April is an exciting month for sports fans, featuring NBA and NHL playoffs, the start of MLB, The Masters, the NCAA Basketball title game, the NFL Draft, and various Grand Prix events. Over the years, April 2 has seen many memorable moments in sports history.
In 1931, 17-year-old Jackie Mitchell made headlines by striking out baseball legends Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig during an exhibition game. Eight years later, Ralph Guldahl won the sixth Masters Tournament with a record score of 279, edging out Sam Snead. In 1942, Dorothy Kirby defended her LPGA Titleholders Championship.
Fast forward to 1972, when Bobby Orr became the first NHL defenseman to score 100 points for six consecutive seasons. In 1976, the Oakland Athletics made a big trade, sending Reggie Jackson and Ken Holtzman to the Orioles for Don Baylor and two pitchers. Martina Navratilova claimed her first WTA Tour Championship in 1978.
Wayne Gretzky made his mark in 1980, becoming the youngest player to score 50 goals in a season. That same year, Guy Lafleur scored twice, marking six straight 50-goal seasons. Mike Bossy followed suit in 1983, scoring 60 goals for three seasons in a row.
In 1984, Georgetown defeated Houston, with Patrick Ewing named Most Outstanding Player. The Runnin’ Rebels made history in 1990 with a record championship game win over Duke.
Fast forward to 2001, when Roger Clemens became the American League’s all-time strikeout leader, and Ichiro Suzuki got his first MLB hit. Duke won their third title that year, and in 2007, Florida claimed back-to-back championships. Kentucky triumphed over Kansas in 2012, and Villanova beat Michigan in 2018, showcasing the thrill of April sports.
