This Day in Sports History: September 27
Sports fans have a lot to look forward to in September, with MLB games, the start of the NFL and college football seasons, UFC events, the Ryder Cup, and Formula…
- 1879: Jamie Anderson won the Open Championship in men's golf by three strokes.
- 1905: Bill Dinneen pitched a no-hitter against the White Sox.
- 1914: Nap Lajoie recorded his 3,000th Major League hit.
- 1919: Pitcher Bob Shawkey set a Yankees record with 15 strikeouts.
- 1921: Swimmer Johnny Weissmuller set his first two world records in the 100-meter and 150-yard freestyle events.
- 1923: Lou Gehrig hit his first career home run.
- 1930: Hack Wilson hit two home runs, bringing his season total to 56 and setting a new National League record.
- 1930: Bobby Jones won the U.S. Amateur Championship in men's golf for the fifth time.
- 1931: Lou Gehrig completed his sixth straight season of playing in every game.
- 1935: The Cubs won their 21st game in a row and clinched the NL pennant.
- 1936: Walter Alston played in his only MLB game. He went on to manage the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers for 23 seasons.
- 1940: Rookie pitcher Floyd Giebell pitched a shutout against the Cleveland Indians, and the Tigers clinched the American League pennant.
- 1946: In one of the most brutal wars in boxing history, Tony Zale knocked out Rocky Graziano in the sixth round at Yankee Stadium to retain the world middleweight championship.
- 1949: Boston Red Sox icon Ted Williams singled in the third inning against Washington to reach base safely for a record-breaking 84th consecutive game.
- 1950: Ezzard Charles defeated Joe Louis in 15 rounds and retained his heavyweight title.
- 1961: Sandy Koufax set an NL record for strikeouts in a season with 269.
- 1967: Pitcher Jim Bunning recorded his fifth 1-0 loss of the season.
- 1968: Bob Gibson pitched his 13th shutout of the season.
- 1970: Ken Boswell set a second baseman record of 85 games without an error.
- 1973: Nolan Ryan struck out 16 in 11 innings for a record 383 in the season.
- 1983: Tim Raines became the first MLB player since Ty Cobb to steal 70 bases and drive in 70 runs in the same season.
- 1988: Diver Greg Louganis won the 10-meter platform gold medal at the Seoul Olympic Games.
- 1990: Tour de France champion Greg LeMond was honored at the White House.
- 1992: The Pirates won their third straight NL East title.
- 1998: St. Louis Cardinals slugger Mark McGwire capped off an incredible home run race by hitting his 69th and 70th home runs of the season against the Montreal Expos, setting an MLB single-season record at the time.
- 2000: The USA baseball team, coached by Tommy Lasorda, won Olympic gold.
- 2005: The Atlanta Braves clinched their 14th straight division title.
- 2008: Greg Maddux won the final start of his career.
- 2014: The New Zealand All Blacks beat Argentina 34-13 and won their third straight Rugby Championship title.
- 2024: The Chicago White Sox lost to the Tigers 4-1, marking an MLB-record 121 losses in a single season.
Sports fans have a lot to look forward to in September, with MLB games, the start of the NFL and college football seasons, UFC events, the Ryder Cup, and Formula 1 races. Sept. 27 has seen many memorable moments and legendary achievements over the years, and these are some of them.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Notable happenings in sports history from Sept. 27 include:
Among the events of Sept. 27, three athletes stood out: Bobby Jones, Lou Gehrig, and Greg LeMond.
Jones was the only player to win golf's Grand Slam in 1930 and co-founded the Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament. Gehrig's career highlights included a Triple Crown, multiple MVP awards, and six World Series championships. His playing career ended due to ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. LeMond was the first American to win the Tour de France, achieving this prestigious cycling feat three times.
