Events in Sport
Ballon d'Or
Dec 1 Ballon d'Or: FC Barcelona forward Lionel Messi is named best football player in the world; wins award by a then record margin, 240 points ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid with Barcelona midfielder Xavi 3rd
- Dec 4 Montreal Canadiens retire Hall of Fame center Elmer Lach's jersey (No. 16), as part of team's centennial celebration
- Dec 5 14th Big 12 Championship Game: #3 Texas beats #21 Nebraska, 13-12
- Dec 5 18th SEC Championship Game: #2 Alabama beats #1 Florida, 32-13
- Dec 5 5th ACC Championship Game: #12 Georgia Tech beats #25 Clemson, 39-34
- Dec 6 98th Davis Cup: Spain beats Czech Republic in Barcelona (5-0)
Sports History
Dec 11 Tiger Woods announces an indefinite leave from professional golf to focus on his marriage.
Deaths in Sport
- Dec 1 Tommy Henrich, American baseball utility (MLB All Star 1942, 1947–50; World Series 1938, 41, 47, 49, 51; NY Yankees), dies of a stroke at 96
- Dec 2 Foge Fazio, American college football coach (University of Pittsburgh), dies of leukemia at 71
- Dec 11 Claudia Boyarskikh, Soviet cross country skier (5 Olympic gold 1964, 1968), dies at 70
- Dec 14 Alan A'Court, English footballer, dies at 75
- Dec 17 Chris Henry, American football player (b. 1983)
- Dec 23 Grayson Shillingford, West Indian cricket fast bowler (7 Tests, 15 wickets, BB 3/63; Windward Islands), dies at 65
- Dec 24 George Michael, American sportscaster (The George Michael Sports Machine) (b. 1939)
- Dec 26 Arthur McIntyre, English cricket wicket-keeper (3 Tests, 8 dismissals; Surrey CCC, MCC), dies at 91
- Dec 29 Steve Williams, American professional wrestler, known as "Dr. Death", and USFL football player, dies of throat cancer at 49
Baseball Players
Basketball Stars
Boxers
Footballers
NFL Stars
Tennis Champions