1959 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.
| Centuries: | 19th century · 20th century · 21st century |
| Decades: | 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s |
| Years: | 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 |
Contents |
American football
- NFL Championship – Baltimore Colts won 31-16 over the New York Giants
Association football
England
- FA Cup – Nottingham Forest won 2-1 over Luton Town
- May 28 - Billy Wright makes his 70th consecutive England appearance, a record that still stands
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.
- 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 Governor's 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
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
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:
- Queen's Plate – New Providence
- Prince of Wales Stakes – New Providence
- 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:
- 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Taboun
- Epsom Derby – Parthia
- St. Leger Stakes – Cantelo
- United States Triple Crown races:
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, NY
- 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 soons leads to the mask becoming standard equipment for goalies and a symbol of the game itself.
Motor racing
- January 22 – death of Mike Hawthorn, world champion F1 race driver
- Stock car racing –
- Lee Petty won the inaugural Daytona 500
- NASCAR Championship – Lee Petty
- Indianapolis 500 – Rodger Ward
- USAC Racing – Rodger Ward
- Formula One Champion – Jack Brabham of Australia
- 24 hours of Le Mans – Carroll Shelby / Roy Salvadori won driving an Aston Martin DBR1
- Rally racing – Paul Coltelloni / P Alexandre won the Monte Carlo Rally driving a Citroën ID
- Drag racing –
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
- Grand Slam in tennis, men's singles results:
- Grand Slam in tennis, women's singles results:
- Australian Championship – Mary Carter-Reitano
- French Championship – Christine Truman
- Wimbledon championship – Maria Bueno
- U.S. Championship – Maria Bueno
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
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