This Day in Sports History: August 5
Big sports in August include Major League Baseball, the U.S. Open Tennis Championship, World Wrestling Entertainment, NASCAR races, track and field, and the first week of college football. Over the…
Big sports in August include Major League Baseball, the U.S. Open Tennis Championship, World Wrestling Entertainment, NASCAR races, track and field, and the first week of college football. Over the years, Aug. 5 has seen notable sports moments and stories from legends of the game, and here are a few examples.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sports history from Aug. 5 include:
- 1901: Peter O'Connor set the first official long jump record at 24 feet, 11 ¾ inches.
- 1927: Cy Williams hit for the cycle.
- 1936: Jesse Owens won the 200-meter race and set a world record time of 20.7 seconds. It was his third gold medal at the Berlin Olympics.
- 1940: John Whitehead pitched a no-hitter.
- 1963: Craig Breedlove set a world land speed record of 407.477 mph.
- 1969: Willie Stargell hit the first and longest home run out of Dodger Stadium.
- 1973 Stephen Holland swam 15:37:8 in the 1500-meter freestyle and set a world record.
- 1973: Phil Niekro pitched a no-hitter against the San Diego Padres.
- 1979: David Graham won the PGA Championship on the third playoff hole.
- 1979: Pete Rose achieved his 2,427th career single, setting a national record.
- 1980: Dick Williams won his 1,000th career game as a manager.
- 1982: Raymond Floyd shot a 63 and tied the tournament 18-hole record at the PGA Championship.
- 1984: Joan Benoit won the first Olympic marathon for women in a time of 2:24:52.
- 1986: Steve Carlton achieved his 4,000th career strikeout, becoming the second pitcher to reach the milestone.
- 1988: Dale Baird won his 5,000th career horse race. He was the second trainer to reach this milestone.
- 1999: Mark McGwire became the 16th player to achieve 500 career home runs.
- 2001: Golfer Se Ri Pak won the Women's British Open by two strokes.
- 2005: Albert Pujols became the first player in MLB history to record at least 30 home runs in their first five MLB seasons.
- 2007: Tom Glavine became the 23rd pitcher to claim 300 career MLB wins.
- 2012: Usain Bolt won the 100-meter race in a time of 9.63 seconds, beating his previous record from the 2008 Olympics.
Among the memorable sports moments of Aug. 5, the athletes who stand out are Steve Carlton, Dale Baird, and Usain Bolt.
Carlton won four Cy Young Awards and led the team to a World Series title. Baird was an American thoroughbred horse racing trainer who also held the record for the most races in that sport, 9445, until Steve Asmussen passed that number. Bolt is an eight-time Olympic gold medalist and the world record holder in the 100 meters, 200 meters, and 4x100-meter relay. Bolt's incredible speed and showmanship made him a global icon.
