On This Day

October 1939 in Sports History

Events in Sport

  • Oct 8 NY Yankees sweep Reds in 36th World Series, 4th straight WS win
  • Oct 22 NBC becomes first network to televise a pro football game; Brooklyn Dodgers beat Philadelphia Eagles, 23-14 at Brooklyn's Ebbets Field

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Oct 24 Joe DiMaggio wins AL MVP, Jimmie Foxx is runner-up

Baseball Player Joe DiMaggio
Baseball Player
Joe DiMaggio
MLB Hall of Fame 1st Baseman Jimmie Foxx
MLB Hall of Fame 1st Baseman
Jimmie Foxx
  • Oct 29 NHL Babe Seibert Memorial Game: All-Stars beat Montreal 5-3

Birthdays in Sport

  • Oct 1 George Archer, American golfer (US Masters 1969), born in San Francisco, California (d. 2005)
  • Oct 2 Budhi Kunderan, Indian cricket wicketkeeper and batsman (18 Tests), born in Mulki, Karnataka (d. 2006)
  • Oct 8 Elvīra Ozoliņa, Soviet javelin thrower (Olympic gold 1960), born in Leningrad

Person of interestMaria Bueno

Oct 11 Maria Bueno, Brazilian tennis player (7 Grand Slam singles titles), born in São Paulo, Brazil (d. 2018)

Tennis Champion Maria Bueno
Tennis Champion
Maria Bueno
  • Oct 15 Carmelo Bossi, Italian light middleweight boxer (Olympic silver 1960), born in Milan, Italy (d. 2014)

Person of interestMike Ditka

Oct 18 Mike Ditka, NFL coach and tight-end (Bears, Cowboys, NFL rookie year 1961), born in Carnegie, Pennsylvania

NFL Head Coach Mike Ditka
NFL Head Coach
Mike Ditka
  • Oct 22 George Cohen, English footballer (1966 World Cup), born in London, England
  • Oct 25 Zelmo Beaty, American basketball player (St Louis Hawks, Utah Stars), born in Hillister, Texas (d. 2013)
  • Oct 28 Miroslav Cerar, Yugoslav gymnast (Olypmics gold 1964, 68), born in Ljubljana, Kingdom of Yugoslavia

Deaths in Sport

  • Oct 21 Nummy Deane, cricketer (628 runs in 17 Tests for South Africa), dies