June 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 June timeline, arranged by calendar date rather than chronologically by year:

June 1, 1979- Girls tennis became a CIAC-sanctioned sport, and Penney High School of East Hartford emerged as the initial champion in the Class M tournament at Conard High School.

June 3, 1921 - Slugging first baseman Lou Gehrig made his Eastern League debut with the Hartford Senators at Clarkin Field, on Hanmer and George streets off Franklin Avenue.

June 3, 1967 - In New Haven, the CIAC conducted its first boys tennis state tournament, during which Wethersfield compiled 11 points to 8 for Norwalk.

June 4, 2000 - The Hartford Wolf Pack, American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Rangers, defeated the Rochester Americans 4-1 to win the Calder Cup.

June 5, 1989 - The Boston Red Sox selected infielder Jeff Bagwell out of the University of Hartford in the fourth round of the MLB draft. The Xavier High School graduate won Eastern League Most Valuable Player honors with New Britain in 1990 before being traded to the Houston Astros for relief pitcher Larry Andersen. He earned the National League Rookie of the Year award in 1991, was the league's MVP in 1994, and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2017.

June 7, 1935 - Wethersfield brought the CIAC boys golf championship trophy north of Middlesex County for the first time, winning the team event at Greenfield Hill Country Club in Fairfield.

June 7, 2002 - Glastonbury knocked off defending champion Trumbull in four sets to win the Class L boys volleyball championship in Fairfield. Game scores were 15-6, 15-13, 15-17 and 15-13.

June 8, 1996 - Somers captured the first of what became two straight CIAC Division II boys lacrosse championships, upending South Windsor 12-6 in the finals at Conard High School in West Hartford.

June 8, 2010 - For the first time since its establishment in 2003, the CIAC girls golf team championship was won by a school outside of Fairfield County. Farmington High School shot an aggregate total of 363 at Orange Hills Country Club to win the crown by 10 strokes over Greenwich.

June 9, 2012 - After eight years of a stranglehold on girls lacrosse championships by Fairfield County schools, Northwest Catholic of West Hartford broke through and brought home the Class S trophy by defeating Granby Memorial 12-10 in the finals at Bunnell High School in Stratford.

June 10, 1968 - 2002 Olympic skeleton gold medalist Jim Shea Jr. was born in West Hartford.

June 11, 1976 - A big softball doubleheader at Raybestos Field in Stratford resulted in state championship trophies being brought back to both Tolland and Hartford counties. In the Class M opener, Stafford routed Housatonic Valley 9-2, while Simsbury completed the "Northern sweep" by besting Hamden 11-5 for the Class LL title.

June 12, 2021 - The Superstar Racing Experience launched at Stafford Motor Speedway. Among the dozen drivers on hand were NASCAR Hall of Famers Bill Elliott, Tony Stewart and Bobby Labonte, 2-time Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip, and Indianapolis 500 champions Helio Castroneves and Tony Kanaan.

June 18, 1940 - Manchester High School took home the first CIAC baseball championship by a "northern" team by defeating Bristol 4-3.