1897 – Chicago’s Cap Anson becomes the first MLB player to collect 3,000 career hits.
1902 – John McGraw is hired as manager of the New York Giants, a position he would hold for 30 years.
1920 – Babe Ruth breaks his own single season home run record, hitting his 30th of the season. He would finish the year with 54 bombs.
1924 – George Kelly of the New York Giants becomes the first player in MLB history to homer in six consecutive games.
1941 – Joe DiMaggio extends his legendary hitting streak to 56 games.
1947 – Rocky Graziano wins the world middleweight championship, knocking out Tony Zale in their bout at Chicago Stadium.
1956 – The Detroit Tigers are sold for a then record $5.5 million.
1961 – Ralph Boston of the United States sets a world record in the long jump at 27’ 2” in a meet in Moscow.
1964 – Little League Baseball is granted a Federal Charter by the United States Senate and House of Representatives.
1970 – The Pittsburgh Pirates play their first game at Three Rivers Stadium.
1988 – Jackie Joyner-Kersee sets a women’s heptathlon record with 7,215 points.
2006 – Mariano Rivera picks up career save #400, becoming just the fourth closer to reach that milestone.
2009 – Ryan Howard of the Philadelphia Phillies hits career home run #200 in just his 658th game, the fewest amount of games in MLB history to reach that mark.
Related Topicsthis day in sports history