Creation
Star Trek Canon Special Note
Not everything listed in the origin is Canon. That is because only television shows and movies are considered canon. This being a comic website there are many things here that are not canon. So unless it is contradicted in film it should be listed as part of the character biography.
Robert April was the original name Gene Roddenberry had for the Captain of the Enterprise. The name was changed later to Christopher Pike by the time the first episode was made. He later became part of the back story but was never used until the Animated Series was made. April appeared in one episode as the first Captain of the Enterprise.
Origin
Robert April was known for his skills in diplomacy and military tactics and taught at Starfleet Academy before he even got his own command. April was the first Captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise in 2188 before both James Kirk and Christopher Pike. As Captain his wife Sarah April was his chief medical officer. April would give command to Pike and be promoted to Admiral. He always regretted giving up command of the Enterprise and tried to get it back. He even undermined the command of Acting Captain Number One. His orders created an explosion that damaged his own ship as well as a the shuttle with Pike, Phillip Boyce, Spock and Virka. This resulted in Number One getting seriously injured. It is not know what happened to her or the others that were injured and missing including at least two dead crewmen. What ever happened Pike, and Spock made it out alright considering they show up later in the Star Trek universe.
Somehow April was able to save face in has career and became a great Ambassador for twenty years, and was still very much respected in his old age when he and his wife visited the Ship when Kirk was Captain. This makes him the only known man to be an officer on board ship for all three of the ships Captain, April, Pike and Kirk. He was intending to retire at the mandatory age of 75 and the Enterprise was providing him transport.
While on board the ship the crew faced an anomaly that made the whole crew the age of infants. April was so much older that he only reverted to a young man. He again was able to take control of the ship and considered becoming Captain again but he saved the crew and reverted everyone to their proper age. It was later that he was able to stay with Starfleet as the mandatory retirement age was rescinded.