December 1940 in Sports History

Events in Sport

Sports History

Dec 10 1941 NFL Draft: Tom Harmon from University of Michigan first pick by Chicago Bears

Boxing Title Fight

Dec 16 Joe Louis KOs Al McCoy in 6 for heavyweight boxing title in Chicago

Sports History

Dec 20 Connie Mack acquires controlling interest in the Athletics for $42,000

Cricket History

Dec 25 Cricket master batsman Don Bradman is dismissed for a Xmas Day first ball duck (0) for South Australia v Victoria in a Sheffield Shield match at the Adelaide Oval

Dec 26 1st-class cricket debut of Arthur Morris, who scores 148
Dec 28 Cricketer Arthur Morris scores 111 in 2nd innings of 1st game after 148
Dec 29 3rd NFL All Star Game: Chicago Bears beats NFL All-Stars, 28-14

Birthdays in Sport

Dec 1 Mike Denness, English cricket batsman and captain (28 Tests, top score 188), born in Bellshill, Lanarkshire, Scotland (d. 2013)
Dec 1 Ron Finn, Canadian NHL linesman (2,373 regular season games, 2 x All-Star games, Rendez-vous '87 and 4 x Canada Cups), born in Toronto, Ontario
Dec 2 Gerry Cheevers, Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame goalie and broadcaster (longest undefeated streak-32 games 1972; Boston Bruins), born in St. Catharines, Ontario
Dec 2 Willie Brown, American Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback, coach and executive (Super Bowl 1976, 80, 84; Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders), born in Yazoo City, Mississippi (d. 2019)
Dec 8 Brant Alyea, American baseball player
Dec 12 Shirley Englehorn, American golfer (Women's PGA C'ship 1970), born in Caldwell, Idaho (d. 2022)
Dec 14 Lex Gold, Scottish footballer, born in Lanark, Scotland
Dec 15 Nick Buoniconti, American NFL linebacker (Miami Dolphins) and sportscaster (NBC), born in Springfield, Massachusetts (d. 2019)
Dec 21 Kálmán Sóvári, Hungarian soccer defender (17 caps; Újpesti Dózsa, VM Egyetértés), born in Budapest, Hungary (d. 2020)
Dec 24 Paul Tagliabue, NFL commissioner (1989- ), born in Jersey City, New Jersey
Dec 26 Ray Sadecki, American MLB player (St. Louis Cardinals), born in Kansas City, KS, (d. 2014)
Dec 27 David Shepherd, English cricket umpire (92 Tests 1985–2005; 172 ODIs 1983–2005), born in Bideford, England (d. 2009)
Dec 27 Jerry Lambert, jockey (rode Native Diver)
Dec 30 Fred Hansen, American pole vaulter (Olympic gold 1964), born in Cuero, Texas

Deaths in Sport

Dec 6 Charlie Hime, cricketer (one Test for South Africa 1895), dies
Dec 13 Dusty Tapscott, cricket (bro of Doodles, 4&1 in only S Af Test), dies
Dec 13 George Macaulay, cricketer (took 24 wkts in 8 Tests, Eng 22-33), dies
Dec 16 Billy Hamilton, American Baseball HOF outfielder (NL batting champion 1891, 93; 5 × NL stolen base leader; KC Cowboys, Philadelphia Phillies), dies at 74