1915 in sports

American football

College championship

College football national championship – Cornell Big Red

Professional championships

New York League champions – Rochester Jeffersons

Ohio League champions – Youngstown Patricians

Events

14 November — Jim Thorpe plays his first professional football game in a 16–0 Canton Bulldogs' loss to the Massillon Tigers. The game is also the first match-up between the two clubs since the 1906 scandal.

Association football

England

The Football League – Everton 46, Oldham Athletic 45, Blackburn Rovers 43, Burnley 43, Manchester City 43, Sheffield United 43

FA Cup final – Sheffield United 3–0 Chelsea at Old Trafford, Manchester

Football League membership at the end of the 1914–15 season is:

Division One (20 clubs) — Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Bradford City, Bradford Park Avenue, Burnley, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Middlesbrough, Newcastle United, Notts County, Oldham Athletic, Sheffield United, The Wednesday, Sunderland, Tottenham Hotspur, West Bromwich AlbionDivision Two (20 clubs) — Arsenal, Barnsley, Birmingham City, Blackpool, Bristol City, Bury, Derby County, Fulham, Glossop, Grimsby Town, Huddersfield Town, Hull City, Leeds City, Leicester City, Leyton Orient, Lincoln City, Nottingham Forest, Preston North End, Stockport County, Wolverhampton Wanderers

The continuance of World War I after the 1914–15 season causes the suspension of top-class football until 1919, with many footballers signing up to fight for their country. The FA Cup and Football League are not contested again till after the end of the war, although regional leagues and cups are set up at various times.

Germany

National Championship – suspended during World War I

Athletics

Marathon

First official running of the Mount Marathon Race, Seward, Alaska

Australian rules football

VFL Premiership

18 September: Carlton wins the 19th VFL Premiership, beating Collingwood 11.12 (78) to 6.9 (45) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in the 1915 VFL Grand Final.

South Australian Football League:

26 June: By drawing 4.8 (32) each with Port Adelaide, South Adelaide end the Magpies’ run of 29 consecutive victories, including one against Carlton and one against a combined team from the other six SAFL clubs.

25 September: Sturt win their first SAFL premiership, beating Port Adelaide 6.10 (46) to 4.10 (34) in the 1915 SAFL Grand Final.

West Australian Football League:

25 September: Subiaco 3.3 (21) defeat Perth 2.7 (19) for their third WAFL premiership.

Bandy

Sweden

Championship final – IFK Uppsala 2–0 AIK

Baseball

World Series

8–13 October — Boston Red Sox (AL) defeats Philadelphia Phillies (NL) to win the 1915 World Series by 4 games to 1

Boxing

Events

5 April — Jess Willard, the latest "Great White Hope", defeats Jack Johnson with a 26th round knockout in sweltering heat at Havana, Cuba. Willard becomes very popular among white Americans for "bringing back the championship to the white race".

While six world titles remain unchanged in 1915, the World Welterweight Championship changes hands three times in less than three months between June and August. Finally, it comes to Ted "Kid" Lewis, who defeats Jack Britton twice to win and then retain the title, which will interchange between these two over the next four years.

Lineal world champions

World Heavyweight Championship – Jack Johnson → Jess Willard

World Light Heavyweight Championship – Jack Dillon

World Middleweight Championship – Al McCoy

World Welterweight Championship – Matt Wells → Mike Glover → Jack Britton → Ted "Kid" Lewis

World Lightweight Championship – Freddie Welsh

World Featherweight Championship – Johnny Kilbane

World Bantamweight Championship – Kid Williams

World Flyweight Championship – Jimmy Wilde

Canadian football

Grey Cup

7th Grey Cup – Hamilton Tigers 13–7 Toronto Rowing Association

Cricket

Events

Because of World War I, there is no first-class cricket in South Africa in the 1914–15 season, nor in England in 1915. Australia goes ahead with the 1914–15 Sheffield Shield competition but then suspends first-class cricket until 1919. Similarly, in New Zealand, the Plunket Shield is contested but then there is no first-class cricket until 1918. Only in India is first-class cricket able to continue through the war years.

England

County Championship – not contested due to World War I

Minor Counties Championship – not contested due to World War I

Australia

Sheffield Shield – Victoria

Most runs – Jack Ryder 445 @ 74.16 (HS 151)

Most wickets – Bert Ironmonger 36 @ 17.52 (BB 7–69)

India

Bombay Quadrangular – Hindus shared with Parsees

New Zealand

Plunket Shield – Canterbury

South Africa

Currie Cup – not contested due to World War I

West Indies

Inter-Colonial Tournament – not contested

Cycling

Tour de France

not contested due to World War I

Giro d'Italia

not contested due to World War I

Figure skating

World Figure Skating Championships

not contested due to World War I

Golf

Major tournaments

British Open – not contested due to World War I

US Open – Jerome Travers

Other tournaments

British Amateur – not contested due to World War I

US Amateur – Robert A. Gardner

Horse racing

England

Grand National – Ally Sloper

1,000 Guineas Stakes – Vaucluse

2,000 Guineas Stakes – Pommern

Epsom Derby – Pommern

Epsom Oaks – Snow Marten

St. Leger Stakes – Pommern

Australia

Melbourne Cup – Patrobas

Canada

Queen's Plate – Tartarean

Ireland

Irish Grand National – Punch

Irish Derby Stakes – Ballaghtobin

USA

Kentucky Derby – Regret

Preakness Stakes – Rhine Maiden

Belmont Stakes – The Finn

Ice hockey

Stanley Cup

22–26 March — Vancouver Millionaires (PCHA) defeats Ottawa Senators (NHA) in the 1915 Stanley Cup Finals by 3 games to 0

Events

Winnipeg Monarchs win the Allan Cup

Motor racing

Grand Prix racing

No Grand Prix races are held in Europe from 1915 to 1920 inclusive.

Indianapolis 500

31 May — 5th running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is won by Ralph DePalma (Italy) in a Mercedes 18/100.

Vanderbilt Cup

6 March — 10th running of the Vanderbilt Cup at San Francisco is won by Dario Resta (Great Britain) driving a Peugeot EX3.

American Grand Prize

27 February — 6th running of the American Grand Prize takes place at San Francisco over 644.22 km (6.195 km x 104 laps) and is won by Dario Resta (Great Britain) driving a Peugeot EX3 in 7:07:53.

Multi-sport events

Far Eastern Championship Games

Second Far Eastern Championship Games held in Shanghai, Republic of China

Rowing

The Boat Race

Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race – not contested due to World War I

Rugby league

Events

Huddersfield becomes the second team to achieve the celebrated "All Four Cups" feat. Huddersfield at this time is known as the "Team of all the Talents".

The continuance of World War I after the 1914–15 season causes the suspension of top-class rugby league until 1919.

England

Championship – Huddersfield

Challenge Cup final – Huddersfield 37–3 St Helens at Watersheddings, Oldham

Lancashire League Championship – Wigan

Yorkshire League Championship – Huddersfield

Lancashire Cup – Rochdale Hornets 3–2 Wigan

Yorkshire Cup – Huddersfield 31–0 Hull

Australia

NSW Premiership – Balmain (outright winner)

Rugby union

Five Nations Championship

Five Nations Championship series is not contested due to World War I

Speed skating

Speed Skating World Championships

not contested due to World War I

Tennis

Australia

Australian Men's Singles Championship – Gordon Lowe (GB) defeats Horace Rice (Australia) 4–6 6–1 6–1 6–4

England

Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship – not contested due to World War I

Wimbledon Women's Singles Championship – not contested due to World War I

France

French Men's Singles Championship – not contested due to World War I

French Women's Singles Championship – not contested due to World War I

USA

American Men's Singles Championship – Bill Johnston (USA) defeats Maurice McLoughlin (USA) 1–6 6–0 7–5 10–8

American Women's Singles Championship – Molla Bjurstedt Mallory (Norway) defeats Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman (USA) 4–6 6–2 6–0

Davis Cup

1915 International Lawn Tennis Challenge – not contested