1950 — Florence Wills, Sally Black, Edna Maskell and Daphne Robb combine to break the women’s 4x110-yards relay world record at the South African championships in Kimberley, clocking 47.3 sec. Seven watches were used for the face, with five registering the new mark, one 47.2 and one at 47.4, the previous mark set by Holland in 1948. On the same day a barefoot 16-year-old J van der Merwe won the women’s high jump, ending Esther Brand’s reign that had started in 1938. Robb married long-jumper Denis Hasenjager at the end of the month, with Wills being her bridesmaid.
1961 — Gary Player becomes the first non-American to win the US Masters. Player went into the final round leading Arnold Palmer by four strokes, but the South African had to grind out a nail-biting one-shot victory over Palmer and amateur Charles Coe after shooting a final-round 74 for an eight-under-par 280. Coe fired 69 in the fourth round while Palmer carded 71. Player pocketed $20,000. Coe, 37 at the time, never turned professional, and that was his best finish in a major.
1965 — The Springboks are beaten 6-9 by Ireland at Lansdowne Road, their second consecutive defeat en route to what would become a record stretch of seven straight losses a few months later. Centre Wynand Mans scored the Boks’ only try, with flyhalf Dave Stewart adding a penalty.
1993 — Hours after ANC stalwart Chris Hani was assassinated, South Africa’s soccer team dominate Mauritius for much of their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the Rand Stadium in Johannesburg, but are held to a 0-0 draw. Mauritius, playing for the draw, had one decent shot at goal in the entire match.
1997 — Australia clinch their first ODI series in South Africa as they beat the Proteas by five wickets in Centurion for an unassailable 4-2 lead in the seven-match contest. But it was a nail-biting affair. Hansie Cronje (80) and Daryll Cullinan (89) led South Africa to 284/7 in their 50 overs. The South African bowlers reduced Australia to 58/3 early on, but then Steve Waugh (89) and Michael Bevan (103) reclaimed the advantage. The Australians reached the target with six balls remaining.
1999 — Bafana Bafana are beaten 0-1 by Gabon in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier marred by questionable refereeing in Libreville. South Africa were twice denied what should have been penalties, and disallowed two Bafana goals, one by Benni McCarthy and the other by Shaun Bartlett. Bartlett’s effort went through the netting of the goal, but the referee instead awarded a corner — even though no Gabon player had touched the ball.
2001 — The Proteas clinch their first-ever away Test series against the West Indies, winning the fourth Test by 82 runs for an unassailable 2-0 lead with one match remaining. Spinner Nicky Boje took 4/118 and captain Shaun Pollock 3/41 as South Africa bowled out the hosts for 240 on the final day.
2005 — Graeme Smith, resuming on 90, goes on to score 148 on the third day of the second Test against the West Indies in Port of Spain.
2007 — AB de Villiers scores 146 from 130 balls as the Proteas beat the West Indies by 67 runs in a World Cup Super Eight match at St George’s. South Africa made 356/4 before limiting the hosts to 289/9. Ramnaresh Sarwan made 92.
2011 — Charl Schwartzel becomes the third South African to win the US Masters. Four shots off the pace at the start of the final round, he fires an impressive 66 after finishing with four consecutive birdies to beat the Australian duo of Jason Day and Adam Scott by two shots with his 14-under-par 274. He earned $1.44m. Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy, the third-round leader on 12-under-par, faded after going around the Augusta National in eight over par.
2021 — The Proteas lose the opening T20 against Pakistan at the Wanderers by four wickets. The hosts scored 188/6 with Aiden Markram making 51 from 32 balls and stand-in skipper Heinrich Klaasen 50 off 28.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.