Sports in April are about the return of MLB, the NBA and NHL playoffs, a few NCAA basketball title games, the NFL Draft, and the Masters. April 29 has hosted many notable sports moments and stories from legends of the game worth looking into.

Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records

Great sports moments that occurred on April 29 include:

• 1901: In the 27th annual Kentucky Derby, jockey Jimmy Winkfield rode His Eminence to victory with a time of 2:07.75. This was Winkfield’s first of two consecutive Derby victories, making him one of the most notable African American jockeys in the race’s history.
• 1922: The first official International Weightlifting Federation Championship was held in Tallinn, Estonia.
• 1985: Tony Tubbs defeated Greg Page by a unanimous 15-round decision to win the WBA heavyweight title.

MLB History

April 29 featured these great plays on the baseball field:

• 1892: Charlie Reilly was the first baseball player to pinch hit in a game.
• 1918: Tris Speaker executed four unassisted double plays, tying the career outfield record.
• 1931: Cleveland Indians pitcher Wes Ferrell threw a no-hitter against the St. Louis Browns.
• 1936: The first professional baseball game was played in Japan. Nagoya defeated Dai Tokyo 8-5.
• 1953: The Milwaukee Braves’ Joe Adcock became the first player to hit a home run into the center field bleachers at New York’s Polo Grounds.
• 1981: Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Steve Carlton became the first left-hander to strike out 3,000 batters.
• 1985: The New York Yankees fired manager Yogi Berra just 16 games into the season, despite owner George Steinbrenner’s assurance that Berra would remain for the entire year. Billy Martin was named the new manager.
• 1986: MLB pitching legend Roger Clemens struck out 20 Seattle Mariners.
• 1987: Andre Dawson hit for the cycle, becoming the 211th player to achieve this feat.
• 1990: Dan Quisenberry announced his retirement. At the time, he was the American League’s all-time saves leader with 238 saves.

Sports History

Some of the biggest names in sports came up on April 29, including:

• 1963: Marilynn Smith defeated Mickey Wright by one shot in an 18-hole playoff to win the LPGA Titleholders Championship.
• 1986: With the first pick in the NFL Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Auburn running back Bo Jackson.
• 2018: Tennis great Rafael Nadal tied his Open Era record for the most wins at a single event by capturing his 11th Barcelona ATP title.

Looking back on these April 29 statistics, the moments that stand out are Clemens’ 20 strikeouts, Bo Jackson’s drafting, and Nadal’s wins at a single event. Only five pitchers in MLB history have struck out 20 batters in a game that lasted nine innings or fewer, and Roger Clemens did it twice. Jackson was recognized as the only professional athlete named an All-Star in MLB and the NFL. Nadal went on to earn even more wins at another event, the French Open, winning the tournament 14 times and holding a 112-4 win-loss record.