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1st FIFA World Cup
The 1st ever World Cup took place in Uruguay in 1930 and has taken place every 4 years, except in 1942 and 1946 when World War II was happening. -
1st African American in Professional Sports
Marion Motley joined the Cleveland Browns in 1946 and became the 1st African American professional athlete in history. Referred to as the "Jackie Robinson of Football," Motley actually came before Jackie Robinson. -
1st African American in MLB
Jackie Robinson played in his MLB debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers and became the 1st African American to play professional baseball. -
Ernie Davis
Ernie Davis was the 1st African American to win the Heisman Trophy while playing running back for the Syracuse Orangemen. -
USA-China Relations
The US table tennis team was invited to play in China in 1971 during the Cold War and bad relations between the 2 countries. The match was a huge breakthrough after previous conflicts between the 2 superpowers. -
USA Hockey
The USA men's Olympic hockey team defeated the Soviet Union 4-3 to advance to the finals. Named the top sports moment of the 20th century by Sports Illustrated, the win boosted American morale during the Cold War. -
South African Victory
The recently desegregated South African rugby team defeated New Zealand 15 - 12 in the World Cup finals. The tournament was held in South Africa just after the end of Apartheid and the election of Nelson Mandela as president.