Apr 28, 2023 4 min read

ON THIS DATE

April 29

1934 – Pittsburgh becomes the last major league city to host a game on a Sunday. The Pirates beat Cincinnati at Forbes Field, 9-5.

1961 – ABC debuts Wide World of Sports, hosted by Jim McKay. The two events: the Penn Relays from Franklin Field in Philadelphia and the Drake Relays from Des Moines, Iowa.

1980 – ESPN televises the NFL draft for the first time. The first announced selection is Oklahoma running back Billy Sims by the Detroit Lions.

1984 – Joe Pendry is fired as head coach of the Pittsburgh Maulers after he fails to attend a meeting with officials of the USFL team. Pendry has a 2-8 record in the Maulers’ first season of play. Offensive line coach Ellis Rainsberger is named interim head coach.

1986 – The Pittsburgh Steelers select Temple guard John Rienstra with the ninth pick in the NFL draft.

1992 – The Pittsburgh Penguins overcome a 4-2 deficit and force a seventh game in their playoff series against Washington by defeating the Capitals 6-4 at the Civic Arena. Mario Lemeiux scores two power-play goals.

1992 – Pittsburgh Steelers running back Tim Worley is suspended for one year by the NFL for missing two mandatory drug tests.

1994 – Kirk Rueter of Montreal becomes the first major league pitcher since Fernando Valenzuela in 1981 to start his career with a 10-0 record as the Expos beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 3-2.

1994 – Sophomore Aaron Gatten wins the 100- and 200-meter dashes, takes part in two relay victories and is named outstanding overall performer at the Washington County Coaches Track Meet. Canon-McMillan wins the boys team title.

April 30

1938 – Penn State sophomore Nick Vukmanic, a graduate of Jefferson Township High School in Greene County, sets the meet record in the javelin at the Penn Relays with a throw of 223-10 1/2. Vukmanic is a former PIAA champion and national record holder in the event.

1956 – Duquesne’s Sihugo Green is the first player selected in the NBA draft. It marks the first time that a school has produced the first selection in the draft in consecutive years. In 1955, Duquesne’s Dick Ricketts was chosen first overall by Milwaukee. After Green, the St. Louis Hawks select Bill Russell, a center from San Francisco, and trade him to the Boston Celtics.

1958 – Donora High School breezes to the team title at the Mon Valley track meet. Five meet records are set, including three by the Dragons: Ray Schearer in the javelin (177-3 1/2), Tom Urbanik in the shot put (54-2) and Hal Rice in the high jump (6-5).

1965 – Jim Buchanan sets the school record in the mile run (4:37.9) and helps Washington to the team title at the Western Conference track meet at Canon-McMillan.

1967 – The Pittsburgh Hornets of the American Hockey League complete a sweep of Rochester to win the Calder Cup. Billy Harris scores the game-winning goal 26 seconds into overtime. It’s the final game in Hornets history.

1974 – Canon-McMillan’s Tim Corcoran and Trinity’s Blaine Hainer each throw a no-hitter with 11 strikeouts in Section 3 baseball games. Corcoran issues only one walk in the Big Macs’ 3-0 win over Avella, and Hainer walks five in Trinity’s 2-0 victory over host Fort Cherry.

1979 – McGuffey turns to the college coaching ranks and hires Washington & Jefferson assistant Frank Sworden to be the Highlanders’ head football coach.

1981 – McGuffey’s Gary Loughman throws a no-hitter as the Highlanders defeat Waynesburg 3-0 and hand the Raiders their first Section 8-AAA loss. Loughman strikes out nine and walks three.

1996 – Jim Boone, who coached the California University men’s basketball team for the last 10 years, is named head coach at Robert Morris. Boone was chosen from a pool of more than 130 applicants. At Cal, Boone had a 228-79 record and won four PSAC championships and made the NCAA Division II tournament six times. The Vulcans advanced to the Final Four twice.

1999 – Dave Cecchini strikes out 17 as Avella defeats Carmichaels 3-0 to improve the Eagles’ Section 1-A baseball record to 4-1.

2002 – The Oakland Raiders sign 10-time Pro Bowl defensive back Rod Woodson as a free agent.