Sports History
Apr 2 At 27 years, 249 days Texas Rangers infielder Alex Rodriguez becomes the youngest MLB player to hit 300 home runs; homers off Ramon Ortiz in 5th inning of an 11-5 loss to the Angels in Anaheim
- Apr 5 156th Grand National: 10-year-old 16/1 shot Monty's Pass, ridden by Barry Geraghty wins by 12 lengths from 2001 Welsh National winner Supreme Glory
- Apr 5 18th Soap Opera Digest Awards - General Hospital wins
- Apr 5 The Kansas City Royals become the first MLB team to begin the season 5-0 after losing 100 games the previous year, beating the Cleveland Indians, 2 - 1
CMT Music Awards
Apr 7 2nd CMT Flameworthy Video Music Awards: Toby Keith & Martina McBride win
- Apr 7 65th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Syracuse beats Kansas, 81-78; Orangemen win first title; Carmelo Anthony named tournament Most Outstanding Player
Event of Interest
Apr 7 U.S. troops capture Baghdad; Saddam Hussein's regime falls two days later.
Sports History
Apr 8 22nd NCAA Women's Basketball Championship: Connecticut beats Tennessee, 73-68; UConn guard Diana Taurasi is named Most Outstanding Player
Invasion of Iraq
Apr 9 Baghdad falls to US forces, ending the invasion of Iraq, resulting in widespread looting
- Apr 13 49th British Academy Television Awards: "Alistair McGowan's Big Impression" Best Comedy, "Spooks" Best Drama
- Apr 13 67th US Masters Tournament, Augusta National GC: Mike Weir wins his only major title in a 1-hole playoff over Len Mattiace; only Canadian to win a major and first left-handed Masters champion
- Apr 14 The Human Genome Project is completed with 99% of the human genome sequenced to an accuracy of 99.99%
- Apr 14 U.S. troops in Baghdad capture Abu Abbas, leader of the Palestinian group that killed an American on the hijacked cruise liner the Achille Lauro in 1985
- Apr 16 Treaty of Accession is signed in Athens, admitting 10 new member states to the European Union
Sports History
Apr 16 Washington Wizards' Michael Jordan plays his final NBA game, in Philadelphia, where he receives a 3 minute standing ovation.
Music History
Apr 19 Nina Simone is awarded an honorary degree by the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia
Boston Marathon
Apr 21 107th Boston Marathon: Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot of Kenya men's champion in 2:10:11; Svetlana Zakharova of Russia women's winner in 2:25:19
NHL History
Apr 22 Patrick Roy plays his final career NHL game
SARS Outbreak
Apr 23 Beijing closes all schools for two weeks because of the SARS virus
- Apr 26 NFL Draft: USC quarterback Carson Palmer first pick by Cincinnati Bengals
Sports History
Apr 28 Andre Agassi recaptures the world no. 1 ranking to become the oldest top-ranked male in the history of the ATP rankings (33 years, 13 days)
Admirals
Aviators
Gangsters
Generals
Industrialists
Suffragists