What Happened in April 1937

Historical Events

  • Apr 1 Aden becomes a British crown colony

4th Augusta National Invitation

Apr 4 4th Augusta National Invitation Tournament (Masters) Golf: Byron Nelson wins first of his 5 major titles by 2 strokes ahead of Ralph Guldahl

Red, Hot And Blue

Apr 10 Cole Porter's musical "Red, Hot And Blue", starring Ethel Merman, Jimmy Durante, and Bob Hope, closes at the Alvin Theatre, NYC, after 183 performances

  • Apr 12 Sir Frank Whittle ground-tests the first jet engine designed to power an aircraft at Rugby, England.
  • Apr 15 Stanley Cup Final, Olympia Stadium, Detroit, MI: Detroit Red Wings beat New York Rangers, 3-0 for a 3-2 series win; back-to-back titles for Red Wings
  • Apr 19 41st Boston Marathon won by Walter Young of Canada in 2:33:20
  • Apr 22 NYC college students stage 4th annual peace strike

Hubbell Continues Streak

Apr 23 New York Giants pitcher Carl Hubbell's first start of season, a 3-0 win over the Boston Bees, is his 17th straight win; streak continues for league record 24 victories in a row

  • Apr 26 German Luftwaffe destroys Basque town of Guernica in Spain
  • Apr 27 1st US social security payment made
  • Apr 28 1st animated cartoon electric sign displayed (NYC)
  • Apr 28 1st commercial flight across Pacific operated by Pan Am
  • Apr 29 Symbolic 'Golden Rivet', completing the Golden Gate Bridge connecting San Francisco and Marin County, is driven (later replaced with a more structurally sound steel version)
  • Apr 30 The Philippines holds a plebiscite for Filipino women on whether they should be extended the right to suffrage; over 90% would vote in the affirmative
1937 History

Famous Birthdays

  • Apr 1 Yilmaz Güney, Kurdish film director (Yol; Arkadaş; Baba; Ağit), born in Yenice, Karataş, Turkey
  • Apr 2 Dick Radatz, American baseball pitcher (MLB All Star 1963, 64; AL saves leader 1962, 64; Boston Red Sox), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2005)
  • Apr 2 Paul Kanjorski, American politician, U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania, born in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania
  • Apr 2 Theo Foley, Irish soccer defender (9 caps, Republic of Ireland; Burnley, Charlton Athletic) and manager (Northampton Town), born in Dublin, Ireland (d. 2020)
  • Apr 3 David Maves, American composer and educator, born in Salem, Oregon 
  • Apr 3 Louis Satterfield [also known as Lui-Lui, Ealee, and Sat], American trombone player (The Pharaohs, Earth, Wind & Fire, Phenix Horns), born in Shaw, Mississippi (d. 2004)
  • Apr 3 Petunia Pig, Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Frank Tashlin (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "Porky's Romance"
  • Apr 3 Sandra Spuzich, American golfer (US Open 1966), born in Indianapolis, Indiana (d. 2015)
  • Apr 3 William Gaunt, English actor (Champions), born in Pudsey, Yorkshire
  • Apr 4 Hans van den Doel, Dutch politician and economist (PvdA), born in Zierikzee, Netherlands (d. 2012)
  • Apr 4 Ian St James, novelist (Balfour Conspiracy, Vengeance, Money Stones)
  • Apr 5 Allan R. Thieme, American inventor (first Power operated vehicle/scooter), born in Bridgeport, Michigan

Colin Powell (1937-2021)

Apr 5 American General and 1st Black US Secretary of State (2001-05), born in Harlem, New York [1]

  • Apr 5 Stuart May, senior partner (Theodore Goddard)

Billy Dee Williams (86 years old)

Apr 6 Harlem actor (Chiefs, Empire Strikes Back), born in New York City

Merle Haggard (1937-2016)

Apr 6 American country singer-songwriter ("Mama Tried"; "If We Make It Through December"; "Okie from Muskogee"), born in Oildale, California

  • Apr 6 Tom Veivers, cricketer (Australian off-spinner in the 60's)
  • Apr 7 Charlie Thomas, American pop singer (The Drifters, 1958-67 - "Sweets For My Sweet"; "Save The Last Dance For Me"), born in Lynchburg, Virginia (d. 2023)
  • Apr 8 Seymour Hersh, award-winning investigative reporter (NY Times), born in Chicago, Illinois
  • Apr 8 Tony Clegg, English property trader (Montleigh), born in Littleborough, England (d. 1995)
  • Apr 9 Barrington J. Bayley, English sci-fi author (Collision Course), born in Birmingham, England (d. 2008)
  • Apr 9 Marty Krofft, Canadian puppeteer and television producer - with his brother Sid (H.R. Pufnstuf; Land of the Lost; Sigmund and the Sea Monsters; Donny & Marie), born in Montreal, Quebec (d. 2023) [1]
  • Apr 9 Simon Brown, Baron Brown of Eaton-under-Heywood, Justice of the Supreme Court of the U.K.
  • Apr 9 Valerie Singleton, British broadcaster (Blue Peter), born in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England
  • Apr 10 Bella Akhmadulina, Russian poet (The String, Fever), born in Moscow (d. 2010)
  • Apr 10 Stan Mellor MBE, British National Hunt jockey and trainer (first jumps jockey to ride 1,000 winners; Champion Jockey 1960-62), born in Manchester, England (d. 2020)
  • Apr 11 Jill Gascoine, British stage and pioneering TV actress (The Gentle Touch - "Maggie Forbes"), and novelist, born in Lambeth, London, England (d. 2020)
  • Apr 12 Edward Hide, British jockey (1,000 Guineas 1972, 77; Epsom Oaks 1967; Epsom Derby 1973; St Leger Stakes 1959, 78), born in Stanton Lacy, England (d. 2023)
  • Apr 12 Igor Volk, Soviet cosmonaut (Soyuz T-12) and test pilot, born in Zmiiv, Ukraine (d. 2017)
  • Apr 13 Edward Fox, English actor (The Day of the Jackal, Gandhi), born in Chelsea, London
  • Apr 13 John Contiguglia, American concert pianist (as duo with his identical twin, Robert), born in Auburn, New York
  • Apr 13 Lanford Wilson, American playwright (Hot L Baltimore), born in Lebanon, Missouri
  • Apr 13 Richard Contiguglia, American concert pianist (as duo with his identical twin, John), born in Auburn, New York
  • Apr 15 Conrad Russell, 5th Earl Russell, British historian, born in Harting, West Sussex (d. 2004)
  • Apr 15 Robert W. Gore, American businessman and inventor of GORE-TEX, born in Salt Lake City, Utah (d. 2020) [1]
  • Apr 17 Brian Sedgemore, British MP (Labour Party 1974-79 and 1983-2005), born in Exmouth, Devon (d. 2015)
  • Apr 17 Daffy Duck, Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Tex Avery and Bob Clampett (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "Porky's Duck Hunt"
  • Apr 17 Eduard Stepanov, Russian cosmonaut, born in Werkhopeniye, Russia (d. 2015)
  • Apr 17 Ferdinand Piëch, Austrian-German automotive engineer and executive (Volkswagen Group), born in Vienna, Austria
  • Apr 18 (Bobby) "Robert" Hooks, African-American stage and screen actor (Fast Walking; Aaron Loves Angela), and theater director (The D.C. Black Repertory Company), born in Foggy Bottom, Washington, D.C.
  • Apr 18 Jan Kaplický, British architect of Czech origin, born in Prague, Czechoslovakia (d. 2009)
  • Apr 18 Joaquim Carvalho, Portuguese soccer goalkeeper (6 caps; Sporting CP), born in Barreiro, Portugal (d. 2022)
  • Apr 18 Tatyana Shchelkanova, Soviet long jumper (Olympic bronze 1964), born in Rostov, Russia (d. 2011)
  • Apr 19 Elinor Donahue, American actress (Father Knows Best, Get a Life), born in Tacoma, Washington

Joseph Estrada (86 years old)

Apr 19 Filipino actor and 13th President of the Philippines (1998-01), born in Tondo, Philippines

George Takei (86 years old)

Apr 20 American actor (Sulu-Star Trek, Green Berets), born in Los Angeles, California

  • Apr 21 Charles Lee Herron, Ky, FBI most wanted fugitive (Jan 1 1986)
  • Apr 21 David Lucas, American rock and roll composer, music producer and singer, born in Buffalo, New York
  • Apr 21 Gary Peters, American baseball pitcher (MLB All Star 1964, 67; AL Rookie of the Year 1963; AL wins leader 1964; Chicago WS, Boston Red Sox), born in Grove City, Pennsylvania (d. 2023)
  • Apr 22 (Bernard) "Jack" Nitzsche, American composer, arranger, music producer, keyboardist (Rolling Stones; Neil Young), and songwriter ("Up Where We Belong"), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2000)
  • Apr 22 Bobbi Fiedler, American politician (Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California), born in Santa Monica, California (d. 2019)

Jack Nicholson (86 years old)

Apr 22 American actor (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest; The Shining; A Few Good Men), born in Neptune City, New Jersey

  • Apr 22 Ken Palmer, English cricket umpire (22 Tests, 23 ODIs 1977-2001) and fast bowler (1 Test), born in Winchester, Hampshire, England
  • Apr 23 Barry Shepherd, Australian cricket batsman (9 Tests, 5 x 50s; West Australia CA), born in Donnybrook, Australia (d. 2001)
  • Apr 23 Don Massengale, American golfer (PGA C'ship 1967 runner-up), born in Jackson, Texas (d. 2007)
  • Apr 23 Victoria Glendinning, British author (Edith Sitwell A Unicorn Among Lions), born in Sheffield, England
  • Apr 24 Joe Henderson, American jazz saxophonist, born in Lima, Ohio (d. 2001)
  • Apr 25 Bo Brundin, Swedish actor (The Rhinemann Exchange; A Baltic Tragedy), born in Uppsala, Sweden (d. 2022)
  • Apr 26 Bob Boozer, College/Basketball Hall of Fame forward (Olympic gold 1960), born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 2012)
  • Apr 27 David Bolton, English rugby league five eighth (23 caps Great Britain; Wigan, Balmain) and coach (Parramatta), born in Wigan, England (d. 2021)
  • Apr 27 Sandy Dennis, American Tony and Academy Award-winning stage and screen actress (Any Wednesday; Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolfe?; The Out-of-Towners), born in Hastings, Nebraska (d. 1992)

Saddam Hussein (1937-2006)

Apr 28 President of Iraq (1979-2003), born in Al-Awja, Iraq

  • Apr 29 Jill Paton Walsh, English writer (Peter Wimsey series, Knowledge of Angels), born in London, England (d. 2020) [1]
  • Apr 29 Lefty Dizz [Walter Williams], American Chicago-style blues guitarist and singer, born in Osceola, Arkansas (d. 1993)
Born in 1937

Famous Weddings

Douglas MacArthur

Apr 30 General Douglas MacArthur (57) marries 2nd wife Jean Faircloth

Famous Deaths

  • Apr 2 Nathan Birnbaum, Austrian writer (Gottes Volk;; Der Ruf), and philosopher (early Zionist, later anti-Zionist), dies at 72
  • Apr 4 Frantisek X Salda, Czech writer/critic, dies at 69
  • Apr 8 Arthur Foote, American classical organist, composer, and member of the "Boston Six" (Suite for Strings in E), dies at 84
  • Apr 8 William Henry Hadow, British educational reformer and musicologist (Oxford History of Music, Studies in Modern Music), dies at 77
  • Apr 10 Algernon Ashton, British composer, dies at 77
  • Apr 15 Ned Hanlon, American Baseball HOF center fielder (NL pennant 1887 Detroit Wolverines) and manager (5 × NL pennant Baltimore Orioles, Brooklyn Superbas), dies at 79
  • Apr 15 Nikolai Artzibushev, Russian jurist and composer, dies at 79
  • Apr 17 Yi Sang, Korean author and poet (Dying Words, Wings, Child’s Bone), dies of tuberculosis in a Japanese prison camp at 26
  • Apr 19 William Conway, 1st Baron Conway of Allington, English historian and explorer (Spitzbergen), dies at 81
  • Apr 25 Clem Sohn, air show performer dies at 26 when his chute fails to open
  • Apr 25 Michał Drzymała, Polish peasant rebel (Drzymała's wagon), dies at 79

Antonio Gramsci (1891-1937)

Apr 27 Italian philosopher and Marxist theorist, dies at 46

  • Apr 29 Wallace Carothers, American chemist and inventor (nylon), commits suicide at 41
  • Apr 29 William Gillette, American stage and silent film actor (Sherlock Holmes), and playwright (Secret Service), dies at 83