Here are a few links to Western North Carolina organizations providing assistance to those displaced by Hurricane Helene.

Western North Carolina Red Cross

Hunger and Health Coalition, Boone, NC

North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund

Second Harvest Food Bank

This Day In Sports History is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Your Favorite Sport's Yesteryear.

EPISODE SUMMARY

In 2001, Barry Bonds hit home runs number 71 and 72 to become the single season leader, passing Mark McGwire.

In 2003, Dante Hall, aka 'the Human Joystick', returned a punt for a touchdown. It was the fourth straight game that Hall had returned a kick back for a TD, setting a new NFL record.

In 1985, Grambling Head Football Coach Eddie Robinson became the all-time winningest college football coach, passing Paul "Bear" Bryant. He's now third on that list behind St. John’s of Minnesota coach John Gagliardi and Penn State's Joe Paterno.

In 1941, the Brooklyn Dodgers found a unique way to lose a World Series game.

And in 1991, the NFL fined Cincinnati Bengals' Head Coach Sam Wyche $30,000 for prohibiting a female reporter into the locker room after a game.

THIS DAY IN SPORTS BACKGROUND

Relive the greatest moments in sports every day of the year. From the triumphs to the tragedies, the first to do it to the last time it happened, the unbelievable to the strange, This Day in Sports History is a 365-day journey remembering those significant events that made a lasting impact.

STEVE WHITE BIO

The host of 'This DiSH' is me, Steve White. I've spent most of my life behind a microphone. As a kid, I realized the power of the spoken word, hanging out with my dad while we talked to people around the world via ham radio. Later, I put that penchant for communication into practice and ventured into radio and TV.  I've worked for a few television stations in North Carolina doing sports reporting and anchoring before transitioning to voiceover in 2015.

'This Day in Sports History' evolved from a lifetime of watching, listening to, and going to ballgames, reading books, magazines, and newspaper articles about my favorite teams and sports heroes. It's not only a labor of love but a voyage of discovery, finding those forgotten tidbits or fascinating things I never knew. 

The podcast opens with host Steve White reflecting on the recent devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina, sharing his own fortunate experience while acknowledging the dire situation faced by many in the region. He urges listeners to consider donating to local charities, particularly the Red Cross, that are working tirelessly to assist those affected by the storm. This heartfelt introduction sets the stage for a journey through significant sports milestones that occurred on October 5 over the years, blending a message of community support with a celebration of sports history.

Transitioning into the main content, White highlights the record-breaking achievements of baseball legend Barry Bonds, who became the all-time single-season home run king in 2001. With the San Francisco Giants facing the LA Dodgers and Bonds already tied with the previous record, the excitement builds as he recounts the electrifying moment when Bonds hit his 71st and 72nd home runs in a single game. This segment not only captures the thrill of a historic sports moment but also delves into the atmosphere of the stadium and the significance of Bonds' achievement in the context of baseball history.

In addition to Bonds, the podcast covers other remarkable events, such as Dante Hall's incredible punt return touchdown in 2003, which marked his fourth consecutive game with a return for a touchdown, setting an NFL record that endures to this day. White also shares the notable achievement of coach Eddie Robinson, who surpassed Paul Bear Bryant in college football victories. The episode culminates with a look back at the 1941 World Series, where the Dodgers experienced a heartbreaking loss due to a crucial error, illustrating the unpredictable nature of sports. With these stories, White crafts a narrative that not only celebrates individual accomplishments but also reflects on the broader themes of perseverance and the emotional rollercoaster that sports can provide.

Mentioned in this episode:

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Hey, this is Steve White, the host of this day in sports history.

I live in western North Carolina where Hurricane Helene left a trail of destruction and devastation.

I'm fine and came through it without many problems.

But elsewhere the situation is dire.

So many across this portion of the state and the region lost everything.

Those who still have a home may still be without power or access to clean or running water.

Some are trapped by washed out roads.

Communication has been severed.

Consider a donation to the western North Carolina Red Cross or another local charity that's doing work to help those affected by the storm.

Let's bring some normalcy back to life for so many who have been disrupted.

I've put some links in the show notes if you would like a few suggestions.

Thanks.

Here's today's episode.

Its October 5 and there were a couple of records set on this day.

The San Francisco Giants had three games left in the season, all against the LA Dodgers.

Bonds entered this game with 70 home runs for the season, equaling the record that Mark McGwire had set just three years earlier.

His 70th had come the night before, and with his pace of hitting a home run every two and a quarter games, there was a good bet that he would get number 71 before the series with the Dodgers was over.

Well, he answered that question pretty quickly.

Trailing five nothing in the bottom of the first and at 814 pm Pacific time, Bond ripped a Chan Ho park pitch into the right field seats at Packbell park.

It was a solo shot, so it didn't make much of a dent in the deficit, but nobody there that night really seemed to care.

Bonds was now the single season home run record holder with 71, and as he trotted around the bases, chance of his name filled the stadium.

After touching home plate and a bear hug from his son Nikolai, he went to the dugout to share a moment with his dad, Bobby.

He came out for a curtain call that lasted more than six minutes.

Now give some credit to LA and park for actually pitching to Bonds.

With a five nothing lead in the first and two outs.

When Bonds came to the plate, they could have pitched around him, let him have the base on balls and then pitched to Jeff Kent.

In the Giants previous series with Houston, bonds had been walked eight times and then hit by a pitch in his 14 plate appearances in that series.

But Dodgers manager Jim Tracy told his pitcher to challenge bonds, saying the integrity of the game was more important than not having bonds achieve baseball immortality at his team's.

Expense.

Bonds took advantage of the generosity, and when he came back up in the third with none on and no outs, he buried another park pitch in the center field seats for number 72.

That made it eight to five.

Dodgers the Dodgers spoiled a little bit of bonds night.

Hanging on for the eleven to ten win over San Fran, bonds would pick up home run number 73 in the final game of the year to set the current season home run record.

Now, knowing that hall was a speedy return man with the amazing ability to make people miss or grab at air, that's not so tough to believe.

But what is amazing about this one is that it was the fourth consecutive game that hall had returned either a kickoff or a punt for a touchdown.

This was a key AFC West Divisional game between the 40 Denver Broncos and the 40 Chiefs.

In the fourth quarter, with the Broncos up by six, Denver punted it away.

Hall backpedaled to his three yard line, reeled it in and then went into joystick mode, weaving his way through the Broncos coverage team for the 97 yard touchdown return that gave the Chiefs the 24 23 lead, which turned out to be the final score.

Hall's four straight games with a kick return for a touchdown set a new NFL record, and it still stands today.

Grambling was playing at the Cotton bowl against Prairie View A and M.

Nearly 37,000 people watched the game live and more than 500 journalists from around the country were there to cover it.

The game was hardly ever in doubt, which made the fourth quarter one long celebration.

This was Robinson's 45th season coaching the Tigers.

When the horns sounded to end the game, Grambling had won 27 to seven and Robinson was all alone at the top.

He was mobbed by his current players and lauded by the thousands of players that he'd coached over the years.

He would continue to coach for another twelve seasons and finish with a total of 408 wins.

St.

Johns of Minnesota coach John Gallardi is the current record holder with 489 wins in his 64 years of coaching.

And just like the 55 series in 41, it was the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Yankees playing for the championship.

It was game four, with the Yankees holding a two games to one lead.

With two outs in the top of the 9th and holding onto a four three lead, it looked like the Dodgers were going to even the series up.

Hugh Casey was on the mound facing Tommy Heinrich.

Casey delivered a sharply breaking curveball to the plate.

Heinrich swung and missed for the third strike, but Dodger catcher Mickey Owen also missed it.

The passed ball rolled to the backstop and Heinrich raced to first.

Instead of the game being over and the series tied at two games apiece, the Yankees rallied for four runs in the top half and went on to win the game seven four and take a three to one lead in the series.

The 33,000 at Ebbets Field collectively groaned.

Only in Brooklyn.

The Yankees closed out the World Series the next day with a three one win.

To be fair to weich, he was attempting to protect his players, saying he respected their privacy.

And he wasn't bending on allowing a woman into a locker room with 50 naked men.

He made a couple of suggestions to try to make things, let's say separate but equal, such as bringing players to any female reporters outside the locker room or opening the locker room for 15 minutes postgame with all players fully closed.

And then everybody had to leave until all were showered.

None of those alternatives worked for the league office.

Now, on the flip side of that, I will interject myself a little bit into this story.

I worked as a sports reporter and videographer for a station in an NFL market years ago.

Several women reporters covered the team after practice and games, and they had full access to the locker room.

There was never any inkling of unprofessional behavior.

The women, just like us dudes, were there to do a job, be respectful, get the story, and then leave.

After the fine, the Bengals opened up the locker room to all reporters.

Time now for todays zero to do with sports.

Did you know, did you know that Simon Cowell, the guy from American Idol and Americas, got talent, worked menial jobs before making it big?

Thats not too unusual, but one of those menial jobs was working on the set of the shining as a showrunner.

Most notably, he shined the axe used by Jack Nicholson between takes.

Thats all ive got for you today.

Thanks for stopping by.

I hope you have a great rest of your day and ill talk to you tomorrow.

On this day in sports history.