Events in Sports History in April 1981

Sports History

Apr 1 Edmonton center Wayne Gretzky has an assist (his 103rd) in the Oilers 4-4 tie with Colorado Rockies to break Bobby Orr's 10-year mark for most assists in a single NHL season

Apr 4 135th Grand National: Bob Champion aboard 10/1 hope Aldaniti wins by 4 lengths from 8/1 favourite Spartan Missile
Apr 5 Philadelphia Flyers amass a record 2,621 penalty minutes
Apr 8 Islanders scored 9 goals against Toronto in playoffs

Sports History

Apr 9 LA Dodgers Fernando Valenzuela's 1st start, beats Astros 2-0

Baseball Hall of Fame Pitcher Fernando Valenzuela

Boxing Title Fight

Apr 11 Larry Holmes beats Trevor Berbick by unanimous decision in Las Vegas to retain his WBC heavyweight boxing title

US Masters Golf

Apr 12 45th US Masters Tournament, Augusta National GC: Tom Watson wins his second green jacket and 5th major title by 2 strokes over Jack Nicklaus and Johnny Miller

Apr 17 New York Islander Dennis Potvin's 3 playoff power-play goals vs Edmonton Oilers tie NHL record
Apr 17 Ranger's Anders Hedberg is 2nd to score on a Stanley Cup penalty shot
Apr 18 Longest game in Professional Baseball: Pawtucket Red Sox tie Rochester Red Wings 2-2 in 32 innings (game resumed 23rd June)
Apr 19 Oakland A's runs record to 11-0
Apr 20 85th Boston Marathon: Toshihiko Seko of Japan wins men's race in 2:09:26; Allison Roe of New Zealand takes women's title in 2:26:46
Apr 22 Dodgers rookie Fernando Valenzuela tosses his 3rd shutout in 4 starts

Sports History

Apr 24 Bill Shoemaker wins his 8,000th race, 2000 more than any other jockey

Racing Hall of Fame Jockey Bill Shoemaker

Apr 24 San Antonio blocks 20 Golden State shots to set NBA reg game record
Apr 25 Seattle Mariners MLB manager Maury Wills is suspended for 2 games after ordering Kingdome grounds crew to enlarge batter's boxes by one foot
Apr 27 1st female soccer official is hired by NASL