1955 - Sports

Sports

Skiing instructor Hannes Schneider dies of a heart attack at his North Conway, N.H., home April 26 at age 64; former heavyweight boxing champion Tommy Burns at Vancouver, B.C., May 10 at age 73.

Swaps beats the favorite Nashua to win the Kentucky Derby under the whip of Texas-born jockey William Lee "Bill" Shoemaker, 23, but Nashua comes back with jockey Eddie Arcaro, now 39, to defeat Swaps in a match race and will be retired to stud next year, the first race horse to be syndicated for more than $1 million.

Tennessee-born dentist-turned-golfer (Emmett) Cary Middlecoff, 34, wins the Masters golf tournament, beating Ben Hogan, now 42, by seven strokes.

Tony Trabert wins in men's singles at Wimbledon and Forest Hills, Louise Brough in women's singles at Wimbledon, Doris Hart at Forest Hills.

The Philadelphia Athletics become the Kansas City Athletics as baseball broadens its geographical base.

The Brooklyn Dodgers win their first World Series, defeating the New York Yankees 4 games to 3.

Washington Senators owner and American League cofounder Clark Griffith dies at Washington, D.C., October 27 at age 85 (his adopted son Calvin [né Robertson], 43, and adopted daughter Thelma inherit control of the franchise that they will move to Minnesota after the 1960 season); legendary pitcher Cy Young dies at Newcomerstown, Ohio, November 4 at age 88 (the Cy Young Award will soon be established for the best pitcher in the major leagues each year, and the award will later be given to the best in each league); former Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop and National League batting champion Honus Wagner dies at Carnegie, Pa., December 5 at age 81.

Florence Chadwick breaks her 1951 Channel swim speed record October 12, crossing Le Manche in 13 hours, 33 minutes.