Today In Sports History 4/4

Our past has shaped present by many things in history including sports, here is how sports marked our history.

Baseball

• 1911 – Hugh Chalmers, automaker, suggests idea of baseball Most Valuable Player.
• 1948 – 84-year-old Connie Mack challenges 78-year-old Clark Griffith to a race from home to first base; it ends in a tie.
• 1974 – Hank Aaron ties Babe Ruth’s home-run record by hitting his 714th.
• 1988 – Largest crowd (55,438) at a season game at Riverfront (Cincinnati Reds vs Saint Louis Cardinals).
• 1988 – New York Mets set Opening Day record with six home runs.
• 1989 – New York Yankees’ Tommy John ties record of playing 26 seasons; his 287th win puts him 19th overall as New York Yankees beat Minnesota Twins on opening day 4-2.
• 1992 – Game 1 of Mayor Challenge – New York Yankees beat New York Mets 6-4 at Yankee Stadium.
• 1993 – At Camden Yards, Bill Clinton becomes the first U.S. president to throw the first pitch of the baseball season from the pitcher’s mound.
• 1994 – First game played at Jacobs Field; Cleveland Indians beat Seattle Mariners 4-3 in 11 innings.
• 1994 – Largest opening day crowd at Yankee Stadium, 56,706.
• 1997 – Atlanta Braves officially open Turner Field against Chicago Cubs.

Basketball

• 1983 – 45th NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship: North Carolina State beats Houston 54-52.
• 1985 – Tulane University cancels its basketball season amidst scandal.
• 1988 – 50th NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship: Kansas beats Oklahoma 83-79.
• 1989 – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s last NBA game in Seattle.
• 1993 – 12th NCAA Women’s Basketball Champion: Texas Tech beats Ohio State 84-82.
• 1994 – 56th NCAA Men’s Basketball Champion: Arkansas Razorbacks beats Duke 76-72.
• 2005 – North Carolina defeats Illinois 75-70 to win the 2005 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship at the Edward Jones Dome in Saint Louis, Missouri.

Football

• 1998 – NFL Europe (formerly WLAF), kicks off season.

Golf

• 1937 – 4th Golf Masters Championship: Byron Nelson wins, shooting a 283.
• 1938 – 5th Golf Masters Championship: Henry Picard wins, shooting a 285.
• 1954 – Louise Suggs wins LPGA Carrollton Georgia Golf Open.
• 1965 – Mickey Wright wins LPGA Baton Rouge Golf Invitational.
• 1976 – 5th Colgate Dinah Shore Golf Championship won by Judy Rankin.
• 1982 – 11th Nabisco Dinah Shore Golf Championship won by Sally Little.
• 1993 – 5th Seniors Golf Tradition: Tom Shaw.
• 1993 – Trish Johnson wins Las Vegas LPGA at Canyon Gate Golf Tournament.

Hockey 

• 1921 – Stanley Cup: Ottawa Senators (NHL) beat Vancouver Millionaires (PCHA), three games to 2.
• 1986 – Wayne Gretzky sets NHL record with 213th point of season.
• 1997 – Anaheim Ducks clinch their first-ever playoff berth.

Wrestling

• 1929 – First Amateur Athletic Union Greco-Roman wrestling championships held.