23rd

Today at the Seoul Olympics in 1988 – among the events were the women’s Marathon and the men’s 20k walk. The top women marathoners between 1984 and 1988 were Norway’s Grete Waitz and Ingrid Kristiansen and Portugal’s Rosa Mota. Kristiansen elected not to run the marathon at Seoul, choosing the 10,000m instead. Mota was not favoured as much as Waitz, the first great female marathoner, but her overall marathon record in major championships was unsurpassed. She won the first World Championship in 1983 in Helsinki, won the European Championships in 1982, 1986, and 1990, and she eventually won every major city marathon except New York, at which she never competed. During these Games, Mota ran in the lead group throughout, running with her for most of the race were Australia’s Lisa Martin and the GDR’s Katrin Dörre. The three were still together as they approached 40km, but Mota surged slightly and opened a narrow gap. She was able to hold the lead, eventually defeating Martin by 13 seconds, with Dörre winning a bronze medal.  The course for the men’s walk was relatively flat, the favourites: Jozef Pribilinec, who had won the 1986 European Championships, Maurizio Damilano, the 1987 World Champion and 1980 Olympic gold medallist, and the GDR’s Ronald Weigel, although he was considered better at the longer distance. Eventually this group would win the medals. The finish was very close with Pribilinec and Weigel entering the stadium only a few metres apart, the Czechoslovak in the lead by five metres. But Weigel could never close the gap on the track. One of the early field events was the men’s shot, the Swiss Werner Günthör, 1986 European and 1987 World Champion had two big challengers in East Germany’s Ulf Timmermann and Udo Beyer and America’s Randy Barnes. Timmermann was the world record holder with 23.06m set in May 1988. Günthör opened in round one with 21.45m but Timmermann took the lead at the end of the round with 22.02m. In round two Günthör improved to 21.59m and further improved in the next round with 21.70m but Timmermann opened up a bit with 22.16m. Beyer moved into third in round two with 21.40m while Barnes languished in fourth after three rounds, throwing only 20.72m in the second. Round five saw Günthör throw 21.99m and Timmermann 22.29m. Beyer and Günthör were done, having recorded their best marks, and seemingly securing medals. Then Barnes unleased an Olympic record 22.39m in the final round to move into the lead ahead of Timmermann, pushing Beyer to fourth. Timmermann was the last thrower of the competition, and responded with an Olympic record of 22.47m to win the gold medal. Back in the pool and the excitement of the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay the United States would normally be considered favourites, and they were the defending champions. But they had been challenged at the 1986 World Championships by the Soviet Union and East Germany, the 1987 European Champions, and at the 1987 Pan Pacific’s by Canada and Australia. The USA qualified easily, resting three of their top swimmers for the final. In the final the United States took an early lead on the opening leg swum by Chris Jacobs, but the Soviets closed over the next two legs and as the anchors readied to start, the lead was less than 1/10th second. However, Matt Biondi was the American anchor and he quickly settled matters, as he blasted a 47.81s leg, the third fastest split ever swam at the time, and the US had the gold medal and a world record of 3:16.53. The USSR was almost two seconds back for the silver, followed by East Germany. After the  1986 World Championships, Bulgaria’s 100m breaststroke swimmer Tanya Dangalakova took a year off from competition, giving birth to a daughter, Anna, born in June 1987. She required further surgery in October 1987, and was hoping just to win a medal in Seoul, as the gold medal in the 100m breaststroke was almost conceded to East German Silke Hörner, who had already won the 200m breaststroke in world record time, with Dangalakova in fourth. In qualifying Dangalakova and Hörner tied for the best time with 1:08.35. Dangalakova realizing that the heats had felt easy, actually predicted that she could break the world record in the final. That was not to be, but she did win the gold. Gymnastics fans were treated to the finals of the women’s individual all-round competition today. Romania’s Aurelia Dobre had won the 1987 World Championships, but a knee injury led to three knee operations and she was fortunate to be able to compete in Seoul. The other medallists at the 1987 Worlds were Soviet Yelena Shushunova (silver) and Dobre’s teammate Daniela Silivaş (bronze). With Dobre struggling in Seoul, she would finish sixth, the competition for gold was between Shushunova and Silivaş, with the gold coming down to the final rotation on the vault. Shushunova needed a perfect 10 to defeat Silivaş and got it. Silivaş would get some redemption in the apparatus finals when she won three gold medals to Shushunova’s none.     

24th 

  • Born on this day in 1871, English sportswoman – Charlotte “Lottie” Dod – est known as a tennis player. She won the Wimbledon Singles Championship five times, the first one when she was only fifteen in 1887. She remains the youngest ladies’ singles champion. In addition to tennis, Lottie competed in many other sports, including golf, hockey,and archery. She also won the British Amateur Golf Championship, played twice as a member of the England hockey team, which in fact she helped to found, and won a silver medal at the 1908 Olympics in archery. The Guinness Book of Records has named her as one the most versatile female athlete of all time.  For a more comprehensive detailed life story of Lottie, see the Playing Pasts article by Roy Case – click HERE
  • 1884 , French cyclist Gustave Garrigou was born on this day in 1884, He rode the Tour de France eight times and won once in 1911. Of 117 stages he competed in overall, he won eight, came in the top ten 96 times and finished 65 times in the first five.
  • Today in 1938 the US National Championship Men’s Tennis held at Forest Hills, New York was won by Don Budge who beat fellow American Gene Mako, and in doing so become first player to win a Grand Slam. In the Ladies championship  American Alice Marble won her second US singles crown defeating Nancye Wynne Bolton of Australia in straight sets.
  • On this day in 1953 Rocky Marciano scored an 11th round technical knock out against the home town favourite Roland LaStarza at New York City’s Polo Grounds to retain his world heavyweight boxing title
  • In 1979 Russian husband and wife ice skating partnership Oleg Protopopov & Ludmila Beloussova ask for asylum in Switzerland, the became Swiss citizens in 1955.
  • Today in 1983 saw the Test cricket debut of Pakistan’s Shoaib Mohammad, the son of Hanif, at Jullundur against India
  • Events at the Seoul Olympics today in 1988 include: a new heptathlon world record of 7,291 points by American Jackie Joyner-Kersee, with the East Germans Sabine John & Anke Behmer taking the minor medals. Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson broke his own 100m world record with a time of 9.79 only to be famously disqualified 3 days later for use of the drug stanozolol, Carl Lewis was subsequently awarded the gold and the new world record of 9.92. Soviet gymnast Vladimir Artemov shared the horizontal bar gold with team mate Valeri Liukin, he also won the parallel bars event, whcih took his gold medal haul to 4 for the Games. East German cyclist Christa Luding-Rothenburger took the silver in the cycling track sprint, becoming the first athlete to win medals at Summer & Winter Games in same year, she won a speed skating gold in Calgary.  Swimmer Silke Hörner won her second gold medal of the Games as part of the victorious East German 4 x 100m medley relay team. West German swimmer Michael Gross sets a new Olympic 200m butterfly record of 1:56.9, which was his third career gold medal and American Matt Biondi set a world record 22.14 while winning the 50m freestyle – the 4th of 5 gold medals for swimmer at the Games
  • Three Ryder Cups came to a conclusion today in various years –  1989 when  the US & Europe drew, 14-14 at The Belfry. 1995 at Oak Hill, when Europe won 14½-13½, the unheralded Irish rookie Philip Walton securing victory for Europe beating Jay Haas 1 up and in 2006 at the K Club in Ireland Europe, captained by Ian Woosnam won convincingly 18½-9½ for a 3rd consecutive victory
  • On this day in 2017 NFL players knelt, lock arms or remained in their dressing room during the anthem in protests against comments made by President Donald Trump. On the same day Roger Federer is unbeaten as Team Europe dominates Team World 15-9 in the inaugural Laver Cup Tennis event in Prague, Czech Republic

25th 

  • Born on this day in 1886 American tennis player May Sutton, at only 17 she won the singles title at the US National Championships in 1904 and the following year became the first American to win a Wimbledon singles title. She was born in Plymouth, England and moved with her family to California at the age of 6, she  died in 1975.
  • Today in 1920 the US Women’s National Championship, held at Philadelphia, was won by Molla Bjurstedt Mallory beating Marion Zinderstein 6-3, 6-1 to take her 5th US singles crown
  • On this day in 1926 the PGA Championship, contended at Salisbury Golf Club as won by Walter Hagen who defeated Leo Diegel, 5 & 3 in the final to win his 3rd consecutive PGA Championship title. On the very same day Soviet equestrian Sergei Filatov was born, he won Olympic dressage gold in 1960
  • The 16th America’s Cup was on today in 1934 was won by the USA’s Rainbow over  the British entry, Endeavour
  • Today in 1949 the US Open Women’s Golf, held at Prince George’s, was won by Louise Suggs, who led from wire-to-wire, eventually taking the title by 14 strokes ahead of runner-up and defending champion Babe Zaharias. Louise is credited as being the pioneer of women’s professional golf, one of the founding members of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) and certainly the one who encouraged other women to seriously consider golf as a profession.
  • On this day in 1962 Sonny Liston knocked out Floyd Patterson in the 1st round to take the world heavyweight title, also on this day in the 19th America’s Cup Weatherly (US) beat Gretel (Australia)
  • In 1982 Keke Rosberg becames the first Fin to win the Formula 1 World Drivers Championship when he finished 5th in the season ending Caesars Palace Grand Prix in Las Vegas, claiming the title by 5 points from Didier Pironi
  • In Seoul at the 1988 Olympics today –  American sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner won the 100m in a new Olympic record time 10.54; beating team mate Evelyn Ashford by 0.29, the win was the 1st leg of sprint double. Romanian gymnast Daniela Silivaș won 3 gold medals on this day – balance beam, floor exercise & uneven bars events and records a record equalling 7 perfect 10 scores. The Americans sweep the medals in the long jump, with Carl Lewis wining his second gold of the Games with leap of 8.72m ahead of team mates Mike Powell & Larry Myricks. Phoebe Mills finished third in the balance beam to become the first American female gymnast to win a medal at a fully attended Games. In the pool East German Kristin Otto swam an Olympic record of 25.49 to win the 50m freestyle gold, her 6th gold medal of the Games, while Matt Biondi took his 5th gold medal while anchoring the victorious American 4 x 100m medley relay team and Hungarian Tamás Darnyi claimed the 200m individual medley title setting a new world record of 2:00.17, wrapping up medley double at the Games
  • Today in 1992 the 3rd “Battle of the Sexes” match, entitled Battle of Champions, was played at Caesars Palace in Nevada, it matched 40 year-old Jimmy Connors and Martina Navratilova, age 35. Navratilova had previously turned down invitations to take on John McEnroe and Ilie Năstase, as she considered them undignified. The promoters initially tried to match Connors with the then top-ranked female player, Monica Seles. Connors called the match ‘war’ while Navratilova, on the other hand, called it a battle of egos. Connors was the eventual winner 7–5, 6–2
  • Today during the 2000 Sydney Olympics, American basketball player Vince Carter performed one of the most memorable dunks of his career when he jumped over 7-foot-2-inch (2.18 m) French centre Frédéric Weis.  The French media later dubbed it “le dunk de la mort” (“the Dunk of Death”). The USA went on to win gold medal and Carter led the team with 14.8 points per game.
  • On this day in 2005 Spanish Renault driver Fernando Alonso finished 3rd in the Brazilian Grand Prix at Autódromo José Carlos Pace to clinch his first Formula 1 World Drivers Championship
  • The 2011 Solheim Cup, held in Ireland at Killeen Castle, concluded today and saw Europe regain the Cup 15-13 with Azahara Muñoz beats Angela Stanford 1-up to clinch the Cup for Europe
  • Today in 2016 at the Tour Championship Golf at East Lake Golf Club, Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland won in a playoff with Kevin Chappell & Ryan Moore to claim the biggest winner’s prize in golf – a purse of US$10m

26th 

  • The British Open Men’s Golf came to an end on the day in 1861 and 1867 and both times was won by Tom Morris Sr. who beat Willie Park Sr. by 4 strokes and 2 strokes respectively. Morris remains the oldest Open Champion
  • Born on this day in 1876, South African cricketer Charlie Llewellyn. A lefty all-rounder  who played between 1896-1912, he died in 1964
  • American sharp shooter Alfred Lane was born today in 1891, he won Olympic gold in 1912 ar the age of 20.
  • Today in 1925 at Olympia Fields Country Club the PGA Championship Men’s Golf was won by defending champion Walter Hagen. He defeated Bill Mehlhorn, 6 & 5 in the final, it was his 3rd PGA crown overall, and the 7th of his 11 major title
  • Ingrid Mickler-Becker, German athlete, who won pentathlon gold at the 1968 Olympics and the 4×100m relay gold the 1972 Games and was the first German woman to clear 1.70 m in high jump, in 1970 and 6.50 m in the long jump, which she recorded in 1967 – was born on this day in 1942. 
  • On this day in 1958 the USA yachy Columbia beat the British challenger Sceptre  in 18th edition of the  America’s Cup
  • In beating Anderlecht 10-0 in the European Cup today in 1956, Manchester United became the first British football club to score 10 goals in a match in one of the three major European tournament
  • On this day in 1965, the Germany footballer Franz Backenbauer made his international debut, in a 2-1 win over Sweden
  • In a land mark ruling today in 1978 New York District Court Judge Constance Baker Motley ruled that women sportswriters could not be banned from locker rooms
  • Today in 1979 the 1984 LA Olympic coverage was sold to ABC for $225 million
  • The longest ever winning streak in sport [by years] came to an end on this day in 1983, when Australia II, skippered by John Bertrand captured the America’s Cup from the US yacht Liberty, with Dennis Conner a the helm, at Newport, Rhode Island. The trophy had been in the hands of the New York Yacht Club since the competition was inaugurated in 1851 – Bertrand had ended 132 years of American supremacy.
  • At the Olympic Games in Seoul today in 1988 Soviet throwers swept the medals in the hammer, with Sergey Litvinov winning gold in a new Olympic record of 84.80m ahead of team mates Yuriy Sedykh & Jüri Tamm
  • The 1993 Ryder Cup came to a conclusion on this day, played at The Belfry, the US beat Europe, 15-13 with  Davis Love III securing victory for the Americans beating Costantino Rocca at the 18th, 1 up. However 6 years later at Brookline, there the Americans were heavily criticised for the poor behaviour from both their supporters and the team itself when, after trailing 10-6 they won the cup 14½-13½, a invasion of the 17th green occured.
  • On this day in 2004 Ed Whitlock becomes 1st person over 70 to complete a marathon in under 3 hours (2:54:48) at the Toronto Marathon
  • Today in 2006 the American golfer, winner of 5 major titles,Byron Nelson,  died of a blood disorder a tthe age of 94.

27th 

  • Today in 1879 at the British Open Men’s Golf at St Andrews, Scotsman Jamie Anderson won by 3 shots from countrymen Jamie Allen & Andrew Kirkaldy, claiming his 3rd consecutive title
  • William Clothier, American tennis player  was born on this day in 1881. The US National title holder of 1906 and President of the International Hall of Fame, he died in 1962
  • Born today in 1882, English figure skater and tennis player Dorothy Greenhough-Smith. She took the bronze medal at the 1908 Summer Olympics, the first Olympics where figure skating was contested. She was also the 1912 World silver medalist, which was the first silver medal in ladies skating for Great Britain (Madge Syers was the first woman to compete at the World Figure Skating Championships in 1902 by entering what was previously an all-male event, winning the silver medal, which prompted the International Skating Union (ISU) to create a separate ladies’ championship). Dorothy never competed at the European Figure Skating Championships because the ladies event was not added to the programme until 1930. Away from the ice, she also played tennis, entering the 1914 Wimbledon Championships, losing in the first round.
  • Born on this day in 1905 Ernst Baier, German figure skater, who won an Olympic gold in 1936, he died in 2001
  • American swimmer Johnny Weismuller set his first 2 world records in the 100m and 150yd freestyle events the AAU Nationals meet in Brighton Beach, New York today in 1921 
  • The 34th edition of the US Golf Amateur Championship in 1930, won by Bobby Jones,  represented the  completion of an amazing and unique golfing “Grand Slam” for Jones, who had already won the British Amateur Championship at St Andrews, the British Open at Hoylake and the USA Open at Minnespolis.
  • Benoni Beheyt, Belgian cyclist, was born today in 1940
  • Joe Louis’s attempt to regain the world heavyweight title 18 months after announcing his retirement ended in a point defeat by Ezzard Charles on this day in 1950 at the Yankee Stadium in New York
  • André Viger, French Canadian wheelchair marathoner, winner of 3 Paralympics gold medals, was born in Windsor, Ontario on this day in 1952, he died in 2006
  • Today in 1980 Marvin Hagler defeated Alan Minter to claim boxing’s world Middleweight championship in London. The fighters had to be escorted away by police after a riot started after the contest
  • The European Ryder Cup team made history today in 1987 at Muirfield Village, Ohio when they became the first to beat the US on home soil since the tournament began in 1927. Under the leadership of their non-playing captain, Tony Jacklin, Europe retained the trophy with a 15-13 win. Eamonn Darcy’s victory over the putter-less Ben Cranshaw sealing the victory.
  • Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson was disqualified from the Seoul Olympics 100m after his urine sample found to contain steroid stanozolol on this day in 1988 – American Carl Lewis was awarded gold medal and credited with a new world record time of  9.92. In other events at Seoul today American diver Ernst Baierwon the 10m platform gold which wrapped up a diving double after also taking the 3m springboard gold. East German cyclist Olaf Ludwig takes the men’s road race in 4:32:22 beating West German pair Bernd Gröne & Christian Henn
  • On this day in 2013 Albert Naughton, English rugby player died at the age of 84. Born in 1929, he was also known by the nickname  “Ally”, he was a  World Cup winner who played  in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England and Lancashire, and at club level for Widnes and Warrington (captain), as a centre or loose forward,
  • New Zealand clinch their 3rd consecutive southern hemisphere Rugby Championship after bonus-point 34–13 win v Argentina in La Plata on this day in 2014. All Black’s Beauden Barrett kicks 4 conversions and 2 penalties

28th 

  • A great horse racing career was launched today in 1870 when 13 year old Fred Archer rode his first winner, partnering Athol Daisy to victory at Chesterfield. It was the first of 2748 winners for Archer whose all-too-brief career ended in suicide at the age of 29 in 1886
  • Avery Brundage, CEO of the International Intl Olympic Committee – 1952-72 was born in Detroit, Michigan on this day in 1887
  • Born today in 1907 Heikki Savolainen, Finnish pommel horse gymnast and Olympic gold medallist of 1948
  • Gertrud “Traudl” Hecher, Austrian downhill skier and 1960 Olympic bronze medallist was born on this day 1943
  • Anne White the American tennis player who famously wore spandex at Wimbledon in 1985 was born in Charleston, West Virginia today in 1961.
  • On this day in 1964 at the 53rd edition of the Davis Cup, Australia beat USA in Cleveland, 3-2
  •  In 1970 the US yacht Intrepid beat Gretel II of Australia in 22nd America’s Cup
  • Canada defeated the USSR in the eighth and final game of the ice hockey Summit Series on this day in 1972
  • The 5th running of the New York Women’s Marathon today in 1975 saw Kim Merritt win in 2:46:14, while the men’s event, its 6th episode was won by Tom Fleming in 2:19:27
  • Muhammad Ali beat Ken Norton in the 15th round to win the heavyweight boxing title on this day in 1976
  • 3 years later in 1979 Larry Holmes scores an 11th round technical knock out against Earnie Shavers to claim the title
  • On this day in 1980 Australian Williams driver Alan Jones clinched his first Formula 1 World Drivers Championship by winning the Canadian Grand Prix at Île Notre-Dame Circuit
  • A record 23,000 start in a marathon, in Mexico City, today in 1986
  • Events on this day at the 1988 Seoul Olympics include Ukrainian Sergey Bubka winning his only Olympic title despite totally dominating the pole vault for 14 years, his vault was measured at 5.90m. American athletes go 1-2-3 in the 400m with Steve Lewis taking the gold medal in 43.87 ahead of team mates Butch Reynolds & Danny Everett.  Australian Debbie Flintoff-King claims the 400m hurdles gold in 53.17, just 0.01 ahead of Tatyana Ledovskaya of the Soviet Union
  • Today in 1995 Troy Dixon scored a cricket century on his 1st-class debut for Queensland against Western Province
  • The 1997 Ryder Cup, held at  Valderrama in Spain saw Europe winning 14½-13½ to retain the Cup. It was the first time the event was contested in continental Europe and the first of 6 consecutive victories at home by Europe
  • Althea Gibson, American tennis player and golfer,  died of respiratory and bladder infections at the age of 76 today in 2003.  She one of the first Black athletes to cross the colour line of international tennis. In 1956, she became the first African American to win a Grand Slam title (the French). The following year she won both Wimbledon and the US Nationals (precursor of the US Open), then won both again in 1958, and was voted Female Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press in both years. In all, she won 11 Grand Slam tournaments, including five singles titles, five doubles titles, and one mixed doubles title. Gibson was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame and the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame. In the early 1960s she also became the first Black player to compete on the Women’s Professional Golf Tour.
  • On this day in 2014 at the Ryder Cup in Gleneagles, Scotland, Europe won for the 3rd consecutive time with a final tally of 16½-11½

29th 

  • Jean Bouin, French athlete, who competed in 1500–5000 m events at the 1908 and 1912 Olympics and won a silver medal in the 5000m in 1912, was killed in action during WWI on this day in 1914, the Stade Jean-Bouin in Paris, home of the Stade Français rugby union club, was named after him. The French government made a stamp with his picture on it and many games have been held in his honour. A 10km race under the name of Jean Bouin has taken place every year through the streets of Barcelona since 1920.
  • The 1935 Ryder Cup held at Ridgewood saw a home win for the Americans 9-3, the first of 7 consecutive wins by the USA
  • Ray Ewry, American track and field athlete, winner of 8 Olympic golds 1900/04/08, died at the age of 63, on this day in 1937
  • Today in 1941 Joe Louis scored a technical knock out in the 6th round against Lou Nova to be crowned the heavyweight boxing champion
  • Vicki Fergon, American golfer and first woman to win all 3 LPGA-affiliated tours, was born in Palo Alto, California today in 1955
  • The following year, 1956 marks the birth of British Olympian Sebastian Coe
  • Ralph Boston of USA set a then long jump record at 27′ 4 3/4″ on this day in 1965
  • The 4th New York Women’s Marathon was won by Katherine Switzer in 3:07:29. Katherine is perhaps more famous for her 1967 run in the Boston Marathon when she became the first woman to run the race as a numbered entrant. During her run, race official Jock Semple attempted to stop her and grab her official bib; however, he was shoved to the ground by Switzer’s boyfriend, Thomas Miller, who was running with her, and she completed the race. It was not until 1972 that women were allowed to run the Boston Marathon officially. Meanwhile the 5th edition of the men’s race was son by Norbert Sander in 2:26:30, today in 1974
  • Eva Shain, American boxing judge, one of the first female judges in New York – became the first woman to judge a heavyweight championship bout when she was one of the judges at the 1977 fight between Muhammad Ali and Earnie Shavers at Madison Square Garden.
  • Mary Lou Retton retires as a gymnast on this day in 1986
  • One of Liverpool’s famous “sons” Bill Shankly  died on this day in 1981, he was born in 1913. Shankly brought success to Liverpool, gaining promotion to the First Division and winning three League Championships and the UEFA Cup. He laid foundations on which his successors Bob Paisley and Joe Fagan were able to build by winning seven league titles and four European Cups in the ten seasons after Shankly retired in 1974.
  • Today in 1988 at the Seoul Olympic Games saw American sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner set a 200m world record of 21.34 and completing a sprint double. Her team mate  Jackie Joyner-Kersee won her second gold medal of the Games by taking the long jump with an Olympic record leap of 7.40m, she had previously won the heptathlon.  East German Christian Schenk beat countryman Torsten Voss by 89 points to win the decathlon gold medal, with Canadian Dave Steen another 71 points back in third place. The US men’s basketball team beat Australia 78-49 to take the bronze, the would be the last time the US would be represented by a team that didn’t feature NBA players. The US retain the women’s basketball title with a 77-70 win over Yugoslavia, star guard Teresa Edwards top scores for the Americans with 18 points
  • Today in 1991 is perhaps a day that German golfer Bernhard Langer would prefer to forget about. At the Ryder Cup Golf in Kiahwa Island, he missed a 6 foot putt which meant that the US beat Europe, 14½-13½. Had he holed the shot it he would have been a hero, by clinching a 14-all tie and retaining the Cup for Europe, but alas not to be
  • At the 34th Tennis Federation Cup in 1996 Monica Seles beat Arantxa Sánchez Vicario to give the USA an unassailable 3-0 lead over Spain, the US eventually winning 5-0 and claiming their 15th title.
  • Olympic downhill skier Lindsey Kildow marries former Olympic skier Thomas Vonn at the Silver Lake Lodge in Deer Valley, Utah on this day in 2007
  • Today in 2017 Russian pairs skater Ludmila Belousova, winner of 2 Olympic golds 1964/68 died at the age of 81