May hosts championship sports globally. In addition to titles being won and lost in basketball, soccer, and mixed martial arts, May 13 has witnessed several spectacular individual performances in MLB, including some record-shattering moments from some of the sport’s most recognizable names. The precursor to one of the most famous tennis matches of all time also occurred on this date.
Controversy and Excellence on an Individual Level
- 1942: In one of the most incredible individual performances in MLB history, Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jim Tobin pitched a complete game while smashing three home runs to lead the Cubs to a 6-5 win over the Atlanta Braves.
- 1955: New York Yankees center fielder Mickey Mantle matched Tobin by hitting three straight home runs in a 5-2 win over the Detroit Tigers.
- 1958: St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Stan Musial became the eighth player in MLB history to record 3,000 hits.
- 1973: Tennis star Bobby Riggs, aged 55 years, played Margaret Smith Court, the second-ranked female tennis player in the world. Riggs won decisively, laying the groundwork for his infamous match against Billie Jean King.
- 2017: UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic defended his belt in a fight against Junior Dos Santos in Dallas, Texas. Miocic knocked Dos Santos out in the first round for his second consecutive title defense. In the other main event, strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk beat Jessica Andrade by unanimous decision for her fifth consecutive title.
- 2020: In one of the first live sporting events during the COVID-19 pandemic, UFC light heavyweight contender Glover Teixeira inflicted a savage beating on his opponent, Anthony Smith, nearly knocking his teeth out through his mouthguard en route to a fifth-round technical knockout.
Title Wins and the Start of a Legendary Streak
- 1976: The New York Nets triumphed over the Denver Nuggets in Game 6 of the ABA Championship to win the title. It was the last ABA Championship ever, as several teams from the league joined the NBA the following season.
- 1999: The San Antonio Spurs beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 85-71 in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. While seemingly inconsequential, this win was the first of 12 straight postseason victories for the Spurs on the way to their first title.
- 2012: Manchester City claimed its first Premier League title after 110 seasons of professional play.
From all the remarkable sporting achievements on May 13 in past years, what stands out the most is the numerous noteworthy baseball moments. In particular, Jim Tobin’s ridiculous stat line of nine innings pitched and three home runs hit represents one of the most spectacular individual efforts of all time in any sport. Also worth noting is UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic’s flawless knockout of Junior Dos Santos and fellow champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk’s winning claim on the same card.
