This Day in Sports History: August 21
Sports in August are all about Major League Baseball, the U.S. Open Tennis Championship, the start of the Premier League season, WWE events, the NASCAR Cup Series, track and field…
Sports in August are all about Major League Baseball, the U.S. Open Tennis Championship, the start of the Premier League season, WWE events, the NASCAR Cup Series, track and field meets, and the first week of College Football. Over the years, Aug. 21 has witnessed notable sports moments and stories from legends of the game. Here's a closer look at some of these.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sports history that occurred on Aug. 21 include:
- 1899: Malcolm Whitman won the U.S. National Championship for Men's Tennis, his second of three straight U.S. singles titles.
- 1900: Malcolm Whitman won his third straight U.S. singles tennis title.
- 1914: Walter Hagen won the U.S. Men's Golf Open by one stroke, making it the first of two Open titles and 11 Major championship victories.
- 1920: Jock Hutchison won the PGA Men's Championship, the first of two Major wins.
- 1926: Ted Lyons pitched a no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox.
- 1931: Babe Ruth became the first player in MLB history to hit 600 career home runs.
- 1932: Wes Ferrell was the first pitcher to win 20 games in each of his first four seasons.
- 1948: The Cleveland Indians' 47-inning scoreless streak ended in a 3-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox.
- 1966: Mickey Wright won the Women's Western Open for golf, making it her 13th Major title.
- 1982: Rollie Fingers became the first pitcher to achieve the 300-save milestone.
- 1986: Spike Owens scored six runs in a game for the Red Sox.
- 2004: Michael Phelps won his sixth gold medal at the Athens Olympic Games.
- 2004: South Africa won the Tri-Nations Series, now known as the Rugby Championship, for the second time.
- 2004: South Korea won three of the four gold medals awarded in archery at the Athens Olympic Games.
- 2008: In women's water polo, Daniëlle de Bruijn scored seven goals in the Netherlands' 9-8 win over the U.S.
- 2008: The U.S. beat Brazil 1-0 to win the Olympic Women's Soccer Gold Medal Match.
- 2010: New Zealand won the Tri-Nations Series for the 10th time.
- 2016: Eliud Kipchoge won the Olympic Men's Marathon in a time of 2:08.44.
- 2016: The U.S. basketball team beat Serbia 96-66 to retain the Men's Basketball title at the Rio de Janeiro Games. Kevin Durant scored 30 points.
- 2020: Scottie Scheffler became the 12th player in PGA Tour history to score 59 in the second round of the Northern Trust.
Looking back on the events of Aug. 21, the athletes who stand out are Malcolm Whitman, Wes Ferrell, and Mickey Wright. Whitman published the book “Tennis Origins and Mysteries” in 1932, and the International Tennis Hall of Fame inducted him in 1955.
Ferrell was a six-time 20-game winner and led the league in wins in 1935. He also held the record for most home runs by a pitcher in a single season, with nine, and had a career tally of 38. Wright had numerous victories, including four U.S. Women's Open titles and four LPGA Championship wins.
