Rahul Sharma (Editor)

1918 in sports

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1918 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.

Contents

Note — many sporting events did not take place because of World War I or the 1918 flu pandemic

American football

College championship

  • College football national championship – Pittsburgh Panthers

    • Professional football

  • Most teams shut down due to World War I and the flu pandemic; those that continue play are forced to delay the start of play until the middle of October or later
  • Dayton Triangles defeat Detroit Heralds, both of whom continue full operations despite war and flu, to establish themselves as strongest team in the nation
  • Buffalo Niagaras sign Tommy Hughitt for play in a city-wide league, establishing a trend of expansion of top-level professional competition outside Ohio

    • Association football

    Europe

  • There is no major football in Europe due to World War I

    • Australian rules football

    VFL Premiership

  • South Melbourne wins the 22nd VFL Premiership beating Collingwood 9.8 (62) to 7.15 (57) in the 1918 VFL Grand Final.

    • South Australian Football League:

  • not contested due to World War I

    • West Australian Football League:

  • 21 September: East Fremantle 11.8 (74) defeat East Perth 8.5 (53) for their tenth WAFL premiership.

    • Bandy

    Sweden

  • Championship final – IFK Uppsala 4–1 IK Sirius (replay following 2–2 draw)

    • Baseball

    World Series

  • 5–11 September — Boston Red Sox (AL) defeats Chicago Cubs (NL) to win the 1918 World Series by 4 games to 2

    • Events

  • Babe Ruth leads the American League in home runs for the first time, hitting 11
  • 2 September — professional baseball is curtailed to accelerate mobilisation for war

    • Boxing

    Events

  • No world titles change hands in 1918 but Jack Dempsey, with a series of knockouts including one against Battling Levinsky, is now the main challenger to Jess Willard.

    • Lineal world champions

  • World Heavyweight Championship – Jess Willard
  • World Light Heavyweight Championship – Battling Levinsky
  • World Middleweight Championship – Mike O'Dowd
  • World Welterweight Championship – Ted "Kid" Lewis
  • World Lightweight Championship – Benny Leonard
  • World Featherweight Championship – Johnny Kilbane
  • World Bantamweight Championship – Pete Herman
  • World Flyweight Championship – Jimmy Wilde

    • Canadian football

    Grey Cup

  • not contested due to World War I

    • Cricket

    Events

  • There is no first-class cricket in England, Australia, South Africa or the West Indies due to World War I. A number of first-class matches are arranged in New Zealand but are not part of any official competition.

    • India

  • Bombay Quadrangular – Hindus shared with Parsees

    • New Zealand

  • Plunket Shield – 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

    Events

  • All major championships are cancelled due to World War I

    • Horse racing

    England

  • Grand National – not held due to World War I
  • 1,000 Guineas Stakes – Ferry
  • 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Gainsborough
  • Epsom Derby – Gainsborough
  • Epsom Oaks – My Dear
  • St. Leger Stakes – Gainsborough

    • Australia

  • Melbourne Cup – Night Watch

    • Canada

  • Queen's Plate – Springside

    • Ireland

  • Irish Grand National – Ballyboggan
  • Irish Derby Stakes – King John

    • USA

  • Kentucky Derby – Exterminator
  • Preakness Stakes – not contested as a single race
  • Belmont Stakes – Johren

    • Ice hockey

    Stanley Cup

  • The temporary Toronto Arenas team defeats the Montreal Canadiens 10–7 to win the inaugural National Hockey League (NHL) championship
  • Vancouver Millionaires defeats Seattle Metropolitans 3–2 to win the Pacific Coast Hockey Association championship
  • 20–30 March — Toronto Arenas (NHL) defeats Vancouver Millionaires (PCHA) in the 1918 Stanley Cup Finals by 3 games to 2

    • Events

  • 2 January — Montreal Wanderers disbands following destruction of its home venue by fire
  • Allan Cup is won by Kitchener Greenshirts

    • Motor racing

    Events

  • No major races are held anywhere worldwide due to World War I

    • Rowing

    The Boat Race

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

    • Rugby league

    England

  • All first-class competitions are cancelled due to World War I

    • Australia

  • NSW Premiership – South Sydney (outright winner)

    • New Zealand

  • 1918 New Zealand rugby league season

    • 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 – not contested due to World War I

    • 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 – Lindley Murray (USA) defeats Bill Tilden (USA) 6–3 6–1 7–5
  • American Women's Singles Championship – Molla Bjurstedt Mallory (Norway) defeats Eleanor E. Goss (USA) 6–4 6–3

    • Davis Cup

  • 1918 International Lawn Tennis Challenge – not contested

    • References

    1918 in sports Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA