Events in Sports History in April 1969

  • Apr 1 Seattle Pilots trade little-known minor league outfielder Lou Piniella to KC Royals for 2 prospects; hits .282 with 11 HRs & 68 RBI to win AL Rookie of the Year; becomes leading MLB manager
  • Apr 2 Toronto center Forbes Kennedy sets a Stanley Cup playoff record for most penalties in one game with 8 as the Maple Leafs crash 10-0 to the Bruins at Boston; Boston’s first NHL playoff victory in 10 years
  • Apr 7 Dodgers' Bill Singer is credited with 1st official save, against Reds

Sports History

Apr 7 Ted Williams begins managing Washington Senators, they lose to Yanks 8-4

  • Apr 8 Expansion teams Royals, Expos, Padres & Pilots win their 1st games
  • Apr 8 First Major League Baseball game featuring a Canadian team; Montréal Expos beats NY Mets, 11-10 at Shea Stadium; KC Royals, SD Padres and Seattle Pilots also win on debut
  • Apr 9 Chic Cub Billy Williams hits 4 consecutive doubles beat Phillies 11-3
  • Apr 12 Simon & Garfunkel releases "Boxer"
  • Apr 12 Wales beats England, 30-9 at the National Stadium, Cardiff to clinch their 16th Five Nations Rugby Championship and 11th Triple Crown

US Masters Golf

Apr 13 33rd US Masters Tournament, Augusta National GC: George Archer wins his only major title, 1 stroke ahead of runners-up Billy Casper, George Knudson, and Tom Weiskopf

  • Apr 14 First regular-season MLB game played outside the United States; Montreal Expos beat St. Louis Cardinals, 8-7 at Parc Jarry, Montreal
  • Apr 17 Mont Expos Bill Stoneman no-hits Phillies, 7-0
  • Apr 21 73rd Boston Marathon: Yoshiaki Unetani of Japan wins in 2:13:49; American Sara Mae Berman 1st woman in 3:22:46 (unsanctioned)

Joe Frazier KOs Dave Zyglewick

Apr 22 American Joe Frazier KOs American Dave Zyglewick in 1st round to retain heavyweight boxing title, in Houston, Texas

1st Single-Handed Circumnavigation

Apr 22 Robin Knox-Johnston ends 312 days of non-stop sailing to become the 1st person to perform a single-handed non-stop circumnavigation of the globe

NBA Finals

Apr 23 LA Lakers guard Jerry West scores 53 points in 120-118 NBA Finals Game 1 win over Boston Celtics at the LA Forum

  • Apr 30 Cincinnati Reds pitcher Jim Maloney records his second MLB no-hitter in 10-0 rout of Houston Astros