1991 in sports

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