This day in NY sports history: Sept. 3, 1978

THIS DAY IN

NY SPORTS HISTORY

Sunday, Sept. 7, 1953

Connolly wins first women's Grand Slam

Maureen Connolly completed the first women's Grand Slam in tennis. Connolly defeated Doris Hart, 6-2, 6-4, to win the U.S. Open title at Forest Hills, her third straight U.S. Open title. She won the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon earlier in the year. One year later, she was injured riding a horse after winning Wimbledon for the third straight year and ended her tennis career at age 19. She died from stomach cancer in 1969 at the age of 34.