Today in sports history, October 24

From news to sports, we help you stay connected to the world around you. www.usatoday.com By USA TODAY , 57 minutes ago 'Today in Sports History: A look back at what happened on this date.' By Zac Vance Oct. 24 Today in sports history Today is Oct. 24. On this date in: 1857: Sheffield Football Club was founded by Nathaniel Creswick and William Prest in England, creating the club recognized by FIFA as the oldest existing football club in the world. 1939: Joe DiMaggio was named the American League Most Valuable Player after leading the Yankees to another pennant-winning season. 1959: Wilt Chamberlain made his NBA debut for the Philadelphia Warriors and erupted for 43 points and 28 rebounds in a 118-109 victory over the New York Knicks. 1963: Sandy Koufax became the unanimous winner of the Cy Young Award after a dominant season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. 1968: Debbie Meyer won the inaugural Olympic women's 800-meter freestyle title at the Mexico City Games, becoming the first swimmer to capture three individual gold medals at a single Olympics. 1971: Detroit Lions receiver Chuck Hughes suffered a fatal heart attack during a game against the Chicago Bears, becoming the only NFL player to die during a game. 1976: Denver Broncos return specialist Rick Upchurch scored his fourth punt-return touchdown of the season in a 35-26 victory over Kansas City, tying the NFL single-season record. 1976: James Hunt finished third in a rain-soaked Japanese Grand Prix at Fuji Speedway to win the Formula 1 drivers' world championship by one point over Niki Lauda. Mario Andretti won the race after Lauda withdrew because of the dangerous conditions. 1976: Bobby Orr scored twice for the Chicago Blackhawks to reach 900 career NHL points, becoming the first defenseman in league history to attain the milestone. 1976: The New York City Marathon was run through all five boroughs for the first time, transforming the race into a global showcase for distance running. Bill Rodgers won the men's race. 1992: The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Atlanta Braves 4-3 in 11 innings in Game 6 to win their first World Series. Dave Winfield's two-run double in the 11th provided the decisive runs. 1998: Texas running back Ricky Williams became NCAA Division I football's career scoring leader, reaching 428 points in a victory over Baylor. 2000: The New York Mets beat the New York Yankees 4-2 in Game 3 of the World Series, ending the Yankees' record 14-game World Series winning streak. 2002: The San Francisco Giants routed the Anaheim Angels 16-4 in Game 5 of the World Series as Jeff Kent hit two home runs. Giants first baseman J.T. Snow also pulled 3-year-old batboy Darren Baker away from a potential collision at home plate during the game. 2002: Patrick Roy helped the Colorado Avalanche defeat Phoenix while appearing in his 972nd NHL game, passing Terry Sawchuk for the most games played by a goaltender in league history. 2003: Se Ri Pak became the first woman since Babe Didrikson Zaharias in 1945 to make the cut in a men's professional golf tournament. 2004: Curt Schilling pitched on an injured ankle as the Boston Red Sox beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-2 in Game 2 of the World Series. He became the first pitcher to win World Series games for three franchises. 2010: Washington cornerback DeAngelo Hall intercepted four passes, including a 92-yard touchdown return, tying the NFL single-game record in a 17-14 victory over the Chicago Bears. 2012: Pablo Sandoval hit three home runs as the San Francisco Giants beat the Detroit Tigers 8-3 in Game 1 of the World Series, joining Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson and Albert Pujols as the only players at the time with three homers in a World Series game. 2015: Georgia Tech's Patrick Gamble blocked Florida State's potential winning field goal and Lance Austin returned the loose ball 78 yards for a touchdown as time expired for a 22-16 upset, ending the Seminoles' 28-game ACC winning streak. 2018: Stephen Curry scored 51 points in just three quarters, leading Golden State to a 144-122 win over Washington. 2022: Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin scored his 122nd career game-winning goal, passing Gordie Howe for second place in NHL history behind Jaromír Jágr. 2023: The Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-2 in Game 7 of the NL Championship Series to win their second National League pennant and first since 2001. 2025: The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-4 in Game 1 of the World Series, scoring nine runs in the sixth inning. Addison Barger hit the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history. — USA TODAY Network This story was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of information gathering, review, editing and publishing. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Today in sports history, October 24 partner publisher · 2.0M followers Norah O'Donnell is back on the morning shift. The television journalist and longtime CBS host made her official return to "CBS Mornings" on Tuesday, Sept. 8. O'Donnell, 52, previously co-anchored the morning talk show from 2012 to 2019, before moving over to "CBS Evening News" for a six-year stint. "Thank you for having me back, and it's great to be here," O'Donnell said alongside co-anchors Gayle King and Nate Burleson. "I'm thrilled about what is an exciting show ahead and a big week ahead, too." King jokingly embraced her colleague's return by singing a line from Dolly Parton 's 1977 hit "Here You Come Again," telling O'Donnell, "Here you come again / lookin' better than a body has a right to." Welcome back, @NorahODonnell ! 🌞 pic.twitter.com/AxXfq0B64i — CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) September 8, 2026 "Norah and I have history, so we are ready to go," King, 71, said. "We got this, Norah. We got this, Nate." Norah O'Donnell back at 'CBS Mornings': TV anchor returns to morning talk show amid network shake-ups Burleson also shared his excitement for O'Donnell's return. "We're going to make this next chapter our best chapter here on 'CBS Mornings,' that's for sure," he told the partner publisher · 2.0M followers When the left wing of United Airlines Flight 175 cut through the south tower sky lobby , those who survived the impact didn't know if there was a way out. Then they heard Welles Crowther's voice. "I found the stairs," he told them. Crowther led them to safety, turned around and climbed back into the burning tower. The 24-year-old equities trader saved as many as 18 people on his three trips to the 78 th floor. He didn't survive. For many Americans, Crowther became a symbol of heroism on 9/11. He's received a number of posthumous awards, and this year will be given the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His alma mater, Boston College, annually dedicates a football game and road race in his honor. Today, Crowther's story is taught to children in more than 40 states . His heroism is among the defining ways students from kindergarten through high school learn about the terror attacks. This year's class of high school seniors were born seven years after 9/11. Most first graders were born in 2019, almost two decades later. For them, 9/11 is a historical event, not a visceral memory. As educators grapple with how to help the next generation partner publisher · 2.0M followers Doak Campbell Stadium may have experienced a power outage for Florida State 's Labor Day game vs. SMU, but the crowd wasn't lacking in energy for the Seminoles- Mustangs matchup. Unfortunately for seventh-year coach Mike Norvell, much of it was directed at him. REQUIRED READING: Hot seat Mike Norvell will keep getting booed, until FSU fires him | Opinion Despite operating a limited broadcast due to the outage, ESPN mics clearly caught the home crowd fans booing their coach between "War Chants" throughout the game, seemingly aimed at his play-calling in what was an eventual 27-24 defeat to the 20th-ranked Mustangs . Per reports from the stadium, fans even booed Norvell when he appeared on the stadium's video board in a pre-recorded surprise announcement to FSU's Marching Chiefs that they would perform in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade . Those frustrations culminated with Florida State fans chanting "Fire Norvell" as they exited the stadium. pic.twitter.com/GRGdE6OOA1 — Kyle (@kylefsu) September 8, 2026 FSU fans' frustrations come amid a years-long skid for a Seminoles program that at one point seemed like a perennial College Football Playoff contender. After going 3-6 and 5-7 in his first two seasons in Tallahassee, respectively, Norvell led partner publisher · 2.0M followers Kelsey Patterson left her job last year so she could stay at home with her three kids. But living on one income has led to cuts to the family's budget , the Indianapolis woman said. Her 7 year old and 5 year old are enrolled in a recreation league for football and cheerleading, but the $398 cost is putting a strain on the family's finances, Patterson said. Patterson signed up for a scholarship to help pay for the costs, but was told the funds were depleted. "We're still kind of in limbo. We're just trying to save enough to pay for it before the end of the season," she said. Patterson is not alone. The costs associated with youth sports have increased to a point where parents are starting to question whether they can keep their kids enrolled. Costs can be in the thousands of dollars for families, especially those with athletes in travel leagues. Some families are getting priced out of youth sports Youth sports is a $40 billion industry, according to the Aspen Institute. In a new national survey by Accredited Debt Relief of more than 2,000 parents, 44% said they had previously delayed or completely skipped enrolling partner publisher · 2.0M followers Going on two weeks after her death, the world continues to mourn the loss of Dolly Parton and celebrate her life. And so does her family. "The whole world is grieving. And we're all crying for Dolly and we all miss her," Dolly's younger sister Freida Parton told Knox News , part of the USA TODAY Network, during a phone interview Sept. 3. "But no one misses her more than her own sisters and brother and nieces and nephews and cousins and all of us. And we will always miss her, but we will always remember all the things that she taught us all," Freida continued. Dolly was not just a global superstar to Freida. She was her "Dolly Momma," and Freida remembers her a little differently than the world beyond Tennessee. Dolly Parton's sister calls out 'endless misinformation' after icon's death Dolly, the 'Dolly Momma' Long before Dolly became a courageous pioneer in country music and a titan in the entertainment industry, she was a Smoky Mountain girl who sometimes feared the dark. "She used to climb in the bed with me when I was little because she was afraid of the dark and so was I," Freida said. partner publisher · 2.0M followers The smell of slow-smoked barbecue filled Pittsburgh's North Shore this weekend as thousands of people packed the annual Acrisure Stadium Kickoff and Rib Festival during Labor Day weekend. The festival, which runs alongside the start of college football season in western Pennsylvania, features 12 pitmasters from across the country serving up ribs, pulled pork and other barbecue favorites. Visitors spent the day sampling offerings from vendors while enjoying live music, family activities and entertainment surrounding Acrisure Stadium. The event traces its roots back to 1990 and has grown into one of Pittsburgh's signature Labor Day weekend traditions. Today, the festival stretches across the North Shore, bringing together food, football and live performances in a celebration that attracts visitors from throughout the region. Many attendees spent Sunday comparing barbecue styles and casting their own unofficial votes for the best ribs. Pitmasters competing at the festival are also vying for the 2026 PA Pork Pitmaster Awards, where a celebrity judging panel will select the grand champion. Live music continued throughout the weekend, adding to the festival atmosphere as crowds moved between food vendors and entertainment areas. The event also followed Pitt football's home opener against Miami (Ohio), creating a busy holiday weekend partner publisher · 2.0M followers The sales of Ford Motor Co.'s biggest moneymaker — the F-Series pickups — held up in August despite the automaker still working to ramp up production and inventory of the trucks. From January to the end of July, Ford said it is also is seeing stronger prices for its vehicles compared to the year-ago period. Ford's head of sales said he expects prices to hold steady through the end of the year, but does not expect to make a price increase on the F-150 this year. On Sept. 2, Ford reported its August sales. Total sales for the month were down 10.3% to 170,681 units sold compared with the year-ago period, in part due to the discontinuation of the Ford Escape compact SUV and the Lincoln Corsair compact SUV. Ford also is struggling to ramp up its F-Series inventory to replace lost production due to a fire at an aluminum supplier last year. For the year through the end of August, Ford's total sales are down 9.8% to 1,347,147 sold. Ford said its sales of the F-Series pickup were down just 1.2% to 67,504 sold in August compared to a year earlier. Year-to-date F-Series sales are down 10.9% to 494,060 partner publisher · 2.0M followers A quarter-century later, New Yorkers say the 9/11 attacks changed them forever. They now look back with more sorrow than anger. More than 3 in 4 registered voters in a new Suffolk University survey , 77%, say they still feel the impact on their life and attitudes from the clear, crisp day in 2001 that saw the worst terror attack in U.S. history. Even a 51% majority of those now 18 to 34 years old say it has affected them permanently, though the oldest of them were just 9 then and the youngest hadn't been born yet. 'A quarter-century later, the scar left on New York City hasn't faded into the background,' said David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center. 'The data shows that for an overwhelming majority of residents, the emotional and psychological gravity of that day continues to shape their everyday attitudes and outlook on life.' The poll of 500 registered voters in the five boroughs finds the memory fresh in their minds. Americans across the country remember that day, of course. A national online poll taken in August by You/Gov found 75% of those surveyed − including 90% of those 30 and older − partner publisher · 2.0M followers CHICAGO — The historic women's college volleyball match at Wrigley Field between Missouri and Nebraska was delayed twice and finally suspended because of excessive moisture on the court. The match, part of the Big Ten/SEC Volleyball Challenge, was the first to be played at the iconic baseball stadium. It cannot be rescheduled at Wrigley, and the schools will make a decision at a later date on whether the match can be made up elsewhere. "It was on its way to being a very, very epic moment for our sport. Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate," Nebraska coach Dani Busboom Kelly said. "You don't want to see any injury and put any athlete at a risk for injury," she added. "So I think we just kept looking at each other every time somebody would slip and it's like, `This probably is not going to work.'" Though gametime temperatures were only in the 70s, it has been humid in Chicago. After No. 3 Kentucky beat Penn State in the opening match, players from both teams said the court got increasingly slippery as the night wore on. "Just from the heat, the condensation," Kentucky outside hitter Brooklyn DeLeye said. "Just a cool thing that partner publisher · 2.0M followers LOS ANGELES – Mark Harmon has never been the kind of star to get too worked up about anything. The famously laconic actor, who just turned 75, has made his career playing competent, cool characters − just like 'NCIS' legend Leroy Jethro Gibbs , who always keeps his emotions close to the bulletproof vest. But ask Harmon how he feels about stepping back into the Gibbs role full-time on "NCIS: Origins" Season 3 (premiering Oct. 6), and the star's famed blue eyes light up. Especially when he's talking about the electricity on the Los Angeles set led by Austin Stowell , who plays the younger Gibbs in the prequel series. In his first interview since stepping back in from Gibbs' retirement in Alaska, Harmon, sitting in his Paramount Studios office next to Stowell, says the energy is contagious. The spin-off is looking to take off from the crowded 'NCIS'-verse with the prime Gibbs addition. "Are people hearing the bell and coming at it? They are, yeah absolutely," Harmon says, "This group right now knows we have 10 shows this season. There were T-shirts made that said, 'Grip it and rip it.' It's good. I like that." Mark Harmon's Gibbs starring partner publisher · 2.0M followers The winning numbers are in for Monday night's Powerball drawing , and the jackpot has increased once again after no one won. The Powerball jackpot increased to an estimated $207 million, with a cash value of $89.3 million, ahead of the next drawing on Wednesday, Sept. 9, according to Powerball's website . Lottery officials have posted the numbers from the Labor Day drawing, though it could take hours before it's known whether a ticket matched all six for the estimated top prize. If no winner emerges, the jackpot will continue its climb for the next drawing. Here's what to know about the latest Powerball drawing and the winning numbers. Lottery luck: Which Powerball numbers should you pick? What are the winning numbers for Monday's drawing 15-19-28-39-56 and the Powerball: 3 Power Play: 3x Did anyone win the Powerball jackpot? No one won the Powerball jackpot, the $2 million Match 5 + Power Play prize or the $1 million Match 5 prize. When is the next Powerball drawing? The next Powerball drawing will be on Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 10:59 p.m. ET How much does a Powerball ticket cost? Powerball tickets cost $2 per play , with players able to add partner publisher · 2.0M followers Christopher Bell won the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on Sunday, Sept. 6, opening the 10-race NASCAR Cup Series Chase with his first victory of the 2026 season. Upon crossing the checkered flag, Bell did burnout donuts in his No. 20 Toyota on the famed South Carolina track nicknamed 'Too Tough To Tame.' The Joe Gibbs Racing driver got out of his car and bowed to the crowd, a tribute to the late Kyle Busch. 'It's been too damn long! I'm just so, so proud of all these guys,' Bell said on the USA broadcast pointing to his crew. 'Darlington I've always wanted to win since I got into this sport. This is the ultimate driver's track.' Bell snapped a nearly one-year winless streak, following seven runner-up finishes this season. His last victory had come Sept. 13, 2025 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Bell lead 46 laps at Darlington Sunday, including the final 12 after he passed Kyle Larson for the lead. Ty Gibbs, Bell's teammate at Joe Gibbs Racing, finished 1.038 seconds behind in second. Tyler Reddick finished third, Ryan Blaney fourth and Larson, the defending NASCAR Cup Series champion, took fifth. Christopher Bell is a Southern 500 partner publisher · 2.0M followers Airing a Super Bowl is a bit like a presidential election . It might come around every four years, but candidates – in this case, the four networks with the privilege and pockets to be in the broadcast rotation – are constantly jockeying and positioning themselves , especially as their turn nears. That makes CBS' conundrum with Tony Romo even more precarious. Super Bowl 61 will return to ABC/ESPN for the first time in two decades to end the 2026 season on Feb. 14, 2027, but then CBS will officially be on the clock for February 2028, when it will host its first Super-Bowl broadcast since 2023 . Romo, the network's No. 1 game analyst who partners with Jim Nantz, was arrested on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OWI) and pleaded no contest Sept. 2 to three charges he faced from the incident, which occurred while in his native Wisconsin on July 23. The subsequent police officer bodycam footage became Internet fodder , as Romo failed his field sobriety test, told the officer who pulled him over he was 'going to see grandma and grandpa' (his own parents) and had an open container in the passenger seat. In partner publisher · 2.0M followers Each week during the college football season, USA TODAY Sports' insiders will talk with coaches, athletics administrators, agents and more to bring you the behind-the-scenes news. They are granted anonymity to speak candidly. Here's what we're hearing this week: LSU knows its 'the most hated team in college football' The work is done. Camp is over. Kickoff is 10 days away. Inside LSU football headquarters, chaos is the only certainty. At this point, calm is unwelcome. "We live in 'The Truman Show,'" one LSU staffer told USA TODAY Sports, granted anonymity to speak freely. "A simulation of this can't get anymore (expletive) wild or weird.' OK, but the football? "We'll talk next week." Game week arrived. The chaos was more pronounced. LSU tried using a friendly state legal system to challenge the NCAA, but more specifically the SEC, about rostering players who just last month were with NFL teams. 'Coach, I'm just telling you, we're leaning into this shit,' the LSU staffer said. 'Our culture right now is really good. These guys know we're the most hated team in college football. 'They don't care.' What did it mean for Clemson? 'Sam (Leavitt, LSU's prize free-agent signing at quarterback) has been partner publisher · 2.0M followers With their 5-2 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Monday, Sept. 7, the Los Angeles Angels are now officially the first American League team eliminated from postseason contention. The 18 remaining games on their schedule are now rendered meaningless. Even if they were to win out, they would only be able to reach 72 wins, a game shy of the Cleveland Guardians , who currently hold the third spot in the AL Wild Card race at 73-72. But while this marks the 12th consecutive year that October baseball won't be played in Anaheim, Halos fans finally have reason to look towards the offseason with some sense of hope. Through several of their 44 losses at Angel Stadium this season, fans in the outfield bleachers took the "tarps off" trend to another level and vigorously chanted for owner Arte Moreno to sell the team. He's done just that. New owner Stan Kroenke took the team off Moreno's hands in a reported $4 billion purchase , putting an end to 23 years of an ownership that was widely considered among the worst in professionl sports. Kroenke, who also owns the Los Angeles Rams , Denver Nuggets , Colorado Avalanche and Arsenal