Samiksha Jaiswal (Editor)

1991 in sports

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Years in sports
  
1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994

1991 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.

Contents

Alpine skiing

  • Alpine Skiing World Cup
  • Men's overall season champion: Marc Girardelli, Luxembourg
  • Women's overall season champion: Petra Kronberger, Austria

    • American football

  • Super Bowl XXV – New York Giants won 20–19 over the Buffalo Bills
  • Thurman Thomas of the Buffalo Bills is named the NFL MVP
  • Orange Bowl (1990 season)
  • The Colorado Buffaloes won 10-9 over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to win the AP Poll national championship
  • Desmond Howard, University of Michigan wide receiver seals the Heisman Trophy with a 93-yard punt return in Michigan's 31–3 hammering of Ohio State.
  • World Bowl ‘91: London Monarchs won 21–0 over the Barcelona Dragons in the inaugural World Bowl.
  • Quarterback Stan Gelbaugh of the London Monarchs is named the World League of American Football's inaugural seasons Most Valuable Player

    • Artistic gymnastics

  • World Artistic Gymnastics Championships –
  • Men's all-around champion: Grigory Misutin, USSR
  • Women's all-around champion: Kim Zmeskal, United States
  • Men's team competition champion: USSR
  • Women's team competition champion: USSR

    • Association football

  • European Cup – FK Red Star beat Olympique de Marseille 5–3 on penalties (0–0 aet)
  • FIFA Women's World Cup – United States won 2–1 over Norway

    • Athletics

  • 1991 World Championships in Athletics held in Tokyo
  • 30 August – Track & Field World Championship Mike Powell breaking Bob Beamon's 23-year-old Long Jump world record with a mark of 29' 4 1/2"

    • Australian rules football

  • Australian Football League
  • The Adelaide Crows join the league
  • 25 April – North Melbourne and Sydney kick between them 32.18 (210) in the first half. It is the record aggregate score for a half of VFL/AFL football.
  • 2 June – Carlton kick their first goal with 33 second to go against Footscray, the closest a team has come to finishing goalless since Richmond kicked 0.8 (8) in 1961 against St. Kilda.
  • 8 September – Hawthorn beat West Coast 18.16 (124) to 15.11 (101) in the first final outside Melbourne.
  • 1991 AFL Grand Final (28 September) – Hawthorn wins the 95th AFL premiership beating West Coast 20.19 (139) to 13.8 (86) in the only Grand Final at VFL Park.
  • Brownlow Medal awarded to Jim Stynes (Melbourne)
  • 7 October – death of Darren Millane, who played for Collingwood between 1984 and 1991, from a car crash in Prahran.

    • Baseball

  • Dave Righetti breaks Sparky Lyle's major league record for left-handers of 238 career saves.
  • 1 May – Nolan Ryan pitchers his seventh career No Hitter with a 3–0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays
  • 28 July – Dennis Martínez of the Montreal Expos pitches the 13th perfect game in major league history, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 2–0.
  • World Series – The Minnesota Twins win 4 games to 3 over the Atlanta Braves. The series MVP is Jack Morris of Minnesota.
  • Cal Ripken, Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles is named AL MVP
  • Terry Pendleton of the Atlanta Braves is named NL MVP
  • Roger Clemens of the Boston Red Sox is named AL Cy Young award. It is his third of six in his career
  • Tom Glavine of the Atlanta Braves is named NL Cy Young award
  • Chuck Knoblauch of the Minnesota Twins is named AL Rookie of the Year
  • Jeff Bagwell of the Houston Astros is named NL Rookie of the Year

    • Basketball

  • NCAA Men's Basketball Championship – Duke wins 72–65 over Kansas
  • Larry Johnson of UNLV is named Naismith College Player of the Year
  • 9 February – Dee Brown win the Gatorade Slam Dunk Contest
  • 10 February – NBA All-Star Game is held in Charlotte, North Carolina
  • 12 June – NBA Finals: Chicago Bulls win 4 games to 1 over the Los Angeles Lakers to earn the franchise's first championship, starting a run of six titles in eight seasons.
  • Michael Jordan is named the NBA MVP, his second of 5 awards.
  • 7 November – Lakers’ superstar Magic Johnson announces he tested positive for the virus that causes AIDS, thus ending his career in the NBA.
  • National Basketball League (Australia) Finals: Perth Wildcats defeated the Eastside Melbourne Spectres 2–1 in the best-of-three final series.
  • 17 December – The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Miami Heat 148 to 80, the largest margin of victory in any NBA game.

    • Boxing

  • 3 March – Mike Tyson defeats Donovan Ruddock in a seventh-round TKO
  • 19 April – Evander Holyfield defeats George Forman to retain WBC, WBA & IBF Heavyweight titles
  • 7 to 12 May – 29th European Amateur Boxing Championships held in Gothenburg, Sweden
  • 3 June – Thomas Hearns defeats Virgil Hill with a unanimous decision to win WBA Light Heavyweight title
  • 1 June at Palm Springs, California – Terry Norris knocked out Donald Curry in the 8th Round to win the WBC Super Welterweight Championship.
  • 28 June Mike Tyson defeats Donovan Ruddock in a rematch with a 12-round unanimous decision
  • 2 to 18 August – Pan American Games held in Havana, Cuba.
  • 5 October – James Toney defeats Michael Nunn with a TKO to win IBF Middleweight title
  • James Toney is named Ring Magazine fighter of the year

    • Canadian football

  • Grey Cup – Toronto Argonauts win 36–21 over the Calgary Stampeders
  • B.C. Lions Quarterback Doug Flutie is named CFL Most Outstanding Player
  • Vanier Cup – Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks win 25–18 over the Mount Allison Mounties

    • Cricket

  • South Africa readmitted to the International Cricket Council following the abolition of apartheid, and play their first international game since 1970.

    • Cycling

  • Giro d'Italia won by Franco Chiocciolo of Italy
  • Tour de France – Miguel Indurain of Spain
  • UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race – Gianni Bugno of Italy

    • Dogsled racing

  • Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Champion –
  • Rick Swenson won with lead dog: Goose

    • Field hockey

  • Men's Champions Trophy: Germany
  • Women's Champions Trophy: Australia

    • Figure skating

  • World Figure Skating Championships –
  • Men's champion: Kurt Browning, Canada
  • Ladies’ champion: Kristi Yamaguchi, United States
  • Pair skating champions: Natalia Mishkutenok & Artur Dmitriev, Soviet Union
  • Ice dancing champions: Isabelle Duchesnay & Paul Duchesnay, France

    • Golf

    Men's professional

  • Masters Tournament – Ian Woosnam
  • U.S. Open – Payne Stewart
  • British Open – Ian Baker-Finch
  • PGA Championship – John Daly
  • PGA Tour money leader – Corey Pavin – $979,430
  • Senior PGA Tour money leader – Mike Hill – $1,065,657
  • Ryder Cup – United States team won 14½ – 13½ over the Europe in team golf.

    • Men's amateur

  • British Amateur – Gary Wolstenholme
  • U.S. Amateur – Mitch Voges
  • European Amateur – Jim Payne
  • Tiger Woods, at age 15, won his first USGA title, the U.S. Junior Amateur.

    • Women's professional

  • Nabisco Dinah Shore – Amy Alcott
  • LPGA Championship – Meg Mallon
  • U.S. Women's Open – Meg Mallon
  • Classique du Maurier – Nancy Scranton
  • LPGA Tour money leader – Pat Bradley – $763,118

    • Harness racing

  • North America Cup – Precious Bunny
  • United States Pacing Triple Crown races –
    1. Cane Pace – Silky Stallone
    2. Little Brown Jug – Precious Bunny
    3. Messenger Stakes – Die Laughing
  • United States Trotting Triple Crown races –
    1. Hambletonian – Giant Victory
    2. Yonkers Trot –
    3. Kentucky Futurity – Whiteland Janice
  • Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship –
  • Pacers: Mark Ranover
  • Trotters: Fraggle Rock

    • Horse racing

    Steeplechases

  • Cheltenham Gold Cup – Garrison Savannah
  • Grand National – Seagram

    • Flat races

  • Australia – Melbourne Cup won by Let's Elope
  • Canadian Triple Crown Races:
    1. Queen's Plate – Dance Smartly
    2. Prince of Wales Stakes – Dance Smartly
    3. Breeders' Stakes – Dance Smartly
  • Dance Smartly becomes the country's third consecutive Triple Crown winner.
  • France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won by Suave Dancer
  • Ireland – Irish Derby Stakes won by Generous
  • Japan – Japan Cup won by Golden Pheasant
  • English Triple Crown Races:
    1. 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Mystiko
    2. Epsom Derby – Generous
    3. St. Leger Stakes – Toulon
  • United States Triple Crown Races:
    1. Kentucky Derby – Strike the Gold
    2. Preakness Stakes – Hansel
    3. Belmont Stakes – Hansel
  • Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships:
    1. Breeders' Cup Classic – Black Tie Affair
    2. Breeders' Cup Distaff – Dance Smartly
    3. Breeders' Cup Juvenile – Arazi
    4. Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies – Pleasant Stage
    5. Breeders' Cup Mile – Opening Verse
    6. Breeders' Cup Sprint – Sheikh Albadou
    7. Breeders' Cup Turf – Miss Alleged

    • Ice hockey

  • Art Ross Memorial Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season: Wayne Gretzky, Los Angeles Kings
  • Hart Memorial Trophy for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: Brett Hull, St. Louis Blues
  • Stanley Cup
  • Pittsburgh Penguins win 4 games to 2 over the Minnesota North Stars
  • Conn Smythe Trophy – Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins
  • World Hockey Championship
  • Men's champion: Sweden defeated Canada
  • Junior Men's champion: Canada defeated the USSR
  • Sheffield Steelers formed
  • San Jose Sharks formed
  • Northern Michigan University wins the NCAA Division I title in hockey, 8–7 in the third overtime against Boston University.

    • Lacrosse

  • The Detroit Turbos defeat the Baltimore Thunder to win the Major Indoor Lacrosse League championship

    • Motor racing

  • Stock car racing –
  • Ernie Irvan won the Daytona 500
  • NASCAR Championship – Dale Earnhardt
  • CART Racing – Michael Andretti won the season championship
  • Indianapolis 500 – Rick Mears
  • Formula One Championship – Ayrton Senna of Brazil
  • 24 Hours of Le Mans – won by Volker Weidler / Johnny Herbert / Bertrand Gachot driving a Mazda 787B
  • Rally racing – Juha Kankkunen in a Lancia won the World Rally Championship
  • the team of Carlos Sainz / Luis Moya won the Monte Carlo Rally driving a Toyota Celica GT4
  • Drag racing – Joe Amato won the NHRA "Top Fuel" championship.

    • Radiosport

  • The Friendship Radiosport Games held in Portland, Oregon, United States was the first international Amateur Radio Direction Finding competition held in the Americas.
  • Third European High Speed Telegraphy Championship held in Neerpelt, Belgium.

    • Rugby League

  • Penrith Panthers defeat two-time defending premiers Canberra Raiders in the NSWRL Grand Final at the Sydney Football Stadium. It is Penrith's first premiership since their admission in 1967.
  • Wigan retained their title in the English Rugby League competition, with Oldham, Sheffield Eagles and Rochdale Hornets being relegated. To date this is Rochdale's last appearance in the top flight.

    • Rugby Union

  • 97th Five Nations Championship series is won by England who complete the Grand Slam
  • Australia wins the 1991 Rugby World Cup

    • Snooker

  • World Snooker Championship – John Parrott beats Jimmy White 18–11
  • World rankings – Stephen Hendry remains world number one for 1991/92

    • Swimming

  • The sixth FINA World Championships, held in Perth, Australia (3 January – 13)
  • Eleventh Pan American Games held in Havana, Cuba (12–18 August)
  • 20th European LC Championships, held in Athens, Greece (18–25 August)
  • Fourth Pan Pacific Championships, held in Edmonton, Canada (22–25 August)
  • First European Sprint Championships, held in Gelsenkirchen, Germany (6–8 December)
  • 13 December – Steve Crocker sets the first official world record in the men's 50m freestyle (short course) in Sheffield, United Kingdom, clocking 25.64.

    • Taekwondo

  • World Championships held in Athens, Greece

    • Tennis

  • 20 June – death of Michael Westphal (26), German player
  • Grand Slam in tennis men's results:
    1. Australian Open – Boris Becker
    2. French Open – Jim Courier
    3. Wimbledon championships – Michael Stich
    4. US Open – Stefan Edberg
  • Grand Slam in tennis women's results:
    1. Australian Open – Monica Seles
    2. French Open – Monica Seles
    3. Wimbledon championships – Steffi Graf
    4. US Open – Monica Seles
  • Davis Cup – France won 3–1 over the United States in world tennis.

    • Triathlon

  • ITU World Championships held in Gold Coast, Australia
  • ITU World Cup (eleven races) started in the United States Virgin Islands and ended in Mexico
  • ETU European Championships held in Geneva, Switzerland

    • Volleyball

    Men's competition

  • FIVB World League: Italy
  • Asia Volleyball Championship: Japan
  • Men's European Volleyball Championship: USSR
  • Pan American Games: Cuba

    • Women's competition

  • Asia Volleyball Championship: China
  • Women's European Volleyball Championship: USSR
  • Pan American Games: Cuba

    • Water polo

  • FINA Men's World Water Polo Championship: Yugoslavia
  • FINA Women's World Water Polo Championship: Netherlands

    • Multi-sport events

  • Eleventh Pan American Games held in Havana, Cuba
  • Fifth All-Africa Games held in Cairo, Egypt
  • Eleventh Mediterranean Games held in Athens, Greece
  • Sixteenth Summer Universiade held in Sheffield, United Kingdom
  • Fifteenth Winter Universiade held in Sapporo, Japan
  • Sixteenth Southeast Asian Games held in Manila, Philippines

    • Awards

  • Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year – Michael Jordan, NBA basketball
  • Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year – Monica Seles, Tennis
  • Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year – Michael Jordan
  • James E. Sullivan Award – Olympic Long Jumper Mike Powell

    • References

    1991 in sports Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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