Van renter sought in NYC attack; Biden calls Russia’s war ‘genocide’; new aid for Ukraine expected

In 1743, the third president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, was born in Shadwell in the Virginia Colony.

In 1953, “Casino Royale,” Ian Fleming’s first book as well as the first James Bond novel, was published in London by Jonathan Cape Ltd.

In 1964, Sidney Poitier became the first Black performer in a leading role to win an Academy Award for his performance in “Lilies of the Field.”

On April 13, 1970, Apollo 13, four-fifths of the way to the moon, was crippled when a tank containing liquid oxygen burst. (The astronauts managed to return safely.)

In 1997, Tiger Woods became the youngest person to win the Masters Tournament and the first player of partly African heritage to claim a major golf title.

In 1999, right-to-die advocate Dr. Jack Kevorkian was sentenced in Pontiac, Michigan, to 10 to 25 years in prison for second-degree murder in the lethal injection of a Lou Gehrig’s disease patient. (Kevorkian ended up serving eight years.)

In 2005, a defiant Eric Rudolph pleaded guilty to carrying out the deadly bombing at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and three other attacks in back-to-back court appearances in Birmingham, Alabama, and Atlanta.

In 2009, music producer Phil Spector was found guilty by a Los Angeles jury of second-degree murder in the shooting of actor Lana Clarkson (he was later sentenced to 19 years to life in prison; he died in prison in January 2021).

 A federal jury in San Francisco convicted baseball slugger Barry Bonds of a single charge of obstruction of justice, but failed to reach a verdict on the three counts at the heart of allegations that he’d knowingly used steroids and human growth hormone and lied to a grand jury about it. 

In 2016, the Golden State Warriors became the NBA’s first 73-win team by beating the Memphis Grizzlies 125-104, breaking the 1996 72-win record of the Chicago Bulls. 

Kobe Bryant of the Lakers scored 60 points in his final game, wrapping up 20 years in the NBA.

1957 — The Boston Celtics capture their first NBA championship as rookie Tommy Heinsohn scores 37 points and grabs 23 rebounds in a 125-123 double overtime victory over the St. Louis Hawks in Game 7.

1980 — Seve Ballesteros, 23, becomes the youngest to win the Masters, with a four-stroke victory.

1984 — Pete Rose of the Montreal Expos collects the 4,000th hit of his career with a double off Philadelphia’s Jerry Koosman in the fourth inning.

1986 — Jack Nicklaus wins the Masters for a record sixth time and at 46 becomes the oldest to win the event.

1997 — Tiger Woods wins the Masters by a record 12 strokes at Augusta National. Closing with a 69, Woods finished at 18-under 270, the lowest score in the Masters and matching the most under par by anyone in any of the four Grand Slam events.

2003 — Mike Weir becomes the first Canadian to win the Masters after the first sudden-death playoff in 13 years.

2008 — Trevor Immelman handles the wind and pressure of Augusta National far better than anyone chasing him to win the Masters, the first South African in a green jacket in 30 years.

2012 — Martin Brodeur stops 24 shots for his 100th postseason win, and a three-goal first period is enough to help the New Jersey Devils spoil the Florida Panthers’ long-awaited return to the Stanley Cup playoffs in a 3-2 victory. Brodeur becomes the second goalie in NHL history to reach triple-figures in playoff wins. Only Patrick Roy has more, with 151.

2014 — Bubba Watson wins the Masters for the second time in three years. Watson claims another green jacket by shooting a 3-under 69 in the final round, fending off Jordan Spieth’s bid to become the youngest major champion since 1931.

2016 — Golden State becomes the first 73-win team beating the Memphis Grizzlies 125-104, an NBA mark set 20 years ago by the Chicago Bulls. Stephen Curry becomes the first player to make 400 3-pointers in a season by knocking down 10 from long range on the way to 46 points and 402 total 3s.

2016 — Kobe Bryant goes out with a Hollywood ending to his remarkable career, scoring 60 points in his final game, wrapping up 20 years in the NBA with an unbelievable offensive showcase in Los Angeles’ 101-96 victory over Utah.