Events in Sports History on May 21

  • 1819 1st bicycles (swift walkers) in US introduced in NYC
  • 1866 1st-class debut of cricketer Fred Grace aged 15 years 159 days at the Magdalen Ground, Oxford
  • 1878 4th Kentucky Derby: Jimmy Carter aboard Day Star wins in 2:37.25
  • 1881 US National Lawn Tennis Association is established in NYC, New York
  • 1886 14th Preakness: S Fisher aboard Bard wins in 2:45
  • 1891 Australian boxer Peter Jackson and future world heavyweight champion Jim Corbett fight a No Contest in 61 rounds at California Athletic Club, San Francisco
  • 1904 Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) forms in Paris
  • 1907 32nd Preakness: G Mountain aboard Don Enrique wins in 1:45.4
  • 1914 39th Preakness: Andy Schuttinger aboard Holiday wins in 1:53.8
  • 1922 Colonel Jacob Ruppert buys out Colonel Tillinghast L’Hommedieu Huston's interest in NY Yankees for $1,500,000 to become sole owner
  • 1926 White Sox Earl Sheely hits a record 6th consecutive double

Yankees Blow Lead

1930 Yankees' legendary slugger Babe Ruth hits 3 HRs as NY blows 6-0 lead in 4th against Philadelphia A's at Shibe Park; go on to lose, 15-7

  • 1932 1st Curtis Cup for Women's team amateur golf: US wins, 5½-3½ at Wentworth Club (Wentworth, England)

Bradman Scores 143

1938 Batsman Don Bradman scores 143 for Australia v Surrey, in 198 mins, with 11 fours

  • 1943 Fastest 9 inning AL baseball night game (89 mins), Chicago White Sox beat visiting Washington Senators, 1-0
  • 1945 Australian Services win 1st Victory Test Cricket at Lord's by 6 wickets

DiMaggio Hits for Cycle

1948 NY Yank Joe Dimaggio hits for cycle (single, double, triple, HR)

  • 1952 Booklyn Dodgers score 15 runs in their 1st inning to beat Cincinnati Reds 19-1
  • 1960 85th Preakness: Bobby Ussery aboard Bally Ache wins in 1:57.6
  • 1966 91st Preakness: Don Brumfield aboard Kauai King wins in 1:55.4

Boxing Title Fight

1966 Muhammad Ali TKOs Henry Cooper in 6 for heavyweight boxing title

  • 1968 Billy Williams of the Chicago Cubs sets outfielder record of 695 straight MLB games
  • 1969 Slovan Bratislava of Czechoslovakia win 9th European Cup Winner's Cup against FC Barcelona of Spain 3-2 in Basel
  • 1971 Chelsea win 11th European Cup Winner's Cup against Real Madrid 2-1 in Athens (replay)

Preakness Stakes

1977 102nd Preakness: Jean Cruguet aboard Seattle Slew wins in 1:54.4

  • 1977 San Diego Padres beat Mont Expos, 11-8, in 21 innings
  • 1979 Stanley Cup Final, Montreal Forum, Montreal, Quebec: 4 consecutive titles for Montreal Canadiens; beat NY Rangers, 4-1 for a 4 games to 1 series win
  • 1981 Stanley Cup Final, Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY: NY Islanders win back-to-back titles; beat Minnesota North Stars, 5-1 for 4 games to 1 series win
  • 1983 108th Preakness: Donald Miller Jr on Deputed Testamony wins in 1:55.4
  • 1988 113th Preakness: Eddie Delahoussaye aboard Risen Star wins in 1:56.2

LPGA Championship

1989 LPGA Championship Women's Golf, Jack Nicklaus GC: Nancy Lopez wins her 3rd LPGA C'ship by 3 strokes from Ayako Okamoto of Japan

Preakness Stakes

1994 119th Preakness: Pat Day aboard Tabasco Cat wins in 1:56.4

  • 1994 MLB Cincinnati Reds bat out of order against Los Angeles Dodgers in 2nd inning

Baseball Record

1996 Ken Griffey Jr, 26, is 8th youngest to hits 200 home runs

Sports History

1997 Blue Jays pitcher Roger Clemens beats the Yankees for his 200th win

  • 2001 NHL Western Conference Final: Colorado Avalanche beat St. Louis Blues, 4 games to 1
  • 2005 130th Preakness: Jeremy Rose aboard Afleet Alex wins in 1:55.04
  • 2005 English FA Cup Final, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff (71,876): Arsenal beats Manchester United, 5-4 on penalties after 0 – 0 (a.e.t.); Gunners' 10th title
  • 2006 The Swedish ice hockey team Tre Kronor takes gold in the World Championship, becoming the first nation to hold both the World and Olympic titles separately in the same year.
  • 2008 UEFA Champions League Final, Moscow: Manchester United beats Chelsea, 6-5 on penalties after scores tied at 1-1 after extra time; first all-English final in the competition's history
  • 2011 136th Preakness: Jesús Castañón aboard Shackleford wins in 1:56.47

Preakness Stakes

2016 141st Preakness Stakes: Kent Desormeaux aboard Exaggerator wins in 1 minute 58 seconds

FA Cup Final

2016 English FA Cup Final, Wembley Stadium, London: Manchester United beats Crystal Palace, 2-1 (a.e.t.); Jesse Lingard scores 110' winner

  • 2016 On same card, American boxer Jermell Charlo KOs John Jackson in 8th to claim vacant WBC super welterweight title, and Jermall Charlo beats Austin Trout on points to retain IBF version; first twins to hold world championships in same weight division
  • 2017 IPL Cricket Final, Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Hyderabad: Mumbai Indians beat Rising Pune Supergiant by 1 run; Krunal Pandya 47 (38)
  • 2017 The Tradition Senior Men's Golf, Greystone G&CC: Defending champion Berhard Langer wins by 5 strokes from Scott Parel & Scott McCarron
  • 2022 US Navy posthumously awards Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Charles J. French, known as 'the Human Tugboat' for heroic actions in the South Pacific in 1942; award presented at Naval Base San Diego in ceremony which also dedicates base's rescue swimmer training pool in French's honor [1]

PGA Championship

2023 PGA Championship Men's Golf, Oak Hill CC: Brooks Koepka claims his third career PGA C'ship and fifth major title by 2 shots over Viktor Hovland and Scottie Scheffler