This Day in Sports History: April 4
Sports in April include playoffs for the NBA and NHL seasons, the first month of MLB season, The Masters, the NCAA Basketball title game, the NFL Draft, and some Grand…
Sports in April include playoffs for the NBA and NHL seasons, the first month of MLB season, The Masters, the NCAA Basketball title game, the NFL Draft, and some Grand Prix events. Over the years, April 4 has witnessed many notable moments and stories involving sporting legends. Here are some of them.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sports history from April 4 included:
- 1911: Hugh Chalmers, an automaker, introduced the idea of “Most Valuable Player” in baseball.
- 1921: The Ottawa Senators defeated the Vancouver Millionaires 2-1, securing a 3-2 series victory and the Stanley Cup.
- 1937: At the fourth annual Masters, Byron Nelson won the first of his five major titles. He finished two strokes ahead of Ralph Guldahl.
- 1938: Golfer Henry Picard won his only Masters Tournament.
- 1948: 84-year-old Connie Mack challenged 78-year-old Clark Griffith to a race from home plate to first base. The race ended in a tie.
- 1959: France won the Five Nations Rugby Championship by defeating Wales 11-3 at Stade Colombes.
- 1974: Hank Aaron tied Babe Ruth's home run record by hitting his 714th in Cincinnati off Jack Billingham.
- 1983: North Carolina State defeated Houston 54-52. The Wolfpack won on a buzzer-beating dunk by Lorenzo Charles off a 30-foot shot from Derek Whittenburg.
- 1986: Wayne Gretzky achieved 213 points in a season, which established the NHL record.
- 1988: Kansas defeated Oklahoma 83-79. Jayhawks power forward Danny Manning was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
- 1988: The New York Mets set an Opening Day record with six home runs during a 10-6 win over the Montreal Expos.
- 1989: New York Yankees pitcher Tommy John tied the record for playing 26 seasons. His 287th win moved him to 19th on the all-time list.
- 1989: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played his final NBA game in Seattle.
- 1993: In the 12th NCAA Women's Basketball Championship, Texas Tech beat Ohio State 84-82.
- 1994: At Arkansas's first championship game appearance, they defeated Duke 76-72 and won their first national title.
- 1994: Tuffy Rhodes hit three home runs for the Chicago Cubs in an Opening Day performance that became one of the most memorable season debuts in MLB history.
- 2005: North Carolina defeated Illinois 75-70, securing their fourth national championship.
- 2005: The Chicago White Sox opened the season with a win that helped set the tone for a great year and they went on to win the World Series at the end of the season.
- 2010: Yani Tseng of Taiwan won her second major title by one stroke, finishing ahead of runner-up Suzann Pettersen of Norway.
- 2011: Point guard Kemba Walker scored 16 points for the Huskies, helping Connecticut defeat Butler 53-41.
- 2016: Villanova defeated North Carolina 77-74. Wildcats guard Phil Booth scored 20 points.
- 2022: Kansas overcame a 16-point first-half deficit to defeat North Carolina 72-69, winning their fourth national title.
- 2025: Alexander Ovechkin tied Wayne Gretzky for the most career goals in NHL history with No. 894.
Three athletes who stood out on April 4 were Hank Aaron, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Alexander Ovechkin.
Aaron was a 25-time All-Star and holds MLB records for RBIs, total bases, and extra-base hits. Abdul-Jabbar is famous for his unstoppable skyhook shot. He won six NBA championships, six MVP awards, and held the all-time scoring record for nearly 40 years. Ovechkin has won nine Maurice 'Rocket' Richard trophies and led the Washington Capitals to their first Stanley Cup in 2018.
