Historical Events
- Apr 1 20th NCAA Women's Basketball Championship: Notre Dame beats Purdue, 68-66; Fighting Irish forward Ruth Riley is named Most Outstanding Player
Event of Interest
Apr 1 Former president of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Slobodan Milošević surrenders to police special forces, to be tried on charges of war crimes.
- Apr 1 Netherlands becomes the first country in the world to make same-sex marriage legal
WrestleMania
Apr 1 WrestleMania XVII, Astrodome, Houston, Texas: 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin beats The Rock in a no disqualification match for the WWF Championship
- Apr 2 63rd NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Duke beats Arizona, 82-72; Blue Devils' 3rd title; forward Shane Battier MOP
Baseball Record
Apr 2 New York Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens becomes American League all-time strikeout leader, recording his 3,509th K in a 7-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals; Walter Johnson previous record 3,508 Ks
Sports History
Apr 2 Seattle outfielder Ichiro Suzuki has 2 hits and becomes first Japanese position player to play in a regular season MLB game as Mariners beat Oakland A's, 5-4 at Safeco Field
- Apr 7 154th Grand National: Richard Guest wins aboard Red Marauder; trainer Martin Pipe saddles 10 of 40-strong field, Blowing Wind best at 3rd place
- Apr 7 Mars Odyssey is launched
US Masters Golf
Apr 8 65th US Masters Tournament, Augusta National GC: Tiger Woods wins his 2nd Masters and 6th major title, 2 strokes ahead of David Duval
- Apr 11 Detained crew of a United States EP-3E aircraft that landed in Hainan, People's Republic of China after a collision with an J-8 fighter are released
- Apr 15 The Tradition Senior Men's Golf, GC at Desert Mountain: Doug Tewell wins his second & final Champions Tour major by 9 strokes from Mike McCullough
- Apr 16 105th Boston Marathon: Lee Bong-Ju of South Korea men's winner in 2:09:43; Catherine Ndereba of Kenya wins back-to-back women's titles in 2:23:53
- Apr 21 NFL Draft: Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick first pick by Atlanta Falcons
Weapon of Choice
Apr 23 Fatboy Slim releases single "Weapon of Choice", music video directed by Spike Jonze starring Christopher Walken dancing
Event of Interest
Apr 30 US Vice President Cheney calls for increased domestic production of fossil fuels and increased usage of nuclear power to meet America's energy demand
2001 History
Famous Birthdays
- Apr 3 Matthew Whitaker, American jazz pianist and Hammond B-3 organ player (Outta The Box), born in Hackensack, New Jersey
- Apr 6 Oscar Piastri, Australian racing driver, born in Melbourne, Australia
- Apr 9 Brooke Raboutou, American rock climber, born in Boulder, Colorado
Famous Weddings
Brooke Shields
Apr 4 Actress and model Brooke Shields (35) weds sitcom writer Chris Henchy (37) in Catalina Island, California
Kobe Bryant
Apr 18 NBA star player Kobe Bryant (22) weds Vanessa Laine at St. Edward Roman Catholic Church in Dana Point, California
Famous Deaths
- Apr 1 Jo-Jo Moore, American baseball left fielder (MLB All Star 1934–38, 40; World Series 1933; NY Giants), dies at 92
- Apr 1 Olivia Barclay, British astrologer (revival of traditional forms of astrology in the late 20th century), dies at 81
- Apr 1 Trinh Công Son, Vietnamese poet and songwriter, dies at 64
- Apr 2 Charles Daudelin, Canadian artist (b. 1920)
- Apr 2 Jennifer Syme, American actress (b. 1972)
- Apr 3 Lester "Big Daddy" Kinsey, American Chicago blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player, dies at 74
- Apr 3 Michael Berry, Baron Hartwell, British newspaper proprietor and journalist, dies at 89
- Apr 4 Ed "Big Daddy" Roth, American custom hot rod car designer, dies of a heart attack at 69
- Apr 5 Brother Theodore, German-American comedian, dies at 94
- Apr 5 Malcolm Shepherd [2nd Baron Shepherd], Politician (L) and Leader of the House of Lords (1974-76), dies at 82
- Apr 6 Charles Pettigrew, American soul singer (Charles & Eddie - "Would I Lie To You?"), dies of cancer at 37
- Apr 7 Beatrice Straight, American actress (Network, Poltergeist, Power), dies of pneumonia at 86
- Apr 7 David Graf, American actor (Police Academy- Sgt. Eugene Tackleberry), dies of a heart attack at 50
- Apr 8 Frank Annunzio, American politician (Rep-D-IL, 1965-93), dies of Parkinson's disease at 86
- Apr 9 Archibald Forster, British chemical engineer and businessman (CEO of Esso UK, 1982-93), dies at 73
Willie Stargell (1940-2001)
Apr 9 American Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder/1st baseman (7 x MLB All Star; World Series 1971, 79 [MVP]; Pittsburgh Pirates), dies from a stroke at 61
- Apr 11 Harry Secombe, Welsh actor, comedian, singer and goon (The Goon Show; Oliver!), dies of cancer at 79
- Apr 11 Kamal Ranadive, Indian cancer researcher (Indian Women Scientists' Association; Indian Cancer Research Centre), dies at 83
- Apr 11 Sandy Bull, American musician (b. 1941)
- Apr 12 Alberto Erede, Italian conductor, dies at 91
- Apr 12 Harvey Ball, American inventor and designer of popular 'smiley-face' graphic, dies at 79
- Apr 13 Jimmy Logan, British comedian (Mad Death), dies at 73
- Apr 13 Robert Moon, American postal inspector, dies at 83
- Apr 14 Hiroshi Teshigahara, Japanese director (b. 1927)
- Apr 14 Jim Baxter, Scottish footballer (b. 1939)
- Apr 15 Joey Ramone [Jeffrey Hyman], American punk rock singer and musician (The Ramones - "I Wanna Be Sedated"; Blitzkrieg Bop"; solo -"What a Wonderful World"), dies of lymphoma at 49
- Apr 15 John Verrall, American composer, dies at 92
- Apr 16 Alec Stock, English football manager (b. 1917)
- Apr 20 Bert Sutcliffe, New Zealand cricket batsman (42 Tests, 5 x 100s, TS 230no; Otago CA), dies at 77
- Apr 20 Giuseppe Sinopoli, Italian conductor and composer (Sunnyata; Lou Salomé), dies while conducting Verdi's "Aida" of a heart attack at 54
- Apr 20 Maria Karnilova, American dancer and actress (Fiddler on the Roof, Ivan the Terrible), dies at 80
- Apr 21 David Hollestelle, Dutch baritone singer (Dutch Radio Chorus), dies at 84
- Apr 22 Ludvig Nielsen, Norwegian organist, composer, choir director, and conductor (Nidaros Cathedral, 1935-76), dies at 95
- Apr 24 Al Hibbler, American singer ("Unchained Melody"), dies at 85
- Apr 24 Leon Sullivan, African-American civil rights leader and pastor (b. 1922)
- Apr 25 Michele Alboreto, Italian race car driver (b. 1956)
- Apr 25 Michele Alboretto, Italian auto racer (F1 World C'ship 1985 runner-up Ferrari; 24 Hours of Le Mans 1997; 12 Hours of Sebring 2001), dies in a testing accident at 44
- Apr 28 Ken Hughes, English director (Casino Royale, Chitty, Chitty Bang, Bang), dies at 79
- Apr 29 Barend Biesheuvel, Prime Minister of the Netherlands (1971-73), dies at 81
