This Day in Sports History: April 14
Sports in April include playoffs for the NBA and NHL seasons, the first month of the MLB, The Masters, the NCAA Basketball title game, the NFL Draft, and some Grand…
Sports in April include playoffs for the NBA and NHL seasons, the first month of the MLB, The Masters, the NCAA Basketball title game, the NFL Draft, and some Grand Prix events. Over the years, April 14 has witnessed many notable moments and stories involving sporting legends. Here are some of them.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sports history from April 14 included:
- 1910: United States President William Howard Taft began the tradition of throwing out the ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day of the baseball season.
- 1917: Chicago White Sox pitcher Eddie Cicotte pitched a no-hitter against the St. Louis Browns.
- 1931: The Montreal Canadiens beat the Chicago Black Hawks 2-0 to win the series 3-2 and capture back-to-back Stanley Cups.
- 1955: Elston Howard became the first African American to play for the New York Yankees. He hit one single in an 8-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox.
- 1962: Elgin Baylor scored a record 61 points in a Lakers' NBA Finals victory over the Celtics.
- 1962: In rugby, France beat Ireland 11-0 in the Five Nations Championship.
- 1964: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher and future Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Sandy Koufax threw his ninth complete game without allowing a walk, leading the team to a 4-0 Opening Day win over the St. Louis Cardinals.
- 1974: Gary Player won the second of his three Masters titles.
- 1985: Bernhard Langer won his first Masters title by finishing two strokes ahead of Seve Ballesteros, Curtis Strange, and Raymond Floyd.
- 1995: In cricket, India beat Sri Lanka and won the 1995 Asia Cup.
- 1996: The Detroit Red Wings set a then-NHL record for most wins in a single season with 62.
- 1996: Nick Faldo won his third Masters title, which was also his sixth and final major title.
- 2002: Tiger Woods became the third player to claim back-to-back Masters titles.
- 2006: Kobe Bryant set the Laker's single-season scoring record with 50 points in a win over Portland.
- 2010: Kevin Durant became the youngest scoring champion in NBA history at the age of 21.
- 2013: Adam Scott became the first Australian to win the Masters, beating Ángel Cabrera in a playoff.
- 2016: For the first time in major sports history, three players from the same school (UConn's Breanna Stewart, Moriah Jefferson, and Morgan Tuck) were selected 1-2-3 in the draft.
- 2019: Tiger Woods won his fifth Masters title and 15th major.
- 2021: Chicago White Sox pitcher Carlos Rodón threw a no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians.
- 2024: World number one golfer Scottie Scheffler defeated Ludvig Åberg by four strokes and won his second Masters title in three years.
Three athletes who stood out on April 14 were Sandy Koufax, Tiger Woods, and Kobe Bryant.
Koufax became famous for winning three Cy Young Awards, an MVP, and four no-hitters (including a perfect game) while setting records for strikeouts. Woods fame stems from revolutionizing golf with athleticism, mental toughness, and commanding performances during the 1990s and 2000s. Bryant spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning five NBA championships, two Finals MVPs, and an 18-time All-Star.
