June 1939 in Sport

Events in Sport

  • Jun 1 1st boxing match to be televised, Lon Nova defeats Max Baer
  • Jun 1 1st night game at Phil's Shribe Park (Pirates 5, Phillies 2)
  • Jun 3 71st Belmont: James Stout riding Johnstown wins in 2:29.6
  • Jun 6 NY Giants beat Reds 17-3, with 5 HRs in 4th inning
  • Jun 7 Cleveland Indians sets AL record of 16 inning game without striking out, however lose game 5-4 to NY Yankees

Sport awardGolf Major

Jun 12 43rd US Golf Open: Byron Nelson shoots a 284 at Philadelphia Cricket Club PA

Golfer Byron Nelson
Golfer
Byron Nelson
  • Jun 12 Baseball Hall of Fame opens in Cooperstown, NY

Sport awardTennis Open

Jun 17 44th Men's French Championships: Don McNeill beats Bobby Riggs (7-5, 6-0, 6-3)

Tennis Player and Three-Time Major Champion Bobby Riggs
Tennis Player and Three-Time Major Champion
Bobby Riggs
  • Jun 17 44th Women's French Championships: Simonne Mathieu beats Jadwiga Jedrzejowska (6-3, 8-6)

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Jun 21 NY Yankees announce Lou Gehrig's retirement after doctors reveal he has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Baseball Player Lou Gehrig
Baseball Player
Lou Gehrig

Sport defeatBoxing Title Fight

Jun 23 Bronko Nagurski beats Lou Thesz in Houston, to win National Boxing Association world heavyweight title

Hall of Fame American Football Player Bronko Nagurski
Hall of Fame American Football Player
Bronko Nagurski
  • Jun 27 Brooklyn Dodgers tie Boston Braves, 2-2, in 23 innings
  • Jun 27 Headley scores a cricket century in each innings v England at Lord's

Sport defeatBoxing Title Fight

Jun 28 Joe Louis TKOs Tony Galent in 4 for heavyweight boxing title

Boxer and World Heavyweight Champion Joe Louis
Boxer and World Heavyweight Champion
Joe Louis

Birthdays in Sport

  • Jun 3 Steve Dalkowski, baseball player
  • Jun 4 Phil Linz, baseball shortstop (NY Yankees)
  • Jun 8 Herb Adderley, NFL hall of famer (Packers, Cowboys), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Jun 9 David Hobbs (auto racer)
  • Jun 10 Guy Harwood, horse trainer
  • Jun 11 Jackie Stewart, Scotland, driver/sports announcer (27 Grand Prix)
  • Jun 11 Rachel Heyhoe Flint, English cricket player and journalist, born in Wolverhampton (d. 2017)
  • Jun 12 Geoff Griffin, cricketer (South African quick, hat-trick & chuck v Eng 1960)
  • Jun 13 Tom Cheek, American baseball player (d. 2005)
  • Jun 18 Lou Brock, one-time baseball stolen base leader (St Louis Cards)
  • Jun 18 Lynn Whiting, horse trainer
  • Jun 20 Budge Rogers, British rugby player
  • Jun 20 R B Desai, cricketer (effective pace bowler for India in 60s)
  • Jun 22 Don Matthews, American football coach in the CFL
  • Jun 25 Allen Fox, American Tennis Player
  • Jun 27 Neil Hawke, cricketer (Aust pace bowler & late-order bat in 60s)
  • Jun 29 Alan Connolly, cricketer (Australian pace bowler through 60s)
  • Jun 29 Ron Headley, cricketer (son of George, 2 Tests WI v England 1973)

Deaths in Sport

  • Jun 13 Arthur Coningham, cricketer (one Test for Australia 1894), dies
  • Jun 17 Allen Sothoron, American baseball player, dies at 46