Year 1946 in Sports History

Events in Sport

Event of Interest

Mar 9 Ted Williams is offered $500,000 to play in Mexican Baseball League, he refuses

Baseball Player Ted Williams — Baseball Player
Ted Williams

Mar 21 Kenny Washington signs with Rams, 1st black NFLer since 1933
Mar 23 8th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Oklahoma State beats North Carolina, 43-40; Cowboys' back-to-back titles and center Bob Kurland MOP for 2nd straight year
Mar 29 1st Test Cricket between Australia & NZ
Mar 29 Test Cricket debuts of Lindwall, Miller & Tallon
Mar 30 Australia beats NZ in cricket at 3 30pm on 2nd day
Mar 30 Last Test Cricket appearance of Bill O'Reilly (5-14 & 3-19)

Apr 5 100th Grand National: Capt. Robert Petre wins aboard 25/1 shot Lovely Cottage; first true GN since 1940 due to World War II; last on a Friday

US Masters Golf

Apr 7 10th US Masters Tournament, Augusta National GC: American Herman Keiser wins his only major title, 1 stroke ahead of tour money-leader Ben Hogan; first Masters in 4 years because of World War II

Apr 9 Stanley Cup Final, Montreal Forum, Montreal, Quebec: Montreal Canadiens beat Boston Bruins, 6-3 for a 4-1 series victory

Golf Tournament

Apr 12 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Louise Suggs wins her first major title by 2 strokes from Eileen Stulb

Golfer and Co-Founder of the LPGA Louise Suggs — Golfer and Co-Founder of the LPGA
Louise Suggs

Apr 13 Eddie Klepp, a white pitcher signed by defending Negro League champ Cleveland Buckeyes, is barred from field in Birmingham, Alabama
Apr 15 50th Boston Marathon won by Stylianos Kyriakides of Greece in 2:29:27; first and only Cypriot athlete to win the event
Apr 16 Mel Ott playing in right field for NY Giants hits his 511th and final MLB home run in 8-4 Opening Day win over Philadelphia Phillies

Event of Interest

Apr 18 Jackie Robinson debuts as 2nd baseman for the Montreal Royals

Baseball Player Jackie Robinson — Baseball Player
Jackie Robinson

Apr 19 Yankees switch from 3rd base to 1st base dug out
Apr 20 1st baseball broadcast in Chicago, Cards vs Cubs
Apr 23 Brooklyn Dodger Ed Head no-hits Boston Braves, 5-0
Apr 24 11 players named to the Baseball Hall of Fame: Tinker, Evers, Chance, Burkett, McCarthy, Waddell, Plank, Walsh, Jack Chesbro, Griffith, and McGinnity
Apr 30 Cleveland Indians pitcher Bob Feller's 2nd career MLB no-hitter; beats New York Yankees, 1-0
May 4 72nd Kentucky Derby: Warren Mehrtens aboard Assault wins in 2:06.6
May 8 Red Sox Johnny Pesky scores 6 runs in 1 game
May 10 Red Sox win 15th straight beat Yanks 5-4, DiMaggio hits Grand Slam
May 11 1st night game at Boston Braves Field (Giants 5, Braves 1)
May 11 71st Preakness: Warren Mehrtens aboard Assault wins in 2:01.4
May 20 Cubs Claude Passeau makes his 1st error since September 21, 1941, ending pitcher's fielding record of 273 consecutive errorless chances
May 22 Yankees turn triple-play & defeat Tigers 5-3

May 24 Bill Dickey replaces Joe McCarthy as Yankee manager
May 26 2-for-42 & hitting .048 for 1946, Mel Ott stops playing baseball
May 28 1st night game at Yankee stadium (Senators 2, Yanks 1)
May 30 Bama Rowell hits a home run in a baseball match - the ball shatters Bulova Clock in Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York
May 30 Indianapolis 500: Resumes after WWII; George Robson wins by 44 seconds ahead of rookie Jimmy Jackson
Jun 1 78th Belmont Stakes: Warren Mehrtens aboard Assault wins in 2:30.8; 7th horse to win the Triple Crown
Jun 6 The Basketball Association of America is formed in New York City.
Jun 9 66,545 fans help Yanks break million attendance mark, the earliest

Boxing Title Fight

Jun 9 Joe Louis KOs Billy Conn in 8 for heavyweight boxing title

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

Jun 9 New York Giant Mel Ott becomes first manager in MLB history to be ejected from both games of a doubleheader; Giants lose both games to Pittsburgh Pirates

US Golf Open

Jun 16 US Open Men's Golf, Canterbury GC: World War II veteran Lloyd Mangrum defeats Byron Nelson and Vic Ghezzi in 36 playoff holes to win his only major title

Golfer Byron Nelson — Golfer
Byron Nelson

Jun 19 1st TV sports/boxing spectacular-Joe Louis KOs Billy Conn

Event of Interest

Jun 21 Bill Veeck buys Indians for $2.2 million

MLB Team Owner and Promoter Bill Veeck — MLB Team Owner and Promoter
Bill Veeck

Jun 22 Alec Bedser takes 7-49 v India on 1st day of his 1st Test cricket
Jun 22 Bill Veeck purchases Cleveland Indians
Jun 28 Permanent radio play-by-play of Cleveland Indians games begins
Jul 5 Wimbledon Men's Tennis: Frenchman Yvon Petra beats Australian Geoff Brown 6-2, 6-4, 7-9, 5-7, 6-4 for his only Wimbledon title

British Golf Open

Jul 5 British Open Men's Golf, St Andrews: In first post-WWII Championship, Sam Snead wins his only Open title, 4 strokes clear of runners-up Johnny Bulla & Bobby Locke

Jul 6 Wimbledon Women's Tennis: In an all-American matchup Pauline Betz beats Louise Brough 6-2, 6-4 for her only Wimbledon crown
Jul 8 Baseball grants $5,000 minimum salary
Jul 9 13th All Star Baseball Game: AL wins 12-0 at Fenway Park, Boston
Jul 12 Vance Dinges hits only Phillie pinch hit inside-the-park HR
Jul 14 Cleve Lou Boudreau hits 4 doubles & HR but Red Sox win 11-10 on Ted Williams 3 HR with 8 RBIs
Jul 24 9 Spokane baseball players (Western League) die in a bus crash
Jul 27 Boston Red Sox Rudy York hits 2 grand slams in 1 game, gets 10 RBIs

Jul 27 French Championships Men's Tennis: Marcel Bernard beats Jaroslav Drobný 3-6, 2-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-3
Jul 27 45th Women's French Championships: Margaret Osborne beats Pauline Betz (1-6, 8-6, 7-5)
Aug 8 Dreyfuss family, owners of Pittsburgh Pirates since 1900, sells club to Frank McKinney & John Galbreath for $25 million
Aug 9 1st time all major-league baseball games (8) are played at night
Aug 18 Golf Writers Association of America forms
Aug 22 Baseball approves a 168-game schedule, but later rescinds it
Aug 22 Mikko Hietanen wins Oslo marathon (2:24:55)
Aug 23 13th NFL Chicago All-Star Game: All-Stars 16, Los Angeles 0 (97,380)
Aug 25 PGA Championship Men's Golf, Portland GC: Ben Hogan beats Ed Oliver, 6 & 4 for first of his 9 major titles
Sep 1 1st US Open Women's Golf, Spokane CC: Patty Berg wins inaugural Open and only one played in match play format; takes 36-hole final 5 & 4 over Betty Jameson
Sep 2 American golfer Ben Hogan wins the Golden State Open at California CC in Los Angeles; his 3rd consecutive PGA event and 11th title of the season; 2nd time that year he wins 3 straight tournaments
Sep 5 Joe Garagiola plays his 1st major league baseball game, in his hometown of St. Louis; 2 RBI's in Cardinals' win over Chicago Cubs
Sep 6 All-America Football Conference begins regular season play as the Cleveland Browns beat the Miami Seahawks 44-0 before 60,135 at Cleveland's Municipal Stadium
Sep 8 SF 49ers play 1st AAFC game, lose to NY Yankees 21-7
Sep 8 US National Championship Men's Tennis, Forest Hills, NY: Jack Kramer beats fellow American Tom Brown Jr. 9-7, 6-3, 6-0 for his first of 2 straight US singles crowns
Sep 8 US National Championship Women's Tennis, Forest Hills, NY: In an all-American final Pauline Betz Addie beats Patricia Canning Todd 11-9, 6-3 for her 4th and last US singles title
Sep 13 Boston Red Sox clinch AL pennant
Sep 15 Dodgers beat Cubs 2-0 in 5 inns, games called because of gnats
Sep 18 Joe Louis KOs Tami Mauriello in 1 for heavyweight boxing title
Sep 24 Yanks set season attendance record of 2,309,029 besting 1929 Cubs
Sep 29 1st time NL pennant ends in a tie (Cards & Dodgers)
Sep 29 Los Angeles (previously Cleveland) Rams play 1st NFL game in LA
Oct 1 St. Louis Cardinals beats Brooklyn Dodgers, 4-2 in first MLB play-off game for a league championship (NL); St Louis wins series, 2-0
Oct 1 Cleveland Indians pitcher Bob Feller claims his MLB record 348th strikeout of season in a 4-1 win v Detroit; record stands for 19 years
Oct 15 Smallest World Series share since 1918 (Cards $3,748, Red Sox $2,140)
Oct 15 St Louis Cards beat Boston Red Sox, 4 games to 3 in 43rd World Series
Oct 19 Yanks trade Joe Gordon to Cleveland for Allie Reynolds
Oct 20 Frank Seno returns kickoff 105 yd, Chicago Cards vs NY Giants
Nov 1 First Basketball Association of America game; New York Knicks beat Toronto Huskies, 68-66 at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto
Nov 11 New York Knicks play their first Basketball Association of American (BAA) home game at Madison Square Garden; lose, 78-68 to Chicago Stags in overtime

Event of Interest

Nov 13 Bradman scores 106 for an Australian XI v the MCC

Cricket Legend Donald Bradman — Cricket Legend
Donald Bradman

Nov 15 Ted Williams is picked as AL MVP
Nov 27 English soccer team beats Netherlands, 8-2
Nov 30 CFL Grey Cup, Varsity Stadium, Toronto: Toronto Argonauts claim 7th Championship and retain title with 28-6 win over Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Nov 30 Bradman scores 187 in 1st Test Cricket v England at the Gabba
Dec 2 In rain affected 1st Test in Brisbane, Australia compiles 1st innings total 645 on Day 3 v India (Bradman 187, Hassett 128); Australia wins by an innings and 332
Dec 3 12th Heisman Trophy Award: Glenn Davis, Army (HB)
Dec 15 National Football League Championship, Polo Grounds, NYC: Chicago Bears beat New York Giants, 24-14; record attendance 58,346 at final NFL title game played at Polo Grounds
Dec 15 Giants Filchock & Hapes suspended by NFL, didn't report bribe attempt

Birthdays in Sport

Jan 1 Rivellino, Brazilian soccer midfielder and broadcaster (92 caps; 1970 FIFA World Cup; Corinthians; TV Cultura), born in São Paulo, SP, Brazil
Jan 3 Michalis Kritikopoulos, Greek soccer striker (28 caps; Olympiacos), born in Kaisariani, Greece (d. 2002)
Jan 6 Harold Jackson, NFL wide receiver (LA, New Engl), born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Jan 8 Elaine Cheris, American Olympic fencer (Olympics 1996), born in Dothan, Alabama
Jan 8 Fritz Künzli, Swiss soccer striker (44 caps; FC Zürich, FC Winterthur, FC Lausanne-Sport), born in Glarus, Switzerland (d. 2019)
Jan 9 Jean-Pierre Lux, French rugby union centre (42 caps; US Tyrosse, US Dax) and administrator (President European Rugby Cup 1999-2014), born in Saint-Vincent-de-Tyr, France (d. 2020)
Jan 10 Alexis Nihon Jr, Canadian-born wrestler (Olympics 1968), born in Montreal, Quebec
Jan 11 Ludmila Poradnik, USSR, team handball (Olympic gold 1976, 80)
Jan 20 Johnny Oates, American MLB baseball catcher, 1970-81 (Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, and 3 other teams), and manager, 1991-2001 (Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers), born in Sylva, North Carolina
Jan 23 Asif Masood, Pakistani cricketer (Pakistani quick with long & erratic run-up), born in Lahore, Pakistan
Jan 23 Don Whittington, American auto racer (24 Hours of Le Mans 1979), born in Lubbock, Texas
Jan 31 Subroto Guha, Indian cricketer (right arm swing bowler for India 1967-69), born in India
Feb 1 Karen Krantzcke, Australian tennis player (Australian Open doubles 1968; Federation Cup 1970), born in Brisbane, Australia (d. 1977)
Feb 2 Gerrie Mühren, Dutch soccer midfielder (10 caps; Ajax, Volendam), born in Volendam, Netherlands (d. 2013)
Feb 4 Mary Meyer, American 500m speed skater (Olympic silver 1968)
Feb 9 Vince Papale, American football player
Feb 11 Ian Porterfield, English footballer, born in Dunfermline, United Kingdom (d. 2007)
Feb 16 Aleksandr Shaparenko, USSR, 1K kayaker (Olympic gold 1972)
Feb 17 Valdemar Bandolowski, Danish sailor (Olympic gold 1976, 80)
Feb 21 Desmond Lewis, West Indian cricket batsman/keeper (avg 86.33 in 3 Tests)
Feb 21 Bob Ryan, Boston sports columnist
Feb 26 Bobby "Bingo" Smith, American NBA star (Cleveland Cavaliers), born in Memphis, Tennessee
Feb 26 Colin Bell MBE, English soccer midfielder (48 caps; Manchester City 394 games), born in Hesleden, England (d. 2021)
Feb 28 Graham Vivian, New Zealand cricketer (son of Giff, 5 Tests for NZ 1965-72), born in Auckland New Zealand
Mar 1 Jan Kodeš, Czech tennis player (French Open 1970-71, Wimbledon 1973), born in Prague, Czechoslovakia
Mar 1 Elvin Bethea, American Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end (8 × Pro Bowl; 5 × All-Pro; Houston Oilers), born in Trenton, New Jersey
Mar 3 John Virgo, British snooker player
Mar 5 Rocky Bleier, Wisc, NFL running back (Pittsburgh Steelers)
Mar 8 Mohammad Nazir, Pakistani cricket spin bowler (14 Tests, best 7/99 1969), born in Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Mar 10 Hiroshi Fushida, Japanese racing driver
Mar 14 Wes Unseld, American Basketball Hall of Fame center and coach (NBA C'ship, Finals MVP 1978; NBA MVP 1969; 5 x NBA All-Star; Washington Bullets), born in Louisville, Kentucky (d. 2020)
Mar 15 Bobby Bonds, American MLB baseball outfielder, 1968-81, 3x All-Star, 3x Golden Glove (San Francisco Giants, 1968-74 and 7 other teams), father of Barry Bonds, born in Riverside, California (d. 2003)
Mar 18 Michel Leclère, French racing driver
Mar 19 Mohammad Ilyas, cricketer (Pakistani batsman in ten Tests 1964-69)
Mar 22 Don Chaney, NBA player (Houston Rockets)/coach (Detroit Pistons)
Mar 22 José Luiz Carbone, Brazilian soccer midfielder (6 caps; São Paulo, Internacional, Botafogo) and coach (Fluminense, Guarani), born in São Paulo, Brazil (d. 2020)
Mar 27 Bill Sudakis, American baseball player, born in Joliet, Illinois
Mar 31 Aftab Gul, Pakistani cricket batsman (6 Tests @ 22.75), born in Gujar Khan, Punjab
Apr 1 Manfred Stengl, Austrian luger (Olympic gold men's doubles 1964), born in Salzburg, Austria (d. 1992)
Apr 1 Arrigo Sacchi, Italian soccer coach (Italy national team 1991-96; Serie A 1987-88; European Cup 1989, 90; AC Milan; Atlético Madrid, Parma), born in Fusignano, Italy
Apr 2 Richard Collinge, New Zealand cricket fast bowler (35 Tests, 116 wickets), born in Wellington, New Zealand
Apr 7 Colette Besson, French runner (d. 2005)
Apr 8 Jim "Catfish" Hunter, American Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher (MLB All-Star 1966, 67, 70, 72–1976; World Series 1972–74, 77, 78; AL Cy Young Award 1974; Oakland A's, NY Yankees), born in Hertford, North Carolina (d. 1999)
Apr 9 Alan Knott, English cricket wicket-keeper (1967-81), born in Belvedere, Kent
Apr 10 Bob Watson, American baseball utility (MLB All Star 1973, 75; Houston Astros) and sports executive (GM NY Yankees, World Series 1996), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2020)
Apr 17 Clare Francis, British yachtswoman and novelist (Come Hell or High Water), born in Thames Ditton, Surrey
Apr 20 Gordon Smiley, American racecar driver, born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 1982)
Apr 21 S Venkataraghavan, cricket (Indian off-spinner, Test ump, ICC referee)
Apr 27 John Maclean, Australian cricketer (Australian wicket-keeper 1978-79), born in Herston, Queensland, Australia
Apr 30 Donald Schollander, swimmer (Olympic-4 gold-64), born in Charlotte, North Carolina
May 3 Greg Gumbel, American sportscaster (CBS TV, WFAN), born in New Orleans, Louisiana
May 3 Norm Chow, American football coach, born in Honolulu, Hawaii
May 4 Renee Powell, American golfer, broadcaster (first woman to compete in a men's golf tournament), born in East Canton, Ohio
May 4 John Watson, Northern Irish racecar driver, born in Belfast, Northern Ireland
May 12 Leonard Baichan, West Indian cricketer (WI opener, 103 v Pakistan on debut 1975), born in Rose Hall, British Guiana
May 17 Sinaida Turchina, USSR, team handball (Olympic gold 1976)

Reggie Jackson

May 18 Reggie Jackson, American Baseball Hall of Fame right fielder (14-time All Star)), born in Wyncote, Pennsylvania

May 20 Bakhaavaa Buidaa, Mongolia, wrestler (Olympic silver 1972) disqualified
May 20 Craig Patrick, American NHL center and executive (USA Olympic gold 1980; GM Pittsburgh Penguins, Stanley Cup 1991-92, 2009), born in Detroit, Michigan
May 20 Bobby Murcer, American baseball outfielder (5-time MLB All Star), born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (d. 2008)
May 21 David Hill, Australian TV-reporter/owner (Fox Sports)
May 22 George Best, Northern Irish footballer (Manchester United, Northern Ireland), born in Belfast
May 22 Howard Kendall, English footballer and football manager (Everton), born in Ryton, County Durham (d. 2015)
May 23 David Graham, Australian golfer (PGA C'ship 1979, US Open 1981), born in Windsor, NSW
May 24 Irina Szewińska, Polish athlete, administrator (Olympic various sprint gold 1964, 68, 76), born in Leningrad, Russia (d. 2018)
May 24 Thomas Nordahl, Swedish soccer midfielder and manager (15 caps; Örebro), born in Norrköping, Sweden
May 25 Irena Szewińska, Polish 200m runner (Olympic Gold 1964, 68, 76), born in Leningrad, Russian SSR, Soviet Union
May 26 Neshka Robeva, Bulgarian rhythmic gymnast (World C'ship 3 x silver, 1 x bronze 1969) and coach (World, European and Olympic competition, 294 medals), born in Rousse, Bulgaria
May 28 Skip Jutze, American baseball player
May 31 Steve Bucknor, cricketer (West Indian Test umpire, FIFA referee)
Jun 2 Roger Freed, baseball player
Jun 8 Richie Robinson, Australian cricket wicketkeeper (3 Tests; 4 dismissals; WSC; Victoria), born in Melbourne, Australia
Jun 11 Jenny Pitman, British racehorse trainer and 1st female Grand National winning trainer, born in Hoby, Leicestershire
Jun 15 Roger Tolchard, cricketer (Engl keeper played Tests as a batsman 1977)
Jul 6 Fred Dryer, American NFL defensive end (Pro Bowl 1975; First-team All-Pro 1974; NY Giants, LA Rams) and actor (Hunter), born in Hawthorne, California
Jul 7 Jim Day, Canadian equestrian show jumper (Olympic gold 1968)
Jul 12 Graham Roope, Englishcricketer (England batsman in 21 Tests 1972-78), born in Fareham, Hampshire, England (d. 2006)
Jul 13 Bob Kauffman, American basketball forward (3-time NBA All Star), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2015)
Jul 16 Ron Yary, American football player (Minnesota Vikings), born in Chicago, Illinois
Jul 16 John Hollins, British retired footballer, born in Guildford, Surrey

Ilie Năstase

Jul 19 Ilie Năstase, Romanian tennis player (US Open 1972), born in Bucharest, Romania

Jul 21 Zbigniew Kaczmarek, Polish lightweight (Olympic gold 1976)
Jul 30 Neil Bonnett, American race car driver, born in Hueytown, Alabama (d. 1994)
Aug 3 Petko Petkov, Bulgarian soccer forward (33 caps; Beroe Stara Zagora, Austria Wien), born in Sinitevo, Bulgaria (d. 2020)
Aug 5 Gary Beban, American College Football Hall of Fame quarterback (Heisman Trophy 1967, UCLA: NFL: Washington Redskins), born in San Francisco, California
Aug 6 Dusty Rhodes, Australian baseball coach (Olympics 1996)
Aug 9 Jim Kiick, American football running back (Super Bowl 1972, 73; AFL All-Star 1968, 69; Miami Dolphins), born in Lincoln Park, New Jersey (d. 2020)
Aug 10 Jimmy Conway, Irish soccer midfielder (20 caps Republic of Ireland; Fulham), born in Dublin, Ireland (d. 2020)
Aug 17 Hans Vandenburg, Dutch singer/guitarist (Gruppo Sportivo)
Aug 18 Derryl Cousins, American baseball umpire (World Series 1988, 99, 2005; MLB All-Star Game 1987, 98, 2008), born in Fresno, California (d. 2020)
Aug 21 Lev Alburt, International Chess Master (1976), born in Orenburg, Russia
Aug 25 Rollie Fingers, American baseball relief pitcher (Oakland Athletics, AL MVP, Cy Young Award 1981), born in Steubenville, Ohio
Aug 25 Charlie Sanders, American football player (Detroit Lions), born in Richlands, North Carolina (d. 2015)
Aug 27 Tony Howard, cricketer (WI off-spinner one Test v NZ 1972)
Aug 29 Bob Beamon, American track and field long jumper (Olympic gold 1968, 29' 2½" 8.9m), born in South Jamaica, Queens, New York
Sep 7 Willie Crawford, American baseball player (Los Angeles Dodgers), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2004)
Sep 8 L. C. Greenwood, American football player, born in Canton, Mississippi (d. 2013)
Sep 10 Jim Hines, American athlete (Olympic gold 100m, 4x100m relay 1968), born in Dumas, Arkansas
Sep 15 Fighting Mack [Edwin Alberto], Antillian welterweight boxer
Sep 17 Billy Bonds MBE, English soccer defender (Charlton, West Ham United 663 games) and manager (WHU, Millwall), born in London, England

Weddings in Sport

Wedding of Interest

Feb 10 1st black pro-baseball player Jackie Robinson marries Rachel Isum

Wedding of Interest

Feb 18 MLB baseball player Hank Greenberg (35) weds heiress Caral Gimbel in Sea Island, Georgia

Deaths in Sport

Jan 2 Joe Darling, Australian cricket batsman & captain (34 Tests, 21 as captain), dies following a gall bladder operation at 75
Jan 9 Dimitrios Golemis, Greek athlete (b. 1874)
Feb 15 Cornelius Johnson, American high jumper (Olympic gold 1936), dies from bronchopneumonia at 32
Feb 27 James Cecil Parke, Irish tennis, rugby player (Australasian C'ship 1912, Ireland rugby 20 caps), dies at 64
Mar 24 Alexander Alekhine, Russian-French chess player (world champion 1927-35, 37-46), dies choking on meat at 53
Mar 28 Chick Fullis, baseball player (b. 1904)
Apr 16 Arthur Chevrolet, Swiss-born American race car driver and automobile designer, takes his own life at 61
Apr 17 John Iddon, cricketer (car accident 5 Tests for Eng 1934-35), dies
Apr 21 Robert Graham, cricketer (3 wkts for South Africa in 2 Tests 1898-99), dies
Apr 25 Albert Knight, cricketer (3 Tests for England on 1903-04 tour), dies
Apr 25 Joseph Vine, cricketer (batted in two Tests Eng v Aust 1911-12), dies
May 1 Bill Johnston, American tennis player (US Open 1915, 19; Wimbledon 1923), dies of tuberculosis at 51
May 7 Joe Humphries, English cricket wicket-keeper (3 Tests for England 1907-08), dies at 69
Jun 5 Maud Watson, British tennis player (first Wimbledon female champion 1884-85), dies at 81
Jun 10 Jack Johnson, American boxer (1st African-American heavyweight boxing champion [1908-15]), dies in a car accident aged 68
Jun 29 Frank Hadow, British tennis player (Wimbledon 1878; first exponent of the lob), dies at 91
Jul 15 Razor Smith, English cricket spin bowler (245 first class matches, Surry), dies at 68
Aug 6 Tony Lazzeri, American baseball player, dies at 42
Aug 6 Blanche Bingley-Hillyard, British tennis player (Wimbledon 1886, 89, 94, 97, 99-1900), dies at 82
Aug 6 Benny Lynch, Scottish boxer (World flyweight title 1937-38), dies of malnutrition-induced respiratory failure at 33
Aug 9 Bert Vogler, South African cricketer (South Africa, 15 Tests, 64 wkts), dies at 69
Aug 15 Edward R. Bradley, American businessman and horse owner (1st to own 4 Kentucky Derby winners), dies at 86
Aug 18 Georg Åberg, Swedish athlete (Olympic silver triple jump; bronze long jump 1912), dies at 53
Oct 4 Barney Oldfield, American auto racer (International Motorsports Hall of Fame; first to drive at 60mph on circular track), dies of a heart attack at 67
Oct 11 Ico Hitrec, Croatian footballer, dies at 35
Oct 16 Ernst Kaltenbrunner, Austrian Nazi (SS/SD), hanged at 43
Nov 18 John King, cricketer (scored 60 & 4 in only Test Eng v Aus 1909), dies
Nov 18 Johnny Lush, American MLB pitcher (2 no-hitters), dies at 61
Nov 22 Bertie Rose-Innes, cricketer (South Africa's Test), dies

Walter Johnson

Dec 10 Walter Johnson, American Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher (3 x Triple Crown of Pitching; World Series 1924; AL MVP 1913, 24; Washington Senators), dies from a brain tumour at 59