Events in Sports History in 1897

Mar 9 Cleveland Indians fans start calling the team "Indians" (in 1915 becomes official)
Mar 9 MLB Cleveland Spiders sign Louis Sockalexis, full-blooded Penobscot

Fitzsimmons vs Corbett

Mar 17 British boxer Bob Fitzsimmons KOs American champion 'Gentleman' Jim Corbett in the 14th round to win World Heavyweight title in Carson City, Nevada

Mar 26 59th Grand National: Terry Kavanagh aboard 6/1 favourite Manifesto wins by 20 lengths from Filbert
Apr 19 1st Boston Marathon (B.A.A. Road Race), won by John J. McDermott in 2:55:10; the world's oldest annual marathon inspired by success of the first marathon at the 1896 Summer Olympics
May 4 23rd Kentucky Derby: Buttons Garner aboard Typhoon II wins in 2:12.5
May 8 22nd Preakness: T. Thorpe aboard Paul Kauvar wins in 1:51¼
May 11 Washington Senator catcher Charlie Farrell throws out 8 attempted stealers
May 18 New York Giants third baseman Bill Joyce becomes last player in baseball history to hit 4 triples in a game as Giants beat Pittsburgh Pirates, 11-5 at Exposition Park

37th British Open

May 20 37th British Open Men's Golf, Royal Liverpool GC: English amateur Harold Hilton wins 2nd Open title by 1 stroke from Scot James Braid

May 29 31st Belmont: Joe Scherrer aboard Scottish Chieftain wins in 2:23.25
Jun 19 MLB Baltimore Orioles outfielder Wee Willie Keeler's then-record 44 game hitting streak ends
Jun 19 US National Championship Women's Tennis: 1895 title holder Juliette Atkinson beats defending champion Elisabeth Moore 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3

Bingley-Hillyard Wins Fourth Wimbledon Title

Jun 28 Wimbledon Women's Tennis: England's Blanche Bingley-Hillyard wins her 4th title beating Charlotte Cooper 5-7, 7-5, 6-2

Jun 29 Chicago Colts establish MLB record for most runs scored in a game by one team as they maul Louisville Colonels, 36 - 7 at the West Side Grounds, Chicago
Jun 30 Wimbledon Men's Tennis: R.F. Doherty beats Harold Mahony 6-4 6-4 6-3 for the first of 4 titles
Aug 23 US National Championship Men's Tennis, Newport R.I.: Defending champion Robert Wrenn beats Wilberforce Eaves 4-6, 8-6, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 for his 4th US singles title
Sep 7 George Davis (Giants) HR off Sport McAllister (Spiders) in DH
Sep 17 US Open Men's Golf, Chicago GC: Englishman Joe Lloyd wins his only major title by 1 stroke over runner-up Willie Anderson of Scotland; last 36-hole US Open
Nov 1 Italian football club Juventus F.C. is founded by students in Turin as Sport-Club Juventus
Nov 24 Canadian Intercollegiate Rugby Football Union forms in Kingston
Dec 27 Stanley Cup, Victoria Rink, Montreal, Quebec: Montreal Victorias beat Ottawa Capitals, 15-2