On This Day

Year 1911 in Sports History

Events in Sport

  • Jan 10 Trumper scored double cricket ton v South Africa, goes on to get 214
  • Mar 13 Stanley Cup, Dey's Arena, Ottawa, ON: Ottawa Senators beat Galt (ON), 7-4
  • Mar 16 Stanley Cup, Dey's Arena, Ottawa, ON: Ottawa Senators beat Port Arthur Bearcats (ON), 13-4
  • Mar 20 National Squash Tennis Association forms (NYC)
  • Mar 24 73rd Grand National: legendary jockey Jack Anthony wins his first of 3 GN's aboard 20/1 Glenside in torrential rain
  • Apr 4 Hugh Chalmers, automaker, suggests idea of baseball MVP

Sports record brokenBaseball Record

Apr 15 Walter Johnson pitches a record tying 4 strike outs in an inning

MLB Pitcher Walter Johnson
MLB Pitcher
Walter Johnson

Sport awardBoston Marathon

Apr 17 15th Boston Marathon won by Clarence DeMar in race record 2:21:39.6; first of 7 race victories

Marathon Runner Clarence DeMar
Marathon Runner
Clarence DeMar
  • May 13 37th Kentucky Derby: George Archibald aboard Meridian wins in 2:05
  • May 17 36th Preakness: Eddie Dugan aboard Watervale wins in 1:51
  • May 19 Philadelphia Athletics are 12½ games back in AL, & will win World Series
  • May 22 Braves pitcher, Cliff Curtis, loses his 23rd game in a row
  • May 30 1st Indianapolis 500 car race, Ray Harroun wins at 74.59 MPH (120 KPH)
  • Jun 5 Red Sox Joe Wood strikes out 3 pinch hitters in 9th for 5-4 win
  • Jun 17 US National Championship Women's Tennis, Philadelphia CC: Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman beats Florence Sutton 8-10, 6-1, 9-7 for her third straight US singles title
  • Jun 18 Detroit Tigers, trailing White Sox 13-1, come back to win 16-15 for the biggest comeback in Major League Baseball history

  • Jun 26 US Open Men's Golf, Chicago GC: 19-year old John McDermott becomes first American born champion; wins in a playoff with Mike Brady and George Simpson
  • Jun 30 British Open Men's Golf, Royal St George's Golf Club: Harry Vardon wins his 5th Championship by 10 shots in a playoff with 1907 champion Arnaud Massy of France

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Jul 2 Detroit Tigers legend Ty Cobb hits in his 40th straight game in 14-6 rout of Cleveland. Streak ends next game

MLB Legend Ty Cobb
MLB Legend
Ty Cobb
  • Jul 4 Chicago White Sox pitcher Ed Walsh halts Ty Cobb's 40-game hitting streak as Cobb goes 0 for 4
  • Jul 7 Wimbledon Women's Tennis: Dorothea Chambers becomes first player not to concede a game in a final beating Dora Boothby 6-0, 6-0
  • Jul 8 Wimbledon Men's Tennis: Anthony Wilding of New Zealand wins 2nd of 4 consecutive Wimbledon singles titles beating Herbert Roper-Barrett 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-2 ret
  • Jul 20 Boston Red Sox Smokey Joe Wood no-hits St Louis Browns, 5-0
  • Jul 29 Boston Red Sox Joe Wood no-hits St Louis Browns, 5-0
  • Jul 30 9th Tour de France won by Gustave Garrigou of France
  • Aug 27 Chicago White Sox pitcher Ed Walsh no-hits Boston, 5-0
  • Sep 3 US National Championship Men's Tennis, Newport R.I.: William Larned wins his 5th consecutive & 7th overall US singles title; beats Maurice McLoughlin 6-4, 6-4, 6-2

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Sep 12 Future Baseball Hall of Fame pitchers dual for final time; Boston Rustlers' Cy Young vs Christy Mathewson of the Giants; NY wins, 11-2

MLB Pitcher Cy Young
MLB Pitcher
Cy Young
  • Sep 20 Yanks set team record 12 errors in a double header
  • Sep 22 Boston Rustlers' future Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young beats Pittsburgh Pirates, 1-0 at Forbes Field for his final career victory, number 511
  • Sep 28 NY Highlanders get 13 walk & steal 15 bases (including then record 6 in one inning), beating Browns 18-12; each team committed 6 errors
  • Oct 6 Boston Rustlers' future Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young's MLB farewell appearance is a letdown; loses 13-3 to Brooklyn Dodgers in his 906th game
  • Oct 11 Ty Cobb (AL) and Frank Schulte (NL) are named inaugural MLB MVPs; prize is a car
  • Oct 14 Largest baseball crowd ever 38,281 (Polo Grounds) see Giants beat A's, 2-1 (gate is record $77,379)
  • Oct 21 Manitoba, Saskatchewan & Alberta Unions form Western Canada Rugby Football Union
  • Oct 26 Philadelphia A's beat NY Giants, 4 games to 2 in 8th World Series
  • Nov 25 CFL Grey Cup, Varsity Stadium, Toronto: UT Blues win 3rd straight title; beat Toronto Argonauts, 14-7
  • Nov 25 Australasian Championships Men's Tennis, Melbourne: 1907 Wimbledon champion Norman Brookes of Australia beats countryman Horace Rice 6-1, 6-2, 6-3
  • Dec 30 English cricketer Sydney Barnes takes 5-6 in 1st 11 overs v Australia at MCG

Birthdays in Sport


Person of interestHank Greenberg

Jan 1 Hank Greenberg, American Baseball Hall of Fame first baseman (5 × MLB All-Star; World Series 1935, 45; AL MVP 1935, 40; Detroit Tigers), born in NYC, NY (d. 1986)

Baseball Player Hank Greenberg
Baseball Player
Hank Greenberg
  • Jan 6 Ivan Barrow, Jamaican cricket wicketkeeper (11 Tests; first West Indian Test century-maker in England), born in Morant Bay, Jamaica (d. 1979)
  • Jan 7 Merv Waite, cricketer (S Australian all-rounder)
  • Jan 16 Jay Hanna "Dizzy" Dean, HOF baseball pitcher (St Louis Cardinals)
  • Jan 16 Roger Lapébie, French cyclist (d. 1996)
  • Feb 3 Tom Creavy, American golfer (PGA C'ship 1931), born in Tuckahoe, New York (d. 1979)
  • Feb 6 Dooley Briscoe, South African cricketer & soldier (batted in 2 Tests for South Africa 30's), born in Johannesburg (d. 1941)
  • Feb 11 Helen Hicks, American golfer (Western Open 1937, Titleholders Championship 1940), born in Cedarhurst, NY (d. 1974)
  • Feb 12 Charles Mathiesen, Norwegian 1500m speed skater (Olympic gold 1936)
  • Feb 22 Bill Baker, American baseball player (d. 2006)
  • Mar 1 Harry Golombek, British chess grandmaster and author (3-time British champion), born in London, England (d. 1995)
  • Mar 23 Augustus John "Gus" Risman, rugby league player
  • Mar 23 Dick Chapman, American golfer (1940 US amateur, 1951 British amateur), born in Greenwich, Connecticut (d. 1978)
  • Apr 1 Joe Fortenberry, American basketball forward (captain Olympic gold 1936), born in Leo, Texas (d. 1993)
  • Apr 3 Stanislawa Walasiewicz [Stella Walsh], Polish-American athlete (Olympic gold 100m 1932), born in Wierzchownia, Poland (d. 1980)
  • Apr 5 Johnny Revolta, American golfer (PGA C'ship 1935; 18 PGA Tour titles), born in St. Louis, Missouri (d. 1991)
  • Apr 12 Geoff Chubb, South African cricket fast bowler (5 Tests, 21 wickets; Border), born in East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa (d. 1982)
  • Apr 13 Ico Hitrec, Croatian footballer, born in Zagreb, Austria-Hungary (d. 1946)
  • Apr 17 Mikhail Botvinnik, Russian world chess champion (1948-63), born in Repino, Russia (d. 1995)
  • Apr 24 Robert Joseph Kane, President of US Olympic Committee (1977-80), born in Ithaca, New York (d. 1992)
  • May 5 Norman Oldfield, English cricketer (Engl batsman one Test v WI 1939, 80 & 19), born in Dukinfield, Cheshire, England (d. 1996)

Person of interestBetty Nuthall

May 23 Betty Nuthall, English tennis player (US Nat C'ship 1930), born in Surbiton, England (d. 1983)

Tennis Player Betty Nuthall
Tennis Player
Betty Nuthall
  • May 28 Bob Crisp, South African cricket fast bowler (9 Tests, 20 wickets; Rhodesia, Western Province, Worcestershire), born in Calcutta, India (d. 1994)
  • Jun 3 Olaf Okern, Norwegian Nordic skier (Olympic-medal-1948)
  • Jun 8 Van Lingle Mungo, American baseball pitcher (MLB All-Star 1934, 36, 37, 45; NL strikeout leader 1936; Brooklyn Dodgers, NY Giants), born in Pageland, South Carolina (d. 1985)
  • Jun 10 C. P. "Chilla" Christ, Australian cricketer (Qld spinner late 30's), born in Milton, Brisbane (d. 1998)
  • Jun 11 Russ Hodges, American sportscaster (NY Mets, SF Giants; Wednesday Night Fights), born in Dayton, Tennessee (d. 1971)
  • Jun 13 Prince Aly Khan [Ali Salman Aga Khan], Pakistani socialite, jockey, political ambassador and husband to Rita Hayworth, born in Turin, Italy (d. 1960)
  • Jun 22 Marie Braun, Dutch swimmer (Olympic gold 1928), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1982)
  • Jun 24 Juan Manuel Fangio, Argentine auto racer (World F1 champion 1951, 1954-57), born in Balcarce, Argentina (d. 1995)
  • Jun 26 Babe Didrikson Zaharias, American all-round athlete (10 LPGA major titles, Olympic gold 80m hurdles, javelin 1932), born in Port Arthur, Texas (d. 1956)
  • Jul 3 Joe Hardstaff Jr., English cricket batsman (23 Tests, 1,636 runs @ 46.74), born in Nuncargate, Nottinghamshire (d. 1990)
  • Jul 8 Ken Farnes, cricket bowler (fast England in pre-WW II years)
  • Jul 14 Bill Blair, American auto racer (NASCAR pioneer; 54 top-10 finishes), born in High Point, North Carolina (d. 1995)
  • Jul 17 Ted Anderson, English footballer (d. 1979)
  • Jul 28 Gerhard Stoeck, German javelin thrower (Olympic gold 1936)
  • Aug 6 Norman Gordon, South African cricket fast bowler (5 Tests, 20 wickets; Transvaal), born in Boksburg, South Africa (d. 2014)
  • Aug 9 Khershed Meherhomji, Indian cricketer (Indian wicket-keeper 1936), born in Bombay, India (d. 1982)
  • Aug 9 Eddie Futch, American boxing trainer, born in Hillsboro, Mississippi (d. 2001)
  • Aug 23 Birger Ruud, Norwegian 90m ski jumper (Olympic gold 1932, 36), born in Kongsberg, Norway (d. 1998)
  • Aug 23 Elizabeth "Betty" Robinson, US 100m sprinter (Olympic gold 1928), born in Riverdale, Illinois (d. 1999)
  • Sep 6 Harry Danning, American baseball player, born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2004)
  • Sep 15 Karsten Solheim, Norwegian-born American golf entrepreneur (d. 2000)
  • Sep 18 Syd Howe, Canadian ice hockey player, born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (d. 1976)
  • Sep 28 Ellsworth Vines, American tennis player (US Open 1931-32; Wimbledon 1932), golfer (3 PGA Tour titles), born in Los Angeles, CA (d. 1994)
  • Sep 30 Ed Danowski, American football quarterback and halfback (NFL Championship 1934, 38; New York Giants; Pro Bowl 1938), born in Jamesport, New York (d. 1997)
  • Oct 1 Riccardo Torriani, Swiss ice hockey player, luger (Olympic bronze 1928, 48; took the Olympic oath 1948), born in St. Moritz, Switzerland (d. 1988)
  • Oct 1 Herman Hickman, American College Football Hall of Fame guard, coach and broadcaster (Army, Yale), born in Johnson City, Tennessee (d. 1958)
  • Oct 12 Vijay Merchant, Indian cricketer (Test average 47 72, 1st-class avg 71), born in Bombay, India (d. 1987)
  • Oct 12 Maribel Vinson, American figure skater (9 time US National Champion), born in Winchester, Massachusetts (d. 1961)
  • Oct 26 Sid Gillman, Pro & College Football Hall of Fame end (Ohio State U) and coach (U of Cincinnati, LA Rams, Houston Oilers), born in Minneapolis, Minnesota (d. 2003)
  • Nov 1 Sidney Wood Jr, American tennis player (Wimbledon 1931), born in Black Rock, Connecticut (d. 2009)
  • Nov 3 Kick Smit, Dutch soccer striker and manager (29 caps; HFC Haarlem), born in Bloemendaal, Netherlands (d. 1974)
  • Nov 3 Johnny Keane, American baseball manager (St. Louis Cardinals, NY Yankees), born in St. Louis, Missouri (d. 1967)

Person of interestBuck O'Neil

Nov 13 Buck O'Neil, American baseball player (Kansas City Monarchs, 1st African-American coach in Major League Baseball), born in Carrabelle, Florida (d. 2006)

Baseball Player and Coach Buck O'Neil
Baseball Player and Coach
Buck O'Neil
  • Nov 20 Jean Shiley, American high jumper (Olympic gold 1932), born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (d. 1998)
  • Nov 22 Ralph Guldahl, American golfer (US Masters 1939, US Open 1937-38), born in Dallas, Texas (d. 1987)
  • Nov 24 Joe "Ducky" Medwick, American baseball player, born in Carteret, New Jersey (d. 1975)
  • Nov 26 Samuel Reshevsky, Polish-American chess grandmaster, born in Ozorków, Congress Poland, Russian Empire (d. 1992)
  • Dec 1 Walter Alston, American Baseball Hall of Fame first baseman and manager (Brooklyn/LA Dodgers), born in Venice, Ohio (d. 1984)
  • Dec 1 Calvin Griffith, Canadian baseball team owner (Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins 1955-84), born in Montreal, Quebec (d. 1999)
  • Dec 1 Franz Binder, Austrian soccer striker and manager (19 caps Austria, 9 caps Germany; Rapid Vienna), born in St. Pölten, Austria (d. 1989)
  • Dec 13 Buzz Borries, American College Football Hall of Fame halfback (Navy 1932–34), born in Louisville, Kentucky (d. 1969)
  • Dec 21 Josh Gibson, American Negro League baseball legend (hit 800+ HRs), born in Buena Vista, Georgia (d. 1947)
  • Dec 26 Arsenio Lacson, Filipino politician and sportswriter (d. 1962)

Deaths in Sport

  • Feb 7 Harry Graham, Australian cricketer (6 Test for Australia 1893-96, 301 runs), dies at 40
  • Feb 18 Bill Murdoch, cricketer, dies while watching Aust v South Africa Test
  • Apr 14 Addie Joss, American baseball player (Cleveland Naps), dies of TB at 31
  • May 20 E. M. Grace, English cricketer (one Test v Australia 1880, 36 & 0), dies at 69
  • Jul 31 Jack Edwards, cricketer (1888 Ashes tourist), dies
  • Aug 5 Bob Caruthers, American baseball player (b. 1864)
  • Aug 21 W R Wister, cricketer (USA v Canada 1859), dies
  • Nov 23 Bernard Tancred, South African cricketer (87 runs in 1888-89 South Africa v England), dies at 46
  • Dec 13 Reggie Duff, Australian cricket batsman (23 Tests; 104 on debut), dies of alcoholism at 33