This Day in Sports History: April 10
April marks the return of MLB, exciting NBA and NHL playoffs, NCAA championship games, the NFL draft, and the Masters tournament. Over the years, April 10 has seen memorable sports…
BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS – JUNE 15: Scottie Scheffler of the United States smiles on the driving range during a practice round prior to the 122nd U.S. Open Championship at The Country Club on June 15, 2022 in Brookline, Massachusetts. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
April marks the return of MLB, exciting NBA and NHL playoffs, NCAA championship games, the NFL draft, and the Masters tournament. Over the years, April 10 has seen memorable sports moments and stories from legends of the game. These are some of them.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sport that occurred on April 10 include:
- 1896: At the Athens Olympics, American athlete Thomas Burke won the 100-meter final in 12 seconds, four days after claiming the 400-meter title.
- 1896: Spyridon Louis of Greece won the first Olympic marathon with a time of 2:58:50.
- 1947: Jackie Robinson became the first Black player of the 20th century to sign an MLB contract.
- 1953: The Minneapolis Lakers defeated the New York Knicks 91-84 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, clinching the series 4-1 and securing their fifth title in six years.
- 1956: Jean Bé Béliveau recorded a goal and two assists as the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Detroit Red Wings 3-1, winning the Stanley Cup Final series 4-1.
- 1983: Eddie Murray achieved his 1,000th career hit.
- 1991: Wayne Gretzky scored his NHL record 93rd playoff goal.
The Masters
April 10 featured some memorable moments on the links:
- 1949: Sam Sneed won his first of three green jackets.
- 1955: Cary Middlecoff won by a then-record seven strokes ahead of Ben Hogan.
- 1960: Arnold Palmer birdied the final two holes to win by one stroke.
- 1961: Gary Player defeated defending champion Arnold Palmer and amateur Charles Coe by one stroke to become the first international Masters champion.
- 1977: Tom Watson won the first of his two green jackets.
- 1994: Jose Maria Olazabal won the first of two Masters titles.
- 2005: Tiger Woods won his fourth green jacket on the first hole of a playoff against Chris DiMarco.
- 2016: England's Danny Willett won his first major title.
- 2022: World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler won his first PGA Tour title and earned a record $2.7 million payout.
Sports History
Some of the biggest names in sport came up on April 10:
- 1913: The New York Highlanders played their first MLB game as the New York Yankees, with President Woodrow Wilson throwing out the first pitch.
- 1961: The Washington Senators played their first game in franchise history, with President John F. Kennedy in attendance.
- 2005: James Vaughan scored for Everton and became the youngest goal scorer in English Premier League history.
Looking back at these April 10 statistics, the main theme is marked by some first-time moments for the Olympics and baseball franchises. The fastest time ever recorded in an Olympic marathon is 2:06:32, set by Samuel Wanjiru of Kenya at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The New York Yankees are famous for their unparalleled success in MLB, boasting a record 27 World Series championships, 41 American League pennants, and a rich history filled with legendary players and iconic moments. The Washington Senators franchise became the Minnesota Twins in 1961, and then an expansion team, also called the Senators, became the Texas Rangers in 1972.
