On This Day

October 1888 in Sports History

Events in Sport

  • Oct 3 New Zealand Natives, a privately organised and mainly Māori rugby team, plays first game in UK; beats Surry 4-1; first national rugby team to wear all-black & perform the 'haka'
  • Oct 8 British Open Men's Golf, St Andrews: Scotsman Jack Burns wins his lone Open title by 1 stroke from Ben Sayers and David Anderson Jr
  • Oct 20 Chicago and All America baseball teams play exhibition in Auckland, New Zealand
  • Oct 27 "World Championship" Baseball Series, Sportsman's Park, St. Louis; St. Louis Browns rout NY Giants, 18-7 in Game 10 but lose series, 6-4
  • Oct 31 Scottish vet John Boyd Dunlop patents pneumatic bicycle tyre

Birthdays in Sport

  • Oct 4 Oscar Mathisen, Norwegian speed skater (5-time World Champion all-round), born in Kristiania, Norway (d. 1954)
  • Oct 30 Konstantinos Tsiklitiras, Greek athlete (Olympic gold standing long jump, bronze high jump 1912, 2 silver 1908), born in Pylos, Greece (d. 1913)

Deaths in Sport

  • Oct 4 Tom King, English boxer (English heavyweight champion 1862-63), rower and bookmaker, dies of bronchitus at 53

Famous Sports Stars

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