Today in sports history: Arthur Ashe becomes first Black male Grand Slam champion in 1968
Here's a look back at sports happenings on this date in history, Sept. 9.
1968: Arthur Ashe becomes first Black man to win Grand Slam tournament
1968 — Arthur Ashe wins the U.S. Open by beating Tom Okker 14-12, 5-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Ashe is the first African-American male to win a Grand Slam tournament.
Arthur Ashe is shown in action during the inaugural U.S. Open Tennis Championship at Forest Hills in Queens, New York City on Sept. 9, 1968. (AP Photo)
1974: Jimmy Connors romps to straight-set victory to claim US Open title
1974 — Jimmy Connors romps to a 6-1, 6-0, 6-1 victory over Ken Rosewall to win the U.S. Open.
Jimmy Connors, 22, holds the victory cup after he crushed veteran Ken Rosewall of Australia in the finals of the U.S. Open Tennis championships, Sept. 9, 1974. Connors beat Rosewall 6-1, 6-0, 6-1 in a game that lasted only one hour and eight minutes. Rosewall is sitting on the ground behind Connors. (AP Photo/Dave Pickoff)
1979: John McEnroe beats Vitas Girulaitis in all-New Yorker US Open final
1979 — In an all-New Yorker U.S. Open men’s final, John McEnroe beats Vitas Gerulaitis, 7-5, 6-3, 6-3. Tracy Austin, at 16 years, 8 months and 28 days, becomes the youngest U.S. Open women’s singles champion, ending Chris Evert’s 31-match win streak at the Open with a 6-4, 6-3 win.
John McEnroe holds the U.S. Open men's singles trophy after defeating Vitas Gerulaitis at the U.S. Open in New York, Sept. 9, 1979. (AP Photo/Dave Pickoff)
1990: Pete Sampras, 19, becomes youngest US Open men's champion
1990 — Pete Sampras — 19 years, 28 days — becomes the youngest U.S. Open men’s singles champion, defeating Andre Agassi 6-4, 6-3, 6-2.
U.S. Open champion Pete Sampras raises his trophy cup as opponent Andre Agassi looks on during ceremonies in Flushing Meadows, N.Y., Saturday, Sept. 9, 1990. The 19-year-old from Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., became the youngest to win the event. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
1992: Robin Yount becomes 17th player to reach 3,000 hits
1992 — Robin Yount becomes the 17th player to reach 3,000 hits in the Milwaukee Brewers’ 5-4 loss to the Cleveland Indians.
Milwaukee Brewers' Robin Yount follows the flight of his 3,000th career hit, a seventh inning single against the Cleveland Indians in an American League game in Milwaukee, Sept. 9, 1992. (AP Photo/Joe Picciolo)
2006: Maria Sharapova wins US Open
2006 — Maria Sharapova beats Justine Henin-Hardenne 6-4, 6-4 to win the U.S. Open final. A month shy of her 50th birthday, Martina Navratilova closes her competitive career with a mixed doubles championship for her 59th Grand Slam title.
Maria Sharapova of Russia reacts after winning the women's singles championship over Justin Henin-Hardenne of Belgium at the US Open tennis tournament in New York, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2006. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
2006: No. 1 Ohio State beats No. 2 Texas
2006 — Top-ranked Ohio State tightens its hold on the No. 1 spot after beating the No. 2 ranked and defending champion Longhorns 24-7 in Austin, Texas.
Ohio State flanker Ted Ginn Jr. (7) celebrates his 2nd quarter touchdown against Texas with teammate Anthony Gonzalez (11) in their football game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2006. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
2007: Roger Federer wins US Open, 12th career Grand Slam title
2007 — Roger Federer beats Novak Djokovic 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2), 6-4 to win his fourth straight U.S. Open championship and 12th career Grand Slam title. Federer becomes the first man since Bill Tilden in the 1920s to win the American Grand Slam four years running.
Novak Djokovic, left, of Serbia applauds as Roger Federer of Switzerland holds up the championship trophy after winning the men's finals at the US Open tennis tournament in New York, Sunday, Sept. 9, 2007. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
2007: Asafa Powell sets record in 100 meters
2007 — Asafa Powell sets another world record in the 100 meters, winning a heat at the Rieti Grand Prix in 9.74 seconds. The world’s fastest man improves his record by 0.03 seconds, having run 9.77 three times.
Asafa Powell of Jamaica celebrates after setting the new world record in the 100 meters dash running 9.74 seconds at the Rieti Grand Prix, Italy, Sunday Sept. 9, 2007. Powell, who has run 9.77 three times, finished third in the 100 last month at the world athletics championships in Osaka, Japan. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
2012: Shannon Eastin makes NFL history as first woman official in regular-season game
2012 — Shannon Eastin makes NFL history. Eastin is the line judge in the St. Louis Rams-Detroit Lions game, making her the first woman to be an official in a regular-season game. She is among the replacement officials hired by the league while the regular officials are locked out.
Line judge Shannon Eastin runs the sidelines before the Detroit Lions-St. Louis Rams NFL football game in Detroit, Sunday, Sept. 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
2012: Serena Williams rallies for US Open title, 15th Grand Slam championship
2012 — Serena Williams, two points from defeat, regains her composure and wins the last four games to beat No. 1-ranked Victoria Azarenka 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 for her fourth U.S. Open championship and 15th Grand Slam title.
In this Sept. 9, 2012, file photo, Serena Williams reacts after beating Victoria Azarenka, of Belarus, in the championship match at the 2012 US Open tennis tournament in New York. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)
2012: Peyton Manning becomes third QB in NFL history to reach 400 TD passes
2012 — Denver’s Peyton Manning is 19 of 26 for 253 yards and two touchdown passes in Denver’s 31-19 win over Pittsburgh. Manning, coming off four neck surgeries, becomes the third QB in NFL history to reach 400 TD passes.
Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning waves to the crowd as he leaves the field following an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Sept. 9, 2012, in Denver. The Broncos won 31-19. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
2012: Tom Brady becomes 14th player with 40,000 yards passing in his career
2012 — New England’s Tom Brady becomes the 14th player with 40,000 yards passing in his career during 34-14 win over Tennessee.
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) celebrates with tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) after throwing a two-yard touchdown pass to Gronkowski against the Tennessee Titans in the second quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Sept. 9, 2012, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Joe Howell)
2013: Rafael Nadal wins his 13th Grand Slam title and second U.S. Open
2013 — Rafael Nadal wins his 13th Grand Slam title and second U.S. Open by defeating top-ranked Novak Djokovic 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. The Spanish clay-court specialist, ranked No. 2, improves to 22-0 on hard courts in 2013.
Rafael Nadal, of Spain, bites the trophy while posing for photos after defeating Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, during the men's singles final of the 2013 U.S. Open tennis tournament, Monday, Sept. 9, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
