1926 - Sports

Sports

Jean Borotra wins in men's singles at Wimbledon, Kitty McKane Godfree in women's singles; René LaCoste wins in men's singles at Forest Hills, Mrs. Mallory in women's singles.

Atlanta-born golfer Robert Tyre "Bobby" Jones, 24, loses the U.S. Golf Association Amateur championship to George Von Elm but wins the U.S. Open.

Miniature golf is invented by Tennessee entrepreneur Frieda Carter, part owner of the Fairyland Inn resort, who will patent her "Tom Thumb Golf" in 1929. By 1930 there will be 25,000 to 50,000 miniature golf courses.

Gertrude (Caroline) Ederle, 19, becomes the first woman to swim the English Channel. The New York Olympic champion failed in a Channel attempt last year but arrives at Dover August 6 after 14½ hours in the water, has been forced by heavy seas to swim 35 miles to cover the 21 miles from Cape Gris-Nez near Calais, still beats the world record by nearly 2 hours, and suffers a hearing loss that will prove permanent (see Chadwick, 1951).

German swimmer Horst Vierkotter breaks Gertrude Ederle's Channel record in September by swimming the Channel in 12 hours, 34 minutes, but no woman will beat Ederle's record for 24 years.

Gene Tunney wins the world heavyweight boxing championship held by Jack Dempsey since 1919 (Dempsey has married actress Estelle Taylor and given up Jack Kearns to be his own manager). New York prizefighter James Joseph Tunney, 28, gains a 10-round decision September 23 at Philadelphia, will beat Dempsey again next year, and will retire undefeated in 1928 (see 1927).

English cricket ace Sir John Berry Hobbs, 44, scores 16 centuries in first-class cricket.

Cushioned cork-center baseballs are introduced.

The St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series, defeating the New York Yankees 4 games to 3.

The Army-Navy football game November 27 is the first official event at Chicago's Soldier Field. More than 100,000 people pack the 45,000-seat stadium to see a game that ends in a 21-21 tie. Soldier field will expand to have 63,000 seats.