Missoula Prep Sports Network

Today In Sports History 4/7

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

Baseball

  • 1958 - Los Angeles Dodgers erect 42-foot screen in left field at Los Angeles Coliseum to cut down on home runs, since it is only 250 feet down the line.
  • 1963 - Public stock offering of 115,000 shares in Milwaukee Braves withdrawn after only 13,000 shares are sold to 1,600 new investors.
  • 1969 - Los Angeles Dodgers' Bill Singer is credited with first official save, against Cincinnati Reds.
  • 1969 - Ted Williams begins managing Washington Senators, they lose to New York Yankees 8-4.
  • 1970 - Milwaukee Brewers' (former Seattle Pilots) first game, lose to California Angels 12-0.
  • 1971 - Dismissal of Curt Flood's suit against baseball is upheld by US Supreme Court.
  • 1973 - Cleveland Indians sets day-game and opening-game attendance records of 74,420.
  • 1977 - Toronto Blue Jays' first game, they beat Chicago Cubs 9-5.
  • 1978 - US Court of Appeals upholds Commissioner Kuhn's voiding of attempted player sales by Oakland Athletics' owner Charlie Finley in June 1976.
  • 1979 - Houston Astros' Ken Forsch pitches no-hitter against Atlanta Braves, 6-0.
  • 1984 - Detroit Tigers' pitcher Jack Morris pitches no-hitter against Chicago White Sox, 4-0.
  • 1986 - Boston Red Sox outfielder Dwight Evans becomes the first player to hit the first pitch of the first game on Opening Day for a home run.
  • 1987 - Atlanta Braves' pitcher Rick Mahler throws his third Opening Day shutout tying a National League record.
  • 1993 - Dante Bichette hits the first Colorado Rockies homerun (Shea Stadium, New York).
  • 1994 - First night game at Cleveland's Jacobs Field, Cleveland Indians 6, Seattle Mariners 2.
  • 1994 - New York Yankees beat Texas Rangers 18-6.
  • 1995 - Baseball exhibition season begins late due to strike.
  • 2003 - The Boston Red Sox exercise Pedro Martinez's option for the 2004 season, making Martinez the highest paid pitcher for a season in major league history, at $17.5 million.

Basketball

  • 1956 - 10th NBA Championship: Philadelphia Warriors beat Fort Wayne Pistons, 4 games to 1.
  • 2003 - Syracuse wins the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship, defeating Kansas 81-78.
  • 2008 - In San Antonio, Texas, the Kansas Jayhawks defeat the Memphis Tigers 75-68 in overtime to win their first NCAA basketball national championship in 20 years.

Football

  • 1943 - NFL adopts free substitution rule.
  • 1985 - New Jersey Generals' Hershel Walker runs for USFL record 233 yards.

Golf

  • 1940 - 7th Golf Masters Championship: Jimmy Demaret beats Lloyd Mangrum, shooting a 280.
  • 1946 - 10th Golf Masters Championship: Herman Keiser wins, shooting a 282.
  • 1951 - 15th Golf Masters Championship: Ben Hogan wins, shooting a 280.
  • 1957 - 21st Golf Masters Championship: Doug Ford wins, shooting a 283.
  • 1963 - 27th Golf Masters Championship: Jack Nicklaus wins, shooting a 286.
  • 1985 - 14th Nabisco Dinah Shore Golf Championship won by Alice Miller.
  • 1991 - Third Seniors Golf Tradition: Jack Nicklaus.
  • 1991 - Chris Johnson wins LPGA Ping/Welch's Golf Championship.
  • 1996 - 8th Seniors Golf Tradition; Jack Nicklaus wins.
  • 1996 - Kelly Robbins wins Sacramento 12 Bridges LPGA Golf Classic.

Hockey 

  • 1928 - 44-year old New York Rangers' General Manager Lester Patrick replaces his injured goaltender in a Stanley Cup game, and beats Montréal Maroons 2-1.
  • 1979 - New York Islanders' Mike Bossy scores four goals against Philadelphia Flyers.
  • 1988 - New Jersey Devils 3-2 over New York Islanders, first NHL playoff round tied 1-1.
  • 1990 - New York Rangers beat New York Islanders 5-2, New York Rangers lead 2-0 in preliminary NHL playoff.