August is a thrilling month for sports fans. Major League Baseball is in full swing, the U.S. Open Tennis Championships bring excitement, and the English Premier League kicks off. Here are some highlights from August 28 throughout sports history.
In 1884, Mickey Welsh struck out the first nine batters he faced, setting a major league record. Richard Sears won the U.S. National Tennis Championship for men for the sixth time in 1886. Robert Wrenn claimed his first national singles title in 1893, and William Larned won his third championship in 1907.
Fast forward to 1920, when Ethelda Bleibtrey set a world record in the 300-meter swim. Babe Ruth began a nine-game streak of extra-base hits in 1921. In 1942, Gunder Hägg ran a world-record 3,000 meters in 8:01.2.
The New York Giants’ 16-game winning streak ended in 1951 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Nellie Fox set a record for 98 consecutive games without striking out in 1958. In 1972, the U.S. 4×100-meter freestyle relay team won gold with a world record time.
Nolan Ryan struck out 300 batters for the fifth straight year in 1973. In 1981, Sebastian Coe ran a mile in 3:47.33, a world record. The U.S. Open saw a major upset in 1990 when top seed Stefan Edberg lost in the first round.
Tiger Woods became the youngest U.S. Golf Amateur Champion in 1994. Rory McIlroy won the Tour Championship in 2022, making him the first three-time FedEx Cup winner. Three standout athletes from August 28 are Richard Sears, Nolan Ryan, and Rory McIlroy.
