THIS WEEK

MOTOR RACING November 1, 2009  British car racer Jensen Button wins his first and last Formula One World Championship title after finishing 3rd at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the final race of the calendar year. Button clinched 6 GPs that season, including Monte Carlo, accumulating the most points at 95, or 11 ahead of runner-up Sebastian Vettel.

RUGBY November 6, 1999  Australia wins the 4th quadrennial Rugby World Cup championship after defeating France 35-12 in the Final. Wales was the official host to the tournament, which saw 65 national teams qualify for 20 spots at the 37-day event. The U.S. lost all 3 of its group matches, including a 53-8 crushing against Ireland, and was dispatched early.

BASEBALL November 3, 1989  Lou Piniella replaces Pete Rose as Manager of the Cincinnati Reds. It was Rose’s last year in professional baseball after being banned for life due to gambling activities in MLB games. Piniella stayed on for three seasons, leading the Reds to a World Series victory in just his first year as Manager with the mid-west franchise.

BASKETBALL October 30, 1979  The Los Angeles Lakers defeat the Chicago Bulls 111-105, winning a fifth straight game and posting an early season record of 7-2. In the first NBA season to implement the 3-point shot, they would go on to clinch the national Championship against the Philadelphia 76ers. Rookie Magic Johnson took home the MVP award.