Events in Sport
- Jan 1 Brooklyn announces release of future Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder Zack Wheat after 18 consecutive seasons with Robins; Wheat hits .324 in final season with Philadelphia A's
- Jan 1 13th Rose Bowl: Stanford ties Alabama, 7-7
- Jan 5 Judge Landis begins 3-day public hearing on charges that 4 games played between Chicago & Detroit in 1917 had been thrown to White Sox
- Jan 7 Harlem Globetrotters play their 1st game in Hinckley, Illinois
- Jan 14 Toronto Maple Leafs 1st hat trick (Hap Day) vs NY Rangers
- Jan 27 Australian Championships Women's Tennis, Melbourne: Esna Boyd wins title after 5 consecutive runner-up finishes; beats Sylvia Lance Harper 5-7, 6-1, 6-2
- Jan 27 Australian Championships Men's Tennis: Gerald Patterson wins his only home title; beats countryman John Hawkes 3-6, 6-4, 3-6, 18-16, 6-3
- Feb 17 Toronto Maple Leafs beat the New York Americans, 4-1 in the team's first game since changing name from "St. Patricks"
- Feb 20 Golfers in SC arrested for violating Sabbath
- Feb 22 ARC soccer team forms in Alphen on the Rhine
- Feb 27 For 2nd Sunday in a row golfers in SC arrested for violating Sabbath
- Mar 24 Cuban chess champion Jose Capablanca wins 33-day Grand Chess Tournie
- Mar 25 86th Grand National: 8/1 favourite Sprig wins; ridden by jockey Ted Leader, trained by his father Tom Leader
- Apr 13 Stanley Cup Final, Ottawa Auditorium, Ottawa, ON: Ottawa Senators beat Boston Bruins, 3-1 for a 2-0-2 series win
- Apr 15 Babe Ruth hits 1st of 60 HRs of season (off A's Howard Ehmke)
Boston Marathon
Apr 18 31st Boston Marathon won by Clarence DeMar in 2:40:22.2; his 5th victory in the event
Clarence DeMar
- May 9 52nd Preakness: Whitey Abel aboard Bostonian wins in 2:01.6
- May 11 Belgium beats England 9-1 in soccer
- May 13 VVOG soccer team forms in Harderwijk
- May 14 53rd Kentucky Derby: Linus McAtee aboard Whiskery wins in 2:06
- May 16 NY Yankee Bob Meusel steals 2nd, 3rd & home
- May 17 Chicago Cubs beat Boston Braves, 4-3, in 22 innings
- May 22 Dodgers beat Phillies, 20-4
- May 28 Hammond scores his 1,000th cricket run of the season after 22 days
Event of Interest
May 30 Walter Johnson records 113th & last shutout of his career
Walter Johnson
Ryder Cup
Jun 4 1st Ryder Cup Golf, Worcester CC: US beats Great Britain, 9½-2½; Walter Hagen first American captain; Ted Ray first GB skipper
Walter Hagen
- Jun 5 French Championships Men's Tennis: Hometown favourite Rene Lacoste wins 2nd of 3 French titles; beats Bill Tilden 6-4, 4-6, 5-7, 6-3, 11-9
- Jun 5 32nd Women's French Championships: Kornelia Bouman beats Irene Peacock (6-2, 6-4)
- Jun 8 Tony Lazzeri hits 3 HRs Yanks beat White Sox 12-11
- Jun 11 59th Belmont: Earl Sande riding Chance Shot wins in 2:32.6
- Jun 11 Babe Ruth hits 19th and 20th of 60 HRs
- Jun 17 US Open Men's Golf, Oakmont CC: American-based Scotsman Tommy Armour defeats Harry Cooper by 3 strokes in an 18-hole playoff to win the first of his 3 major titles
World Record
Jun 18 Paavo Nurmi runs world record 2000 m: 5:24.6
Paavo Nurmi
Baseball Record
Jun 23 Lou Gehrig hits 3 HRs in 11-4 victory over Red Sox
Lou Gehrig
- Jun 25 WVO soccer team forms in Oosterhout
Wimbledon Women's Tennis
Jul 2 Wimbledon Women's Tennis: Helen Wills Moody beats Spaniard Lilí Álvarez 6-2, 6-4 for her first of 8 Wimbledon titles
Helen Wills Moody
British Golf Open
Jul 15 British Open Men's Golf, St. Andrews: American Bobby Jones retains title; wins wire-to-wire by 6 shots from Fred Robson & Aubrey Boomer
Bobby Jones
- Jul 17 21st Tour de France: Nicolas Frantz of Luxembourg claims first of 2 consecutive titles by 1h 48' 21" from Belgian Maurice De Waele
- Aug 5 Phillies outfielder Cy Williams hits for cycle in just 4 at bats in 9-7 win v Pirates
- Aug 16 1st HR hit out of Comiskey Park Chicago (NY Yankee Babe Ruth)
- Aug 22 Babe Ruth hits 40th of 60 homers
- Aug 30 US National Championship Women's Tennis, Forest Hills, NY: Helen Wills Moody beats England's Betty Nuthall Shoemaker 6-1, 6-4 for her 4th of 7 US singles titles
- Sep 5 Red Sox beat Yankees 12-11 in 18 innings
- Sep 6 Red Sox beat NY Yankees 12-11 in 18 innings at Fenway Park
- Sep 10 22nd Davis Cup: France beats USA in Philadelphia (3-2)
- Sep 11 Babe Ruth hits 50th of 60 homers
- Sep 17 US National Championship Men's Tennis, Forest Hills NY: Frenchman Rene Lacoste successfully defends title; beats Bill Tilden 11-9, 6-3, 11-9
Boxing Title Fight
Sep 22 Gene Tunney beats Jack Dempsey for the 2nd time in 10 for heavyweight boxing title; dubbed the "Long count" fight
Jack Dempsey
- Sep 24 NHL's Toronto St Patricks become Maple Leafs
- Sep 29 Babe Ruth ties record by hitting grand slams in consecutive games
- Sep 30 Babe Ruth hits record setting 60th HR (off Tom Zachary)
- Oct 1 Pittsburgh Pirates with a team including 5 future Baseball Hall of Famers clinch NL pennant with 9-6 win v Cincinnati Reds; Pirates' last NL pennant until 1960
- Oct 7 Yank Herb Pennock retires 1st 22 Pirates in World Series game
- Oct 8 NY Yankees sweep Pirates in 24th World Series
- Oct 11 Lou Gehrig named AL MVP (Babe Ruth (former winner) not eligible)
- Oct 17 Ban Johnson, in failing health, retires as AL President
- Nov 5 PGA Championship Men's Golf, Cedar Crest CC: Defending champion Walter Hagen beats Joe Turnesa 1-up to win his 4th straight PGA title
- Nov 26 CFL Grey Cup, Varsity Stadium, Toronto: Toronto Balmy Beach defeat Hamilton Tigers, 9-6 for their first of 2 Championships
Donald Bradman
Birthdays in Sport
- Jan 1 Doak Walker, American College and Pro Football Hall of Fame halfback (Heisman Trophy 1948; Pro Bowl 1950-51, 53–55; First-team All-Pro 1950–51, 53–54; Detroit Lions), born Dallas, Texas (d. 1998)
- Jan 1 Carl Scheib, American baseball pitcher (at the time [1943] youngest player in MLB history at 16; Philadelphia A’s), born in Gratz, Pennsylvania (d. 2018)
- Jan 11 John Hayes, New Zealand cricket fast bowler (15 Tests, 30 wickets), born in Auckland, New Zealand (d. 2007)
- Jan 14 Ivan Kalita, Soviet equestrian dressage (Olympic silver 1968), born in Tambov Governorate (d. 1996)
- Jan 21 Clive Churchill, Australian rugby league footballer (d. 1985)
- Jan 22 Joe Perry, NFL Hall-of-Famer
- Jan 22 Lou Creekmur, American football player (Detroit Lions) and hall of famer, born in Hopelawn, New Jersey (d. 2009)
- Jan 25 Fernie Flaman, Canadian NHL player (Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs), born in Dysart, Canada (d. 2012)
- Jan 26 Bob Nieman, American baseball player (d. 1985)
- Jan 27 Joe Perry, AAFC/NFL Hall of Fame fullback (SF 49ers, Balt Colts)
- Jan 28 Don Fraser, American boxing promoter (LA venues; colourful wardrobe & offbeat PR gimmicks), born in Blythe, California (d. 2019)
- Feb 3 Ilias Rosidis, Greek soccer defender (29 caps; Olympiacos FC), born in Neo Faliro, Piraeus, Greece (d. 2019)
- Feb 6 Smokey Burgess, American baseball player (Pittsburgh Pirates), born in Caroleen, North Carolina (d. 1991)
- Feb 7 Vladimir Kuts, Russian runner (d. 1975)
- Feb 18 Fazal Mahmood, Pakistani cricketer (Pakistani medium-pace workhorse 1952-62), born in Lahore, Pakistan (d. 2005)
- Feb 18 Luis Arroyo, Puerto Rican baseball player
- Mar 2 Roger Walkowiak, French road cyclist (Tour de France 1956), born in Montluçon, France (d. 2017)
- Mar 4 Dick Savitt, American tennis player
- Mar 9 Jackie Jensen, American baseball player (AL MVP 1958), born in San Francisco, California (d. 1982)
- Mar 14 Bill Rexford, auto racer
- Mar 18 George Plimpton, sports writer (Paper Lion), born in NYC, New York
Richie Ashburn
Mar 19 Richie Ashburn, American hall of fame baseball player (Philadelphia Phillies, NY Mets) and sportscaster, born in Tilden, Nebraska (d. 1997)
Richie Ashburn
- Mar 22 George Thoms, cricketer (1 Test Aust against WI 1952, scored 16 & 28)
- Mar 22 Marty Blake, NBA executive (GM Atlanta Hawks, NBA Director of Scouting), born in Wyoming, PA (d. 2013)
- Mar 23 John Logan, Endicott, NY, MLB shortstop (Boston and Milwaukee Braves), (d. 2013)
- Mar 25 Leslie Claudius, India, field hockey (Olympic gold 1948, 52, 56)
- Mar 30 Wally Grout, cricketer (great Aussie wicket-keeper)
- Apr 1 Walter Bahr, American soccer midfielder (19 caps) and coach (Penn State), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2018)
- Apr 2 Billy Pierce, American baseball pitcher (MLB All Star x 7; World Series 1945; AL wins leader 1957; MLB ERA leader 1955; AL strikeout leader; 1953; Chicago White Sox), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2015)
- Apr 2 Carmen Basilio, American boxer (World Welterweight tile 1955-56; Middleweight title 1957-58), born in Canastota, New York (d. 2012)
- Apr 2 Ferenc Puskás, Hungarian soccer forward (Hungary 85 caps, Spain 4; Real Madrid, Budapest Honvéd) and manager (Panathinaikos), born in Budapest, Hungary (d. 2006)
- Apr 3 Éva Székely, Hungarian swimmer (Olympic gold 200m breaststroke 1952; silver 1956; first WR 400m individual medley 1953), born in Budapest, Hungary (d. 2020)
- Apr 13 George Washington, American boxing trainer (Riddick Bowe and Mark Breland), born in Birmingham, Alabama (d. 2006)
- Apr 18 Jim De Courcy, Australian cricketer (Australian batsman 1953), born in Newcastle, New South Wales (d. 2000)
- Apr 24 Josy Barthel, Luxembourgish 1500m runner (Olympic gold 1952), born in Mamer, Luxembourg (d. 1992)
- Apr 26 John Ralston, American College Football Hall of Fame linebacker, coach and executive (Cal, Stanford, Denver Broncos), born in Oakland, California (d. 2019)
- Apr 27 Gerard Cieślik, Polish soccer striker and manager (45 caps, 27 goals), born in Hajduki, Poland (d. 2013)
- Apr 29 Dorothy Manley, England, 100m sprint (Olympic silver 1948)
- Apr 30 Lars Hall, Swedish pentathelete (Olympic gold 1952), born in Karlskrona, Sweden (d. 1991)
- May 1 Greta Andersen, Danish swimmer (gold medal, 100m freestyle 1948 Olympics), born in Copenhagen, Denmark
- May 1 Israr Ali, Pakistan cricket all-rounder (4 Tests; member of Pakistan's first Test team that played against India 1952–53), born in Jalandhar, Punjab, India (d. 2016)
- May 1 Bernard Vukas, Croatian soccer forward (59 caps, Yugoslavia; Hajduk Split; Olympic silver 1948, 52), born in Zagreb, Croatia (d. 1983)
- May 5 Sid O'Linn, South African cricketer (soccer for South Africa 1947, cricket 1960), born in Oudtshoorn, Cape Province (d. 2016)
- May 6 Michael Frederick, Barbadian cricketer (one Test WI v England 1954, scored 0 & 30), born in St Peter, Barbados (d. 2014)
- May 9 Ray Katt, baseball player
- May 9 Juan José Pizzuti, Argentine soccer striker and manager (12 caps; Racing Club de Avellaneda), born in Buenos Aires, Argentina (d. 2020)
- May 10 Mike Souchak, American golfer (15 PGA Tour titles; Ryder Cup 1959, 61), born in Berwick, Pennsylvania (d. 2008)
- May 13 Archie Scott-Brown, English race car driver (d. 1958)
- May 14 Shirley Spork, American golfer, co-founder LPGA (Women's PGA C'ship runner-up 1962), born in Detroit, Michigan
- May 16 Nílton Santos, Brazilian footballer, (d. 2013)
- May 20 [Harold] Bud Grant, Wisc, CFL/NFL player and coach (Winnipeg, Minnesota)
- May 22 Eric Petrie, New Zealand cricketer (NZ wicketkeeper of the late 1950's), born in Ngaruawahia, Waikato, New Zealand (d. 2004)
- May 24 John Kelly Jr, American rower (Olympic bronze single sculls 1956; president US Olympic Committee) and brother of Grace Kelly, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1985)
- Jun 7 Charles de Tornaco, Belgian racing driver, born in Brussels, Belgium (d. 1953)
- Jun 10 Ladislao Kubala, Hungarian-born footballer (d. 2002)
- Jun 12 Timir Pinegin, Russian sailor (Olympic gold 1960), born in Moscow, Russia (d. 2013)
- Jun 16 Tom Graveney, England cricket batsman (79 Tests; top score 258; 732 first class games), born in Riding Mill, Northumberland (d. 2015)
- Jun 21 Jackie Collum, American baseball player, born in Victor, Iowa (d. 2009)
- Jul 3 Charles Vandenhove, Belgian architect (Standard-Omnisporthal, Luik), born in Teuven, Belgium (d. 2019)
- Jul 6 Jan Hein Donner, Dutch chess grand master, born in The Hague, Netherlands (d. 1988)
- Jul 9 Red Kelly, Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame center, coach; politician (Toronto Maple Leafs), born in Simcoe, Ontario (d. 2019)
- Jul 10 Don Revie, English footballer and soccer manager (Leeds and England), born in Middlesbrough, North Riding of Yorkshire, England (d. 1989)
- Jul 16 John Warr, English cricket bowler (avg 281) and president (MCC), born in Ealing, Middlesex, England (d. 2016)
- Jul 18 Zin [Parke Gerald Zinzan] Harris, New Zealand cricketer (father of Chris NZ batsman in 50's & 60's), born in Christchurch, New Zealand (d. 1991)
- Jul 22 George Hunter, South African boxer (Olympic gold light heavyweight 1948), born in Brakpan, South Africa (d. 2004)
- Jul 26 Gulabrai Ramchand, Indian cricketer (valuable all-rounder in 33 Tests for India), born in Karachi, Sind, British India (d. 2003)
- Aug 7 Art Houtteman, American baseball player, born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2003)
- Aug 8 Johnny Temple, American baseball player (d. 1994)
- Aug 15 Eddie Leadbeater, English cricketer (England leg-spinner with an avg of 109), born in Lockwood, West Yorkshire, England (d. 2011)
- Aug 15 Wesley Mouzon, American boxer / trainer (Roy Jones Jr), born in Kingstree, South Carolina (d. 2003)
- Aug 25 Althea Gibson, American tennis player (7 Grand Slam singles titles), born in Clarendon Country, South Carolina (d. 2003)
- Aug 27 Liselott Linsenhoff, German equestrian rider (Olympic gold 1968, 72), born in Frankfurt, Germany (d. 1999)
- Sep 2 Trudi Jochum-Beiser, Austrian alpine skier (Olympic gold 1948, 52), born in Lech am Arlberg, Austria
- Sep 17 George Blanda, American NFL kicker and quarterback (Bears, Oilers, Raiders), born in Youngwood, Pennsylvania (d. 2010)
Tommy Lasorda
Sep 22 Tom Lasorda [Thomas], baseball manager (LA Dodgers), born in Norristown, Pennsylvania
Tommy Lasorda
- Sep 22 Gordon Astall, English footballer, born in Horwich
- Sep 25 Carl Braun, American basketball player (NY Knicks), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2010)
- Sep 29 Adhemar Ferreira da Silva, Brazil, triple jumper (Olympic gold 1952, 56)
- Oct 6 Alice Bauer, American golfer (co-founder LPGA), born in Eureka, South Dakota (d. 2002)
- Oct 6 Phil Maloney, Canadian ice hockey center (NHL: Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Black Hawks) and coach (Vancouver Canucks), born in Ottawa, Ontario (d. 2020)
- Oct 8 Torbjorn Falkanger, Norwegian ski jumper who took the Olympic oath in 1952, born in Trondheim, Norway (d. 2013)
- Oct 10 Clairmonte Depeiaza, West Indian cricketer (world record partnership v Aust 1955), born in Mount Standfast, Saint James Parish, Barbados (d. 1995)
- Oct 15 Bill Henry, American baseball player (Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds), born in Alice, Texas (d. 2014)
- Oct 18 Ramesh Divecha, cricketer (eleven wickets for India in early 50's)
- Oct 25 Franklin "Bud" Held, American javelin world champ (1949, 51, 53-55), born in Los Angeles, California
- Oct 25 Headley Keith, South African cricketer (solid left-handed for South Africa in the 1950's), born in Dundee, Natal
- Oct 29 Frank Sedgman, Australian tennis player (5 Grand Slam singles titles, doubles Grand Slam 1951), born in Melbourne, Victoria
- Oct 30 Joe Adcock, American baseball utility, manager (Milwaukee Braves; 2-time MLB All Star), born in Coushatta, Louisiana (d. 1999)
- Nov 1 Victor Pellot, Puerto Rican baseball infielder (6 x MLB All Star; 7 x Gold Glove), born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico (d. 2005)
- Nov 6 Eric St Eval Atkinson, West Indian cricketer (bro of Denis WI pace bowler 1958-59), born in Rockley, Christ Church, Barbados (d. 1998)
- Nov 7 Hiroshi Yamauchi, Japanese businessman (President of Nintendo, 1949-2003, owner of Seattle Mariners), born in Kyoto, Japan (d. 2013)
- Nov 12 Jack Butler, NFL hall of famer (Pittsburgh Pirates), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (d. 2013)
- Nov 13 John Pont, American college football coach (Miami, Yale, Northwestern, Indiana), born in Canton, Ohio (d. 2008)
- Nov 21 Georgia Frontiere, American businesswoman and co-owner of the St. Louis Rams, born in St. Louis, Missouri (d. 2008)
- Nov 27 Carlos José Castilho, Brazilian footballer (d. 1987)
Vin Scully
Nov 29 Vin Scully, American sportscaster (Los Angeles Dodgers), born in The Bronx, New York
Vin Scully
- Dec 2 Ralph Beard, American basketball guard (Olympic gold 1948; NBA All Star 1951; life ban point shaving scandal 1951), born in Hardinsburg, Kentucky (d. 2007)
- Dec 2 Jim David, American NFL defensive back (Pro Bowl 1954-59; NFL Champion 1952-53, 57; Detroit Lions), born in Florence, South Carolina (d. 2007)
- Dec 8 Ferdie Pacheco, American boxer and physician (the "Fight Doctor"), born in Tampa, Florida (d. 2017)
- Dec 11 Stein Eriksen, Norwegian alpine skier (first Olympic giant slalom gold 1952), born in Oslo, Norway (d. 2015)
Deaths in Sport
- Feb 6 Sam Maguire, Irish Republican and Gaelic footballer (b. 1879)
- Mar 3 J.G. Parry-Thomas, Welsh motor-racing driver (b. 1884)
- Mar 27 Joe Start, American baseball player, dies at 84
- Apr 10 Ivo Bligh, British noble (8th Earl of Darnley) and cricketer (Lord Darnley England capt v Australia 1882-83), dies at 68
- Apr 10 Young Corbett II (William J. Rothwell), American boxer (world featherweight champion 1901-02), dies at 46
- May 9 Tommy Routledge, South African cricketer (4 Tests for South Africa 1892-96), dies at 60
- Jun 11 William Attewell, English cricket bowler (England in 10 Tests 1884-1891), dies at 65
- Jun 14 Ottavio Bottecchia, Italian cyclist (the first Italian winner of the Tour de France), dies at 32
- Jul 21 J J Lyons, cricketer (14 Tests for Australia), dies
- Jul 31 Walter Travis, Australian-American golfer, writer, course designer (US Amateur C'ship 1900-01, 03; British Amateur 1904), dies at 65
- Aug 5 Tom Groube, cricketer (Test for Australia 1880), dies
- Oct 22 Ross Youngs, American baseball player, dies of Bright's disease at 30
- Nov 29 George Giffen, Australian cricketer (251 FC games, 11758 runs, 1023 wkts), dies at 68
- Dec 7 Albert Griffiths ("Young Griffo"), Australian boxer (World Featherweight champion 1890-92), dies of apoplexy at 56
- Dec 21 Jack Saunders, cricketer (79 wickets-14 Tests for Aust 1902-08), dies