TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
1842 Chris Lilly and Tom McCoy fight barefisted for 119 rounds, when McCoy falls dead in the ring after two hours and 43 minutes. He had received 100 square blows, and was knocked down 81 times. 1927 Waite Hoyt becomes the only 20-game winner for the 1927 New York Yankees. 1932 The New York Yankees clinch their seventh pennant. 1936 Cleveland Indians’ Bob Feller strikes out a record 17 in a game against the Philadelphia Athletics. 1942 Chicago Cubs shortstop Leonard Merullo makes four errors in one inning. 1949 The Ladies Pro Golf Association of America is formed in New York City. 1963 The New York Yankees clinch their 28th pennant. 1965 Willie Mays hits his 500th career home run. 1971 Frank Robinson hits his 500th career home run. 1971 The World Hockey Association is formed. 1973 The ABC announces it obtained TV rights for the 1976 Olympics. 1973 U.S. Congress passes and sends a bill to president Richard Nixon to lift football’s blackout. 1974 The Philadelphia Phillies set a National League record, using 27 players in a game, while the St. Louis Cardinals use 24, tying a combined record of 51. The Phillies win, 7-3 in 17 innings. 1978 The New York Yankees win to gain sole possession of first place after being 14 games back. 1981 The Atlanta Falcons tie a record, scoring 31 points in the fourth quarter against the Green Bay Packers. 1981 John McEnroe beats Bjorn Borg for the U.S. Open tennis title. 1986 Bert Blyleven gives up a record 44 home runs in a season. 1989 Fay Vincent becomes Major League Baseball’s eighth commissioner when he succeeds the late Bart Giamatti. 2001 Due to terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, Major League Baseball postpones all games through Sept. 17. 2010 Rafael Nadal wins the U.S. Open tennis championship, defeating Novak Djokovic, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2.