Oct. 3

1942 — With a victory in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Whirlaway becomes the first horse to amass more than $500,000 in lifetime earnings.

1951 — Bobby Thomson hits a three-run homer off Ralph Branca of the Brooklyn Dodgers with one out in the bottom of the ninth to give the New York Giants a dramatic 5-4 playoff victory and the National League pennant.

1971 — Billie Jean King wins the Virginia Slims-Thunderbird tournament in Phoenix to become the first women tennis player to win $100,000 in one year.

1973 — The formation of the World Football League is announced.

1974 — Frank Robinson signs a $175,000-a-year player-manager contract with the Cleveland Indians, making him the first black manager in major league history.

1981 — Southern California's Marcus Allen rushes for 223 yards against Oregon State, his fourth straight 200-plus-yard rushing game.

1990 — Cecil Fielder completes a startling season by homering for the 50th and 51st times as the Detroit Tigers beat the New York Yankees 10-3. Fielder is the first American Leaguer since 1961 to hit 50 home runs.

1993 — The Toronto Blue Jays become the first team in American League history to have teammates finish 1-2-3 in the batting race. John Olerud leads the league with a .363 batting average, Paul Molitor finishes at .332 and Roberto Alomar at .326.

1997 — Sixty-nine-year-old Hall of Famer Gordie Howe skates the first shift with the Detroit Vipers in their International Hockey League opener, becoming the only professional in his sport to compete in six decades.

1998 — Ricky Williams rushes for a school-record 350 yards and five touchdowns to set NCAA records with 65 career rushing touchdowns and career points by a non-kicker (394) as Texas defeats Iowa State 54-33.

2004 — Roger Federer routs an injured Andy Roddick 6-4, 6-0 to capture the Thailand Open, joining John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg as the only players to win 12 straight ATP Tour finals in the last 25 years.

2008 — Candace Parker of Los Angeles Sparks receives the WNBA's most valuable player award along with the rookie of the year awards, becoming the first player to win both. Parker, the top overall draft pick this year from Tennessee, averaged 18.5 points and 9.5 rebounds.