This Day in Sports History: August 16
Sports in August include baseball games, the U.S. Open Tennis Championship, World Wrestling Entertainment matches, NASCAR races, track and field events, and the beginning of college football season. Over the…
Sports in August include baseball games, the U.S. Open Tennis Championship, World Wrestling Entertainment matches, NASCAR races, track and field events, and the beginning of college football season. Over the years, Aug. 16 has seen notable sports moments and stories from legends of the game. Continue reading to learn more about this day in sports history.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sports history happened on Aug. 16, including:
- 1924: Helen Wills Moody defended her title by winning the U.S. Women's National Tennis Championship.
- 1927: Babe Ruth became the first player to hit a home run that cleared the roof at Comiskey Park in Chicago.
- 1928: Cyclist Georges Ronsse won the men's road race at the Union Cycliste Internationale Road World Championships.
- 1936: The Berlin Olympic equestrian competition concluded with Germany winning all six gold medals in an unprecedented team achievement.
- 1947: Ralph Kiner hit three consecutive home runs in a single game.
- 1956: Rocky Colavito achieved his first career grand slam.
- 1959: Betsy Rawls won her second Women's Western Open by six strokes.
- 1964: Curt Flood accomplished eight consecutive hits during a doubleheader.
- 1965: The Miami Dolphins franchise was established.
- 1970: Dave Stockton won his first PGA Championship at one under par.
- 1976: Dave Stockton achieved his second PGA Championship win.
- 1976: The St. Louis Cardinals beat the San Diego Chargers 20-10 in Tokyo, Japan, for an NFL Expo game.
- 1981: Swimmer Mary T. Meagher broke her own world 100-meter butterfly record with a time of 57.93 seconds.
- 1981: New Zealand defeated Fiji 13-0 in a 1982 FIFA World Cup qualifier, setting what was then the record for the largest margin of victory in World Cup qualifying history.
- 1987: The Mets defeated the Cubs, 23-10, at Wrigley Field. Greg Maddox got the loss.
- 1992: Nigel Mansell clinched his first Formula 1 World Drivers' Championship.
- 1992: Sherri Steinhauer won the Canadian Women's Open. It was the first of two major wins.
- 1992: Nick Price dominated the PGA Championship by three strokes.
- 1997: New Zealand's rugby team won the Tri-Nations Series with an undefeated record.
- 1997: The South African soccer team, Bafana Bafana, won against the national team of the Democratic Republic of the Congo at First National Bank Stadium.
- 1998: Vijay Singh achieved his first major title by winning the PGA Championship by two strokes.
- 2003: Cristiano Ronaldo made his debut with Manchester United.
- 2004: Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe won the men's 200-meter freestyle in an Olympic record time of 1:44.71.
- 2008: Michael Phelps received his seventh gold medal at the Beijing Olympics.
- 2008: Usain Bolt set a new world record in the 100-meter race with a time of 9.69 seconds.
- 2008: British sailor Ben Ainslie won his third Olympic gold medal.
- 2009: Yang Yong-eun got his first major title by winning the PGA Championship by three strokes.
- 2009: Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt shattered his own 100-meter world record by running a staggering 9.58 seconds at the World Championships in Berlin.
- 2015: Jason Day prevailed at the PGA Championship, setting a major championship record of 20-under par.
- 2018: Brooke Raboutou obtained a gold medal in lead climbing at the International Federation of Sport Climbing Youth World Championships.
- 2020: Ronnie O'Sullivan won his sixth World Snooker Championship.
Among these memorable sports moments of Aug. 16, some athletes stand out. Phelps is one of the most decorated Olympians of all time, with a total of 28 medals, including 23 golds. Bolt is an eight-time Olympic gold medalist and holds world records in the 100-meter, 200-meter, and 4×100-meter relay. Day is known for his powerful drives and accuracy on the green. He won the PGA Championship in 2015 and reached the World No. 1 ranking. All these events further prove that Aug. 16 played a vital role in sports history.
