1917 - Sports

Sports

Robert Lindley Murray, 23, wins in men's singles at the Patriotic Tournament held in lieu of regular USLTA championships; Molla Bjurstedt wins in women's singles.

The Chicago White Sox win the World Series, defeating the New York Giants 4 games to 2.

Former world heavyweight champion Bob Fitzsimmons dies at Chicago October 22 at age 55. He quit the ring only 3 years ago.

The National Hockey League (NHL) organized November 22 at Montreal includes teams from that city (the Canadians and the Wanderers), Quebec, Ottawa, and Toronto. The first NHL hockey team to use artificial ice is the Toronto Arenas, who will become the St. Patricks in 1919 and the Maple Leafs in 1926 (hockey has been played up to now only on natural ice, with games canceled during warm spells). The first U.S. team to join will be the Boston Bruins in 1924, followed by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1925 and the New York Rangers, Chicago Black Hawks, and Detroit Cougars (later Red Wings) in 1926, but the U.S. teams will be composed almost entirely of Canadian-born players.