Events in Sport
- Jan 18 Modern field hockey is born with the formation of The Hockey Association in England
- Mar 26 48th Grand National: Tommy Skelton wins aboard 25/1 chance Old Joe
- May 14 12th Kentucky Derby: Paul Duffy aboard Ben Ali wins in 2:36.50
- May 21 14th Preakness: S Fisher aboard Bard wins in 2:45
- Jun 5 20th Belmont: Jim McLaughlin aboard Inspector B wins in 2:41
- Jul 13 Wimbledon Men's Tennis: William Renshaw beats Herbert Lawford for the 3rd straight year 6-0, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 for his 6th consecutive Wimbledon championship
- Jul 17 Wimbledon Women's Tennis: Blanche Bingley defeats 2-time defending champion Maud Watson 6–3, 6-3
- Aug 12 W. G. Grace makes his highest Test Cricket score, scoring 170 vs Australia at The Oval
- Aug 18 Carr Baker Neel & Samuel Neel win US Lawn Tennis Association doubles
- Aug 28 US National Championship Men's Tennis, Newport R.I.: Richard Sears beats R. Livingston Beeckman 4-6, 6-1, 6-3, 6-4 for his 6th consecutive US singles title
- More Events in Sport
Sports Stars Who Died in 1886
- May 3 Mary Ewing Outerbridge, American citizen credited with importing tennis to the US from Bermuda (1874), dies of illness at 34
- Nov 8 Fred Archer, English jockey (record 13 x GB Champion flat racing jockey 1874–86; 21 x British Classic Race wins; 5 x French Classic Race wins), commits suicide at 29