College championship
Rose Bowl (1901 season):The Michigan Wolverines won 49-0 over the Stanford Indians to win the college football national championshipMichigan Wolverines – college football national championshipProfessional championships
National Football League champions – Pittsburgh StarsOhio League champions – Akron East EndsEvents
1 January — inaugural Rose Bowl game is played at Pasadena, CaliforniaSeptember — the first professional football league, the National Football League (1902), which is unrelated to the current NFL, is formed from three teams based in Pennsylvania and who are backed by Major League Baseball. The league folds a few months later.21 November — the Philadelphia Football Athletics defeated the Kanaweola Athletic Club of Elmira, New York, 39–0, in the first ever professional American football night game.29 November — the Pittsburgh Stars defeated the Philadelphia Football Athletics, 11–0, at the Pittsburgh Coliseum, to win the 1902 National Football League championship.28 December — the Syracuse Athletic Club defeated the New York Philadelphians, 5–0, in the first indoor professional American football game, which was held at Madison Square Garden.England
The Football League – Sunderland 44 points, Everton 41, Newcastle United 37, Blackburn Rovers 36, Nottingham Forest 35, Derby County 35FA Cup final – Sheffield United 2–1 Southampton at Crystal Palace, London (replay following 1–1 draw at Crystal Palace)26 April — shortly after being saved from bankruptcy, Newton Heath changes its name to Manchester UnitedScotland
Scottish Football League – RangersScottish Cup final – Hibernian 1–0 Celtic at Celtic ParkSpain
10 March — foundation of Real Madrid as Madrid Fútbol ClubSammy Mellor wins the sixth running of the Boston Marathon.VFL Premiership
Collingwood wins the 6th VFL Premiership: Collingwood 9.6 (60) d Essendon 3.9 (27) at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)With a handful of exceptions, all VFL/AFL Grand Finals are played at the MCG from 1902National championship
National League championship – Pittsburgh PiratesAmerican League championship – Philadelphia AthleticsEvents
23 April — infielder Lou Castro debuts with the Philadelphia Athletics in the American League as the first Latin-American to play in Major League BaseballWinnipeg Maroons wins the inaugural Northern League Championship in the minor leaguesEvents
Joe Gans wins the World Lightweight Championship by knocking out Frank Erne in the first round. Gans successfully defends the title five times by the end of the year.25 July — James J. Jeffries defeats Bob Fitzsimmons by an eighth-round knockout in San Francisco, Fitzsimmons failing in his bid to recover the World Heavyweight ChampionshipLineal world champions
World Heavyweight Championship – James J. JeffriesWorld Middleweight Championship – Tommy RyanWorld Welterweight Championship – Barbados Joe WalcottWorld Lightweight Championship – Frank Erne → Joe GansWorld Featherweight Championship – Young Corbett IIWorld Bantamweight Championship – Harry ForbesEvents
No cricket is played in South Africa due to the Boer War.Australia defeats England in The Ashes by 2 Tests to 1 after the first two Tests have been rained off. In one of the most famous Test series in history, the final three matches are full of drama with Victor Trumper scoring a century before lunch in the Third Test, Australia winning the Fourth Test by just 3 runs and England winning the Fifth Test by one wicket following a century in only 75 minutes by Gilbert Jessop.England
County Championship – YorkshireMinor Counties Championship – WiltshireMost runs – Victor Trumper 2570 @ 48.49 (HS 128)Most wickets – Wilfred Rhodes 213 @ 13.15 (BB 8–26)Wisden Cricketers of the Year – Warwick Armstrong, Cuthbert Burnup, James Iremonger, James Kelly, Victor TrumperAustralia
Sheffield Shield – New South WalesMost runs – Clem Hill 1035 @ 51.75 (HS 107)Most wickets – Len Braund 62 @ 28.69 (BB 6–90)India
Bombay Presidency – Europeans shared with ParseesSouth Africa
Currie Cup – not contestedWest Indies
Inter-Colonial Tournament – not contestedWorld Figure Skating Championships
World Men's Champion – Ulrich Salchow (Sweden)Major tournaments
British Open – Sandy HerdUS Open – Laurie Auchterlonie, who becomes the first golfer to break 80 in all four rounds of the US OpenOther tournaments
British Amateur – Charles HutchingsUS Amateur – Louis N. JamesEngland
Grand National – Shannon Lass1,000 Guineas Stakes – Sceptre2,000 Guineas Stakes – SceptreEpsom Derby – Ard PatrickEpsom Oaks – SceptreSt. Leger Stakes – SceptreAustralia
Melbourne Cup – The VictoryCanada
Queen's Plate – LydditeIreland
Irish Grand National – PatlanderIrish Derby Stakes – St. BrendanUSA
Kentucky Derby – Alan-a-DalePreakness Stakes – Old EnglandBelmont Stakes – MastermanStanley Cup
Winnipeg Victorias successfully defends the Stanley Cup, defeating Toronto Wellingtons in a Cup challenge by two games to nil in a best-of-three seriesMarch – Winnipeg Victorias wins the Manitoba Hockey Association championship to retain the Stanley Cup1 March — Montreal HC wins the Canadian Amateur Hockey League (CAHL) championship and challenges Winnipeg13–17 March — Montreal and Winnipeg play a best-of-three series for the Stanley Cup, Montreal winning by two games to one to claim the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1894Paris-Vienna Trail
The Paris-Vienna Trail is run on 26–29 June over 990 km and won by Marcel Renault (France) driving a Renault in a time of 15:47:43. The race is in retrospect sometimes referred to as the VII Grand Prix de l'ACF.Gordon Bennett Cup
The third Gordon Bennett Cup is run from Paris to Innsbruck and won by Selwyn Edge (Great Britain) driving a Napier 30hp.Circuit des Ardennes
The inaugural Circuit des Ardennes is run on 31 July 1902 in the vicinity of Bastogne. The total distance is 512.05 km (i.e., 85.34 km x 6 laps). The winner is Charles Jarrott (Great Britain), driving a Panhard-Levassor 70 hp in a time of 5:53:39.Great Britain
The first motor race in Great Britain is held at Bexhill-on-Sea with more than 200 entries.The Boat Race
22 March — Cambridge wins the 59th Oxford and Cambridge Boat RaceEvents
Featherstone Rovers foundedEngland
Championship – Broughton RangersChallenge Cup final – Broughton Rangers 25–0 Salford at Athletic Grounds, RochdaleLancashire League Championship – WiganYorkshire League Championship – LeedsHome Nations Championship
20th Home Nations Championship series is won by WalesSpeed Skating World Championships
Men's All-round Champion – none declaredEngland
Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship – Lawrence Doherty (GB) defeats Arthur Gore (GB) 6–4 6–3 3–6 6–0Wimbledon Women's Singles Championship – Muriel Robb defeats Charlotte Cooper Sterry 7–5 6–1France
French Men's Singles Championship – Michel Vacherot defeats Max Decugis 6–4 6–2French Women's Singles Championship – Françoise Masson defeats P Girod: details unknownUSA
American Men's Singles Championship – William Larned defeats Reginald Doherty (GB) 4–6 6–2 6–4 8–6American Women's Singles Championship – Marion Jones defeats Elisabeth Moore 6–1 1–0 retiredDavis Cup
1902 International Lawn Tennis Challenge – United States 3–2 British Isles at Crescent Athletic Club (grass) Brooklyn, United States
