Athletes Born in 1888

  • Jan 4 Arthur Berry, English football player (Olympic gold 1908, 12), born in Liverpool, England (d. 1953)
  • Jan 5 George "Rube" Foster, American baseball pitcher (World Series 1915, 16; no-hitter 1916; Boston Red Sox), born in Lehigh, Oklahoma (d. 1976)
  • Jan 21 Herbie Collins, Australian cricket all-rounder and captain (19 Tests, 1,352 runs @ 45.06, 4 x 100s), born in Sydney, Australia (d. 1959)
  • Feb 2 Frederick Lane, Australian swimmer (Olympic gold 200m freestyle, 200m obstacle 1900), born in Sydney, Australia (d. 1969)
  • Mar 1 Ewart Astill, England cricket all-rounder (9 Tests, Leicestershire), born in Ratby, Leicestershire, England (d. 1948)
  • Mar 4 Jeff Pfeffer, American baseball pitcher (no-hitter Boston Doves v Cincinnati Reds 1907), born in Seymour, Illinois (d. 1972)
  • Mar 4 Knute Rockne, American College Football HOF coach, (National C'ships 1924, 29, 30 Notre Dame; record 105–12–5), born in Voss, Norway (d. 1931)
  • Mar 19 Léon Scieur, Belgian cyclist (d. 1969)
  • Mar 27 George Hearne, South African cricket batsman (3 Tests; Western Province), born in Catford, England (d. 1978)
  • Mar 28 Jack Burke Sr., American golfer (US open 1920 runner-up; Senior PGA C'ship 1941), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1943)
  • Apr 3 Neville Cardus, English writer and cricketer, born in Rusholme, Manchester, England (d. 1975)

Tris Speaker (1888-1958)

Apr 4 American Baseball HOF outfielder (World Series 1912, 15, 20; AL MVP 1912; career batting average .345 [6th all-time]; Cleveland Indians) and manager (Cleveland Indians 1919-26), born in Hubbard, Texas

  • Apr 12 Dan Ahearn, Irish-American athlete (men's triple jump WR 15.52m 1911-24), born in Athea, Ireland (d. 1942)
  • Apr 18 Duffy Lewis, American baseball left fielder (World Series 1912, 15, 16; Boston Red Sox), born in San Francisco, California (d. 1979)
  • May 11 Willis Augustus Lee, American World War II admiral (Guadalcanal) and sport shooter (5 Olympic golds 1920), born in Natlee, Kentucky (d. 1945)
  • May 17 Tich Freeman, English cricket leg-spin bowler (12 Tests, 66 wickets; Kent CCC), born in Lewisham, England (d. 1965)
  • May 23 Zack Wheat, American Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder (NL batting champion 1918; Brooklyn Superbas / Dodgers / Robins 1909–26), born in Hamilton, Missouri (d. 1972)

Clarence DeMar (1888-1958)

Jun 7 American marathon runner and 7-time winner of the Boston Marathon, born in Madeira, Ohio

  • Jun 28 George Challenor, West Indian cricketer (pioneering West Indian batsman), born in St. Michael, Barbados (d. 1947)
  • Jul 1 Ben Taylor, American Baseball Hall of Fame 1st baseman (Indianapolis ABCs) and manager (Washington Potomacs, Baltimore Black Sox), born in Anderson, South Carolina (d. 1953)
  • Jul 10 Graham McNamee, American sportscaster (originated play-by-play sports broadcasting; Baseball HOF Ford C. Frick Award; 1st Rose Bowl), born in Washington D. C. (d. 1942)
  • Jul 24 Arthur Richardson, Australian cricket all-rounder (9 Tests, 1 x 100, HS 100, 12 wickets; South Australia, Western Australia), born in Sevenhill, Clare, Australia (d. 1973)
  • Jul 28 Sidney Pegler, South African cricket leg spinner (16 Tests), (d. 1972)
  • Sep 6 Red Faber, American Baseball HOF pitcher (World Series 1917; AL ERA leader 1921, 22; Chicago White Sox 1914-33), born in Cascade, Iowa (d. 1976)
  • Sep 15 Antonio Ascari, Italian racing driver, born in Bonferraro, Italy (d. 1925)
  • Oct 4 Oscar Mathisen, Norwegian speed skater (5-time World Champion all-round), born in Kristiania, Norway (d. 1954)
  • Oct 30 Konstantinos Tsiklitiras, Greek athlete (Olympic gold standing long jump, bronze high jump 1912, 2 silver 1908), born in Pylos, Greece (d. 1913)
  • Nov 2 Dutch Zwilling, American baseball outfielder (Federal League HR all-time leader), born in St. Louis, Missouri (d. 1978)

José Raúl Capablanca (1888-1942)

Nov 19 Cuban World Chess Champion (1921-27), born in Havana, Cuba, Spanish Empire

  • Dec 3 Algernon Kingscote, English tennis player (Australasian C'ship 1919), born in Bangalore, India (d. 1964)
  • Dec 20 Fred Merkle, American baseball figure, born in Watertown, Wisconsin (d. 1958)