This Day in Sports History: April 6
Sports in April include playoffs for the NBA and NHL seasons, the first month of the MLB, The Masters, NCAA Basketball title game, NFL Draft, and some Grand Prix events….
Sports in April include playoffs for the NBA and NHL seasons, the first month of the MLB, The Masters, NCAA Basketball title game, NFL Draft, and some Grand Prix events. Over the years, April 6 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 6 included:
- 1877: In the 17th British Open for Men's golf, Jamie Anderson won the first of three straight Championships.
- 1900: Boxer James J. Jeffries knocked out Jack Finnegan in one round and got the heavyweight boxing title.
- 1926: In the Stanley Cup Final, the Montreal Maroons beat the Victoria Cougars 2-0 and got a 3-1 series victory.
- 1936: In the third Masters tournament, Horton Smith won his second Masters title.
- 1952: In the 16th Masters Tournament, Sam Snead won his second green jacket.
- 1954: The Montreal Canadiens scored three goals in 56 seconds in a playoff game against Detroit.
- 1973: The Pittsburgh Pirates retired Roberto Clemente's No. 21
- 1979: Baltimore manager Earl Weaver won his 1,000th game as a manager, as the Orioles beat the Chicago White Sox 5-3.
- 1980: Gordie Howe completed a record 26th NHL season.
- 1986: Golfer Pat Bradley won the Nabisco Dinah Shore tournament and it was the fourth of her six major titles.
- 1987: Boxer Sugar Ray Leonard beat the Marvelous Marvin Hagler and won the Middleweight World Boxing Championship.
- 1991: In the 145th Grand National, the New Zealand-bred chestnut gelding Seagram won, ridden by Nigel Hawke.
- 1992: In the 54th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship, Duke beat Michigan 71-51. It was back-to-back titles for the Blue Devils.
- 1997: At the Tradition Senior men's golf tournament, Gil Morgan won the first of three Champions Tour majors.
- 2002: France beat Ireland 44-5. They completed a Grand Slam and won the Six Nations Rugby Championship. It was their 13th title.
- 2004: In the 23rd NCAA Women's Basketball Championship, Connecticut beat Tennessee 70-61. UConn's Diana Taurasi was named the Most Outstanding Player for the second straight year.
- 2008: Top-ranked golfer Lorena Ochoa won the Kraft Nabisco Championship for women's golf.
- 2009: In the 71st NCAA Men's Basketball Championship, North Carolina beat Michigan State 89-72. It was the Tar Heels' fifth National title.
- 2013: Bayern Munich won their 23rd German Bundesliga title.
- 2019: The Tampa Bay Lightning won their 62nd regular-season game and tied the NHL record that was held by the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings.
- 2025: Alexander Ovechkin scored his 895th career goal and became the greatest scorer in NHL history.
Three athletes who stood out on April 6 were Roberto Clemente, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Alexander Ovechkin.
Clemente is celebrated for his 18-year career, 3,000 hits, and 12 Gold Gloves. Leonard is known for his speed, charisma, and elite boxing IQ. He won world titles in five weight classes. Ovechkin won a Stanley Cup, three MVPs, and set records for 40-goal seasons, power-play goals, and most goals with one team.
