THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY: 7/16

1897 – Chicago’s Cap Anson becomes the first MLB player to collect 3,000 career hits.

1902 – John McGraw is hired as manager of the New York Giants, a position he would hold for 30 years.

1920 – Babe Ruth breaks his own single season home run record, hitting his 30th of the season. He would finish the year with 54 bombs.

1924  – George Kelly of the New York Giants becomes the first player in MLB history to homer in six consecutive games.

1941 – Joe DiMaggio extends his legendary hitting streak to 56 games.

1947 – Rocky Graziano wins the world middleweight championship, knocking out Tony Zale in their bout at Chicago Stadium.

1956 – The Detroit Tigers are sold for a then record $5.5 million.

1961 – Ralph Boston of the United States sets a world record in the long jump at 27’ 2” in a meet in Moscow.

1964 – Little League Baseball is granted a Federal Charter by the United States Senate and House of Representatives.

1970 – The Pittsburgh Pirates play their first game at Three Rivers Stadium.

1988 – Jackie Joyner-Kersee sets a women’s heptathlon record with 7,215 points.

2006 – Mariano Rivera picks up career save #400, becoming just the fourth closer to reach that milestone.

2009 – Ryan Howard of the Philadelphia Phillies hits career home run #200 in just his 658th game, the fewest amount of games in MLB history to reach that mark.