Sports
This Day in Sports History: August 4
August is an exciting month for sports fans with MLB action, the U.S. Open Tennis Championship, WWE events, NASCAR Cup Series races, track and field events, and the start of the college football season. Over the years, Aug. 4 has seen notable sports moments and legendary performances. Below, we explore some of these.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Memorable sports events that occurred on Aug. 4 include:
- 1907: Lucien Petit-Breton won the first of his two Tour de France races.
- 1910: Jack Coombs and Ed Walsh pitched 16 innings each in a game that ended in a 0-0 tie.
- 1922: Lizzie Murphy became the first female to play against MLB players in a charity event.
- 1934: Mel Ott became the first player in MLB history to get six runs in a game.
- 1936: Jesse Owens achieved his second gold medal at the Berlin Olympics.
- 1945: Byron Nelson won the Canadian Open, claiming his 11th consecutive PGA title.
- 1945: Tom McBride hit six runs in one inning, equaling an MLB record.
- 1947: Ike Williams knocked out Bob Montgomery in the sixth round to secure the world lightweight title.
- 1953: Pitcher Vic Raschi scored seven runs, setting an MLB record.
- 1957: Juan Manuel Fangio claimed his fifth Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship.
- 1973: Lindy McDaniel recorded one of the best relief stints in MLB history, allowing only one run in 13 innings.
- 1984: Carl Lewis won the 100-meter race in a time of 9.9 seconds. It was the first of his nine Olympic gold medals.
- 1985: Rod Carew achieved the 3,000th hit of his MLB career.
- 1985: Scott Verplank won the Western Open and became the first amateur to win a PGA Tour event since 1954.
- 1985: Tom Seaver won his 300th career MLB game.
- 1993: Tony Gwynn recorded six hits in a game.
- 1996: Laura Davies won the Canadian Women’s Open by two strokes.
- 2007: Alex Rodriguez hit his 500th career home run, becoming the youngest player in MLB history to achieve this milestone.
- 2007: Barry Bonds hit his 755th career home run, tying him with Hank Aaron for the All-Time MLB record.
- 2012: Serena Williams won gold in the women’s singles event at the London Olympics.
- 2012: Michael Phelps claimed his 18th Olympic gold medal.
Among these memorable sports moments from Aug. 4, three athletes stand out: Byron Nelson, Carl Lewis, and Alex Rodriguez.
Nelson achieved significant success, including 52 PGA Tour victories and five major championships. Lewis amassed an impressive collection of 10 Olympic medals (nine gold and one silver) and 10 World Championships medals (eight gold). He is particularly famous for winning four consecutive Olympic gold medals in the long jump, a feat unmatched by any other male athlete until 2024. Rodriguez achieved fame for his power hitting, earning three AL Most Valuable Player awards and a World Series title with the Yankees.