This Day in Sports History: September 24
Sports in September are all about MLB, the start of the NFL and college football seasons, UFC, the Ryder Cup, and Formula 1. Over the years, Sept. 24 has witnessed…
Sports in September are all about MLB, the start of the NFL and college football seasons, UFC, the Ryder Cup, and Formula 1. Over the years, Sept. 24 has witnessed notable moments and stories from sporting legends. Here's a closer look at some of them.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sports history from Sept. 24 include the following:
- 1903: Bill Bradley became the first Cleveland baseball player to hit for the cycle.
- 1906: Stony McGlynn pitched a no-hitter against the Dodgers for seven innings, with the game called because of darkness.
- 1919: Babe Ruth set an MLB single-season record with 28 home runs.
- 1920: Babe Ruth became the first MLB player to hit 50 home runs in a season.
- 1922: Rogers Hornsby set the National League home run mark at 42 home runs.
- 1927: The New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox to record their 106th victory of the year, setting a new AL record for single-season wins.
- 1930: The Portsmouth Spartans beat the Brooklyn Dodgers 12-0 in the first NFL game ever played under floodlights.
- 1934: Detroit won the American League pennant.
- 1938: Don Budge won the U.S. National Championship for Men's Tennis and became the first player to complete the calendar-year Grand Slam.
- 1938: Alice Marble won the U.S. National Championship for women's tennis, claiming her second U.S. singles crown.
- 1953: Rocky Marciano got a technical knockout on Roland LaStarza in 11 rounds and retained his World Heavyweight Boxing title.
- 1957: The Brooklyn Dodgers played their final game at historic Ebbets Field, defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-0 before moving to Los Angeles.
- 1963: The Los Angeles Dodgers clinched their second National League pennant.
- 1967: Jim Bakken kicked seven field goals in a game.
- 1969: The Mets clinched the National League East pennant.
- 1972: Joe Namath passed for six touchdowns in a game versus the Colts.
- 1972: Jack Tatum set an NFL record with a 104-yard fumble return.
- 1974: Al Kaline was the 12th MLB player to get 3,000 hits.
- 1979: Pete Rose reached 200 hits in a season for the 10th time in his career.
- 1983: Dale Murphy was the sixth MLB player to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in a season.
- 1985: Andre Dawson was the ninth MLB player to get six runs batted in during an inning.
- 1988: Swimmer Matt Biondi swam to a world record time of 22.14 seconds in the 50-meter freestyle race.
- 1988: American runner Jackie Joyner-Kersee won the Olympic gold medal in Seoul while setting a still-standing world record of 7,291 points in the women's heptathlon.
- 1994: Oliver McCall got a technical knockout on Lennox Lewis in the second round and won the WBC heavyweight boxing title.
- 1994: One of college football's most iconic moments occurred when Colorado quarterback Kordell Stewart threw a 64-yard "Miracle at Michigan" Hail Mary touchdown pass to Michael Westbrook as time expired, shocking No. 4 Michigan 27-26.
- 2006: Europe won the Ryder Cup for the third consecutive year.
- 2006: San Diego Padres closer Trevor Hoffman secured his 479th career save, passing Lee Smith to become MLB's all-time saves leader.
- 2017: Roger Federer remained unbeaten as Team Europe beat Team World at the Laver Cup in men's tennis.
- 2017: Xander Schauffele won the TOUR Championship by one stroke.
Three athletes who stood out on Sept. 24 were Babe Ruth, Joe Namath, and Roger Federer.
Ruth's legendary power-hitting changed the game from a “grind-it-out” style to one of home runs and high-scoring action. Namath was a charismatic and exciting quarterback for the New York Jets in the 1960s and 1970s. He famously guaranteed and then led his team to a stunning upset victory in Super Bowl III. Federer is known for his exceptional skill, sportsmanship, and numerous achievements, including 20 Grand Slam titles and eight Wimbledon championships.
