Memorable July Dates In The Sports History Of Hartford And Tolland Counties

HARTFORD-TOLLAND COUNTIES, CT — This monthly series on Patch sites in Hartford and Tolland counties recalls historic dates, events and milestones which occurred in the region during that month.

Here is the July timeline, arranged by calendar date rather than chronologically by year:

July 1, 1956 - Arnold Palmer collected his first PGA Tour victory in the United States (he won the 1955 Canadian Open) by defeating Ted Kroll on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff at the Insurance City Open at Wethersfield Country Club. The Hall of Famer would win at Wethersfield again in 1960.

July 10, 1999 - A scoreless battle between the United States and China in the FIFA Women's World Cup comes down to penalty kicks in front of more than 90,000 fans who packed the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Cal. After U.S.A. goalkeeper Bri Scurry made a diving save, Brandi Chastain booted home the winning goal, earning herself a spot on the cover of Sports Illustrated and unwittingly contributing heavily to the massive increase in the sales of sports bras. The Team U.S.A. head coach was Tony DiCicco of Wethersfield.

July 11, 1969 - Jack Arute Sr. took over control of Stafford Motor Speedway.

July 11, 2021 - Frank Mozzicato of Ellington was drafted in the first round, seventh overall, by the Kansas City Royals. The left-handed pitcher had just graduated from East Catholic High School in Manchester.

July 21, 1942 - Legendary boxer Willie Pep won his first professional title, the USA New England featherweight championship, at Bulkeley Stadium in Hartford.

July 21, 1952 - Hartford Public High School graduate Lindy Remigino sprinted his way to the gold medal in the 100-meter dash at the Summer Olympic Games in Helsinki, Finland.

July 23, 1890 - An attempt was made to play an exhibition baseball game at night under artificial lighting at the Ward Street Grounds in Hartford. Ten arc lamps belonging to the Hartford Electric Company were connected to generators and suspended above the playing surface, and more than 2,000 spectators paid to witness what sadly became "a debacle, a burlesque and a parody. Players were unable to track the ball in dim lighting, and batters were bunting for base hits," according to the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League website. The Atlantic Association matchup between Baltimore and Hartford was called off after just four innings, and no official score was kept. The Baltimore catcher that day was 27-year-old Connie Mack, who later managed the Philadelphia Athletics for 50 years, earned a spot in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and was awarded the first Gold Key by the Connecticut Sports Writers' Alliance in 1940.

July 24, 2003 - Suzy Whaley of Farmington, head professional at Blue Fox Run Golf Club in Avon, teed off in the Greater Hartford Open, having qualified to play by winning the 2002 Connecticut PGA Championship at Ellington Ridge Country Club. She became the first woman to play in a PGA Tour event since Babe Didrikson Zaharias in 1945. Whaley later became the first female president of the PGA of America.

July 25, 1940 - Willie Pep competed in his first professional boxing match at age 17, winning a unanimous decision over Joey Marcus at Bulkeley Stadium in Hartford.

July 26, 1869 - Henry L. Williams, a standout halfback at Yale University who went on to coach football at the University of Minnesota for 22 seasons, was born in Hartford. In 1951, Williams was among the charter members elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.