August 3, 1852 – It was the first American intercollegiate sporting event that had ever taken place. The Harvard heavyweight rowing crew competed against their rivals Yale on Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire. Harvard triumphed by 2 lengths in over 2 miles over the Eli rowing group.
This started the competitive athletic rivalry between the two Eastern Universities. Most famously the football rivalry between the schools dates back to 1875 and is the second-oldest rivalry in college football, but as we see these two were rivals long before that.
To find more great daily sports history make sure to check out the Sports Jersey Dispatch and Pigskin Dispatch.
More From Sports History Network

Sports History On This Day: September 16
September 16, 1869 – Golf’s 1st recorded hole-in-one by Tom Morris Jr. occurred at Prestwick’s

Sports History On This Day: September 15
September 15, 1957 – The San Francisco Seals minor league baseball club of the Pacific

Sports History On This Day: September 14
September 14, 1913 – Chicago Cubs pitcher Larry Cheney had a day that made most,

Sports History On This Day: September 13
September 13, 1872 – At the British Open Men’s Golf tournament held at the Prestwick

Remembering the NFL Films Team Highlight Films of the 1970s
If you are in your 50s like me, you probably grew up watching the

Sports History On This Day: September 12
September 12, 1982 – At the US Open Men’s Tennis tournament there was a historic

Why Was “Shorty” Ray Considered an NFL Giant?
When we think of really big men who have had a positive impact on

Sports History On This Day: September 11
September 11, 1886 – We all know that the name of a ship named the