1871day.year
The National Association, the first professional baseball league, opens its first season in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
On May 4, 1871, the National Association, baseball’s first professional league, kicked off its inaugural season in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players marked the formal beginning of professional baseball in America. Formed in February 1871, the league organized nine teams to play a standardized schedule, with Fort Wayne hosting the opening games on May 4. This shift from amateur clubs to paid athletes laid the groundwork for modern baseball governance and competition. Key figures like William Hulbert advocated for structured rules, consistent scheduling, and financial stability. Although the association lasted only until 1875, it influenced the formation of the National League, which endures today. The NA’s debut season represents a milestone in the commercial and cultural rise of baseball as America’s pastime.
1871
National Association
Fort Wayne, Indiana
1949day.year
The entire Torino football team (except for two players who did not take the trip: Sauro Tomà, due to an injury and Renato Gandolfi, because of coach request) is killed in a plane crash.
The Torino football team perishes in Italy’s worst sports aviation disaster.
On May 4, 1949, a plane carrying the entire Torino football squad crashed into the Superga hill near Turin, killing 31 people, including players, staff, and journalists. Only two team members, Sauro Tomà and Renato Gandolfi, were not aboard due to injury and coach’s decision, sparing them from the tragedy. Torino, known as the 'Grande Torino,' had dominated Italian soccer in the 1940s, and their loss devastated fans nationwide. The crash prompted national mourning, with thousands attending the funerals and filling the streets of Turin in grief. Aviation authorities conducted investigations to determine mechanical failure or pilot error, leading to safety improvements in post-war air travel. The disaster remains one of the darkest days in sports history and has been memorialized through monuments and annual commemorations. Its legacy endures in Italian football culture as a testament to the bond between a team and its supporters.
1949
Torino
a plane crash
2019day.year
The inaugural all-female motorsport series, W Series, takes place at Hockenheimring. The race was won by Jamie Chadwick, who would go on to become the inaugural season's champion.
The W Series held its inaugural all-female motorsport race at Hockenheimring on May 4, 2019, with Jamie Chadwick taking the win.
The W Series made its debut as a support race for the DTM event at Hockenheimring, featuring identical Tatuus–Alfa Romeo F3 cars. Eighteen drivers vied for positions in a qualifying session that set the grid for the 30-minute sprint. Jamie Chadwick showcased exceptional skill, leading every lap to secure victory. The race aimed to elevate female talent in motorsport and provide a clear path to higher formulas. Chadwick’s win was the first of what would become a championship-winning season for her. The successful launch drew global attention to the importance of diversity and inclusion in racing.
2019
W Series
Hockenheimring
Jamie Chadwick
the inaugural season's