1964 in sports

Alpine skiing

Men's Olympic Gold Medal:

Downhill: Egon Zimmermann, Austria

Slalom: Josef Stiegler, Austria

Giant Slalom: François Bonlieu, France

Women's Olympic Gold Medal:

Downhill: Christl Haas, Austria

Slalom: Christine Goitschel, France

Giant Slalom: Marielle Goitschel, France

FIS Alpine World Ski Championships –

Men's combined champion: Ludwig Leitner, Germany

Women's combined champion: Marielle Goitschel, France

American football

AFL Championship – Buffalo Bills win 11-7 over the San Diego Chargers

AFL MVP – Gino Cappelletti, WR Boston Patriots

NFL Championship – Cleveland Browns win 27-0 over the Baltimore Colts

NFL MVP – Johnny Unitas, QB – Baltimore Colts

Cotton Bowl (1963 season):

The Texas Longhorns won 28-6 over the Navy Midshipmen to win the college football national championship

Heisman Trophy – John Huarte QB, Notre Dame

England

FA Cup final – West Ham United won 3-2 over Preston North End

International

Spain beat the Soviet Union 2-1 to win the European Championship.

In October during the celebration of the 1964 Summer Olympics FIFA gives the right to host the Football World Cup in 1970 to Mexico.

Athletics (track and field)

March 6 – Tom O'Hara sets a new world record for the indoor mile run by completing it in 3 minutes and 56.4 seconds

Australian rules football

Victorian Football League

Melbourne wins the 68th VFL Premiership (Melbourne 8.16 (64) d Collingwood 8.12 (60))

Brownlow Medal awarded to Gordon Collis (Carlton)

Baseball

February 15 – death of Ken Hubbs (22), Chicago Cubs player, in an air crash just before the season began

April 17 – The New York Mets play their first game at brand-new Shea Stadium and lose 4–3 to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Willie Stargell hits the first home run in the stadium's history, a second-inning solo shot off the Mets' Jack Fisher.

June 21 – Jim Bunning of the Philadelphia Phillies pitched a perfect game in a 6-0 victory over the New York Mets.

World Series – St. Louis Cardinals win 4 games to 3 over the New York Yankees. The Series MVP is pitcher, Bob Gibson of St. Louis.

AL MVP – Brooks Robinson 3B, Baltimore Orioles

NL MVP – Ken Boyer 3B, St. Louis Cardinals

AL Rookie of the Year – Tony Oliva OF, Minnesota Twins

NL Rookie of the Year – Dick Allen 3B, Philadelphia Phillies

Cy Young Award – Dean Chance, Los Angeles Angels

Basketball

NCAA Men's Basketball Championship –

UCLA wins 97-83 over Duke

Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year – Gary Bradds F, Ohio State

NBA Finals – Boston Celtics won 4 games to 1 over the San Francisco Warriors

NBA MVP – Oscar Robertson G, Cincinnati Royals

NBA Rookie of the Year – Jerry Lucas F, Cincinnati Royals

Boxing

February 25 in Miami Beach, Florida – Cassius Clay defeated Sonny Liston by TKO in the 7th round to win the World Heavyweight Championship.

December 14 in Philadelphia, Joey Giardello won a 15-round decision over Rubin "Hurricane" Carter to win the World Middleweight title.

Canadian football

Grey Cup – B.C. Lions win 34-24 over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Cycling

Giro d'Italia won by Jacques Anquetil of France

Tour de France – Jacques Anquetil of France

UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race – Jan Janssen of Netherlands

Field hockey

Olympic Games (Men's Competition) in Tokyo, Japan

Gold Medal: India

Silver Medal: Pakistan

Bronze Medal: Australia

Figure skating

World Figure Skating Championships

Men's champion: Manfred Schnelldorfer, Germany

Ladies' champion: Sjoukje Dijkstra, Netherlands

Pair skating champions: Marika Kilius & Hans-Jürgen Bäumler, Germany

Ice dancing champions: Eva Romanová & Pavel Roman, Czechoslovakia

Golf

Men's professional

Masters Tournament – Arnold Palmer

U.S. Open – Ken Venturi

British Open – Tony Lema

PGA Championship – Bobby Nichols

PGA Tour money leader – Jack Nicklaus – $113,285

Men's amateur

British Amateur – Gordon Clark

U.S. Amateur – William C. Campbell

Women's professional

Women's Western Open – Carol Mann

LPGA Championship – Mary Mills

U.S. Women's Open – Mickey Wright

Titleholders Championship – Marilynn Smith

LPGA Tour money leader – Mickey Wright – $29,800

Harness racing

United States Pacing Triple Crown races –

1. Cane Pace – Race Time
2. Little Brown Jug – Vicar Hanover
3. Messenger Stakes – Race Time

Ayres won the United States Trotting Triple Crown races –

1. Hambletonian – Ayres
2. Yonkers Trot – Ayres
3. Kentucky Futurity – Ayres

Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship –

Pacers: Minuteman

Horse racing

Northern Dancer becomes the first Canadian–bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby

Steeplechases

Cheltenham Gold Cup – Arkle

Grand National – Team Spirit

Flat races

Australia – Melbourne Cup won by Polo Prince

Canada – Queen's Plate won by Northern Dancer

France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won by Prince Royal

Ireland – Irish Derby Stakes won by Santa Claus

English Triple Crown Races:

1. 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Baldric
2. Epsom Derby – Santa Claus
3. St. Leger Stakes – Indiana

United States Triple Crown Races:

1. Kentucky Derby – Northern Dancer
2. Preakness Stakes – Northern Dancer
3. Belmont Stakes – Quadrangle

Ice hockey

Art Ross Memorial Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season: Stan Mikita, Chicago Black Hawks

Hart Memorial Trophy for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: Jean Beliveau, Montreal Canadiens

Stanley Cup – Toronto Maple Leafs won 4-3 over the Detroit Red Wings

World Hockey Championship –

Men's champion: Soviet Union defeated Sweden

NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship – University of Michigan Wolverines defeat University of Denver Pioneers 6-3 in Denver, Colorado

Lacrosse

Guelph Mohawks win the first Castrol Cup.

Vancouver Carlings win the Mann Cup.

Oshawa Green Gaels win the Minto Cup.

Motor racing

Stock car racing –

January 19 – death of Joe Weatherly, NASCAR Grand National champion, in a crash at Riverside. He is the first reigning Grand National champion to be killed, and the only reigning champion to die in a racing accident.

February 23 – Richard Petty wins the Daytona 500 in the #43 Plymouth

July 2 – death of Glen "Fireball" Roberts, American stock car driver, following injuries and burns sustained in a crash during the World 600

July 17 – Donald Campbell, son of the great British record-breaker Malcolm, in Bluebird CN7 makes the last wheel-driven land speed record attempt. His speed, 403.10 mph (648.73 km/h), is less than the unratified speed of the controversial Spirit of America.

NASCAR Championship – Richard Petty wins his first of seven titles.

May 30 – A.J. Foyt wins the 48th running of the Indianapolis 500 in the Sheraton-Thompson Special Watson–Offenhauser

USAC Racing – A.J. Foyt wins the season championship

Formula One – John Surtees (Great Britain) wins the World Drivers' Champion, driving for Ferrari.

24 Hours of Le Mans – Jean Guichet / Nino Vaccarella win, sharing a Ferrari 275P

Rally racing – the team of Paddy Hopkirk / Henry Liddon win the Monte Carlo Rally driving a Mini Cooper S

Drag racing – Don Garlits wins the NHRA Top Fuel Dragster Championship

Rugby league

1964 New Zealand rugby league season

1964 NSWRFL season

1963–64 Northern Rugby Football League season / 1964–65 Northern Rugby Football League season

Rugby union

70th Five Nations Championship series is shared by Scotland and Wales

Snooker

The World Snooker Championship is revived in a challenge format:

John Pulman beats Fred Davis 19-16

John Pulman beats Rex Williams 40-33

Swimming

February 29 – in Sydney, Australian swimmer Dawn Fraser sets a new world record in the women's 100m freestyle (long course) competition: 58.9 seconds.

March 29 – Australia's Kevin Berry sets a new world record in the men's 200m butterfly (long course) at a meet in Sydney, clocking 2:06.9.

July 12 – US swimmer Sharon Stouder breaks the world record in the women's 200m butterfly (long course) with one second, during a meet in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, clocking 2:28.1.

August 2 – Sharon Stouder once again breaks the world record in the women's 200m butterfly (long course), this time in Los Altos, California, clocking 2:26.4.

October 18 – Kevin Berry breaks his own world record in the men's 200m butterfly (long course) on the last day of the swimming competition at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, with a time of 2:06.6.

Tennis

Australia

Australian Men's Singles Championship – Roy Emerson (Australia) defeats Fred Stolle (Australia) 6–3, 6–4, 6–2

Australian Women's Singles Championship – Margaret Smith Court (Australia) defeats Lesley Turner Bowrey (Australia) 6–3, 6–2

France

French Men's Singles Championship – Manuel Santana (Spain) defeats Nicola Pietrangeli (Italy) 6–3, 6–1, 4–6, 7–5

French Women's Singles Championship – Margaret Court (Australia) defeats Maria Bueno (Brazil) 5–7, 6–1, 6–2

UK

Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship – Roy Emerson (Australia) defeats Fred Stolle (Australia) 6–4, 12–10, 4–6, 6–3

Wimbledon Women's Singles Championship – Maria Bueno (Brazil) defeats Margaret Smith Court (Australia) 6–4, 7–9, 6–3

USA

American Men's Singles Championship – Roy Emerson (Australia) defeats Fred Stolle (Australia) in straight sets 6–4, 6–2, 6–4

American Women's Singles Championship – Maria Bueno (Brazil) defeats Carole Caldwell Graebner (USA) in straight sets 6–1, 6–0

Davis Cup

1964 Davis Cup –  Australia 3–2  United States at Harold Clark Courts (clay) Cleveland, United States

Volleyball

Volleyball at the 1964 Summer Olympics won by USSR (men) and Japan (women)

Yacht racing

The New York Yacht Club retains the America's Cup as Constellation defeats British challenger Sovereign, of the Royal Thames Yacht Club, 4 races to 0

Multi-sport events

1964 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan

United States wins the most medals (90), and the most gold medals (36).

This Olympic opening ceremony is first time of live Olympic telecast program by geostationary communication satellite.

1964 Winter Olympics held in Innsbruck, Austria

USSR wins the most medals (25), and the most gold medals (11).

Third Winter Universiade held in Špindleruv Mlýn, Czechoslovakia

Awards

Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year – Don Schollander, Swimming

Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year – Mickey Wright, LPGA golf

ABC's Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year: Don Schollander, Swimming

Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year – Ken Venturi – Golf