Events Date 1997 April | History by KabAstro

Film & TV History

Apr 5 Steve Irwin's "The Crocodile Hunter" debuts

Apr 6 "3 Sisters" closes at Criterion Theater NYC
Apr 6 Progress M-34 Launch (Russia)
Apr 6 The Tradition Senior Men's Golf, GC at Desert Mountain: Gil Morgan wins first of 3 Champions Tour majors by 6 strokes from Isao Aoki
Apr 7 150th Grand National: Tony Dobbin aboard New Zealand bred Lord Gyllene wins at 14/1 by 25 lengths; race postponed 2 days because of IRA bomb threat
Apr 7 Howard Stern Radio Show premieres in Ft Myers FL on WRXK 96.1 FM
Apr 8 Microsoft releases Internet Explorer 4 Beta
Apr 8 STS 83 (Columbia 22) lands
Apr 9 Cleveland Indians pitcher Jose Mesa is acquitted of rape
Apr 9 Major League Soccer announces Miami & Chicago expansion
Apr 9 NFL announces it will give $3M to CFL & possible "World Classic Bowl"
Apr 13 "American Daughter" opens at Cort Theater NYC for 88 performances
Apr 13 48th time opposing pitchers hit HRs, Carlos Perez (Mon)/Darren Holmes

US Masters Golf

Apr 13 61st US Masters Tournament, Augusta National GC: Tiger Woods wins his first major title, a record 12 strokes ahead of Tom Kite; 4-round total 270 (−18) is tournament record

Apr 13 Hartford Whalers last NHL game

Sports History

Apr 13 NHL Pitts Penguin Mario Lemieux's last NHL regular game

Apr 13 Rare double doubleheader played in the same city Giants vs Mets & Oakland A's vs Yankees in NY after rain previous day
Apr 15 America Online (AOL) begins service in Japan

Sports History

Apr 15 Baseball honors Jackie Robinson by retiring #42 for all teams

Volcano

Apr 15 Disaster film "Volcano" directed by Mick Jackson, and starring Tommy Lee Jones and Anne Heche premieres in South Korea

Apr 15 Fire sweeps through a campsite of Muslims making the Hajj pilgrimage; the official death toll is 343.
Apr 15 Howard Stern Radio Show premieres in Charlotte NC on WXRC 95.7 FM
Apr 16 Howard Stern Radio Show premieres in Minneapolis/St Paul on WRQC 100.3 FM
Apr 17 John Bell aged 115 receives a new pacemaker

Sports History

Apr 17 NJ Devil Martin Brodeur is 2nd NHL goalie to score in a playoff game

Apr 19 NFL Draft: Ohio State offensive tackle Orlando Pace first pick by St. Louis Rams
Apr 19 Renee Slaughter crowned 14th Miss Hawaiian Tropic Intl
Apr 19 San Diego Padres & St Louis Cards play at Aloha Stadium Hawaii
Apr 20 "Gin Game" opens at Lyceum Theater NYC for 144 performances
Apr 20 "Present Laughter" closes at Walter Kerr Theater NYC
Apr 20 1st baseball game in Hawaii, Cards beat Padres in doubleheader
Apr 20 27th Easter Seal Telethon raises $47,392,682
Apr 20 Cubs beat NY Mets ending NL worst opening, lost 14 straight games

Sports History

Apr 20 Mark McGwire is 4th to HR on Detroit Tiger left field roof (others are Frank Howard, Harmon Killibrew, & Cecil Fielder)

Senior PGA Championship

Apr 20 Senior PGA Championship, PGA National GC: Defending champion Hale Irwin wins his second of 3 straight Senior PGA C’ships beating runners-up Dale Douglass and Jack Nicklaus by 12 strokes

Apr 21 101st Boston Marathon: Lameck Aguta of Kenya wins men's event in 2:10:34; Fatuma Roba of Ethiopia women's champion in 2:26:23

Film & TV History

Apr 21 Ashes of psychologist and author Timothy Leary and "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry launched into space orbit

Screenwriter and Creator of Star Trek Gene Roddenberry

Apr 21 I. K. Gujral sworn in as Prime Minister of India
Apr 22 Haouch Khemisti massacre in Algeria - 93 villagers killed.
Apr 22 The Japanese embassy hostage crisis ends in Lima, Peru.

Academy of Country Music Awards

Apr 23 32nd Academy of Country Music Awards: Brooks & Dunn, George Strait, and Patty Loveless win

Apr 23 Omaria massacre in Algeria: 42 villagers are killed.
Apr 24 Kandor and Ebb's musical "Steel Pier" opens at Richard Rodgers Theater, NYC; runs for 76 performances

Baseball Record

Apr 25 Seattle Mariner Ken Griffey Jr. hits his 250th HR

Baseball Hall of Fame Outfielder Ken Griffey Jr.

Apr 26 Cy Coleman and Ira Gasman' musical "The Life" opens at the Ethel Barrymore Theater, NYC; runs for 466 performances and wins 2 Tony Awards
Apr 27 "Little Foxes" opens at Vivian Beaumont NYC for 56 performances
Apr 27 "Stanley" closes at Circle in the Square Theater, NYC
Apr 27 Frank Nobilo wins Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic at Forest Oaks
Apr 28 "Jekyll & Hyde" opens at Plymouth Theater NYC

Music Concert

Apr 28 Ringo Starr's fourth All-Starr Band debuts in concert; members include: Peter Frampton, Jack Bruce, Gary Brooker, Simon Kirke, and Mark Rivera

Beatles Drummer, Singer, and Actor Ringo Starr

Apr 29 43rd British Academy Television Awards: "Only Fools and Horses" Best Comedy, "EastEnders" Best Drama
Apr 29 50th British Film and Television Awards (BAFTAs): "The English Patient" Best Film, Joel & Ethan Coen Best Director
Apr 29 Chemical Weapons Convention of 1993 comes into force; agreement outlaws production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons among its signatories
Apr 29 MLB Kansas City Royals Chili Davis is 75th to hit 300 HRs

Music History

Apr 29 Revival of Leonard Bernstein's operetta "Candide" opens at the Gershwin Theatre, NYC; runs for 103 performances

Conductor and Composer Leonard Bernstein

Apr 30 "London Assurance" opens at Criterion Theater NYC for 72 performances

Film & TV History

Apr 30 42 million watch Ellen DeGeneres publicly declare she is gay

Apr 30 Atlanta Braves win record 19 games in April
Apr 30 Big Ben stops at 12:11 PM for 54 minutes
Apr 30 President Clinton's daughter Chelsea chooses to attend Stanford College

Music Concert

Apr 30 Rock for the Rainforest benefit concert held at Carnegie Hall, NYC; performers include: Sting, Elton John, James Taylor, Stevie Wonder, Lyle Lovett, Bobby McFerrin, Bonnie Raitt, Shawn Colvin and Zucchero