This Day in Sports History: August 17
Big sports events in August include Major League Baseball games, the U.S. Open Tennis Championship, World Wrestling Entertainment events, NASCAR races, track and field competitions, and the first week of…
Big sports events in August include Major League Baseball games, the U.S. Open Tennis Championship, World Wrestling Entertainment events, NASCAR races, track and field competitions, and the first week of college football. Over the years, Aug. 17 has seen plenty of notable sports moments and stories from legends of the game — here are a few examples.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sports history from Aug. 17 include:
- 1904: Jesse Tannehill pitched a no-hitter against the White Sox in Chicago.
- 1933: Lou Gehrig played in his record-breaking 1,308th consecutive game.
- 1938: Boxer Henry Armstrong defeated Lou Ambers in a 15-round decision at Yankee Stadium to win the lightweight title. This made him the first and only fighter to hold three world titles simultaneously (Featherweight, Welterweight, and Lightweight).
- 1944: Yankees' Johnny Lindell tied the record with four consecutive doubles in a game.
- 1948: Phillies committed eight errors in a baseball game for the second time.
- 1950: Pee Wee Reese (Dodgers) and Sam Calderone (Giants) hit inside-the-park home runs.
- 1966: Willie Mays went into second place on the all-time home run list.
- 1969: Ray Floyd won the PGA Championship by just one stroke. It was his first of four major titles.
- 1972: Steve Carlton won his 15th MLB game in a row, a franchise record.
- 1973: Lee Trevino got his first hole-in-one.
- 1973: Willie Mays hit his 660th and last career home run.
- 1977: Thomas Wessinghage, Harald Hudak, Michael Lederer, and Karl Fleschen set the world record in the 4 x 1500 m relay with a time of 14:38.8.
- 1980: George Brett raised his batting average over .400.
- 1984: Pete Rose returned to the Cincinnati Reds as a player-manager, making two hits in his first game.
- 1987: Paul Molitor extended his hitting streak to 32 games.
- 1987: Muhammad Ali was inducted into The Ring magazine's Boxing Hall of Fame.
- 1989: Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken played in his 1,208th consecutive game and moved to third place all-time behind Yankees' Lou Gehrig and Boston Red Sox/Yankees' Everett Scott.
- 1992: Kevin Gross pitched the only nine-inning no-hitter of the season.
- 1995: Dutchman Marco van Basten announced his retirement from soccer.
- 1997: Davis Love III won the PGA Championship by five strokes, securing his only major title.
- 2003: Shaun Micheel won his first and only major title, clinching the PGA Championship by two strokes.
- 2008: Katherine Hull won the Canadian Women's Open by one stroke.
- 2008: Gulnara Samitova-Galkina won gold in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Beijing Olympics with a world-record time of 8:58:81.
- 2008: Rafael Nadal won the men's tennis singles at the Beijing Olympics, giving Spain its first-ever Olympic gold medal in tennis.
- 2008: Golfer Fred Funk won the first of his three Champions Tour majors.
- 2008: Swimmer Michael Phelps landed his eighth gold medal at the Beijing Olympics, breaking Mark Spitz's 1972 record of seven Olympic golds.
- 2013: Usain Bolt won the 200-meter race at the 14th Athletics World Championships.
- 2014: Inbee Park won the LPGA Championship, her fifth major title.
- 2021: Joel Embiid signed a four-year, $196 million contract extension to stay with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Among these memorable sporting moments from Aug. 17, three athletes who stand out are the late Willie Mays, Rafael Nadal, and Inbee Park. Mays continues to be celebrated for his exceptional all-around skills, including hitting for average and power, dazzling defense, and base-stealing speed. Nadal has amassed numerous Grand Slam titles and other prestigious championships. He is also admired for his sportsmanship and humility. Park, from South Korea, is a highly successful professional golfer whose remarkable consistency and strategic play have kept her ranked among the top players in the world.
