Events in Sport
- Jan 1 25th Rose Bowl: #7 Southern California beats #3 Duke, 7-3
Event of Interest
Jan 2 Master batsman Don Bradman scores 107 for South Australia in a Sheffield Shield match against Victoria for his 4th consecutive century in first-class cricket
Donald Bradman
- Jan 20 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Patty Berg wins 3rd straight title by 2 strokes ahead of Dorothy Kirby
Hall of Fame
Jan 24 Eddie Collins, Willie Keeler & George Sisler elected to Hall of Fame
Eddie Collins
- Jan 28 Australian Championships Women's Tennis: In an all-Australian final Emily Hood Westacott beats Nell Hall Hopman 6-1, 6-2 for her only Grand Slam singles title
- Jan 28 Australian Championships Men's Tennis: Australian John Bromwich wins his 1st Australian title; beats doubles partner Adrian Quist 6-4, 6-1, 6-3
- Feb 17 Katwijk soccer team forms
- Feb 23 Lou Thesz beats Everett Marshall in St Louis, to win National Boxing Association world heavyweight title for 2nd time
- Mar 16 NHL record 10 goals in 1 period-NY Rangers (7), NY Americans (3) & a record 26 points in the 3rd period
- Mar 18 England beats Scotland, 9-6 at Murrayfield, Edinburgh to force a share of the Home Nations Rugby Championship with Wales and Ireland
- Mar 24 98th Grand National: Irish jockey Tim Hyde wins riding 100/8 shot Workman
- Mar 27 1st NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: U of Oregon beats Ohio State, 46-33; Ohio State forward Jimmy Hull is named tournament Most Outstanding Player
- Mar 28 Renaissance Big 5 win 1st pro basketball championship
US Masters Golf
Apr 2 6th US Masters Tournament, Augusta National GC: Ralph Guldahl wins his only Masters title with a tournament record 279 (−9), 1 stroke ahead of runner-up Sam Snead
Sam Snead
- Apr 8 ACV soccer team forms in Axes
- Apr 16 Stanley Cup Final, Boston Garden, Boston, MA: Boston Bruins beat Toronto Maple Leafs, 3-1 for a 4-1 series win; first best-of-7 SC Final series
- Apr 17 Joe Louis KOs Jack Roper in 1 for heavyweight boxing title
- Apr 17 43rd Boston Marathon won by Ellison Brown in 2:28:51.8; his second victory in the event
Event of Interest
Apr 20 Ted Williams' 1st hit (off of Yankee Red Ruffing) a double
Ted Williams
- Apr 23 Boston Red Sox Ted Williams hits his 1st HR
Baseball Record
Apr 30 Lou Gehrig sets a MLB record playing his 2,130th consecutive and final game for the New York Yankees.
Lou Gehrig
- May 2 Lou Gehrig ends 2,130 consecutive game streak, Yanks beat Tigers 22-2
- May 6 65th Kentucky Derby: James Stout aboard Johnstown wins in 2:03.4
- May 13 64th Preakness: George Seabo aboard Challedon wins in 1:59.8
- May 17 1st televised baseball game is broadcast on NBC, with Princeton defeating Columbia 2-1
- May 25 Carl Storck becomes 2nd NFL president
- May 30 Indianapolis 500: Wilbur Shaw wins in 4:20:47.412 (185.131 km/h)
- Jun 1 First major boxing match on US television is the heavyweight bout from NY's Yankee Stadium between former world champion Max Baer and Lou Nova; Nova wins by TKO in 11th round
- Jun 1 First night MLB game takes place at Philadelphia's Shribe Park; Phillies lose 5-2 to Pittsburgh Pirates
- Jun 3 71st Belmont: James Stout riding Johnstown wins in 2:29.6
- Jun 6 NY Giants beat Reds 17-3, with 5 HRs in 4th inning
- Jun 7 Cleveland Indians sets AL record of 16 inning game without striking out, however lose game 5-4 to NY Yankees
US Golf Open
Jun 12 US Open Men's Golf, Philadelphia Cricket Club: Byron Nelson wins by 3 strokes from Craig Wood and 7 ahead of Denny Shute in a 36-hole playoff to claim the second of his 5 major titles
Byron Nelson
Denny Shute
- Jun 12 Baseball Hall of Fame is dedicated in Cooperstown, New York
French Open Men's Tennis
Jun 17 French Championships Men's Tennis: American collegiate champion Don McNeill beats countryman Bobby Riggs 7-5, 6-0, 6-3
Bobby Riggs
- Jun 17 44th Women's French Championships: Simonne Mathieu beats Jadwiga Jedrzejowska (6-3, 8-6)
- Jun 21 NY Yankees announce Lou Gehrig's retirement after doctors reveal he has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Boxing Title Fight
Jun 23 Bronko Nagurski beats Lou Thesz in Houston, to win National Wrestling Association world heavyweight title
Bronko Nagurski
- Jun 27 Brooklyn Dodgers tie Boston Braves, 2-2, in 23 innings
- Jun 27 Headley scores a cricket century in each innings v England at Lord's
- Jun 28 Joe Louis TKOs Tony Galent in 4 for heavyweight boxing title
- Jul 4 Red Sox 3rd baseman Jim Tabor hits record-tying 2 grand slams in one MLB game, 18-12 win v Phillies
- Jul 4 Lou Gehrig is first MLB player to have his number (4) retired on his "Appreciation Day" at Yankee Stadium, makes iconic "luckiest man" speech
- Jul 7 Wimbledon Men's Tennis: Bobby Riggs beats fellow American Elwood Cooke 2-6, 8-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 for Wimbledon sweep, also won doubles & mixed doubles titles
- Jul 7 British Open Men's Golf, St Andrews: In the last Open played for 7 years, due to WWII, England's Dick Burton wins by 2 strokes from American Johnny Bulla
Wimbledon Women's Tennis
Jul 8 Wimbledon Women's Tennis: American Alice Marble wins her only Wimbledon singles title beating Kay Stammers of England 6-2, 6-0
Alice Marble
- Jul 9 A meeting of 6,000 Indians, held at the Indian Sports Ground in Johannesburg South Africa, launch the Passive Resistance Campaign against apartheid and racial policy in South Africa
- Jul 11 7th All Star Baseball Game: AL wins 3-1 at Yankee Stadium, New York NY Yankee/AL maanager Joe McCarthy starts 6 Yankees
- Jul 17 PGA Championship Men's Golf, Pomonok CC: 1938 Masters champion Henry Picard wins his 2nd major title defeating Byron Nelson with a birdie at the 37th hole
- Jul 25 NY Yankee Atley Donald sets AL rookie record with 12 consecutive win
- Jul 26 Yankee catcher Bill Dickey hits 3 consecutive HRs
- Jul 30 Tour de France: Sylvère Maes of Belgium wins his 3rd title from Frenchman René Vietto
- Aug 14 1st night games at Comiskey Park (White Sox 5, Browns 2)
- Aug 15 First night game at baseball's Comiskey Park, Sox beat Browns 5-2
- Aug 26 1st major league baseball telecast on W2XBS- Cincinnati Reds defeat the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field, Brooklyn
- Aug 30 6th NFL Chicago All-Star Game: NY Giants 9, All-Stars 0 (81,456)
- Aug 30 NY Yankee Atley Donald pitches a baseball a record 94.7 mph (152 kph)
- Sep 1 Last day of 1st-class cricket in England before the declaration of war against Germany; great slow left-armer Hedley Verity finishes with amazing figures of 7 for 9 v Sussex to give Yorkshire the County Championship
- Sep 5 34th Davis Cup: Australia beats USA in Haverford (3-2)
- Sep 8 Indians Bob Feller, 20, is youngest pitcher to win 20 games
- Sep 8 Yanks beat Red Sox 4-1 in 7, game called because of lightning
- Sep 16 NY Yankees clinch their 11th & 4th successive pennant
- Sep 17 US National Championship Men's Tennis, Forest Hills, NY: Reigning Wimbledon champion Bobby Riggs beats fellow American Welby van Horn 6-4, 6-2, 6-4
- Sep 17 US National Championship Women's Tennis, Forest Hills, NY: Dual champion Alice Marble beats Helen Jacobs 6-0, 8-10, 6-4
- Sep 20 Joe Louis KOs Bob Pastor in 11 for heavyweight boxing title
- Sep 23 Cookie Lavagetto goes 6 for 6-Dodgers get 27 hits & beat Phillies 22-4
- Sep 27 White Sox host 1st "day-night" doubleheader, lose to Cleve, 5-2 & 7-5
- Sep 30 1st televised college football game (Fordham vs Waynesburg at NYC)
- Sep 30 White Sox reliever Clint Brown sets record of 61st relief appearance
- Oct 8 NY Yankees sweep Reds in 36th World Series, 4th straight WS win
- Oct 22 NBC becomes first network to televise a pro football game; Brooklyn Dodgers beat Philadelphia Eagles, 23-14 at Brooklyn's Ebbets Field
Event of Interest
Oct 24 Joe DiMaggio wins AL MVP, Jimmie Foxx is runner-up
Joe DiMaggio
- Oct 29 NHL Babe Seibert Memorial Game: All-Stars beat Montreal 5-3
- Nov 29 Cor Klint swims world record 200 m backstroke (2:38.8)
- Dec 6 5th Heisman Trophy Award: Nile Kinnick, Iowa (HB)
- Dec 7 Lou Gehrig, 36, is elected to Baseball's Hall of Fame
- Dec 9 CFL Grey Cup, Landsdowne Park, Ottawa: Winnipeg Blue Bombers claim 2nd title; defeat Ottawa Rough Riders, 8-7
- Dec 9 1940 NFL Draft: George Cafego from University of Tennessee first pick by Chicago Cardinals
- Dec 10 National Football League Championship, Dairy Bowl, West Allis, Wisconsin: Green Bay Packers beat New York Giants, 27-0; Packers 5th title
- Dec 16 Bradman scores 251* SA v NSW, 271 minutes, 38 fours 2 sixes
- Dec 30 Bradman scores 267 South Australia v Vic, world record 34th double cricket century
Birthdays in Sport
- Jan 1 Phil Read, MBE, English motorcycle road racer (first winner world championships in 125cc [1968], 250cc [1964-65, 68, 71] and 500 cc [1973-74] classes), born in Luton, England
Bobby Hull
Jan 3 Bobby Hull, Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame left wing (Art Ross Trophy 1960, 62, 66; Hart Memorial Trophy 1965, 66), born in Pointe Anne, Ontario
Bobby Hull
- Jan 3 Nikos Alefantos, Greek soccer midfielder and manager (Olympiacos), born in Edessa, Greece
- Jan 5 Bridget Parker, British equestrian 3 day event (Olympic gold 1972)
- Jan 6 Murray Rose, Australian Olympic swimmer (4x oly gold), born in Birmingham, United Kingdom (d. 2012)
- Jan 7 Tom Kierman, British(?) rugby player
- Jan 10 Bill Toomey, American decathlete (Olympic gold 1968), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Jan 11 Anne Heggtveit, Canadian alpine skier (Olympic gold 1960), born in Ottawa, Ontario
- Jan 13 Jacek Gmoch, Polish footballer and coach
- Jan 17 Antao D'Souza, Pakistani cricketer (pace bowler in six Tests 1959-62), born in Nagoa, Goa, Portuguese India
- Jan 17 Toini Gustafson, Swedish 5K/10K cross country skier (Olympic gold 1968)
- Jan 20 Murle Breer, American golfer (US Women's Open 1962), born in St. Petersburg, Florida
- Jan 27 Mike Hill, American golfer (3 PGA; PGA 18 Senior titles), born in Jackson, Michigan
- Feb 5 Brian Luckhurst, cricketer (England opener of 60's & early 70's)
- Feb 18 Dal Maxvill, American baseball player
- Feb 20 Frank Arundel, English footballer
- Feb 22 Steve Barber, American MLB pitcher (Baltimore Orioles, NY Yankees), born in Takoma Park, Maryland (d. 2007)
- Feb 23 Josef Feistmantl, Austrian lugeist (Olympic gold 1964)
- Feb 27 Lester King, West Indian cricketer (WI fast bowler, 2 Tests 1962-68, 9 wkts), born in St Catherine, Jamaica
- Feb 27 Peter Revson, American race car driver (1971 Indianapolis pole winner), born in New York City
- Feb 28 Charles Brown, featherweight boxer (Olympic bronze 1964), born in Cincinnati, Ohio
- Mar 3 M L Jaisimha, cricketer (Indian batsman of the sixties)
Jack Fisher
Mar 4 Jack Fisher, MLB Pitcher, born in Frostburg, Maryland
Jack Fisher
- Mar 6 Cookie Rojas, baseball player
- Mar 7 Panajot Pano, Albania's most outstanding football player of the past 50 years born in Durres
- Mar 8 Jim Bouton, American baseball pitcher, author, broadcaster (NY Yankees, MLB All Star 1968, "Ball Four"), born in Newark, New Jersey (d. 2019)
- Mar 8 Lydia Skoblikova, USSR, speed skater (Olympics-6 gold-1960, 64)
- Mar 10 Irina Press, USSR, 80m hurdles/Pentathelete (Olympic gold 1960, 64)
- Mar 12 John Paul Sr, Dutch-American auto racer (24 Hours of Le Mans 1978; 24 Hours of Daytona 1982; 12 Hours of Sebring 1982), born in Netherlands (disappeared 2001)
- Mar 17 Shahid Mahmoud, cricketer (opener scored 16 & 9 in only Pak Test)
- Mar 17 Robin Knox-Johnston, British yachtsman
- Mar 18 Ron Atkinson, English soccer wing half, manager (Oxford United, Manchester United, Sheffield Wed, Aston Villa), born in Liverpool, England
- Mar 19 Abbas Ali Baig, cricketer (Indian bat 112 on debut v England 1959)
- Mar 19 Joe Kapp, NFL quarterback (Minnesota Vikings, Boston Patriots, Houston Oilers)
- Mar 21 Martha Hudson, Eastman Ga, 4X100m relayer (Olympic gold 1960)
- Mar 27 Cale Yarborough, American auto racer (Daytona 500-1968, 77, 83, 84), born in Timmonsville, South Carolina
- Mar 29 Hanumant Singh, Indian cricketer (14 Tests for India-century on debut), born in Banswara, India
- Apr 1 Phil Niekro, American Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher (no-hitter 1973; 5 x MLB All Star; 5 x Gold Glove; Milwaukee / Atlanta Braves), born in Blaine, Ohio
- Apr 1 Nick Peters, American Baseball Hall of Fame writer (Oakland Tribune, Sacramento Bee, Berkeley Gazette, San Francisco Chronicle), born in San Francisco, California (d. 2015)
- Apr 1 Vitali Davydov, Russian ice hockey defenceman (Olympic gold 1964, 68, 72; HC Dynamo Moscow), born in Moscow, Russia
- Apr 3 Vitaliy Davidov, Soviet ice hockey player (Olympic gold 1964, 68, 72), born in Moscow
- Apr 4 JoAnne Carner, American golfer (US Women's Open 1971, 76), born in Kirkland, Washington
- Apr 4 Ernie Terrell, American boxer (WBA champ 1965-7), born in Belzoni, Mississippi (d. 2014)
- Apr 12 Johnny Raper, Australian rugby league footballer, born in Revesby, New South Wales, Australia
- Apr 18 Von McDaniel, American baseball player, born in Hollis, Oklahoma (d. 1995)
- Apr 19 Michael Macaulay, South African cricketer (Tvl, W Prov, OFS, NE Tvl, E Prov & S Afr), born in Durban, Natal
- May 1 Frank Beard, American golfer (11 PGA Tour titles; US Open 1965, 75 3rd), born in Dallas, Texas
- May 2 Gates Brown, American MLB player (Detroit Tigers: 1963-75), born in Crestline, Ohio (d. 2013)
- May 5 Cesare Fiorio, Italian sporting director of various Formula One teams, born in Turin, Italy
- May 8 Otis Paul Drayton, Glen Cove NY, 4x100m runner (Olympic gold 1964)
- May 8 János Göröcs, Hungarian soccer midfielder (62 caps; Újpesti Dózsa, Tatabányai Bányász), born in Gánt, Hungary (d. 2020)
- May 9 Herbert Hippauf, baseball player
- May 9 Ralph Boston, American long jumper (Olympic gold 1960; first to break 27 feet [8.2m] barrier), born in Laurel Mississippi
- May 9 Ion Ţiriac, Romanian tennis manager
- May 11 Milt Pappas, American baseball pitcher, (3-time MLB All Star), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2016)
- May 12 Reg Gasnier, Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame centre and captain (36 Tests; 3 World Cup; St. George), born in Sydney, Australia (d. 2014)
- May 13 Hildrun Claus, German athlete
- May 15 Dudley Wysong, American golfer (PGA C'ship 1966 runner-up), born in McKinney, Texas (d. 1998)
- May 19 Livio Berruti, Italian athlete
- May 26 Brent Musburger, American sportscaster (CBS Sports, The NFL Today; ESPN, ABC; VSiN; radio play-by-play Las Vegas Raiders), born in Portland, Oregon
- May 29 Al Unser, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1970-71, 78, 87), born in Albuquerque, New Mexico
- May 30 Dieter Quester, Austrian racing driver
- Jun 3 Steve Dalkowski, American baseball player and inspiration for Bull Durham film, born in New Britain, Connecticut (d. 2020)
- Jun 4 Phil Linz, American baseball shortstop (NY Yankees), born in Baltimore, Maryland
- Jun 6 Doug Hart, American NFL defensive back (NFL champion 1965, 66, 67; Super Bowl 1967, 68; Green Bay Packers), born in Handley, Texas (d. 2020)
- Jun 8 Herb Adderley, American Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback (Super Bowl 1967-68, 71; Pro Bowl 1963–67; Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Jun 9 David Hobbs (auto racer)
- Jun 11 Jackie Stewart, Scottish auto racer, analyst (27 Grand Prix wins, World F1 'ship 1969, 71, 73), born in Milton, Scotland
- Jun 11 Rachel Heyhoe Flint, English cricket batter and captain (22 Tests, 23 ODOs; captain winning England team in inaugural Women's World Cup 1973), businesswoman and philanthropist, born in Wolverhampton, England (d. 2017)
- Jun 12 Geoff Griffin, South African cricket fast bowler (2 Tests; first RSA Test hat-trick 1960), born in Greytown, Natal Province, South Africa (d. 2006)
- Jun 13 Tom Cheek, American sportscaster (Voice of the Toronto Blue Jays), born in Pensacola, Florida (d. 2005)
- Jun 18 Lou Brock, one-time baseball stolen base leader (St Louis Cards)
- Jun 20 Budge Rogers, British rugby player
- Jun 20 R B Desai, cricketer (effective pace bowler for India in 60s)
- Jun 22 Don Matthews, American football coach in the CFL
- Jun 23 Charlie Spoonhour, American basketball coach (Southwest Missouri State, Saint Louis, UNLV), born in Mulberry, Kansas (d. 2012)
- Jun 25 Allen Fox, American tennis player, born in Los Angeles, California
- Jun 27 Neil Hawke, Australian cricketer (Aust pace bowler & late-order bat in 60s), born in Cheltenham, Adelaide, Australia (d. 2000)
- Jun 29 Alan Connolly, Australian cricketer (Australian pace bowler through 60s), born in Skipton, Victoria, Australia
- Jun 29 Ron Headley, West Indian cricketer (son of George, 2 Tests WI v England 1973), born in Kingston, Jamaica
- Jul 5 Booker Edgerson, American football player, born in Baxter County, Arkansas
- Jul 6 Helena Dupont, American equestrian 3-day even (Olympic-33rd place-1964), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Jul 6 Man Mohan Sood, Indian cricketer (scored 0 & 3 in his only Test for India), born in Lahore, Punjab
- Jul 6 Mary Peters, English pentathlete (Olympic gold 1972), born in Halewood, Lancashire
- Jul 11 Larry Laoretti, American golfer (US Senior Open 1992), born in Mahopac, New Jersey
- Jul 15 Haseeb Ahsan, Pakistani cricket off-spinner (12 Tests 1958-62)
- Jul 15 Tony Bullimore, British yachtsman (1997 solo around-the-world yacht race, dramatic rescue), born in Southend-on-Sea, England (d. 2018)
- Jul 18 Jerry Moore, American football player and coach, born in Bonham, Texas
- Jul 24 Bob Lilly, NFL defensive tackle (Dallas Cowboys)
- Jul 24 Walt Bellamy, American Basketball Hall of Fame center (NBA All-Star 1962–65; NBA Rookie of Year 1962; Olympic gold 1960), born in New Bern, North Carolina (d. 2013)
- Jul 27 Irv Cross, American NFL sportscaster (CBS-TV), born in Hammond, Indiana
- Jul 31 Roger Prideaux, English cricketer (England batsman in 3 Tests 1968-69), born in Chelsea, London
- Jul 31 Vic Davalillo, Venezuelan baseball outfielder (MLB All Star 1965; Gold Glove 1964), born in Cabimas, Venezuela
- Jul 31 Norm Snead, American NFL quarterback (4-time Pro Bowl; Philadelphia Eagles), born in Halifax County, Virginia
- Aug 8 Viorica Viscopoleanu, Romanian athlete (Olympic gold, long jump 1968), born in Storozhynets, Romania
- Aug 9 Claude Osteen, American baseball pitcher (Cincinnati Reds), born in Caney Spring, Tennessee
- Aug 9 Brito [Hércules de Brito Ruas], Brazilian footballer, born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Aug 12 Pam Ryan-Kilborn, Australia, hurdler (Olympic silver 1968)
- Aug 18 Joe Azcue, Cuban baseball player, born in Cienfuegos, Cuba
Carl Yastrzemski
Aug 22 Carl Yastrzemski, American Baseball Hall of Fame left fielder, 1st baseman (18-time MLB All Star), born in Southampton, New York
Carl Yastrzemski
Weddings in Sport
Wedding of Interest
Jan 3 MLB catcher Roy Campanella (18) weds Bernice Ray
Roy Campanella
Wedding of Interest
Nov 19 Baseball legend Joe DiMaggio (24) weds "Freshies" actress Dorothy Arnold at St. Peter and Paul Church in San Francisco
Joe DiMaggio
Deaths in Sport
- Jan 6 Albert Ward, cricketer (England batsman in 7 Tests 1893-95), dies
- Jan 13 Jacob Ruppert, CEO (NY Yankees, 1915-39), dies
- Jan 19 Cliff Heathcote, American baseball player (b. 1898)
- Jan 23 Matthias Sindelar, Austria soccer star, commits suicide
- Apr 5 William Cooper, cricketer (two Tests for Australia 1882-84), dies
- May 20 Joe Carr, NFL hall of famer/NFL president (1921-39), dies at 59
- May 30 Floyd Roberts, Auto racer, killed during 1939 Indianapolis 500 (b. 1904)
- Jun 13 Arthur Coningham, cricketer (one Test for Australia 1894), dies
- Jun 17 Allen Sothoron, American baseball player, dies at 46
- Jul 7 Deacon White, American Baseball Hall of Fame catcher (NL batting champion, RBI leader 1877); Boston Red Stockings), dies from heat stroke at 91
- Jul 19 Tom Hayward, English cricketer (35 Tests for England, 1999 runs), dies at 68
- Jul 26 Billy Murphy, New Zealand boxer (world featherweight champion 1890; first world champion in any class from NZ), dies at 75
- Aug 16 Ron Oxenham, cricketer (7 Tests for Australia, 14 wickets), dies
- Aug 24 W H Moule, cricketer (Australia v England 1880)/High Court judge, dies
- Aug 25 Babe Siebert, Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1904)
- Oct 21 Nummy Deane, cricketer (628 runs in 17 Tests for South Africa), dies
James Naismith
Nov 28 James Naismith, Canadian-American physical educator and inventor (basketball, football helmet), dies at 78
James Naismith
- Dec 15 Tom McKibbin, Australian cricketer (5 Tests for Aust 1895-1898, 17 wkts), dies at 69