What Happened in April 1946

Historical Events

Ives' 3rd Symphony

Apr 5 1st performance of Charles Ives' 3rd Symphony

10th US Masters

Apr 7 10th US Masters Tournament, Augusta National GC: American Herman Keiser wins his only major title, 1 stroke ahead of tour money-leader Ben Hogan; first Masters in 4 years because of World War II

Apr 7 Part of East Prussia incorporated into Russian SFSR
Apr 7 Syria's independence from France is officially recognised.
Apr 8 League of Nations assembles for the last time
Apr 9 Stanley Cup Final, Montreal Forum, Montreal, Quebec: Montreal Canadiens beat Boston Bruins, 6-3 for a 4-1 series victory
Apr 10 1st election for Japanese Parliament

LPGA Titleholders

Apr 12 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Louise Suggs wins her first major title by 2 strokes from Eileen Stulb

Golfer and Co-Founder of the LPGA Louise Suggs

Apr 12 Syria gains independence from France
Apr 13 Belgian Prime Minister Acker proclaims wage & price freeze ended
Apr 13 Eddie Klepp, a white pitcher signed by defending Negro League champ Cleveland Buckeyes, is barred from field in Birmingham, Alabama
Apr 14 Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe.'s musical "The Day Before Spring" closes at National Theater, NYC after 167 performances
Apr 15 50th Boston Marathon won by Stylianos Kyriakides of Greece in 2:29:27; first and only Cypriot athlete to win the event
Apr 16 1st US launch of captured V-2 rocket, White Sands, New Mexicao; reaches altitude of 8 km
Apr 16 Dutch Special Court of Justice sentences Frederik Müller, Socialist mayor of Rotterdam, to 10 years in jail for his wartime support of Germany

Ott's Final MLB HR

Apr 16 Mel Ott playing in right field for NY Giants hits his 511th and final MLB home run in 8-4 Opening Day win over Philadelphia Phillies

Apr 17 Syria declares independence from French administration
Apr 18 International Court of Justice opens at The Hague Netherlands

Robinson 2nd Baseman

Apr 18 Jackie Robinson debuts as 2nd baseman for the Montreal Royals

Apr 18 League of Nations dissolves (3 months after UN starts)
Apr 18 Rome, Auerbach and Horwitt's musical "Call Me Mister" opens at National Theater, NYC; runs for 734 performances

Tito Government Recognised

Apr 18 US recognizes Tito's Yugoslavia government

President of Yugoslavia and Revolutionary Josip Broz Tito

Apr 19 Yankees switch from 3rd base to 1st base dug out
Apr 20 1st baseball broadcast in Chicago, Cards vs Cubs

Make Mine Music

Apr 20 Walt Disney's animated film anthology "Make Mine Music" premieres in New York City

Apr 21 Socialistic Einheitspartei Germany forms in East Germany
Apr 22 Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) is founded in East Germany via a merger of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) and the Communist Party of Germany (KPD)
Apr 23 Brooklyn Dodger Ed Head no-hits Boston Braves, 5-0

Baseball Hall of Fame

Apr 24 11 players named to the Baseball Hall of Fame: Tinker, Evers, Chance, Burkett, McCarthy, Waddell, Plank, Walsh, Jack Chesbro, Griffith and McGinnity

Symphonic Variations

Apr 24 One-act ballet "Symphonic Variations" choreographed by Frederick Ashton with music by César Franck danced by Sandler's Wells Ballet debuts at Covent Garden, London

Apr 25 "Exposition Flyer" rammed at Napierville Illinois, killing 48
Apr 25 Christopher Fry's "Phoenix too Frequent" premieres in London
Apr 27 1st radar installed aboard a commercial ship
Apr 29 28 former Japanese leaders indicted in Tokyo as war criminals

Feller's 2nd MLB No-Hitter

Apr 30 Cleveland Indians pitcher Bob Feller's 2nd career MLB no-hitter; beats New York Yankees, 1-0

Baseball Hall of Fame Pitcher Bob Feller

Events in 1946

Famous Birthdays

Apr 1 Arrigo Sacchi, Italian soccer coach (Italy 1991-96 FIFA World Cup silver 1994; Serie A 1987-88, European Cup 1989, 90 AC Milan; Atlético Madrid, Parma), born in Fusignano, Italy
Apr 1 Manfred Stengl, Austrian luger (Olympic gold men's doubles 1964), born in Salzburg, Austria (d. 1992)
Apr 1 Ronnie Lane, English rock bassist (Small Faces - "Hey Girl"), sometimes known as "Plonk", born in London, England (d. 1997)
Apr 1 William Frederick Fisher, American physician and astronaut (STS 51-I), born in Dallas, Texas
Apr 2 Kurt Winter, Canadian musician (The Guess Who), born in Winnipeg, Canada (d. 1997)
Apr 2 Lynda Carr, educationist
Apr 2 Richard Collinge, New Zealand cricket fast bowler (35 Tests, 116 wickets; Central Districts CA, Wellington CA, Northern Districts CA), born in Wellington, New Zealand
Apr 3 (David) Dee Murray [Oates], British bassist (Elton John backing band), born in Gillingham, Kent, England (d. 1992)
Apr 3 Carlos Salinas de Gortari, President of Mexico (1988-94), born in Mexico City
Apr 3 Stella Chiweshe, Zimbabwean musician and storyteller (Africa’s best-known female mbira player), born in Mujumi Village, Mhondoro, Rhodesia (d. 2023)
Apr 4 Dave Hill, English rock guitarist (Slade - "Coz I Love You)", born in Holbeton, Devon, England
Apr 4 Katsuaki Sato, Japanese martial artist, founder and director of Satojuku Karate, born in Sakhalin, Japan
Apr 5 Jane Asher, English actress (Deep End) and girlfriend of Paul McCartney, born in Willesden, London, England
Apr 5 Jennifer Penney, Canadian ballerina, born in Vancouver, British Columbia
Apr 5 Larry Frederick Wendt, American composer, born in Napa, California
Apr 5 Robert E. McKee, American oil executive (Executive Vice President at Conoco, 1992–2002)

Apr 6 Danny Kortchmar, American session guitarist, producer and songwriter (James Taylor, Carole King, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, Don Henley), born in New York City
Apr 7 Barbara Benary, American composer (Gamelon Son Of Lion), born in Bay Shore, Long Island, New York (d. 2019)
Apr 7 Bob Metcalfe, American electrical engineer (co-inventor of Ethernet, 3Com), born in Brooklyn, New York
Apr 7 Colette Besson, French runner (d. 2005)
Apr 7 Wanderley Paiva, Brazilian soccer defensive midfielder (7 caps; Atlético Mineiro, América-SP, Palmeiras), born in Três Corações, Brazil (d. 2023)
Apr 8 Jim "Catfish" Hunter, American Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher (MLB All-Star 1966, 67, 70, 72–1976; World Series 1972–74, 77, 78; AL Cy Young Award 1974; Oakland A's, NY Yankees), born in Hertford, North Carolina (d. 1999)
Apr 8 Stuart Pankin, American comedian (Striptease, Congo, Earl-Dinosaurs), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Apr 8 Tim Thomerson, American actor (Trancers), born in Coronado, California
Apr 9 Alan Knott, English cricket wicket-keeper (1967-81), born in Belvedere, Kent
Apr 9 Les Gray, English vocalist (Mud - "Tiger Feet"), born in Carshalton, Surrey, England (d. 2004)
Apr 9 Nate Colbert, American baseball first baseman (MLB All Star 1971, 72, 73; San Diego Padres, Houston Astros), born in St. Louis, Missouri (d. 2023)
Apr 10 Anne Boyd, Australian classical composer (As I Crossed a Bridge of Dreams), and educator, born in Sydney, Australia
Apr 10 Armand [Herman van Loenhout], Dutch folk singer ("Ben ik te min" -"Am I Not Good Enough?"; "Blommenkinders" - "Flower Children"), born in Eindhoven, Netherlands (d. 2015)
Apr 10 Bob Watson, American baseball utility (MLB All Star 1973, 75; Houston Astros) and sports executive (GM NY Yankees, World Series 1996), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2020)
Apr 11 Bob Harris, English radio presenter (The Old Grey Whistle Test, Time Out), born in Northampton, England

Apr 12 Ed O'Neill, American comedian and actor (Al Bundy-Married with Children), born in Youngstown, Ohio
Apr 12 Peter L de Baan, Dutch actor, director and playwright (Leonce & Lena)
Apr 12 René Krijnen, Dutch rock keyboardist (Les Baroques - "Such A Cad"), born in the Netherlands

Al Green (78 years old)

Apr 13 American soul singer ("Let's Stay Together"; "Love And Happiness"), born in Forest City, Arkansas

Apr 13 Roy Loney, American rock singer (Flamin' Groovies, 1965-71), born in California (d. 2019)
Apr 14 Patrick Fairley, Scottish pop rock guitarist (Marmalade, 1961-72 - "Ob La Di, Ob La Da"), and music publisher, born in Glasgow, Scotland (d. 2020)
Apr 14 Tom Monteleone, American horror and science fiction writer (Dark Stars and other Illuminations; Fearful Symmetries), born in Baltimore, Maryland
Apr 15 Wayne Gilchrest, American politician (Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland), born in Rahway, New Jersey
Apr 16 Margot Adler, American journalist, born in Little Rock, Arkansas (d. 2014)
Apr 16 Pēteris Vasks, Latvian contemporary classical composer, and double bassist (Distant Light; The Fruit Of Silence), born in Aizpute, Latvia
Apr 17 Clare Francis, British yachtswoman and novelist (Come Hell or High Water), born in Thames Ditton, Surrey
Apr 17 Henry Kelly, Irish radio and TV broadcaster, born in Athlone, County Westmeath, Ireland
Apr 18 (Alexander) "Skip" Spence, Canadian guitarist and vocalist (Moby Grape - "Omaha"), born in Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Apr 18 Harvey Kagan, American muscian (Sir Douglas Quintet)
Apr 18 Hayley Mills, English actress (Parent Trap, Pollyanna), born in London, England
Apr 18 Lennie Baker, American rock saxophonist musician (Sha Na Na, 1970-99), born in Whitman, Massachusetts (d. 2016)
Apr 18 Tommy Shannon [Smedley], American blues-rock bassist (Johnny Winter; Stevie Ray Vaughn & Double Trouble), born in Tucson, Arizona
Apr 19 Leon Wessels, South African lawyer and Minister of Local Government, born in Kroonstad, South Africa
Apr 19 Tim Curry, English actor (Rocky Horror Picture Show, Star Wars: The Clone Wars), born in Grappenhall, Cheshire, England
Apr 20 Julien Poulin, French Canadian actor (Elvis Gratton: Le king des kings), born in Montréal, Québec
Apr 21 Claire Denis, French film director (Chocolat, Beau Travail), born in Paris, France
Apr 21 Doug MacLeod, American blues musician (Blues Music Awards' Acoustic Artist of the Year, 2014, 2016 and 2017), born in New York City
Apr 21 S Venkataraghavan, cricket (Indian off-spinner, Test ump, ICC referee)
Apr 22 Archy Kirkwood, British politician (MP for Roxburgh and Berwickshire)
Apr 22 Dectuplets, Bacacay Brazil, 8 males & 2 females
Apr 22 John Waters, American director (Hairspray), born in Baltimore, Maryland
Apr 22 Louise Harel, Quebec politician and City Councillor for Maisonneuve–Longue-Pointe, born in Sainte-Thérèse-de-Blainville, Quebec
Apr 22 Nicole Garcia, French actress and director (Going Away), born in Oran, Algeria
Apr 24 Bruce Stuart Saylor, American composer, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Apr 24 Dick Rivers [Hervé Forneri], French rock and roll singer and actor, born in Nice, France (d. 2019)
Apr 25 Digby Fairweather, British jazz trumpeter, born in Rochford, Essex, England
Apr 25 Peter Sutherland, Irish businessman (Allied Irish Banks) and politician (Fine Gael), born in Dublin, Ireland (d. 2018)
Apr 25 Talia Shire [Coppola], American actress (Adrienne-Rocky), born in Lake Success, New York
Apr 25 Vladimir Zhirinovsky, Russian nationalist and leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, born in Almaty, Kazakhstan
Apr 27 Gordon Haskell, British pop, rock and blues musician (Fleur De Lys; King Crimson, 1970; Harry's Bar), born in Verwood, Dorset, England (d. 2020)
Apr 27 John Maclean, Australian cricket wicket-keeper (4 Tests, 18 dismissals; Queensland), born in Herston, Australia
Apr 28 Ginette Reno [Raynault], Canadian Juno Award-winning pop singer-songwriter ("Beautiful Second Hand Man"), and actress, born in Montreal, Quebec
Apr 28 Glenn Ross Campbell, American steel guitarist (The Misunderstood), born in San Diego, California
Apr 29 Franc Roddam, English director (Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, Quadrophenia), born in Norton, England
Apr 30 Bill Plympton, American animator (Your Face), born in Portland Oregon
Apr 30 Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden (1973- ), born in Haga Palace, Solna, Sweden
Apr 30 Donald Schollander, swimmer (Olympic-4 gold-64), born in Charlotte, North Carolina

Born in 1946

Famous Weddings

Apr 26 Father Divine, controversial religious leader claimed to be God, marries the much-younger Edna Rose Ritchings, a celebrated anniversary in the International Peace Mission movement

Famous Deaths

Apr 1 Noah Beery, American character actor (Story of Esther, The Mark of Zorro), dies at 64
Apr 3 Masaharu Homma, Japanese Lt General (responsible for Bataan Death March in the Philippines), executed by firing squad for war crimes at 58
Apr 3 Thomas Dixon, American white supremacist, novelist, playwright (The Clansman: A Historical Romance of the Ku Klux Klan), dies at 82
Apr 5 Vincent Youmans, American composer and songwriter (Tea for Two), dies at 47
Apr 12 August Borms, Flemish nazi collaborator, executed at 67
Apr 12 F Guicciardi, writer, dies
Apr 13 Valery Zhelobinsky, Russian pianist and composer, dies at 33
Apr 13 William Henry Bell, English composer, dies at 72
Apr 16 Arthur Chevrolet, Swiss auto racer and car designer (co-founder Chevrolet Motor Car Company), dies from suicide at 61
Apr 17 John Iddon, cricketer (car accident 5 Tests for Eng 1934-35), dies
Apr 17 Juan Bautista Sacasa, President of Nicaragua (1932-36), dies at 71

John Maynard Keynes (1883-1946)

Apr 21 English economist whose ideas changed the theory and practice of modern macroeconomics, dies of a heart attack at 62

Apr 21 Robert Graham, cricketer (3 wkts for South Africa in 2 Tests 1898-99), dies
Apr 22 Harlan F. Stone, American lawyer and jurist (SCOTUS, 1941-46), dies at 73
Apr 22 Lionel Atwill, British actor (Captain Blood, To Be or Not to Be), dies at 61
Apr 23 Jesús Castillo, Guatemalan composer (Quiché Vinak), dies at 68
Apr 25 Albert Knight, English cricket batsman (3 Tests, 1 x 50; Leicestershire CCC), dies at 73
Apr 25 Joseph Vine, cricketer (batted in two Tests Eng v Aust 1911-12), dies
Apr 26 Hermann von Keyserling, Baltic German philosopher (Unsterblichkeit), dies at 65
Apr 26 Jim Larkin White, American cave explorer and guide (Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico), dies at 63
Apr 28 Louis Bachelier, French mathematician, dies at 76

On This Day