April is an exciting month for sports, featuring NBA and NHL playoffs, the start of MLB, the Masters, the NCAA Basketball title game, the NFL Draft, and various Grand Prix events. April 5 has seen many memorable moments in sports history.
In 1915, boxer Jess Willard knocked out Jack Johnson to win the heavyweight title. The 1946 Grand National was notable when Captain Robert Petre rode Lovely Cottage to victory at 25/1 odds. Art Wall Jr. claimed his only major title at the 1959 Masters, winning by one stroke. Wilt Chamberlain set an NBA playoff record with 41 rebounds in 1967.
In 1975, Chris Evert won her third WTA Tour Championship, defeating Martina Navratilova. Tom Seaver made history in 1983 with his 14th National League Opening Day start. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar broke Wilt Chamberlain’s scoring record in 1984. Betsy King won her first major title in 1987, while Wayne Gretzky secured his seventh consecutive NHL scoring title that same year.
In 1990, John Stockton achieved 1,000 assists for three straight years. The Detroit Pistons’ Joe Dumars saw his free-throw streak end in 1991. Lee Trevino won a Champions Tour major in 1992, and North Carolina claimed their third college basketball title in 1993.
In 2005, Baylor won the NCAA Women’s Championship, with Sophia Young named Most Outstanding Player. The 2012 MLB Opening Day featured a 16-inning game between the Blue Jays and Indians. In 2019, Russell Westbrook made history by averaging a triple-double for three consecutive seasons.
Three standout athletes from April 5 are Tom Seaver, Wayne Gretzky, and John Stockton, each leaving a significant mark on their sports.
