What Happened in Sports: April 8, 2022

2017: Portland Trail Blazers PG Damian Lillard scored a then career-high and franchise-record 59 points in a victory over the Utah Jazz. His 26 points in the 1st quarter tied his own franchise record. Dame now owns the top4 records for PTS (61 x2) in Blazers history 

1993: Cleveland Indians 2B Carlos Baerga became the 1st player to hit a HR from both sides of the plate during 1 inning in MLB history

1980: Los Angeles Lakers PG Magic Johnson became the only rookie to record a triple-double during his NBA postseason debut and recorded the most AST (16) in a playoff debut by any player in NBA history to this day

1978: Buffalo Braves played their very last home game — a loss to the New York Knicks — before moving to San Diego and becoming the “Clippers”

1975: Cleveland Indians MGR Frank Robinson became the very 1st African-American Manager in MLB history and he hit a HR in his very 1st AB as the team’s player-manager

1974: Atlanta Braves OF Hank Aaron hit his record-breaking 715th career home run, passing the immortal Babe Ruth for the most in MLB history. Aaron finished with 755 which stayed as the record until Barry Bonds surpassed him in 2007

1969: Montreal Expos, San Diego Padres, Kansas City Royals, and Seattle Pilots (Brewers) all played and won their inaugural MLB openers, which included the 1st MLB game ever featuring a team located in Canada (Montreal)

1966: As competition with the NFL ramped up, the AFL appointed 36 year-old Oakland Raiders HC Al Davis as the league’s new commissioner

1966: At the Astrodome in Houston, the Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers played the very 1st baseball game on artificial turf in MLB history