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This list shows notable sports-related deaths, events, and outcomes that occurred in July of 2004. Deaths
26 Rubén Gómez 24 Cotton Fitzsimmons 10 Rudy LaRusso 9 Tony Lupien 5 Rodger Ward
July 31, 2004 Rugby union: In the third match of the Tri Nations Series, held in Perth, Australia, the Wallabies (Australia) celebrate the 100th Test appearance for captain George Gregan with a hard-fought 30–26 win over the Springboks (South Africa). (BBC) Asian Cup 2004: Two quarter final matches were held. The Republic of Korea is defeated by Iran 4–3 after two Korean own goals in the second half, Iran advances to the semi-finals to face China. In the other game, Japan ties Oman after extra time 1–1 and a penalty shootout proceeds; after the first five rounds of shootout, the teams were tied 3–3, but Japan wins the 7th round to advance to the other semi-final match against Bahrain. Baseball: The Boston Red Sox trade star shortstop Nomar Garciaparra to the Chicago Cubs as part of a blockbuster 4-team trade. In addition to Nomar, the deal sees Montreal Expos shortstop Orlando Cabrera and Minnesota Twins first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz move to the Red Sox, while shortstop Alex Gonzalez, the previous starter for the Cubs, joins the Expos. Four minor leaguers are also included. The deal is completed just before the trading deadline of 4 p.m. EDT. ESPN.com Boxing: Erik Morales decisions Carlos Hernández in twelve rounds to unify his WBC world, Jr. Lightweight title with the IBF one, and Iván Calderón defeats former world champion Roberto Leyva by unanimous twelve round decision to retain his WBO world Minimunweight title. (Boxing Central) MLS all star game: The Eastern conference defeats the Western conference, 3 goals to 2.(ESPN soccernet) Basketball: The United States Dream Team defeats the Puerto Rican National Basketball Team, 96–71, in a friendly game that forms part of both teams' preparation toward the Olympic Games.(ESPN)
July 30, 2004 Asian Cup 2004: China defeats Iraq 3:0 in the first quarter final match to advance to the semi-finals stage for the first time since 1984. In the other match Uzbekistan is defeated by Bahrain in penalties 4:3, after an aet result of 2:2; This ends Uzbekistan's hopeful run at the Asian Cup. Boxing: In a major upset, Mike Tyson gets knocked out in four rounds by journeyman Danny Williams. In the same undercard, Nelson Dieppa defends his WBO world, Jr. Flyweight title with a twelve round majority decision over Ulises Solís, and Laila Ali defeats Mónica Núñez by a knockout in nine rounds.(Boxing Central)
July 29, 2004 UEFA Cup 2004–05 First qualifying round, second leg (Team progressing to next round in bold): FC Shakhtyor Soligorsk 1 – 2 FC Nistru Otaci FK Ventspils 8 – 0 B68 Toftir F91 Dudelange 1 – 2 FK Ekranas NK Zeljeznicar Sarajevo 4 – 0 SS Pennarossa FC Shamkir 1 – 4 FC Tbilisi FC TVMK Tallinn 1 – 2 ÍA Akranes FC Etzella Ettelbruck 1 – 3 FC Haka FK Modriča 3 – 0 FC Santa Coloma AC Allianssi 1 – 2 Glentoran F.C. FK Karabakh 0 – 1 FK Dukla Banská Bystrica FK Žalgiris Vilnius 2 – 0 Portadown F.C. NK Primorje 2 – 0 Marsaxlokk F.C. KS Dinamo Tirana 1 – 4 FC Oţelul Galaţi Longford Town F.C. 2 – 3 FC Vaduz Fimleikafélag Hafnarfjarðar 3 – 1 Haverfordwest County F.C. Total Network Solutions F.C. 1 – 2 Östers IF Budapest Honvéd FC 1 – 1 FC Mika (Yerevan) FK Liepājas Metalurgs 8 – 1 B36 Tórshavn FK Sloga Jugomagnat 1 – 4 AC Omonia Birkirkara F.C. 2 – 1 KF Partizani Tirana FC Banants 0 – 2 FC Illichivets Mariupol NK Maribor 1 – 1 FK Sileks Dinamo Tbilisi FC 1 – 0 FC BATE Borisov FC Tiraspol 2 – 0 FC Shirak (UEFA.com) Basketball: Lisa Leslie reaches her 4,000th WNBA career points, and Mwadi Mabika makes a shot with one second to go before halftime, as the Los Angeles Sparks defeat the Sacramento Monarchs, 85–80, in double overtime, at Sacramento.(WNBA) Women's boxing: Mia St. John defeats Talia Smith by a four round decision.(Womenboxing.com)
July 28, 2004 UEFA Champions League 2004–05 Second qualifying round, first leg: APOEL F.C. 2 – 2 AC Sparta Praha MŠK Žilina 0 – 1 FC Dinamo București BSC Young Boys 2 – 2 FK Crvena Zvezda Skonto Riga 1 – 1 Trabzonspor Club Brugge KV 2 – 0 PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv HNK Hajduk Split 3 – 2 Shelbourne Djurgårdens IF 0 – 0 FBK Kaunas Rosenborg BK 2 – 1 FC Sheriff Tiraspol (UEFA.com)
July 27, 2004 UEFA Champions League 2004–05 Second qualifying round, first leg: SK Tirana 2 – 3 Ferencváros WIT Georgia Tbilisi 2 – 8 Wisła Kraków Neftchi 0 – 0 PFC CSKA Moskva HJK Helsinki 0 – 0 Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. NK Gorica 1 – 2 FC København Pyunik 1 – 3 FC Shakhtar Donetsk (UEFA.com) UEFA Cup 2004–05 First qualifying round, second leg (Team progressing to next round in bold): Bohemian 1 – 3 FC Levadia Tallinn (BBC)
July 26, 2004 Canoe polo: During the weekend of 24 to 25 July, the Netherlands defeated Germany 5–4 in the final of the canoe polo 2004 world championships held in Miyoshi, Japan. In the first half of the final the Dutch dominated and this resulted in a score of 3–1 by half time. The perseverance of the German team was strong and they fought back to a score of 3–3. Just ten seconds before half time Jeroen Dieperink scored for the Dutch. Because of this setback Germany had to play a more offensive game in the second half. Two minutes before the end of the match Wouter Ottjes scored the winning goal for the Netherlands. Test cricket: England beat the West Indies by 210 runs in the first Test at Lord's. (BBC)
July 25, 2004 Copa América: In the final match Brazil defeat Argentina by 4 goals to 2 after a penalty shoot-out, the teams being tied 2 – 2 at the end of normal play. (BBC) Tour de France: Lance Armstrong wins a record-breaking sixth consecutive Tour de France. Richard Virenque set a new record of seven mountains classification victories, while Robbie McEwen wins the points classification. Russian Vladimir Karpets wins the white jersey for best young rider. (LeTour) Grand Prix: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) wins the German Grand Prix, equalling his own record of 11 victories in one season and closing in on his seventh Formula One championship. It is also his sixth consecutive victory, matching Alberto Ascari's single-season record set in 1952. Jenson Button (BAR-Honda) finishes second and Fernando Alonso (Renault) third. Paul Molitor and Dennis Eckersley are inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.
July 24, 2004 Tour de France: In a dominating performance in the last individual time trial in and around Besançon, Lance Armstrong scores his fifth stage win of the 2004 Tour, putting an exclamation point on a virtually certain sixth consecutive Tour win. Jan Ullrich finishes second in the stage, 1:01 behind. Andreas Klöden moves up to second overall and Ivan Basso stays ahead of Ullrich for third; this will be the first time that Ullrich has finished off the podium in seven Tours. (ESPN) Rugby union: The All Blacks (New Zealand) defeat the Springboks (South Africa) 23–21 in the second match of the Tri Nations Series in Christchurch, New Zealand. (Sydney Morning Herald) Horse racing: Frankie Dettori rides Doyen to victory in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. It's Dettori's fourth win in the race, and the fifth for Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor. (BBC) Baseball: After a bench clearing brawl provoked by an altercation between Alex Rodriguez and Jason Varitek, the Boston Red Sox defeat the New York Yankees, 11–10, at Fenway Park, Boston.(ESPN) Boxing: In a long-awaited matchup, Arturo Gatti beats Leonard Dorin by a second round knockout, at Atlantic City, New Jersey. (AOL) Basketball: Former Phoenix Suns coach Cotton Fitzsimmons dies at the age of 72.(Suns)
July 23, 2004 NBA: In a key development involving the upcoming trial of Kobe Bryant on sexual assault charges, Colorado District Judge Terry Ruckriegle has ruled that details of the sex life of Bryant's accuser in the three days before her July 1, 2003 hospital examination can be admitted as evidence in the trial. (ESPN)
July 22, 2004 Tour de France: Lance Armstrong wins Stage 17 at Le Grand-Bornand, the first time anyone has won three successive mountain stages since Gino Bartali in 1948, and now looks unbeatable barring a major accident before next Sunday's finish in Paris. Richard Virenque amasses an unbeatable points total for his seventh King of the Mountains title. (LeTour) An unnamed high-ranking official of the Tour de France states that American cyclist Lance Armstrong will not compete in the 2005 Tour preferring to ride in either Italy's or Spain's national tour. Bill Stapleton, Armstrong's agent, and Dan Osipow, communication director, deny the report. (NYT) Asian Cup 2004: Three-time Asian champions Saudi Arabia suffers a 1–0 loss to Uzbekistan by an early goal on the 13th minute.
July 21, 2004 Tour de France: Lance Armstrong wins Stage 16, an individual time trial up the mountain to Alpe d'Huez, the only rider to finish in less than 40 minutes. Ivan Basso loses 2 minutes 23 seconds on this stage, placing him 3 minutes and 48 seconds behind Armstrong (LeTour) UEFA Champions League 2004–05 First qualifying round, second leg (teams progressing to the next round in bold): Jeunesse Esch 1 – 0 FC Sheriff Tiraspol SK Tirana 0 – 1 FC Gomel HJK Helsinki 1 – 0 Linfield Rhyl 1 – 3 Skonto Riga HB Tórshavn 3 – 2 WIT Georgia Tbilisi FBK Kaunas 4 – 1 Sliema Wanderers Neftchi 1 – 0 Široki Brijeg (Neftchi win on the away goals rule) Shelbourne 0 – 0 KR Reykjavik (Shelbourne win on away goals rule) NK Gorica 3 – 1 FC Flora Tallinn Pyunik 1 – 1 FK Pobeda (UEFA.com)
July 20, 2004 Tour de France: Lance Armstrong wins Stage 15 at Villard-de-Lans and takes the overall lead in the race. Ivan Basso, who finished second in the stage, moves into second place overall, 1:25 back. (ESPN)
July 19, 2004 The Canadian Olympic Team for the 2004 Summer Olympics was announced, and will include judoka Nicolas Gill as flag-bearer. (CBC)
July 18, 2004 PGA Tour golf: Todd Hamilton wins the 133rd Open Championship at Royal Troon Golf Club in Ayrshire, Scotland, defeating Ernie Els in a 4-hole playoff after a 72-hole tie. (AP)
July 17, 2004 Tour de France: Lance Armstrong wins the 13th stage at Plateau de Beille, dropping almost all of his main rivals. French rider Thomas Voeckler retains the yellow jersey, but his margin over Armstrong has shrunk to 22 seconds. Italy's Ivan Basso, who was the only rider to stay with Armstrong today, is third overall. (ESPN) During the stage, American rider Tyler Hamilton withdraws from the race due to severe back pain. (NBC Sports) Rugby Union: In the opening match of the Tri Nations Series, held in a very wet and windy Westpac Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand, the All Blacks (New Zealand) defeat the Wallabies (Australia) 16–7. With the win, the All Blacks retain the Bledisloe Cup. (BBC) The Springboks (South Africa) defeat the touring Pacific Islanders 38–24 in Sydney, Australia. (BBC) Track and field: Citing exhaustion, Marion Jones pulls out of the finals of the women's 200 meters at the United States Olympic Trials in Sacramento, California. She will compete in the Athens Olympics in the long jump and 4x100 and 4x400 relays. (ESPN) The Asian Cup kicks off in Beijing, China. Hosts PR China ties Bahrain 2:2.
July 16, 2004