This Day in Sports History: August 30
Many sports events happen in August, such as MLB games, the U.S. Open Tennis Championship matches, WWE events, NASCAR races, track and field competitions, and college football games. Over the…
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Many sports events happen in August, such as MLB games, the U.S. Open Tennis Championship matches, WWE events, NASCAR races, track and field competitions, and college football games. Over the years, Aug. 30 has seen plenty of notable sports moments and inspiring stories from legends of the game. Continue reading to learn about noteworthy events on this day in sports history.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sports history from Aug. 30 include:
- 1887: Richard Sears won the U.S. National Championship, winning his seventh straight U.S. singles title.
- 1892: Oliver Campbell won his third straight U.S. singles title in men's tennis.
- 1905: Ty Cobb made his MLB debut.
- 1906: Hal Chase hit three triples in a game.
- 1912: Earl Hamilton pitched a no-hitter against the Tigers.
- 1927:. Helen Wills Moody won her fourth U.S. singles title at the U.S. National Championship for women's tennis.
- 1937: Joe Louis beat Tommy Farr in 15 rounds, winning the heavyweight boxing title.
- 1941: Lon Warneke pitched his first no-hitter against the Reds.
- 1954: The BC Lions played their first Canadian Football League game, losing to the Saskatchewan Roughriders, 17-0.
- 1960: Pete Runnels achieved six hits in an MLB game.
- 1961: Jack Fisher walked 12 batters during an MLB game against the Angels.
- 1969: Steve Melnyk won the U.S. Amateur Golf Championship.
- 1972: Gymnast Ludmilla Tourischeva received her second gold medal at the Munich Olympics.
- 1972: Swimmer Shane Gould accomplished a world record time of 4:19.04 in the 400-meter freestyle.
- 1979: John McEnroe dominated Ilie Năstase, achieving the men's singles title at the U.S. Open.
- 1981: Bill Shoemaker became the first jockey to win a million-dollar thoroughbred race.
- 1987: Carl Lewis won the 100-meter race at the World Championships in Athletics.
- 1987: Ben Johnson ran the 100-meter race in 9.83 seconds, setting a new world record.
- 1987: Kirby Puckett got six hits in a single MLB game.
- 1987: Yves Pol ran a complete marathon backwards in 3:57:57.
- 1988: Kent Tekulve became the second pitcher in major league history to appear in 1,000 games.
- 1992: Golfer Justin Leonard won the U.S. Amateur Championship.
- 1997: In the first-ever WNBA Championship, the Houston Comets beat the New York Liberty, 65-51.
- 1997: Greg Rudaski became the first tennis player to serve two 141-mph serves in a U.S. Open tennis match.
- 2006: The Braves pitcher Greg Maddux won his 330th career MLB game.
- 2012: Tennis player Andy Roddick announced his retirement.
Two athletes who stand out are John McEnroe and Ben Johnson. McEnroe achieved the rare feat of being ranked No. 1 in singles and doubles simultaneously. Johnson is a famous former sprinter known for his incredible speed and his unfortunate doping scandal. Aug. 30 certainly played a major role in sports history.
Michael GaraventaWriter
