1974 — American racing car driver Peter Revson, an heir to the Revlon cosmetics empire, is killed at Kyalami when his Shadow DN3 hits a barrier at Barbecue Bend during testing ahead of the SA Grand Prix. The vehicle burst into flames and rival drivers Graham Hill, Eddie Keizan and Emerson Fittipaldi stopped to try pull Revson from the wreckage. Revson, who died on impact, was wearing a gold locket with the inscription, “If not for you — Margi”, given to him by his American girlfriend, Marjorie Wallace, who had just become the first reigning Miss World to be fired for not fulfilling the conditions of her job. Revson, who had posted two F1 victories, had finished second at the SA GP the previous year and third in 1972 for his first F1 podium finish.
1981 — Reigning world champion Jon Ekerold wins the 350cc race in the season-opening Argentine motorcycle grand prix in Buenos Aires.
1992 — South Africa’s cricketers get their first taste of World Cup heartbreak. They reach the semifinals of the first World Cup tournament they compete in, facing England in a day-night encounter in Sydney. South Africa win the toss and elect to bowl first, and Zimbabwe-born Graeme Hick struck 83 from 90 balls to lead England to 252/6 in a rain-shortened 45 overs. Andrew Hudson (46) and Adrian Kuiper (36) kept SA in the hunt until Brian McMillan (21 not out) and Dave Richardson (13 not out) came together at the crease. Needing 22 runs from 14 balls, the rain came down for 12 minutes, and when play resumed, the target was first revised to 22 runs from seven balls, and then again to 22 runs off one ball.
1997 — Two South Africans face off for a world title for the first time. Cassius Baloyi, holder of the marginal WBU junior-featherweight title, takes on Anton Gilmore at the Wembley indoor stadium, winning a controversial points decision. Gilmore was the busier and more aggressive of the two fighters, but Baloyi landed more telling blows. Baloyi, making the first defence of the belt, experienced legs cramps in the fight and at one stage wanted to quit between rounds, but his trainer, Nick Durandt, forced him back into the ring.
2002 — Alison Hodgkinson scores 77 and Sunette Viljoen 71 in SA’s follow-on innings on the final day of the one-off Test against the Indian women’s team in Paarl, forcing the visitors to bat again. But India, needing 13 runs, won by 10 wickets. It was SA’s first cricket Test in 30 years. Viljoen, just 18 at the time, went on to win Olympic and world championship medals in javelin.
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