30 October in Sports History

Some BIG-time baseball players received awards, an MLB trade addition, and more in this edition of the Sports Break, as we cover the top events in sports history along with the players and athletes that were a part of them on October 30. 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.

9 - 32 - 41 - 30 - 26 - 10 - 34 - 37

October 30, 1922 - It was no secrect that the New York Giants wanted to compete with theie cross-town rivals the New York Yankees. With this in mind the Giants paid $65,000 and gave up 3 players for Jack Bentley. Bentley in the previous season with the Balltimore Orioles of the International League hit .349 and was 13-2 as pitcher in 1922.

October 30, 1945 - Legendary sports executive Branch Rickey signed another legend, player Jackie Robinson to a Montreal Royals contract. Robinson wore Number 9 with the Minor League Montreal.

October 30, 1963 - Sandy Koufax, Number 32 won the National League MVP award. That season the ace hurler went 25-5 with a 1.88 ERA (the best in baseball that year) and a League leading 306 strike outs.

October 30, 1973 - Tom Seaver, Number 41 became the first non-20-game winner to win Cy Young award. Seaver had 19 wins on the season but led the League in strikeouts (251) and complete games (18)

October 30, 1974 - California Angel Number 30, Nolan Ryan threw the fastest recorded pitch (100.9 MPH)

October 30, 1975 - Giants pitcher John Montefusco, Number 26 won the National League Rookie of Year award

October 30, 1975 - John Bucyk, Number 9 of the Boston Bruins, became 7th NHL player to score 500 goals

October 30, 1997 - Argentine soccer star Number 10, Diego Maradona announced his retirement from football on his 37th birthday

October 30, 2013 - At the World Series the Boston Red Sox beat St Louis Cardinals, 6-1 in Game 6 at Fenway Park to win title; MVP: Boston slugger David Ortiz, Number 34

October 30, 2019 - In World Series action, the Washington Nationals defeated the Houston Astros, 6-2 in Game 7 at Minute Maid Park, Houston to win first title in franchise history; MVP: Washington pitcher Number 37, Stephen Strasburg

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 a cropped version of Babe Ruth and Jack Bentley in Giants uniforms for an exhibition game; Jack Dunn in middle. From the Library of Congress from the Bain News Service, publisher.