September is a big month for sports fans. It marks the start of football season and brings exciting action. Over the years, September 5 has seen some amazing sports moments. Here’s a look at a few highlights.
In 1908, Nap Rucker threw a no-hitter against the Boston Braves. Fast forward to 1916, Richard Norris Williams won his second men’s singles title at the U.S. National Championships. In 1921, Walter Johnson set a new MLB record with 2,287 career strikeouts. Bobby Jones took home the U.S. Amateur Championship in 1925.
The U.S. men’s tennis team won its third straight Davis Cup title in 1948, and Pancho Gonzales claimed the men’s singles title at the U.S. National Championships in 1949. That same year, Margaret Osborne duPont defended her women’s singles title.
In 1960, A.J. Foyt celebrated his first of 67 IndyCar wins, while Cassius Clay, later known as Muhammad Ali, won the light heavyweight boxing gold medal at the Rome Olympics.
Fast forward to 1994, Jerry Rice scored his 127th career touchdown, breaking Jim Brown’s NFL record. In 1995, Cal Ripken Jr. played in his 2,130th consecutive game, tying Lou Gehrig’s record.
More recently, in 2020, Authentic, an 8-1 underdog, won the Kentucky Derby, giving trainer Bob Baffert his sixth win. In 2021, Patrick Cantlay took the PGA TOUR Championship by one stroke.
A.J. Foyt, Roscoe Tanner, and Cal Ripken Jr. are standout athletes from this day. Their achievements have left a lasting mark in sports history.
