April is an exciting month for sports fans. It features NBA and NHL playoffs, the start of MLB, The Masters, the NCAA Basketball title game, the NFL Draft, and some Grand Prix events. April 12 has seen many memorable moments in sports history.
In 1858, Michael J. Phelan won the first US billiards championship in Detroit. In 1896, Stamasia Portrisi became the first woman to win a marathon, finishing in 5:30 in Athens. Joe McCarthy debuted as the New York Yankees manager in 1931. The Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup against the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1938, despite having a losing regular season record.
Golfer Louise Suggs claimed her first major title at the LPGA Titleholders Championship in 1946. Sam Snead won his third and final Masters Tournament in 1954, the same year the Minnesota Lakers took the NBA Championship. Arnold Palmer made history in 1964 by winning his fourth Masters, marking his seventh major victory.
In 1980, Terry Fox began his “Marathon of Hope” in Newfoundland, while the Milwaukee Brewers crushed the Boston Red Sox 18-1. Tom Watson won his second green jacket in 1981. The 1992 NBA game between the Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks was one of the lowest-scoring games ever, ending 72-61.
Mark O’Meara won his first major title at The Masters in 1998, and Angel Cabrera took home his second major title in 2009. Jordan Spieth won his first major in 2015. Notable athletes from April 12 include Arnold Palmer, who popularized golf, pitcher Matt Young, and swimmer Jeff Rouse, who held the world record in the 100m backstroke for eight years.
