Trisha Shetty (Editor)

1945 in sports

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit

1945 in sports describes the year’s events in world sport.

Contents

Note — many sporting events did not take place because of World War II

American football

  • Cleveland Rams defeated the Washington Redskins 15-14 at Cleveland, Ohio to win the NFL championship; the Rams relocate after the season to Los Angeles
  • Army Cadets – college football national championship

    • Association football

    England

  • With the end of World War II, the FA Cup is reinstated for the 1945–46 season; played on a two–legged basis. However, clubs are not yet prepared for a full league programme, so the Football League does not resume; regional leagues remain for another year.

    • France

  • 26 August: French Division 1 football is resumed for the first time since 1938–39.

    • Germany

  • There is no major football in Germany due to World War II and the Allied occupation.

    • Portugal

  • Primeira Liga won by S.L. Benfica.

    • Spain

  • La Liga won by Barcelona.

    • Italy

  • Serie A – not contested due to World War II.

    • Australian rules football

  • Victorian Football League
  • Carlton wins the 49th VFL Premiership defeating South Melbourne 15.13 (103) to 10.15 (75) in the Grand Final.
  • South Australian National Football League:
  • 29 September: West Torrens win their third SANFL premiership, defeating Port Adelaide 15.25 (115) to 15.12 (102).
  • Western Australian National Football League:
  • 29 March: After three seasons of football limited to players under 18 or 19, and a proposal to limit eligibility to players under 25, the WANFL decides to restore open-age league football.
  • 13 October: East Fremantle 12.15 (87) defeat South Fremantle 7.9 (51) for their nineteenth senior WANFL premiership.

    • Baseball

  • World Series – Detroit Tigers defeat the Chicago Cubs, 4 games to 3.
  • Negro World Series – Cleveland Buckeyes swept the Homestead Grays, 4 games to 0.

    • Basketball

    NBL Championship

  • Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons win three games to two over the Sheboygan Redskins

    • Events

  • The twelfth South American Basketball Championship in Guayaquil is won by Brazil.

    • Serbia

  • KK Crvena zvezda, as known well for professional basketball club of Serbia, officially founded on March 3.

    • Cricket

    England

  • With the end of World War II in Europe, a small number of first-class matches are played for the first time since 1939, but it is not practicable to resume the County Championship or the Minor Counties Championship.
  • Most runs – Len Hutton 782 @ 48.87 (HS 188)
  • Most wickets – Dick Pollard 28 @ 24.25 (BB 6–75)

    • Australia

  • 23 November – With the lifting of bans on weekday sport at the end of World War II, first-class cricket is played in Australia for the first time since 1 December 1941. The Sheffield Shield, however, is not contested until the following season.

    • India

  • 4-8 March: Cottari Subbanna Nayudu of Holkar sets two first-class records in the Ranji Trophy final against Bombay, bowling 912 balls and conceding 428 runs in the match.
  • Ranji Trophy – Bombay beat Holkar by 374 runs
  • Bombay Pentangular – Hindus

    • New Zealand

  • 24 December: The Plunket Shield is resumed after having not been contested, despite a small number of interprovincial first-class matches, since 1939–40.

    • South Africa

  • 15 December: With the end of World War II, first-class cricket is played in South Africa for the first time since 14 March 1943, though the last regular interprovincial matches had been in 1939–40.

    • Cycling

    Tour de France

  • not contested due to World War II

    • Giro d'Italia

  • not contested due to World War II

    • Figure skating

    World Figure Skating Championships

  • not contested due to World War II

    • Golf

    Men's professional

  • Masters Tournament – not played due to World War II
  • U.S. Open – not played due to World War II
  • British Open – not played due to World War II
  • PGA Championship – Byron Nelson
  • PGA Tour money leader – Byron Nelson – $63,336

    • Men's amateur

  • British Amateur – not played due to World War II
  • U.S. Amateur – not played due to World War II

    • Women's professional

  • Women's Western Open – Babe Zaharias
  • Titleholders Championship – not played due to World War II

    • Horse racing

    Steeplechases

  • Cheltenham Gold Cup – Red Rower
  • Grand National – not held due to World War II

    • Hurdle races

  • Champion Hurdle – Brains Trust

    • Flat races

  • Australia – Melbourne Cup won by Rainbird
  • Canada – Queen's Plate won by Uttermost
  • France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won by Nikellora
  • Ireland – Irish Derby Stakes won by Piccadilly
  • English Triple Crown Races:
    1. 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Court Martial
    2. Epsom Derby – Dante
    3. St. Leger Stakes – Chamossaire
  • United States Triple Crown Races:
    1. Kentucky Derby – Hoop Jr.
    2. Preakness Stakes – Polynesian
    3. Belmont Stakes – Pavot

    • Ice hockey

  • Stanley Cup: Toronto Maple Leafs beat Detroit Red Wings four games to three.

    • Motor racing

  • Indianapolis 500 – not held due to World War II
  • 9 September – The first European Grand Prix since 1939 is held in Paris, being won by Jean-Pierre Wimille.

    • Rowing

    The Boat Race

  • Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race is not contested due to World War II

    • Rugby league

  • 1945–46 European Rugby League Championship
  • 1945 New Zealand rugby league season
  • 1945 NSWRFL season
  • 1944–45 Northern Rugby Football League Wartime Emergency League season / 1945–46 Northern Rugby Football League season

    • Rugby union

  • Five Nations Championship series is not contested due to World War II

    • Speed skating

    Speed Skating World Championships

  • not contested due to World War II

    • Tennis

    Australia

  • Australian Men's Singles Championship – not contested
  • Australian Women's Singles Championship – not contested

    • England

  • Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship – not contested
  • Wimbledon Women's Singles Championship – not contested

    • France

  • French Men's Singles Championship – Yvon Petra (France) defeats Bernard Destremau (France) 7–5, 6–4, 6–2
  • French Women's Singles Championship – Lolette Payot (Switzerland) defeats Simone Iribarne Lafargue (France) 6–3, 6–4

    • USA

  • American Men's Singles Championship – Frank Parker (USA) defeats Bill Talbert (USA) 14–12, 6–1, 6–2
  • American Women's Singles Championship – Sarah Palfrey Cooke (USA) defeats Pauline Betz Addie (USA) 3–6, 8–6, 6–4

    • Davis Cup

  • 1945 International Lawn Tennis Challenge – not contested

    • References

    1945 in sports Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA