Events in Sport
- Apr 5 99th Grand National: 25/1 shot Bogskar ridden by Royal Air Force sergeant Mervyn Jones wins by 4 lengths from MacMoffat; last true Aintree GN before a 5-year break due to World War II
- Apr 7 7th US Masters Tournament, Augusta National GC: Jimmy Demaret wins the first of his 3 Masters titles, 4 strokes ahead of runner-up Lloyd Mangrum
- Apr 12 NFL cuts clipping penalty from 25 yards to 15 yards
- Apr 13 American athlete Cornelius "Dutch" Warmerdam, using a bamboo pole, becomes 1st man to pole vault 15 ft, at University of California, Berkeley
- Apr 13 Stanley Cup Final, Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Ontario: New York Rangers beat Toronto Maple Leafs, 3-2 for 4-2 series victory; Rangers last Cup win for 54 years
- Apr 15 44th Boston Marathon won by Gérard Côté of Canada in 2:28:28.6; first of 4 wins in the event
Sports History
Apr 16 Cleveland Indians pitcher Bob Feller hurls the first and only Opening Day no-hitter in MLB history; beats Chicago WS, 1-0 at Comiskey Park
Birthdays in Sport
- Apr 2 Mike Hailwood, MBE GM, British motorcycle road racer (World C'ships: 250cc – 1961, 66, 67; 350cc – 1966, 67; 500cc –1962, 63, 64, 65; 76 Grand Prix wins), born in Great Milton, England (d. 1981)
- Apr 2 Don Jackson, CM OOnt, Canadian figure skater (World C'ship gold singles 1962; first triple lutz in international competition; Olympic bronze singles 1960), born in Oshawa, Ontario
- Apr 4 Richard Attwood, British racing driver, born in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire
John Havlicek
Apr 8 John Havlicek, American College/Basketball Hall of Fame small forward (8 x NBA C'ship Boston Celtics; 13 x NBA All Star; 4 x All-NBA First Team), born in Martin's Ferry, Ohio (d. 2019)
- Apr 9 Jim [James Wilfred] Roberts, Canadian NHL defenceman (1st Blues draft pick), born in Toronto (d. 2015)
- Apr 12 Woodie Fryman, American baseball player, born in Ewing, Kentucky (d. 2011)
- Apr 13 Mike Beuttler, British racing driver, born in Cairo, Egypt (d. 1988)
- Apr 13 Max Mosley, British auto racer and lawyer (President Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile [FIA] 1993-2009), born in London, England (d. 2021)
- Apr 15 Edy Hubacher, Swiss 4-man bobsled (Olympic gold 1972), born in Bern, Switzerland
Willie Davis
Apr 15 Willie Davis, American MLB center fielder (LA Dodgers), born in Mineral Springs, Arkansas (d. 2010)
- Apr 16 David Holford, West Indian cricket all-rounder (24 Tests), born in Upper Collymore Rock, Saint Michael, Barbados
- Apr 16 Dick Versace, American basketball coach (Bradley University, Indiana Pacers), broadcaster (TNT) and executive (GM Memphis Grizzlies), born in Fort Bragg, North Carolina (d. 2022)
- Apr 17 John McCririck, English horse racing broadcaster, born in Surbiton, England (d. 2019)
- Apr 18 Ed Garvey, American labor leader (NFL Players Association), born in Burlington, Wisconsin (d. 2017)
- Apr 20 George Andrie, American football defensive end (Super Bowl 1971; First Team All Pro 1969; 5 x Pro Bowl; Dallas Cowboys), born in Grand Rapids, Michigan (d. 2018)
- Apr 24 David Larter, Scottish cricket fast bowler (10 Tests England, 37 wickets; Northamptonshire), born in Inverness, Scotland
- Apr 25 Frank Foster, English rugby league lock (1 Test GB; Workington Town, Hull Kingston Rovers, Bradford Northern) and coach (Barrow, Whitehaven), born in Maryport, England (d. 2019)
- Apr 26 Cliff Watson, English rugby league front rower (30 Tests GB, 4 England; St Helens 373 games, Cronulla-Sutherland), born in London, England (d. 2018)
- Apr 29 Brian Taber, Australian cricket wicket-keeper (16 Tests, 60 dismissals), born in Wagga Wagga, Australia
Baseball Players
Basketball Stars
Boxers
Footballers
NFL Stars
Tennis Champions