Events in Sport
- Dec 9 1939 NFL Draft: Ki Aldrich from TCU first pick by Chicago Cardinals
- Dec 10 CFL Grey Cup: In repeat of last year, Toronto Argonauts defeat Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 30-7 to retain Championship
- Dec 11 National Football League Championship, Polo Grounds, NYC: New York Giants beat Green Bay Packers, 23-17; record title game attendance 48,120
- Dec 14 Major League Baseball agrees on use of a standard ball; disagrees on increasing rosters from 23 to 25 players, although Commissioner Judge Landis eventually decides on 25
- Dec 14 Will Harridge is elected to a 10-year-term as AL president
- Dec 20 Boston Bruins rookie goalie Frankie Brimsek records his 3rd straight shutout with a 3-0 win over the New York Americans, making it his incredible sixth shutout in his first 8 NHL games
- Dec 26 Tom Goddard takes a cricket hat-trick for England v South Africa
- Dec 28 Paul Gibb scores 106 on Test Cricket debut v South Africa
Birthdays in Sport
- Dec 1 Bill Playle, cricketer (NZ batsman in 8 Tests without distinction)
- Dec 4 Richard Meade, British equestrian (3 Olympic Golds 1968, 1970), born in Chepstow, Monmouthshire (d. 2015)
- Dec 9 [David] Deacon Jones, American NFL defensive end (LA, SD, Washington), born in Eatonville, Florida (d. 2013)
- Dec 13 Tom Shaw, American golfer (The Tradition 1993), born in Wichita, Kansas
- Dec 15 Bob [Robert] Foster, American professional boxer "The Deputy Sheriff", born in Borger, Texas (d. 2015)
- Dec 16 Frank Deford, American sportswriter
- Dec 17 Peter Snell, New Zealand middle distance runner (3 Olympic gold 1960, 64), born in Opunake, New Zealand
- Dec 22 Matty Alou, Dominican baseball player, born in the Dominican Republic
- Dec 29 Wayne Huizenga, American businessman, CEO (Waste Management, Blockbuster), and sports team owner (Miami Dolphins, Florida Panthers, Florida Marlins), born in Evergreen Park, Illinois (d. 2018)
- Dec 31 Atje Keulen-Deelstra, Dutch speed skater (world champ, born in Grou, Netherlands (d. 2013)
Deaths in Sport
- Dec 7 Harry Moses, cricketer (6 Tests for Australia 1887-95), dies