This Day in Sports History

In 1990, this is the most likely date for Wade Boggs to have drunk 73 beers on a cross country flight and finished the day with 107. In 1969, Minnesota Twins manager Billy Martin punched one of his own players outside of Lindell AC's Bar in Detroit. In 1978, golfer John Mahaffey erased a 7 shot deficit to Tom Watson to win the PGA Championship in a sudden death playoff. In 1926, American Trudy Ede...

In 1984, American Joan Benoit won the first women's Olympic marathon. In 2012, Jamaican Usain Bolt set an Olympic record in winning the 100m. In 1963, Craig Breedlove set a a new land speed record of 407 mph. In 1967, an AFL team played an NFL team for the first time in an exhibition game. In 1921, it was the first ever radio broadcast of a baseball game on Pittsburgh' KDKA. In 1968, Pittsburgh's...

In 1936, American Jesse Owens won the Gold medal in the Olympic Gold Medal. In 1936, American Helen Stephens won the 100m Final in record time but was soon accused of being a man. In 2002, Rich Beem won the International using the modified Stableford scoring system. Steve Lowery holed two shots from the fairway in three holes to make it a bit interesting at the end. In 1983, New York Yankees Cente...

In 1921,  Chicago White Sox players Eddie Cicotte, Chick Gandil, Happy Felsch, Lefty Williams, Buck Weaver, Swede Risberg, Fred McMullin, and Shoeless Joe Jackson were banned from baseball 24 hours after being acquitted in their trial.  In 1987, Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Niekro was caught with an emery board in his pocket which he used to scuff the baseball. In 1939, catcher Joe Sprinz...

In 1979 New York Yankee catcher Thurman Munson was killed in a plane crash. In 1960, the Continental Baseball League disbanded. In 1928, it was the women’s 800 meter final, the last to be run by women for another 32 years. In 2012, Gabby Douglas won the women’s all-around gold medal at the Olympics. In 1997, the Barons became the first team to do a bobblehead giveaway. THIS DAY IN SPORTS BACKGROUN...

In 1978, Pete Rose's quest to catch Joe Dimaggio's 56-game hitting streak came to an end at 44 games. In 1996, Michael Johnson became the first man to win both the 200 and 400 in the same Olympic games. In 1976, Formula One race car driver Niki Lauda nearly died in a fiery crash at the Nurburgring. In 1928, Gene Tunney retired. In 2004, Daigo Umehara pulled off an incredible 15-strike parry of Jus...

In 2000, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick made their debuts in New England. Brady as the third string backup to Drew Bledsoe and Michael Bishop. On the other sideline, Giovanni Carmazzi was supposed to be the future QB in San Francisco. Things did not go well. In 2012, swimmer Michael Phelps became the most decorated Olympic athlete. In 1928, 16-year old American Betty Robinson became the first woman...

In 1990, Major League Baseball Commissioner Faye Vincent banned New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner for life. In 1980, Houston Astros pitcher J.R. Richard suffered a stroke that ended his career. In 1989, Javier Sotomayor became the first high jumper to successfully top 8-feet. In 1983, golfer Andy Bean violated rule 19 and hit a putt with the grip of his club, a mistake that cost him nearl...

In 1991, New York Yankees fans jeered Jose Canseco after rumors erupted of him and Madonna becoming an item. In 1988, Bo Jackson hit a home run after the timeout he asked for was denied. In 1908, John McFarlan was denied a perfect game because the final guy refused to step into the batter's box. In 1996, Carl Lewis won the gold medal in the long jump becoming part of an elite crowd to win gold in...

In 1991, Montreal Expos pitcher Dennis Martinez pitched the 13th perfect game in MLB history. Catcher Ron Hassey was behind the plate, becoming the only pitcher to catch two perfect games. In 1994, Texas Rangers pitcher Kenny Rogers was perfect against the California Angels. In 1993, New York Mets pitcher Anthony Young broke his string of 27 consecutive losses. In 1989, St. Louis Cardinal Vince Co...

In 1993, Boston Celtic Reggie Lewis collapsed and died during a pickup game. He'd collapsed during a playoff game in April. In 1999, Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders surprisingly retired from the NFL. In 1988, New York Yankees pitcher Tommy John committed three errors on the same play. In 1987, it was the end of a legendary streak when the Billings (Montana) Mustangs beat the Salt Lake Cit...

In 1986, Mike Tyson knocked out Marvis Frazier in 30 seconds. It was his quickest knockout in his career. In 1998, three spectators attending the US 500 at Michigan International Speedway after Adrian Fernandez's wreck on lap 175. In 2009, another Tour de France ended. Lance Armstrong made his comeback. If he had chosen to stay retired, would his 7 Tour wins still be intact.? In 1984, MLB commissi...

In 1908, icy relations between the US and Britain led to a controversial ruling in the men's 400 m and the most unusual finish to an Olympic race. Also in 1908, it was the first black American to ever win an Olympic medal. In 1952, an FBI agent was chased by a Russian in the 3000m Steeplechase. In 1999, Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France. This win has since been vacated but the influence of wh...

In 1983, it was the 'Pine Tar' incident when Kansas City's George Brett was called out after a Billy Martin protest for too much pine tar on his bat. In 1908, the London Marathon was the first marathon run at a distance of 26.2 miles. Before it had been 25 miles. If the finish line had been where it typically was, there would have been a different winner. In 1952, Emil and Dana Zatopek became the...

In 1995, John Daly won a four-hole playoff against Constantino Rocca to win the Open Championship on the Old Course at St. Andrews. In 2000, Tiger Woods won his first British Open, becoming the youngest to win all four majors in a career. In 2006, Tiger won his third Open Championship. It was his first win after his father, Earl, had passed away. In 1989, Greg LeMond eclipsed a 50 second deficit t...

In 1992, the Dream Team played an intrasquad scrimmage that had the intensity of an NBA Finals Game 7. In 2001, David Duval won his first and only major championship thanks to an error by Ian Woosnam's caddy. In 1963, Sonny Liston beat Floyd Patterson for the second time. In 1990, Greg LeMond won his third Tour de France. In 1984, American Marianne Martin won the first Women's Tour de France. THIS...

Bo Jackson claims this is the day that he got thrown out of a game on purpose so he could go see his newborn and his wife at the hospital. The thing is ... if it happened, it most certainly didn't happen on this day and may not have ever happened. In 2024, San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin got tossed before the first pitch. How common is it for a manager to get tossed before the game even st...

In 1954, tennis phenom Maureen Connolly was injured so badly in a horse riding accident, it ended her career. In 1984, runner and author Jim Fixx died while out on a run at the age of 52. In 1976, Hank Aaron hit his final home run. The groundskeeper who recovered the ball was fired the next day. In 1969, Neil Armstrong took man's first steps on the moon. An hour later Gaylord Perry hit his first c...

In 1903, the original Tour de France rolled to a close. It was a brutal 6-stage, 1500 mile race. In 2009, Tom Watson nearly won his sixth British Open. Instead a bogey on the final hole dropped the 59-year old into a tie and a playoff. He lost by several shots. Watson was the oldest to lead a major after three rounds and would have likely set a record that would have never bee broken if he had won...

In 1999, Frenchman Jean Van de Velde needed only a double bogey six on the final hole to win the Open Championship, instead he made a tragic 7 to finish in a tie for first and lost in a playoff. In 1995, Fabio Casartelli died during stage 15 of the Tour de France after crashing into a roadside barrier. In 1912, a pair of tennis players who'd survived the sinking of the Titanic met on the tennis co...

This Day In Sports History is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Your Favorite Sport's Yesteryear . EPISODE SUMMARY In 1990, the Minnesota Twins turned two triple plays in the same game. It's the only time that's happened in MLB history. In 1990, Bo Jackson hit 3 bombs and Deion Sanders hit an 'inside the park' homer in an exciting affair between two-sport stars. In 1978, Ge...

This Day In Sports History is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Your Favorite Sport's Yesteryear . EPISODE SUMMARY In 1950, Uruguay beat Brazil 2-1 to win the World Cup. It was a tremendous upset and it was an incredible disappointment in Brazil. In 1990, Steve Lyons slid safely into first base and while dusting himself off, dropped his pants. In 1983, Hale Irwin whiffed a...

This Day In Sports History is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Your Favorite Sport's Yesteryear . EPISODE SUMMARY In 1990, benches cleared between the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox after Carlton Fisk and Deion Sanders exchanged unpleasantries. In 1994, Albert Belle's bat was suspected of being corked and was confiscated. That's when a 'Mission: Impossible' style p...

This Day In Sports History is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Your Favorite Sport's Yesteryear . EPISODE SUMMARY In 1949, multi-sport athlete Jaroslav Drobny defected during a tennis tournament in Switzerland. In 1970, Pete Rose scored the winning run in the MLB All Star game after bowling over Ray Fosse at the plate. In 1972, a pair of brothers worked behind the plate du...

This Day In Sports History is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Your Favorite Sport's Yesteryear . EPISODE SUMMARY In 1971, Reggie Jackson hit a 539 foot home run off Dock Ellis in the All-Star game. In 1941, a rules infraction should have given Vic Ghezzi the PGA Championship. Instead, Ghezzi said, 'I don't want to win that way.' In 1972, Carroll Rosenbloom traded his Balt...