Historical Events
- Apr 1 "SOS" first adopted as a morse distress signal (· · · – – – · · ·) by German government
- Apr 1 British East African Protectorate becomes colony of Kenya
- Apr 2 Cairo-Capetown railway opens
- Apr 4 Earthquake in Kangra India, kills 20,000
- Apr 5 James Barrie's "Alice-sit-by-the-fire" premieres in London
- Apr 6 Germany receives invitation from Sultan of Morocco to an international conference to discuss matters relating to Morocco
- Apr 12 French Dufaux brothers test helicopter
- Apr 12 Hippodrome arena opens (NYC)
- Apr 17 9th Boston Marathon won by Fred Lorz in 2:38:25.4
- Apr 17 US Supreme Court judges maximum work day unconstitutional in Lochner v. New York by declaring the "right to free contract" implicit in the due process clause of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution
- Apr 21 The elective assembly of Crete proclaims union with Greece
- Apr 22 Operations begin uniting conservatory of Nature monument Amsterdam
Jack Hobbs Debut
Apr 24 First-class cricket debut of Sir Jack Hobbs, "The Master" for Surrey v the "Gentlemen of England" (18 & 88)
- Apr 24 Senators execute a triple-play & beat Yankees 4-3
- Apr 25 Latest day of 1st-class cricket in an Aust season (NSW v Qld)
- Apr 25 Whites win right to vote in South Africa
- Apr 26 Cubs Jack McCarthy becomes only major league player to throw out 3 runners at plate in 1 game, all were ends of a double play
- Apr 27 World Exposition opens in Liège
- Apr 29 2" rain falls in 10 mins in Taylor, Texas
Brazza Lands in Libreville
Apr 29 Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza lands in Libreville, Gabon
- Apr 30 First official soccer game between neighbouring countries Belgium-Netherlands; Dutch win, 4-1 at Olympic Stadium, Antwerp
Famous Birthdays
- Apr 1 Clara Hale 'Mother Hale', American social activist (Hale House Center for disadvantaged children), born in Elizabeth Town, North Carolina (d. 1992)
Gaston Eyskens (1905-1988)
Apr 1 Prime Minister of Belgium (1949, 1958-61, 1968-72), born in Lier, Belgium
- Apr 1 Winfried Zillig, German opera composer, and conductor (Fantasia Irica), born in Würzburg, Germany (d. 1963)
- Apr 2 Edmond Jouhaud, French general, born in Aïn Boucefar, French Algeria (d. 1995)
- Apr 2 Kurt Alfred Adler, Austrian therapist and writer, born in Vienna, Austria (d. 1997)
- Apr 2 Serge Lifar, Russian-French dancer, choreographer (Paris Opera Ballet), born in Kyiv, Ukraine (d. 1986)
- Apr 3 Lili Kraus, Czech-Hungarian-British concert pianist and educator, born in Budapest, Hungary (d. 1986)
- Apr 3 Robert Frederick Sink, United States Army Officer (WWII, Korean War & Vietnam War), born in Lexington, North Carolina (d. 1965)
- Apr 4 Eugene Bozza, French composer, born in Nice, France (d. 1991)
- Apr 4 Tony Manero, American golfer (US Open 1936), born in New York City (d. 1989)
- Apr 5 Bill Raisch, American one armed actor (The Fugitive, Spartacus, Sweet Smell of Success), born in North Bergen, New Jersey (d. 1984)
- Apr 5 Jef Maes, Belgian composer and violinist, born in Antwerp, Belgium (d. 1996)
- Apr 8 George Baxter, French actor (Flying Saucer, Lili, Caged), born in Paris, France (d. 1976)
- Apr 8 Hans Scherfig, Danish artist and communist writer (Idealists, Stolen Spring), born in Copenhagen, Denmark (d. 1979)
- Apr 8 Helen Joseph, South African anti-apartheid activist and writer (Side by Side), born in Easebourne, England (d. 1992)
- Apr 8 Ilka Chase, American actress (Masquerade Party, Trials of O'Brien), born in New York City (d. 1978)
- Apr 8 Pierre Wigny, Belgian politician (Minister of Foreign affairs 1958-61), born in Liège, Belgium (d. 1986) [or 4/18]
- Apr 9 J. William Fulbright, American senator from Arkansas, known for opposition to the Vietnam War), born in Sumner, Missouri (d. 1995)
- Apr 10 Jan H. van Roijen, Dutch ambassador to the U.S. and Netherlands Foreign Minister, born in Constantinople (d. 1991)
- Apr 11 József Attila, Hungarian poet, born in Ferencváros, Budapest, Austria-Hungary (d. 1937)
- Apr 14 Elizabeth Huckaby, American educator, born in Hamburg, Arkansas (d. 1999)
- Apr 14 Slinger Nitschke, Australian cricket batsman (S Aus & Test), born in Adelaide, South Australia (d. 1982)
- Apr 16 Frits Philips, Dutch engineer and CEO (Philips), born in Eindhoven, Netherlands (d. 2005)
- Apr 16 John Lee-Barber, British Royal Navy officer (d. 1995)
- Apr 17 Arthur Lake [Arthur William Silverlake], American actor (Blondie, Topper), born in Corbin, Kentucky (d. 1987)
- Apr 17 Herb Joesting, College Football Hall of Fame halfback/fullback (Uni of Minnesota; Chicago Bears), born in Little Falls, Minnesota (d. 1963)
George H. Hitchings (1905-1998)
Apr 18 American medical doctor (Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1988), born in Hoquiam, Washington [1]
- Apr 19 John Thach, American WWII Naval aviator (developed the Thach Weave) and USN admiral, born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas (d. 1981)
- Apr 19 Tommy Benford, American jazz drummer, born in Charleston, West Virginia (d. 1994)
- Apr 21 Edmund Gerald "Pat" Brown, American politician and Governor of California (D: 1959-67), born in San Francisco, California (d. 1996)
- Apr 22 Robert Choquette, French Canadian novelist, poet and diplomat, born in Manchester, New Hampshire (d. 1991)
- Apr 24 Robert Penn Warren, American poet and novelist (All the King's Men, Pulitzer 1946), born in Guthrie, Kentucky (d. 1989)
- Apr 25 George Nepia, New Zealand rugby player, born in Wairoa, New Zealand (d. 1986)
- Apr 25 Walter Hassan, British automotive engineer, born in London (d. 1996)
- Apr 26 Charles K. Feldman, American producer (Casino Royale), born in New York City (d. 1968)
- Apr 26 Denis O'Dea, Irish actor (Niagara, Esther & the King, Treasure Island), born in Dublin, Ireland (d. 1978)
- Apr 26 Jean Vigo, French actor and director (Zero For Conduct, L'Atlante), born in Paris, France (d. 1934)
- Apr 27 Julian Stryjkowski, Polish journalist and writer known for his radical leftist leanings, born in Stryi, Austro-Hungarian Empire (d. 1996)
- Apr 27 Philip Radcliffe, English composer, born in Godalming, Surrey (d. 1986)
John Peters Humphrey (1905-1995)
Apr 30 Canadian jurist and human rights advocate (Universal Declaration on Human Rights), born in Hampton, New Brunswick
Famous Deaths
- Apr 4 Constantin Meunier, Belgian painter and sculptor, dies at 73
- Apr 23 Gédéon Ouimet, Quebec politician (b. 1823)
- Apr 23 Karel Komzák II, Bohemian-Viennese violinist, and composer of marches and dances (Bad’ner Mad’ln), dies when he falls under train at 54 [1]
- Apr 25 Jacob Olie, Dutch photographer, dies at about 70
- Apr 28 Fitzhugh Lee, American Major General (Confederate Army) & 40th Governor of Virginia, dies at 69
- Apr 29 Ignatio Cervantes, Cuban pianist and composer (Danzas Cubanas), dies at 57
