What Happened in Sports: April 2, 2020

2019: Oklahoma City Thunder PG Russell Westbrook became just the 2nd player in NBA history to record 20+ points, rebounds, and assists in a game (Wilt Chamberlain)

2013: New York Knicks SF Carmelo Anthony dropped 50 points in Miami (t-2nd most in career) without a single turnover (11th ever to do so)

2010: Los Angeles Lakers SG Kobe Bryant signed a 3y/$87M contract extension

2003: At 27 years, 249 days, Texas Rangers SS Alex Rodriguez became the youngest player in MLB history to hit 300 career HRs

2001: During his debut for the Seattle Mariners, OF Ichiro Suzuki became the 1st Japanese-born position player in MLB history

2001: Recording his 3,509th career strikeout in a victory over the Kansas City Royals, New York Yankees SP Roger Clemens passed Walter Johnson for most in AL history

1996: Vancouver Grizzlies snapped their NBA-record streak of 23 consecutive losses with a victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves

1996: Detroit Tigers 1B Cecil Fielder recorded his very 1st stolen base in his 1,097th career game

1995: Longest strike in American sports history ended as MLB owners accepted the players’ offer to return without contracts after 232 days

1982: As a statement against the lack of a DH in the NL during Spring Training, Oakland Athletics MGR Billy Martin sent SP Steve McCatty to the plate with a 15″ toy bat during 

1976: Rather than hoping they re-sign the next offseason, the Oakland Athletics traded 2 key players from their World Series squad — OF Reggie Jackson and SP Ken Holtzman, both impending free agents — to the Baltimore Orioles for SPs Mike Torrez, Paul Mitchell, and OF Don Baylor

1972: New York Mets MGR Gil Hodges suffered a heart attack and unexpectedly passed away just 2 days before his 48th birthday; on short notice, he is replaced by HOF C Yogi Berra

1931: In her 1st professional appearance for the Chattanooga Lookouts, 17-year-old P Jackie Mitchell struck out Yankee legends Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in an exhibition game