SPORTS HISTORY: April 20-April 23

Subhead

Troy Aikman, Sam Bradford and Babe Ruth among those highlighted

Image
Body

April 20

1903 7th Boston Marathon won by Irishman John Lorden in 2:41:29.8

1908 12th Boston Marathon won by Tom Morrissey in 2:25:43.2

1908 Opening day of competition of the New South Wales Rugby League.

1910 Cleveland Indians Addie Joss 2nd no-hitter, beats Chicago,1-0

1912 Fenway Park officially opens, Red Sox beat NY Highlanders 7-6 in 11

1912 Tiger Stadium in Detroit opens, Tigers beat Cleveland Indians 6-5

1914 18th Boston Marathon won by Canadian James Duffy in 2:25:01.2

1916 Weeghman Park (Wrigley Field) in Chicago opens, Cubs beat Cincinnati Reds 7-6

1916 Chicago Cubs play their 1st game at Weeghman Park (now known as Wrigley Field) and beat the Cincinnati Reds

1920 Phillies manager Gravvy Cravath puts himself in as pinch hitter, his 3- run homer beats NY Giants 3-0

1925 29th Boston Marathon won by Charles Mellor in 2:33:00.6

1931 35th Boston Marathon won by Jim Henigan in 2:46:45.8

1931 British House of Commons agrees for sports play on Sunday

1936 40th Boston Marathon won by Ellison Brown in 2:33:40.8

1939 Ted Williams’ 1st hit (off of Yankee Red Ruffing) a double

1941 Dodgers start to wear liners in their caps

1942 46th Boston Marathon won by Joe Smith in 2:26:51.2

1943 Braves manager Casey Stengel is struck by a taxi, fractures a leg

1944 NFL legalizes coaching from bench

1945 Cleveland Browns organization formed by Arthur “Mickey” McBride

1946 1st baseball broadcast in Chicago, Cards vs Cubs

1949 Jockey Bill Shoemaker wins his 1st race, in Albany, California

1950 Balt’s Memorial Stadium opens - Orioles of International League

1953 57th Boston Marathon won by Keizo Yamada of Japan in 2:18:51

1958 Stanley Cup Final, Boston Garden, Boston, MA: Montreal Canadiens’ 3-peat; beat Boston Bruins, 5-3 for a 4-2 for series win

1959 63rd Boston Marathon won by Eino Oksanen of Finland in 2:22:42

1964 68th Boston Marathon won for second straight year by Aurele Vandendriessche of Belgium in 2:19:59

1967 NY Met Tom Seaver’s 1st victory, beats Cubs, 6-1

1967 NY Met pitcher Tom Seaver wins his 1st game

1970 74th Boston Marathon: Englishman Ron Hill wins in 2:10:30 (US record): American Sara Mae Berman 1st woman for 2nd straight year in 3:05:07 (unsanctioned)

1972 Kallicharran scores his 2nd Test century in his 2nd Test Cricket

1981 85th Boston Marathon: Toshihiko Seko of Japan wins men’s race in 2:09:26; Allison Roe of New Zealand takes women’s title in 2:26:46

1982 Atlanta Braves become 1st team to win 1st 12 games of the season

1985 Carlos Lopes runs world record marathon (2:07:12)

1986 Michael Jordan sets NBA playoff record with 63 points in a game

1987 91st Boston Marathon: Toshihiko Seko of Japan wins 2nd title in 2:11:50; Rosa Mota of Portugal claims women’s event in 2:25:21; her first of 3 race victories

1988 Baltimore Orioles set worst record to start a season 0-14 (will go 0-21)

1988 NJ Devils 1st playoff hat trick-Eric Broten

1990 8 2/3 inning perfect game pitched by Brian Holman of Oakland A’s is spoiled by a home run hit by Ken Philips

1991 Mark Lenzi is 1st diver to score 100 pts on a dive (101.85)

1992 96th Boston Marathon: Ibrahim Hussein of Kenya repeats in 2:08:14 for his 3rd title; Olga Markova first Russian women’s champion in 2:23:43

1996 Chicago Bulls win record 72 games in a season

1996 1996 NFL Draft: Keyshawn Johnson from USC first pick by New York Jets

1997 1st baseball game in Hawaii, Cards beat Padres in doubleheader

1997 Mark McGwire is 4th to HR on Detroit Tiger left field roof (others are Frank Howard, Harmon Killibrew, &Cecil Fielder)

1998 102nd Boston Marathon: Moses Tanui of Kenya wins men’s title in 2:07:34; Fatuma Roba of Ethiopia wins back-to-back women’s events in 2:23:21

2002 NFL Draft: Fresno State quarterback David Carr first pick by Houston Texans

2008 Danica Patrick driving for Andretti Green Racing wins the Indy Japan 300 at Twin Ring Motegi; first female driver in history to win an IndyCar Series race

2009 113th Boston Marathon: Deriba Merga of Ethiopia wins men’s event in 2:08:42; Salina Kosgei of Kenya women’s champion in 2:32:16

2013 5 snowboarders are killed by an avalanche in Loveland Pass, Colorado

2015 119th Boston Marathon: Lelisa Desisa Benti of Ethiopia wins men’s race in 2:09:17; Caroline Rotich of Kenya women’s champion in 2:24:55

2018 Arsene Wenger announces he will leave London EPL club Arsenal after 22 years as manager

April 21

1898 Phillies’ pitcher Bill Duggleby hits a grand slam on 1st at bat

1902 6th Boston Marathon won by Sam Mellor in 2:43:12

1904 Ty Cobb makes his pro debut for Augusta (South Atlantic League)

1910 Cleve Naps play 1st game at League Park, lose to Det Tigers 5-0

1913 17th Boston Marathon won by Fritz Carlson in 2:25:14.8

1919 23rd Boston Marathon won by Carl Linder in 2:29:13.4

1924 28th Boston Marathon won by Clarence DeMar for the third consecutive year in 2:29:40.2; 4th race victory

1925 No baseball games played in NL due to Charles Ebbets’funeral

1930 34th Boston Marathon won by Clarence DeMar in 2:34:48.2; his 7th victory in the event

1934 Moe Berg, Senators catcher, plays AL record 117th cons errorless game

1944 NFL Chic Cardinals & Pittsburgh Steelers merge (dissolves on Dec 3)

1947 51st Boston Marathon won by Yun Bok Soh of Korea in 2:25:39; world best time

1948 Basketball Association of America Finals: Baltimore Bullets beat Philadelphia Warriors, 88-73 to take series, 4 games to 2

1951 NBA Championship: Rochester Royals beat New York Knicks, 79-75 to take series 4 games to 3; first Finals appearance for both teams

1951 Stanley Cup Final, Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, ON: Toronto Maple Leafs beat Montreal Canadiens, 3-2 for a 4-1 series victory

1952 56th Boston Marathon won by Doroteo Flores of Guatemala in 2:31:53

1955 Brooklyn Dodgers win, then record 10th straight game to begin a season

1958 62nd Boston Marathon won by Franjo Mihalie of Yugoslavia in 2:25:54

1964 Pirates & Cubs combine for 9 HRs, Pirates win 8-5

1967 Dodgers 1st rain out in Los Angeles (after 737 consecutive games)

1969 73rd Boston Marathon: Yoshiaki Unetani of Japan wins in 2:13:49; American Sara Mae Berman 1st woman in 3:22:46 (unsanctioned)

1970 Reds clout 7 HRs by 6 batters, Braves counter with 3 HRs, 6 for one team & 9 different batters for two teams, all tie or set records

1975 79th Boston Marathon: American Bill Rodgers wins men’s section in race record 2:09:55; Liane Winter of West Germany women’s champion in 2:42:24 (female world record)

1977 Billy Martin pulls Yankee line-up out of a hat, beats Blue Jays 8-6

1980 84th Boston Marathon: Bill Rodgers wins 3rd straight event and 4th overall title in 2:12:11; Jacqueline Gareau of Canada women’s winner in 2:34:28; Rosie Ruiz disqualified for not running the entire course

1982 Atlanta Braves win their 13th straight game

1985 Ingrid Kristiansen wins London Marathon in a record 2:21:06

1986 90th Boston Marathon: Rob de Castella first Australian winner in 2:07:51; Ingrid Kristiansen of Norway claims women’s title in 2:24:55

1986 Bob Hering sets Formula One power boat record (165.338 mph, Ariz)

1987 Milwaukee Brewers lose after 13th straight victory to start season

1987 Richard Hadlee makes highest Test Cricket score of 151* (v Sri Lanka)

1988 1st four-day games in County Cricket Championship commence

1989 George W. Bush and Edward W. Rose become joint CEOs of the Texas Rangers

1990 National League umpire is arrested for stealing baseball cards

1991 PGA Seniors’ Championship Men’s Golf, PGA National GC: Jack Nicklaus wins his 4th of 8 Champions Tour majors by 6 strokes from Bruce Crampton of Australia

1991 Jakov Tolstikov wins 4th World Cup marathon (2:09:17)

1991 Rosa Mota wins 4th World Cup female marathon (2:26:14)

1991 NFL Draft: University of Miami defensive tackle Russell Maryland first pick by Dallas Cowboys

1994 Eddie Murray sets record for switch hit HRs in a game (11 times)

1995 Boston Celtics final game at Boston Gardens, NY Knicks win 98-92

1996 PGA Seniors’ Championship Men’s Golf, PGA National GC: Hale Irwin beats Japan’s Isao Aoki by 2 strokes for his first of 4 Senior PGA Championships

1996 Chicago Bulls win NBA record 72 games (72-8)

1997 101st Boston Marathon: Lameck Aguta of Kenya wins men’s event in 2:10:34; Fatuma Roba of Ethiopia women’s champion in 2:26:23

2001 NFL Draft: Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick first pick by Atlanta Falcons

2003 107th Boston Marathon: Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot of Kenya men’s champion in 2:10:11; Svetlana Zakharova of Russia women’s winner in 2:25:19

2008 112th Boston Marathon: 3rd straight men’s title for Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot of Kenya in 2:07:45; Dire Tune of Ethiopia women’s winner in 2:25:25

2012 Chicago White Sox pitcher, Philip Humber, pitches the 21st MLB perfect game against the Seattle Mariners

2013 Tsegaye Kebede and Priscah Jeptoo win the 2013 London Marathon

2014 118th Boston Marathon: American Meb Keflezighi men’s champion in 2:08:37; Rita Jeptoo of Kenya wins her 2nd women’s title in 2:18:57

2018 Oakland A’s left hander Sean Manaea no-hits the Boston Red Sox

April 22

1876 First official National League baseball game is played; Boston Red Stockings beat Philadelphia Athletics, 6-5 at the Jefferson Street Grounds, Philadelphia

1876 First National League game in baseball history played at Philadelphia’s Jefferson Street Grounds; Boston Red Stockings beat Philadelphia Athletics, 6-5

1876 1st National League game, Boston Braves beat Philadelphia Athletics 6-5

1876 Philadelphia Nationals Wes Fisler scores baseball’s 1st run

1898 Baltimore James Hughes no-hits Boston Braves 8-0

1898 Cincinnati Red Theodore Breitenstein no-hits Pirates 11-0

1903 Highlanders (Yankees) 1st game in New York at Hilltop Park vs Washington Senators, lose 3-1 before 11,950

1906 Intercalated Games opens in Athens

1906 New rule puts umpire in sole charge of all game balls

1908 Queensland beat NSW by 171 runs for their 1st cricket win at Gabba

1914 Babe Ruth’s 1st professional game (as a pitcher) is a 6-hit 6-0 win

1915 NY Yankees don pinstripes & hat-in-the-ring logo for 1st time

1945 Stanley Cup Final, Olympia Stadium, Detroit, MI: Toronto Maple Leafs beat Detroit Red Wings, 2-1 for a 4-3 series win; Leafs lead series 3-0 but Wings recover to 3-3 to force a decider

1947 1st Basketball Association of America Finals: Philadelphia Warriors beat Chicago Stags, 83-80 to take inaugural series, 4 games to 2

1954 NBA adopts 24-second shot clock & 6 team-foul rule

1955 KC Athletic’s 1st game, beat Tigers 6-2

1957 All NL teams intergates, John Irwin Kennedy is 1st black on Phillies

1959 Yankee Whitey Ford strikes out 15, beating Senators, 1-0 in 14 innings

1959 Chicago White Sox beat KC Athletics 20-6, in 1 inning Sox score 11 runs on 1 hit, 10 walks, & 3 errors

1962 NY Mets tiea NL record by losing 9 straight to start season

1962 Stanley Cup Final, Chicago Stadium, Chicago, IL: Dick Duff scores the winner as Toronto Maple Leafs beat Chicago Blackhawks, 2-1 for a 4-2 series victory

1966 Atlanta Braves win their 1st game, beating NY Mets 8-4

1969 Joe Frazier KOs Dave Zyglewick in 1 for heavyweight boxing title

1969 Robin Knox-Johnston ends 312 day non-stop sailing

1970 NY Met Jerry Grote sets record of 20 put outs by a catcher

1970 NY Met Tom Seaver strikes out last 10 Padres, for a total of 19

1970 Senators beat Yankees 2-1 in 18 innings

1981 Dodgers rookie Fernando Valenzuela tosses his 3rd shutout in 4 starts

1982 Atlanta Braves lose after winning 1st 13 games of season

1983 Start of 1st Sri LankaAustralia Test Cricket match (at Kandy)

1988 Women are allowed to compete in Little 500 bicycle race (Indiana)

1988 NJ Devil Patrik Sundstrom sets NHL playoff record of 8 pts in a playoff game (hat trick & 5 assists) in 10-4 rout over the Capitals

1990 NFL Draft: University of Illinois quarterback Jeff George first pick by Indianapolis Colts

1991 Frank Thomas is 1st White Sox to homer at new Comiskey Park

1993 Seattle Mariner Chris Basio no-hits Boston Red Sox

1994 Ice skater Tonya Harding sues ex-husband Jeff Gillooly for $42,500

1994 Michael Moorer beats Evander Holyfield in 12 for heavyweight boxing title

1995 George Foreman beats Axel Schulz in 12 for heavyweight boxing title in Las Vegas

2003 Patrick Roy plays his final career NHL game

2010 NFL Draft: Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford first pick by St. Louis Rams

2012 30 year old woman collapses and dies during London Marathon

2013 Manchester United defeat Aston Villa to claim the 2012/2013 English Premier League

2014 David Moyes is sacked as manager of Manchester United

2017 Ilie Nastase thrown off tennis court for insulting British female players during Fed Cup play-off against Romania in Constanta

2018 Liverpool’s Egyptian soccer forward Mohamed Salah is named Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year

2018 Liverpool’s Egyptian soccer forward Mohamed Salah is named Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year

April 23

1903 NY Highlanders (Yankees) win their 2nd game beating Washington Senators 7-2

1919 Major leagues open a reduced 140-game season

1933 Dovo soccer team forms in Veenendaa

1939 Boston Red Sox Ted Williams hits his 1st HR

1940 NY Yankees dedicate a plaque to Jacob Rupert

1946 Brooklyn Dodger Ed Head no-hits Boston Braves, 5-0

1950 1st major league day game completed under lights (Phils 6, Braves 5)

1950 NBA Championship: Minneapolis Lakers beat Syracuse Nationals, 110-95 to take series, 4 games to 2

1950 Stanley Cup Final, Olympia Stadium, Detroit, MI: Pete Babando scores Cup-winning goal in double overtime of Game 7 as Detroit Red Wings beat NY Rangers, 4-3 for a 4-3 series win

1954 Hammerin’ Hank Aaron hits 1st of his 755 homers

1958 Gil Hodges hits his 300th HR & Pee Wee Reese plays in 2,000th game

1962 NY Mets win their 1st game ever, after going 0-9, beat Pirates 9-1

1964 Houston Colt 45s Ken