ON THIS DAY: 1987

1966: Gloucestershire cricketer Tony Brown equalled Mickey Stewart’s record for an outfielder by taking seven catches against Notts.

1971: Muhammad Ali won his first title since returning to boxing after being stripped of his world heavyweight crown four years earlier for refusing, on religious grounds, to be drafted into the US Army. He beat Jimmy Ellis for the North American belt. 1997: English football chiefs agreed in principle to let out-of-contract players aged 24 and over move to other clubs for nothing, bringing the game into line with European laws following the Bosman ruling.

STEPHEN ROCHE became the first Irishman to win the Tour de France and only the second winner from outside continental Europe – American Greg LeMond was the first the previous year.