THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - NOVEMBER 4TH

1889 - Players League begins, declaring independence from baseball's NL.
1924 - California legalizes professional boxing (illegal since 1914).

1929 - Jimmy Piersall, baseball player (Red Sox, Senators, Indians) is born.

1934 - Pittsburgh ends Detroit Lions' shutout streak at 7 games but loses 40-7.

1950 - Grover Cleveland Alexander, American baseball player (b. 1887) dies.

1951 - NY Giants & NY Yanks score back-to-back TDs on kickoff returns.

1955 - Cy Young, American baseball player (b. 1867) dies.

1959 - Ernie Banks, Cubs shortstop, wins 2nd consecutive NL MVP.

1975 - Orioles Jim Palmer wins his 2nd Cy Young Award.
1976 - First mass-market free-agent reentry draft, Reggie Jackson, 

Joe Rudi, Gullett, Tenace, Fingers, Baylor, Grich & McCovey, available.

1978 - 3rd annual reentry free-agent draft, 

Pete Rose, Tommy John, & Darrell Evans, available.
1980 - Sadaharu Oh, 40, pro baseball's all-time HR run king with 868, retires.

1982 - Devin Hester, American football player (Chicago Bears) is born.

1987 - NBA announces 4 new franchises; Charlotte & Miami 

for 1988 & Minneapolis & Orlando for 1989.
1988 - First NBA game at Charlotte Coliseum - Hornets lose to Cavs, 133-93.
1989 - First NBA game at Orlando Arena, Orlando Magic loses to NJ Nets, 111-106.

1994 - United Center in Chicago opens - Bulls beat Charlotte Hornets, 89-83.

1995 - Key Arena opens, Seattle Supersonics beat LA Lakers 103-89.