What Happened in April 1999

Historical Events

  • Apr 1 Detroit Pistons guard Joe Dumars becomes 10th player in NBA history to play 1,000 games with the same team and one of 8 to play 1,000 games with his only team; scores 18 points in 107-75 rout of Chicago Bulls
  • Apr 1 Nunavut is established as a Canadian territory carved out of the eastern part of the Northwest Territories.
  • Apr 1 Philadelphia 76ers head coach Larry Brown wins his 900th pro game with an 88-84 win over Miami Heat; Brown record: 671-547 NBA, 229-107 ABA, combined 900-654

Event of Interest

Apr 4 Jack Ma founds Chinese internet company Alibaba

Sports History

Apr 4 The Tradition Senior Men's Golf, GC at Desert Mountain: Graham Marsh of Australia wins his second Champions Tour major by 3 strokes from Larry Nelson

Lockerbie Bombing of Pan Am Flight 103

Apr 5 Two Libyans suspected of bringing down Pan Am flight 103 in 1988 are handed over for eventual trial in the Netherlands

Mamma Mia!

Apr 6 Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus' musical "Mamma Mia!", featuring the songs of ABBA, opens at the Prince Edward Theatre in London's West End; transfers twice to other venues; run interrupted by COVID-19 in March of 2020

  • Apr 7 The World Trade Organization rules in favor of the United States in its long-running trade dispute with the European Union over bananas
  • Apr 8 Haryana Gana Parishad, a political party in the Indian state of Haryana, merges with the Indian National Congress.
  • Apr 9 Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara, President of Niger, is assassinated at the airport in Niamey, Niger
  • Apr 10 152nd Grand National: Irish 10/1 shot Bobbyjo, ridden by jockey Paul Carberry wins by 10 lengths from Blue Charm

BAFTA Awards

Apr 11 52nd British Film and Television Awards (BAFTAs): "Shakespeare in Love" Best Film, Peter Weir Best Director

US Masters Golf

Apr 11 63rd US Masters Tournament, Augusta National GC: José María Olazábal of Spain wins his second Masters title, 2 strokes ahead of Davis Love III and 3 from of Greg Norman

  • Apr 11 Neil Jenkins converts a Scott Gibbs try to give Wales a famous, 32-31 win over England at Wembley Stadium; allows Scotland to win final Five Nations Rugby Championship; reverts to 6 teams in 2000

Event of Interest

Apr 12 US President Bill Clinton is cited for contempt of court for giving "intentionally false statements" in a sexual harassment civil lawsuit.

  • Apr 14 A severe hailstorm strikes Sydney, Australia causing A$1.7 billion in insured damages, the most costly natural disaster in Australian history
  • Apr 14 NATO mistakenly bombs a convoy of ethnic Albanian refugees - Yugoslav officials say 75 people are killed

Album Release

Apr 16 Anti-Records releases "Mule Variations", the thirteenth studio album by singer-songwriter Tom Waits; his biggest selling album goes on to win Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album

  • Apr 17 NFL Draft: University of Kentucky quarterback Tim Couch first pick by Cleveland Browns

Music Concert

Apr 17 Rock for the Rainforest benefit concert held at Carnegie Hall, NYC; performers include: Sting, Elton John, James Taylor, Billy Joel, Tony Bennett, Don Henley, Ricky Martin and Charles Aznavour

  • Apr 18 Senior PGA Championship, PGA National GC: Allen Doyle wins first of 4 Senior PGA major titles with a 2 stroke margin over runner-up Vicente Fernández of Argentina

Sports History

Apr 18 Wayne Gretzky plays his last game in the NHL, as his New York Rangers lose 2-1 to the Pittsburgh Penguins

  • Apr 19 103rd Boston Marathon: Joseph Chebet of Kenya takes men's title in 2:09:52; 3-peat for Fatuma Roba of Ethiopia in women's race in 2:23:25
  • Apr 19 German Reichstag reopens with new glass dome by architect Norman Foster
  • Apr 19 The German Bundestag returns to Berlin.
  • Apr 20 Columbine High School massacre: Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold kill 13 people and injure 24 others before committing suicide at Columbine High School, Colorado
  • Apr 22 Luis Garavito [The Beast, Tribilín], Colombian serial killer described as "the world's worst serial killer" (138-300+ victims) apprehended
  • Apr 26 BBC presenter Jill Dando shot and killed outside her London home - launches Metropolitan Police's largest murder enquiry, crime remains unsolved [1]
  • Apr 29 Avala TV Tower near Belgrade is destroyed in NATO bombing of Yugoslavia
  • Apr 30 Cambodia joins the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) bringing the total members to 10
1999 History

Famous Birthdays

  • Apr 2 Audrey Nuna [Chu], Korean-American R&B singer and rapper ("Comic Sans"), born in New Jersey
  • Apr 3 Sam Kiszka, American bass player (Greta Van Fleet), born in Frankenmuth, Michigan
  • Apr 4 Sheku Kanneh-Mason, British classical cellist (the Chineke! Orchestra; The Kanneh-Masons), born in Nottingham, England
  • Apr 7 Ally Venable, American blues-rock guitar player, singer-songwriter (Texas Honey), born in Kilgore, Texas
  • Apr 8 Isaac Hempstead Wright, English actor (Bran in Game of Thrones), born in Surrey, England

Lil Nas X (24 years old)

Apr 9 American singer-songwriter and rapper (Old Town Road), born in Lithia Springs, Georgia

  • Apr 14 Chase Young, American NFL player (Washington Commanders), born in Upper Marlboro, Maryland
  • Apr 23 Claud [Mintz], American indie-pop singer-songwriter ("Soft Spot'; "A Good Thing"), born in Highland Park, Illinois
  • Apr 23 Laufey [Jónsdóttir], Icelandic-Chinese jazz-pop singer-songwriter, guitarist, and cello player, born in Reykjavík, Iceland
Born in 1999

Famous Weddings

Wayne Brady

Apr 5 Talk show host Wayne Brady (26) weds dancer Mandie Taketa

Famous Deaths

  • Apr 1 Jesse Stone, American R&B pianist, songwriter (Shake, Rattle and Roll), arranger, and record producer, dies at 97
  • Apr 1 Red Flaherty, American baseball umpire (World Series 1955, 58, 65, 70; MLB All Star games 1956, 61, 69), dies from stroke-related complications at 81
  • Apr 2 Andrew Gardner, British newscaster (News at Ten), dies in flight en route to Madeira at 66
  • Apr 3 Lionel Bart, English pop and theatrical music composer (Oliver), and writer, dies of liver cancer at 68
  • Apr 4 Aldus Roger, American Cajun accordionist (Lafayette Playboys - "Les Haricots Sont Pas Salés"), dies at 84
  • Apr 4 Early Wynn, Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher (Cy Young Award 1959 Chicago WS; MLB wins leader 1954, 59; 9 x MLB All Star; Cleveland Indians), dies of a stroke at 79
  • Apr 4 Faith Domergue, American actress and early "scream queen" (Vendetta, House of 7 Corpses), dies at 74
  • Apr 5 Paul David, French Canadian cardiologist (b. 1919)
  • Apr 6 Gene Benson, American baseball outfielder (Negro League All-Star 1940, 45-46), dies at 85
  • Apr 6 Red Norvo [Kenneth Norville], American jazz vibraphonist known as "Mr. Swing" (Congo Blues; Knockin' on Wood), dies at 91
  • Apr 6 William Pleeth, British cellist and teacher (of Jacqueline du Pré), dies of leukemia at 83
  • Apr 7 Angus Paton, English civil engineer (wrote economic and infrastructure reports for Canada and Syria, hydroelectric dams), dies at 93
  • Apr 9 Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara, Niger politician and general, assassinated at 49
  • Apr 10 Heinz Fraenkel-Conrat, German-born biochemist (b. 1910)
  • Apr 10 Jean Vander Pyl, American voice, radio and film actress (The Flintstones, The Jetsons), dies of lung cancer at 79
  • Apr 12 Boxcar Willie [Travis Martin], American soldier (USAF) and singer ("King Of The Road"), dies of leukemia at 67
  • Apr 13 Ortvin Sarapu, New Zealand chess player, dies at 74
  • Apr 13 Willi Stoph, German politician (Prime Minister of German Democratic Republic, 1964-73 and 1976-89), dies at 84
  • Apr 14 Anthony Newley, British actor and singer-songwriter (Doctor Dolittle; Goldfinger theme; Willy Wonka score), dies at 67
  • Apr 14 Bill Wendell, American TV announcer (To Tell The Truth, 1972-77; Late Night With David Letterman; Late Show With David Letterman, 1993-95), dies at 75
  • Apr 14 Ellen Corby [Hansen], American actress (The Waltons, Vertigo, Caged), dies of natural causes at 87
  • Apr 15 Harvey Postlethwaite, British engineer and racing car designer, dies at 55
  • Apr 16 Alexander "Skip" Spence, Canadian-American guitarist, singer and songwriter (Jefferson Airplane), dies of lung cancer at 52
  • Apr 16 Laurence Kirwan, British archaeologist (Sudan and Egyptian Nubia), dies at 91
  • Apr 16 Nicholas Cayzer, British shipping magnate (British and Commonwealth Shipping), dies at 89
  • Apr 18 Gian-Carlo Rota, Italian-born American mathematician & philosopher, dies at 66
  • Apr 19 David Sanes, US Navy employee
  • Apr 19 Hermine Braunsteiner, Nazi war criminal and female camp guard at Ravensbrück and Majdanek concentration camps, dies at 79
  • Apr 20 "Ravishing" Rick Rude, American professional wrestler, dies at 40
  • Apr 20 Eric Harris, American mass murderer (Columbine High School shooter), dies at 18
  • Apr 20 Señor Wences, Spanish ventriloquist (his hand acts as a puppet) and comedian, dies at 103
  • Apr 20 Victims and shooters of the Columbine High School massacre
  • Apr 21 Charles "Buddy" Rogers, American film actor (Wings), singer, and dance bandleader, dies at 94
  • Apr 22 Apostolos Nikolaidis, Greek singer (first Greek artist to record or re-record the authentic, "prohibited" rebetika songs in the early 1970s with their original lyrics), dies at 60
  • Apr 22 Bert Remsen, American actor (Mario-It's a Living), dies at 74
  • Apr 22 Chan Canasta, Polish-born magician & mindreader, dies at 79
  • Apr 23 Melba Liston, American jazz trombonist, arranger, and composer, dies at 73
  • Apr 23 Tullio Pandolfini, Italian water polo athlete (Olympic gold, 1948), dies at 84
  • Apr 25 Michael Morris, 3rd Baron Killanin, MBE, TD, Irish journalist, author, sports official (6th President International Olympic Committee 1972-80), dies at 84
  • Apr 25 Roger Troutman, American funk musician (Zapp), dies during his brother's apparent murder-suicide at 47
  • Apr 26 Adrian Borland, English musician (The Sound), dies at 41
  • Apr 26 Jill Dando, British television presenter (Crimewatch), shot and killed outside her house at 37
  • Apr 27 Al Hirt, American jazz trumpeter (Greatest Horn in the World), dies of liver failure at 76
  • Apr 27 Cyril Washbrook, English cricket batsman (37 Tests, 6 x 100, HS 195; Lancashire CCC), dies at 84
  • Apr 28 Alf Ramsey, English football manager, dies at 79

Arthur Leonard Schawlow (1921-1999)

Apr 28 American physicist who shared the 1981 Nobel Prize in Physics for his pioneering work with lasers, dies of leukemia at 77

  • Apr 28 Rory Calhoun [Francis Timothy McCown], American actor (Blue & Gray, How to Marry a Millionaire), dies of emphysema at 76
  • Apr 28 Walter Gieseler, German composer, dies at 79
  • Apr 29 Léon Barzin, Belgian-American conductor (NY City Ballet, 1948-58), dies at 98
  • Apr 29 Perry Ford [Brian Pugh], British pop singer, session musician and songwriter (The Ivy League - "Tossing And Turning"), dies at 65
  • Apr 30 Darrell Sweet, British hard rock drummer (Nazareth - "Love Hurts"), dies of a heart attack at a concert soundcheck at 51