December 1933 in Sports History

Events in Sport

Event of Interest

Dec 3 As part of a famous MLB fire sale of players, Philadelphia A's owner Connie Mack sells catcher Mickey Cochrane to Detroit for $100,000; Cochrane is immediately named Tigers manager

Baseball Legend Connie Mack — Baseball Legend
Connie Mack

Event of Interest

Dec 12 Eddie Shore hits Toronto Maple Leaf star Ace Bailey from behind, fracturing his skull and ending his career

NHL Star Eddie Shore — NHL Star
Eddie Shore

Dec 15 Baseball owners agree to ban Sunday doubleheaders until after June 15
Dec 17 B H Valentine scores 133 on Test Cricket debut, Eng v India at Bombay
Dec 17 Lala Amarnath scores century on Test Cricket debut (went on to 118)

NFL Championship

Dec 17 National Football League Championship - 1st title game, Wrigley Field, Chicago: Chicago Bears beat New York Giants, 23-21; "Bronko Nagurski Rule" - forward pass is legal anywhere behind line of scrimmage

Hall of Fame American Football Player Bronko Nagurski — Hall of Fame American Football Player
Bronko Nagurski

American Football Player Mel Hein — American Football Player
Mel Hein

NHL Record

Dec 23 Montreal Canadiens center Howie Morenz scores in 3-0 win v Detroit Red Wings; his NHL record 249th career goal

NHL Star Howie Morenz — NHL Star
Howie Morenz

Event of Interest

Dec 29 New York Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert refuses to release future Baseball Hall of Fame slugger Babe Ruth to manage the Cincinnati Reds

Baseball Legend Babe Ruth — Baseball Legend
Babe Ruth

Birthdays in Sport

Dec 2 Michael Larrabee, American athlete (Olympic gold 400m, 4x400m relay 1964), born in Hollywood, California (d. 2003)
Dec 4 Dick Ricketts Jr., American basketball center (# 1 overall pick 1955 NBA draft St. Louis Hawks) and baseball pitcher (St. Louis Cardinals), born in Pottstown, Pennsylvania (d. 1988)
Dec 6 Jim Pothecary, South African cricket medium pace bowler (3 Tests, 9 wickets; Western Province), born in Cape Town, South Africa (d. 2016)
Dec 9 Milt Campbell, American decathlete (Olympic gold 1956), born in Plainfield, New Jersey (d. 2012)
Dec 9 Orville Moody, American golfer (US Open 1969), born in Chickasha Oklahoma (d. 2008)
Dec 10 Grenville Alabaster, New Zealand cricketer (NZ tourist to Aust 1973-74), born in Invercargill, New Zealand
Dec 10 Larry Morris, NFL Linebacker (NFL 1960s All-Decade Team), born in Atlanta, Georgia (d. 2012)
Dec 17 Stefan Florenski, Polish soccer defender (11 caps; Górnik Zabrze), born in Gleiwitz, Poland (d. 2020)
Dec 17 Bruce Morrison, cricketer (one Test NZ v England 1963)
Dec 19 Kevan Gosper, Australian athlete
Dec 20 Rik Van Looy, Belgian cyclist (world champion, 1961), born in Grobbendonk, Belgium
Dec 21 Jackie Hendriks, cricketer (West Indian wicket-keeper of 60's), born in Kingston, Jamaica
Dec 27 Dave Marr, golfer, broadcaster, (PGA Championship 1965), born in Houston, Texas (d. 1997)

Deaths in Sport

Dec 9 Morice Bird, cricketer (scored 280 runs in 10 Tests for England), dies