May is an exciting month for sports fans. The NBA and NHL playoffs are in full swing, MLB is heating up, and major events like the Preakness Stakes, PGA Championship, FA Cup Final, and French Open are on the calendar. Over the years, May 17 has seen many memorable moments in sports history.
In 1875, the first Kentucky Derby took place at Churchill Downs, with Aristides taking the win. Fast forward to 1925, when Tris Speaker achieved his 3,000th career hit. The Chicago Cubs made history in 1927 by beating the Boston Braves in a 22-inning game. In 1939, Princeton and Columbia played the first-ever televised baseball game.
Notable achievements continued in 1959 when Sam Snead set a PGA record for 36 holes at 122. In 1963, Don Notterbart of the Houston Colt .45s pitched a no-hitter against the Phillies. The NFL saw a major shift in 1969 when the Baltimore Colts, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers moved to the AFC.
Hank Aaron joined the 3,000-hit club in 1970, and Bayern Munich won the European Champion Clubs’ Cup in 1974. The Preakness Stakes was won by Master Derby in 1975. In 1979, the Seattle Supersonics beat the Phoenix Suns in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, leading to their only championship.
The New York Islanders claimed their third straight Stanley Cup title in 1983. John Stockton tied the NBA postseason record with 24 assists in 1988. Other highlights include David Wells pitching a perfect game in 1998 and Galatasaray winning the UEFA Cup in 2000. In 2006, FC Barcelona triumphed over Arsenal in the Champions League final. Finally, in 2018, Michigan State University settled a landmark case for $500 million with victims of a former doctor.
