This Day in Sports History

In 2007, Appalachian State beat Michigan 34-32 in the greatest college football upset. In 1984, Mississippi Valley State's Jerry Rice caught 17 passes for 294 yards and 5 TDs in an 86-0 win. In 1996, Tiger Woods finished tied for 60th and cashed his first PGA Tour check of $2,544. In 1985, Bill Elliott won the Southern 500 and in doing so won the inaugural Winston Million Dollar prize. In 1989, Ma...

In 1969, boxer Rocky Marciano was killed in a plane crash in route to Des Moines, Iowa. In 1972, US sprinters Rey Robinson and Ed Hart were disqualified from their heat races due to a mixup in scheduling. In 1937, Detroit Tiger rookie Rudy York hit two home runs to finish the month of August with 18 home runs. That bested Babe Ruth's record of 17 for homers in a calendar month. And in 1990, Ken Gr...

In 1904, the Olympic marathon is a marvel in that anybody finished and a wonder that it ever made it back into the Olympics afterward. In 1991, long jumper Mike Powell topped Bob Beamon's seemingly impossible mark. In 2003, Katie Knida became the first female to play in a college football game. And on this day in 1917, William ‘Pop’ Gates was born.

In 2004, Brazilian runner Vanderlei de Lima was leading the marathon until the 22nd mile when Irishman Cornelius Horan surged onto the course, grabbed de Lima and pushed him into the crowd. In 1973, Nolan Ryan came close to another no-hitter. It would have been the first time in MLB history a pitcher had thrown 3 in a season if he'd gotten a little help. In 1925, New York Yankee Babe Ruth was susp...

In 2000, Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia squared off in the made-for-tv matchplay event 'The Battle at Bighorn.' In 1954, Arnold Palmer won the US Amateur after four previous attempts. His win on this day was what he called his 'turning point', giving him the confidence that he could turn pro. In 1988, LA Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda attacked the Phillie Phanatic. In 1970, Detroit Tiger pitcher Denn...

In 1972, Baltimore Colt All-Pro defensive end Bubba Smith tore up his knee when he got caught up with the first down chains. He missed the entire year and he was never the same. In 1997, Arsenal's Dennis Bergkamp scored an exceptional hat trick against Leicester. In 1985, top seed and World Number one John McEnroe was nearly bounced in the first round of the US Open by Shlomo Glickstein. In 1977,...

In 1951, the plane carrying Toronto Maple Leaf Bill Barilko and his pilot friend Dr. Henry Hudson is presumed to have crashed on this day. The plane was not found for nearly 11 years. In 1939, the first ever sports event was broadcast on television. In 2001, Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk played 7 sudden death playoff holes before Tiger finally pulled out the win. In 1990, José Maria Olazabal played hi...

In 1996, Tiger Woods stormed back from being down five after the morning round to win his 3rd consecutive US Amateur championships. The match is mostly known for the act of sportsmanship that happened on the day's 34th hole. In 1946, Ben Hogan won the PGA Championship for his first of what would be 9 major golf titles. In 1889, Cincinnati and Brooklyn players were arrested during a game for playin...

In 1986, then golfer, now golf commentator David Feherty won the Scottish Open and then several hours later lost the trophy somewhere in Glasgow or beyond. In 1919, Cleveland pitcher Ray Caldwell was on the mound when he was struck by lightning. After he regained consciousness, he finished out the game. In 1983, Baltimore pitcher Tippy Martinez picked off three runners in a single inning to become...

In 1982, Gaylord Perry was ejected for doctoring the baseball for the only time in his career. In 1989, Montreal Expos' mascot Youppi! was ejected after upsetting LA Dodgers' manager Tommy Lasorda. In 1936, Cleveland pitcher Bob Feller made his MLB debut and struck out 15 to pick up his first win. In 1957, the Little League baseball team from Monterrey, Mexico became the first team from outside th...

In 1973, the US Men's Basketball team got in a fight with the Cuban national team. In 1965, San Francisco's Juan Marichal hit Dodger catcher John Roseboro with a bat in an ugly brawl. In 1960, Billy Martin, then a Cincinnati Red was sued by Chicago Cub pitcher Jim Brewer for a brawl they'd been involved with a few weeks before. In 2007, the Texas Rangers beat the Baltimore Orioles 30-3. The 30 run...

In 1990, the Philadelphia Phillies scored 9 runs in the top of the ninth to beat the LA Dodgers 12-11. In 1967, Ken 'the Hawk' Harrelson was fired as a player by owner Charlie Finley. Harrelson was able to negotiate with different teams eventually signing with the Boston Red Sox. In 1901, Baltimore Orioles pitcher Joe McGinnity stomped on umpire Tom Connolly's foot and spit tobacco juice in his fa...

In 1964, Phil Linz and the Harmonica Incident. In 2000, Tiger beat Bob May in a three-hole playoff to win the PGA Championship. In 2006, Tiger won his third PGA Championship. In 1967, Charlie Sifford won his first official PGA Tournament. In 1945, 17 year old Tommy Brown became the youngest to ever hit a home run in the Majors. Mentioned in this episode: NBA 75 and Golf Round I'll Never Forget Pro...

In 1995, Mike Tyson fought his first fight in 3 1/2 years, stopping Peter McNeeley is 1:20. In 1984, Lee Trevino won the PGA Championship. In 1951, St. Louis Browns owner signed 3'8" Eddie Gaedel to a contract and sent him to the plate. In 1997, Wade Boggs made his first appearance as a relief pitcher. In 1941, Pittsburgh Pirates manager Frankie Frisch was ejected from a game after raising an umbr...

In 1922, Gene Sarazen became the first golfer to win the US Open and the PGA Championship in the same year. In 1983, it was a ho-hum end to the 'Pine Tar Game.' In 1967, Tony Canigliaro was hit in the face with a fastball and nearly became the second fatality in a Major League Baseball game. In 1992, Boston Celtic great Larry Bird retired. In 2002, Rich Beem won the PGA Championship. Mentioned in...

In 1976, the NFL played its first game outside of the US. St. Louis beat San Diego 20-10. In 1920, Ray Chapman was hit by a Carl Mays' pitch. He died a few hours later. In 1987, Toronto Blue Jay Lloyd Moseby stole second base twice … on the same play. In 2009, Y.E. Yang beat Tiger Woods in the PGA Championship. In 2003, Christiano Ronaldo made his English Premier League debut  with Manchester...

In 1999, 19-year old Sergio Garcia chased 23-year old Tiger Woods during the final round of the PGA Championship, staring him down after a birdie putt on 13. In 2010, Dustin Johnson got hit with a 2-shot penalty on the final hole for grounding his club what he thought was a waste area. It knocked him out of a playoff. Germany's Martin Kaymar won instead. In 1993, Greg Norman came up short in the P...

In 1936, the US rowing 8 from the University of Washington won gold in the Olympics. It inspired Daniel James Brown’s book, ‘The Boys in the Boat.’ Also in 1936, the US won the first gold medal in basketball. The game was played outside during a rain storm. In 1977, Lanny Wadkins won the PGA Championship. It was his only major title. In 1959, the AFL was officially formed. Mentioned in this episod...

In 1995, Mickey Mantle died. In 1991, Joe Montana felt a pop in his elbow that led to the rise of Steve Young. In 1936, Avery Brundage banned Jesse Owens for life. THIS DAY IN SPORTS BACKGROUND Relive the greatest moments in sports every day of the year. From the triumphs to the tragedies, the first to do it to the last time it happened, the unbelievable to the strange, This Day in Sports History...

In 1984, the Braves and Padres had more fights than runs. 17 players and 4 coaches were ejected. In 1978, New England Patriots wide receiver Darryl Stingley was paralyzed after a vicious hit by Oakland Raider Jack Tatum. In 1973, golfer Jack Nicklaus won what was thought at the time to be his 14th major golf tournament. Two of those in that count were US Amateur wins but those were later disallowe...

In 1974, Lee Trevino won the PGA Championship. In 1991, John Daly won the PGA Championship as the 9th alternate. In 1950, legendary New York Yankee Joe DiMaggio was benched for the first time in his career. In 1968, the Atlanta Braves signed Satchel Paige. In 2020, the Columbus Blue Jackets and Tampa Bay Lightning set an NHL record, combining for 151 shots on goal. THIS DAY IN SPORTS BACKGROUND Re...

In 1974, the NFL players decided to end their strike after the commish and the owners were okay using scab players. But it, along with John Mackey's challenge of the Rozelle Rule, it did put some pressure on the league that led to change in two years. In 1984, Mary Decker tripped over Zola Budd's bare feet and fell during the Olympic Women's 3000 meter Final. In 1953, Lew Worsham dropped a shot in...

In 1988, Wayne Gretzky was traded from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings. In 2012, Usain Bolt won the 200 meter sprint at the Olympics becoming the first Olympian to win both the 100 and the 200 in back to back Olympics. In 1936, it was Jesse Owens rounding out his Olympic performance with another gold medal. In 1976, Cal Hubbard was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. THIS DAY IN SPO...

In 1905, Ty Cobb's mother Amanda shot and killed his father, W.H. Cobb on the front porch of their home. In 1988, the lights were finally turned on at Wrigley Field. In 2024, Steph Curry sank 9 threes and scored 36 points to help Team USA erase a 17-point deficit to beat Serbia 99-95. In 1992, the US Men's 4 x 100 relay team set a new World Record in the final fun for Carl Lewis in the Olympics. T...

In 1938, Brooklyn Dodgers manager Burleigh Grimes protested an umpire's changed call with a prop that got him ejected. In 1954, the Mile of the Century was contested at the Commonwealth Games in Vancouver, Canada between Englishman Roger Bannister and Australian John Landy. In 2016, golfer Jim Furyk shot a PGA Tour record 58 in the final round of the Travelers Championship. In 1956, Boston Red Sox...