College championship
College football national championship – Harvard Crimson
Professional championships
Western Pennsylvania champions – Duquesne Country and Athletic Club
Events
The Morgan Athletic Club, which will eventually become Arizona Cardinals, is founded in Chicago and is the sport's oldest professional team.
3 December — the Western Pennsylvania All-Stars are defeated by the Duquesne Country and Athletic Club, 16–0, in the very first all-star game for professional football.
England
The Football League – Sheffield United 42 points, Sunderland 37, Wolves 35, Everton 35, Sheffield Wednesday 33, Aston Villa 33
FA Cup final – Nottingham Forest 3–1 Derby County at Crystal Palace, London.
Both the Football League First and Second Divisions are expanded from 16 to 18 teams in 1898, bringing the total number of League sides to 36. Additionally, the test match system is abandoned in favour of automatic relegation and promotion. There is no relegation from the First Division in 1898, Burnley and Newcastle United being promoted to increase the number of teams to 18. To increase the size of the Second Division, Burslem Port Vale is restored to the League; Barnsley, Glossop (1898–1915) and New Brighton Tower (1898–1901) are elected for the first time.
Italy
Formation of the Italian Football Federation (Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio or FIGC) in Turin. It is also known as Federcalcio.
Scotland
Scottish Football League – Celtic
Scottish Cup – Rangers 2–0 Kilmarnock at Hampden Park
Ronald J. MacDonald wins the second running of the Boston Marathon.
VFL Premiership
Fitzroy wins the 2nd VFL Premiership: Fitzroy 5.8 (38) d Essendon 3.5 (23) at Junction Oval
National championship
National League championship – Boston Beaneaters. This is Boston's fifth championship in eight years under manager Frank Selee.
Events
22 April — multiple no-hitters are thrown on the same day by two players: Ted Breitenstein and Jay Hughes.
USA
23 April – The 23rd Street YMCA of New York City wins the first national basketball championship tournament, organized by the U.S. Amateur Athletic Union (AAU).
Lineal world champions
World Heavyweight Championship – Bob Fitzsimmons
World Middleweight Championship – vacant → Tommy Ryan
World Welterweight Championship – Tommy Ryan → Ryan vacates title → "Mysterious" Billy Smith
World Lightweight Championship – George "Kid" Lavigne
World Featherweight Championship – Solly Smith → Dave Sullivan → George Dixon
World Bantamweight Championship – Jimmy Barry
England
County Championship – Yorkshire
Minor Counties Championship – Worcestershire
Most runs – Bobby Abel 2053 @ 48.88 (HS 219)
Most wickets – Jack Hearne 222 @ 14.05 (BB 9–68)
Wisden Five Cricketers of the Year – Wilfred Rhodes, Bill Storer, Charlie Townsend, Albert Trott, William Lockwood
Australia
Sheffield Shield – Victoria
Most runs – Clem Hill 1196 @ 66.44 (HS 200)
Most wickets – Ernie Jones 76 @ 21.75 (BB 7–80)
India
Bombay Presidency – Parsees
South Africa
Currie Cup – Transvaal
West Indies
Inter-Colonial Tournament – not contested
World Figure Skating Championships
World Men's Champion – Henning Grenander (Sweden)
Major tournaments
British Open – Harry Vardon
U.S. Open – Fred Herd
Other tournaments
British Amateur – Freddie Tait
US Amateur – Findlay S. Douglas
Events
11 June — Willie Simms becomes the only African-American jockey to win all three races of the United States Triple Crown Races when he rides Sly Fox to victory in the Preakness Stakes.
England
Grand National – Drogheda
1,000 Guineas Stakes – Nun Nicer
2,000 Guineas Stakes – Disraeli
Epsom Derby – Jeddah
Epsom Oaks – Airs and Graces
St. Leger Stakes – Wildflower
Australia
Melbourne Cup – The Grafter
Canada
Queen's Plate – Bon Ino
Ireland
Irish Grand National – Porridge
Irish Derby Stakes – Noble Howard
USA
Kentucky Derby – Plaudit
Preakness Stakes – Sly Fox
Belmont Stakes – Bowling Brook
Stanley Cup
5 March — Montreal Victorias wins the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada (AHAC) championship and the Stanley Cup. It is the club's fourth AHAC championship in a row and second straight Cup title.
Events
10 December — first championship ice hockey league, the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada (AHAC) disbands over a dispute to allow a new member in its senior league. The Canadian Amateur Hockey League (CAHL) is formed to replace it, from the clubs seceding from AHAC.
Paris-Amsterdam-Paris Trail
The 1898 Paris–Amsterdam–Paris Trail is run on 7–13 July over 1431 km and won by Fernand Charron driving a Panhard-Levassor in a time of 33:04:34. The race is in retrospect sometimes referred to as the III Grand Prix de l'ACF.
The Boat Race
26 March — Oxford wins the 55th Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race
Events
Dewsbury RLFC founded
England
Championship – not contested
Challenge Cup final – Batley 7–0 Bradford FC at Headingley Stadium, Leeds
Lancashire League Championship – Oldham
Yorkshire League Championship – Hunslet
Home Nations Championship
16th Home Nations Championship series is not completed
Events
London Irish founded
Speed Skating World Championships
Men's All-round Champion – Peder Østlund (Norway)
England
Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship – Reginald Doherty (GB) defeats Laurence Doherty (GB) 6–3 6–3 2–6 5–7 6–1
Wimbledon Women's Singles Championship – Charlotte Cooper Sterry (GB) defeats Louisa Martin (GB) 6–4 6–4
France
French Men's Singles Championship – Paul Aymé defeats Paul Lebreton: details unknown
French Women's Singles Championship – Françoise Masson wins: details unknown
USA
American Men's Singles Championship – Malcolm Whitman defeats Dwight F. Davis 3–6 6–2 6–2 6–1
American Women's Singles Championship – Juliette Atkinson defeats Marion Jones 6–3 5–7 6–4 2–6 7–5
