Todays Sporting News – 23 September 2025

• Casey He at the Chicago Sun-Times reports that about 300 swimmers jumped into the Chicago River on Sunday for the city’s first organized open-water swim in nearly 100 years, with organizers pledging $150,000 to ALS research and youth swim lessons.
• Wicketkeeper/batter Quinton de Kock is back in the Proteas’ white-ball setup for the tour to Pakistan after a 15-month retirement.
• Britain’s hot and dry summer has put this year’s World Conker Championships in jeopardy with a series of heatwaves leading to smaller than normal conkers.
• Springbok attack coach Tony Brown wants more from the team. “We showed patches of good rugby in the last few matches (which included a record 43-10 win over the All Blacks), but we’d like to put together a strong 80-minute performance,” he said.
• Football – Ousmane Dembélé and Aitana Bonmatí were the winners at the Ballon D’Or ceremony in Paris, while Sarina Wiegman won the award for best coach after taking England to triumph at Euro 2025.
• Formula One – Christian Horner has formally left the Red Bull Formula One team with what is understood to be an £80m settlement after his dismissal in July as team principal.
• Rugby – Ticket sales for the Women’s Rugby World Cup are more than triple the previous tournament in New Zealand, with more than 440,000 tickets sold for the tournament.
• A trio of leopard sharks in New Caledonia has made marine science history after they were recorded mating in a “threesome”. It is the first time the globally endangered species has been documented in a mating sequence, providing valuable knowledge to aid conservation efforts.
• Spain’s Aitana ­Bonmatí has now won three Ballon d’Or awards. She is the first player to win the women’s award three times, while fellow Spaniard Mariona Caldentey finished second in the votes. French striker Ousmane Dembélé won the men’s award after a stellar season with Paris Saint-Germain, where he helped the club to a Champions League title and two domestic French titles.
• Code-hopping rugby star Mark Nawaqanitawase has set his sights on a Wallabies return, with the Sydney Morning Herald reporting he will leave the NRL at the end of 2026.
• Italy have gone back-to-back in the Billie Jean King Cup, beating the United States 2-0 in Shenzhen for their sixth title in the international women’s team tennis tournament.
• The Wallabies will welcome back Will Skelton for the second Bledisloe Cup Test against the All Blacks in Perth early next month.
• Team World clinched the Laver Cup 15-9 in San Francisco over Team Europe on the weekend, with American Taylor Fritz sealing the win with a victory against German Alexander Zverev.
• Christian Horner has formally parted ways with Red Bull, walking away with a settlement reported to be as much as £52 million after being sacked as team principal in July.
• Gold Coast Suns midfielder Matt Rowell has capped a career-best season by winning the 2025 Brownlow Medal, polling 39 votes in a commanding count. The 24-year-old becomes just the second Sun to claim the league’s highest individual honour, joining Gary Ablett, after leading his club to a maiden finals appearance.
• This weekend the Vodacom United Rugby Championship returns with an exciting round of games to kick off the 2025/2026 season. Friday night lights will kick off the opening fixtures of the Vodacom URC as DHL Stormers host defending champions Leinster, Ulster face Dragons RFC and the Hollywoodbets Sharks make the trip to Glasgow. On Saturday, Vodacom Bulls welcome Ospreys, Edinburgh face Zebre Parma and Scarlets will play at home to Munster. While Lions travel to Cardiff and Connacht host Benetton.
• Launched in 2016, the DRHEAM-CUP / GRAND PRIX DE FRANCE DE COURSE AU LARGE will celebrate its tenth anniversary during its sixth edition, which will take place from 9 to 18 July 2026. Once again a qualifier for the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe, the race will continue to evolve, with a new destination, Lorient, and a new Race Director, Francis Le Goff.
• Bruce Pearl to resign as head coach of Auburn’s men’s basketball team after 11 seasons amid speculation he may run for US Senate.
• Following the success of the Betway SA20 Season 4 player auction where R116.9m was invested in South African players, the Season 3 Economic Impact Assessment (EIA) released today has revealed the League’s significant impact on South Africa’s economy. The report highlights that off the field, the League continues to make a substantial impact on the greater South African economy, with an increase in contributions across Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Direct Expenditure, Household Income and Job Creation.
• Times are changing so rapidly in rugby that even the competition names now have go-faster stripes. Farewell to the familiar old Premiership and welcome, kicking off on a Thursday this year, to the Gallagher Prem. Or, strictly speaking, PREM. Who needs boring extra lower-case syllables or superfluous vowels in 2025 anyway?
• The women’s World Cup final is a big moment for numerous reasons. Can England finally crack the code for the first time since 2014? Can Canada spoil the biggest party ever organised in women’s rugby? And will the whole occasion finally be the catalyst that transforms the last remaining stale, male perceptions about what constitutes real rugby? If the game is as competitive as the two semi-finals and the weather stays fair, it could prove a landmark day for the entire sport.
• CeeDee Lamb – High Ankle Sprain (3-4 weeks): CeeDee Lamb exited Sunday’s game against the Bears early in the first quarter with an apparent ankle injury. Fantasy owners everywhere grimaced, as Lamb did not return to the game and ended with zero points on the week. On Monday, an MRI confirmed he suffered a high ankle sprain, though Lamb is optimistic about his recovery timeline. He said he may even be able to play against the Packers on Sunday Night Football, though a realistic return is scheduled for three-to-four weeks.
• Mike Evans – Hamstring Injury (Awaiting MRI Results): Mike Evans didn’t produce the big letdown Lamb did in terms of fantasy production, but owners are still on the edge of their seats awaiting an injury update. Evans suffered a hamstring injury in Sunday’s game versus the Jets, exiting in the fourth quarter. His MRI was originally scheduled for Monday, but it has been moved to Tuesday. Luckily, the Buccaneers remain cautiously optimistic about his injury, as it has been deemed a low-grade hamstring injury.
• Tyrone Tracy Jr. – Dislocated Shoulder (Uncertain Timeline, Will Miss Multiple Weeks): Tyrone Tracy Jr. dislocated his right shoulder during the first quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Chiefs. The timeline of his return is uncertain, but reports say he will miss multiple weeks as he recovers. Cam Skattebo stepped up in his absence, racking up 121 total yards and a touchdown.
• James Conner – Ankle Injury (Out for the season): When James Conner went down on Sunday versus the 49ers, fantasy owners collectively sighed. At first, his injury was being evaluated – but if you were watching the game, you knew he wasn’t returning. Not only did Conner not return, but his injury has ruled him out for the season. Trey Benson now takes over as the Cardinals’ lead back, giving fantasy managers either a new RB1 or a valuable trade chip.
• Joe Burrow – Toe Injury (Out for minimum 3 months): Although Joe Burrow’s injury is nothing new, it still stings for fantasy owners and Bengals fans alike. Burrow will be sidelined for at least three months following toe surgery after his turf toe injury against the Jaguars in Week 2. Jake Browning looked like a solid backup versus the Jaguars, even finding a way to win despite throwing three interceptions. But the magic seemed to run out in Week 3 when the Bengals were dominated by the Vikings. Browning threw for one touchdown and two interceptions in Sunday’s loss, raising red flags in Cincinnati.
• J.J. McCarthy – High Ankle Sprain (2-4 Weeks): Vikings fans breathed a sigh of relief on Sunday after realizing J.J. McCarthy’s injury won’t be the end of the world. McCarthy suffered a high ankle sprain Week 2, which will sideline him for 2-4 weeks. He has already been ruled out for Week 4 but is expected to return after Minnesota’s Week 6 bye. Fortunately, Carson Wentz was able to hold down the fort, throwing two touchdowns in Minnesota’s 48-10 win over the Bengals. Now, fans are wondering whether we’ll see a midseason QB battle in Minnesota when McCarthy is healthy.
• Najee Harris – Torn Achilles (Out for the season): The Chargers were finally starting to feed Najee Harris, but that’s when everything went downhill. Harris had totaled 28 yards on only six carries before suffering a torn Achilles tendon in the second quarter. While Harris will miss the remainder of the season, Chargers fans still have a reason for optimism. Omarian Hampton is now the clear RB1 in L.A., and he’s had a great start to his rookie season. While his first two weeks were relatively quiet, he broke out in Week 3 with 129 total yards and a touchdown.
• Justin Fields – Concussion (In concussion protocol): Justin Fields suffered a concussion Week 2 against the Chargers, which sidelined him for Week 3. His status is uncertain for Week 4, as he is still in concussion protocol with no updates reported. If Fields misses another week, Tyrod Taylor will get the start versus the Dolphins on Monday Night Football.
• Austin Ekeler – Torn Achilles (Out for the season): Like Joe Burrow, this isn’t exactly breaking news – but heartbreaking nonetheless. Austin Ekeler suffered a torn Achilles tendon Week 2 against the Packers and will miss the rest of the season. In his absence it will be up to rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who has scored two touchdowns in his first three games but has struggled to find consistency on the ground.
• Twenty-nine teams from ten nations will compete in the 2025 Six Metre World Championships on September 22-26 in Oyster Bay, NY. The fleet comprises 17 Open Division boats and 12 Classics, both racing on the same course but starting separately.
• San Diego Yacht Club won the 2025 Annapolis YC 3-2-1 Invitational title on September 19-21, bringing the trophy home for the first time. Eight teams from across the USA and England competed in the multi-format event on the Chesapeake Bay in Annapolis, MD.
• Brian Doyle from Lake Sunapee (NH) Yacht Club conquered big waves and wind to win the 2025 Sonar North American Championship on September 20-21 in Darien, CT. Doyle, sailing with Shane Wells, Kelsey Wheeler, and Steve Kirkpatrick, won five of eight races to win by 10 points over Tom Kinney with Erin Maxwell in third.
• During the Switzerland SailGP event, the league reported how the Brazilian team collided with a mark moments before the start of racing on day two which caused the team to retire. But the league uses robot marks, and Brazilian driver Martine Grael saw the situation differently. “One of the marks moved and we just dug a massive hole in the boat and then we just couldn’t race,” said Grael. “We know now where SailGP Technologies can improve. I’m pretty sure some vacuum cleaners have better technology for avoiding that in that moment.”
• Randy Hecht claimed victory for the third time at the J/105 North American Championship, held in 2025 on September 17-20 in Toronto, Canada. Hect dominated the 12-race series, posting six bullets with crew Russ Silvestri, Ethan Doyle, Maggie Bacon, David Janinis, and Stephen Marsh.
• The Boka Bay Coastal Race on September 20 completed The Ocean Race Europe 2025, and as they did over and over again during the past six weeks, it was Paul Meilhat’s Biotherm who secured victory in Boka Bay, Montenegro. By finishing second, Paprec Arkéa locked up second spot overall while Holcim-PRB completed the final podium.
• Pauline Courtois and (FRA) captured her fifth consecutive Women’s Match Racing World Championship title at the 2025 edition in Chicago, IL. Held September 17-20 in the Tom 28, the penultimate stage of the 2025 Women’s World Match Racing Tour brought together 12 all-female teams representing seven nations.
• The vision for the 38th America’s Cup in 2027 has been unveiled, which includes the bold, ambitious re-generation of the Bagnoli waterfront which will house all of the America’s Cup teams in in Naples, Italy.
• Over the weekend of 13th/14th September 2025, our historic Norfolk Dinghies competed on Wroxham Broad for the 21st Anniversary Cup first presented in 1952. The Class had invited an Irish contingent, who sail Water Wags.
• The 2025 world championship for the International One-Design class (IOD) was a 6-day series this year, hosted by the Northeast Harbor Fleet (Northeast Harbor, Maine), in early September.
• The Dell Quay Sailing Club Firefly Open 2025 was more than just a regatta — it was a two-day spectacle set against the magnificent backdrop of Chichester Harbour and underscored by Dell Quay’s centenary year celebrations.
• 32 WASZPs headed out from Parkstone Yacht Club for the inaugural GP on the WASZP racing calendar. Additionally, five sailors joined the Green Fleet, expertly coached by Ross Harvey, making it a buzzing weekend both on and off the water.
• David Evans and William Draper are the new Fireball Ulster Champions after four races at Mullaghmore Sailing Club over the weekend. At just 18 years of age their win represents a breakthrough for the growing number of talented youth sailors in the class.
• Alsóörs hosted the 29er European Cup and National Championship last weekend, an event marked by challenging wind conditions and thrilling finishes. Over the course of three days, 26 teams from five countries competed in nine races on Lake Balaton.
• Blake Newman retains the coveted FGSC sunset salver 2025. A 22 race series starting way back in April. A healthy mix different classes graced the start line over the 18 race series, most popular being the merlin class ten boats across the series.
• Rassie Erasmus’ fiercest critic, Matt Williams, claims the Springboks’ infamous 7-1 bench split is over, and credits Tony Brown for sparking a new attacking mindset in South African rugby.
• Jacques Nienaber insists Leinster won’t be pushovers in Cape Town, despite leaving several international stars at home for their Vodacom URC season opener against the Stormers.
• The Stormers are expecting a defensively strong Leinster team in the opening round of the Vodacom URC in Cape Town on Friday night.
• Franco Smith is set to coach against his son when the Glasgow Warriors host the Sharks at Scotstoun on Friday night. The tourists have included 22-year-old flyhalf Jean Smith in their squad, setting up the prospect of father and son facing each other in the 2025-26 Vodacom URC opener.
• Leinster have welcomed back three Irish internationals for Friday night’s Vodacom URC opener against the Stormers in Cape Town.
• Vincent Tshituka says he now feels completely at home in Durban and is relishing the chance to lead the Sharks on their Vodacom URC tour of Europe.
• All Blacks coach Scott Robertson says New Zealand’s record 43-10 defeat to the Springboks in Wellington “stung” deeply, but insists his team must trust their system and bounce back at Eden Park this weekend.
• Springbok centre Andre Esterhuizen admits it’s a tougher task training with the forwards when he’s asked to double as a flank.
• Three Springboks have been named in the Lions squad, with another on standby, for a demanding three-match Vodacom URC tour of Europe. The Lions kick off their 2025-26 campaign in Cardiff on Saturday before travelling to Italy to take on Zebre Parma and Benetton.
• France have suffered another injury setback ahead of their November Tests. Toulon winger Gabin Villiere, who has not played since July because of a finger issue, recently underwent surgery for a groin problem and will not be available for Les Bleus’ end-of-year campaign.
• Powerhouse Andre Esterhuizen says the Springboks’ record win over the All Blacks in Wellington proved what is possible when the team executes their plan.
• The BKT United Rugby Championship is adopting the global World Rugby trial of the 20-minute red card law for the 2025/26 season. The trial is designed to protect player welfare, improve accuracy in key decisions, and ensure the game remains fair and competitive for players, teams and fans.
• With just four days to go until the BKT United Rugby Championship kicks off, the league enters its 25th season off the back of yet another record-setting campaign that was watched by an audience of 53 million. The 2024/25 season, which saw Leinster claim their ninth league title, set new records for broadcast and attendance.
• Leinster Men’s head coach Leo Cullen has today confirmed a short-term senior contract for prop Jerry Cahir, who starred for Dublin University and Lansdowne in the Energia All-Ireland League in the last couple of seasons.
• Ireland Women’s star Linda Djougang has been announced as a brand ambassador for Trinity Sport in recognition of being a role model both on and off the pitch, and the power of sport to open doors. The recognition also follows Linda’s standout performances in Ireland’s Rugby World Cup campaign.
• Tommy Freeman says his Northampton team-mates must step up to plug an experience gap if they want to taste Prem Rugby success again.
• Back row Ben Earl says he has returned to an England camp buzzing with energy and fresh talent after his summer tour with the British and Irish Lions.
• British & Irish Lions player Tom Curry pinpoints the two ingredients Sale need to take the PREM Rugby title north this season.
• World Rugby has today announced that Scotland’s Hollie Davidson will take charge of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 final between Canada and hosts England at Allianz Stadium on Saturday, with Australia’s Ella Goldsmith to referee the bronze final.
• England 2025 has attracted more than three times the number of fans than the previous Rugby World Cup with a clever strategy and competitive prices.
• Wales full-back Liam Williams signs a one-year deal to become the latest signing for Newcastle Red Bulls.
• The early rounds of the French Top 14 and Pro D2 see more choices for Argentine selectors. Players have returned to form and to the field and there is reason to suggest that some may be called-up for international duty before the year’s end. Fly half Domingo Miotti scored 13 points in round two and 17 points in round three. The round three match was this past weekend with Montpellier upsetting Toulouse. Miotti kicked three penalties and converted four tries. El Tucumano also put in a kick that led to a try.
• James Vowles expressed his pride and satisfaction after achieving a maiden podium finish as team boss of Williams through Carlos Sainz’s determined drive to third place in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
• Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has admitted that it was at one stage “touch and go” regarding George Russell’s participation in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with the Briton feeling unwell as the event got under way.
• Andrea Stella is confident that Oscar Piastri will “come back stronger” following his Lap 1 crash out of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, a weekend in which the other McLaren car of Lando Norris was again hit by a pit stop issue en route to a final result of P7.
• A couple of weeks on from his first Grand Prix win as Red Bull’s team boss, Laurent Mekies celebrated another thanks to the “untouchable” Max Verstappen’s controlled drive to the top step of the podium in Azerbaijan.
• There was drama galore in Baku through both Qualifying and the race, with Max Verstappen guiding his Red Bull through it all to take a super pole and victory. But while his Red Bull team celebrated, many of his rivals headed for the airport wondering what might have been.
• Spain and Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati makes history by becoming the first player to win the women’s Ballon d’Or three times.
• Liverpool and Barcelona want Julian Alvarez, Real Madrid remain keen on William Saliba and Spurs still want to sign Savinho.
• Ousmane Dembele won the Ballon d’or as the world’s best player.
• England manager Sarina Wiegman is named women’s coach of the year at the 2025 Ballon d’Or awards, while Hannah Hampton collects the Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper.
• A judge accepts a plea bargain request by former Juventus executives, including ex-chairman Andrea Agnelli, to settle a false accounting case relating to their time with the Italian club.
• Scotland announce a friendly against Switzerland next month in Ballon d’Or nominee Caroline Weir’s home city of Dunfermline.
• Yeovil Town manager Danny Webb resigns from his role after one match in charge.
• Scotland’s Caroline Weir admits she checked the list of nominees for the Ballon d’Or was real when she saw her name on it.
• Pakistan’s Haris Rauf makes vile ‘6-0’ gesture during the Asia Cup defeat to India. Have Pakistan’s cricketers become puppets of the Army?
• Durham Cricket Foundation is excited to announce a new partnership with the National Youth & Community Development Association (NYCDA).
• Essex Cricket’s Simon Harmer has been named in the South African Test squad ahead of their upcoming tour to Pakistan.
• It’s tight in the Championship and Worcestershire won the One-Day Cup on an emotional day at Trent Bridge.
• Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill have helped champions India beat Pakistan again in the Asia Cup.
• The ICC Women’s ODI Cricket World Cup 2025 will be played in India and Sri Lanka from September 30 to November 2.
• Skipper Alyssa Healy believes Australia are in an excellent position heading into the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025.
• Asia Cup 2025 continues to showcase India’s dominant form as they steamroll through the tournament with an unbeaten streak that has positioned them as overwhelming favorites to lift the trophy. Captain Suryakumar Yadav has led from the front both on and off the field.
• With the Asia Cup 2025 coming to an end, India are set to begin their first assignment of the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle against the West Indies. The two-match Test series, starting October 2 in Ahmedabad, marks Shubman Gill’s maiden outing as Test captain on home soil.
• Pakistan Women’s cricket has witnessed some glorious bowling performances over the years, with the recent surge led by spinner Nashra Sandhu leaving an indelible mark. Closing their three-match ODI series against South Africa with a commanding six-wicket win, Pakistan showcased the depth and skill in their bowling unit.
• Indian cricket fans are about to witness a rare sight — Ravichandran Ashwin donning jerseys outside the IPL fold and featuring in overseas franchise cricket. The veteran off-spinner, who retired from the Indian Premier League (IPL) earlier this year, is now set to embrace a busy international league schedule .
• The ever-fiery rivalry between India and Pakistan reached another dramatic juncture off the field after well-known Pakistani actress Urwa Hocane lashed out at the Indian cricket team following the Super 4 clash in the Asia Cup 2025.
• When it comes to women’s cricket, no team has dominated the international stage quite like Australia. With multiple World Cup titles across both ODI and T20 formats, the Aussies have built a legacy of excellence backed by consistency, depth, and an unmatched winning mentality.
• India A’s second Unofficial Test against Australia A began with a major development as Shreyas Iyer withdrew from the game citing personal reasons.
• Sri Lanka’s young spinner Dunith Wellalage has penned an emotional note following the passing of his father, Suranga Wellalage, during the ongoing Asia Cup 2025. His father suffered a fatal heart attack shortly after Sri Lanka’s victory against Afghanistan in the group stage.
• Pakistan bounced back in style to avoid a clean sweep, defeating South Africa by six wickets in the third and final ODI of the South Africa Women tour of Pakistan 2025 at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. Left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu was the star of the match.
• Sahibzada Farhan played a fine innings for Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 Super 4s clash against India at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday September 21. The 29-year-old opener, who struggled for form a week earlier, looked determined as he raced to a fluent 58 off 34 balls.
• Nottinghamshire captain wary of looking too far ahead as they aim to depose three-time champions Surrey.
• Bangladesh will hope to create an upset after beating Sri Lanka in their first Super Four game.
• Grace Harris strained her calf in the final ODI against India on Saturday while fielding.
• American tennis star Coco Gauff returns to the China Open in Beijing this week to defend her 2024 title.
• Josh Doyle has earned Albion men’s tennis’s first MIAA Player of the Week award for the 2025-26 season.
• The Western Michigan men’s tennis team wrapped up hosting the 2025 WMU/Vredevelt Invitational over the weekend.
• Columbia men’s tennis picked up 10 total wins over three days at the Carolina Classic hosted by South Carolina.
• Manchester United made it back-to-back Old Trafford wins in the Premier League with a 2-1 success over Chelsea on Saturday. Despite both sides being reduced to ten men, goals from Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro ensured another success for Ruben Amorim.
• Wallabies assistant coach Tom Donnelly is ready to join a growing group of Kiwis tasked with stopping the All Blacks’ 23-year stranglehold over the Bledisloe Cup.
• The Wallabies have received a giant boost in their quest for the Bledisloe Cup, with towering second-rower Will Skelton set to play the second Test against New Zealand in Perth next month.
• Mixed results for Pacific Island teams at the Netball World Youth Cup (NWYC) 2025 tournament in Gibraltar as the competition moves towards its final rounds of pool matches.
• After an unprecedented build-up, the Silver Ferns silenced their critics by thumping South Africa 77-51 in the opening game of the Taini Jamison series in Auckland tonight.
• “When used properly, he could become the best player in the world.” This bold statement from former Barcelona boss Xavi back in 2021 contained a sentiment Ousmane Dembele had heard throughout his career.
• Alexandre Sybillain, a French amateur triathlete and founder of a triathlon training center in Shanghai, has been a pioneer in promoting the sport in China and has witnessed its expanding opportunities.
• A-League clubs Auckland FC and Wellington Phoenix are in line to receive payments from an enhanced FIFA scheme that rewards clubs for releasing players for FIFA Men’s World Cup games.
• Colgate senior goalkeeper Eric Widrick collected Patriot League Men’s Soccer Goalkeeper of the Week honors.
• After more than 80 years, WHCU will no longer be the official radio broadcast of Cornell men’s hockey.
• Southern Connecticut field hockey rolled to an 11-1 win against St. Thomas Aquinas in a non-conference matchup .
• The University of Denver hockey team was ranked No. 4 in the nation in the USCHO.com 2025-26 preseason poll that was released on Monday.
• American junior Jordan Reicher was voted Patriot League Field Hockey Offensive Player of the Week after scoring two goals in two games.
• Champions Surbiton started the season in style on their first visit to Caterham School beating Oxted 3-7.
• The UNC Asheville women’s golf team sits in 16th place after Monday’s opening round of the Golfweek Red Sky Classic.
• A Catholic nun in Ohio celebrated her 105th birthday by hitting the links for her favorite activity: a round of golf.
• The Liberal Democrats have called for an investigation to be launched into whether the government lobbied for a golf course owned by Donald Trump.
• 23-year-old Amy Hunt claimed a silver medal in her first major final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY:

1926 — Gene Tunney beats Jack Dempsey with a 10-round decision to retain the world heavyweight title.

1952 — Rocky Marciano knocks out Jersey Joe Walcott in the 13th round to retain the world heavyweight title.

1979 — The Houston Oilers overcome a 24-0 deficit to beat the Cincinnati Bengals 30-27 in overtime.

1983 — Gerry Coetzee knocks out Michael Dokes in the 10th round to win the WBA heavyweight title in Richfield, Ohio.

1992 — Manon Rheaume becomes the first woman to play in one of the four major pro sports leagues when she takes the ice in the first period for the NHL expansion Tampa Bay Lightning in an exhibition game. The 20-year-old goalie faces nine shots and allows two goals in St. Louis’ 6-4 victory.

2000 — Ben Matthews ties an NCAA record with five interceptions as Bethel beat Gustavus 14-13. Matthews ties the all-division record shared by eight players.

2007 — For the first time in NFL history, two players have 200-plus yards receiving in the same game — whether they were opponents or teammates — in Philadelphia’s 56-21 rout of Detroit. Philadelphia’s Kevin Curtis has 11 receptions for 221 yards and Detroit’s Roy Williams catches 9 passes for 204. Detroit’s Jon Kitna sets a franchise record with 446 yards passing.

2012 — The Tennessee Titans become the first team in NFL history to score five touchdowns of at least 60 yards in a game in their 44-41 overtime win over Detroit. The scorers are Tommie Campbell with a 65-yard punt-return; Jared Cook’s 61-yard reception from Jake Locker; Darius Reynaud’s 105-yard kick-return; Nate Washington’s 71-yard reception from Locker; and Alterraun Verner’s 72-yard fumble-return. The Lions also become the first team in NFL history to score two touchdowns in the final 18 seconds of regulation to either take the lead or force overtime.

2012 — Kansas City’s Jamaal Charles rushes for 233 yards, including a 91-yard TD run in the Chiefs’ 27-24 overtime win over New Orleans. Ryan Succop kicks six field goals, one to force overtime in the final seconds and a 31-yarder in overtime for the Chiefs.

2017 — The St. John’s-St. Thomas rivalry game obliterates the NCAA Division III attendance record with a crowd of 37,355. The Tommies use a stingy defense to hang on for a 20-17 win over the Johnnies at Target Field, the home of the Minnesota Twins. The previous mark was set on Oct. 8, 2016, with 17,535 fans watching Wisconsin-Oshkosh play at Wisconsin-Whitewater.

2017 — Juwan Johnson catches a seven-yard TD pass as time expires and fourth-ranked Penn State rallies to stun Iowa 21-19 in the Big Ten opener for both teams. Saquon Barkley has 211 yards rushing and 94 yards receiving for the Nittany Lions, who outgain Iowa 579-273 but nearly blew the game. With the Hawkeyes leading 19-15, Penn State goes 80 yards on 12 plays to close out the game, and Trace McSorley finds Johnson in a crowded end zone on fourth down.

2018 — Tiger Woods caps off one of the most remarkable comebacks in golf history. Woods ends his comeback season with a dominant victory at the Tour Championship. He taps in for par and a 1-over 71 for a two-shot victory over Billy Horschel. It’s the 80th victory of his PGA Tour career and his first in more than five years.

2018 — Drew Brees sets the NFL record for career completions while passing for 396 yards and three touchdowns and running for two scores to lift New Orleans past Atlanta 43-37 in overtime. Brees breaks the record of 6,300 career completions set by Brett Favre.

2022 — Tennis great Roger Federer plays his final professional match during Laver Cup in London; teams with friend and rival Rafael Nadal but loses to Americans Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe.

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY:

1908 — In a crucial game with the Chicago Cubs, Fred Merkle of the New York Giants failed to touch second base as the apparent winning run crossed home plate. This resulted in a great dispute and the game was eventually declared a tie and played over on Oct. 8 when the Cubs and Giants ended the season in a tie.

1939 — Brooklyn’s Cookie Lavagetto went 6-for-6 to lead the Dodgers’ 27-hit attack in a 22-4 rout of the Philadelphia Phillies. Lovagetto had four singles, a double and a triple and scored four runs. He was the only Dodger without an RBI. Dixie Walker, Gene Moore and Johnny Hudson each drive in three runs.

1952 — The Brooklyn Dodgers clinched the NL title, the first time since 1948 that the pennant wasn’t decided in the season’s final game.

1957 — Hank Aaron’s 11th-inning homer gave the Milwaukee Braves a 4-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals and the NL pennant. It was the first time since 1950 that a New York team hadn’t finished first.

1979 — Lou Brock stole base No. 938, breaking Billy Hamilton’s record, as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Mets 7-4 in 10 innings.

1983 — Steve Carlton of Philadelphia recorded his 300th career victory with a 6-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium.

1984 — The Detroit Tigers beat the New York Yankees 4-1, making Sparky Anderson the first manager to win more than 100 games in a season in each league.

1986 — Rookie left-hander Jim Deshaies set a major league record by striking out eight batters to start the game and finished with a two-hitter and 10 strikeouts to lead the Houston Astros past of the Dodgers 4-0.

1987 — Albert Hall of the Atlanta Braves hit for the cycle in 5-4 win over the Houston Astros.

1988 — Jose Canseco became the first major leaguer to hit 40 homers and steal 40 bases in one season as the Oakland Athletics beat the Milwaukee Brewers 9-8 in 14 innings.

1992 — Bip Roberts tied the NL record with his 10th consecutive hit, then grounded out against Pedro Astacio to end his streak in the Cincinnati Reds’ game against the Dodgers.

1998 — Houston’s Craig Biggio became the second player this century to have 50 steals and 50 doubles in a season, joining Hall of Famer Tris Speaker.

2001 — Sammy Sosa became the first player to hit three home runs in a game three times in a season, but Moises Alou’s two-run shot rallied Houston to a 7-6 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

2008 — The New York Yankees’ streak of postseason appearances ended. Boston beat Cleveland 5-4, minutes before the Yankees’ win. The Red Sox victory clinched at least the AL wild card and eliminated New York, which had made 13 straight postseason appearances.

2013 — Alex Rios of Texas hit for the cycle in a 12-0 rout of Houston. Rios finished off the cycle with a triple to right-center field in the sixth inning.

2016 — David Ortiz hit a two-run homer in the first inning to set the RBIs record for a player in his final season, and the AL East-leading Boston beat Tampa Bay 2-1 for its ninth straight victory. Ortiz’s 37th homer came off Chris Archer and raised his RBIs total to 124, one more than Shoeless Joe Jackson in 1920. The 40-year-old’s 540th homer, his 300th on the road, struck an overhanging catwalk above the right-field seats.

2022 — Albert Pujols, who has announced his retirement at the end of the season no matter what happened, becomes the fourth player to reach the 700-home run mark, after Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds. He does so by going deep twice, first off Andrew Heaney in the third inning and then off Phil Bickford in the fourth for No. 700. The Cardinals win handily, 11-0, over the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.

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