What Happened in April 1938

Historical Events

  • Apr 1 Nescafé introduces their flagship brand in Switzerland

Louis vs. Thomas

Apr 1 World heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis KOs Harry Thomas in 5th round of their title bout in Chicago; 3rd defense by Louis

5th Augusta National Invitation

Apr 4 5th Augusta National INvitation (Masters): Henry Picard wins his only Masters, 2 strokes ahead of runners-up Harry Cooper and Ralph Guldahl

  • Apr 5 Anti-Jewish riots break out in Dabrowa, Poland
  • Apr 6 Teflon invented by American chemist Roy J. Plunkett at DuPont [1]

Piston's 1st Symphony

Apr 8 Walter Piston's 1st Symphony in E, premieres in Boston, by the Boston Symphony, conducted by the composer

  • Apr 10 Austria becomes a state of Germany
  • Apr 10 NY makes syphilis test mandatory in order to get a marriage license

Government of Édouard Daladier

Apr 10 Second government of Blum replaced by Édouard Daladier's government in France

  • Apr 12 1st US law requiring medical tests for marriage licenses (New York)
  • Apr 12 Stanley Cup Final, Chicago Stadium, Chicago, IL: Chicago Black Hawks beat Toronto Maple Leafs, 4-1 for a 3-1 series win; only team to win Cup with losing regular season record
  • Apr 13 Clifford Goldsmith's play "What a Life" premieres at The Biltmore Theater, NYC
  • Apr 16 Great Britain recognizes Italian annexation of Abyssinia
  • Apr 18 42nd Boston Marathon won by Leslie Pawson in 2:35:34.8; his second victory in the event
  • Apr 18 Headless Mad Butcher victim found in Cleveland
  • Apr 19 Baker Bowl, Philadelphia: Phillies infielder Emmett "Heine" Mueller & Brooklyn Dodger outfielder Ernie Koy both homer in their 1st MLB at bats

Sudetenland Demands Self-Rule

Apr 23 Sudeten Germans in Czechoslovakia demand self government

  • Apr 26 Austrian Jews required to register property above 5,000 Reichsmarks

Bradman Scores 258

Apr 30 Bradman scores 258 Aust v Worcs, 293 mins, 33 fours 1 five

  • Apr 30 The first televised FA Cup Final takes place between Huddersfield Town and Preston North End
1938 History

Famous Birthdays

  • Apr 1 John Quade, American actor
  • Apr 2 John Larsson, Swedish writer and 17th General of The Salvation Army, born in Sweden
  • Apr 2 Whirlaway, American thoroughbred racehorse (Triple Crown 1941), born in Lexington, Kentucky (d. 1953)
  • Apr 3 Jeff Barry [Joel Adelberg], American pop songwriter ("Do Wah Diddy Diddy"; "Da Doo Ron Ron"; "Chapel Of Love"; "Leader Of The Pack'), born in Brooklyn, New York
  • Apr 3 Phil Rodgers, American golfer (5 PGA Tour titles), born in San Diego, California (d. 2018)
  • Apr 3 Ray Hunter, Northern Irish cricket all-rounder (28 international matches) and rugby union centre (10 Tests; British & Irish Lions 1962; Portadown RFC), born in Belfast, Northern Ireland (d. 2020)
  • Apr 4 A. Bartlett Giamatti, American MLB Commissioner (1989) and President of Yale University (1978-86), born in Boston, Massachusetts (d. 1989)
  • Apr 5 Colin Bland, South African cricket batsman (21 Tests, 3 x 100, HS 144no; Eastern Province, Orange Free State), born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe (d. 2018)
  • Apr 5 Nancy Holt, American artist (land art), born in Worcester, Massachusetts
  • Apr 5 Ron Hansen, American baseball shortstop (MLB All Star 1960, 60²; AL Rookie of the Year 1960; Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox), born in Oxford, Nebraska
  • Apr 6 Frances Schreuder, American socialite convicted of murder, born in Salt Lake City, Utah (d. 2004)
  • Apr 6 Paul Daniels, British magician (The Paul Daniels Magic Show), born in South Bank, Yorkshire (d. 2016)
  • Apr 6 Roy Thinnes, actor (Invaders, Falcon Crest, Gen Hospital), born in Chicago, Illinois
  • Apr 7 Alexander von Schlippenbach, German jazz pianist and composer (Globe Unity Orchestra), born in Berlin, Germany
  • Apr 7 Freddie Hubbard, American jazz trumpeter (Art Blakey), born in Indianapolis, Indiana (d. 2008)

Jerry Brown (85 years old)

Apr 7 American politician and Governor of California (Democrat: 1975-83, 2011-19), born in San Francisco, California

  • Apr 7 Spencer Dryden, American drummer (Jefferson Airplane - "White Rabbit"; New Riders of the Purple Sage), born in New York City (d. 2005)
  • Apr 7 Yvonne Lime, actress (Father Knows Best, Dobie Gillis), born in Glendale, California
  • Apr 8 Barton McLean, American electro-acoustic composer (Dimensions), teacher, and performer, born in Poughkeepsie, New York

Kofi Annan (1938-2018)

Apr 8 Ghanaian diplomat and 7th Secretary-General of the United Nations (1997-2006), born in Comassie, Gold Coast

  • Apr 8 Lory Patrick, American actress (Trina-Tales of Welles Fargo), born in Beckley West Virginia
  • Apr 8 Mohammad Farooq, Pakistani cricket fast bowler (7 Tests, 21 wickets; Karachi), born in Junagadh, India
  • Apr 9 Rockin' Sidney [Simien], American zydeco and R&B singer-songwriter, accordionist, guitarist, organist, and harmonica player ("My Toot-Toot"; "You Ain't Nothing But Fine"), born in Lebeau, Louisiana (d. 1998)
  • Apr 9 Viktor Chernomyrdin, Russian politician (Prime Minister of Russia), born in Chernyy Otrog, Russia (d. 2010)
  • Apr 10 Don Meredith, NFL quarterback (Cowboys)/Mon Night Football, born in Mount Vernon, Texas
  • Apr 11 Kurt Moll, German bass opera singer, born near Cologne, Germany (d. 2017)
  • Apr 11 Lamberto Puggelli, Italian stage and opera director (Spoleto Festival), born in Milan, Italy (d. 2013)
  • Apr 11 Michael Deaver, Reagan Administration Deputy White House Chief of Staff, born in Bakersfield, California (d. 2007)
  • Apr 13 Frederic Rzewski, American concert pianist and composer (Spacecraft), born in Westfield, Massachusetts (d. 2021)
  • Apr 13 John Weston, British diplomat, representative for NATO (1992-95) and UN (1995-98)
  • Apr 14 Gloria Randle Scott, American educator/President of Beaumont College, born in Houston, Texas
  • Apr 15 Claudia Cardinale, Italian-Tunisian actress (The Pink Panther, 8½), born in La Goulette, Tunis, Tunisia
  • Apr 15 Hso Khan Pha, 1st President of the democratic and newly independent Union of Burma from 1948-52, born in Yawnghwe State, British Burma (d. 2016)
  • Apr 16 Gordon Wilson, Scottish politician (Leader of the Scottish National Party), born in Govan, Glasgow (d. 2017)
  • Apr 16 Rich Rollins, American MLB third baseman, born in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania
  • Apr 17 Ben Barnes, American politician (36th Lieutenant Governor of Texas), born in Gorman, Texas
  • Apr 17 David Dilks, British historian and vice-chancellor (Hull U), born in Foleshill, Coventry
  • Apr 17 Ian Buxton, English football forward (Derby County) and cricket all-rounder (Derbyshire captain), born in Cromford, Derbyshire (d. 2010)
  • Apr 17 Kerry Wendell Thornley, Co-founder of Discordianism, born in California (d. 1998)
  • Apr 18 Andreas Liebenberg, South African military commander, born in Upington, Cape Province, South Africa (d. 1998)
  • Apr 19 Jonathan Tunick, American composer (one of 19 'EGOT' winners - having won all four major American show business awards: Emmy; Grammy, Oscar; and Tony), born in New York City
  • Apr 20 Bernard Malivoire, French rower (Olympic gold coxed pair 1952), born in Bergerac, France (d. 1982)
  • Apr 20 Betty Cuthbert, Australian athlete (Olympic gold 100m, 200m, 4x100m 1956; 400m 1964), born in Sydney, Australia (d. 2017)
  • Apr 20 Johnny Tillotson, American singer-songwriter ("It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'"; "Poetry In Motion"), born in Jacksonville, Florida
  • Apr 22 Adam Raphael, English journalist and author
  • Apr 22 Alan Bond, Australian businessman and yachting syndicate owner (America's Cup 1983), born in London, England (d. 2015)
  • Apr 22 Deane Beman, American golfer, administrator, writer, course designer (US Open 1969 runner-up; PGA Tour Commissioner 1974-94), born in Washington, D.C.
  • Apr 22 Henk Groot, Dutch soccer attacking midfielder/forward (39 caps; Ajax, Feyenoord), born in Zaandijk, Netherlands (d. 2022)
  • Apr 22 Issey Miyake, Japanese avant-garde fashion designer, born in Hiroshima, Japan (d. 2022) [1]
  • Apr 23 Leonard Ernest John Chant, English social worker, born in Yeovil, Somerset (d. 1995)
  • Apr 23 Roland White [LeBlanc], American bluegrass mandolin player and vocalist (Kentucky Colonels; Lester Flatt's Nashville Grass), born in Madawaska, Maine (d. 2022)
  • Apr 23 Steve Symms, American politician, (Senator-R-Idaho 1981-93, Rep-R-Idaho 1973-81), born in Nampa, Idaho
  • Apr 25 Roger Boisjoly, American aerodynamicist (anticipated challenger disaster), born in Lowell, Massachusetts (d. 2012)
  • Apr 25 Ton Schulten, Dutch painter (landscapes using bright blocks of colour), born in Ootmarsum, Overijssel, Netherlands
  • Apr 26 Duane Eddy, American twangy guitarist ("Rebel Rouser"; Peter Gunn"; "Cannonball"), born in Corning, New York
  • Apr 26 Maurice Williams, American doo-wop singer, and songwriter (Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs - "Stay"), born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Nino Benvenuti (85 years old)

Apr 26 Italian boxer (world middleweight champion), born in Izola, Slovenia

  • Apr 26 Willie Wood, Scottish bowls player, born in Haddington, East Lothian
  • Apr 27 Earl Anthony, American professional bowler (PBA money champ 1974-6, 1981-3), born in Tacoma, Washington (d. 2001)
  • Apr 28 Fred Dibnah, English steeplejack and television personality, born in Bolton, Lancashire, England (d. 2004)
  • Apr 28 Madge Sinclair (née Walters), Jamaican-American actress (Conrack; Roots - "Bell"; Trapper John, M.D. - "Ernestine"; The Lion King), born in Kingston, Colony of Jamaica (d. 1995)

Bernie Madoff (1938-2021)

Apr 29 American fraudster and financier who committed the largest fraud in US history, born in Queens, New York

  • Apr 29 Klaus Voormann, German rock bassist (Manfred Mann - "Mighty Quinn"; John Lennon; George Harrison; Harry Nilsson; Carly Simon), and album cover artist (Beatles - Revolver; Ringo Starr - Ringo), born in Berlin, Germany
  • Apr 30 Gary Collins, American actor (6th Sense, Home Show), born in Venice, California (d. 2012)
  • Apr 30 Juraj Jakubisko, Slovak film director (Crucial Years), born in Kojšov, Czechoslovakia
  • Apr 30 Larry Niven, American sci-fi author (5 Hugo, Neutron Star), born in Los Angeles, California
Born in 1938

Famous Weddings

Sammy Baugh

Apr 10 NFL quarterback Sammy Baugh (24) weds his college sweetheart Edmonia Smith in Sweetwater, Texas

  • Apr 28 King Zog of Albania marries Countess Geraldine of Hungary

Famous Deaths

  • Apr 2 Alice Berend, writer, dies
  • Apr 4 Cyril Christiani, West Indian cricket wicketkeeper (4 Tests; British Guiana), dies of malaria at 24
  • Apr 8 Harold Baumgartner, South African cricketer (took 2-99 lefty in test for South Africa), dies at 54
  • Apr 10 Joseph "King" Oliver, American jazz cornet player, composer, bandleader, and mentor to Louis Armstrong, dies of arteriosclerosis at 56 [1]
  • Apr 10 Nana Annor Adjaye, Pan-Africanist, dies in W Nzima Ghana
  • Apr 11 Cristóbal Torriente, Cuban Baseball HOF outfielder (NgL NL batting champion 1920; NgL NL pennant 1920–22; Chicago American Giants; career batting average: .352), dies from alcoholism & tuberculosis at 44
  • Apr 12 Feodor Chaliapine, Russian operatic bass-baritone singer (Man and Mask: Forty Years in the Life of a Singer), dies of leukemia at 65
  • Apr 13 Grey Owl [Archibald Belaney], Canadian pioneering conservationist (who pretended to be part Native American), dies of pneumonia at 49 [1]
  • Apr 14 Gillis Grafström, Swedish figure skater (Olympic gold 1920, 24, 28), dies of blood poisoning at 44
  • Apr 15 Caesar Vallejo, Peruvian-French poet (Trilce, Russia & 1931), dies from the effects of Maleria at 46
  • Apr 16 Bertram Mills, British circus proprietor (Bertram Mills Circus), dies at 70
  • Apr 16 Steve Bloomer, English footballer (b. 1874)
  • Apr 18 Richard Terry, English organist and musicologist, dies at 73
  • Apr 19 Henry John Newbolt, English poet and author (Studies Green & Gray), dies at 75
  • Apr 21 Muhammad Iqbal, British East Indies lawyer and Pakistan national hero, dies at 65
  • Apr 24 George Grey Barnard, American sculptor, dies at 74
  • Apr 26 Edmund Husserl, German philosopher (founded School of Phenomenology), dies at 79
  • Apr 27 Edmond Rubbens, Belgian minister to Colonies, dies at 44