July 4, 1907 – Across the pond at the Wimbledon Men’s Tennis tournament a milestone event occurred. Australian Norman Brookes became the first non-Englishman to win Wimbledon beating Arthur Gore in straight sets- 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.
Brookes was also the first left-handed player to win the annual event getting cheers from South-paws all over the globe. Brookes, who almost always had his signature driver’s cap on along with a button-down top, pressed trousers and spit-shined white shoes, was always a very dapper player.
This victory provided some solace for Brookes who lost the 1905 finale to one of the fraternity’s five-time champions, Laurie Doherty, 8-6, 6-2, 6-4. He is so highly regarded “Downunder” that the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup is presented each year to the winner of the Australian Open Men’s Championship.
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: April 21
Home Run Magic! Yes, there have been plenty of base clearers hit in single
Peter Bonert Shares Stories of the Link Between Germany and the NFL
In this episode, Peter Bonert rides shotgun in the DeLorean to take us back
Sports History On This Day: April 20
Three MLB ballparks had debuts into the Big Leagues on this day in history.
Sports History On This Day: April 19
April 19, 1947 – Maurice Richard is named as the National Hockey League’s Most Valuable
Swinging A’s (The Oakland Athletics of the 1970s)
Just how good were the Oakland Athletics from 1971-to-1975? They were good enough to
Sports History On This Day: April 18
April 18, 1942 – It was a miraculous comeback in the Stanley Cup Finals! The
Sports History On This Day: April 17
April 17, 1911 – Clarence DeMar won his first Boston Marathon race. The victory was run at
Sports History On This Day: April 16
April 16, 1912 – The Pittsburgh Pirates turned in a fielding rarity of a 5-3-7