TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - AUGUST 31ST

1881 - First US men's single tennis championships (Newport, RI).

1909 - A J Reach Co patents cork-centered baseball.

1915 - Chicago White Sox Jimmy Lavender no-hits NY Giants, 2-0.
1918 - Boston Red Sox, win earliest AL pennent ever (season ended Sept 2).

1931 - Jean Marc Beliveau, Trois-Rivieres Quebec,

NHL center (Montreal Canadiens, 10 Stanley Cups) is born.
1935 - Frank Robinson, baseball player/manager (MVP 1961-NL 1966-AL) is born.

1935 - Chicago White Sox Vern Kennedy no-hits Cleveland Indians, 5-0.

1947 - NY Giants set season record for HRs by a club 183 (en route to 221).
1950 - Dodger Gil Hodges hits 4 HRs & a single in a game vs Braves.

1955 - Edwin Corley Moses, Dayton, 400m hurdler (Oly-2 gold/br-76, 84, 88) is born.

1969 - Rocky Marciano, former Heavyweight champ, dies in a plane crash at 45.

1972 - Olga Korbut, USSR, wins olympic gold medal in gymnastics.

1973 - First Heavyweight championship fight in Japan (Foreman beats Roman).

1979 - 16 yr old Tracy Austin defeats 14 yr old Andrea Jaeger at US Open Tennis.

1983 - Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals football player is born.

1985 - Angel Cordero becomes 3rd jockey to ride horses earning over $100 M.

1990 - Nat (Sweetwater) Clifton, NY Knick, dies at 65 of a heart attack.

1991 - Houston QB David Klingler sets NCAA record with 6 touchdown

passes in the 2nd quarter as the Cougars clobbered Louisiana Tech 73-3.

1997 - Don Mattingly's #23 is retired by NY Yankees.

2006 - Tom Delaney, British racing driver (b. 1911).