This Day in History: 11th September

Lala Amarnath, India’s first Test centurion, was born 102 years ago to the day
(Getty Images)

Cricket:

1911: Nanik Lala Amarnath, India’s first Test centurion, is born. Father of former Indian cricketers Mohinder and Surinder, Lala scored a Test century on debut against England in 1933-34. Amarnath captained India to victory in their first official series against Pakistan in 1952-53.

1976: The birth of Indian left-arm spinner Murali Kartik. He only played eight Test matches in a four year span as the Harbhajan-Kumble spin axis meant his chances were limited.

1985: Sri Lanka record their first win in Test cricket, on their 14th attempt, as they beat India by 149 runs.

1999: Tasmanian batsman Jamie Cox scored a double century and a century in the same first-class match, making 216 and 129 not out for Somerset v Hampshire in Southampton.

Football:

1895: The FA Cup is stolen in Birmingham. Aston Villa won the Cup in 1895 and gave it to a local shop-owner to display in his window. On the night of September 11th, 1895 it was stolen and never recovered. A petty criminal told a newspaper in 1958 it was he who had stolen it to melt and make coins out of, but this was never proven.

1945: Birthday of Germany and Bayern Munich legend Franz Beckenbauer. “Der Kaiser” is accredited with the invention of the sweeper or ‘libero’ position. Beckenbauer won the FIFA World Cup as a player in 1974 and as manager in 1990.

1978: Birth of former Serbia captain and Inter Milan player Dejan Stankovic. He won the Serie A 5 times and the UEFA Champions League once in his 9 and a half years at Inter.

1981: Birth of Sunderland’s Italian footballer Andrea Dossena. Dossena has made 10 Italy appearances since his debut in 2007.

Tennis:

1982: Chris Evert wins her 6th and final US Open Tennis Championship West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills NY.

1983: 103rd US Men’s Tennis final – Jimmy Connors beats Ivan Lendl 6-3 6-7 7-5 6-0

1988: 108th US Men’s Tennis – Mats Wilander beats Ivan Lendl 6-4 4-6 6-3 5-7 6-4 in 4 hours and 55 minutes in the longest men’s final in US Open history.

Baseball:

1927: Babe Ruth hits his 50th of 60 home runs.

1976: Minnie Minoso bats for White Sox after a 12-year hiatus.

1985: Pete Rose of Cincinnati Reds gets career hit 4,192 off Eric Show of San Diego Padres, eclipsing Ty Cobb’s record.

Do check out the rest of the ‘This day in history‘ series.