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1959 in sports

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Years in sports
  
1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962

1959 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.

Contents

American football

  • NFL Championship – Baltimore Colts won 31-16 over the New York Giants
  • August 14 – The American Football League is founded. Play would begin the following year.
  • Sugar Bowl (1958 season):
  • The Louisiana State Tigers won 7-0 over the Clemson Tigers to win the AP and Coaches Poll national championships

    • Association football

    Brazil

  • Taca Brasil, as predecessor for Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A, that first officially games held on August 23.

    • Turkey

  • Turkish National League, as predecessor for Super Lig of Turkey, that first officially game held on February 21.

    • Athletics

  • Pan American Games athletics held in Chicago with US sprinter Ray Norton winning three gold medals in the sprint events

    • Baseball

  • March 3 – The San Francisco Giants officially name their new stadium Candlestick Park.
  • May 26 – In what many experts call the greatest pitching performance in history, Harvey Haddix—suffering with a flu and sore throat—hurls a 12 inning perfect game for the Pittsburgh Pirates but loses in the 13th inning 0-1 on a Don Hoak fielding error to the Milwaukee Braves as lightning storms threaten the end of the game.
  • World Series – Los Angeles Dodgers win 4 games to 2 over the Chicago White Sox. The Series MVP is Larry Sherry, Los Angeles
  • The Havana Sugar Kings defeate the Richmond Virginians to win the International League Governors' Cup.
  • The Minneapolis Millers win the American Association championship.
  • Havana wins 4 games to 3 over Minneapolis to win the Junior World Series.
  • The Salt Lake City Bees win the Pacific Coast League pennant.
  • The Winnipeg Goldeyes win the Northern League championship.

    • Basketball

  • FIBA World Championship
  • Brazil World Champion
  • NCAA Men's Basketball Championship –
  • California wins 71-70 over West Virginia
  • NBA Finals|NBA Finals –
  • Boston Celtics win 4 games to 0 over the Minneapolis Lakers

    • Boxing

  • June 26 – in New York City, Ingemar Johansson scored a 3rd-round TKO over Floyd Patterson to win the World Heavyweight Championship
  • August 27 to September 7 – Pan American Games held in Chicago, United States

    • Canadian football

  • Grey Cup – Winnipeg Blue Bombers win 21-7 over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats

    • Cricket

  • During a Currie Cup match against Natal at the Jan Smuts Ground in East London in December, Border set the record (which still stands) for the lowest aggregate score by a first class side in a match. Border scored 34 runs in the match – 16 in the first innings and 18 in the second innings.

    • Curling

  • Inaugural World Curling Championships held in Falkirk and Edinburgh for men only and known as the "Scotch Cup"; it is won by a Canadianteam from Regina, Saskatchewan, skipped by Ernie Richardson

    • Figure skating

  • World Figure Skating Championships –
  • Men's champion: David Jenkins, United States
  • Ladies' champion: Carol Heiss, United States
  • Pair skating champion: Barbara Wagner & Robert Paul, Canada
  • Ice dancing champion: Doreen Denny & Courtney Jones, Great Britain

    • Golf

    Men's professional

  • Masters Tournament – Art Wall, Jr.
  • U.S. Open – Billy Casper
  • British Open – Gary Player
  • PGA Championship – Bob Rosburg
  • PGA Tour money leader – Art Wall, Jr. – $53,168
  • Ryder Cup – United States 8½ to 3½ over Britain in team golf

    • Men's amateur

  • British Amateur – Deane Beman
  • U.S. Amateur – Jack Nicklaus

    • Women's professional

  • Women's Western Open – Betsy Rawls
  • LPGA Championship – Betsy Rawls
  • U.S. Women's Open – Mickey Wright
  • Titleholders Championship – Louise Suggs
  • LPGA Tour money leader – Betsy Rawls – $26,774

    • Horse racing

    Steeplechases

  • Cheltenham Gold Cup – Roddy Owen
  • Grand National – Oxo

    • Flat races

  • Australia – Melbourne Cup won by Macdougal
  • Canadian Triple Crown races:
    1. Queen's Plate – New Providence
    2. Prince of Wales Stakes – New Providence
    3. Breeders' Stakes – New Providence
  • New Providence becomes the first horse ever to win all three races.
  • France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won by Saint Crespin
  • Ireland – Irish Derby Stakes won by Fidalgo
  • English Triple Crown races:
    1. 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Taboun
    2. Epsom Derby – Parthia
    3. St. Leger Stakes – Cantelo
  • United States Triple Crown races:
    1. Kentucky Derby – Tomy Lee
    2. Preakness Stakes – Royal Orbit
    3. Belmont Stakes – Sword Dancer

    • Ice hockey

  • Art Ross Memorial Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season: Dickie Moore, Montreal Canadiens
  • Hart Memorial Trophy for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: Andy Bathgate, New York Rangers
  • Stanley Cup – Montreal Canadiens win 4 games to 1 over the Toronto Maple Leafs
  • World Hockey Championship
  • Men's champion: Belleville McFarlands from Canada
  • NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship – University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux defeat Michigan State University Spartans 4-3 in overtime in Troy, New York
  • The Hershey Bears defeat the Buffalo Bisons 4 games to 2 to win the AHL Calder Cup.
  • The Louisville Rebels defeat the Fort Wayne Komets 4 games to 2 to win the IHL Turner Cup.
  • On November 1, Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacques Plante was injured when struck in the face by a flying puck. He offers to return to play on the condition that he wears his goalie mask. His example soon leads to the mask becoming standard equipment for goalies and a symbol of the game itself.
  • The TV-pucken tournament starts.

    • Motor racing

  • January 22 – Mike Hawthorn, reigning Formula One World Drivers' Champion, is killed in a road crash in his Jaguar Mark 1
  • Stock car racing –
  • Lee Petty in the #42 Plymouth wins the inaugural Daytona 500 in a photo finish
  • NASCAR Championship – Lee Petty (Plymouth)
  • May 30 – Rodger Ward wins the 43rd running of the Indianapolis 500 in the Leader Cards 500 Special Watson–Offenhauser
  • USAC Racing – Rodger Ward
  • Formula One – John A. Brabham (Australia) is World Drivers' Champion, in a Cooper T51–Climax.
  • 24 Hours of Le Mans – Carroll Shelby / Roy Salvadori win, sharing an Aston Martin DBR1
  • Rally racing – Paul Coltelloni / Pierre Alexandre win the Monte Carlo Rally, sharing a Citroën ID
  • Drag racing –
  • Chris "the Greek" Karamesines wins the AHRA Top Fuel title
  • Rodney Singer wins Top Eliminator at the NHRA Nationals

    • Rugby league

  • 1959 New Zealand rugby league season
  • 1958–59 Northern Rugby Football League season/1959–60 Northern Rugby Football League season
  • 1959 NSWRFL season

    • Rugby union

  • 65th Five Nations Championship series is won by France, the team's first outright championship title

    • Swimming

  • July 11 – US swimmer Michael Troy breaks his own, earlier in the day set first official world record (2:19.0) in the men's 200m butterfly (long course) at a meet in Los Altos, California, clocking 2:16.4.
  • July 19 – US swimmer Becky Collins breaks the world record in the women's 200m butterfly at a meet in Redding, California, clocking 2:37.0.

    • Tennis

    Australia

  • Australian Men's Singles Championship – Alex Olmedo (USA) defeats Neale Fraser (Australia) 6–1, 6–2, 3–6, 6–3
  • Australian Women's Singles Championship – Mary Carter Reitano (Australia) defeats Renee Schuurman Haygarth (South Africa) 6–2, 6–3

    • England

  • Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship – Alex Olmedo (USA) defeats Rod Laver (Australia) 6–4, 6–3, 6–4
  • Wimbledon Women's Singles Championship – Maria Bueno (Brazil) defeats Darlene Hard (USA) 6–4, 6–3

    • France

  • French Men's Singles Championship –
  • French Women's Singles Championship –

    • USA

  • American Men's Singles Championship –
  • American Women's Singles Championship –

    • Davis Cup

  • 1959 Davis Cup –  Australia 3–2  United States at West Side Tennis Club (grass) New York City, United States

    • Volleyball

  • Volleyball at the 1959 Pan American Games in Chicago won by USA (men) and Brazil (women)

    • Multi-sport events

  • Central American and Caribbean Games held in Caracas, Venezuela
  • Third Pan American Games held in Chicago, United States
  • Third Mediterranean Games held in Beirut, Lebanon
  • First Summer Universiade held in Turin, Italy

    • Awards

  • Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year – Ingemar Johansson, Boxing
  • Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year – Maria Bueno, Tennis

    • References

    1959 in sports Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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