Events in Sports History in 1878

  • Feb 11 1st US bicycle club, Boston Bicycle Club, forms
  • Feb 12 Harvard player Frederick Thayer patents baseball catcher's mask (pat # 200,358)
  • Mar 13 Oxford University defeats Cambridge University in their 1st golf match
  • Mar 23 English FA Cup Final, Kennington Oval, London: Wanderers beat Royal Engineers, 3–1; Wanderers' back-to-back and 5th title overall
  • Mar 29 40th Grand National: John Jones aboard 7/1 chance Shifnal wins by 2 lengths from Martha
  • May 21 4th Kentucky Derby: Jimmy Carter aboard Day Star wins in 2:37.25
  • May 27 6th Preakness: C Holloway aboard Duke of Magenta wins in 2:41.75

Cricket History

May 27 Australian cricket fast bowler Fred Spofforth takes 10-20 (6-4 and 4-16) in quick-fire 9 wicket tour match win over the MCC in London

  • Jun 8 12th Belmont: L Hughes aboard Duke of Magenta wins in 2:43.5
  • Jul 18 Wimbledon Men's Tennis: Frank Hadow makes his lone Wimbledon appearance, and wins; beats defending champion Spencer Gore 7-5, 6-1, 9-7
  • Aug 21 Surrey wicket-keeper Ted Pooley completes a then-1st class cricket record 8 stumpings in a County match against Kent at The Oval
  • Sep 2 Surrey left-arm slow round-arm bowler Ted Barratt takes 10-43 for the Players in Australia's 1st innings in a cricket tour match on his home ground at The Oval; all ten are caught or stumped; Australia wins by 8 runs

British Golf Open

Oct 4 British Open Men's Golf, Prestwick GC: Scotsman Jamie Anderson wins 2nd of 3 consecutive Championships; beats Bob Kirk by 2 strokes

  • Oct 22 The first rugby match under floodlights takes place in Salford, between Broughton and Swinton.