THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY: 8/19

1909 – The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the Indy 500, opens as 12,000 spectators watch a five mile race with an average speed of 57.4 miles per hour. The track had a surface of crushed rock and tar, which breaks up in multiple spots and causes the deaths of two drivers, two mechanics and two spectators.

1921 – Ty Cobb becomes the fourth MLB player to reach the 3,000 hit milestone. At 34 years old, he’s the youngest player to achieve the feat.

1941 – Pirates manager Frankie Frisch is ejected from a game for coming out onto the field while holding an umbrella, trying to get the umpires to call for a rainout.

1951 – A master of promotions, St. Louis Browns owner Bill Veeck signs 3’7” Eddie Gaedel and has him pinch hit in a game against the Tigers. Gaedel walks on four pitches and was replaced by a pinch runner.

1957 – The New York Giants baseball team board of directors vote 8-1 to move their team to San Francisco.

1965 – Cincinnati Reds pitcher Jim Maloney throws his second no-hitter of the season, shutting down the Cubs 1-0.

1969 – Cubs pitcher Ken Holtzman throws a no-hitter against the Atlanta Braves.

1990 – Jose Offerman of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a home run in his first career at bat. He would only hit a total of 57 homers in a 15 year MLB career.

1995 – In his first fight after a three year prison sentence, Mike Tyson defeats Peter McNeeley via disqualification in 89 seconds.

2004 – Carly Patterson becomes just the second American woman gymnast to win the all-around gold medal, taking home the top spot at the Athens Olympics.