Sports History Oddities On This Day

2026-08-12

The 13-year-old who won Olympic gold after losing the U.S. trials

On August 12, 1936, 13-year-old Marjorie Gestring went from U.S. trials runner-up to Olympic springboard champion and the youngest individual Olympic gold medallist in a record recognized by Guinness.

Sports History Oddities On This Day

The midnight swim that made Brojen Das Asia’s first across the English Channel

Phelps's eighth Olympic gold was a relay job on August 17, 2008

The only MLB player to die from a game injury was hit by a pitch on August 16

The wife who became pro football's first woman player by holding for her husband

The champion's only loss came after a terrible start

The 13-year-old who won Olympic gold after losing the U.S. trials

Babe Ruth hit No. 500 — and the Yankees still lost 6–5

The baseball giveaway that ended in an MLB forfeit

The Olympic 800m final where David Rudisha broke 1:41

The 19-year-old who beat every man across the English Channel

The pinch-hitter who broke a perfect game in a 13–0 loss

The NASCAR race Lee Petty stopped with a red flag