Several notable events in sports history have taken place on August 22. In 1917, Pirates outfielder Carson Bigbee set a Major League Baseball record with 11 at-bats during a 22-inning game. On this date in 1950, Althea Gibson became the first African-American player to compete in a United States national tennis competition.
The American Football League was officially formed in 1959. In baseball history, Giants pitcher Juan Marichal struck Dodger catcher John Roseboro on the head with a bat in 1965. In 1980, White Sox owner Bill Veeck agreed to sell the team to Eddie DeBartolo for $20 million; however, American League owners blocked the sale.
Nolan Ryan achieved his 5,000th career strikeout in 1989. On this day in 1994, O.J. Simpson was linked to the murder of Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman through DNA evidence. In 2007, the Texas Rangers set a modern Major League Baseball record by scoring 30 runs against the Orioles in a single game.
