Events in Sport
- Jan 1 32nd Rose Bowl: #2 Alabama beats #11 Southern California, 34-14
- Jan 1 12th Sugar Bowl: #5 Oklahoma State beats #7 Saint Mary's (CA), 33-13
- Jan 1 12th Orange Bowl: Miami (FL) beats #16 Holy Cross, 13-6
- Jan 11 Bert Bell becomes second NFL commissioner, moves Chicago headquarters to Philadelphia
- Jan 12 NFL champs Cleveland Rams given permission to move to LA
- Jan 14 1946 NFL Draft: Frank Dancewicz from University of Notre Dame first pick by Boston Yanks
- Jan 29 Australian Championships Women's Tennis: Nancye Wynne Bolton beats Joyce Fitch 6-4, 6-4 for her 3rd Australian singles crown
- Jan 29 Australian Championships Men's Tennis: John Bromwich wins his 2nd Australian title; beats fellow Australian Dinny Pails 5-7, 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-2
Birthdays in Sport
- Jan 1 Manfred Stengl, Austrian 2 man lugist (Olympic gold 1960)
- Jan 1 Rivelino, Brazilian football player
- Jan 6 Harold Jackson, NFL wide receiver (LA, New Engl), born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi
- Jan 8 Elaine Cheris, American Olympic fencer (Olympics 1996), born in Dothan, Alabama
- Jan 10 Alexis Nihon Jr, Canadian-born wrestler (Olympics 1968), born in Montreal, Canada
- Jan 11 Ludmila Poradnik, USSR, team handball (Olympic gold 1976, 80)
- Jan 23 Asif Masood, Pakistani cricketer (Pakistani quick with long & erratic run-up), born in Lahore, Pakistan
- Jan 23 Don Whittington, American racing driver, born in Lubbock, Texas
- Jan 31 Subroto Guha, Indian cricketer (right arm swing bowler for India 1967-69), born in India