This Day in Sports History: September 30
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. 30 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. 30 has witnessed many notable moments and stories involving sporting legends. Here's a closer look at some of them.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sports history from Sept. 30 included:
- 1882: Bob Ferguson won the British Open for men's golf, his third consecutive Open title.
- 1887: The New York Yacht Club successfully defended the America's Cup, defeating the Scottish challenger 2-0.
- 1904: Doc White of the White Sox pitched his fifth shutout in 18 days.
- 1915: Red Sox clinched the AL pennant by defeating Detroit.
- 1916: The Giants' 26-game winning streak came to an end.
- 1927: Babe Ruth hit his 60th MLB record home run of the season.
- 1934: In his final game as a New York Yankee, Babe Ruth went 0 for 3.
- 1934: St. Louis Cardinals clinched the pennant as Dizzy Dean won his 30th game of the year.
- 1937: The U.S. won the Ryder Cup 8-4.
- 1939: Fordham football beat Waynesburg 34-7 in the first televised college football game.
- 1945: Hank Greenberg hit a ninth-inning grand slam to win the American League pennant for the Detroit Tigers.
- 1947: The Yankees and Dodgers played in the first televised World Series baseball game.
- 1949: Ralph Kiner hit his 54th home run and an NL record 16th in September.
- 1956: White Sox pitcher Jim Derrington was the youngest player to start an MLB game.
- 1965: Dodgers pitcher Don Drysdale won his 13th straight game, including seven shutouts.
- 1972: Roberto Clemente became the 11th MLB player to reach the 3,000-hit mark.
- 1973: Mel Gray began an NFL streak of 121 consecutive games with a reception.
- 1973: American runner Nina Kuscsik retained her crown to win the New York City Marathon in a time of 2:57:07.
- 1978: Earl Foreman and Ed Tepper announced the formation of the Major Indoor Soccer League, which began play in December 1978 with six initial franchises, including the Cincinnati Kids.
- 1980: Rickey Henderson set an American League stolen base record with his 97th of the season.
- 1984: The Angels' Mike Witt pitched a perfect game over the Rangers.
- 1984: Don Mattingly won the American League batting title with a .343 average.
- 1984: The Kansas City Chiefs set a team record by registering 11 sacks against the Cleveland Browns in a 10-6 victory.
- 1988: Louise Ritter won the high jump gold medal at the Seoul Olympics with a jump of 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m).
- 1989: Nolan Ryan picked up his 300th strikeout of the season.
- 1992: George Brett became the 18th player in MLB history to get to the 3,000-hit mark.
- 1997: New York Yankees Tim Raines, Derek Jeter, and Paul O'Neill became the first teammates to hit three consecutive home runs in postseason history in an 8-6 win over the Cleveland Indians.
- 2007: Germany beat Brazil 2-0 to win the FIFA Women's World Cup Final.
- 2007: The U.S. defeated the International team to win the Presidents Cup for golf.
- 2018: The Yankees lost 10-2 to the Boston Red Sox but set an MLB record with 267 home runs for the season.
- 2018: Europe regained the Ryder Cup for golf.
Three athletes who stood out on Sept. 30 were Bob Ferguson, Mel Gray, and Mike Witt.
Ferguson had exceptional putting skills and was one of only four golfers to win the Open three years in a row. Gray was a four-time Pro Bowler and a first-team All-Pro, known for his speed, deep-threat ability, and remarkable skill as a kick and punt returner. Witt was a two-time All-Star for the Angels and an Angels Hall of Fame inductee.
