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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, November 12, 2009

On this date: 1892 — William "Pudge" Heffelfinger becomes the first pro football player


Associated Press

Nov. 12

1892 — William "Pudge" Heffelfinger becomes the first pro football player by getting $500 to play for the Allegheny Athletic Association against the Pittsburgh Athletic Club. Heffelfinger doesn't disappoint his bosses as he returns a fumble for a touchdown to give Allegheny a 4-0 victory.

1920 — Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis is hired as the first commissioner of baseball.

1950 — Gene Roberts of the New York Giants rushes for 218 yards and a touchdown against the Chicago Cardinals.

1967 — Travis Williams of Green Bay returns two kickoffs for touchdowns against Cleveland as the Packers beat the Browns 55-7. The Packers score 45 points in the first half, 35 in the opening quarter.

1972 — Don Shula becomes the first NFL coach to win 100 regular-season games in 10 seasons as the Miami Dolphins beat the New England Patriots 52-0.

1994 — Prairie View loses 52-7 to Jackson State, breaking an NCAA Division I-AA record with 45 straight losses. Columbia lost 44 straight from 1983-88.

2000 — Keenan McCardell and Jimmy Smith each surpass the 100-yard mark in the same game for the eighth time in their careers, an NFL record, in Jacksonville's 28-21 loss to Seattle.

2003 — The Capitals' 7-1 win over the Hurricanes includes a third-period flurry in which the teams combine to score four goals in 1:16.

2006 — Devin Hester ties the NFL record for longest play by returning a missed field goal 108 yards in Chicago's 38-20 victory over the New York Giants.

2006 — Indianapolis edges Buffalo 17-16 to become the first team to have consecutive 9-0 records.

2007 — Top-ranked Roger Federer loses consecutive matches for the first time in 4½ years, falling to No. 7 Fernando Gonzalez of Chile 4-6, 7-6 (1), 7-5 at the Masters Cup.