On This Day

August 1963 in Sports History

Events in Sport


Sport awardDavis Cup

Aug 1 Arthur Ashe becomes first African-American tennis player to be named in the US Davis Cup team

Tennis Player Arthur Ashe
Tennis Player
Arthur Ashe
  • Aug 6 Philadelphia NBA franchise changes name from 'Nationals' to the '76ers', based on US Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia in 1776
  • Aug 8 LA Dodgers F Howard & B Skowron are 3rd to hit consecutive pinch HRs
  • Aug 9 NY Met Roger Craig's NL record-tying 18-game losing streak ends

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Aug 12 Stan Musial announces he will retire at end of year

MLB Legend Stan Musial
MLB Legend
Stan Musial

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Aug 13 Dave DeBusschere pitches a shutout against the Cleveland Indians

NBA Forward and MLB Player Dave DeBusschere
NBA Forward and MLB Player
Dave DeBusschere
  • Aug 17 Jim Hickman becomes 1st NY Met to hit for cycle
  • Aug 24 John Pennel is first person to pole-vault 17'
  • Aug 26 W I beat England 2-1 in series, 1st holders of Wisden Cricket Trophy

Sports record brokenBaseball Record

Aug 29 Harmon Killebrew (Twins) HRs off Pete Burnside (Senators) in DH

Baseball Player Harmon Killebrew
Baseball Player
Harmon Killebrew

Birthdays in Sport

  • Aug 3 Libor Pimek, tennis star, born in Most, Czechoslovakia
  • Aug 6 Thomas Bohrer, US West Islip NY, rower (Olympic-92)
  • Aug 6 [Michael] Tony Dees, Pascagoula Miss, hurdler
  • Aug 8 Ron Karkovice, Union NJ, catcher (Chicago White Sox)
  • Aug 8 Stephen Walkom, Canadian ice hockey official and executive
  • Aug 11 Mike Huff, outfielder (Toronto Blue Jays), born in Honolulu, Hawaii
  • Aug 13 Elizabeth Bourland, Costa Rica, US 3x20 rifle (Olympic 7th 1996)
  • Aug 15 Greg Adams, Nelson, NHL left wing (Dallas Stars)
  • Aug 15 Jack Russell, superb England cricket wicket-keeper (36 Tests 1988-94)
  • Aug 15 Lydia Czuckermann-Hatuel, Israel, Women's foil fencer (Olympics 1996)
  • Aug 17 Jon Gruden, American NFL coach (Super Bowl 2002, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Oakland Raiders) and broadcaster (ESPN), born in Sandusky, Ohio
  • Aug 18 Luiz Mattar, Brazilian tennis player, born in São Paulo, Brazil
  • Aug 20 Bruce Hick, Australian rower (Olympics 1996)
  • Aug 21 Melvin Douglas, American 198 lbs/90 kg freestyle wrestler (Olympics 1996), born in Topeka, Kansas
  • Aug 22 Lily Yip, Chinese-American table tennis player (Olympics 1992, 96), born in Guangzhou, China
  • Aug 22 Terry Catledge, American NBA star (Orlando Magic), born in Houston, Mississippi
  • Aug 22 Tom Ansberry, American long-distance runner
  • Aug 23 Richard Illingworth, English cricketer (England slow-left-armer 1991- ), born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England
  • Aug 26 David Byas, cricketer (left-handed Yorkshire batsman)
  • Aug 28 Regina Marie Jacobs, 800m/1500m runner (Olympics 10th 1996), born in Los Angeles, California
  • Aug 28 Reyna Thompson, American NFL cornerback (NY Giants), born in Dallas, Texas
  • Aug 29 Greg Holmes, American tennis player, born in Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Aug 31 Sonny Silooy, soccer player (Ajax)

Deaths in Sport

  • Aug 21 John Gunn, English cricketer (England all-rounder in 6 Tests 1901-05), dies at 87