Early agate
ON THIS DATE
April 8
1952 – Charleroi High School left-handed pitcher Darrell Daugherty throws a no-hitter and scores the game’s only run in the fifth inning as the Cougars defeat Bellmar 1-0. Daugherty strikes out seven.
1958 – The Pittsburgh Steelers announce they will hold training camp at California State Teachers College in preparation for the 1958 NFL season.
1974 – In the home opener in Atlanta, Hank Aaron breaks Babe Ruth’s career record by hitting his 715th home run, connecting off Al Downing of Los Angeles in the fourth inning.
1975 – Frank Robinson, the first black manager in the majors, makes his debut as player-manager for the Cleveland Indians. Robinson hits a home run in his first at-bat – as a designated hitter – to help beat the New York Yankees 5-3.
1976 – The Pittsburgh Steelers select Clemson tight end Bennie Cunningham with their first pick in the NFL draft.
1979 – The Pittsburgh Pirates trade left-handed pitcher Jerry Reuss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for right-handed pitcher Rick Rhoden.
1981 – Terry Kushner is named head football coach at Trinity High School. Kushner held the same job at Peters Township the last two seasons.
1988 – Fort Cherry’s Wade Timmerson scores nine points and has four assists to help the City-Western Pennsylvania All-Stars defeat the WPIAL Quad-A team, 108-92, in the preliminary game of the Dapper Dan Roundball Classic at the Civic Arena.
1998 – Duquesne University hires former Pitt player Darrelle Porter as head basketball coach.
2002 – The Pittsburgh Pirates win their home opener for the first time in nine years, beating the Cincinnati Reds 1-0 at PNC Park. Pitchers Ron Villone, Mike Fetters and Mike Williams combine on the shutout.
2007 – Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby finishes with 120 points to become the youngest player to win the Art Ross Trophy for leading the league in scoring. The 19-year-old Crosby betters the mark set by Wayne Gretzky, who was 20 years and 3 months when he recorded 164 points for his first Art Ross in 1980-81. Crosby had 36 goals and 84 assists.
2010 – Sidney Crosby scores his 500th career point as the Pittsburgh Penguins defeat the New York Islanders 7-3 in the 1,667th and last regular-season game at the Mellon Arena.
2013 – Charleroi resident Rande Stottlemyer retires as head coach of Pitt’s wresgtling team. Stottlemyer spent 34 years coaching the Panthers, won 304 dual meets and coached three national champions.
April 9
1956 – Stan Majesky of West Bethlehem throws one of the best games ever pitched by a local high school baseball player. Majesky strikes out 27 batters in a 13-inning complete game as West Beth defeats visiting Waynesburg, 1-0. Majesky allows six hits. West Beth scores the winning run on an error in the 13th inning.
1959 – Pitcher Chuck Giuffrida strikes out 20 batters and throws a three-hitter as Donora defeats Monongahela 8-3 in the Section 16 baseball opener.
1962 — Arnold Palmer wins a three-way playoff, beating Gary Player and Dow Finsterwald, in the Masters.
1963 – Bob Bailey hits his first major league home run to help the Pittsburgh Pirates win their home opener, 3-2, over the Milwaukee Braves.
1984 – The Washington High School boys basketball team, the PIAA Class AA champion, is named the Observer-Reporter’s Sports Headliner.
1985 – Chartiers-Houston’s Michelle Bazzoli and Becki Burlingham of Immaculate Conception are named co-Most Valuable Players of the Observer-Reporter Washington-Greene Girls Basketball All-Star team.
1988 – Peters Township High School freshman Kathy Knabb wins the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs, and Ringgold sophomore Rae Tartt wins the 100- and 200-meter dashes for the second consecutive year, at the Washington County Coaches Girls Track Meet held at Trinity.
1989 – Phil Bourque scores two goals and the Pittsburgh Penguins defeat the New York Rangers 4-3 to sweep the Patrick Division semifinal series. It’s Pittsburgh’s first playoff series victory in 10 years.
1993 – The Pittsburgh Penguins beat the New York Rangers 10-4 for their 16th straight win to break the NHL record of 15 held by the New York Islanders.
2007 – Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby finishes with 120 points to become the youngest player to win the Art Ross Trophy. Crosby, 19, betters the mark set by Wayne Gretzky, who was 20 years and three months old when he recorded 164 points for his first Art Ross in 1980-81. Crosby had 36 goals and 84 assists.
2012 – The Canon-McMillan wrestling team, which went undefeated and won two PIAA championships, is named the Observer-Reporter Sports Headliner.
2013 – Beau Bennett and Evgeni Malkin score goals 13 seconds apart in the third period as the Pittsburgh Penguins defeat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-3 and clinch the Atlantic Division title.