MLB National League Championship: Philadelphia Phillies beat Houston Astros, 3 games to 2
- Oct 18 Detroit blocks 21 Atlanta shots setting NBA record (double OT)
- Oct 21 Baseball World Series: Philadelphia Phillies beat KC Royals, 4-1 at Veterans Stadium to secure series, 4-2; first championship in franchise history; MVP: Phillies third baseman Mike Schmidt
- Oct 21 Phillies win their 1st World Championship in their 98-year history
- Oct 23 Rick McCosker (168) and John Dyson (152) make record 319 opening stand in a Sheffield Shield cricket match for NSW v WA in Sydney
Boxing Title Fight
Oct 25 American Mike Weaver KOs local favourite Gerrie Coetzee in 13 rounds in Sun City, South Africa for WBA heavyweight boxing title
New York City Marathon
Oct 26 New York City Marathon: Grete Waitz of Norway wins for 3rd straight year in 2:25:41.3; Alberto Salazar claims men's event in 2:09:41
- Oct 26 St Louis Cardinals sack Baltimore Colt QBs an NFL record tying 12 times
- Oct 27 American Dave Gryllis sets world bicycle speed record of 94.37 kph
- Oct 27 MLB Houston Astros owner John McMullen replaces GM Tal Smith with Al Rosen
Baseball Players
Basketball Stars
Boxers
Footballers
NFL Stars
Tennis Champions