TODAY'S EVENTS IN SPORTS HISTORY 2025

JUNE 21

Chess Prodigy in Europe

1858 Louisiana chess prodigy Paul Morphy arrives in Europe


Chess PlayerPaul Morphy

• 1879 Infielder William White plays one game for the Providence Grays with conjecture was the first African-American to play MLB even though he appeared Caucasian
• 1900 Dodgers score 7 in top of 11th to go ahead of Phillies, 20-13, In bottom of 11th Phillies stalls so umpire forfeits game to Dodgers
• 1904 Boston Herald tells of Red Sox trade "Dougherty as a Yankee," 1st known reference to NY club as Yankees (became Yankees in 1913)
• 1907 British Open Men's Golf, Royal Liverpool GC: Frenchman Arnaud Massy wins by 2 strokes from J.H. Taylor; first non-Briton to win Open Championship
• 1907 US Open Men's Golf, Philadelphia Cricket Club: Alec Ross of Scotland posts 4 sub-80 rounds to win his only major title, 2 strokes ahead of runner-up Gilbert Nicholls
• 1916 Boston Red Sox pitcher Rube Foster no-hits New York Yankees, 2-0 at Fenway Park

Max Schmeling vs Jack Sharkey
1932 German champion Max Schmeling loses NYSAC, NBA and lineal heavyweight boxing titles in controversial split points decision to American Jack Sharkey in NYC, New York


BoxerMax Schmeling

• 1938 Baseball's Pinky Higgins gets 12th straight hit

Bradman's 101*
1938 Bradman scores 101* in 77 minutes, Australia v Lancashire


Cricket LegendDonald Bradman
Lou Gehrig Retires
1939 NY Yankees announce Lou Gehrig's retirement after doctors reveal he has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis


Baseball PlayerLou Gehrig
Veeck Buys Cleveland
1946 Bill Veeck buys MLB baseball team Cleveland Indians for $2.2 million


MLB Team Owner and PromoterBill Veeck
DiMaggio's 2,000th Hit
1950 Joe DiMaggio gets his 2,000th hit, a 7th-inning single off Chick Pieretti, in a 8-2 victory over Cleveland


Baseball PlayerJoe DiMaggio
LPGA Western Open
1951 LPGA Western Open Women's Golf, Whitemarsh Valley CC: Patty Berg defeats Pat O'Sullivan, 2-up in the final


GolferPatty Berg
LPGA Western Open
1952 LPGA Western Open Women's Golf, Skokie CC: Betsy Rawls defeats Betty Jameson, 1 up in the final


LPGA GolferBetsy Rawls

• 1954 Australian middle distance runner John Landy runs world record mile (3:58.0) and 1500m (3:41.8+) in Turku, Finland
• 1960 German sprinter Armin Hary runs world record 100m (10.0)

Baseball Record
1964 Phillies pitcher Jim Bunning hurls a perfect game as Philadelphia beats the New York Mets, 6-0 on Fathers Day at Shea Stadium


Baseball Hall of Fame Pitcher and SenatorJim Bunning

• 1964 UEFA European Championship Final, Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain: Marcelino scores the winner as Spain beats Soviet Union, 2-1

US Golf Open
1965 US Open Men's Golf, Bellerive CC: Gary Player of South Africa beats Australian Kel Nagle by 3 strokes in an 18-hole playoff to win his only US Open title; completes his career Grand Slam at age 29


GolferGary Player

• 1967 Yanks take 5-3 lead in 11th & lose 6-5, in 2nd game Red Sox lead 3-2 in 9th & Yanks beat them 6-3
• 1969 John Pennel pole vaults world record (5.45 m)

FIFA World Cup
1970 FIFA World Cup Final, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City: Brazil and Pelé become the first team and player to win the World Cup three times, defeating Italy 4-1 in front of 107,412 spectators


Football LegendPele

• 1970 US Open Men's Golf Hazeltine National GC: Englishman Tony Jacklin shoots sub-par in all 4 rounds on his way to a 7-stroke win ahead of Dave Hill
• 1971 MLB Cleveland Indians Ken Harrelson retires from baseball to play pro golf

US Golf Open
1971 US Open Men's Golf, Merion GC: Lee Trevino wins his 2nd Open by 3 strokes in a Monday 18-hole playoff with Jack Nicklaus


GolferJack Nicklaus

GolferLee Trevino

• 1975 ICC Men's Cricket ODI World Cup, Lord's: West Indies beat Australia by 17 runs to win inaugural final; Player of the match: Clive Lloyd (WI) 102 (85)
• 1975 Ruffian leads all the way to win the Coaching Club American Oaks at Belmont and clinch American thoroughbred racing's Triple Tiara for fillies
• 1981 US Open Men's Golf, Merion GC: David Graham wins his second major title and becomes the first Australian to win the US Open, 3 strokes ahead of runners-up George Burns and Bill Rogers

Sports History
1983 Tennis ace Arthur Ashe undergoes double bypass heart surgery


Tennis PlayerArthur Ashe
Contract of Interest
1986 1985 Heisman Trophy winner Bo Jackson, signs 3-year contract to play baseball with the Kansas City Royals


NFL Running Back and Baseball OutfielderBo Jackson

• 1986 Heike Drechsler of East Germany long jumps 7.45 m (women's record)

Sports History
1987 Mike Tyson sexually harasses a parking lot attendant


Heavyweight Boxing ChampionMike Tyson
US Golf Open
1987 US Open Men's Golf, Olympic Club: Scott Simpson passes and holds off 1982 champion Tom Watson on the Lake Course to win his only major title by 1 stroke


GolferTom Watson

• 1988 42nd NBA Championship: LA Lakers beat Detroit Pistons, 4 games to 3
• 1989 Carlton Fisk becomes AL catcher HR hitter, 307th at Yankee stadium

Baseball Trade
1989 MLB New York Yankees trade outfielder Rickey Henderson to Oakland A's for eric Plunk, Greg Cadaret, and Luis Polonia


MLB OutfielderRickey Henderson

• 1990 At Yankee Stadium rally, Nelson Mandela dons a NY Yankee baseball cap and proclaims "I am a Yankee!"

Hockey Hall of Fame
1991 New York Islanders Denis Potvin and Mike Bossy are elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame

Cricket History
1992 Last day of test cricket for English star players Ian Botham and Allan Lamb

US Golf Open
1992 US Open Men's Golf, Pebble Beach GL: Perennial runner-up Tom Kite breaks through for his only major title, 2 strokes ahead of runner-up Jeff Sluman

Sports History
1994 German tennis superstar Steffi Graf becomes first defending champion to lose in the 1st round of a major tournament (Wimbledon to American Lorrie McNeal)

Sports History
1997 NHL Draft: Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL) center Joe Thornton first pick by Boston Bruins

1997 Women's National Basketball Association begins as NY Liberty beats LA Sparks
US Golf Open
1998 US Open Men's Golf, Olympic Club, SF: Lee Janzen recovers from 7 stroke deficit to win his second Open title, 1 stroke ahead of runner-up Payne Stewart


Golfer Payne Stewart

• 2009 ICC Men's Cricket T20 World Cup, Lord's, London: Pakistan wins their first title beating Sri Lanka by 8 wickets; Player of the Series: Sri Lankan all-rounder Tillakaratne Dilshan (317 runs)
• 2009 ICC Women's Cricket T20 World Cup, Lord's: England 86/4 win inaugural event; beat New Zealand 85; England's Katherine Brunt takes 3 for 6

NBA Finals
2012 NBA Finals: Miami Heat win their second NBA title; beat Oklahoma City Thunder, 121-106 in Game 5; MVP: LeBron James

US Golf Open
2015 US Open Men's Golf, Chambers Bay GC: Jordan Spieth (21) becomes youngest winner since 1923 by 1 shot from Dustin Johnson & Louis Oosthuizen
2018 NBA Draft: Arizona center Deandre Ayton first pick by Phoenix Suns

• 2019 NHL Draft: US NTDP center Jack Hughes first pick by New Jersey Devils
• 2021 Carl Nassib becomes the first openly gay player in the NFL in a post on Instagram
• 2021 New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard is the first openly transgender athlete to be selected for the Olympics

Sports History
2022 MLB Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani has career high 8 RBI in 11-inning 12-11 loss to Kansas City Royals in Anaheim, California

 

JUNE 22

W. G. Grace

1865 Acknowledged as 1st Class Cricket debut of Dr W. G. Grace; as a 16-year-old he is dismissed for 0 playing for Gentlemen of South v Players of South at Kennington Oval, London


CricketerW. G. Grace

• 1874 Game of lawn tennis is introduced by Welsh Major Walter Clopton Wingfield, who introduces a rubber ball to bounce on grass
• 1889 Louisville Colonels set ML baseball record with 26th consecutive loss
• 1918 US National Championship Women's Tennis, Forest Hills, NY: Molla Bjurstedt beats Eleanor Goss 6-4, 6-3 for her 4th consecutive US singles title

10,000m World Record
1921 Paavo Nurmi runs world record 10,000m (30:40.2)


Runner nicknamed the Flying FinnPaavo Nurmi

• 1926 Cardinals pick up 39-year-old Grover Alexander on waivers from Cubs

Baseball Record
1929 Mel Ott (Giants) homers off Leo Sweetland (Phillies) in doubleheader


Baseball Player and ManagerMel Ott
Gehrig's 3 Home Runs
1930 New York Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig smashes 3 HRs in 20-13 win over Philadelphia A's at Shibe Park


Baseball PlayerLou Gehrig
Louis KOs Braddock
1937 Challenger Joe Louis KOs James J. Braddock in the 8th round at Chicago's Comiskey Park for the world heavyweight boxing title


Boxer and World Heavyweight ChampionJoe Louis

BoxerJames J. Braddock

• 1938 Joe Louis scores a stunning 1st round KO of German Max Schmeling at Yankee Stadium, NYC to retain his world heavyweight boxing title
• 1944 Longest shut out in Phillies history, Phils beat Braves 1-0 in 15 inn

Bedser Takes 7-49
1946 English cricketer Alec Bedser takes 7-49 v India on 1st day of his 1st Test cricket at Lord's


Cricket Medium Pace BowlerAlec Bedser
Charles vs Walcott
1949 Ezzard Charles beats Jersey Joe Walcott in 15 for National Boxing Association world heavyweight title, at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois


Boxer and World Heavyweight ChampionEzzard Charles

Heavyweight Boxing ChampionJersey Joe Walcott

• 1958 Game in KC between A's & Red Sox delayed 29 minutes due to tornado

LPGA Western Open
1958 LPGA Western Open Women's Golf, Kahkwa CC: Patty Berg wins back-to-back WO titles; beats runner-up Beverly Hanson by 4 strokes


GolferPatty Berg
Sports History
1959 Most Phillies strike out in a game (16 by Sandy Koufax)


Baseball PitcherSandy Koufax
Baseball Record
1961 MLB Chicago Cubs' Ernie Banks ends 717 consecutive games played streak


MLB shortstopErnie Banks

• 1965 Freddie Trueman ends his Test cricket career, v NZ at Lord's
• 1976 SD Padre pitcher Randy Jones ties record of 68 innings without a walk

Boxing Title Fight
1979 Larry Holmes TKOs Mike Weaver in 12 rounds for heavyweight boxing title


BoxerLarry Holmes

BoxerMike Weaver

• 1980 American golfer Don January beats Mike Souchak by 2 strokes to win the Atlantic City Senior International in Northfield, New Jersey; inaugural tournament of the Senior PGA Tour
• 1980 UEFA European Championship Final, Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy: Horst Hrubesch scores a double as Germany beats Belgium, 2-1

Sports History
1981 John McEnroe's famous "You cannot be serious" rant in first-round win over Tom Gullikson at Wimbledon


Tennis PlayerJohn McEnroe
Sports History
1982 MLB Philadelphia Phillies infielder Pete Rose gets his 3,772nd career hit, moves past Hank Aaron into 2nd place


MLB Player and ManagerPete Rose

• 1983 NHL institutes a 5 minute sudden death overtime period
• 1984 Carl Pohlad becomes CEO of Minnesota Twins

Senior Players Championship
1986 Senior Tournament Players Championship Men's Golf, Canterbury GC: Chi Chi Rodriguez wins his first career major title by 2 strokes from Bruce Crampton of Australia


GolferBruce Crampton

GolferChi-Chi Rodríguez
Sports History
1987 Tom Seaver retires after 3rd try with NY Mets


Baseball Hall of Fame PitcherTom Seaver
Music Concert
1990 Billy Joel performs a concert at Yankee Stadium, New York City


Pianist, Songwriter and ComposerBilly Joel

• 1990 Longest game in Toronto, Yanks beat Blue Jays 8-7 in 15 inns
• 1990 MLB Atlanta Braves replace manager Russ Nixon with GM Bobby Cox

Sports History
1991 NHL Draft: Oshawa Generals center Eric Lindros first pick by Quebec Nordiques


NHL StarEric Lindros

• 1993 NY Met Anthony Young ties record of 23rd straight lose

NBA Finals
1994 48th NBA Championship: Houston Rockets beat NY Knicks, 4 games to 3


NBA CenterHakeem Olajuwon

• 1994 FIFA World Cup: USA beats Colombia 2-1 in round match at the Rose Bowl, Pasadena, 1st WC win since 1950

Baseball Record
1994 Ken Griffey Jr. breaks Ruth's record for most HRs by end of June (31)


Baseball Hall of Fame OutfielderKen Griffey Jr.

• 1996 29th Curtis Cup: Great Britain & Ireland wins 11-6

Boxing Title Fight
1996 Michael Moorer beats Axel Shultz in 11 for IBF heavyweight boxing title


World Boxing ChampionMichael Moorer

• 1996 NHL Draft: Prince Albert Raiders (WHL) defenceman Chris Phillips first pick by Ottawa Senators
• 1996 Saurav Ganguly scores 131 at Lord's on Test cricket debut
• 1997 WLAF World Bowl 5, Olympic Stadium, Barcelona: Barcelona Dragons beat Rhein Fire, 38-24
• 2002 WLAF World Bowl 10, Rheinstadion, Düsseldorf: Berlin Thunder beats Rhein Fire, 26-20

Sports History
2007 Patrick Kane is selected by the Chicago Blackhawks as the first overall pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft

US Golf Open
2009 US Open Men's Golf, Bethpage State Park: Lucas Glover wins his only major title, 2 strokes ahead of runners-up Ricky Barnes, David Duval and Phil Mickelson

2012 NHL Draft: Sarnia Sting (OHL) right wing Nail Yakupov first pick by Edmonton Oilers
US Women's Golf Open
2014 US Open Women's Golf, Pinehurst Resort: Michelle Wie wins by 2 shots from Stacy Lewis for her first major title

2016 NHL owners meeting unanimously approves the Las Vegas expansion bid to start play in the 2017-18 season.

• 2017 NBA Draft: Washington point guard Markelle Fultz first pick by Philadelphia 76ers
• 2018 NHL Draft: Frolunda HC (SHL) defenceman Rasmus Dahlin first pick by Buffalo Sabres

Baseball Record
2022 MLB Los Angeles Angels pitcher Shohei Ohtani strikes out career high 13 batters, retires 23 of last 24 batters faced in 5-0 win over Kansas City Royals in Anaheim, California

 

JUNE 23

• 1893 US National Championship Women's Tennis: Aline Terry wins her lone major title; beats Augusta Schultz 6-1, 6-3
• 1894 The International Olympic Committee is founded at the Sorbonne, Paris, at the initiative of Baron Pierre de Coubertin
• 1900 US National Championship Women's Tennis, Philadelphia CC: Myrtle McAteer beats Edith Parker 6-2, 6-2, 6-0 for her lone major singles title

• 1906 US National Championship Women's Tennis, Philadelphia CC: Helen Homans beats Maud Barger-Wallach 6-4, 6-3 for her lone major singles title
• 1915 Yanks get record 16 walks & 3 wild pitches beat A's Bruno Hass, 15-0

Shore Replaces Ejected Ruth

1917 Ernie Shore enters game after Boston Red Sox pitcher Babe Ruth is ejected for throwing punch at umpire; retires all 26 batters he faces to win 4-0 vs Washington Senators; ruled combined no-hitter


Baseball LegendBabe Ruth

• 1917 US National Championship Women's Tennis, Forest Hills, NY: Two-time defending champion Molla Bjurstedt beats Marion Vanderhoef 4-6, 6-0, 6-2

57th British Men's Open
1922 British Open Men's Golf, Royal St George's GC: Walter Hagen becomes first American-born winner of the Open Championship, 1 stroke ahead of runners-up Jim Barnes and George Duncan


GolferWalter Hagen

Pioneering GolferJim Barnes
Gehrig Hits 3 HRs
1927 New York future Baseball Hall of Fame first baseman Lou Gehrig hits 3 HRs in Yankees' 11-4 victory over Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park


Baseball PlayerLou Gehrig

• 1928 Commencement of West Indies cricket's first ever Test match; England go on to win by an innings and 58 runs at Lord's
• 1932 St Louis Browns beat NY Yankees, 14-10; Lou Gehrig's 1,103rd consecutive game in a Yankees uniform, equaling Joe Sewell's record with one team (Cleveland Indians)

Nagurski vs Thesz
1939 Bronko Nagurski beats Lou Thesz in Houston, to win National Wrestling Association world heavyweight title


Hall of Fame American Football PlayerBronko Nagurski

Professional WrestlerLou Thesz
77th Belmont Stakes
1945 77th Belmont Stakes: Eddie Arcaro aboard Pavot wins in 2:30.2


Racing Hall of Fame JockeyEddie Arcaro

• 1950 New York Yankees (6) & Detroit Tigers (5) hit record 11 HRs at Briggs Stadium; Tigers win, 10-9

Sports History
1961 Cubs Ernie Banks ends his 717 consecutive-games-played streak


MLB shortstopErnie Banks

• 1961 Philadelphia Phillies overcome 9 run deficit; trailing 11-2 after 7 innings, score 4 in 8th and 6 in 9th to beat Pirates, 12-11 at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh

LPGA Western Open
1963 LPGA Western Open Women's Golf, Maple Bluff CC: Mickey Wright defends title by 9 shots from Kathy Whitworth for her 10th major championship


LPGA GolferMickey Wright

LPGA GolferKathy Whitworth

• 1963 NY Mets Jimmy Piersall hits his 100th HR, he circles bases backwards

US Golf Open
1963 US Open Men's Golf, The Country Club: Julius Boros wins his second Open title in an 18-hole playoff with Arnold Palmer and Jacky Cupit


GolferArnold Palmer

• 1967 American athlete Jim Ryun sets new world record in mile run (3:51.1) in Bakersfield California
• 1968 74 are killed and 150 injured in a football stampede towards a closed exit in a Buenos Aires stadium

Boxing Title Fight
1969 Joe Frazier TKOs Jerry Quarry in 8 for heavyweight boxing title


Heavyweight Boxing ChampionJoe Frazier

• 1971 MLB Philadelphia Phillies Rick Wise no-hits Reds, and hits 2 HR's and 3 RBI in 4-0 win at Cincinnati
• 1972 Bernice Gera becomes first female umpire in US pro baseball, Geneva Senators and Auburn Twins in Geneva, New York
• 1972 US President Nixon signs act barring sex discrimination in college sports

Sports History
1973 Phillies Ken Brett 4th consecutive game HR in which he pitched


Baseball PlayerKen Brett
LPGA Championship
1974 LPGA Championship Women's Golf, Pleasant Valley CC: 1965 champion Sandra Haynie wins by 2 shots from JoAnn Carner


GolferSandra Haynie

• 1975 US Open Men's Golf, Medinah CC: Lou Graham defeats John Mahaffey by 2 strokes in an 18-hole Monday playoff to win his only major championship
• 1979 ICC Men's Cricket ODI World Cup, Lord's, London: West Indies beat England by 92 runs to win second straight final; Player the Match: Vivian Richards (WI) 138 no (157)
• 1980 West German wins European soccer title (2-1 against Belgium)
• 1981 Longest game in professional baseball: Pawtucket Red Sox finally beat Rochester Red Wings 3-2 in 33 innings (game began April 18)

Sports History
1985 Laffit Pincay Jr becomes 2nd jockey to win $100 million


JockeyLaffit Pincay Jr.

• 1985 Senior Tournament Players Championship Men's Golf, Canterbury GC: Defending champion Arnold Palmer wins his final major by 11 shots from Miller Barber, Lee Elder, Gene Littler & Charles Owens
• 1986 Pedro Morales swims world record 100m butterfly (52.84)
• 1988 Charlotte Hornets & Miami Heat begin their NBA expansion draft

Sports History
1988 Yanks manager Billy Martin's 5th term ends, Lou Pinella named manager


Baseball Player and ManagerBilly Martin

• 1991 Mazda becomes the first Japanese car manufacturer to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans race
• 1994 Replay shows Oakland Athletics's Bobby Witt beat Kansas City's Greg Gagne to 1st in 6th but umpire Gary Cedarstrom calls him safe, ruining Witt's perfect game
• 1996 WLAF World Bowl 4, Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh: Scottish Claymores beats Frankfurt Galaxy, 32-27

Baseball Record
2003 Barry Bonds steals second base against the LA Dodgers, becoming the first player in MLB history to have 500 career home runs and 500 steals


MLB LegendBarry Bonds
NBA Finals
2005 NBA Finals: San Antonio Spurs beat defending champion Detroit Pistons, 81-74 in Game 7 for club's 3rd title; MVP: Tim Duncan, his 3rd MVP award


NBA Power ForwardTim Duncan

• 2007 WLAF World Bowl 15, Commerzbank-Arena, Frankfurt: Hamburg Sea Devils beat Frankfurt Galaxy, 37-28
• 2008 Félix Hernández of the Seattle Mariners hits a grand slam home run against New York Mets, 1st pitcher since Steve Dunning in 1971

Sports History
2011 Kawhi Leonard is selected with the 15th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft by the Indiana Pacers and traded to the San Antonio Spurs on draft night


Basketball ForwardKawhi Leonard
NBA Draft
2011 NBA Draft: Duke point guard Kyrie Irving first pick Cleveland Cavaliers


NBA PlayerKyrie Irving

• 2013 ICC Men's Cricket Champions Trophy, Edgebaston, Birmingham: India defeats England by 5 runs; Player of the series: Shikhar Dhawan, IND 363 runs
• 2016 NBA Draft: LSU point guard Ben Simmons first pick by Philadelphia 76ers
• 2017 NHL Draft: Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL) center Nico Hischier first pick by New Jersey Devils
• 2018 Indian chess prodigy Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa becomes the second-youngest grandmaster at 12 years, 10 months, 13 days

Ashleigh Barty #1
2019 Ashleigh Barty becomes first Australian female in 42 years (since Evonne Goolagong Cawley) to attain world #1 tennis ranking when she beats Julia Görges 6-3, 7-5 at the Birmingham Classic


Tennis PlayerEvonne Goolagong Cawley

• 2019 Women's PGA Championship, Hazeltine National GC: Australian Hannah Green leads wire-to-wire to win her first LPGA event by 1 stroke ahead of Park Sung-hyun
• 2021 1st ICC World Test Championship final, Southampton: New Zealand dismisses India for meagre 170; completes tricky chase of 139 on 6th day to win inaugural cricket title
• 2024 PGA C'ship Women's Golf, Sahalee GC: Amy Yang of South Korea makes her major title breakthrough with a 3 stroke win over Ko Jin-young, Lilia Vu and Miyū Yamashita

 

JUNE 24

• 1882 National League expels umpire Richard Higham from baseball for dishonesty after his links with gambling on games are confirmed
• 1899 US National Championship Women's Tennis, Philadelphia CC: Marion Jones beats Maud Banks 6-1, 6-1, 7-5 for her first of 2 US singles titles
• 1905 US National Championship Women's Tennis, Philadelphia CC: Elisabeth Moore wins her 4th US singles title; beats Helen Homans 6-4, 5-7, 6-1

50th British Men's Open

1910 50th British Open Men's Golf, St Andrews: James Braid wins Championship for a 5th time, 4 strokes ahead of fellow Scot Sandy Herd (1902 champion)


Golfer and Course DesignerJames Braid

• 1913 British Open Men's Golf, Royal Liverpool GC: Englishman J H Taylor wins Championship for a 5th and final time, 8 strokes ahead of defending champion Ted Ray
• 1922 American Professional Football Association renamed the National Football League

Chicago Bears Renamed
1922 Charter NFL club Chicago Staleys renamed Chicago Bears by team founder, owner and head coach George Halas


American Football Coach and Team OwnerGeorge Halas
32nd Men's Opens
1928 US Open Men's Golf, Olympia Fields CC: Johnny Farrell defeats amateur Bobby Jones by 1 stroke in a 36-hole playoff to win his only major title


GolferBobby Jones

• 1930 Ground is broken for construction of Cleveland Stadium, home of MLB Indians, 1932 to 1993, and NFL Browns, 1946-95

DiMaggio Ties Records
1936 Rookie outfielder Joe DiMaggio ties 3 MLB records in New York's 10-run 5th inning against the White Sox, hitting 2 home runs for 8 total bases; Yankees beat Chicago, 18-4


Baseball PlayerJoe DiMaggio
Jackie Robinson's First Steal
1947 Future Baseball Hall of Fame infielder Jackie Robinson steals home for first of 19 times in his career as the Brooklyn Dodgers beat Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-2


Baseball PlayerJackie Robinson

• 1947 PGA Championship Men's Golf, Plum Hollow CC: Jim Ferrier becomes first Australian to win a major title; beats Chick Herbert, 2 & 1

LPGA Western Open
1950 LPGA Western Open Women's Golf, Cherry Hills CC: Babe Didrikson-Zaharias wins her 4th Western Open; beats Peggy Kirk, 5 & 3


All-Round Athlete and GolferBabe Didrikson Zaharias

• 1950 New York Giants outfielder Wes Westrum hits 3 HRs & a triple in a 12-2 rout of the Cincinnati Reds at the Polo Grounds V

Baseball History
1955 Harmon Killebrew hits his 1st HR (off Billy Hoeff)


Baseball PlayerHarmon Killebrew
LPGA Championship
1956 LPGA Championship Women's Golf, Forest Lake CC: Marlene Hagge wins her only major title; beats Patty Berg by 2 strokes in a sudden-death playoff


GolferPatty Berg

• 1962 Outfielder Jack Reed hits his only MLB home run in the 22nd-inning as NY Yankees edge Detroit Tigers, 9-7 in slowest extra-inning game in league history; 7:00 hours
• 1968 Detroit outfielder Jim Northrup hits 2 grand-slams to help the Tigers beat the Cleveland Indians, 14-3

Boxing Title Fight
1968 Joe Frazier stops Mexican challenger Manuel Ramos in 2nd round TKO at NYC's Madison Square Garden in his first heavyweight boxing title defense


Heavyweight Boxing ChampionJoe Frazier
LPGA Championship
1968 LPGA Championship Women's Golf, Pleasant Valley CC: Canadian Sandra Post wins an 18-hole playoff against Kathy Whitworth by 7 strokes


LPGA GolferKathy Whitworth
Baseball Record
1970 Bobby Murcer ties record of 4 consecutive HRs


Baseball OutfielderBobby Murcer

• 1972 South African runner Danie Malan sets a new 1,000m world record 2:16.0 in Munich, Germany
• 1974 India is dismissed for 42 in 17 overs in 2nd Test defeat to England at Lord's; lowest total in country's Test cricket history; Chris Old 5-21, Geoff Arnold 4-19
• 1974 Kansas City pitcher Steve Busby retires first 9 White Sox to set AL record with 33 consecutive batsmen retired; Royals still lose, 3-1 to Chicago

Baseball Record
1979 Rickey Henderson makes MLB debut with for Oakland A's and steals his 1st base


MLB OutfielderRickey Henderson

• 1980 Affirmed wins $500,000 Hollywood Cup, 1st horse to win $2 million

Baseball Record
1983 Don Sutton becomes 8th pitcher to strikeout 3,000 batters


Baseball Hall of Fame PitcherDon Sutton
Baseball Record
1984 Joe Morgan sets career HR mark for 2nd basemen with #265


MLB Hall of Fame Infielder and BroadcasterJoe Morgan
Senior Players Championship
1984 Senior Tournament Players Championship Men's Golf, Canterbury GC: Arnold Palmer wins 2nd straight Champions Tour major by 3 strokes ahead of Peter Thomson of Australia


GolferArnold Palmer

GolferPeter Thomson

• 1987 CFL's Montreal Alouettes team folds
• 1987 Minor League Salt Lake City Trappers begin pro baseball record 29 consecutive win streak
• 1988 Cleveland pitcher Doug Jones sets record of 14 consecutive saves
• 1988 Red Sox begin AL record 23rd consecutive home win streak
• 1989 Cards Vince Coleman steals record 39th & 40th consecutive bases
• 1991 NHL adopts instant-replay and tenth of second clock in final minute

Sports History
1992 MLB Commissioner Fay Vincent permanently bans pitcher Steve Howe from baseball for repeated substance abuse violations; later overturned on appeal


Lawyer and MLB CommissionerFay Vincent
Sports History
1992 NBA Draft: LSU center Shaquille O'Neal first pick by Orlando Magic


Basketball PlayerShaquille O'Neal
Rugby World Cup
1995 3rd Rugby World Cup, Ellis Park, Johannesburg: Springboks fly-half Joel Stransky lands the winning drop goal in extra time as South Africa defeats New Zealand 15-12


Rugby Union PlayerFrançois Pienaar

• 1995 Stanley Cup Final, Meadowlands Arena, East Rutherford, NJ: New Jersey Devils beat Detroit Red Wings, 5-2 for a 4-0 series sweep; Devils' first Stanley Cup finals appearance

Baseball Record
1997 Despite an AL record 19-strikeout performance by Randy Johnson, A's first baseman Mark McGwire hits a massive 538 foot home run in Oakland's 4-1 defeat of Seattle Mariners


MLB First BasemanMark McGwire

• 1998 NBA Draft: Pacific center Michael Olowokandi first pick by Los Angeles Clippers

LPGA Championship
2001 LPGA Championship Women's Golf, DuPont CC: 26-year-old Australian Karrie Webb becomes youngest woman to win career slam; beats runner-up Laura Diaz by 2 strokes


GolferKarrie Webb

• 2004 NBA Draft: Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy power forward Dwight Howard first pick by Orlando Magic

Coach Babcock
2009 Mike Babcock is named head coach of Team Canada for the 2010 Winter Olympics (they would win the gold medal)


NHL CoachMike Babcock
Longest Match in Tennis History
2010 In the longest match in tennis history, American John Isner defeats Nicolas Mahut of France at Wimbledon after 11 hours, 5 minutes of play over 3 days


Tennis PlayerJohn Isner

• 2010 NBA Draft: Kentucky point guard John Wall first pick by Washington Wizards
• 2011 NHL Draft: Red Deer Rebels (WHL) center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins first pick by Edmonton Oilers
• 2012 Female athletes will be allowed to compete for Saudi Arabia at the Olympics for the first time
• 2013 Stanley Cup Final, TD Garden, Boston, MA: Chicago Blackhawks defeat Boston Bruins, 3-2 for 4-2 series victory; Blackhawks' 5th Championship
• 2014 Sidney Crosby wins the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award for the 2014 NHL season
• 2015 Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price wins the 2014-15 Hart Trophy as the NHL's MVP
• 2016 NHL Draft: ZSC Lions (NLA) center Auston Matthews first pick by Toronto Maple Leafs
• 2017 World record for highest altitude football match ever played at 18,799ft on Mount Kilimanjaro by women's international team

Sports History
2022 American Katie Ledecky wins the 800m gold medal in 8:08.04 at the World Swimming Championships in Budapest; completes 400/800/1500m treble for unprecedented 4th time at a single worlds


SwimmerKatie Ledecky

• 2023 MLB Los Angeles Angels Mike Trout, Brandon Drury, and Matt Thaiss hit home runs on 3 consecutive pitches in 25-1 win over Rockies at Coor's Field in Denver, Colorado
• 2023 Opener Tammy Beaumont smashes 208 in the Ashes Test against Australia at Trent Bridge for the highest ever score by an Englishwoman in Test Cricket; Australia goes on to win by 89 runs
• 2024 Philadelphia Phillies turn rare 1-3-5 triple play, MLB's first since 1929, during 8-1 win over Tigers at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan
• 2024 Stanley Cup Final, Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise, FL: Florida Panthers win their first title in franchise history defeating the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 in Game 7; MVP: Connor McDavid (Oilers C)