Today In Sports History 4/26

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

Baseball

• 1900 – American League baseball opener in Cleveland, Ohio draws 6,500.
• 1905 – Chicago Cubs’ Jack McCarthy becomes only major league player to throw out three runners at the plate in one game, all were ends of a double play.
• 1912 – First home run hit at Fenway Park (Hugh Bradley, Boston Red Sox).
• 1931 – Lou Gehrig hits a home run but is called out for passing a runner, the mistake costs him American League home run crown; he and Babe Ruth tie for season.
• 1941 – A tradition begins, first organ at a baseball stadium (Chicago Cubs).
• 1962 – Boston Red Sox Bill Monbouquette no-hits Chicago White Sox 1-0.
• 1974 – New York Yankees trade Peterson, Beene, Kline and Buskey to Cleveland Indians for Chambliss, Tidrow and Upshaw.
• 1975 – Philadelphia Phillies’ Mike Schmidt’s two home runs ties National League record of 11 home runs in April.
• 1980 – Philadelphia Phillies’ Steve Carlton pitches his sixth one-hitter (beats Saint Louis Cardinals).
• 1982 – Gene Michaels becomes the New York Yankees’ manager for the second time.
• 1988 – New York Mets’ Davey Johnson becomes second manager to record 400 victory in first four years (Al Lopez did it first).
• 1990 – Nolan Ryan ties Bob Feller’s record of pitching 12 one-hitters.
• 1992 – Ozzie Smith steals his 500th base.
• 1995 – American baseball season begins after lengthy strike.
• 1995 – Coors Field opens in Denver; Colorado Rockies beat New York Mets 11-9 in 14 innings.
• 2010 – First baseman Ryan Howard agrees to a $125 million five-year contract extension with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Basketball

• 1964 – 18th NBA Championship: Boston Celtics beat San Francisco Warriors, 4 games to 1.
• 1966 – Arnold “Red” Auerbach retires as Boston Celtics’ coach.
• 1983 – San Antonio spurs beat Denver Nuggets 152-133 in NBA playoff game.
• 1988 – NBA approves addition of third referee in the 1988-89 season.

Golf

• 1959 – Wiffi Smith wins LPGA Betsy Rawls Golf Open.
• 1964 – Marilynn Smith wins LPGA Titleholders Golf Championship.
• 1981 – Beth Solomon wins LPGA Birmingham Golf Classic.
• 1992 – Maggie Will wins LPGA Sara Lee Golf Classic.

Hockey 

• 1935 – Frank Boucher is given the NHL’s Lady Byng Trophy for sportsmanship permanently for winning it 7 of 11 years.