Year 1969 in Sports History

Events in Sport

• Jan 1 Jack Kent Cooke, owner of NHL's LA Kings, fines each player $100 for "NOT" arguing with the referee
• Jan 1 55th Rose Bowl: #1 Ohio State beats #2 Southern California, 27-16

• Jan 1 35th Sugar Bowl: #9 Arkansas beats #4 Georgia, 16-2
• Jan 1 35th Orange Bowl: #3 Penn State beats #6 Kansas, 15-14
• Jan 2 Once influential daily sports newspaper, 'Soviet Sport' declares Czech super-star distance runner Emil Zatopek a "public enemy" after he supports democratic wing of the Communist Party at start of the Prague Spring

• Jan 14 Matt Busby retires from Manchester United

• Jan 19 8th AFL All Star Game, Gator Bowl, Jacksonville: Western Division beats Eastern Division, 38-25; MVPs: Len Dawson, KC Chiefs, QB; George Webster, Houston Oilers, LB
• Jan 19 19th NFL Pro Bowl, LA Memorial Coliseum: West beats East, 10-7; MVPs: Roman Gabriel, Los Angeles Rams, QB; Merlin Olsen, Los Angeles Rams, DT

• Feb 2 Stan Coveleski & Waite Hoyt are voted into baseball Hall of Fame

• Feb 5 Vince Lombardi, becomes part owner, vice-president, general manager, and head coach of NFL Washington Redskins
• Feb 7 Diane Crump becomes 1st woman jockey at a major US racetrack (Hialeah)

• Feb 11 Diana Crump becomes 1st US woman jockey to ride against men, Hialelah
• Feb 16 Detroit Red Wings' captain Alex Delvecchio picks up an assist in a 6-2 defeat at Minnesota to become the 3rd player in NHL history to score 1,000 career points
• Feb 18 Doug Walters scores 2nd innings century after 242 in 1st

• Feb 22 Barbara Jo Rubin becomes 1st female jockey to win at an American parimutuel race at a major US track aboard Cohesian at Charles Town, West Virginia
• Feb 23 11th Daytona 500: LeeRoy Yarbrough driving for Junior Johnson, catches Charlie Glotzbach on final lap to win; first Daytona 500 won on a last lap pass
• Feb 25 Pension plan for baseball is agreed to
• Feb 28 Ice Dance Championship at Colorado Springs won by Towler & Ford of Great Britain

• Mar 1 Tuesdee Testa becomes the first female jockey to win a race at a major American Thoroughbred track when she takes out the 3rd race at Santa Anita Park aboard Buz On
• Mar 2 Boston center Phil Esposito becomes first player in NHL history to record 100 points in a season when he scores 2 3rd-period goals in the Bruins' 4-0 win over the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins
• Mar 8 16th ACC Men's Basketball Tournament: North Carolina beats Duke, 85-74
• Mar 14 Barbara Jo Rubin becomes first female jockey to win at Aqueduct Racetrack, NYC aboard 2-year-old bay Bravy Galaxy at 13 to 1


• Mar 14 West Indies cricket batsman Seymour Nurse scores career high 258 in his last Test innings in 3rd Test win over NZ at Christchurch
• Mar 16 Boston Bruins scores a NHL record 8 goals in 1 period

• Mar 22 31st NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: UCLA beats Purdue 92-72; Bruins' 3-peat; center Lew Alcindor tournament Most Outstanding Player for 3rd consecutive year
• Mar 29 123rd Grand National: Eddie P. Harty Sr. aboard 100/9 chance Highland Wedding wins by 12 lengths from Steel Bridge
• Apr 1 Seattle Pilots trade little-known minor league outfielder Lou Piniella to KC Royals for 2 prospects; hits .282 with 11 HRs & 68 RBI to win AL Rookie of the Year; becomes leading MLB manager
• Apr 2 Toronto center Forbes Kennedy sets a Stanley Cup playoff record for most penalties in one game with 8 as the Maple Leafs crash 10-0 to the Bruins at Boston; Boston’s first NHL playoff victory in 10 years
• Apr 7 Dodgers' Bill Singer is credited with 1st official save, against Reds
• Apr 7 Ted Williams begins managing Washington Senators, they lose to Yanks 8-4
• Apr 8 First Major League Baseball game featuring a Canadian team; Montréal Expos beats NY Mets, 11-10 at Shea Stadium; KC Royals, SD Padres and Seattle Pilots also win on debut
• Apr 8 Expansion teams Royals, Expos, Padres & Pilots win their 1st games
• Apr 9 Chic Cub Billy Williams hits 4 consecutive doubles beat Phillies 11-3
• Apr 12 Simon & Garfunkel releases "Boxer"
• Apr 12 Wales beats England, 30-9 at the National Stadium, Cardiff to clinch their 16th Five Nations Rugby Championship and 11th Triple Crown
• Apr 13 33rd US Masters Tournament, Augusta National GC: George Archer wins his only major title, 1 stroke ahead of runners-up Billy Casper, George Knudson, and Tom Weiskopf
• Apr 14 First regular-season MLB game played outside the United States; Montreal Expos beat St. Louis Cardinals, 8-7 at Parc Jarry, Montreal
• Apr 17 Mont Expos Bill Stoneman no-hits Phillies, 7-0
• Apr 21 73rd Boston Marathon: Yoshiaki Unetani of Japan wins in 2:13:49; American Sara Mae Berman 1st woman in 3:22:46 (unsanctioned)

• Apr 22 Robin Knox-Johnston ends 312 day non-stop sailing

• Apr 30 Cincinnati Reds pitcher Jim Maloney records his second MLB no-hitter in 10-0 rout of Houston Astros
• May 1 Houston Astros hurler Don Wilson blanks Cincinnati Reds, 4-0 for second career no-hitter
• May 1 Leonard Tose buys NFL Philadelphia Eagles for a professional sports record $16.15m
• May 3 95th Kentucky Derby: Bill Hartack on Majestic Prince wins in 2:01.8
• May 4 Stanley Cup Final, St. Louis Arena, St. Louis, MO: John Ferguson scores the winner as Montreal Canadiens edge St Louis Blues, 2-1 for a 4 game series sweep

• May 5 23rd NBA Championship: Boston Celtics beat LA Lakers, 4 games to 3
• May 7 2nd ABA championship: Oakland Oaks beat Indiana Pacers, 4 games to 1
• May 17 94th Preakness: Bill Hartack aboard Majestic Prince wins in 1:55.6
• May 17 Balt, Cleve & Pitts agree to go from NFC to AFC in NFL
• May 21 Slovan Bratislava of Czechoslovakia win 9th European Cup Winner's Cup against FC Barcelona of Spain 3-2 in Basel
• May 28 European Cup Final, Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Madrid: AC Milan striker Pierino Prati scores 3 in 4-1 win over Ajax; second title for I Rossoneri
• May 30 Australian Derek Clayton runs world record marathon (2:08:33.6) at Antwerp, Belgium; record disputed (short course)

• Jun 7 101st Belmont: Braulio Baeza aboard Arts & Letters wins in 2:28.8
• Jun 7 French Open Women's Tennis: Margaret Court beats Ann Haydon-Jones of England 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 for her 3rd French singles title
• Jun 8 MLB legend Mickey Mantle gives his farewell retirement speech during "Mickey Mantle Day" at Yankee Stadium, 60,096 see #7 retired
• Jun 8 French Open Men's Tennis: Rod Laver wins second leg of his 2nd Grand Slam; beats fellow Australian Ken Rosewall 6-4, 6-3, 6-4

• Jun 15 US Open Golf, Champions GC: Orville Moody wins only major title by 1 stroke from Al Geiberger, Bob Rosberg & Dean Beman
• Jun 15 Mets help their power needs by adding 1st baseman Donn Clendenon
• Jun 21 John Pennel pole vaults world record (5.45 m)
• Jun 23 Joe Frazier TKOs Jerry Quarry in 8 for heavyweight boxing title
• Jun 25 Pancho Gonzalez beats Charles Pasarell in 112 game (5hr12m) marathon
• Jun 27 Honduras/El Salvador breaks diplomatic relations due to soccer match
• Jun 28 John Hampshire scores 107 on Test cricket debut v WI at Lord's

• Jul 2 Ireland cricketers dismiss West Indies for just 25 (Dougie Goodwin 5 for 6, Alec O'Riordan 4 for 18) to set up a huge upset in Londonderry
• Jul 4 Wimbledon Women's Tennis: Home favourite Ann Jones upsets 3-time defending champion Billie Jean King 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
• Jul 5 Wimbledon Men's Tennis: In an all-Australian final Rod Laver beats John Newcombe 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 for the 3rd leg of his Grand Slam

• Jul 12 British Open Men's Golf, Royal Lytham & St Annes GC: Tony Jacklin wins the first of his 2 major titles, 2 strokes ahead of Bob Charles of New Zealand; first Briton to win The Open since 1951
• Jul 15 Cincinnati Red Lee May hits 4 HRs in a doubleheader

• Jul 18 Joe Namath agrees to sell interest in Bachelors 3, to stay in NFL
• Jul 20 56th Tour de France: Belgian cyclist Eddy Merckx wins general, points, mountains, team classification titles

• Jul 30 Astros Denis Menke and Jim Wynn hit grandslams in 9th inn vs Mets
• Aug 1 36th Chicago Charities College All-Star Game: NY Jets 26, All-Stars 24 (74,208)
• Aug 3 Cincinnati Reds with 25 hits & 10 runs in 5th edge Philadelphia Phillies 19-17 at Connie Mack Stadium

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Birthdays in Sport

Birthdays 1 - 100 of 710

• Jan 1 Paul Lawrie OBE, Scottish golfer (British Open 1999; Ryder Cup 2012), born in Aberdeen, Scotland
• Jan 2 Róbert Švehla, Slovak NHL defenceman (Florida Panthers 573 games; Slovakia 44 games), born in Martin, Slovakia
• Jan 2 Glen Johnson, Jamaican boxer (IBF, IBO and Ring magazine light heavyweight titles 2004-05), born in Clarendon Parish, Jamaica

• Jan 2 William Fox-Pitt MBE, English equestrian (Olympic silver team 2004, 12; bronze 2008; World Equestrian Games gold team 2010), born in London, England

• Jan 3 Jarmo Lehtinen, Finnish rally co-driver (15 WRC wins with Mikko Hirvonen), born in Helsinki, Finland
• Jan 3 Gerda Weissensteiner OMRI, Italian luger and bobsleigh pilot (Olympic gold women's singles 1994), born in Bolzano, Italy
• Jan 4 Corie Blount, NBA forward (LA Lakers), born in Monrovia, California
• Jan 4 Kees van Wonderen, Dutch soccer player (NEC/NAC)
• Jan 5 David Dixon, NFL guard (Minnesota Vikings), born in Papakura, New Zealand
• Jan 5 Kurt Barber, American NFL defensive end (NY Jets), born in Paducah, Kentucky
• Jan 5 Shaun Micheel, American golfer (PGA C'ship 2003), born in Orlando, Florida
• Jan 6 Alvin Morman, American baseball pitcher (Houston Astros), born in Rockingam, North Carolina
• Jan 6 Nick A'Hern, Australian 20k walker (Olympics 22-92, 96), born in Swansea, United Kingdom
• Jan 7 Chris Hatcher, American baseball outfielder (Houston Astros), born in Kinston, North Carolina
• Jan 7 Erric Pegram, American NFL running back (Pit Steelers, NY Giants, San Diego Chargers), born in Dallas, Texas
• Jan 7 Todd Kinchen, American NFL wide receiver (St Louis Rams, Atlanta Falcons), born in Los Angeles, California
• Jan 8 Brian Boehringer, American baseball pitcher (NY Yankees), born in St Louis, Missouri
• Jan 9 Domingo Jean, Dominican-American baseball pitcher (Houston Astros), born in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic
• Jan 9 Johanna Ikonen, Finnish ice hockey defenseman (Finland, Olympics 1998), born in Eno, Finland
• Jan 11 Darren Anderson, NFL cornerback (KC Chiefs)
• Jan 11 Dave Cruikshank, Northbrook Ill, speed skater (Olympics 1994)
• Jan 12 Cam Russell, Canadian NHL defenseman (Chicago Blackhawks), born in Halifax, Nova Scotia
• Jan 12 Robert Prosinečki, Croatian footballer, born in Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany
• Jan 13 Andre Cason, US runner (world record 50 indoor), born in Virginia Beach, Virginia
• Jan 13 John Flannery, guard/corner (Dallas Cowboys)
• Jan 13 Katarzyna Nowak, tennis star (1994 Futures France), born in Łódź, Poland
• Jan 13 Kevin Foster, American baseball pitcher (Chicago Cubs)
• Jan 13 Orlando Miller, Changionola Panama, infielder (Houston Astros)
• Jan 13 Robert Wilson, NFL running back (Miami Dolphins)
• Jan 13 Stephen Hendry, Scottish professional snooker player (record 7 World Championships), born in Edinburgh, Scotland
• Jan 14 Martin Bicknell, English cricket fast bowler (4 Tests, 14 wickets; 7 ODIs, 13 wickets; Surrey), born in Guildford, England
• Jan 14 Rico Louis Smith Jr., American football player (wide receiver for Cleveland Browns, 1992-95), born in Compton, California
• Jan 15 Adam Burt, American NHL defenseman (Hartford Whalers), born in Detroit, Michigan
• Jan 15 Delino DeShields, American baseball infielder (Montreal Expos, LA Dodgers), born in Seaford, Delaware
• Jan 15 Leonard Wheeler, American NFL safety (Cin Bengals, Minnesota Vikings), born in Toccoa, Georgia
• Jan 15 Marsha Miller, American WPVA volleyballer (National-17th-1995), born in Rochester, New York
• Jan 15 Rob van Dijk, Dutch soccer player (Feyenoord), born in Voorhout, Netherlands
• Jan 15 Rod de Highden, Australian 5k/10k/marathoner (Olympics 1996), born in Melbourne, Australia
• Jan 15 Siupeli Malamala, Tongan NFL offensive lineman (NY Jets), born in Tonga
• Jan 16 Chelan Kozak, Canadian equestrian (Olympics 1996), born in Revelstoke, British Columbia
• Jan 16 Roy Jones Jr., American boxer (4 x weight divisions world champion), born in Pensacola, Florida
• Jan 18 Larry Webster, American football defensive tackle (Baltimore Ravens), born in Elkton, Maryland
• Jan 18 Marvin Pope, American CFL defensive end (Calgary Stampeders), born in Gainesville, Florida
• Jan 19 Andrew Murray Stone, New Zealand sailor (Olympics 1996), born in Auckland, New Zealand
• Jan 19 Junior Seau, American Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker (12 x Pro Bowl; 6 × First-team All-Pro; NFL Defensive Player of the Year 1992; SD Chargers), born in Oceanside, California (d. 2012)
• Jan 19 Luc Longley, Australian NBA center (Chicago Bulls), born in Melbourne, Australia
• Jan 19 Orlando Palmeiro, American baseball outfielder (California Angels), born in Hoboken, New Jersey
• Jan 19 Predrag Mijatović, Yugoslavian footballer, born in Podgorica, Montenegro
• Jan 19 Steve Staunton, Irish footballer, born in Drogheda, Republic of Ireland
• Jan 20 Andre Cason, American sprinter, born in Virginia Beach, Virginia
• Jan 21 Ashley Sheppard, NFL linebacker (Jacksonville Jaguars)
• Jan 21 Matt Willig, NFL tackle/guard (Atlanta Falcons, NY Jets)
• Jan 21 Rusty Greer, Ft Rucker AL, outfielder (Texas Rangers)
• Jan 21 Ted Long, CFL slot back (Hamilton Tiger Cats)
• Jan 22 Keith Gordon, American baseball outfielder (Cincinnati Reds), born in Bethesda, Maryland
• Jan 22 Shelley Sandie, Australian basketball guard (Olympics 1988, 96), born in Melbourne, Australia
• Jan 22 Vinnie Clark, American NFL cornerback (Jacksonville Jaguars), born in Cincinnati, Ohio
• Jan 23 Brendan Shanahan, Canadian NHL left wing (Whalers, Red Wings), born in Mimico, Canada
• Jan 23 Eric Carter, American CFL cornerback (CFL All Star 1995, 98, 2001, 02; Hamilton Tiger-Cats, BC Lions, Winnipeg Blue Bombers), born in Jesup, Georgia
• Jan 23 Andrei Kanchelskis, Ukrainian soccer winger (17 caps Soviet Union, 6 caps CIS, 36 caps Russia; Manchester United, Rangers), born in Kropyvnytskyi, Ukraine
• Jan 24 Louise McPaul, Australian javelin thrower (Olympic silver 1992, 96), born in Port Kembla, New South Wales
• Jan 25 Nolan Harrison, American football defensive lineman (Oakland Raiders, Pitt Steelers), born in Chicago, Illinois
• Jan 25 Penny Moore, American WNBA player (Charlotte Sting)
• Jan 27 Kristen Danihy, Lawton Oklahoma, team handball circle/wing (Olympics 1996)
• Jan 27 Phil Plantier, outfielder (San Diego Padres, Red Sox, A's), born in Manchester, New Hampshire
• Jan 27 Shane Thomson, NZ cricket off-spin all rounder (since 1990)
• Jan 28 Giorgio Lamberti, Italian free style swimmer (world record 200m)
• Jan 28 John Veenhof, Dutch soccer player (FC Groningen)
• Jan 29 Flora Perfetti, Italian tennis player (1995 Futures-Reims-FRA), born in Faenza, Italy
• Jan 29 Karen Fonteyne, Canadian synchronized swimmer (Olympic silver 1996), born in Calgary, Alberta
• Jan 29 Robert Young, American football player (St Louis Rams), born in Jackson, Mississippi
• Jan 31 Mathew Pallister, Australian canoeist (Olympics 1996), born in Sydney, New South Wales
• Feb 1 Gabriel Batistuta, Argentine soccer striker (77 caps, 54 goals; Fiorentina), born in Avellaneda, Santa Fe, Argentina
• Feb 2 Ijaz Ahmed Jr, cricketer (one Test Pakistan v Sri Lanka 1995)
• Feb 2 Jeff Christy, corner (Minnesota Vikings)
• Feb 2 Jody Hull, Cambridge, NHL right wing (Florida Panthers)
• Feb 2 Valeri Karpin, Russian footballer
• Feb 3 Casey Weldon, American NFL quarterback (Tampa Bay Bucs), born in Americus, Georgia
• Feb 3 Jeff Christy, NFL center (Minnesota Vikings)
• Feb 3 Robert Pack, NBA guard (Washington Bullets, Dallas Mavericks)
• Feb 3 Terry Bradshaw, American baseball outfielder (St Louis Cardinals)
• Feb 3 Retief Goosen, South African golfer (US Open 2001, 04), born in Pietersburg, Limpopo Province
• Feb 4 Brad Cornett, American baseball pitcher, appeared in 14 games (Toronto Blue Jays, 1994-95), Brad Cornett
• Feb 4 Dallas Drake, Canadian NHL center (Winnipeg Jets), born in Trail, British Columbia
• Feb 4 Joe Sacco, American NHL right wing (Anaheim Mighty Ducks), born in Medford, Massachusetts
• Feb 6 Bob Wickman, American baseball pitcher (Chicago White Sox, NY Yankees), born in Green Bay, Wisconsin
• Feb 6 James Jones, American NFL defensive tackle (Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravens), born in Miami, Florida
• Feb 6 Kurt Abbott, American baseball player (Florida Marlins), born in Zanesville, Ohio
• Feb 6 Rajindra Dhanraj, Trinidad cricket leg-spinner (WI 1994-95), born in Barrackpore, Trinidad and Tobago
• Feb 6 Tim Sherwood, English footballer & manager, born in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire
• Feb 7 Bucky Richardson, US football quarterback (Houston Oilers)
• Feb 7 Fiona Robinson-Hannan, Australian basketball player (Olympic bronze 1996), born in Perth, Western Australia
• Feb 9 Jeff Pahukoa, NFL guard/tackle (Atlanta Falcons)
• Feb 9 Jimmy Smith, NFL wide receiver (Jacksonville Jaguars)
• Feb 9 Peta Edebone, Australian softball outfielder (Olympic bronze 1996)
• Feb 9 Todd Lyght, US football quarterback (St Louis Rams)
• Feb 10 Jayhawk Owens, American MLB catcher (Colorado Rockies), born in Cincinnati, Ohio
• Feb 10 Tim Clark, American baseball outfielder (Florida Marlins), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Weddings in Sport

Deaths in Sport

• Jan 1 Bruno Söderström, Swedish athlete (Olympic silver pole vault & bronze javelin 1906; bronze pole vault 1908; popularized bowling in Sweden), dies at 87
• Jan 3 Buzz Borries, American College Football Hall of Fame halfback (Navy 1932–34), dies at 57
• Jan 4 Julian Myrick, American tennis promoter (West Side Tennis Club & Forest Hills Stadium), dies at 88
• Jan 8 Albert Hill, British athlete (b. 1889)
• Jan 13 Fred Price, cricket wicket-keep (England, v Aust Headingley 1938), dies
• Jan 24 Tom Zachary, baseball pitcher (Washington Senators), dies at 72
• Feb 2 Giovanni Martinelli, opera singer (NY Met), dies at 83
• Feb 9 Manuel Plaza Reyes, Chilean marathoner (Olympic gold 1928), dies at 68
• Feb 21 Jose de Capriles, Mexican-born US Olympic fencer, dies
• Mar 3 Fred Alexander, American tennis player (Australasian C'ship 1908, 5-time US Indoor winner), dies at 88
• Mar 25 Norman Gallichan, cricketer (one Test for NZ, 30 & 2, 3-113), dies
• Mar 30 Lucien Bianchi, Italian-Belgian auto racer (24 Hours of Le Mans 1968), dies during Le Mans testing accident at 34
• May 14 Frederick Lane, Australian swimmer (b. 1888)

• May 26 Paul Hawkins, Australian racing driver (b. 1937)
• Jun 1 Ivar Ballangrud, Norwegian speed skater (Olympic gold 5,000m 1928; 500m, 5,000m 10,000m 1936), dies at 65
• Jun 4 Rafael Osuna, Mexican tennis player (US Nat C'ship 1963), dies in an airline crash at 30
• Jun 21 Maureen Connolly, American tennis player (1st women's Grand Slam 1953; 9 x Grand Slam singles titles), dies of ovarian cancer at 34
• Jun 23 Volmari Iso-Hollo, Finnish athlete (Olympic gold 3,000m steeplechase 1936), dies at 62
• Jun 23 Chuck Taylor, American Basketball Hall of Fame promoter (Converse All Star shoes), dies of a heart attack at 67
• Jul 2 Michael DiBiase, wrestler (b. 1923)
• Jul 22 Hammy Love, cricketer (NSW wicket-keeper, played for Australia), dies
• Aug 9 George Preston Marshall, American businessman and NFL team owner (Washington Redskins), dies at 72

• Sep 2 Willy Mairesse, Belgian auto racer (13 F1 GP; Nürburgring 1000km 1963; GT Spa GP 1965; Targa Florio 1966), dies from suicide at 40
• Sep 3 John Lester, American cricketer, dies at 98
• Sep 6 Arthur Friedenreich, Brazilian football player, dies at 77
• Sep 9 Cecil Dixon, South African cricket off-spinner (1913-14, dismissed Hobbs twice), dies at 78
• Oct 4 Vibart Wight, West Indian cricket batsman (2 Tests; v/c WI first touring team v England 1928), dies at 67

• Oct 7 Léon Scieur, Belgian cyclist (b. 1888)
• Oct 12 Sonja Henie, Norwegian figure skater (Olympic gold 1928, 32, 36), actress (My Lucky Star), dies from leukemia at 57
• Oct 14 Arnie Herber, American Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback (NFL C'ship 1930, 31, 36, 39; First-team All-Pro 1932, 35, 36; Green Bay Packers, NY Giants), dies at 59
• Oct 22 Giovanni Martinelli, Italian opera singer (NY Met), dies on 84th birthday
• Oct 29 Vic Richardson, cricketer (Aussie capt 1935-36), dies
• Nov 3 Zeki Rıza Sporel, Turkish soccer striker (16 caps; Fenerbahçe), dies at 71
• Nov 5 Lloyd Corrigan, American actor (Papa Dodger, The Manchurian Candidate), dies at 69
• Dec 7 Lefty O'Doul, American baseball player (b. 1897)