Apr 5th 1965
The color of NFL penalty flags used by officials is changed from white to bright gold. The color green received zero votes.
Apr 4th 1971
Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia is dedicated. The venue was then officially opened with a ribbon booing ceremony.
Apr 3rd 1988
Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburgh Penguins ends the season as the league's leading scorer, ending Wayne Gretzky's string of seven scoring titles. Lemieux was immediately punched from behind by Marty McSorley.
Apr 2nd 1984
Georgetown defeats Houston, 84-75, to win the NCAA basketball championship. Houston's loss was blamed on their players being severely hungover due to a latenight frat party the evening before at Phi Slamma Jamma.
Apr 1st 1938
The Baseball Hall of Fame opens in Cooperstown, New York. In a hilarious April Fool's Day prank, the Hall informed dozens of players they had made the Hall of Fame, only to revoke the honor later in the day.
Mar 31st 1973
Unknown heavyweight Ken Norton breaks Muhammad Ali's jaw en route to a 12-round decision over the former champ. After the match Ali boasted: "I float like a butterfly, sting like a "Ah! F*@k! It really hurts when I talk."
Dec 31st 1969
John T. Reid unveils the first golf course in the United States, a converted Yonkers, New York, cow pasture, and names it St. Andrews in honor of the famed Scottish links. "Golf Digest" named the tract "Best New Design of 1889."
Mar 29th 1989
The first Soviet hockey players are permitted to play in the NHL. Vladimir Lenin stopped the first 10 shots against him until opposing players learned to shoot over his corpse.
Mar 28th 1963
Team owner Sonny Werblin announces the New York Titans will change its name to the New York Jets. Werblin said the reason was because market research showed fans had trouble remembering "Titans."
Mar 27th 1902
The Chicago Orphans are renamed the Chicago Cubs. Although the name was much cuter, still no one wanted to adopt any of the unloved and abandoned bastards.
