This Day in Sports History: June 23
June sports are all about Major League Baseball, the NBA Finals, Stanley Cup Final, Wimbledon, U.S. Open, Canadian Grand Prix, and track and field events. Over the years, legends of…
CHARLOTTE, NC – MARCH 18: Kyrie Irving #1 of the Duke Blue Devils calls a play in the first half while taking on the Hampton Pirates during the second round of the 2011 NCAA men’s basketball tournament at Time Warner Cable Arena on March 18, 2011 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
June sports are all about Major League Baseball, the NBA Finals, Stanley Cup Final, Wimbledon, U.S. Open, Canadian Grand Prix, and track and field events. Over the years, legends of their games have provided history with plenty of notable moments. Let's take a closer look at some memories from this day in history.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great sports moments from June 23 include:
- 1893: Aline Terry won the U.S. National Championships (now the U.S. Open) for women's tennis. It was her only major title.
- 1915: The Yankees recorded 16 walks in a single game.
- 1922: Walter Hagen won the British Open. He was the first American-born golfer to do so.
- 1927: Lou Gehrig hit three home runs against the Boston Red Sox.
- 1939: Bronko Nagurski beat Lou Thesz to win his first National Wrestling Association world heavyweight title.
- 1945: Eddie Arcaro won the Belmont Stakes riding the horse Pavot, with a time of 2:30.2.
- 1963: Mickey Wright defended her title and won the Women's Western Open.
- 1963: Julius Boros won his second U.S. Open title.
- 1969: Joe Frazier scored a technical knockout on Jerry Quarry in the seventh round, winning the heavyweight boxing title.
- 1971: Rick Wise pitched a no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds.
- 1979: The West Indies beat England, winning the Cricket World Cup for the second time.
- 1985: Arnold Palmer won the Senior Tournament Players Championship.
- 1991: Mazda was the first Japanese car to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
- 2003: Barry Bonds stole his 500th career base, becoming the first player in MLB history to have 500 home runs and 500 steals.
- 2005: The San Antonio Spurs took down the defending champion, the Detroit Pistons, to win the NBA Finals. Tim Duncan was awarded his third NBA Finals MVP Award.
- 2008: Pitcher Félix Hernández hit a grand slam. He was the first pitcher to achieve this since Steve Dunning in 1971.
- 2011: Kyrie Irving signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers after they selected him as their first pick in the NBA draft.
- 2019: Hannah Green won the Women's PGA Championship. It was her first LPGA title win.
Looking back on these June 23 events, the athletes who stand out are Arnold Palmer, Barry Bonds, and Kyrie Irving.
Palmer's fame stemmed from his remarkable achievements as a golfer, his charismatic personality, and his contributions to the sport's popularity. Bonds is known for his exceptional baseball accomplishments, particularly his record-breaking home run totals, as well as the controversy surrounding his alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs. Irving is a professional basketball player recognized for his elite ball-handling, scoring, and playmaking skills. He is a nine-time All-Star, an NBA champion, and an NBA All-Star Game MVP.
