Featured sporting events in May include MLB, the NBA and NHL playoffs, lacrosse, the PGA Championship, and the French Open. Over the years, May 21 has witnessed noteworthy sports moments and legendary performances. Read on to take a closer look at some of them.

Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records

Great moments in sport that occurred on May 21 include:

• 1819: The first bicycle in the U.S. was seen in New York City.
• 1891: Peter Jackson fought a 61-round draw with Jim Corbett in San Francisco.
• 1926: Earl Sheely of the Chicago White Sox hit a record sixth consecutive double.
• 1930: Babe Ruth hit three home runs, but the New York Yankees still lost to the Philadelphia A’s 15-7.
• 1943: The fastest nine-inning American League baseball night game took place in Chicago, lasting 89 minutes.
• 1948: Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees hit for the cycle.
• 1952: The Brooklyn Dodgers scored 15 runs in the first inning and went on to beat the Cincinnati Reds 19-1.
• 1966: Muhammad Ali scored a technical knockout over Henry Cooper in six rounds to win the heavyweight boxing title.
• 1969: Slovan Bratislava beat FC Barcelona in the final of the European Cup Winner’s Cup.
• 1977: Jean Cruguet won the Preakness Stakes riding Seattle Slew with a time of 1:54:4.
• 1979: The Montreal Canadiens won their fourth consecutive Stanley Cup Final, beating the New York Rangers 4-1.
• 1981: The New York Islanders won back-to-back Stanley Cup titles, defeating the Minnesota North Stars 4-1.
• 1989: Nancy Lopez won her third LPGA championship.
• 1994: Pat Day won the Preakness Stakes aboard Tabasco Cat with a time of 1:56:4.
• 1996: Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 200th career home run and became the eighth-youngest player to reach this milestone at the age of 26.
• 1997: Roger Clemens secured his 200th career win, leading the Toronto Blue Jays to a 4-1 win over the New York Yankees.
• 2005: Arsenal beat Manchester United 5-4 on penalty kicks and won the English FA Cup.
• 2008: Manchester United beat Chelsea 6-5 on penalty kicks and won the UEFA Champions League. This was the first all-English final in the Champions League.
• 2016: Kent Desormeaux won the Preakness Stakes riding Exaggerator in 1:58.
• 2016: Manchester United beat Crystal Palace 2-1 in extra time and won the English FA Cup.
• 2023: Brooks Koepka won his third PGA Championship and fifth major title.

Looking back on these May 21 events, the ones that stand out are the Dodgers scoring 15 runs in one inning, the Canadiens’ consecutive Stanley Cup wins, and Koepka’s fifth major title.

The record for most runs scored by a single team in an inning is 18, set by the Chicago White Stockings (now Cubs) against the Detroit Wolverines in 1883. The Montreal Canadiens hold the record for winning the most Stanley Cups in a row, with five straight titles between 1956 and 1960. Koepka is tied for third all-time with five major championship victories.