This Day in Sports History: December 7
Sports in December include the NBA and NHL seasons, NFL teams fighting for the playoffs, the end of the college football season, Grand Prix races, UFC Fight Nights, and some…
Sports in December include the NBA and NHL seasons, NFL teams fighting for the playoffs, the end of the college football season, Grand Prix races, UFC Fight Nights, and some college basketball tournaments. Over the years, Dec. 7 has witnessed many notable moments and stories involving sporting legends. Continue reading to learn more about important events from this day in sports history.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sports history from Dec. 7 included:
- 1929: Defending champion Leo Diegel defeated Johnny Farrell and won the PGA Championship for men's golf.
- 1930: Tommy Armour won the PGA Championship for men's golf, achieving his second of three major titles.
- 1935: The Winnipeg Pegs beat the Hamilton Tigers, 18-12, and won the CFL Grey Cup.
- 1939: The New York Yankees' Lou Gehrig got into the Baseball Hall of Fame six months after he retired from baseball.
- 1949: Notre Dame football player Leon Hart was awarded the Heisman Trophy.
- 1956: Soviet artistic gymnast Larisa Latynina received her fourth gold medal at the Melbourne Olympics.
- 1957: The Yankees' Tony Kubek was selected as the American League Rookie of the Year.
- 1975: Tennis star Ilie Nastase won his fourth season-ending ATP Masters Grand Prix title.
- 1980: Czechoslovakia beat Italy, 4-1, claiming the Davis Cup.
- 1980: Arnold Palmer won the Senior PGA Championship.
- 1985: Auburn running back Bo Jackson won the Heisman Trophy Award.
- 1985: Martina Navratilova beat Chris Evert-Lloyd, winning her third and final Australian singles crown.
- 1988: Wayne Gretzky scored his 600th career goal in the NHL.
- 1991: The Sacramento Kings ended the NBA's longest road losing streak at 43 games.
- 1991: A.J. Kitt won the first men's downhill World Cup Event of the season, ending a seven-year American drought in the men's World Cup for downhill skiing.
- 1996: In the first Big 12 Championship Game, Texas beat No. 3 Nebraska, 37-27.
- 1996: In the fifth SEC Championship Game, No. 4 Florida beat No. 11 Alabama, 45-30.
- 2013: In the ninth ACC Championship Game, No. 1 Florida State beat No. 20 Duke, 45-7.
- 2017: Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo won his fifth and second consecutive Ballon d'Or award.
Dec. 7 has hosted some amazing athletes, such as Ilie Nastase, Bo Jackson, and Wayne Gretzky.
Nastase is a Romanian tennis player who is famous for being the first-ever ATP world No. 1 in 1973. Jackson is best known for being one of the greatest multi-sport athletes of all time, and he is the only person to be named an All-Star in the MLB and the NFL. Gretzky's fame comes from his unparalleled skill, vision, and record-setting ability; some of them still stand today, such as the most points in NHL history.
