TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
1858 — First U.S. billiards championship is won by Michael J. Phelan, in Detroit.
1877 — Catcher’s mask first used in a baseball game.
1931 — Joe McCarthy debuts as New York Yankees’ manager.
1938 — NHL Stanley Cup: Chicago Blackhawks beat Toronto Maple Leafs, three games to one.
1940 — NFL cuts clipping penalty from 25 yards to 15 yards.
1941 — NHL Stanley Cup: Boston Bruins sweep Detroit Red Wings in four games.
1942 — 9th Golf Masters Championship: Byron Nelson wins, shooting a 280.
1952 — Betsy Rawls wins LPGA Houston Weathervane Golf Tournament.
1953 — 17th Golf Masters Championship: Ben Hogan wins, shooting a 274.
1954 — 18th Golf Masters Championship: Sam Snead beats Ben Hogan to win his third Masters tournament, shooting a 289.
1954 — 8th NBA Championship: Minneapolis Lakers beat Syracuse Nationals, 4 games to 3.
1958 — 12th NBA Championship: St. Louis Hawks beat Boston Celtics, 4 games to 2.
1960 — Bill Veeck and Chicago Comiskey Park debut the “Exploding Scoreboard.”
1961 — General Douglas MacArthur declines offer to become baseball commissioner.
1964 — 28th Golf Masters Championship: Arnold Palmer wins, shooting a 276.
1965 — First National League game at Houston’s Astrodome (Philadelphia Phillies beat Houston Astros 2-0).
1970 — New York Yankees dedicate plaques to Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio.
1972 — The Players’ Association and owners agree to terms ending the first players strike in baseball history.
1980 — U.S. Olympic Committee endorses a boycott of the Moscow Summer Olympic Games.
1981 — 45th Golf Masters Championship: Tom Watson wins, shooting a 280.
1986 — 16-year-old Steffi Graf wins her first professional tennis tournament. (Hilton Head).
1987 — 51st Golf Masters Championship: Larry Mize wins, shooting a 285.
1987 — Ahmed Salah wins second World Cup marathon in 2:10:55. 1992 — 53rd PGA Seniors Golf Championship: Lee Trevino wins. 1992 — 56th Golf Masters Championship; Fred Couples wins, shooting a 275.
1992 — Matt Young no-hits Cleveland Indians, but loses 2-1.
1998 — 62nd Golf Masters Championship: Mark O’Meara wins. 2004 — Barry Bonds hit his 660th career home run, tying his godfather, Willie Mays for third on the all-time home run list. The 72-year old Mays greets Bonds at home plate with an $18,000 torch studded with diamonds forming the numbers 660, 25 (Barry’s number), and 1, the number to needed move ahead.
2007 — Don Imus is fired by CBS for making controversial comments about the Rutgers women’s basketball team.
2009 — Women’s world hockey championships in Hameenlinna, Finland, won by United States defeating Canada 4-1.