69 great summer sports moments

Photo Illustration by Michael Flocker // Stacker // Getty For centuries, sports have impacted the lives and cultures of people worldwide. From the first Olympic games in Greece as far back as the 700s B.C. to the formation of the National Association of Base Ball Players–the first professional sports league in America–in the 1800s, the love for sports has always been apparent. What makes sports so popular? Why do so many people gather around a big screen or spend hundreds of dollars on tickets to appear in person at an event? While there doesn’t seem to be one definitive reason that makes sports so beloved, there are eight points of motivation that bring audiences to their love of sports, according to sports fan psychologist Daniel Wann. These range from building a sense of community to having a distraction from real-world struggles to gaining a sense of self-esteem through a winning team. Everyone has their own reason for finding love in a game or competition. Each summer brings a new level of excitement to the world of sports as teams and leagues begin and end their respective seasons. Using news archives and other public information sources, OLBG has compiled a list of some of the greatest sports moments from the summer you were born. The 2020s Adam Glanzman // Getty Images 2023: Europe Ryder Cup win Due to the nature of golf’s Ryder Cup format, it’s not unusual for the bid for outright victory to go right to the wire. That was certainly not the case in 2023 when Europe was ahead by 5 points going into the final day and the team’s lead of 10.5 to 5.5 over the United States meant they only needed 2 points going into the final day to win the cup. A blistering performance across the course on Friday and Saturday allowed the Europeans to take their collective foot off the gas ever so slightly. Both teams earned 6 points on the final day, giving a resounding victory to Europe over the United States with a score of 16.5 to 11.5.  2022: Golden State Warriors dynasty continues After a couple of years of schedule disruption, the 2022 NBA season was finally back in sync and it also saw the continuation of the Golden State Warriors recent dynasty in the finals series. Pitted against the Boston Celtics, Steph Curry and his teammates would go on to win the championship 4-2. Curry would go on to also win that year’s MVP accolade, the Golden State franchise would subsequently make it four NBA Championships in the space of just eight years. 2021: Emma Raducanu wins U.S. Open Before the 2021 U.S. Open, only the most ardent tennis fan would be aware of the name Emma Raducanu. However, the British starlet’s status would grow exponentially by the time she had won that year’s women’s singles at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Not only would this be the first all-teenage final in 22 years, but Raducanu’s victory over Canadian counterpart Leylah Fernandez would also see the first-ever qualifier earn outright success as the 18-year-old won in straight sets. 2020: Lakers make it record equalling 17 When you think of NBA legacies, there cannot be many greater than the Los Angeles Lakers and in 2020, they went on to win their 17th NBA Championship – equalling the record with longtime rivals, the Boston Celtics. Their 17th success was also their first in 10 years and with the Miami Heat playing the role of opponents, the likes of LeBron James and Anthony Davis would win the series without the need for Game 7. The crowning moment came at the end of Game 6, when the Lakers eased to a 106-93 win. The 2010s CARL DE SOUZA // AFP via Getty Images 2009: All Williams Wimbledon final The name Williams may be synonymous with Wimbledon and there was no stronger link than the 2009 final. Venus on one side of the net, Serena on the other. Family bragging rights up for grabs along with the women’s singles title. It was the latter who came out on top with a straight sets victory and not only did it mean a third Wimbledon title for the younger of the two sisters but also an 11th career Grand Slam title.  2008: Nadal vs. Federer at Wimbledon Although there are many contenders to the greatest Wimbledon game of all time. The only answer can be the men’s final in 2008. Four hours and 48 minutes were required to finally split Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal and with the Spaniard winning the fifth and final set 9-7 it would mean the contest itself was not finished until 9:15 BST and both players were plunged into near darkness. With rain interruptions throughout, it would also be the last year before a retractable roof was installed on Centre Court. 2007: A-Rod reaches 500 home runs As Alex Rodriguez reached 499 home runs in Major League Baseball, the wait for number 500 was a rather agonizing one. One that by baseball standards took an eternity and after an eight-game wait, A-Rod would finally land 500. Not only would he join an elite group of 22 players to reach this milestone, but he would be the youngest of them to do so. At 32 years and 8 days of age, the boyfriend of both J-Lo and Madonna at one stage went on to beat Jimmie Foxx’s long-standing record. 2006: Jerry Rice retires In 2006, NFL legend Jerry Rice retired from professional football, concluding a storied career spanning more than two decades. Rice, widely regarded as one of the greatest wide receivers in NFL history, left an indelible mark on the sport with his exceptional skills, work ethic, and numerous records. His retirement marked the end of an era and solidified his legacy as an icon of the game and came about after signing a one-day contract with the San Francisco 49ers. 2005: Lance Armstrong makes it seven (for now) The Tour De France is arguably the greatest test of man versus machine and in the mid-2000’s, there was no greater man than Lance Armstrong. In what was to be his then-final attempt at conquering the Alps and the Pyrenees, the Texas Tornado already had six successive Tour wins under his belt and with the record for overall victories already in his possession, 2005 was seen as the exclamation point. A seventh straight yellow jersey would be Armstrong’s before the Union Cycliste Internationale would eventually scrub his name from the record books due to drug offenses. 2004: Pistons upset the Lakers In 2004, the Detroit Pistons caused a major upset in the NBA Finals by defeating the heavily favored Los Angeles Lakers. Led by a strong defensive effort and teamwork, the Pistons dethroned the Lakers in a stunning fashion, winning the series 4-1. The series is often termed a “five-game sweep” because Detroit convincingly won each of their four victories, while the Lakers narrowly secured Game 2 in overtime. This win marked the fifth championship victory for the Pistons as a franchise. 2003: Cristiano Ronaldo makes Manchester United debut All sporting icons need to start somewhere and although Cristiano Ronaldo made his soccer debut at Sporting Lisbon, it was his move to English Premier League club Manchester United that gave him the platform to start showing his talents. These talents would see the Portuguese phenomenon win both Premier League and Champions League trophies before a move to Real Madrid and even further glory. Some say he is the best player ever and he makes a great case regarding that argument but were it not for Sir Alex Ferguson giving him the opportunity at Old Trafford 21 years ago, he would not even be part of the conversation. 2002: Ronaldo returns and wins 2002 World Cup A peripheral figure at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo was the main character four years later and scored twice in the 2002 final in Japan. His brace would go on to beat fellow finalists Germany and give the South American nation its fifth overall win. More importantly, it was the ending of the redemption arc for Ronaldo who had been besieged by illness and injury in the years leading up to the tournament. It was a personal success that no football fan was ever going to begrudge. 2001: Goran Ivanisevic wins Wimbledon as wildcard Wimbledon has a habit of generating remarkable stories and one of the best  happened in 2001. That was the year in which Goran Ivaniševi was granted a wildcard to enter the men’s singles tournament. He may have been a wildcard but it did not stop the Croat going all the way to the final. Standing in the way of a fairytale win was Australian Patrick Rafter and although this one required a fifth-set tiebreaker to finally declare a winner, nothing was ever going to step in Ivaniševi ‘s way. 2000: Venus Williams wins first Wimbledon The surname Williams is synonymous with Wimbledon and that symbiotic link started in 2000. That was the year in which Venus would not only earn her first major singles title but also beat defending Lindsay Davenport in the process. Her straight sets win ushered in a new period of Williams-dominance as she and sister Serena went on to carve up what was in front of them. The 1990s Gary M. Prior 1999: U.S. Ryder Cup win – The Battle of Brookline The Ryder Cup used to be a rather sedate affair. That was until 1999 and the “Battle of Brookline.” Going into the final day, the Europeans were leading 10-6 and needed just four points to retain the cup. An incredible comeback from the United States saw them snatch the victory 14.5 points to 13.5 points, but their celebrations certainly left a bitter taste in their opponents’ mouths and created the modern era of Ryder Cup warfare known today.  1998: Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire The 1998 Major League Baseball season was marked by an intense home run record chase between Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals and Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs. Both players captivated the nation with their pursuit of breaking Roger Maris’ single-season home run record of 61, set in 1961. McGwire ultimately emerged victorious, finishing the season with 70 home runs, while Sosa closely followed with 66. This historic race captured the attention of baseball fans worldwide and revitalized interest in the sport after the 1994 strike. 1997: Tyson bites Holyfield After losing to Evander Holyfield in November 1996, Mike Tyson would find himself going up against his adversary the following June. Once again, the result would be the same, but the reasoning would be far different. In the third round, Holyfield leapt into the air in pain, not from a resulting punch but because of Tyson biting a chunk out of his ear. Unsurprisingly, referee Mills Lane would throw the fight out soon after. 1996: Michael Johnson 200m record  Coming into the 1996 Olympics, Michael Johnson was always expected to run well in the 200m. Then again, nobody knew just how well he would run. The answer to this would be discovered in the final when he not only won at Atlanta in front of a legion of home support but he would also go on to claim the world record. The winning time was 19.32, leaving both Frank Fredericks and Ato Boldon in his wake.  1995: Frank Bruno heavyweight champ After being denied by both Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis in his bid for heavyweight glory, Frank Bruno would not be denied at the fourth time of asking. With a raucous Wembley Stadium crowd doing their best to help him beat American Oliver McCall, the road to glory would finally be complete in September 1995 with a win on the judges’ scorecard.  1994: Brazil wins stateside World Cup In the FIFA World Cup, 1994 saw a fourth success for Brazil and a first success in 24 years. The final against Italy went someway to exacting revenge for that historic exit in 1982 but it must be noted it was arguably the dullest final of all time. Going down to a penalty shootout, Franco Baresi’s miss put Italy’s hopes on a knife-edge. Those same hopes were up in smoke by the time Roberto Baggio ballooned his effort over the bar and gave Brazil an historic victory. 1993: Chicago Bulls win first three-peat After winning their first NBA crown in 1991, the Chicago Bulls would go on to win a three-peat between then and the two years that followed. After downing the Portland Trail Blazers in 1992, the Phoenix Suns would be downed the following year and if there were any doubts regarding the talents of Michael Jordan, this three-year stretch of dominance quelled all those doubts for good.  1992: The Dream Team in Barcelona Although the Olympics usually conjures up feats of track and field glory, 1992 was the year that the hardwood of the basketball court came to the fore and with the players representing the USA that year, you can understand why. The first year that NBA professionals were allowed to be Olympians and with the likes of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird being part of the “Dream Team,” the squad’s eventual gold medal success was to the surprise of absolutely nobody. 1991: Chicago Bulls win first championship All sporting dynasties have to start somewhere and for the Chicago Bulls it started in 1991. The Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls took on the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers and it was billed as Michael Jordan versus Magic Johnson. A finals series that not only saw the Bulls win their first NBA crown but it also saw the passing of the torch in terms of on-court greatness.  1990: Pete Sampras wins first U.S. Open When it comes to men’s tennis in the 1990s, it was simply Pete Sampras’ world and everyone else was simply happy to also be living in it. Success at all four Grand Slam events spanning the whole decade and beyond and the first of those came at the 1990 U.S. Open. In an all-American final, Sampras was facing rival Andre Agassi and he would breeze past him in straight sets. These two would write the narrative of the sport for the next few years, but the first chapter was written by the now 52-year-old. The 1980s Bettmann Archives via Getty Images 1959: The American Football League is birthed The American Football League was first established in 1959, creating direct competition with the NFL. The AFL operated for 10 seasons until it merged with the NFL to create a professional football powerhouse and the league football fans know today. The merger brought over some of football’s most historic franchises, including the Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, and Oakland Raiders. 1958: MLB makes its first move to West Coast The San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers became the first MLB teams to play a game on the West Coast–a monumental moment in sports history. Prior to 1958, the Giants had called New York City home, while the Dodgers played home games in Brooklyn. 1957: Carmen Basilio wins middleweight boxing title Boxer Carmen Basilio won the world middleweight championship by split decision after 15 competitive rounds against Sugar Ray Robinson. The “Upstate Onion Farmer” won three fights in 1957, which included technical knockouts of Johnny Saxton and Harold Jones. He later was named “Fighter of the Year” by The Ring for his efforts. 1956: Larsen throws only perfect game in World Series history New York Yankees pitcher Don Larsen closes out the MLB season by throwing the only perfect game in the history of the World Series in Game 5 against the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Yankees won that game 2-0 and then finished the series in seven games to claim the franchise’s 17th World Series title. Larsen was named World Series MVP for his historic performance. 1955: Detroit Red Wings emerge as back-to-back NHL champs The Detroit Red Wings repeated as Stanley Cup Final champions with a seven-game series win over the Montreal Canadiens. The matchup was a rematch of the 1954 Stanley Cup Final and would mark the Canadiens’ fifth straight appearance in the series. The Red Wings wouldn’t reach the pinnacle of professional hockey again until a 1997 Stanley Cup win over the Philadelphia Flyers. This story was produced by OLBG and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media.