11 November in Sports History

In this edition of the Sports Break, we cover the top events in sports history along with the players and athletes that were a part of them on November 11. As a bonus, we place the jersey number worn at the time with the athlete as well.

Sports history is made every day of the year. We will preserve at least a small sampling from some great athletes every day based on the uniform number they wore.

21 - 6 - 9 - 34 - 40 - 31 - 51 - 29 - 41 - 57 - 27

November 11, 1943 - New York Yankees pitcher Number 21, Spud Chandler won the American League MVP and on the Senior Circuit,  St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Number 6, Stan Musial won National League MVP

November 11, 1980 - New York Islanders' future Hockey Hall of Fame right wing Number 9, Mike Bossy scored 4 goals in a 6-6 tie against visiting Minnesota North Stars

November 11, 1981 - LA Dodgers starter Fernando Valenzuela, wearing Number 34 became the first MLB rookie to win a Cy Young Award, the National League version. While Milwaukee Brewers' Number 34, Rollie Fingers takes American League Award

November 11, 1987 - Boston Red Sox starter Number 21, Roger Clemens won back-to-back American League Cy Young Awards; Philadelphia Phillies starter Number 40, Steve Bedrosian was awarded the National League Award

November 11, 1987 - Star soccer striker Mark Hughes, Number 9 played for Wales and Bayern Munich in 2 countries on same day; appears for Wales in 2-0 European Championship loss to Czechoslovakia in Prague, then jets to Munich for 3-2 Cup win over Borussia

November 11, 1990 - California Angel Chuck Finley (Number 31) and Seattle Mariner Randy Johnson (Number 51) combined to pitch a no-hitter in exhibition game between US & Japanese all-star teams

November 11, 1996 - Atlanta Braves starting pitcher John Smoltz, Number 29 won the NL Cy Young Award; Pat Hentgen, Number 41 of the Toronto Blue Jays claims AL Award

November 11, 1997 - Canadian based players win Cy Young Awards for best MLB pitcher; Toronto Blue Jays' Roger Clemens (Number 21) won his 4th AL Award; Pedro Martinez of Montreal Expos takes NL Award

November 11, 2020 - Shane Bieber, who wore Number 57 with the Cleveland Indians (AL) and Cincinnati Reds starter Number 27, Trevor Bauer (NL) take Cy Young Award for best pitchers in MLB

A Very Special thanks to information obtained from the following brilliant internet sites: On This Day Sports, the Sports Reference's family of website databases & Stathead.com.

Banner photo is courtesy of Wikimedia Commons of New York Yankees pitcher Spud Chandler. Play Ball cards, published by Bowman Gum circa 1940.