Today in MLB History, April 4th

1911: The idea of selecting a Most Valuable Player is introduced. Hugh Chalmers, the automaker, offers a new car to the player in each league chosen M.V.P. by a committee of baseball writers.

1948: Philadelphia A's manager Connie Mack, who is 84-years-old, challenges Clark Griffith, the 78-year-old owner of the Senators, to a foot race from home plate to first base. The contest ends in a photo finish tie.

1974: In front a crowd of 52,000 at Riverfront Stadium on Opening Day in Cincinnati, Hank Aaron ties Babe Ruth's all-time home run record of 714 by hitting a first-inning two-run homer off Jack Billingham. The Atlanta front office had considered keeping 'Hammerin' Hank' on the bench during road games so the slugger could try to equal the mark in front of the hometown fans, but commissioner Bowie Kuhn ordered the Braves to put outfielder into the lineup for at least two of the three games.

1988: The Mets set an Opening Day record with six home runs in a 10-6 win over the Expos. Darryl Strawberry and Kevin McReynolds each connect twice for New York, with Strawberry's second blast (estimated at 525 feet) believed to be the longest ever hit at Olympic Stadium.

1989: On Opening Day, Tommy John ties record by playing in 26 seasons. The Yankee veteran hurler beats the Twins, 4-2 for his 287th win putting him 19th overall in career wins.

1994: A total of 56,706 fans attend Opening Day making it the largest crowd ever at new Yankee Stadium.....President Clinton throws out the first ball and 'El Presidente' Dennis Martinez throws the first pitch as the Indians defeat the Mariners, 4-3 In 11 innings in the first game ever played at Jacobs Field. With Bob Feller, the author of the only Opening Day no-hitter game in major league history in attendance, Mariner southpaw Randy Johnson holds the tribe hitless for the first seven innings.....Playing his 2,403rd game at first base, Indian infielder Eddie Murray becomes baseball's all-time leader in games played at that position.....On Opening Day at Wrigley Field, Cub rookie Tuffy Rhodes, who hit three home runs in all of 1993, becomes first player to homer in his first three at-bats starting the season. The three solo round-trippers are off Doc Gooden, the winning pitcher in the Mets 12-8 victory.

1998: Mark McGwire begins what will be a historic season homering in the fourth consecutive game to tie Willie Mays' National League record for most homers to start a season. Big Mac's three-run blast in the sixth inning helps the Cardinals beat the Padres, 8-6.

1999: Opening Day starts in Mexico, making it the first time baseball's first pitch comes outside the U.S. or Canada as the Rockies defeat the National League's defending champs Padres, 8-2.

2001: For the first time since June 7, 1995, the Indians do not have a sellout crowd at Jacobs Field. The streak of 455 games of consecutive full houses is a major league record.....Throwing the earliest no-hitter in major league history, Hideo Nomo blanks the Orioles, 3-0 at Camden Yards in his first start in a Red Sox uniform. Second baseman Mike Lansing makes an outstanding play with one out in the ninth to preserve the Japanese-born hurler's second career no-hitter.

2003: At Cincinnati's new Great American Ball Park, Sammy Sosa becomes the first Latin American player and 18th overall to hit 500 career home runs.