Events in Sport
- Jan 1 43rd Rose Bowl: #3 Iowa beats #10 Oregon State, 35-19
- Jan 1 23rd Sugar Bowl: #11 Baylor beats #2 Tennessee, 13-7
- Jan 1 23rd Orange Bowl: #20 Colorado beats #19 Clemson, 27-21
Boxing Title Fight
Jan 2 In the first of 4 meetings between the fighters, Gene Fullmer wins the world middleweight boxing title with a 15-round unanimous decision over Sugar Ray Robinson at New York’s Madison Square Garden

Sugar Ray Robinson
- Jan 4 Dodgers buy 44 passenger twin-engine airplane for $775,000
Event of Interest
Jan 5 Dodgers' Jackie Robinson announces his retirement rather than be traded to the NY Giants

Jackie Robinson
Event of Interest
Jan 10 Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick rules Bing Crosby can keep token stock in Detroit Tigers, even though he owns part of Pittsburgh Pirates

Bing Crosby
- Jan 13 7th NFL Pro Bowl, LA Memorial Coliseum: Western Conference beats Eastern Conference, 19-10; MVPs: Bert Rechichar, Baltimore Colts, K; Ernie Stautner, Pittsburgh Steelers, DT
- Jan 15 Brooklyn Dodgers extend their 5-year lease on Ebbets Field by signing a new 3-year lease with real estate developer Marvin Kratter; club moves to Los Angeles the next year
NBA All-Star Game
Jan 15 7th NBA All-Star Game, Boston Garden: East beats West, 109-97; MVP: Bob Cousy, Boston Celtics, PG

Bob Cousy
- Jan 26 Joseph F Cairnes succeeds Lou Perini as President of Milwaukee Braves
Australian Open Women's Tennis
Jan 28 Australian Championships Women's Tennis: Shirley Fry Irvin wins all-American final; beats Althea Gibson 6-3, 6-4 for her only Australian singles title

Althea Gibson
Australian Men's Tennis Open
Jan 28 Australian Championship Men's Tennis: Ashley Cooper wins 1st of 2 straight Australian titles; beats fellow Australian Neale Fraser 6-3, 9-11, 6-4, 6-2

Ashley Cooper
Birthdays in Sport
- Jan 1 Vladimir Kiselyov, Russian athlete (Olympic gold, Soviet Union, shot put 1980), born in Myski, Russia (d. 2021)
- Jan 2 Lynne Cox, American long-distance open-water swimmer known for easing Cold War tensions by swimming from the US to the Soviet Union in 1987, born in Boston, Massachusetts
- Jan 5 Kevin Hastings, Australian rugby league footballer, born in Surry Hills, Australia
Nancy Lopez
Jan 6 Nancy Lopez, American golfer (3 major titles, 48 LPGA Tour wins), born in Torrance, California

Nancy Lopez
- Jan 7 Julian Solis, Puerto Rican boxer, born in Rio Pedras, Puerto Rico
- Jan 8 Dwight Clark, American NFL wide receiver/executive ("The Catch" 1981 Super Bowl SF 49ers), born in Kingston, North Carolina (d. 2018)
- Jan 11 Darryl Dawkins, American basketball center (Philadelphia 76ers, NJ Nets; NBA breaking a backboard rule), born in Orlando, Florida (d. 2015)
- Jan 11 Bryan Robson, English soccer midfielder, manager (90 caps; Manchester United, WBA, Middlesborough), born in Chester-le-Street, England
- Jan 13 Christina Seufert, Sacraento California, diver (Olympic bronze 1984)
- Jan 13 Mark O'Meara, American golfer (US Masters, British Open 1988), born in Goldsboro, North Carolina
- Jan 17 Donna Stone, American fencer-epee (Olympics 1996), born in New Jersey
- Jan 17 Michel Vaarten, Belgian cyclist, born in Turnhout, Belgium
- Jan 19 Ottis Anderson, NFL running back (NY Giants), born in West Palm Beach, Florida
- Jan 21 Jacob Green, NFL defensive end (Seattle Seahawk)
Mike Bossy
Jan 22 Mike Bossy, Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame right wing (Stanley Cup 1980-83; Conn Smythe Trophy 1982; 7 x NHL All Star; NY Islanders), born in Montreal, Quebec

Mike Bossy
- Jan 25 Jeff Gossett, American football punter (Oakland Raiders), born in Charleston, Illinois
- Jan 26 Ashok Malhotra, Indian cricketer (Indian batsman in 7 Tests 1982-84), born in Amritsar, India
- Jan 26 Shivlal Yadav, Indian cricketer (Indian off-spinner 102 Test wickets 1979-87), born in Hyderabad, India
Nick Price
Jan 28 Nick Price, Zimbabwean golfer (PGA C'ship 1992, 94; British Open 1994), born in Durban, South Africa

Nick Price
Payne Stewart
Jan 30 Payne Stewart, American golfer (US Open 1991, 99; PGA 1989), born in Springfield, Missouri (d. 1999)

Payne Stewart
- Jan 31 Shirley Babashoff, American swimmer (Olympics-6 silver/2 gold-72, 76), born in Whittier, California
Weddings in Sport
Wedding of Interest
Jan 19 Golfer Gary Player (21) weds Bobby Verwey's sister Vivienne Verwey

Gary Player