Today in sports history: Oct. 31
In 1950, Earl Lloyd of the Washington Capitols becomes the first African-American to play in an NBA game. See more sports moments from this date:
1948: Sammy Baugh leads Washington with 446 yards, 4 TDs
1948 — Sammy Baugh of Washington passes for 446 yards and four touchdowns and Dan Sandifer has four interceptions including two for touchdowns as the Redskins beat the Boston Yanks 56-21.
Sammy Baugh (left) and Harry Gilmer, old and new aerial aces of the Washington Redskins, fire their high hard ones for photographers on August 6, 1948 at Los Angeles as the Redskins went through a practice drill.
1950: Earl Lloyd becomes first Black player to play in NBA game
1950 — Earl Lloyd of the Washington Capitols becomes the first African-American to play in an NBA game. Washington loses 78-70 on the road to the Rochester Royals.
In this April 1955 file photo, Fort Wayne's Mel Hutchins (9) and Syracuse's Earl Lloyd (11) reach for the ball during an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/File)
1987: Eric Dickerson traded to Colts
1987 — Eric Dickerson, the NFL’s single-season rushing champion, signs a three-year contract with the Indianapolis Colts to complete a three-way trade that nets the Los Angeles Rams two running backs and six top draft choices over the next two years. The third part of the deal sends linebacker Cornelius Bennett to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for three of the draft picks that went to the Rams.
Indianapolis Colts running back Eric Dickerson (29) wards off New England Patriots defenders Andre Tippett (56) and Ronnie Lippett (42) as he gains yardage in this Nov. 22, 1987 photo in Foxboro, Mass. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
1999: Cleveland Browns connect on 56-yard desperation TD to beat New Orleans Saints
1999 — Tim Couch completes a desperation 56-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Johnson with no time on the clock to give the expansion Cleveland Browns their first victory, a 21-16 win over New Orleans.
In this Oct. 31, 1999, file photo, New Orleans Saints head coach Mike Ditka lies face-down on the ground in disbelief at the end of the game against the Cleveland Browns in the Louisiana Superdome Sunday, Oct. 31, 1999. (AP Photo/Andrew Cohoon, File)
2004: New England Patriots lose for first time in more than a year, falling to Steelers
2004 — The New England Patriots lose for the first time in more than a year, falling to the Pittsburgh Steelers 34-20. The Patriots had won 21 straight games, including the playoffs, and a league-record 18 in a row in the regular season.
Pittsburgh Steelers' Ike Taylor (24) intercepts a pass by New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady intended for Patriots' Bethel Johnson (81) in the second quarter of NFL action Sunday, Oct. 31, 2004 in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)
2006: Defending champion Miami Heat blown out in season-opener
2006 — Miami’s season-opening 108-66 loss to Chicago is the worst loss in NBA history for a defending champion on opening night. 2008 — The North Carolina Tar Heels are No. 1 in The Associated Press’ preseason Top 25, the first unanimous No. 1 since the preseason poll began in 1981-82.
Chicago Bulls guard Chris Duhon, rear, goes up for a shot against Miami Heat forward Antoine Walker during the third quarter of basketball Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2006 in Miami. Duhon finished the game with 20 points as the Bulls defeated the Heat 108-66. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez)
2012: Grizzlies extend 12-game losing streak on opening night
2012 — Jamal Crawford scores 29 points in 30 minutes in his first official game with his new team, and the Los Angeles Clippers convert 21 turnovers into 29 points in a 101-92 victory that extends the Memphis Grizzlies’ NBA-record streak of opening-night losses to 12. The Grizzlies are 0-12 on opening night since the franchise shifted from Vancouver to Memphis in 2001.
Los Angeles Clippers guard Jamal Crawford, left, puts up a shot as Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol of Spain defends during the second half of their NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012, in Los Angeles. The Clippers won 101-92. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
2015: Triple Crown champion American Pharoah wins Breeders' Cup Classic
2015 — Triple Crown champion American Pharoah wins the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic by 6 1/2 lengths in his final race before retirement.
In this Oct. 31, 2015, file photo, American Pharoah, with Victor Espinoza up, wins the Breeders' Cup Classic horse race at Keeneland race track, in Lexington, Ky. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)
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