Major League Baseball, the NBA Finals, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open — all these thrilling sports events take place in June. Over the years, many historical sports moments and legendary wins have occurred on June 6. Let’s take a closer look at these.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
June 6 has brought us these memorable moments in sports:
- 1885: Patsy Duffy won the Belmont Stakes with a time of 2:43.00, riding the horse Tyrant.
- 1896: Henry Griffin won the Preakness Stakes on the horse Byron McClelland with a time of 1:51.
- 1901: James Braid won the British Open in golf. It was the first of five Open titles for Braid.
- 1924: Cyril Walker won the U.S. Open in golf. It was his only major title.
- 1925: Rene Lacoste won the French Open in tennis, the first of three French titles.
- 1925: Suzanne Lenglen won the women’s French Open for tennis. It was the first time that a French event was considered a Grand Slam event.
- 1932: Helen Wills won the women’s French Open for tennis.
- 1932: Henri Cochet won the French Open for tennis. It was his seventh and final Grand Slam singles title.
- 1936: Tony Manero won the U.S. Open for golf.
- 1942: Eddie Arcaro won the Belmont Stakes riding the horse Shut Out, with a time of 2:29.2.
- 1946: The NBA was founded.
- 1971: Willie Mays hit the 22nd extra-inning home run of his career, setting an MLB record.
- 1976: The Boston Celtics beat the Phoenix Suns four games to two to win the NBA Championship.
- 1981: Teenager Hana Mandlíková won the women’s French Open for tennis.
- 1990: Cecil Fielder hit three home runs in a game for the second time in the season.
- 1992: Eddie Murray recorded his 1,510th run batted in, passing Mickey Mantle for first on the all-time run batted in list among switch hitters.
- 1993: Sergi Bruguera beat Jim Courier in the French Open for tennis, preventing Courier from three-peating.
- 1999: Juli Inkster won the U.S. Open for women’s golf and broke the under-par scoring record.
- 2007: The Anaheim Ducks beat the Ottawa Senators four games to one to win their first ever Stanley Cup Final.
- 2010: Rafael Nadal won his fifth French Open title for tennis.
- 2015: Serena Williams won her third French Open title for tennis and her 20th Grand Slam singles event.
- 2018: Lebron James set the mark for most 30-point games in NBA playoff history.
The standout moments from these June 6 milestones come from Eddie Murray, Rafael Nadal, and LeBron James.
Murray remains the only switch-hitter in history to reach both 3,000 hits and 500 home runs.
Nadal is widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, known for his relentless determination, powerful forehand, and extensive list of records.
James boasts numerous accolades, including four NBA championships, four MVP awards, four Finals MVP awards, and the title of the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.