This Day in Sports History: May 1
Sports in May include playoffs for the NBA and NHL seasons, MLB is in full swing, the Preakness Stakes, the PGA Championship, the FA Cup Final, the French Open for…
Sports in May include playoffs for the NBA and NHL seasons, MLB is in full swing, the Preakness Stakes, the PGA Championship, the FA Cup Final, the French Open for tennis, and some Grand Prix events. Over the years, May 1 has witnessed many notable moments and stories involving sporting legends. Here are some of them.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sports history from May 1 included:
- 1891: Cy Young won his first game played at Cleveland's League Park.
- 1920: Babe Ruth recorded his first home run for the New York Yankees.
- 1925: Catcher Jimmie Foxx made his MLB debut at age 17 for the Philadelphia A's.
- 1926: Pitcher Satchel Paige debuted in the Negro Southern League for Chattanooga.
- 1943: Johnny Longden won the Kentucky Derby with the heavy favorite, Count Fleet.
- 1948: Eddie Arcaro won the Kentucky Derby with Citation, becoming the first jockey to win the event four times.
- 1951: Slugger Mickey Mantle hit his first official career home run.
- 1955: Pitcher Bob Feller threw a record 12th one-hitter.
- 1955: Babe Didrikson Zaharias won the Peach Blossom LPGA Tournament.
- 1959: Floyd Patterson secured his fourth heavyweight championship with an 11th-round KO of Brian London.
- 1965: Dick Duff recorded a goal and two assists as the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 4-0 in Game 7 to win the Stanley Cup.
- 1965: Bill Shoemaker won the Kentucky Derby aboard Lucky Debonair, securing the third of his four victories.
- 1976: Angel Cordero Jr. recorded the second of three Kentucky Derby wins riding Bold Forbes.
- 1977: Gene Littler won the Houston Open, marking his career's 29th and final PGA title.
- 1988: Michael Jordan scored 55 points in the Chicago Bulls' Game 2 106-101 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. He scored 50 in Game 1, becoming the first player to score 50+ points in consecutive playoff games.
- 1991: Nolan Ryan pitched his record 7th no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays.
- 1991: Oakland A's outfielder Rickey Henderson became an MLB record holder when he stole his 939th base.
- 2000: Barry Bonds became the first MLB player to hit a homer into the San Francisco Bay.
- 2005: Lionel Messi scored his first senior league goal for FC Barcelona at the age of 17.
- 2010: Calvin Borel won the Kentucky Derby with Super Saver, recording his third victory in four years.
- 2018: Mohamed Salah became the first African to be named England Football Writers' Footballer of the Year.
- 2019: Lionel Messi scored his 600th goal for FC Barcelona in a Champions League match against Liverpool.
- 2021: Medina Spirit gave jockey John Velazquez his fourth Kentucky Derby win and trainer Bob Baffert a record seventh victory in the race.
Three athletes who stood out on May 1 were Eddie Arcaro, Rickey Henderson, and Lionel Messi.
Arcaro is the only rider to win the U.S. Triple Crown twice (Whirlaway in 1941, Citation in 1948) and holds the record for most 5,900+ total career victories. Henderson, over a 25-year career, revolutionized base running, including a record 130 stolen bases in 1982. Messi is known for unparalleled dribbling, scoring, and vision, including holding the record for most goals in La Liga (474).
