Sport
105 stories through the year, in calendar order. Tap one to visit its day.
January
- 1 Jan 1863 Born: Pierre de CoubertinPierre de Coubertin was a French educator and historian who is known as the father of the modern Olympic Games. In 1894 he helped to found the Intern…
- 7 Jan 1985 Born: Lewis HamiltonSir Lewis Hamilton is a British racing driver who competes in Formula One. He has won seven Formula One World Drivers' Championships, a joint record …
- 7 Jan 1989 Non-league Sutton United knock Coventry City out of the FA CupIn one of the most famous shocks in FA Cup history, Sutton United beat Coventry City 2–1. Sutton played in the Conference, the fifth level of English…
- 13 Jan 1972 Bernice Gera wins the right to umpire professional baseballBernice Gera won a court case against a professional baseball organisation, which had treated her unfairly because she was a woman. Winning the case …
- 13 Jan 1993 Born: Max WhitlockMax Whitlock is an English gymnast and the most successful gymnast in British history. At the 2016 Olympic Games he won gold medals on the floor and …
- 14 Jan 1999 Born: Declan RiceDeclan Rice is an English footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for England. He began his career at West Ham United and captained them to a …
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15 Jan
1892 James Naismith publishes the rules of basketballPE teacher James Naismith published the rules of basketball, a new game he had invented. Teaching at a college in Springfield, Massachusetts, he need…
Photo: Unknown author, Public domain
- 15 Jan 1998 Born: Chloe KellyChloe Kelly is an English footballer who plays for the England women's team, the Lionesses. In the final of Euro 2022 she came on as a substitute and…
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16 Jan
1902 Born: Eric LiddellEric Liddell was a Scottish sprinter, rugby player and Christian missionary, born in China to Scottish parents. At the 1924 Paris Olympics he refused…
Photo: unknown (Sports event handout), Public domain
- 18 Jan 1886 The Hockey Association is formed in EnglandThe Hockey Association was formed in England, an important step in the birth of modern field hockey. The first known hockey club had started at Black…
- 19 Jan 1848 Born: Matthew WebbCaptain Matthew Webb was an English sailor and swimmer from Dawley, Shropshire. In 1875 he became the first person to swim the English Channel withou…
- 19 Jan 2007 Kite-skiers reach Antarctica's Pole of InaccessibilityA four-man team called N2i reached Antarctica's Pole of Inaccessibility, the point on the continent furthest from the sea. They had travelled 1,093 m…
- 21 Jan 1911 The first Monte Carlo Rally takes placeThe first Monte Carlo Rally was held, organised at the wish of Prince Albert I of Monaco. Twenty-three cars set out from 11 different starting points…
- 22 Jan 1920 Born: Alf RamseyAlf Ramsey was an English footballer who played as a defender and captained the England team. He is best known as England's manager from 1963 to 1974…
- 22 Jan 1927 The first radio commentary of a football match is broadcastTeddy Wakelam and Cecil Lewis gave the first commentary of a football match on British radio. The game, between Arsenal and Sheffield United at Highb…
- 23 Jan 1919 Born: Bob PaisleyBob Paisley was an English footballer and manager who spent almost 50 years at Liverpool Football Club. He took over as manager in 1974, following Bi…
- 23 Jan 1957 Inventor Fred Morrison sells his flying disc, later called the FrisbeeAmerican inventor Fred Morrison sold the rights to his flying disc to the toy company Wham-O. The company later renamed the toy the Frisbee. Wham-O a…
- 24 Jan 1536 Henry VIII is badly hurt in a jousting accidentKing Henry VIII had a serious accident while jousting, a sport in which two riders charge at each other with blunted lances. He fell heavily from his…
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25 Jan
1924 The first Winter Olympic Games open in ChamonixThe first Winter Olympic Games opened in Chamonix, in the French Alps. The competitions ran until 5 February. At the time the event was called 'Inter…
Photo: Auguste Matisse, Public domain
- 28 Jan 1986 Born: Jessica Ennis-HillJessica Ennis-Hill is a British athlete who competed in the heptathlon, which combines seven different track and field events. She won the gold medal…
- 29 Jan 1936 The first members of baseball's Hall of Fame are announcedThe first people chosen for the National Baseball Hall of Fame were announced. The Hall of Fame, in Cooperstown, New York, honours people who have ex…
- 29 Jan 2006 Irfan Pathan takes a Test hat-trick in the very first overIndian bowler Irfan Pathan took a hat-trick in the first over of a Test match against Pakistan in Karachi. A hat-trick in cricket means a bowler take…
February
- 1 Feb 1915 Born: Stanley MatthewsStanley Matthews was an English footballer who played on the right wing. He is often called one of the greatest English players ever, and his nicknam…
- 2 Feb 2004 Roger Federer becomes the world's top men's tennis playerSwiss tennis star Roger Federer became the world number one in men's singles. He stayed at the top for a record 237 weeks in a row. Altogether he was…
- 5 Feb 1923 Bill Ponsford scores a world record 429 runs in cricketAustralian cricketer Bill Ponsford scored 429 runs in a single innings. This broke the world record for the highest score in first-class cricket. Pon…
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8 Feb
1948 The first Winter Olympics after the Second World War endThe 1948 Winter Olympics closed in St. Moritz, Switzerland. They were the first Olympic Games held after the Second World War. It had been twelve yea…
Photo: Etiaetia1020, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 9 Feb 1895 William G. Morgan invents the game that becomes volleyballAmerican sports teacher William G. Morgan invented a new game that he called Mintonette, a name taken from badminton. It soon became known as volleyb…
- 9 Feb 1900 The Davis Cup tennis competition is set upThe Davis Cup tennis competition was established. It began as a challenge between Great Britain and the United States and was first called the Intern…
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9 Feb
2018 The Winter Olympics open in Pyeongchang, South KoreaThe opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics took place in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The Games were officially opened by South Korea's president,…
Photo: Mike Pence, Public domain
- 10 Feb 1940 Born: Mary RandMary Rand was an English athlete who was brilliant at jumping, hurdles and the pentathlon. At the 1964 Olympic Games she won the long jump and broke …
- 16 Feb 1906 Born: Vera MenchikVera Menchik was a chess player who was born in Russia and lived mainly in England. She was the first Women's World Chess Champion, holding the title…
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16 Feb
1973 Born: Cathy FreemanCathy Freeman is an Aboriginal Australian athlete who ran the 400 metres. At the 2000 Olympic Games, she lit the Olympic Flame at the start of the Ga…
Photo: Jason Pini/AusAID, CC BY 2.0
- 17 Feb 1963 Born: Michael JordanMichael Jordan is an American former basketball player. He played 15 seasons in the NBA, winning six championships with the Chicago Bulls. Many peopl…
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17 Feb
1980 Two Polish climbers make the first winter climb of Mount EverestPolish climbers Krzysztof Wielicki and Leszek Cichy became the first people to reach the top of Mount Everest in winter. Everest, on the border betwe…
Photo: Rdevany, CC BY-SA 3.0
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17 Feb
1989 Born: Rebecca AdlingtonRebecca Adlington is an English former swimmer. At the 2008 Olympic Games she won two gold medals, in the 400 metres and 800 metres freestyle. In the…
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17 Feb
1996 Garry Kasparov beats the Deep Blue chess computerWorld chess champion Garry Kasparov beat IBM's supercomputer Deep Blue in a six-game match in Philadelphia, USA. He won three games, drew two and los…
Photo: Fryta 73 from Strzegom, CC BY-SA 2.0
- 19 Feb 1910 Old Trafford football stadium hosts its first matchManchester United played their first match at their new stadium, Old Trafford, against Liverpool. The home fans did not get a win, as Liverpool won 4…
- 20 Feb 1940 Born: Jimmy GreavesJimmy Greaves was an English footballer, seen as one of the greatest strikers of all time. He scored 357 goals in England's top division, more than a…
- 20 Feb 1998 Fifteen-year-old Tara Lipinski wins Olympic figure skating goldAmerican figure skater Tara Lipinski won the Olympic gold medal at the age of 15. She became the youngest person ever to win an Olympic gold medal at…
- 22 Feb 1980 USA's young ice hockey team wins the 'Miracle on Ice'At the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, the United States ice hockey team beat the Soviet Union 4–3. The Soviet team was full of experienced…
- 25 Feb 1951 The first Pan American Games open in Buenos AiresThe first Pan American Games opened in Buenos Aires, Argentina, after being delayed by the Second World War. The Games are an Olympic-style sports co…
- 29 Feb 1988 Born: Hannah MillsHannah Mills is a Welsh sailor who won three Olympic medals for Team GB in the 470 class of sailing boat. She won silver with Saskia Clark in 2012, t…
September
- 28 Sep 1972 Canada beats the Soviet Union in ice hockey's Summit SeriesCanada's ice hockey team beat the team from the Soviet Union to win the Summit Series. The contest took place during the Cold War, a long rivalry bet…
- 30 Sep 1944 Born: Jimmy JohnstoneJimmy Johnstone was a Scottish footballer who played for Celtic for 13 years. He was nicknamed 'Jinky' because his dribbling made him so hard to catc…
October
- 2 Oct 2004 The first parkrun takes place in Bushy Park, LondonThe very first parkrun took place in Bushy Park, a royal park beside Hampton Court Palace in London. At the time it was called the Bushy Park Time Tr…
- 4 Oct 1883 The Boys' Brigade holds its first meeting in GlasgowThe Boys' Brigade, started by Scottish businessman Sir William Alexander Smith, held its first meeting in Glasgow. He wanted to combine drill, or mar…
- 8 Oct 1978 Ken Warby sets the world water speed recordAustralian motorboat racer Ken Warby set a world water speed record of 275.97 knots on Blowering Dam in Australia. That is more than 500 kilometres p…
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10 Oct
1964 The Tokyo Olympics open, shown live by satellite for the first timeThe 1964 Summer Olympics opened in Tokyo, Japan, and ran until 24 October. The opening ceremony was the first to be relayed live by satellites, so pe…
Photo: Keystone Press, Public domain
- 11 Oct 1937 Born: Bobby CharltonSir Bobby Charlton was an English footballer, widely seen as one of the greatest players of all time. He was part of the England team that won the 19…
- 13 Oct 2019 Brigid Kosgei sets a marathon world record in ChicagoKenyan runner Brigid Kosgei won the Chicago Marathon in 2 hours, 14 minutes and 4 seconds. It was a new world record for women in a race where men an…
- 14 Oct 2012 Felix Baumgartner breaks the sound barrier in a record skydiveAustrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner rose about 39 kilometres above New Mexico, USA, in a capsule carried by a helium balloon. Then he jumped. As he f…
- 15 Oct 1989 Wayne Gretzky becomes the NHL's all-time top points scorerCanadian ice hockey star Wayne Gretzky became the highest points scorer in the history of the NHL, North America's top ice hockey league. Nicknamed '…
- 15 Oct 1997 ThrustSSC becomes the first car to break the sound barrierThe British jet-powered car ThrustSSC set a new land speed record of 1,228 km/h (763 mph) in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, USA. It was driven by A…
- 17 Oct 1860 The first Open Championship in golf is played in ScotlandThe first Open Championship was played at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. It is the oldest golf tournament in the world and one of the four 'majors'…
- 17 Oct 1919 Leeds United Football Club is foundedLeeds United Football Club was founded at Salem Chapel in Holbeck, Leeds. It replaced Leeds City, the city's leading club before the First World War.…
- 18 Oct 1873 Renton beat Kilmarnock in the first ever Scottish Cup matchRenton beat Kilmarnock 2–0 in the very first match of the first Scottish Cup. Renton, from West Dunbartonshire, went on to win the cup twice, in 1885…
- 18 Oct 1968 Bob Beamon makes a record-smashing long jump at the OlympicsAt the Olympic Games in Mexico City, American athlete Bob Beamon leapt 8.90 metres in the long jump. He beat the old world record by 55 centimetres. …
- 20 Oct 1961 Born: Ian RushThe Welsh footballer Ian Rush was born. He played as a forward for Liverpool from 1980 to 1987, and again from 1988 to 1996. He scored 346 goals for …
- 22 Oct 1939 Born: George CohenThe English footballer George Cohen was born. He played as a right-back and spent his whole professional career at Fulham. He was part of the England…
- 24 Oct 1857 Sheffield FC, the world's oldest football club, is foundedSheffield Football Club was founded in England. FIFA, which runs world football, considers it the oldest independent club still playing football anyw…
- 26 Oct 1863 The Football Association is founded in LondonThe Football Association, usually called the FA, was set up in London. It was the world's first governing body for football, which means a group that…
- 26 Oct 1982 Born: Nicola AdamsNicola Adams is a British boxer, born in 1982. At the London 2012 Olympics she became the first woman to win an Olympic boxing gold medal. She won go…
- 31 Oct 1999 Jesse Martin, 18, becomes the youngest to sail solo round the worldAustralian sailor Jesse Martin arrived in Melbourne, becoming the youngest person to sail around the world alone, without stopping and without help. …
November
- 1 Nov 1889 Born: Philip Noel-BakerPhilip Noel-Baker was a British politician, diplomat and athlete, born in 1889. At the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerp, he carried the British team fla…
- 2 Nov 2008 Lewis Hamilton wins the Formula One title by just one pointBritish racing driver Lewis Hamilton won the Formula One World Championship in dramatic style. In the final corners of the Brazilian Grand Prix, he o…
- 6 Nov 1869 Rutgers beats Princeton in the first college American football gameIn New Brunswick, New Jersey, Rutgers College beat the College of New Jersey 6–4. It was the first official American football game played between two…
- 8 Nov 1943 Born: Martin PetersThe English footballer Martin Peters was born. He was a member of the England team that won the 1966 FIFA World Cup, and he scored the second of Engl…
- 9 Nov 1985 Garry Kasparov becomes world chess champion at 22Garry Kasparov beat Anatoly Karpov to become World Chess Champion at the age of 22. At the time, nobody younger had ever won the title. Kasparov stay…
- 12 Nov 1958 Climbers make the first ascent of The Nose on El CapitanA team of rock climbers led by Warren Harding completed the first climb of The Nose, a route up the huge rock wall of El Capitan in Yosemite Valley. …
- 13 Nov 1945 Dynamo Moscow and Chelsea draw 3–3 in front of a record crowdThe Soviet football club Dynamo Moscow began its tour of the United Kingdom with a 3–3 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. It was the first time…
- 13 Nov 1954 Great Britain wins the first Rugby League World CupGreat Britain beat France in the final of the first Rugby League World Cup, played at the Parc des Princes in Paris. Around 30,000 people watched the…
- 15 Nov 1859 The Zappas Olympics bring the Olympic Games back to AthensOne of the first modern revivals of the ancient Olympic Games took place in Athens, Greece. These games were paid for by the Greek businessman Evange…
- 15 Nov 1965 Craig Breedlove becomes the first driver to pass 600 mphAmerican driver Craig Breedlove set a land speed record of 600.601 mph (966.574 km/h) in his jet-powered car, Spirit of America. The record run took …
- 15 Nov 2020 Lewis Hamilton wins his record-equalling seventh world titleBritish racing driver Lewis Hamilton won the Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul, which also won him his seventh Formula One World Drivers' Championship. …
- 19 Nov 1969 Pelé scores his 1,000th goalBrazilian footballer Pelé scored the thousandth goal of his career, playing for his club Santos against Vasco da Gama in Rio de Janeiro. Pelé is wide…
- 20 Nov 2022 The FIFA World Cup kicks off in QatarThe 22nd FIFA World Cup began in Qatar. It was the first World Cup to be held in the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula. It was also only the seco…
- 22 Nov 2013 Magnus Carlsen becomes world chess championNorwegian grandmaster Magnus Carlsen beat India's Viswanathan Anand to become World Chess Champion. The match was held in Chennai, India, and Carlsen…
- 23 Nov 1976 Jacques Mayol becomes the first freediver to reach 100 metresFrench diver Jacques Mayol became the first person to freedive to a depth of 100 metres. Freediving means diving underwater while holding your breath…
- 27 Nov 1968 Penny Ann Early makes history in men's professional basketballPenny Ann Early became the first woman to play in a major professional men's basketball league in the United States. She played for the Kentucky Colo…
- 28 Nov 1862 Notts County, the oldest professional football club, is foundedNotts County Football Club was founded in Nottingham, England. It is the oldest professional football club in the world. The club first played in the…
- 29 Nov 1899 FC Barcelona football club is founded by Joan GamperThe football club FC Barcelona was founded in Barcelona, Spain, by the Swiss football pioneer Joan Gamper. Known as Barça, it plays in La Liga, the t…
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30 Nov
1872 Scotland and England play the first international football matchScotland and England played the first official international football match. It took place at Hamilton Crescent, a cricket ground in Partick, Glasgow…
Photo: Unknown author, Public domain
December
- 1 Dec 1662 John Evelyn writes about skating in St James's ParkThe diarist John Evelyn recorded skating on the frozen lake in St James's Park, London. King Charles II and Queen Catherine were there watching. Evel…
- 3 Dec 1910 Freda Du Faur becomes the first woman to climb Aoraki / Mount CookAustralian mountaineer Freda Du Faur became the first woman to climb Aoraki / Mount Cook, the highest mountain in New Zealand. It is about 3,724 metr…
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4 Dec
1909 The Montreal Canadiens ice hockey club is foundedThe Montreal Canadiens were founded in Canada as one of the first members of the National Hockey Association. They are the oldest professional ice ho…
Photo: Albert Dumas, Public domain
- 5 Dec 1921 The FA bans women's football from league groundsThe Football Association (FA) banned women's football in England from being played at league grounds. The ban stayed in place for 50 years. The FA, f…
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6 Dec
1956 Fourteen-year-old Sandra Morgan wins Olympic goldAt the Melbourne Olympics, 14-year-old swimmer Sandra Morgan won a gold medal as part of Australia's 4×100 metres freestyle relay team. She became th…
Photo: Daan Noske / Anefo, CC0
- 7 Dec 1936 Jack Fingleton scores centuries in four Test innings in a rowAustralian cricketer Jack Fingleton became the first player to score centuries in four Test innings in a row. A century means 100 runs or more. Fingl…
- 7 Dec 1963 Instant replay is used on television for the first timeInstant replay was used for the first time during the Army–Navy American football game in Philadelphia, USA. Instant replay means showing viewers a r…
- 7 Dec 2025 Lando Norris becomes Formula One world championBritish racing driver Lando Norris won the Formula One World Drivers' Championship, driving for the McLaren team. The championship goes to the most s…
- 8 Dec 1941 Born: Geoff HurstSir Geoff Hurst is an English former footballer who played as a striker. In 1966 he became the first player to score a hat-trick, three goals, in a W…
- 9 Dec 1892 Newcastle United football club is formedThe football club Newcastle United was formed. It grew out of Newcastle East End, which had started in 1881 as Stanley F.C. Its old local rival, Newc…
- 11 Dec 1886 Arsenal, then called Dial Square, plays its first football matchThe football club now known as Arsenal played its very first match, on the Isle of Dogs in London. At the time the team was called Dial Square. Arsen…
- 12 Dec 1969 Born: Fiona MayFiona May is a long jumper who competed first for the United Kingdom and later for Italy. She won the World Championships twice, as well as two Olymp…
- 12 Dec 2021 Max Verstappen wins the Formula One title on the final lapThe Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was the last race of the 2021 Formula One season. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton started the race level on 369.5 points e…
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12 Dec
2024 Gukesh Dommaraju becomes the youngest world chess championIndian chess player Gukesh Dommaraju won a contest in Singapore to become World Chess Champion. He became the 18th undisputed world champion and the …
Photo: Frans Peeters, CC BY-SA 2.0
- 14 Dec 1960 Cricket's first ever tied Test matchThe first Test match between Australia and the West Indies ended in a tie, the first in Test cricket history. On the last day, Australian batsman Ian…
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15 Dec
1899 Born: Harold AbrahamsHarold Abrahams was an English athlete who became Olympic champion in the 100 metres sprint in 1924. His victory was shown in the 1981 film Chariots …
Photo: Agence Rol, Public domain
- 16 Dec 1882 Wales and England play the first Home Nations rugby matchWales played England in the first match of the Home Nations Championship, the rugby union contest now called the Six Nations. Rugby union began at Ru…
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16 Dec
1905 Wales beat New Zealand in rugby's 'Match of the Century'Wales played New Zealand at rugby in front of 47,000 people at Cardiff Arms Park. It was billed as the 'Match of the Century' because the world's two…
Photo: Credited to Bowden Brothers photography, Public domain
- 18 Dec 1898 The first official land speed record is set in an electric carFrench count Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat set the first officially recognised land speed record. He reached 63.159 km/h (39.245 mph) in an electric ca…
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18 Dec
2022 Argentina win the FIFA World Cup on penaltiesArgentina beat France, the defending champions, in the FIFA World Cup final at Lusail Stadium in Qatar. The match finished 3–3 after extra time, and …
- 26 Dec 1860 Sheffield and Hallam play the world's oldest football fixtureSheffield FC played Hallam FC for the first time, in a match now known as the Rules derby. It is the oldest football fixture in the world, so no two …
- 30 Dec 1896 Ernie McLea scores the first hat-trick in Stanley Cup historyCanadian ice hockey player Ernie McLea scored the first hat-trick in Stanley Cup play, which means three goals in one game. He also scored the winnin…
- 30 Dec 1937 Born: Gordon BanksGordon Banks was an English footballer, born in Sheffield, who is seen as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time. He played in every game of Eng…