April 1996 in Sports History

Events in Sport

Sports History

Apr 2 Sri Lankan cricket batsman Sanath Jayasuriya hits century in 48 balls (134 off 65), in 34 run win over Pakistan in Singapore; world ODI record

Apr 2 Vancouver Grizzlies beat Minnesota Timberwolves, 105-103 at General Motors Place Arena to end their NBA single-season record 23-game consecutive loss streak
Apr 3 South Australia grab exciting draw vs W A to win Sheffield Shield
Apr 3 St Francis Fighting Saints scores college baseball run record 71-1

Sports History

Apr 3 Cricketer Rahul Dravid makes his international debut for India in an ODI against Sri Lanka

Apr 6 American baseball player Albert Belle shows off his arm by hitting Sports Illustrated photographer Tony Tomsic in the hand prior to a game

Golf Tournament

Apr 7 The Tradition Senior Men's Golf, GC at Desert Mountain: Defending champion Jack Nicklaus wins his 4th event title by 3 strokes from Hale Irwin

Apr 7 Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya hits fastest ODI fifty off 17 balls v Pakistan, Singapore
Apr 7 Pakistan beats Sri Lanka to win Cricket's Singer Cup in Singapore
Apr 11 Detroit Red Wings become 2nd NHL team to win 60 games in a season
Apr 13 En route to NHL record 62 victories Detroit Red Wings win #61
Apr 13 Ottawa Senators eliminate Stanley Cup Champs NJ Devils from playoff

US Masters Golf

Apr 14 60th US Masters Tournament, Augusta National GC: Englishman Nick Faldo wins his 3rd Masters and 6th and final major title, 5 strokes ahead of Greg Norman of Australia

Apr 14 Detroit Red Wings win NHL record 62 games
Apr 15 100th Boston Marathon: Moses Tanui of Kenya takes centenary men's title in 2:09:15.9; 3-peat for Uta Pippig of Germany in women's race in 2:27:12
Apr 19 Rangers scores 16 in 8th vs Orioles
Apr 20 Chicago Bulls win record 72 games in a season
Apr 20 1996 NFL Draft: Keyshawn Johnson from USC first pick by New York Jets
Apr 21 PGA Seniors' Championship Men’s Golf, PGA National GC: Hale Irwin beats Japan’s Isao Aoki by 2 strokes for his first of 4 Senior PGA Championships
Apr 21 Chicago Bulls win NBA record 72 games (72-8)
Apr 24 Highest scoring baseball game in 17 years - Twins 24, Tigers 11

Birthdays in Sport

Apr 10 Thanasi Kokkinakis, Australian tennis player (Australian Open doubles [Nick Kyrgios] 2022), born in Adelaide, Australia
Apr 12 Georgia Hall, British golfer (British Open 2018), born in Bournemouth, England
Apr 12 Matteo Berrettini, Italian tennis player (Wimbledon 2021 runner-up), born in Rome, Italy
Apr 24 Ashleigh Barty, Australian tennis player (French Open 2019; Wimbledon 2021; Australian Open 2022; WTA Finals 2019, World #1 2019-22), born in Ipswich, Australia

Weddings in Sport

Apr 27 Romanian gymnast and 5-time Olympic gold medalist Nadia Comăneci (35) weds American gymnast Bart Conner (38) in Bucharest, Romania

Deaths in Sport

Apr 1 John McSherry, American MLB baseball umpire, 1971-96 (World Series - 1977, 87; All-Star Game - 1975, 82, 91), dies of a heart attack behind the plate on Opening Day in Cincinnati, Ohio at 51
Apr 4 (Henry) "Barney" Ewell, American track and field athlete (Olympics, 1948 - gold and 2 silver), dies at 78
Apr 18 Hubert Opperman, Australian road cyclist, politician (multi-distance world records), dies of heart failure at 91
Apr 19 Norman Oldfield, English cricketer (scored 99 runs in Test for England), dies at 84
Apr 21 A H Kardar, cricketer (3 Tests for India & 23 for Pak 1946-58), dies
Apr 21 Jimmy "the Greek" Snyder, sportscaster, LV bookmaker (The NFL Today; fired for racist remarks), dies of a heart attack at 77
Apr 22 Harold "Jug" McSpaden, American golfer, course designer (17 PGA Tour wins), dies of carbon monoxide poisoning at 87