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 the French Open are on the calendar. Over the years, May 4 has seen many memorable moments in sports history.
In 1869, the Cincinnati Red Stockings played their first official game, winning 45-9 against Great Western. Fast forward to 1929, when Lou Gehrig hit three home runs in a game, leading the New York Yankees to an 11-9 victory over the Chicago White Sox. In 1966, Willie Mays hit his 512th career home run, breaking the National League record previously held by Mel Ott.
The Pittsburgh Pipers won the first-ever ABA championship in 1968, and in 1969, the Montreal Canadiens swept the St. Louis Blues in the Stanley Cup Finals for their 17th title. The 1974 Kentucky Derby saw Ángel Cordero Jr. win aboard Cannonade, marking his first of three Derby victories.
In 1975, Bob Watson scored MLB’s millionth run, and in 1990, Gregg Olson set a record with 41 consecutive scoreless innings. Arsenal won the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1994, the same year Charles Barkley scored 56 points in a playoff game.
Barry Bonds hit his 400th home run in 2002, and in 2013, Floyd Mayweather reclaimed the WBC welterweight title. Stephen Curry won his first MVP award in 2015, while Albert Pujols reached 3,000 hits in 2018. The 2019 Kentucky Derby made history with Maximum Security’s disqualification, and Canelo Alvarez unified the middleweight titles in a major boxing match. In 2024, UFC champion Alexandre Pantoja defended his title in a fan-friendly fight.
