September 1926 in Sports History

Events in Sport

International Lawn Tennis Challenge

Sep 10 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Philadelphia, PA: Vincent Richards & R. Norris Williams clinch US 7th straight title; beat Jacques Brugnon & Henri Cochet of France 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 for 3-0 lead; ends 4-1

  • Sep 11 21st Davis Cup: USA beats France in Philadelphia (4-1), for their 7th straight championship
  • Sep 11 Yanks' Bob Meusel ties record with 3 sacrifice flies
  • Sep 16 St Louis Cards beat Phillies 23-3

US Men's Tennis Open

Sep 18 US National Championship Men's Tennis: Frenchman René Lacoste wins first of 2 straight US titles; beats countryman Jean Borotra 6-4, 6-0, 6-4

Upset of the Decade

Sep 23 "Upset of the Decade" - Gene Tunney beats defending champion Jack Dempsey by 10-round unanimous decision at Sesquicentennial Stadium (later known as JFK Stadium), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for world heavyweight boxing title

  • Sep 25 NHL grants franchises to Chicago Black Hawks & Detroit Red Wings

PGA Championship

Sep 25 PGA Championship Men's Golf, Salisbury GC: Walter Hagen defeats Leo Diegel, 5 & 3 in the final to win his 3rd consecutive PGA C'ship title

  • Sep 25 Yankees take a doubleheader from Browns to clinch AL pennant
  • Sep 26 Shortest double header, Yanks lose 6-1 in 72 minutes & lose again 6-2 in 55 minutes to Browns. Yanks had already clinched pennant

Birthdays in Sport

  • Sep 1 Pat O'Sullivan, American golfer (Titleholders Championship 1951), born in Orange, Connecticut (d. 2019)
  • Sep 3 Bill Flemming, American journalist and sportscaster (ABC's Wide World of Sports), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2007)
  • Sep 4 Bert Olmstead, Canadian Hockey HOF left wing (Stanley Cup, Montreal Canadiens 1953, 56, 57, 58; Toronto Maple Leafs 1962), born in Sceptre, Saskatchewan (d. 2015)
  • Sep 4 Dennis Murphy, American sports entrepreneur (co-founder American Basketball Ass'n, World Hockey Ass'n, original World Team Tennis, Roller Hockey International), born in Shanghai, China (d. 2021)
  • Sep 7 Erich Juskowiak, German footballer, born in Oberhausen, Germany (d. 1983)
  • Sep 11 Alfred Slote, American children's books author (Love & Tennis, Omega Station), born in Brooklyn, New York
  • Sep 11 Eddie Miksis, American baseball player, born in Burlington, New Jersey (d. 2005)
  • Sep 13 Emile Francis, Canadian Hockey HOF coach (NY Rangers 1965-75; St. Louis Blues) and executive (GM: NY Rangers, St. Louis Blues, Hartford Whalers), born in North Battleford, Saskatchewan (d. 2022) [1]
  • Sep 18 Bob Toski, American golfer, instructor (PGA Tour leading money winner 1954), born in Haydenville, Massachusetts
  • Sep 18 Bud Greenspan, American documentary maker (Olympic Games; IOC Olympic Order award 1985), born in NYC, New York (d. 2010)

Duke Snider (1926-2011)

Sep 19 American Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder (8 x MLB All Star; World Series 1955, 59; Brooklyn / LA Dodgers), born in Los Angeles, California

  • Sep 25 Sergei Filatov, Soviet equestrian dressage (Olympic gold 1960), born in Lysyye Gory, Tambov Governorate (d. 1997)
  • Sep 27 Steve Stavro, Canadian businessman and sports executive (owner Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors) and thoroughbred racehorse owner/breeder (Knob Hill Stable, Newmarket Ontario), born in Gavros, Greece (d. 2006)
  • Sep 30 Robin Roberts, American Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher (7 x MLB All Star; won 28 consecutive complete games 1952-53; Philadelphia Phillies), born in Springfield, Illinois (d. 2010)