This Day in Sports History

In 1999, Detroit Lion RB Barry Sanders retired.In 1952, Czechoslovakia’s Emil Zatopek won the Olympic Marathon a few days after he won gold in both the 5000 and 10000 meter events. He's the only Olympian to win gold in all three in the same games.In 1988, New York Yankee pitcher Tommy John committed three errors on the same play. In 1993, Boston Celtic Reggie Lewis died during a pickup game.

In 2009, Lance Armstrong finished third overall at the Tour de France. If he hadn't unretired, would he have ever faced repercussions from his blood doping. In 1933, Joe DiMaggio's 61-game minor league hitting streak broken. In 1984, KC Royal Vida Blue was suspended by the commissioner for possession of cocaine. In 1976, the US Women's basketball team won the silver medal at the Montreal Olympics. It was the first time women's basketball was played at the Olympics.

In 1956, Pittsburgh's Roberto Clemente hit a walk-off inside the park grand slam home run.In 1961, New York Yankee Roger Maris hit four home runs against four different pitchers.In 1952, American and FBI Agent Horace Ashenfelter pulling off a surprise win in the 3000m Steeplechase in the Helsinki Olympics.In 1999, Lance Armstrong won his first Tour de France. That win would later be vacated due to his doping confession.

In 1966, Tony Lema and his wife Betty were killed in a plane crash along with the pilot and co-pilot.In 1915, George Halas, the future Chicago Bears Head Coach was supposed to be on a ship that sank in Lake Michigan. Instead, he overslept and was late.In 1983, George Brett had a little too much pine tar on his bat and was called out for it by Billy Martin after Brett hit a 9th inning 2-run home run.

In 1976, the reigning Super Bowl champ Pittsburgh Steelers played a team of college all-stars in the final Chicago Charities College All-Star Game.In 2000, Tiger Woods won his first British Open and in the process, became the youngest golfer to capture the career grand slam.In 2006, Woods won his third British Open a few months after his father, Earl, had passed away.In 1989, American Greg LeMond erased a 50-second deficit on the final Tour de France stage to win his second Tour de France by the slimmest margin in TdF history.

In 1992, an intra-squad game between the Dream Team in Monte Carlo became a thing of legend.In 1979, St. Louis Cardinals receiver J.V. Cain collapsed during a pre-season workout and died two hours later.In 1923, Washington National Walter Johnson became the first pitcher in baseball history to strike out 3000 batters.In 2007, former Major Leaguer Rolland Stiles died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 100. He was the last living Major Leaguer who'd thrown a pitch to Babe Ruth.

In 1959, Pumpsie Green became the first black player to play for the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox were the last MLB team to integrate their roster.In 2024, San Francisco Giants' manager Bob Melvin was ejected before the first pitch was thrown.In 2007, David Beckham made his MLS debut with the LA Galaxy.

In 2003, Ben Curtis won the Open Championship at Royal St. Georges. It was first appearance in a golf major and his first professional win.In 1985, Mary Decker Slaney dusted Zola Budd and the rest of the field in a rematch of the 3000 meter debacle at the LA Olympics the previous summer. In 1969, Gaylord Perry proved his former manager Alvin Dark to be quite a fortune teller when he hit a home run about an hour after Neil Armstrong stepped on the surface of the moon. In 1986, Greg LeMond became the first American to...

In 2009, 59-year old Tom Watson came within a shot of becoming the oldest to win a major golf championship.In 1946, home plate umpire Red Jones ejected 14 players and coaches in an effort to silence a critic and yet he never found him.In 1990, Pete Rose was sentenced to prison for tax evasion.In 1909, Neal Ball recorded the first unassisted triple play in MLB history.

In 1912, tennis players Karl Behr and Richard Norris Williams, both Titanic survivors played each other in a Boston Tennis Tournament. In 1999, Jean Vandevelde came to the final hole at Carnoustie needing only a double bogey to win the Claret Jug, instead, a triple-bogey plunged him into a three-way playoff and lost. In 1962, Bob Allison and Harmon Killebrew both hit grand slams in the same inning in a 14-2 win over Cleveland. In 1987, Don Mattingly hit a home run, matching a MLB record for homering in 8 straight games.

in 1930, American Bert Patenaude scored the first hat trick in World Cup history, but it took 76 years to recognize it. In 1993, Graeme Obree set a new cycling hour record on a bike he built from scrap metal and parts from his washing machine. In 1990, the Minnesota Twins turned two triple plays against the Boston Red Sox. It's the only time that's ever happened in MLB.In 1941, Joe DiMaggio went 0-3 with a walk, ending his hitting streak at 56 games.

In 1950, Uruguay stunned Brazil in the World Cup Final, winning 2-1.In 1983, Hale Irwin's whiff of a tap-in during Saturday's round cost him a shot at the Claret Jug on Sunday.In 1959, Bill Wright became the first African American to win a USGA event when he won the PubLinks Championship.In 1941, Joe DiMaggio hit safely in his 56th consecutive game.

In 1994, Chicago manager Gene Lamont questioned the legality of Cleveland's Albert Belle's bat. It set off a wild situation.In 1912, American Jim Thorpe won Gold in the Olympic Decathlon.In 1913, the IOC stripped Thorpe of his Gold medals.In 2022, the IOC finally restored Thorpe's Gold medals to his family and recognized him to be the winner of the 1912 Olympic Pentathlon and Decathlon.In 2006, Terrell Owens claimed he was misquoted in his Autobiography.

In 1970, Cincinnati's Pete Rose bowled over Cleveland catcher Ray Fosse in the MLB All-Star to score the winning run. in 1967, Houston's Eddie Matthews hit career home run #500. In 1968, Atlanta slugger Hank Aaron his career home run #500. In 2019, Novak Djokovic beat Roger Federer in the longest men's single final. The match took four hours, 57 minutes.

In 1930, France beat Mexico 4-1 and the US beat Belgium 3-0 in the first ever World Cup matches ever played. In 1972, Baltimore Colts' owner Carroll Rosenbloom traded his franchise to Robert Irsay in exchange for the Los Angeles Rams. In 1971, Oakland A's Reggie Jackson belted a 539-foot home run in the All-Star game. In 1993, NASCAR driver Davey Allison died the day after crashing his helicopter.

In 1998, Dennis Rodman teamed up with Hulk Hogan and Karl Malone was partnered with Diamond Dallas Page at the Bash at the Beach n San Diego. In 1979, Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey went way off the rails. In 1992, Nigel Mansell took the lead on corner number two and led the rest of the way to win the British GP at Silverstone.

In 1914, Babe Ruth made his major league debut for the Boston Red Sox.In 1973, Gene Sarazen aced the par 3 8th hole at Troon as a 71-year old.In 1979, Bobby Knight was arrested in San Juan, Puerto Rico after punching a police officer.In 1967, the MLB All-Star game went a full 15 innings to become the longest All-Star game in terms of innings.

In 1999, Brandi Chastain hit the deciding shot in the PK Shootout against China to win the World Cup. In 2011, Abby Wambach's goal in the final seconds against Brazil tied the match at 2 and the US went on to win the quarterfinal match on PKs and advanced to the Semis of the World Cup. In 2010, Jack Nicklaus hit a 101-foot putt to prove to Johnny Miller it could be done. In 1953, Ben Hogan won the British Open.

In 2006, Italy beat France 5-3 in PKs to beat France. Zinedine Zidane was given a red card late in extra time for head-butting to Marco Mattarazi. In 1932, New England got its first football team when George Marshall was awarded a franchise to play in Boston. They spent five years there before moving to Washington D.C. In 1978, the Houston Aeros of the WHA folded. In 1949, Bobby Locke won the first of his four Claret Jugs as the winner of the Open Championship.

In 2014, Germany shocked Brazil and the world, winning 7-1.In 1982, West Germany beat France in a World Cup Semifinal match in a penalty shootout, the first ever in a World Cup.In 2010, LeBron James announced live on ESPN that he was taking his talents to South Beach.In 2000, Venus Williams won her first Wimbledon and her first Grand Slam title.In 1960, the Havana Sugar Kings left Cuba and moved their operation to New Jersey.