What Happened in April 1993

Historical Events

The Madness of George III

Apr 1 Alan Bennett's play "The Madness of George III" premieres in London

King of Great Britain and Ireland George III

Apr 1 Reigning NASCAR Winston Cup champion Alan Kulwicki perishes in a private plane crash en route to Bristol for the Food City 500
Apr 2 1st test flight of Fokker 70 (Amsterdam)
Apr 2 Cleveland Cavaliers guard Mark Price has his consecutive free throw streak end at 77, during a 114-113 loss at Charlotte; falls 1 short of Calvin Murphy’s NBA record of 78 straight free throws
Apr 2 Venezuelan DC-10 crashes at Margarita, killing 10
Apr 3 147th Grand National: race declared void, after 30 of 39 runners carried on racing despite a false start; bookmakers forced to refund estimated £75 million in bets staked
Apr 4 12th NCAA Women's Basketball Championship: Texas Tech beats Ohio State, 84-82; future Hall of Fame forward Sheryl Swoopes MOP
Apr 4 The Tradition Senior Men's Golf, GC at Desert Mountain: Tom Shaw wins his lone career major title by 1 stroke from Mike Hill

WrestleMania

Apr 4 WrestleMania IX, Caesar's Palace, LV, NV: Yokozuna beats Bret Hart for WWF Heavyweight title

Apr 5 55th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: North Carolina beats Michigan, 77-71; Tar Heels' 3rd title
Apr 5 73,293 see the NY Yankees beat the Cleveland Indians, 9-1 in the season opener at Cleveland Stadium
Apr 5 A win and a loss for MLB expansion teams in their debut games; Florida Marlins beat LA Dodgers, 6-3 in Miami; the Colorado Rockies lose to Mets, 3-0 in NYC
Apr 6 1st test flight of Ilyushin IL-96M (Moscow)
Apr 6 Florida Marlins 1st lost ever (4-2 to LA Dodgers)
Apr 7 Dante Bichette hits the 1st Colo Rockie HR (Shea Stadium NY)
Apr 8 Indians' Carlos Baerga is 1st to switch hit HRs in same inn (vs Yanks)
Apr 8 STS-56 (Discovery) launches into orbit
Apr 9 Colorado Rockies 1st home game & 1st victory, 11-4 over Mont Expos
Apr 10 BPAA US Open by Del Ballard Jr
Apr 10 Ottawa Senators win 1st road game (Islanders) after 38 straight loses
Apr 10 Pittsburgh Penguins win their NHL record 17 game winning streak
Apr 11 450 prisoners riot at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Lucasville, Ohio, and continue for ten days, citing grievances about prison conditions and the forced vaccination of Nation of Islam prisoners (for tuberculosis)

US Masters Golf

Apr 11 57th US Masters Tournament, Augusta National GC: Bernhard Langer of Germany wins his second green jacket by 4 strokes from Chip Beck

Golfer and Two-Time Masters Champion Bernhard Langer

Apr 11 Kirsan Ilumzjinov installed as president of Kalmukkie
Apr 12 American Jeff Rouse swims world record 100m backstroke (51.43 sec) at Sheffield, England
Apr 13 "3 Men on a Horse" opens at Lyceum Theater NYC for 40 performances

Arcadia

Apr 13 Tom Stoppard's play "Arcadia" premieres in London directed by Trevor Nunn, starring Rufus Sewell, Felicity Kendal and Bill Nighy

Playwright and Screenwriter Tom Stoppard

Bill Nye the Science Guy

Apr 14 "Bill Nye the Science Guy" starring Bill Nye debuts on KCTS-TV in the US

Music History

Apr 16 David Lee Roth arrested in NYC for purchasing marijuana for $10

Rodney King Riots

Apr 16 Jury reaches guilty verdict in federal case against police officers (two convicted, two acquitted) who beat Rodney King, but the verdict is not read until April 17th

Damage in Los Angeles after the 1992 riots, which killed 63 people and caused over $1 billion in damages

Apr 17 STS-56 (Discovery) lands

US History

Apr 17 Two Los Angeles police officers convicted in federal court of violating Rodney King's civil rights and sentenced to prison, while two others are acquitted,

Apr 18 Lee Adams and Mitch Leigh's musical "Ain't Broadway Grand" opens at Lunt-Fontanne Theater, NYC; runs for 25 performances

Senior PGA Championship

Apr 18 Senior PGA Championship, PGA National GC: American Tom Wargo pars second playoff hole to beat Bruce Crampton of Australia and take his first and only major title

Apr 19 97th Boston Marathon: Cosmas N'deti of Kenya wins men's event in 2:09:33; Olga Markova of Russia repeats as women's champion in 2:25:27
Apr 19 After a 51 day siege by the FBI 76 Branch Davidians die in a fire near Waco Texas (accident, suicide, tear gas are disputed causes)
Apr 19 Fire in psychiatric institute in South Korea, kills 40
Apr 19 South Dakota governor George Mickelson and seven others are killed when a state-owned aircraft crash lands in Iowa

Shania Twain

Apr 20 Mercury Nashville Records releases "Shania Twain", the debut studio album by Shania Twain

Apr 20 Uranus passes Neptune (once every 171 years)
Apr 21 "Wilder, Wilder, Wilder" opens at Circle in Sq NYC for 30 performances

Walker, Texas Ranger

Apr 21 Action TV series "Walker, Texas Ranger" starring Chuck Norris debuts on CBS

Apr 21 Brazil votes against a monarchy
Apr 22 Candid Camera creator Allen Funt suffers a stroke at 78
Apr 22 Holocaust Memorial Museum dedicated in Washington, D.C.

The Who's Tommy

Apr 22 Pete Townshend's rock musical "The Who's Tommy" adapted for theatrical stage, opens at St James Theater, NYC; runs for 899 performances, winning 5 Tony Awards, and a Grammy Award

Apr 22 Seattle Mariner Chris Basio no-hits Boston Red Sox
Apr 22 The web browser Mosaic version 1.0 is released.
Apr 23 Eritrea votes to secede from Ethiopia
Apr 23 Peter Townshend's musical "Tommy" premieres in NYC

Farm Aid Concert

Apr 24 Farm Aid VI held in Ames, Iowa; performers include Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Arlo Guthrie, The Jayhawks, Lyle Lovett, Johnny Cash, Ricky Van Shelton, Marty Stuart, Martina McBride, Bruce Hornsby, Bryan Adams, Ringo Starr, and Dwight Yoakam [1]

Country Singer-Songwriter Martina McBride

Apr 24 Firestone World Bowling Tournament of Champions won by George Branham
Apr 24 The IRA explodes a 1000kg car bomb in Bishopsgate, London, killing a news photographer and injuring 44 others
Apr 25 "Blood Brothers" opens at Music Box Theater NYC for 839 performances
Apr 25 NFL Draft: Washington State quarterback Drew Bledsoe first pick by New England Patriots

Yeltsin Elected President

Apr 25 Russia elects Boris Yeltsin President of the Russian Federation

Apr 26 "Shakespeare for My Father" opens at Helen Hayes NYC for 266 performances
Apr 26 Boeing 737 crashes at Aurangabad, kills 56

O'Brien Replaces Letterman

Apr 26 NBC announces Conan O'Brien to replace David Letterman on "Late Night"

Apr 26 STS-55 (Columbia) launches into orbit
Apr 27 Afghan Antonov AN-32 crashes at Tashqurgan, kills 76
Apr 28 "Tango Passion" opens at Longacre Theater NYC for 5 performances
Apr 28 Carlo Ciampi forms Italian government with ex-communists

Sports History

Apr 28 NY Islanders beat Washington Capitals 4 to 1 in playoffs, Capitals' Dale Hunter attacks Pierre Turgeon after scoring, in hockey's worst cheap shot

Apr 28 Zambian plane crashes at Libreville, Gabon, 30 soccer players die
Apr 30 The World Wide Web source code is released by CERN, making the software freely available to all
Apr 30 Virgin Radio broadcasts for the first time in the United Kingdom.

Events in 1993

Famous Birthdays

Apr 2 Keshorn Walcott ORTT, Trinidadian athlete (Olympic gold javelin 2012, bronze 2016), born in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Apr 7 Sébastien Bouin, French rock climber, born in Draguignan, France
Apr 9 Jhay Cortez, Puerto Rican singer and rapper (Famouz), born in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico
Apr 10 Sofia Carson, American actress and singer (Austin & Ally), born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Apr 12 Carl Nassib, American NFL player (Cleveland Browns), 1st publicly gay player, born in West Chester, Pennsylvania
Apr 14 Graham Phillips, American actor, born in Laguna Beach, California
Apr 14 Vivien Cardone, American actress, born in Port Jefferson, New York,
Apr 15 Madeleine Martin, American television actress

Chance the Rapper (31 years old)

Apr 16 American rapper and record producer (Acid Rap; Coloring Book), born in Chicago, Illinois

Apr 16 Mirai Nagasu, American figure skater, born in Montebello, California
Apr 25 Raphaël Varane, French football player (Manchester United), born in Lille, France

Justin Thomas (30 years old)

Apr 29 American golfer (PGA C'ship 2017, 22; Players C'ship 2021), born in Louisville, Kentucky

Born in 1993

Famous Weddings

Stefanie Powers

Apr 1 American actress Stefanie Powers (50) marries Frenchman Patrick de la Chenais (41); divorce in 1999

Apr 17 "The Bangles" lead singer Susanna Hoffs (34) weds "Austin Powers" director Jay Roach (35)
Apr 18 Beirut-hostage Terry Anderson marries Madeleine Bassil

Bill Wyman

Apr 21 Rolling Stone's bassist Bill Wyman (56) weds American actress Suzanne Accosta on French Riveria

Apr 24 ABC news analyst Jeff Greenfield (49) weds Karen Gannett

Famous Divorces

Björn Borg

Apr 22 Tennis great Björn Borg divorces Loredana Berte

Apr 23 Motley Crue's Mike Mars files for divorce from Emi-Canyn

Famous Deaths

Apr 1 Alan Kulwicki, American auto racer and owner (NASCAR Winston Cup drivers' and owners' champion 1992), dies in plane crash at 38
Apr 1 Ihsan Mohamed Salem [Yunis Awad], Palestinian Al-Fatah leader, killed
Apr 1 Juan of Borbon y Battemberg, father of king Juan Carlos I, dies
Apr 1 Nicanor Zabaleta, Spanish harpist, dies at 86
Apr 1 Wayne Mack, American sportscaster (New Orleans Saints, Tulane University) and actor (Storyville), dies of cancer at 68
Apr 2 Eugenie Leontovitch, Russian actress (Homicidal, The Rains of Ranchipur), dies at 93
Apr 3 Alexander Mnouchkine, French movie producer (Professional), dies at 83
Apr 3 Dieter Plage, German wildlife filmmaker, dies at 57
Apr 3 Eduardo Cabellero Calderon, Colombian writer and diplomat, dies at 83
Apr 3 Klaas Schenk, Dutch speed skater and coach (coach 1952, 56, 60 Winter Olympics; father of triple gold medallist Ard), dies at 86
Apr 3 Pinky Lee, American children's show host (Pinky Lee Show), dies of a heart attack at 85
Apr 4 Alfred Mosher Butts, American architect and game inventor (Scrabble), dies at 93
Apr 4 Bep [Alberta B] Ogterop [Rita la Roche], singer, dies
Apr 5 Divya Bharti, Indian actress in Hindi and Telugu movies (Shola Aur Shabnam; Deewana), dies at 19 of injuries and internal bleeding after falling from balcony of her 5th-floor apartment
Apr 6 Divya Bharati, "Baby Doll" Indian Bollywood actress (Diwana), dies at 19 by mysteriously falling from her husband's apartment
Apr 6 Hedi Amira Nouira, Prime Minister of Tunisia (1970-80), dies

Apr 7 Billy Griffith, English cricket wicketkeeper (3 Tests, 1 x 100, HS 140, 5 dismissals; Cambridge Uni CC, Surrey CCC, MCC, Sussex CCC) and administrator (Secretary MCC), dies at 78
Apr 7 Max Croiset, Dutch actor (The Village on the River, Dog of Flanders, Little Ark), dies at 80
Apr 7 Richard Schmiechen, American film producer (The Times of Harvey Milk), dies of AIDS at 45
Apr 8 Arleen Whelan, American film actress (Kidnapped), dies of a stroke at 78
Apr 8 Hubertus Earnest, bishop of Breda, dies at 100

Marian Anderson (1897-1993)

Apr 8 American contralto and celebrated singer (My Lord, What a Morning), dies of congestive heart failure at 96

Apr 10 (Martin) "Chris" Hani, South African politician (Secretary-General of South African Communist Party, 1991-93), assassinated at 50
Apr 11 Janet Harmon Bragg, American pilot (1st female black aviator to hold a commercial pilot's license), dies at 86 [1]
Apr 11 Mohammed el-Himi, brigade-general of Egyptian police, murdered
Apr 11 Rahmon Nabiyev, Tajik politician, First Secretary of The Communist Party (1982-85) and President of Tajikistan (1991-92), dies at 63
Apr 12 Isaac Rojas, vp of Argentina (1955-58), dies
Apr 12 Patience Jarvis, dies of melanoma at 56
Apr 13 Barry Karas, American actor, dies of leukemia at 49
Apr 13 Max Tripels, Dutch politician, dies at 72
Apr 14 Jo Boer, Dutch painter and author (Catharina & the Magnolias), dies at 85
Apr 14 Sam Ntombani, South African ANC-secretary in Soweto South-Africa, shot to death
Apr 15 George Frederick Ives, British-Canadian army veteran & last survivor of the Boer War, dies at 111
Apr 15 Harry Alexander, Australian cricket fast bowler (1 Test, Bodyline series 1933, 1 wicket; Victoria), dies at 87
Apr 15 John Tuzo Wilson, Canadian geologist (contributions to plate tectonics), dies at 84
Apr 15 Leslie Charteris, British mystery writer (Saint), dies at 85
Apr 15 William Bakewell, American actor (All Quiet on the Western Front; Gone with the Wind), dies of leukemia at 84
Apr 16 John Meefout, Dutch sculptor (Laying Woman), dies at 77
Apr 17 Turgut Özal, Turkish politician (President of Turkey 1989-93, PM of Turkey 1983-89), dies at 65
Apr 18 Dame Elisabeth Frink, English sculptor and printmaker, dies of cancer aged 62
Apr 18 Masahiko Kimura, Japanese judoka, dies at 75
Apr 19 Blas Galindo, Mexican composer (A la Patria), dies at 83
Apr 19 David Koresh [Vernon Howell], American cult leader (Davidians), dies shot at 33
Apr 19 George Mickelson, American politician (Governor of South Dakota 1987-93), dies in a plane crash at 52
Apr 19 Steve Douglas [Kreisman], American session and touring saxophonist and flautist (Phil Spector; Duane Eddy; Beach Boys), dies of a heart attack at 54

Cantinflas (1911-1993)

Apr 20 Mexican actor (Around World in 80 Days, Pepe), dies from lung cancer at 81

Apr 21 Hal Schumacher, American baseball pitcher (World Series 1933; MLB All-Star 1933, 35; New York Giants), dies at 82
Apr 22 Andries Treurnicht, South African politician (founder of the South African Conservative Party), dies at 72

Cesar Chavez (1927-1993)

Apr 22 American farm labor leader (United Farm Workers), dies of natural causes at 66

Apr 22 Mark Koenig, American baseball player (NY Yankees), dies at 88
Apr 23 Bertus Aafjes, poet/writer (World is a Muze), dies at 78
Apr 23 Daniel Jones, Welsh composer, dies at 80
Apr 23 Lalith Athulathmudali, Sri Lankan minister, murdered at 59

Oliver Tambo (1917-1993)

Apr 24 South African lawyer, anti-apartheid politician and co-founder (African National Congress), dies of a stroke at 75

Apr 25 Rosita Moreno, actress (Walls of Gold), dies of a heart attack at 85
Apr 27 Hans Sahl, German-American anti-Nazi Jewish writer (Tie Exil im Exil), dies at 90
Apr 28 Jim Valvano, American basketball coach (NC State), dies of cancer at 47
Apr 29 Cy Howard, director (Lovers & Other Strangers), dies at 77
Apr 29 Michael Gordon, actor and director (Pillow Talk), dies at 83
Apr 29 Mick Ronson, English rock guitarist (David Bowie's Spiders From Mars), and producer (Mott the Hoople; Lou Reed), dies of liver cancer at 46
Apr 30 Dave Waymer, American NFL safety (NO Saints), dies of a heart attack at 34
Apr 30 Eric Rowan, South African cricket batsman (26 Tests, 3 x 100, HS 236; Transvaal, Eastern Province), dies at 83
Apr 30 Tommy Caton, English footballer (b. 1962)

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