1957 — Boxer Ewart Potgieter, the giant farmer who stood 2.18m tall (7ft 2in), is easily outpointed over 10 rounds by John Holman in Portland, US. Potgieter outweighed the American by 55kg and was taller by 27cm, but hardly landed a punch. Holman stuck close to Potgieter, attacking the body with such ferocity that by the eighth round the visitor’s stomach and sides were covered in red welts. Potgieter was suspended by American boxing on medical grounds after that fight and never fought again, retiring with a record of 11 wins, all inside the distance, two losses and a draw. Chicago-based Holman was a useful fighter, boasting a win over former world heavyweight champion Ezzard Charles.
1978 — Gary Player, at the age of 42, stages a spectacular comeback to win his third US Masters crown. Seven shots behind third-round leader Hubert Green, Player fired an eight-under-par 64 to clinch a one-stroke victory. He was on fire on the back nine, carding 30 as he nailed a series of tricky putts, including one of more than four metres on the 18th for birdie. Player, with an 11-under-par 278, had to wait for the groups behind him to finish, but in the end he was one shot better than US Open champion Green, defending champion Tom Watson and Rod Funseth. Player pocketed $45,000 for this triumph, the last of his nine major titles.
2000 — Stand-in skipper Shaun Bartlett and Jabu Pule score as a second-string Bafana Bafana beat Lesotho 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier in Maseru.
2002 — The Proteas finally defeat the high-riding Australians in the final seventh ODI at Newlands, after five losses and a tie. In a rain-shortened match, Graeme Smith made 73 from 78 balls as SA reached 249/7 in 39 overs. Chasing 251 for victory off 39 overs, the Australians were bowled out for 185, spinner Nicky Boje taking five wickets and Shaun Pollock three.
2009 — The Proteas take a 2-1 lead in the five-ODI series as they beat Australia by 25 runs at Newlands. AB de Villiers (80) and Jacques Kallis (70) were the backbone of the SA knock of 289/6. Roelof van der Merwe took 3/37 in his 10 overs as the SA bowlers restricted the Australians to 264/7.
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