This Day in Sports History: April 27
Sports in April include playoffs for the NBA and NHL seasons, the first month of the MLB, The Masters, the NCAA Basketball title game, the NFL Draft, and some Grand…
Sports in April include playoffs for the NBA and NHL seasons, the first month of the MLB, The Masters, the NCAA Basketball title game, the NFL Draft, and some Grand Prix events. Over the years, April 27 has witnessed many notable moments and stories involving sporting legends. Here are some of them.
Unforgettable Games and Remarkable Records
Great moments in sports history from April 27 included:
- 1903: The first Highlander (Yankees) shut-out happened, as they beat the Philadelphia A's 6-0.
- 1908: The IV Summer Olympic Games officially opened in London. These games were originally scheduled for Rome but were relocated following the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
- 1920: Sweden takes the figure skating double at the Antwerp Olympics when Gillis Grafström won his first of three consecutive men's gold medals.
- 1926: Mel Ott made his first appearance with the Giants.
- 1929: At the Ryder Cup, Great Britain beat the United States 7-5.
- 1944: Boston Brave Jim Tobin pitched a no-hitter against the Brooklyn Dodgers 2-0.
- 1947: "Babe Ruth Day" was celebrated at Yankee Stadium and across the United States to honor the baseball legend.
- 1956: Undefeated world heavyweight boxing champion Rocky Marciano retired from the ring.
- 1968: Baltimore Orioles pitcher Tom Phoebus pitched a no-hitter against Boston, 6-0.
- 1968: Jimmy Ellis defeated Jerry Quarry to win the heavyweight boxing title in a tournament to fill the vacancy left by Muhammad Ali.
- 1973: Kansas City Royals pitcher Steve Busby pitched a no-hitter against the Detroit Tigers, 3-0.
- 1982: With the first in the NFL Draft the New England Patriots selected University of Texas defensive end Kenneth Sims.
- 1983: Nolan Ryan became the strikeout king.
- 1990: Villanova's women set a 6,000 meter relay world record of 17:18:10.
- 1994: In the seventh longest NHL game at 125 minutes and 43 seconds, the Buffalo Sabres beat the New Jersey Devils 1-0.
- 1994: The Twins righty Scott Erickson pitched a no-hitter against the Brewers, 6-0.
- 2002: Boston Red Sox pitcher Derek Lowe threw a no-hitter against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
- 2008: Ashley Force became the first woman to win an NHRA Funny Car event, defeating her father, John Force.
- 2014: Lydia Ko won her first LPGA Tour title as a professional at the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic, just three days after her 17th birthday.
- 2017: With the first pick in the NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns selected Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett.
- 2023: With the first pick in the NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers selected Alabama quarterback Bryce Young.
- 2025: Liverpool won the 2024/25 English Premier League title against Tottenham (5-1).
Three athletes who stood out on April 27 were Rocky Marciano, Nolan Ryan, and Ashley Force.
Marciano is famous for being the only heavyweight boxing champion to retire undefeated. Ryan holds the all-time records for career strikeouts (5,714) and no-hitters (7). Force made history by competing against her father, John Force, in several high-profile final rounds. She was named Female Athlete of the Year by the Jim Murray Memorial Foundation in 2008.
