SPORTS EVENTS

1965

 

American football

• NFL Championship: the Green Bay Packers won 23–12 over the Cleveland Browns at Lambeau Field
  • The game was pushed to January 2, 1966, due to a Western Conference tie–breaker (Green Bay 13, Baltimore 10) on December 26, 1965
• Orange Bowl (1964 season):
  • The Alabama Crimson Tide lose 21–17 to the Texas Longhorns; still named AP & UPI national champions
• AFL Championship – Buffalo Bills win 23–0 over the San Diego Chargers

Association football

England

• FA Cup final – Liverpool won 2-1 (aet) versus Leeds United

Australian rules football

• Victorian Football League
  • Essendon wins the 69th VFL Premiership (Essendon 14.21 (105) d St Kilda 9.16 (70))
  • Brownlow Medal awarded to Ian Stewart (St Kilda) and Noel Teasdale (North Melbourne)

Bandy

• 1965 Bandy World Championship is won by host nation Soviet Union.

Baseball

• Houston Colt .45's change name to Houston Astros, and Los Angeles Angels change name to California Angels.
• World Series – Los Angeles Dodgers win 4 games to 3 over the Minnesota Twins
• Venezuelan professional baseball club, Tigres de Aragua officially founded in Maracay on October 15.

Basketball

• NCAA Men's Basketball Championship – UCLA Bruins win 91–80 over the Michigan Wolverines
• NBA Finals – Boston Celtics win 4 games to 1 over the Los Angeles Lakers
• Taça Brasil de Basquete, as predecessor for Campeonato Brasileiro de Basquete, a first official game held on November 26 in Brazil.

Boxing

• March 30 – José Torres won the Light Heavyweight Championship of the World, stopping Willie Pastrano in nine rounds, at New York City's Madison Square Garden.

Canadian football

• Grey Cup – Hamilton Tiger-Cats win 22–16 over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
• Vanier Cup – Toronto Varsity Blues win 14–7 over the Alberta Golden Bears
• Canadian Junior Championship – Notre-Dame-de-Grace Maple Leafs win 2–1 over the Edmonton Huskies

Cricket

• Imperial Cricket Conference is renamed to International Cricket Conference and new rules are adopted to permit the election of countries from outside the Commonwealth of Nations.

Cue sports (pool, snooker, carom billiards)

• The Five-pin Billiards Individual World Championship was inaugurated in Santa Fé, Argentina – Manuel Gomez (of Argentina) took the title.

Cycling

• Giro d'Italia won by Vittorio Adorni of Italy
• Tour de France – Felice Gimondi of Italy
• UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race – Tom Simpson of Great Britain

Field Hockey

• March 13 – In an international women's field hockey match at Wembley Stadium, England. South Africa beat England 2–1.

Figure skating

• World Figure Skating Championships
  • Men's champion: Alain Calmat, France
  • Ladies' champion: Petra Burka, Canada
  • Pair skating champions: Ludmila Belousova & Oleg Protopopov, Soviet Union
  • Ice dancing champions: Eva Romanová & Pavel Roman, Czechoslovakia

Golf

Men's professional

• Masters Tournament – Jack Nicklaus shoots a Masters record 271 (17 under par) to win by nine strokes.
• U.S. Open – Gary Player becomes the third golfer in history to win all four professional majors.
• British Open – Peter Thomson
• PGA Championship – Dave Marr
• PGA Tour money leader – Jack Nicklaus – $140,752
• Ryder Cup – United States wins 19½ to 12½ over Britain in team golf.

Men's amateur

• British Amateur – Michael Bonallack
• U.S. Amateur – Bob Murphy

Women's professional

• Women's Western Open – Susie Maxwell
• LPGA Championship – Sandra Haynie
• U.S. Women's Open – Carol Mann
• Titleholders Championship – Kathy Whitworth
• LPGA Tour money leader – Kathy Whitworth – $28,658

Harness racing

• Bret Hanover wins the United States Pacing Triple Crown races –
  • Cane Pace – Bret Hanover
  • Little Brown Jug – Bret Hanover
  • Messenger Stakes – Bret Hanover
• United States Trotting Triple Crown races –
  • Hambletonian – Egyptian Candor
  • Yonkers Trot – Noble Victory
  • Kentucky Futurity – Armbro Flight
• Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship –
  • Pacers: Jay Ar
  • Trotters: Poupette

Horse racing

Steeple Chases

• Cheltenham Gold Cup – Arkle
• Grand National – Jay Trump

Flat races

• Australia – Melbourne Cup won by Light Fingers
• Canada – Queen's Plate won by Whistling Sea
• France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won by Sea Bird
• Ireland – Irish Derby Stakes won by Meadow Court
• English Triple Crown Races:
  1. 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Niksar
  2. The Derby – Seabird
  3. St. Leger Stakes – Provoke
• United States Triple Crown Races:
  1. Kentucky Derby – Lucky Debonair
  2. Preakness Stakes – Tom Rolfe
  3. Belmont Stakes – Hail To All

Ice hockey

• Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season: Stan Mikita, Chicago Black Hawks
• Hart Memorial Trophy for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: Bobby Hull, Chicago Black Hawks
• Stanley Cup – Montreal Canadiens win 4 games to 3 over the Chicago Black Hawks
• World Hockey Championship – Soviet Union defeats Czechoslovakia
• NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship – Michigan Technological University Huskies defeat Boston College Eagles 8–2 in Providence, Rhode Island

Pickleball

• The game of Pickleball was invented on Bainbridge Island, Washington.

Radiosport

• Fourth Amateur Radio Direction Finding European Championship held in Warsaw, Poland.

Rugby league

• 1965 New Zealand rugby league season
• 1965 NSWRL season: St George wins the tenth of a record eleven consecutive premierships in the NSWRL. They were not to win again until 1977, then in 1979 which was their last premiership before their 1999 merger with the Illawarra Steelers.
• 1964–65 Northern Rugby Football League season / 1965–66 Northern Rugby Football League season

Rugby union

• 71st Five Nations Championship series is won by Wales

Snooker

• World Snooker Championship challenge matches:
  • John Pulman beats Fred Davis 37-36
  • John Pulman beats Rex Williams 25-22
  • John Pulman beats Fred Van Rensburg 39-12

Swimming

• 1 March – The Amateur Swimming Union of Australia stuns the nation with its decision that Olympic champion and 1964 Australian of the Year Dawn Fraser will be banned from all amateur competition for ten years. The decision follows an inquiry into Fraser's alleged misbehavior during the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
• August 15 – US swimmer Kenis Moore breaks the world record in the women's 200m butterfly (long course) during a meet in Maumee, Ohio, clocking 2:26.3.
• August 21 – Dutch swimming star Ada Kok breaks the world record in the women's 200m butterfly (long course) for the first time, during a meet in Leiden, clocking 2:25.8.
• September 12 – Ada Kok from the Netherlands bettered her own world record in the women's 200m butterfly (long course), during a meet in Groningen, clocking 2:25.3.

Tennis

Australia

• Australian Men's Singles Championship – Roy Emerson (Australia) defeats Fred Stolle (Australia) 6–3, 6–4, 6–2
• Australian Women's Singles Championship – Margaret Smith Court (Australia) defeats Lesley Turner Bowrey (Australia) 6–3, 6–2

England

• Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship – Roy Emerson (Australia) defeats Fred Stolle (Australia) 6–4, 12–10, 4–6, 6–3
• Wimbledon Women's Singles Championship – Maria Bueno (Brazil) defeats Margaret Smith Court (Australia) 6–4, 7–9, 6–3

France

• French Men's Singles Championship – Fred Stolle (Australia) defeats Tony Roche (Australia) 3–6, 6–0, 6–2, 6–3
• French Women's Singles Championship – Lesley Turner (Australia) defeats Margaret Court (Australia) 6–3, 6–4

USA

• American Men's Singles Championship – Manuel Santana (Spain) defeats Cliff Drysdale (South Africa) 6–2, 7–9, 7–5, 6–1
• American Women's Singles Championship – Margaret Smith (Australia) defeats Billie Jean Moffitt (USA) 8–6, 7–5

Davis Cup

• 1965 Davis Cup – Australia 4–1 Spain at White City Stadium (grass) Sydney, Australia

Multi-sport events

• First All-Africa Games held in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
• Fourth Pan Arab Games held in Cairo, Egypt
• Fourth Summer Universiade held in Budapest, Hungary

Awards

• ABC's Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year: Jim Clark, Formula One champion and Indianapolis 500 winner
• Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year – Sandy Koufax, Major League Baseball
• Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year – Kathy Whitworth, LPGA golf

 

1966

 

Alpine skiing

• FIS Alpine World Ski Championships –
  • Men's combined champion: Jean-Claude Killy, France
  • Women's combined champion: Marielle Goitschel, France

American football

• Orange Bowl (1965 season):
  • The Alabama Crimson Tide won 39–28 over the Nebraska Cornhuskers to win the AP Poll national championship after the previous #1 ranked Michigan State Spartans lost in the Rose Bowl and the #2 ranked Arkansas Razorbacks lost in the Cotton Bowl. This was the first time the AP conducted its final rankings at the conclusion of the postseason bowl games.
• June 8: The AFL and NFL reach an agreement to merge as equals into one league under the NFL name, to take effect with the 1970 season.
• AFL Championship – Kansas City Chiefs won 31–7 over the Buffalo Bills to advance to Super Bowl I in Jan. 1967
• NFL Championship – Green Bay Packers won 34–27 over the Dallas Cowboys to advance to Super Bowl I in Jan. 1967
• Each of the two existing top-level professional leagues added a new team for the 1966 season. The Atlanta Falcons joined the NFL, and the Miami Dolphins joined the AFL.
• 1966 NCAA University Division football season:
  • November 19 – The top-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the second-ranked Michigan State Spartans play to a 10–10 tie; Notre Dame retains its No. 1 ranking in the polls and are later named AP and UPI national champions.

Artistic gymnastics

• World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
  • Men's all-around champion: Mikhail Voronin, USSR
  • Women's all-around champion: Věra Čáslavská, Czechoslovakia
  • Men's team competition champion: Japan
  • Women's team competition champion: Czechoslovakia

Association football

England

• FA Cup final – Everton win 3–2 against Sheffield Wednesday

International

• World Cup – England defeats Germany to win the 1966 World Cup Final.
• FIFA decide to give the right to host the 1974 FIFA World Cup, 1978 FIFA World Cup and 1982 Football World Cup to West Germany, Argentina and Spain respectively

Athletics

• July 17 – American runner Jim Ryun sets a new world record for the mile at 3:51.3
• August – 1966 Commonwealth Games held at Kingston, Jamaica
• September – 1966 European Championships in Athletics held at Budapest
• December – 1966 Asian Games held at Bangkok

Australian rules football

• Victorian Football League
  • St Kilda wins the 70th VFL Premiership (St Kilda 10.14 (74) d Collingwood 10.13 (73))
  • Brownlow Medal awarded to Ian Stewart (St Kilda)

Baseball

• Milwaukee Braves move to Atlanta, Georgia and become the Atlanta Braves.
• January 20 – The BBWAA elects Ted Williams to the Hall of Fame. Williams, the last batter to hit .400, receives 282 of a possible 302 votes.
• Roberto Clemente is the National League MVP.
• Frank Robinson is the American League MVP.
• Sandy Koufax of the Los Angeles Dodgers is the Major League Baseball Cy Young Award
• Tommie Agee of the Chicago White Sox is the American League MLB Rookie of the Year award
• Tommy Helms of the Cincinnati Red is the National League MLB Rookie of the Year award
• Ted Williams is inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
• World Series – Baltimore Orioles win 4 games to 0 over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Series MVP: Frank Robinson, Baltimore
• College World Series – Ohio State defeats Oklahoma State 8–2 at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium. Ohio State pitcher Steve Arlin is named tournament Most Outstanding Player

Basketball

• NCAA University Division Basketball Championship –
  • Texas Western wins 72–65 over Kentucky
• NBA Finals –
  • Boston Celtics won 4 games to 3 over the Los Angeles Lakers. This would be the last of the Celtics' record eight straight NBA titles.
• NBA MVP – Philadelphia 76ers center Wilt Chamberlain
• The first season of the Basketball Bundesliga was held in Germany on October 1.
• The first Basketball Super League of Turkey games was held on December 13, when three regional (Istanbul, Ankara and İzmir) basketball leagues were merged.
• An NBA club, Chicago Bulls was founded in Illinois, United States on January 16.

Boxing

• March 29, Muhammad Ali defeats George Chuvalo in a 15-round unanimous decision
• April 25 at New York City, World Welterweight Champion Emile Griffith won a 15-round unanimous decision over Dick Tiger to also become the World Middleweight Champion.
• May 21 Muhammad Ali defeats Henry Cooper with a 6th-round TKO
• August 6 Muhammad Ali defeats Brian London with a 3rd-round KO
• September 10 Muhammad Ali defeats Karl Mildenberger with a 12th-round TKO
• November 14, Muhammad Ali knocks out Cleveland Williams in three rounds to retain the WBC heavyweight title.

Canadian football

• Grey Cup – Saskatchewan Roughriders win 29–14 over the Ottawa Rough Riders
• Vanier Cup – St. Francis Xavier X-Men win 40–14 over the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks

Cycling

• Giro d'Italia won by Gianni Motta of Italy
• Tour de France – Lucien Aimar of France
• Vuelta a España – Francisco Gabica of Spain
• UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race – Rudi Altig of Germany

Figure skating

• World Figure Skating Championships –
  • Men's champion: Emmerich Dänzer, Austria
  • Ladies' champion: Peggy Fleming, United States
  • Pair skating champions: Ludmila Belousova & Oleg Protopopov, Soviet Union
  • Ice dancing champions: Diane Towler & Bernard Ford, Great Britain

Golf

• July 24 – Tony Lema (32), American golf champion, died in an air crash at Munster, Indiana

Men's professional

• Masters Tournament – Jack Nicklaus
• U.S. Open – Billy Casper
• British Open – Jack Nicklaus becomes the fourth player to win all four major professional championships.
• PGA Championship – Al Geiberger
• PGA Tour money leader – Billy Casper – $121,945

Men's amateur

• British Amateur – Bobby Cole
• U.S. Amateur – Gary Cowan

Women's professional

• Women's Western Open – Mickey Wright
• LPGA Championship – Gloria Ehret
• U.S. Women's Open – Sandra Spuzich
• Titleholders Championship – Kathy Whitworth
• LPGA Tour money leader – Kathy Whitworth – $33,517

Harness racing

• Romeo Hanover wins the United States Pacing Triple Crown races –
  • Cane Pace – Romeo Hanover
  • Little Brown Jug – Romeo Hanover
  • Messenger Stakes – Romeo Hanover
• United States Trotting Triple Crown races –
  • Hambletonian – Kerry Way
  • Yonkers Trot – Polaris
  • Kentucky Futurity – Governor Armbro
• Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship –
  • Pacers: Chamfer Star
  • Trotters: Yamamoto

Horse racing

Steeple Chases

• Cheltenham Gold Cup – Arkle
• Grand National – Anglo

Flat races

• Australia – Melbourne Cup won by Galilee
• Canada – Queen's Plate won by Titled Hero
• France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won by Bon Mot
• Ireland – Irish Derby Stakes won by Sodium
• English Triple Crown Races:
  1. 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Kashmir
  2. The Derby – Charlottetown
  3. St. Leger Stakes – Sodium
• United States Triple Crown Races:
  1. Kentucky Derby – Kauai King
  2. Preakness Stakes – Kauai King
  3. Belmont Stakes – Amberoid

Ice hockey

• Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season: Bobby Hull, Chicago Black Hawks
• Hart Memorial Trophy – for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: Bobby Hull, Chicago Black Hawks
• Stanley Cup – Montreal Canadiens won 4–2 over the Detroit Red Wings
• World Hockey Championship
  • Men's champion: Soviet Union defeated Czechoslovakia
• NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship – Michigan State University Spartans defeat Clarkson University Golden Knights 6–1 in Minneapolis

Orienteering

• First Orienteering World Championships held 1–2 October in Fiskars, Finland.

Rugby league

• 1966 New Zealand rugby league season
• 1966 NSWRL season
• 1965–66 Northern Rugby Football League season / 1966–67 Northern Rugby Football League season

Rugby union

• 72nd Five Nations Championship series is won by Wales

Snooker

• World Snooker Championship challenge match: John Pulman beats Fred Davis 5–2 in matches.

Speed skating

• January 4 – death of Inga Artamonova (29), Russian world speed-skating champion, who was murdered by her husband

Tennis

Australia

• Australian Men's Singles Championship – Roy Emerson (Australia) defeats Arthur Ashe (USA) 6–4, 6–8, 6–2, 6–3
• Australian Women's Singles Championship – Margaret Smith Court (Australia) defeats Nancy Richey (USA) walkover

England

• Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship – Manuel Santana (Spain) defeats Dennis Ralston (USA) 6–4, 11–9, 6–4
• Wimbledon Women's Singles Championship – Billie Jean King (USA) defeats Maria Bueno (Brazil) 6–3, 3–6, 6–1

France

• French Men's Singles Championship – Tony Roche (Australia) defeats István Gulyás (Hungary) 6–1, 6–4, 7–5
• French Women's Singles Championship – Ann Haydon Jones (Great Britain) defeats Nancy Richey (USA) 6–3, 6–1

USA

• American Men's Singles Championship – Tournament did not start until 1968
• American Women's Singles Championship – Tournament did not start until 1968

Davis Cup

• 1966 Davis Cup – Australia 4–1 India at Kooyong Stadium (grass) Melbourne, Australia

Volleyball

• 1966 FIVB Men's World Championship in Prague won by Czechoslovakia

Multi-sport events

• Asian Games held in Bangkok, Thailand
• 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games held in Kingston, Jamaica
• Central American and Caribbean Games held in San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Fourth Winter Universiade held in Sestriere, Italy

Awards

• Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year – Frank Robinson, Major League Baseball
• Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year – Kathy Whitworth, LPGA golf
• Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year - Jim Ryun, running

 

1967

 

Alpine skiing

• The first Alpine Skiing World Cup is organized for the three ski events: Downhill, Slalom and Giant Slalom:
  • Men's overall champion: Jean-Claude Killy, France
  • Women's overall champion: Nancy Greene, Canada

American football

• January 15 − Super Bowl I: the Green Bay Packers (NFL) won 35−10 over the Kansas City Chiefs (AFL)
  • Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
  • Attendance: 61,946
  • MVP: Bart Starr, QB (Green Bay)
• December 31 – Green Bay Packers defeat Dallas Cowboys 21-17 for the 1967 NFL Championship in a now-legendary game at Lambeau Field known as the Ice Bowl to advance to Super Bowl II in Jan. 1968
• Oakland Raiders defeat the Houston Oilers 40-7 for the 1967 American Football League Championship to advance to Super Bowl II in Jan. 1968
• The New Orleans Saints are formed.

Association football

European Cup

• Celtic won the European Cup Final 2–1 against Internazionale in Lisbon, earning the team the nickname of the Lisbon Lions. The team also won the Scottish League Championship and Scottish Cup and the Scottish league Cup Final, thus becoming the first team to complete a domestic and European quadruple.

England

• FA Cup final – Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Chelsea

Athletics

• August – Athletics at the 1967 Pan American Games held at Winnipeg

Australian rules football

• Victorian Football League
  • Richmond wins the 71st VFL Premiership (Richmond 16.18 (114) d Geelong 15.15 (105))
  • Brownlow Medal awarded to Ross Smith (St Kilda)

Bandy

• 1967 Bandy World Championship is held in Finland and won by Soviet Union.

Baseball

• World Series – St. Louis Cardinals win 4 games to 3 over the Boston Red Sox. The series MVP is pitcher Bob Gibson of St. Louis.
• October – The Kansas City Athletics become the Oakland Athletics for the 1968 season.

Basketball

• NCAA University Division basketball tournament –
  • UCLA wins 79–64 over Dayton. This would be the first of a record seven consecutive titles for the Bruins.
• NBA Finals –
  • Philadelphia 76ers won 4 games to 2 over the San Francisco Warriors.
• FIBA World Championship
  • Champions: USSR
• The American Basketball Association begins play as a rival league to the NBA.

Boxing

• May 9 – Muhammad Ali was stripped of his World Heavyweight Champion titles and was banned from boxing by the various commissions for his refusal to be inducted into the United States Army.
• October 27 – death of Robert Carmody (29), American boxer, in the Vietnam War

Canadian football

• Grey Cup – Hamilton Tiger-Cats won 24–1 over the Saskatchewan Roughriders
• Vanier Cup – Alberta Golden Bears win 10–9 over the McMaster Marauders

Cycling

• July 13 — death of Tom Simpson during the stage 13 of Tour de France
• July 30 – death of Valentín Uriona (26), Spanish road racing cyclist, following a crash during a race
• Giro d'Italia won by Felice Gimondi of Italy
• Tour de France – Roger Pingeon of France
• UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race – Eddy Merckx of Belgium

Field hockey

• Pan American Games (Men's Competition) in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
  • Gold Medal: Argentina
  • Silver Medal: Trinidad & Tobago
  • Bronze Medal: United States
• March 11 – In an international women's field-hockey match at Wembley Stadium, England. England beat Ireland 7–1.

Figure skating

• World Figure Skating Championships –
  • Men's champion: Emmerich Dänzer, Austria
  • Ladies' champion: Peggy Fleming, United States
  • Pair skating champions: Ludmila Belousova & Oleg Protopopov, Soviet Union
  • Ice dancing champions: Diane Towler & Bernard Ford, Great Britain

Golf

Men's professional

• Masters Tournament – Gay Brewer
• U.S. Open – Jack Nicklaus
• British Open – Roberto De Vincenzo
• PGA Championship – Don January
• PGA Tour money leader – Jack Nicklaus – $188,998
• Ryder Cup – United States wins 23½ to 8½ over Britain in team golf.

Men's amateur

• British Amateur – Bob Dickson
• U.S. Amateur – Bob Dickson

Women's professional

• Women's Western Open – Kathy Whitworth
• LPGA Championship – Kathy Whitworth
• U.S. Women's Open – Catherine Lacoste
• Titleholders Championship – not played
• LPGA Tour money leader – Kathy Whitworth – $32,937

Harness racing

• United States Pacing Triple Crown races –
  • Cane Pace – Meadow Paige
  • Little Brown Jug – Best Of All
  • Messenger Stakes – Romulus Hanover
• United States Trotting Triple Crown races –
  • Hambletonian – Speedy Streak
  • Yonkers Trot – Speed Model
  • Kentucky Futurity – Speed Model
• Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship –
  • Pacers: Benshaw

Horse racing

Steeple Chases

• Cheltenham Gold Cup – Woodland Venture
• Grand National – Foinavon

Flat races

• Australia – Melbourne Cup won by Red Handed
• Canada – Queen's Plate won by Jammed Lovely
• France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won by Topyo
• Ireland – Irish Derby Stakes won by Ribocco
• English Triple Crown Races:
  1. 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Royal Palace
  2. The Derby – Royal Palace
  3. St. Leger Stakes – Ribocco
• United States Triple Crown Races:
  1. Kentucky Derby – Proud Clarion
  2. Preakness Stakes – Damascus
  3. Belmont Stakes – Damascus

Ice hockey

• Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season: Stan Mikita, Chicago Black Hawks
• Hart Memorial Trophy – for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: Stan Mikita, Chicago Black Hawks
• Stanley Cup – Toronto Maple Leafs won 4 games to 2 over the Montreal Canadiens
• World Hockey Championship
  • Men's champion: Soviet Union defeated Sweden
• NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship – Cornell University Big Red defeat Boston University Terriers 4–1 in Syracuse, New York
• The NHL added six new teams for the 1967–68 season.

Lacrosse

• The inaugural World Lacrosse Championship is held in Toronto, Ontario. The United States won, and Australia is the runner-up.
• The Vancouver Carlings win the Mann Cup.
• The Elora Mohawks win the Castrol Cup.
• The Oshawa Green Gaels win the Minto Cup

Radiosport

• Fifth Amateur Radio Direction Finding European Championship held in Cervena, Czechoslovakia.

Rugby league

• 1967 New Zealand rugby league season
• 1967 NSWRL season
• 1966–67 Northern Rugby Football League season / 1967–68 Northern Rugby Football League season
• 17 December – first Sunday in professional rugby league.

Rugby union

• 73rd Five Nations Championship series is won by France

Snooker

• No World Snooker Championship challenge matches. John Pulman remains world champion

Swimming

• July 26 – American swimmer Mark Spitz breaks Kevin Berry's nearly three-year-old world record in the men's 200m butterfly (long course) at the Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with a time of 2:06.4.
• August 30 – John Ferris captures the world record from fellow-American Mark Spitz in the men's 200m butterfly (long course) by swimming 2:06.0 at a meet in Tokyo, Japan.
• October 8 – Mark Spitz regains his world record in the men's 200m butterfly (long course) at a meet in West Berlin, West Germany, clocking 2:05.7.

Tennis

Australia

• Australian Men's Singles Championship – Roy Emerson (Australia) defeats Arthur Ashe (USA) 6–4, 6–1, 6–4
• Australian Women's Singles Championship – Nancy Richey (USA) defeats Lesley Turner Bowrey (Australia) 6–1, 6–4

England

• Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship – John Newcombe (Australia) defeats Wilhelm Bungert (West Germany) 6–3, 6–1, 6–1
• Wimbledon Women's Singles Championship – Billie Jean King (USA) defeats Ann Haydon-Jones (Great Britain) 6–3, 6–4

France

• French Men's Singles Championship – Roy Emerson (Australia) defeats Tony Roche (Australia) 6–1, 6–4, 2–6, 6–2
• French Women's Singles Championship – Françoise Dürr (France) defeats Lesley Turner (Australia) 4–6, 6–3, 6–4

USA

• American Men's Singles Championship – John Newcombe (Australia) defeats Clark Graebner (USA) 6–4, 6–4, 8–6
• American Women's Singles Championship – Billie Jean King (USA) defeats Ann Haydon Jones (Great Britain) 11–9, 6–4

Davis Cup

• 1967 Davis Cup – Australia 4–1 Spain at Milton Courts (grass) Brisbane, Australia

Volleyball

• 1967 Men's European Volleyball Championship won by the USSR
• 1967 Women's European Volleyball Championship won by the USSR
• Volleyball at the 1967 Pan American Games won by USA (both men's and women's tournaments)

Water sports

• January 4 – death of Donald Campbell (45), British land and water speed record holder, who was trying to extend the record on Coniston Water, Cumbria

Yacht racing

• The New York Yacht Club retains the America's Cup as Intrepid defeats Australian challenger Dame Pattie, of the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, 4 races to 1

Multi-sport events

• Fifth Pan American Games held in Winnipeg, Canada
• Fifth Mediterranean Games held in Tunis, Tunisia
• Fifth Summer Universiade held in Tokyo, Japan

Awards

• Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year – Carl Yastrzemski, Major League Baseball
• Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year – Billie Jean King, Tennis

 

1968

 

Alpine skiing

• Alpine Skiing World Cup:
  • Men's overall champion: Jean-Claude Killy, France
  • Women's overall champion: Nancy Greene, Canada

American football

• Super Bowl II – the Green Bay Packers (NFL) won 33–14 over the Oakland Raiders (AFL)
  • Location: Miami Orange Bowl
  • Attendance: 75,546
  • MVP: Bart Starr, QB (Green Bay)
• Rose Bowl (1967 season):
  • The Southern California Trojans won 14–3 over the Indiana Hoosiers to win the college football national championship
• The Cincinnati Bengals were formed
• November 17 – The Oakland Raiders score two consecutive touchdowns in the last minute of the fourth quarter to beat the New York Jets 43–32, in the infamous "Heidi Game".

1. J. Simpson, running back for the USC Trojans, was the overwhelming choice for the Heisman Trophy, with 2,853 points. Second was Leroy Keyes, running back for Purdue, with 1,103 points, followed by Terry Hanratty (QB-Notre Dame), Ted Kwalick (TE-Penn State) and Ted Hendricks (DE-Miami).

Association football

• Brazil – First Division Champions: Botafogo FR
• England – First Division Champions: Manchester City F.C.
• England – FA Cup – West Bromwich Albion 1–0 Everton
• Scotland – First Division Champions: Celtic F.C.
• Scotland – Cup Winners: Dunfermline Athletic F.C. (defeated Heart of Midlothian 3–1)
• European Championship – Italy beat Yugoslavia 2–0 in a replay. The original final ended 1–1.

Australian rules football

• Victorian Football League
  • Carlton wins the 72nd VFL Premiership (Carlton 7.14 (56) d Essendon 8.5 (53))
  • Brownlow Medal awarded to Bob Skilton (South Melbourne)

Baseball

• Kansas City Athletics move to Oakland, California to become the Oakland Athletics.
• January 23 – Joe Medwick is voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Medwick won the Triple Crown in 1937 and batted .300 in 14 of 17 seasons.
• January 28 – Goose Goslin and Kiki Cuyler are admitted to the Hall of Fame by unanimous vote of the Special Veterans Committee. Goslin was a career .316 hitter who played in four World Series. Cuyler was a .321 career hitter with four stolen base crowns.
• Denny McLain of the Detroit Tigers became the first pitcher in Major League Baseball to win 30 or more games since Dizzy Dean of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1934. Since McLain, no pitcher has accomplished that feat.
• Bob Gibson of the St. Louis Cardinals recorded a 1.12 Earned Run Average, a live-ball era record, as well as the major league record in 300 or more innings pitched.
• World Series – Detroit Tigers won 4 games to 3 over the St. Louis Cardinals. The Series MVP was Mickey Lolich, Detroit.
• June 24 – Jim Northrup of the Detroit Tigers hits grand slams in consecutive at-bats, 5th and 6th innings.

Basketball

• NCAA Men's Basketball Championship –
  • UCLA wins 78–55 over North Carolina
• NBA Finals –
  • Boston Celtics won 4 games to 2 over the Los Angeles Lakers
• Phoenix Suns, one of the National Basketball Association club representatives, was founded in Arizona on January 22.

Boxing

• May 8 – Bob Foster knocked out Dick Tiger in the fourth round to win the World Light-Heavyweight Championship.

Canadian football

• Grey Cup – Ottawa Rough Riders won 24–21 over the Calgary Stampeders
• Vanier Cup – Queen's Golden Gaels won 42–14 over the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks

Cricket

• January 31 – Australia secure victory in the Fourth Test match versus India and win the series 4–0
• August 27 – England win the final Test match at The Oval against Australia to tie the series 1–1. Australia retain The Ashes
• August 28 – Basil D'Oliveira is excluded from the MCC South African tour side leading to turmoil in the world of cricket.

Cycling

• Giro d'Italia won by Eddy Merckx of Belgium
• Tour de France – Jan Janssen of the Netherlands
• UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race – Vittorio Adorni of Italy

Field hockey

• Olympic Games (Men's Competition) in Mexico City, Mexico
  • Gold Medal: Pakistan
  • Silver Medal: Australia
  • Bronze Medal: India
• March 9 – In an international women's field hockey match at Wembley Stadium, England. England beat the Netherlands 1–0.

Figure skating

• World Figure Skating Championships –
  • Men's champion: Emmerich Dänzer, Austria
  • Ladies' champion: Peggy Fleming, United States
  • Pair skating champions: Ludmila Belousova & Oleg Protopopov, Soviet Union
  • Ice dancing champions: Diane Towler & Bernard Ford, Great Britain

Golf

Men's professional

• Masters Tournament – Bob Goalby wins after Roberto DeVicenzo makes a score card error. DeVicenzo writes a 4 instead of the 3 on the 17th hole.
• U.S. Open – Lee Trevino became the first golfer to shoot in the 60s in every round of the U.S. Open.
• British Open – Gary Player
• PGA Championship – Julius Boros
• PGA Tour money leader – Billy Casper – $205,169

Men's amateur

• British Amateur – Michael Bonallack
• U.S. Amateur – Bruce Fleisher

Women's professional

• Women's Western Open – discontinued
• LPGA Championship – Sandra Post became the youngest golfer to ever win an LPGA major tournament by capturing the LPGA Championship.
• U.S. Women's Open – Susie Berning
• Titleholders Championship – not played
• LPGA Tour money leader – Kathy Whitworth – $48,379

Horse racing

Steeple Chases

• Cheltenham Gold Cup – Fort Leney
• Grand National – Red Alligator

Flat races

• Australia – Melbourne Cup won by Royal Parma
• Canada – Queen's Plate won by Merger
• France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won by Vaguely Noble
• Ireland – Irish Derby Stakes won by Ribero
• English Triple Crown Races:
  1. 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Sir Ivor
  2. The Derby – Sir Ivor
  3. St. Leger Stakes – Ribero
• United States Triple Crown Races:
  1. Kentucky Derby – Forward Pass
  2. Preakness Stakes – Forward Pass
  3. Belmont Stakes – Stage Door Johnny

Ice hockey

• January 15 – death of Bill Masterton, Canadian ice hockey player, as a result of injury sustained during a game
• Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season: Stan Mikita, Chicago Black Hawks
• Hart Memorial Trophy – for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: Stan Mikita, Chicago Black Hawks
• Stanley Cup – Montreal Canadiens win four games to none over the St. Louis Blues
• World Hockey Championship
  • Men's champion: Soviet Union defeated Czechoslovakia
• NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship – University of Denver Pioneers defeat University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux 4–0 in Duluth, Minnesota

Rugby league

• 1968 New Zealand rugby league season
• 1968 NSWRL season premiers: South Sydney DRLFC
• 1967–68 Northern Rugby Football League season / 1968–69 Northern Rugby Football League season
• 1968 Rugby League World Cup winners: Australia

Rugby union

• 74th Five Nations Championship series is won by France who complete the Grand Slam

Snooker

• World Snooker Championship challenge match: John Pulman beats Eddie Charlton 39–34

Swimming

• XIX Olympic Games, held in Mexico City (October 17 – October 26)

Tennis

Australia

• Australian Men's Singles Championship – William Bowrey (Australia) defeats Juan Gisbert, Sr. (Spain) 7–5, 2–6, 9–7, 6–4
• Australian Women's Singles Championship – Billie Jean King (USA) defeats Margaret Smith Court (Australia) 6–1, 6–2

England

• Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship – Rod Laver (Australia) defeats Tony Roche (Australia) 6–3, 6–4, 6–2
• Wimbledon Women's Singles Championship – Billie Jean King (USA) defeats Judy Tegart Dalton (Australia) 9–7, 7–5

France

• French Men's Singles Championship – Ken Rosewall (Australia) defeats Rod Laver (Australia) 6–3, 6–1, 2–6, 6–2
• French Women's Singles Championship – Nancy Richey (USA) defeats Ann Haydon Jones (Great Britain) 5–7, 6–4, 6–1

USA

• American Men's Singles Championship – Arthur Ashe (USA) defeats Tom Okker (Netherlands) 14–12, 5–7, 6–3, 3–6, 6–3
• American Women's Singles Championship – Virginia Wade (Great Britain) defeats Billie Jean King (USA) 6–4, 6–2

Events

• The "open era" in tennis begins, as all the Grand Slam events open to professionals for the first time

Davis Cup

• 1968 Davis Cup – United States 4–1 Australia at Memorial Drive Tennis Centre (grass) Adelaide, Australia

Multi-sport events

• 1968 Winter Olympics takes place in Grenoble, France (Feb 6 - Feb 18)
  • Norway wins the most medals (14), and the most gold medals (6)
• 1968 Summer Olympics takes place in Mexico City, Mexico (Oct 12 - Oct 27)
  • United States wins the most medals (107), and the most gold medals (45)
• Fifth Winter Universiade held in Innsbruck, Austria

Awards

• Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year – Denny McLain, Major League Baseball
• Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year – Peggy Fleming, Figure skating

 

1969

 

Alpine skiing

• Alpine Skiing World Cup:
  • Men's overall champion: Karl Schranz, Austria
  • Women's overall champion: Gertrud Gabl, Austria

American football

• Super Bowl III: the New York Jets (AFL) won 16−7 over the Baltimore Colts (NFL)
  • Location: Miami Orange Bowl
  • Attendance: 75,389
  • MVP: Joe Namath, QB (New York)
  • Game note: Super Bowl is remembered for New York quarterback Joe Namath "guaranteeing" a victory.
• Rose Bowl (1968 season)
  • The Ohio State Buckeyes won 27–16 over the Southern California Trojans to win the college football national championship
• College football's centennial year was marked by racial strife.
• September 28 – Minnesota Vikings' Quarterback Joe Kapp became the last player to throw seven touchdowns in a single game.
• November 22 – College Football – Michigan upsets #1 ranked Ohio State 24-12 sending Michigan to the Rose Bowl
• December 6 – College Football – #1 Texas beats #2 Arkansas 15–14 in the then Game of the Century. Texas would remain #1 for the rest of the season and were the AP 1969 National Champions following their Cotton Bowl win.

Association football

• September 26 – the Bolivian soccer team is killed in a plane crash near La Paz, Bolivia
• European Cup – A.C. Milan 4–1 Ajax
• Inter-Cities Fairs Cup – Newcastle United defeat Újpesti Dózsa 6–2 on aggregate
• England – First Division Champions: Leeds United
• England – FA Cup – Manchester City won 1–0 over Leicester City
• Germany – Bundesliga – Bayern Munich
• Italy – Serie A: Fiorentina
• Scotland – First Division Champions: Celtic
• Scotland – FA Cup: Celtic won 4–0 over Rangers
• Spain – La Liga: Real Madrid
• Ecuador – Ecuadorian Serie A Champions: LDU Quito

Athletics

• September – 1969 European Championships in Athletics held in Athens

Australian rules football

• Victorian Football League
  • April 12: Carlton become the first team to score 200 points in a VFL match when they kick 30.30 (210) to Hawthorn 12.10 (82). Alex Jesaulenko kicks 6.12 (48).
  • Richmond wins the 73rd VFL Premiership (Richmond 12.13 (85) d Carlton 8.12 (60))
  • Brownlow Medal awarded to Kevin Murray (Fitzroy)

Bandy

• 1969 Bandy World Championship is held in Sweden and won by Soviet Union.

Baseball

• The American League expands to 12 teams, adding the Kansas City Royals and Seattle Pilots, and the National League expands to 12 teams, adding the Montreal Expos and San Diego Padres.
• Due to expansion, Major League Baseball creates four divisions, with two in each league.
• March 1 – Mickey Mantle of the New York Yankees announces his retirement.
• April 14 – Montreal Expos outfielder Mack Jones hit a three-run home run and two-run triple that highlighted an 8–7 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in the Expos' first home victory as a franchise at Jarry Park. Jones' blast was also the first MLB home run hit outside the United States.
• July 20 – San Francisco Giants pitcher Gaylord Perry, some six years after his manager quipped, "They'll put a man on the Moon before he hits a home run", hits the first home run of his career just hours after Neil Armstrong lands on the Moon.
• World Series – the New York Mets win 4 games to 1 over the Baltimore Orioles.

Basketball

• NCAA Men's Basketball Championship –
  • UCLA wins 92–72 over Purdue
• NBA Finals –
  • Boston Celtics won 4 games to 3 over the Los Angeles Lakers
• 1969 ABA Finals –
  • Oakland Oaks defeat Indiana Pacers 4 games to 1

Boxing

• June 23 – Joe Frazier scored a 7th-round TKO over Jerry Quarry.
• August 26 – José Nápoles retained the World Welterweight Championship in a 15-round decision over Emile Griffith.
• August 31 – death of Rocky Marciano (45), Italian-American World Heavyweight boxing champion, in an air crash

Canadian football

• Grey Cup – Ottawa Rough Riders won 29–11 over the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
• Vanier Cup – Manitoba Bisons won 24–15 over the McGill Redmen

Cricket

• February 20 – Australia defeat the West Indies at Sydney in the Fifth Test Match to win the series 3-1
• March 8 Rioting stops the final match of England's tour of Pakistan on the third day. The match is abandoned and the series drawn.
• July 15 – England defeat the West Indies at Headingley in the Third Test Match to win the series 2-0
• August 26 – England defeat New Zealand at The Oval in the Third Test Match to win the series 2-0
• Learie Constantine becomes the first cricketer and the first person of Afro-Caribbean descent to be given a life peerage.

Cycling

• Giro d'Italia won by Felice Gimondi of Italy
• Tour de France – Eddy Merckx of Belgium
• UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race – Harm Ottenbros of Netherlands

Figure skating

• World Figure Skating Championships –
  • Men's champion: Tim Wood, United States
  • Ladies' champion: Gabrielle Seyfert, Germany
  • Pair skating champions: Irina Rodnina & Alexei Ulanov, Soviet Union
  • Ice dancing champions: Diane Towler & Bernard Ford, Great Britain

Golf

Men's professional

• Masters Tournament – George Archer
• U.S. Open – Orville Moody
• British Open – Tony Jacklin
• PGA Championship – Raymond Floyd
• PGA Tour money leader – Frank Beard – $164,707
• Ryder Cup – United States and Britain tied 16 all in team golf.

Men's amateur

• British Amateur – Michael Bonallack
• U.S. Amateur – Steve Melnyk

Women's professional

• LPGA Championship – Betsy Rawls
• U.S. Women's Open – Donna Caponi
• LPGA Tour money leader – Carol Mann – $49,152

Harness racing

• United States Pacing Triple Crown races –
  • Cane Pace – Kat Byrd
  • Little Brown Jug – Laverne Hanover
  • Messenger Stakes – Bye Bye Sam
• Lindy's Pride won the United States Trotting Triple Crown races –
  • Hambletonian – Lindy's Pride
  • Yonkers Trot – Lindy's Pride
  • Kentucky Futurity – Lindy's Pride
• Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship –
  • Pacers: Richmond Lass

Horse racing

• February 11 – Diana Crump becomes first woman jockey to ride against men in USA racing
• February 22 – Barbara Jo Rubin becomes the first female winner of a USA race

Steeple Chases

• Cheltenham Gold Cup – What A Myth
• Grand National – Highland Wedding

Flat races

• Australia – Melbourne Cup won by Rain Lover
• Canada – Queen's Plate won by Jumpin Joseph
• France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won by Levmoss
• Ireland – Irish Derby Stakes won by Prince Regent
• English Triple Crown Races:
  1. 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Right Tack
  2. The Derby – Blakeney
  3. St. Leger Stakes – Intermezzo
• United States Triple Crown Races:
  1. Kentucky Derby – Majestic Prince
  2. Preakness Stakes – Majestic Prince
  3. Belmont Stakes – Arts and Letters

Ice hockey

• Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season: Phil Esposito, Boston Bruins
• Hart Memorial Trophy – for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: Phil Esposito, Boston Bruins
• Stanley Cup – Montreal Canadiens won 4 games to 0 over the St. Louis Blues
• World Hockey Championship
  • Men's champion: Soviet Union defeated Sweden
• NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship – University of Denver Pioneers defeat Cornell University Big Red 4–3 in Colorado Springs, Colorado
• Goalie Karen Koch is signed to a professional contract with the Marquette Iron Rangers to become the first woman to play professional hockey in North America, if not the world.

Rugby league

• 1969–70 European Rugby League Championship
• 1969 New Zealand rugby league season
• 1969 NSWRL season
• 1968–69 Northern Rugby Football League season / 1969–70 Northern Rugby Football League season

Rugby union

• 75th Five Nations Championship series is won by Wales

Snooker

• The World Snooker Championship reverts to a knockout format. John Spencer beats Gary Owen 37-24

Tennis

• June 6 – death of Rafael Osuna, Mexican tennis player, in an air crash
• June 21 – death of Maureen Connolly (34), first winner of the women's Grand Slam
• Australian Rod Laver, one of only two men to ever win the Grand Slam in tennis wins it for the second time
• Grand Slam in tennis men's results:
  1. Australian Open – Rod Laver (Australia)
  2. French Open – Rod Laver
  3. Wimbledon championships – Rod Laver
  4. U.S. Open – Rod Laver
• Grand Slam in tennis women's results:
  1. Australian Open – Margaret Court
  2. French Open – Margaret Court
  3. Wimbledon championships – Ann Haydon-Jones
  4. U.S. Open – Margaret Court
• Davis Cup – United States wins 5–0 over Romania in world tennis.

Awards

• ABC's Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year: Mario Andretti, race car driver
• Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year – Tom Seaver, Major League Baseball
• Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year – Debbie Meyer, Swimming