Events in Sport
Event of Interest
Jan 4 A day after accepting the head coaching position of the New York Jets, Bill Belichick resigns
Bill Belichick
Event of Interest
Jan 9 Dan Marino wins his last career NFL game (20-17 vs Seattle)
Dan Marino
Tennis Open
Jan 30 88th Men's Australian Open: Andre Agassi beats Yevgeny Kafelnikov (3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4)
Andre Agassi
Tennis Open
Jan 30 88th Women's Australian Open: Lindsay Davenport beats Martina Hingis (6-1, 7-5)
Martina Hingis
Murder of Interest
Sports Awards
Feb 14 8th ESPY Awards: Tiger Woods, Mia Hamm win
Tiger Woods
Event of Interest
Mar 6 Long-time Boston Bruin defenseman Ray Bourque is traded to the Colorado Avalanche
Ray Bourque
- Apr 2 19th NCAA Women's Basketball Championship: Connecticut beats Tennessee 71-52
- Apr 3 62nd NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Michigan State beats Florida 89-76
- Apr 7 South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje is charged by Delhi police with fixing One Day International matches against India
- Apr 8 153rd Grand National: Ruby Walsh aboard Papillon wins
- Apr 9 64th Masters Golf, Augusta: Fijian Vijay Singh wins by 3 strokes from Ernie Els of South Africa
- Apr 11 South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje is sacked after admitting dishonesty following match-fixing allegations in India
- Apr 15 NFL Draft: Penn State defensive end Courtney Brown first pick by Cleveland Browns
- Apr 17 104th Boston Marathon: Elijah Lagat of Kenya 1st man in 2:09:47 and Catherine Ndereba of Kenya 1st woman in 2:26:11
Baseball Record
May 1 Barry Bonds is first MLB player to hit a homer into San Francisco Bay (McCovey Cove). He would hit 35 there during his Giants career
Barry Bonds
- May 3 The sport of geocaching begins, with the first cache placed and the coordinates from a GPS posted on Usenet.
- May 6 126th Kentucky Derby: Kent Desormeaux aboard Fusaichi Pegasus wins in 2:01.12
- May 20 125th Preakness: Jerry Bailey aboard Red Bullet wins in 1:56.00
- May 24 8th UEFA Champions League Final: Real Madrid beats Valencia 3-0 at Saint-Denis
- May 26 NHL Eastern Conference Final: New Jersey Devils beat Philadelphia Flyers, 4 games to 3
- May 27 NHL Western Conference Final: Dallas Stars beat Colorado Avalanche, 4 games to 3
- May 28 Indianapolis 500: Juan Pablo Montoya wins in 2:58:59.431 (269.737 km/h)
- Jun 10 132nd Belmont: Pat Day aboard Commendable wins in 2:31.20
- Jun 10 Stanley Cup: New Jersey Devils defeat Dallas Stars 4-2
- Jun 11 99th Men's French Open: Gustavo Kuerten beats Magnus Norman (6-2, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6)
Tennis Open
Jun 11 99th Women's French Open: Mary Pierce beats Conchita Martinez (6-2, 7-5)
Mary Pierce
Event of Interest
Jun 14 Greg Maddux makes his 387th putout, breaking Jack Morris' career record
Greg Maddux
- Jun 18 100th US Golf Open: Tiger Woods shoots a 272 at Pebble Beach, California
Event of Interest
Jun 19 Los Angeles Lakers beat Indiana Pacers 4-2 in NBA finals MVP: Shaquille O'Neal, L.A.
Shaquille O'Neal
- Jun 19 Tiger Woods wins golf's US Open by 15 shots, a record for all majors, with a US Open to-par record score of -12
- Jun 19 54th NBA Championship: Los Angeles Lakers beat Indiana Pacers, 4 games to 2
- Jun 25 46th LPGA Championship won by Juli Inkster
- Jul 2 UEFA European Championship Final: David Trezeguet scores in extra time to give France a 2-1 win over Italy in Rotterdam
- Jul 4 American jockey Russell Baze scores his 7,000th career victory aboard This Is the Moment at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton, California
- Jul 6 West Ham United FC pays a record £1.8 million for the late Bobby Moore's collection of memorabilia, 79 items including his 1966 World Cup winner's medal
- Jul 6 Real estate developer Stan Kroenke announces the acquisition of the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche and the Pepsi Centre for $450m from the Ascent Entertainment Group
Tennis Open
Jul 9 107th Wimbledon Women's Tennis: Venus Williams beats L Davenport (6-3 7-6)
Venus Williams
Tennis Open
Jul 9 114th Wimbledon Men's Tennis: Pete Sampras beats Pat Rafter (6-7 7-6 6-4 6-2) winning his 13th Grand Slam tennis title
Pete Sampras
- Jul 9 Police fired tear gas at fans during a World Cup qualifying soccer game between Zimbabwe and South Africa, setting off a stampede that killed twelve people in Harare, Zimbabwe
- Jul 11 71st All Star Baseball Game: AL wins 6-3 at Turner Field, Atlanta
- Jul 20 The leaders of Salt Lake City's bid to win the 2002 Winter Olympics are indicted by a federal grand jury for bribery, fraud, and racketeering
- Jul 23 129th British Golf Open: Tiger Woods shoots a 269 at Royal Lytham
Event of Interest
Jul 23 87th Tour de France: no winner (Lance Armstrong disqualified)
Lance Armstrong
- Jul 30 British Open Seniors Golf, Royal County Down: Irishman Christy O'Connor Jr. successfully defends his title by 2 shots from John Bland of South Africa
- Aug 3 England cricket wicket keeper Alec Stewart becomes only the 4th batsman to score a century (105) in his 100th Test, during the 3rd Test against the West Indies at Old Trafford
- Aug 5 Moni Maker wins the $500,00 Nat Ray at the Meadowlands in world record 1:52.1 to become harness racing's first $5m stakes earner
Event of Interest
Aug 7 Los Angeles Lakers announce retirement of former star player and Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Jerry West; name Mitch Kupchak to succeed him
Jerry West
Event of Interest
Aug 13 Canadian Open Golf (du Maurier Classic), Royal Ottawa GC: Meg Mallon wins by 1 from Rosie Jones
Meg Mallon
- Aug 20 PGA Championship: Tiger Woods becomes first since Ben Hogan in 1953 to win 3 majors in a calendar year; wins playoff with Bob May
- Sep 4 England wins 5th cricket Test v West Indies by 158 runs at The Oval for first series win (3-1) over WI since 1969; Windies captain Courtney Walsh's 132nd and final Test
- Sep 9 US Open Women's Tennis: Venus Williams wins her first US title; beats fellow American Lindsay Davenport 6-4, 7-5
- Sep 10 US Open Men's Tennis: Marat Safin of Russia wins his first Grand Slam title; beats Pete Sampras 6-4, 6-3, 6-3
- Sep 15 27th Olympic Games opens at Sydney, Australia
Baseball Record
Sep 16 Sammy Sosa becomes the second player to hit 50 or more home runs in three consecutive years, joining Mark McGwire
Sammy Sosa
Mark McGwire
- Sep 17 Dan Marino's #13 jersey is retired by the Miami Dolphins
- Sep 19 Ken Griffey, Jr. pinch-hits his 400th home run. The first major leaguer to reach the mark as a pinch-hitter
- Sep 25 American basketball player Vince Carter jumps over 7 foot 2 Frédéric Weis in 2000 Summer Olympics, known in France as "le dunk de la mort" (the dunk of death)
- Oct 1 Juan Antonio Samaranch, the chairman of the IOC declares the XXVII Olympics in Sydney the "best Olympic Games ever"
- Oct 1 United States retain Basketball's Olympic gold medal defeating France 85-75
- Oct 1 United States wins the most medals (97), and the most gold medals (40) in Summer Olympics held in Sydney, Australia
- Oct 1 27th Olympic Games closes at Sydney, Australia
- Oct 7 Last ever competitive soccer match at Wembley Stadium, England defeated 1-0 by Germany, last goal scored by Liverpool's Dietmar Hammann. Match is Tony Adams' 60th at Wembley, the record for most appearances at the stadium.
- Oct 11 South African Cricket Board issues former captain Hansie Cronje with a life ban as a result of match-fixing allegations
- Oct 16 MLB National League Championship: New York Mets beat St. Louis Cardinals, 4 games to 1
- Oct 17 MLB American League Championship: New York Yankees beat Seattle Mariners, 4 games to 2
Event of Interest
Oct 22 51st Formula One WDC: Michael Schumacher wins by 19 points
Michael Schumacher
- Oct 23 "Monday Night Miracle", down 30-7 at the end of the third quarter, New York Jets pull together an improbable comeback with 4 touchdowns and a field goal in the fourth quarter, eventually defeating the Miami Dolphins 40-37 in overtime
Event of Interest
Oct 26 NY Yankees defeat NY Mets 4-1 to win their 3rd straight World Series championship, MVP: Derek Jeter, NY Yankees
Derek Jeter
- Nov 11 155 skiers and snowboarders die when a cable car catches fire in an alpine tunnel near Kaprun, Austria
- Nov 11 12th College Football Holy War: Notre Dame beats Boston College 28-16 in South Bend
- Nov 18 65th Iron Bowl: Auburn beats Alabama 9-0 in Tuscaloosa
- Nov 20 52nd NASCAR Sprint Cup: Bobby Labonte wins
- Nov 25 12th Rugby League World Cup: Australia beats New Zealand 40-12
- Nov 26 88th CFL Grey Cup: BC Lions defeats Montreal Alouettes, 28-26
- Dec 2 9th SEC Championship Game: #7 Florida beats #18 Auburn, 28-6
- Dec 2 5th Big 12 Championship Game: #1 Oklahoma beats #8 Kansas State, 27-24
- Dec 10 89th Davis Cup: Spain beats Australia in Barcelona (3-1)
- Dec 11 66th Heisman Trophy Award: Chris Weinke, Florida State (QB)
- Dec 23 Cricket Women's World Cup: New Zealand defeats Australia by 4 runs
Birthdays in Sport
Weddings in Sport
- Jan 1 Dominican-American baseball player Albert Pujols (19) weds Deidre "Dee Dee" Corona (22)
Wedding of Interest
Apr 22 NFL football player Emmitt Smith (31) weds Miss Virginia USA beauty queen Patricia Southall (29)
Emmitt Smith
Wedding of Interest
May 10 World champion professional boxer Manny Pacquiao (21) weds Jinkee Pacquiao
Manny Pacquiao
- Jul 8 Olympic figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi (28) weds Carolina Hurricanes ice hockey player Bret Hedican (29) at the Mauna Lani Resort in Kona, Hawaii
Wedding of Interest
Sep 30 Tennis star player Pete Sampras (29) weds actress and former Miss Teen USA Bridgette Wilson (27) in Los Angeles, California
Pete Sampras
Wedding of Interest
Dec 16 Tennis player Todd Martin (30) weds Amy Martin in New Jersey
Todd Martin
Deaths in Sport
- Jan 4 Tom Fears, American football player (b. 1922)
- Jan 8 Fritz Thiedemann, German equestrianist (b. 1918)
- Jan 11 Betty Archdale, Anglo-Australian educationalist and cricketer (b. 1907)
- Jan 11 Robert Granville "Bob" Lemon, American baseball player (Cleveland Indians), dies at 79
- Jan 11 Phil Carrick, English cricketer (Yorkshire County Cricket Club), dies at 47
- Jan 12 Bobby Phills, American basketball player (b. 1969)
- Jan 26 Don Budge, American tennis player (6 Grand Slam singles titles, Grand Slam 1938), dies of cardiac arrest at 84
- Jan 27 Mae Faggs Starr, American athlete, 4x100m runner (Olympic gold 1952), dies at 67
- Feb 8 Sid Abel, Canadian ice hockey player (Detroit Red Wings), dies at 81
- Feb 8 Derrick Thomas, American football player (Kansas City Chiefs), dies of a blood clot at 33
Tom Landry
Feb 12 Tom Landry, American football coach (Dallas Cowboys), dies at 75
Tom Landry
- Feb 21 Antonio Díaz-Miguel, Spanish basketball coach (b. 1933)
- Feb 23 Stanley Matthews, English footballer (b. 1915)
- Feb 27 Bernard Mammes, American cyclist, dies at 88
- Mar 12 Mack Robinson, American 200m dash (Olympic silver 1932), dies at 85
- Apr 5 Lee Petty, American race car driver (b. 1914)
- Apr 14 Frenchy Bordagaray, American baseball player (b. 1910)
- Apr 14 Wilf Mannion, English footballer (b. 1918)
- Apr 24 John Beck, New Zealand cricketer (lefty bat in 8 Tests for NZ 1953-56), dies at 65
- May 5 Gino Bartali, Italian cyclist (Tour de France 1938), dies at 85
- May 12 Adam Petty, American race car driver (b. 1980)
- May 20 Malik Sealy, American basketball player (b. 1970)
Maurice Richard
May 27 Maurice "Rocket" Richard, Canadian NHL star (Montreal Canadiens, MVP-1947), dies of abdominal cancer and parkinson's disease at 78
Maurice Richard
- Jun 5 Don Liddle, baseball player (b. 1925)
- Jun 10 Brian Statham, English cricketer (b. 1930)
- Jul 2 Joey Dunlop, Irish motorcycle racer (b. 1952)
- Jul 7 Kenny Irwin, Jr., American race car driver (b. 1969)
- Jul 10 Justin Pierce, English-American actor and skateboarder (b. 1975)
- Aug 10 Gilbert Parkhouse, Welsh cricketer (England batsman in 7 Tests 1950-59), dies at 74
- Aug 14 Cuan McCarthy, South African cricketer (b. 1929)
- Aug 20 Henry Austin, British tennis player (3-time Grand Slam runner-up), dies of complications from a fall at 94
- Aug 29 Willie Maddren, English footballer (b. 1951)
- Sep 17 Nicole Reinhart, American cyclist (b. 1976)
- Sep 23 Aurelio Rodríguez, Mexican Major League Baseball player (b. 1947)
- Oct 5 Cătălin Hîldan, Romanian footballer (b. 1976)
- Oct 17 Leo Nomellini, wrestler (b. 1924)
- Oct 28 Andujar Cedeno, Dominican baseball player for the Houston Astros (b. 1969)
- Oct 28 Andújar Cedeño, Dominican infielder (Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers), dies in a car accident at 31
- Nov 22 Emil Zátopek, Czech distance runner (4 x Olympic gold 1948, 52), dies of a stroke at 78
- Nov 25 Hugh Alexander, American baseball player, dies at 83
- Nov 27 Len Shackleton, English former footballer, dies at 78
- Dec 2 Chris Antley, Racing Hall of Fame jockey (Kentucky Derby 1991, 1999), dies of drug overdose at 34
- Dec 18 Stan Fox, American race car driver (b. 1952)
- Dec 25 Neil Hawke, Australian cricketer (Aust pace bowler & late-order bat in 60s), dies at 61
- Dec 30 Lionel Hebert, American golfer (PGA Championship 1957), dies at 72