Sports
Birth of Wilma Rudolph
Wilma Glodean Rudolph was born on June 23, 1940, in Saint Bethlehem, Tennessee. Dubbed “The Fastest Woman in History,” she became the first female athlete to win three gold medals in a single Olympic Games.
Birth of Yogi Berra
Lorenzo Pietro “Yogi” Berra was born on May 12, 1925, in St. Louis, Missouri. He is widely considered to be one of baseball’s greatest catchers and best clutch hitters of all time.
Birth of Eddie Collins
Edward Trowbridge Collins was born on May 2, 1887, in Millerton, New York. Playing 25 seasons in the major leagues, he played in six World Series, still holds several records, and is considered one of the best second basemen in the sport’s history.
Birth of “Lefty” Grove
Robert Moses “Lefty” Grove was born on March 6, 1900, in Lonaconing, Maryland. Considered one of the greatest pitchers in history, he was a six-time All-Star, American League MVP, nine-time ERA leader, four-time wins leader, and two-time Triple Crown winner.
The Miracle on Ice
On February 22, 1980, the US men’s hockey team scored an unexpected victory over a more experienced Soviet team at the Winter Olympics. The victory was one of the most memorable moments of those games and in all of sports history.
Opening of 1984 Winter Olympics
The 1984 Winter Olympic Games opened in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia (now Bosnia), on February 8, 1984. These were the first Winter Games – and the second Olympics – held in a Communist state.
Birth of Hazel Wightman
Olympic tennis star Hazel Virginia Hotchkiss Wightman was born on December 20, 1886, in Healdsburg, California. She won two Olympic gold medals, in addition to many US titles and has been called the “Queen Mother of American Tennis.”
Birth of Larry Doby
Lawrence Eugene Doby was born on December 13, 1923, in Camden, South Carolina. Doby was the second black player in Major League Baseball, the first in the American League, and the first to make it directly to the majors.
Birth of Althea Gibson
Althea Neale Gibson was born on August 25, 1927, in Silver, South Carolina. Gibson made history by becoming the first African American to win a Wimbledon title. She’s been called the “female Jackie Robinson” for her role in breaking the color barrier in professional tennis.