Sports April Fool's Day: The Joy of Believing the Unbelievable

Dolphins trade Tyreek Hill? Tiger Woods healed and ready for the Masters? These are the wild stories making waves today.

Sports Illustrated once created a legendary April Fool’s Day prank in 1985, presenting a fictional pitcher, Sidd Finch, who allegedly hurled fastballs at an unimaginable 168 mph. Remember Sidd Finch? He was said to have signed with the New York Mets, wore only one shoe, practiced yoga, and played the French horn.

Indeed, this jaw-dropping story was merely an April Fools’ joke, conceived by George Plimpton and published in Sports Illustrated on April 1, 1985. If you looked closely, the first letter of each word in the subheading read “Happy April Fools’ Day-a(h) fib,” though few people noticed this clever hint.

This serves as a gentle reminder for sports enthusiasts to be skeptical of headlines or reports that seem too good or outrageous to be true. When the news broke this morning about the Dolphins dealing Tyreek Hill, or Tiger Woods hinting that a hyperbaric chamber had magically mended his Achilles recovery just in time for next week’s Masters, or even the Yankees blasting 15 home runs against the Brewers with new bats—though that last one was actually true—our antennae should be raised.

Tyreek is no stranger to sharing outlandish ideas on social media, often delighting in bewildering his followers. The timing of these trade rumors is particularly suspect, coming just after Coach Mike McDaniel assured everyone at the NFL owners’ meetings that Hill would remain with the Dolphins in 2025.

Although Tiger Woods initially spurred excitement about the Masters, he later clarified with a cheeky disclaimer, “P.S. April Fools, my Achilles is still a mess :).”

Enjoy April Fool’s Day, but remain cautious about any sensational headlines. Unless, of course, it’s verified by The Palm Beach Post!