This Day in Sports History: April 11
April is a busy month for sports, with the return of Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association and National Hockey League playoffs, National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball title games, the…
Phil Mickelson sets on the first tee during competition at the 2004 Ryder Cup in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images)
April is a busy month for sports, with the return of Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association and National Hockey League playoffs, National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball title games, the National Football League Draft, and the Masters. April 11 has witnessed several notable sports moments from legends of the game.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sports that occurred on April 11 include:
- 1750: Jack Slack beat Jean Petit in seven rounds. This was the first international prize fight.
- 1896: John Boland won the men's singles and doubles tennis finals at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens.
- 1936: The Detroit Red Wings beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2, won the series 3-1, and captured their first Stanley Cup title.
- 1961: In the 1961 NBA World Championship Series, the Boston Celtics beat the St. Louis Hawks 4 games to 1.
- 1981: Larry Holmes beat Trevor Berbick by a unanimous decision and retained his World Boxing Council heavyweight boxing title.
The Masters
April 11 is associated with some memorable wins at Augusta, including:
- 1948: Claude Harmon shot a record-tying 279.
- 1965: Jack Nicklaus won the second of his six Masters titles with 271, a tournament record at the time.
- 1976: Raymond Floyd won his only Masters title.
- 1983: Seve Ballesteros won his second Masters title and third major title win.
- 1993: Bernhard Langer won his second green jacket by finishing four strokes over Chip Beck.
- 1999: José María Olazábal won his second Masters title.
- 2004: Phil Mickelson claimed his first major title with a birdie on the final hole, finishing one stroke over Ernie Els.
Baseball History
Some major milestones in baseball took place on April 11, including:
- 1907: New York Giants backstop and future Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Roger Bresnahan became the first catcher to wear shin guards.
- 1959: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Don Drysdale hit his second Opening Day home run.
- 1963: Milwaukee Braves pitcher and future Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Warren Spahn beat the New York Mets 6-1. It was his 328th career win, the most ever by a left-handed pitcher.
- 1966: Emmett Ashford became the first African American MLB umpire in the Washington Senators versus Cleveland Indians game.
- 1975: Hank Aaron returned to County Stadium as a Milwaukee player after his off-season trade from the Atlanta Braves.
- 1990: The California Angels' Mark Langston and Mike Witt pitched a 2-0 combined no-hitter against Seattle.
April 11 has been a day for several Masters wins and some great MLB pitching.
Just as golfers have made history at the Masters, athletes in other arenas have delivered standout performances. From John Boland's Olympic tennis wins to the Red Wings capturing their first Stanley Cup, the day has seen no shortage of championship moments. Warren Spahn's dominant pitching, including a milestone win in 1963 and a National League record for complete games, reflects the same enduring excellence shown by legends like Nicklaus and Olazábal at Augusta.
