TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - APRIL 17TH

1869 - First pro baseball games-Cin Reds 24, Cin amateurs 15.
1892 - First Sunday NL baseball game, Reds beat Cards 5-1.
1920 - American Professional Football Association forms (NFL).
1923 - Longest NL opening game, Phillies & Dodgers tie 5-5 in 14.
1925 - NY Yankee Babe Ruth has ulcer surgery.
1933 - Chicago Bears win their 1st NFL Game beating NY Giants 23-21.
1934 - New Fenway Park opens, Washington Senators beat Red Sox 6-5.
1939 - Joe Louis KOs Jack Roper in 1 for Heavyweight boxing title.
1947 - Jackie Robinson bunts for his 1st major league hit.
1951 - NY Yankee Mickey Mantle's 1st game, he goes 1 for 4.
1953 - Mickey Mantle hits a 565' (172 m) HR in Wash DC's Griffith Stadium.

1960 - Cleveland Indians trade Rocky Colavito to Tigers for Harvey Kuenn.

1961 - Boomer Esiason, West Islip, New York,

NFL quarterback (NY Jets, Cincinnati Bengals) is born.
1964 - First game at Shea Stadium, NY Mets lose to Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-3.
1966 - 100th international soccer match between Netherlands-Belgium (3-1).

1968 - A's first game in Oakland-Alameda Stadium, lose 4-1 to Balt Orioles.
1969 - Montreal Expos Bill Stoneman no-hits Phillies, 7-0.

1976 - NL greatest comeback, trailing 12-1 Phils win 18-16 in 10,

Mike Schmidt hits 4 consecutive HRs.

1983 - Grete Waltz runs female world record marathon (2:25:29).
1983 - Nolan Ryan strikes out his 3,500th batter.

1984 - Braves pitcher Pascual Perez suspended due to cocaine usage.
1987 - Julius Erving becomes 3rd NBA player to score 30,000 points.

1996 - Michele Carew, daughter of baseball great Rod, dies of Leukemia at 18.

1997 - NJ Devil Martin Brodeur is 2nd NHL goalie to score in a playoff game.