Sport

On this Day, April 25 1947: Johan Cruyff, three-time European Footballer of the Year, was born

Johan Cruyff played for Ajax, AC Milan and Barcelona during a glittering career  
Johan Cruyff played for Ajax, AC Milan and Barcelona during a glittering career   Johan Cruyff played for Ajax, AC Milan and Barcelona during a glittering career  

ON THIS DAY IN SPORT

1872: CB Fry, one of the greatest all-round British sportsmen, was born. He played cricket for Sussex and Hampshire and was capped 26 times by England. He was an England football international and also appeared for Southampton in the 1902 FA Cup final. He also played rugby union for the Barbarians, and in 1893 he set a world long-jump record. He died on September 7, 1956.

1947: Johan Cruyff, the three-time European Footballer of the Year who starred for Ajax, AC Milan, Barcelona and Holland, was born. He died in 2016 after a battle with cancer.

2001: Peter Schmeichel bowed out of international football following his 129th Denmark appearance.

2004: Arsenal clinched the Premiership title by drawing 2-2 with Tottenham at White Hart Lane, and went on to end the league campaign unbeaten.

2006: Jens Lehmann saved a late Juan Roman Riquelme penalty as Arsenal claimed a goalless draw at Villarreal to seal their place in the Champions League final. They went on to lose the final 2-1 to Barcelona in Paris.

2007: It was confirmed that England World Cup winner Alan Ball had died aged 61. He died of a suspected heart attack after battling to put out a bonfire in his garden.

2010: Cork beat Mayo by 1-17 to 0-12 to win the National Football League final in Croke Park. 

2014: Former Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova died of throat cancer at the age of 45. Vilanova led the Catalan club for a season after taking over from Pep Guardiola in 2012 but was forced to resign in 2013 due to ill health. He had first been diagnosed with parotid gland cancer in November 2011.

2016: Salford were docked six points after being found guilty of breaching the Super League salary cap.

BIRTHDAYS

Peter McParland (soccer) - former Northern Ireland striker who scored both goals as Aston Villa defeated Manchester United 2-1 in the 1957 FA Cup final, born 1934.

David Moyes (soccer) - former Manchester United and Everton manager, now at West Ham, born 1963.

Diego Dominguez (rugby union) - former Stade Francais and Italy fly-half, born 1966.

Karle Hammond (rugby league) - former Wales, Widnes and London Broncos half-back, born 1974.

Rainer Schuttler (tennis) - Runner-up in 2003 Australian Open, born 1976.

Felipe Massa (motor racing) - former Williams and Ferrari F1 driver, born 1981.

Monty Panesar (cricket) - former England spinner, born 1982.

Michael van Gerwen (darts) - 2014 and 2017 PDC World Championship champion, born 1989.

QUICK QUIZ

1. How many Munster Senior Hurling Championship titles did Jimmy Barry-Murphy win as manager with Cork?

2. Which team did Zinedine Zidane end his playing career with?

3. Which club did Alan Shearer play for before Blackburn?

4. How old was Martina Hingis when she won Wimbledon in 1997?

5. Who captained Ireland in the Grand Slam-winning game against England on St Patrick’s Day 2018?


Answers below

SPORT ON TV

Today (Wednesday, April 25)

SOCCER: Champions League, Bayern Munich v Real Madrid - BT Sport 2 1900.

SNOOKER: The World Championship - BBC Two 1000, 1300 and Eurosport 1 1000, 1430, 1830.

GOLF: European Tour, China Open - Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Golf 0330 (Thurs).

TENNIS: ATP Tour, the Barcelona Open - Sky Sports Main Event 1000; WTA Tour, Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart - BT Sport 1 1030, 1730.

CYCLING: Tour of Romandy - Eurosport 2 1500.

BASEBALL: MLB, Houston Astros v Los Angeles Angels - BT Sport/ESPN 1900; Cleveland Indians v Chicago Cubs - BT Sport/ESPN 0000 (Thu).

Tomorrow (Thursday, April 26)

SOCCER: Europa League, Arsenal v Atletico Madrid - BT Sport 2 1900; Marseille v RB Salzburg - eir Sport 1 2000.

SNOOKER: The World Championship - BBC Two 1300 and Eurosport 1 1300, 1830.

GOLF: European Tour, China Open - Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Golf 0730, 0330 (Fri); PGA Tour, Zurich Classic of New Orleans - Sky Sports Golf 1300.

TENNIS: ATP Tour, the Barcelona Open - Sky Sports Main Event 1300; WTA Tour, Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart - BT Sport 1 1030, 1730.

CYCLING: Tour of Romandy - Eurosport 2 1500.

GRIDIRON: NFL, live draft - Sky Sports Action 0000 (Fri) and Sky Sports Main Event 0100 (Fri).

BASEBALL: MLB, Cleveland Indians v Seattle Mariners - BT Sport 2 2300; Chicago Cubs v Milwaukee Brewers - BT Sport/ESPN 0100 (Fri).

BASKETBALL: NBA, playoffs TBC - BT Sport 1 0100 (Fri).

DARTS: Premier League Darts - Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Action 1900.

QUIZ ANSWERS

1. Three; 2. Real Madrid; 3. Southampton; 4. 16 years old; 5. Rory Best