June is typically an exciting month in sports, with MLB action, the NBA Finals, the Stanley Cup Final, Wimbledon, the U.S. Open Golf Championship, the Canadian Grand Prix, and various track and field events. Some notable sports moments and extraordinary achievements have occurred on June 17 over the years, and these are some of them.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sport on June 17 include:
- 1880: John M. Ward pitched the second perfect game in MLB history.
- 1901: Willie Anderson won the first of his four U.S. Open Men’s golf titles.
- 1911: Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman won the women’s singles title at the U.S. Open tennis championships.
- 1930: Cricket icon Don Bradman scored 131 in the first test match against England.
- 1939: Simonne Mathieu won the women’s singles tennis title at the French Championships.
- 1939: Don McNeill won the men’s singles tennis title at the French Championships.
- 1943: Joe Cronin recorded two three-run pinch-hit home runs.
- 1953: The Red Sox scored 17 runs in one inning.
- 1954: Rocky Marciano defended his NBA heavyweight title, beating Ezzard Charles by unanimous decision.
- 1960: Ted Williams hit his 500th career home run.
- 1962: Brazil beat Czechoslovakia 3-1 to win the FIFA World Cup.
- 1962: Jack Nicklaus won the U.S. Open Golf Championship, earning his first major title.
- 1973: Johnny Miller shot a record-breaking final-round score of 63 to win the U.S. Open Golf Championship and his first major title.
- 1989: In a crucial soccer game, the U.S. defeated Guatemala 2-1 in a qualifying match to secure a spot in the 1990 World Cup.
- 1990: Golfer Hale Irwin won his third U.S. Open title.
- 1992: Charles Barkley was traded from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Phoenix Suns.
- 2003: Moneyball, a book about the 2003 Oakland Athletics baseball team, was released.
- 2007: Ángel Cabrera won the U.S. Open Golf Championship, his first major title.
- 2008: The Boston Celtics beat the Los Angeles Lakers 4-2 to win their 17th NBA Championship.
- 2010: The Los Angeles Lakers defended their title, beating the Boston Celtics 4-3. It was the Lakers’ 16th NBA Championship, and Kobe Bryant was named the Finals Most Valuable Player.
- 2018: TOYOTA GAZOO Racing won the 24 Hours of Le Mans auto endurance race.
- 2023: Shohei Ohtani hit his 150th career home run.
- 2024: The Boston Celtics beat the Dallas Mavericks 4-1, securing their 18th NBA Championship. Jaylen Brown won the Finals MVP award.
The athletes that stand out in these June 17 events are Marciano, Williams, and Miller.
Marciano remains , achieving a record of 49-0. Williams is widely considered one of the greatest hitters in baseball history and achieved numerous accolades, including two MVP awards, two Triple Crowns, and six AL batting titles. Miller is famous for his achievements in professional golf, particularly in the 1970s, when he dominated the sport and won two major championships.
