Today in sports history – 7 April

As sport grinds to a halt all over the world due to the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve decided to have a daily look back at those “simpler” times, when there was triumph, drama and disappointment on various fields and arenas.

This is today in sport history…

1896

Teddy Flack

The first modern Olympics continues in Athens. The day’s proceedings is illuminated by a thrilling 1 500m race, where Aussie Teddy Flack claims first place. While he was undeniably a talented middle and long distance athlete, his quest for glory in the event was complicated by the presence of American Arthur Blake.

Blake was considered the overwhelming favourite for the race and until the final straight the two men were neck-on-neck. Then, in an astonishing burst of speed, Flack broke away to thoroughly outclass his opponent, crossing the finish line with almost a 5m gap between him and Blake. It was a brilliant showing, particularly given how his body had been battered by severe sea sickness on his journey to Greece.

Flack went on to win the 800m and, rather less prudently, decided he was going to go for glory and compete in the marathon. The problem was that he’d never run more than 16km at one time during his lifetime. Showing freakish stanima, Flack managed to glide into the lead just after the 30km mark, but his inexperience then caught up with him as he collapsed. He had been so drained that he even punched a local who tried to help him up, totally confused as to what was going on around him.

Flack’s exploits at the Games made him so popular that he was nicknamed “The Lion of Athens”, but upon his return to Australia never competed competitively again, instead opting to establish an accounting firm and farming cattle.

1963

With the benefit of hindsight, it probably wasn’t too much of a surprise that Jack Nicklaus became the youngest ever golfer to don the hallowed green jacket at the Masters. That didn’t quite look possible the previous year – his first as a pro – when he finished a lowly 15th.

Yet the shook the foundations of US golf later when he defeated Arnold Palmer in a playoff to win the US Open, suggesting he would be ready to make a charge in ’63. Arriving at Augusta as a portly 23-year-old, Nicklaus struggled in the first round, only carding 74, but a magnificent, six-birdie 66 in the second catapulted him into contention. So compelling had that round been that even another lowly 74 in the third was enough to place at the summit of the leaderboard.

That type of high scoring looked seemingly enough as the final round commenced after a massive storm left the course basically flooded, but Nicklaus lukewarm start put him in trouble. Indeed, he was two-over at the 12th as veterans, notably Sam Snead and Tony Lema, found their mojo. The rookie responded with two birdies at 13 and 16, keeping his cool to win by one over Lema.

It would prove to be the first of a record six Masters titles for one of golf’s greats.

2000

Hansie Cronje. Photo by Tertius Pickard – Touchline Mandatory Credit: Touchline /Allsport

The end of South African and world cricket’s innocence is here. Delhi police sensationally announce that Proteas skipper Hansie Cronje and three national teammates – Nic Boje, Herschelle Gibbs and Pieter Strydom – have been charged with criminal conspiracy. Sanjiv Chawla, a London-based bookmaker, has a similar charge filed against him. Chawla is later confirmed to have had a several conversations with Cronje.

Ali Bacher, MD of the United Cricket Board (CSA’s predecessor), acts on Cronje’s behalf to release a statement that all the allegations are untrue. Cronje severs all telephonic communication, but is kept in the loop via his wife Bertha, who avails her cellphone for any developments that could be forthcoming. The Delhi police later in the day release a pretty incriminating transcript between Cronje and Chawla, though the authenticity remains in question to this day.

The South Africa cricket public stands behind their captain, but things are about to change…

2007

Bangladesh bowler Abdur Rassak celebrates taking the wicket of South Africa’s A.B. De Villiers during the ICC Cricket World Cup Super Eight match at the National Stadium in Georgetown, Guyana. (Photo by Gareth Fuller – PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images)

Stuck in Guyana for almost two weeks, the Proteas are desperate for a change of scenery and have a World Cup meeting with Bangladesh to complete before moving on. The Tigers had never won a match against South Africa in seven previous matches and looked on the ropes when a returning Andre Nel took three wickets to reduced them to 84/4.

But the mercurial Mohammad Ashraful then hits a brilliant 87 off just 83 as the Proteas lost their discipline despite Nel finishing with fine figures of 5/45. Clearly spooked by having to chase a tricky 252, South Africa tumble from 63/1 to 87/6 as the Bangladeshi slow bowlers strangled the batsmen. Herschelle Gibbs, batting with an injured calf, makes 56 at No 7, but it hardly matters as the cheery underdogs win by 67 runs.

The surprise defeat puts South Africa under unnecessary pressure in their quest for a semifinal place.

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