1997 in sports

1997 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.

Alpine skiing

• Alpine Skiing World Cup
  • Men's overall season champion: Luc Alphand, France
  • Women's overall season champion: Pernilla Wiberg, Sweden

American football

• January 26 – in Super Bowl XXXI, the Green Bay Packers won 35–21 over the New England Patriots
• January 2 – in the Sugar Bowl, University of Florida Gators won 52–20 over rival Florida State Seminoles to claim NCAA Football national title

Artistic gymnastics

• World Artistic Gymnastics Championships –
  • Men's all–around champion: Ivan Ivankov, Belarus
  • Women's all–around champion: Svetlana Khorkina, Russia
  • Men's team competition champion: China
  • Women's team competition champion: floresville

Association football

For an extensive coverage see 1997 in Association football

• Champions League – Borussia Dortmund beat Juventus F.C. 3–1
• UEFA Cup – FC Schalke 04 beat F.C. Internazionale Milano
• Copa Libertadores – Cruzeiro Esporte Clube beat Sporting Cristal

Athletics

• August – 1997 World Championships in Athletics held at Athens

Australian football

• Australian Football League
  • Port Adelaide join the league
    • Adelaide Crows win Grand Final for the first time - downing St. Kilda on the last day in September

Baseball

• June 12 – Interleague play begins in baseball, ending a 126–year tradition of separating the major leagues until the World Series.
• World Series – Florida Marlins won 4 games to 3 over the Cleveland Indians. The Series MVP was Liván Hernández, Florida

Basketball

• NCAA Men's Basketball Championship –
  • Arizona Wildcats win 84–79 in overtime over the Kentucky Wildcats. This is Arizona's first NCAA title in men's basketball.
• NBA Finals –
  • Chicago Bulls earn their second repeat of the decade as they beat the Utah Jazz 4 games to 2 (see Steve Kerr).
• WNBA Finals (inaugural WNBA season):
  • Houston Comets defeat the New York Liberty in one game playoff series.
• National Basketball League (Australia) Finals:
  • Melbourne Tigers defeated the South East Melbourne Magic 2–1 in the best–of–three final series.

Boxing

• January 18 – Oscar De La Hoya maintained his World Boxing Council super lightweight title in with a 12–round unanimous decision over Miguel Ángel González in Las Vegas, Nevada.
• May 13 – death of Eduard Zakharov (22), Russian boxer
• June 28 – Mike Tyson bites off a piece of the ear of Evander Holyfield in the third round of their WBA Heavyweight title fight, getting disqualified by referee Mills Lane.
• July 9 – Mike Tyson's boxing license is suspended for at least a year and he is fined $3 million for biting Evander Holyfield's ear in a televised match.
• October 18 to October 26 – World Amateur Boxing Championships held in Budapest, Hungary

Canadian football

• Grey Cup – Toronto Argonauts won 47–23 over the Saskatchewan Roughriders
• Vanier Cup – UBC Thunderbirds win 39–23 over the Ottawa Gee-Gees

Cricket

• The Ashes – Australia win the six test series 3–2
• ICC Trophy – Bangladesh
• Women's Cricket World Cup – Australia beat New Zealand by five wickets
• County Championship (England and Wales) won by Glamorgan

Cycling

• Giro d'Italia won by Ivan Gotti of Italy
• Tour de France – Jan Ullrich of Germany
• World Cycling Championship – Laurent Brochard of France

Dogsled racing

• Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Champion
  • Martin Buser won with lead dogs: Blondie & Fearless

Field hockey

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

Figure skating

• World Figure Skating Championships –
  • Men's champion: Elvis Stojko, Canada
  • Ladies' champion: Tara Lipinski, United States
  • Pairs' champions: Mandy Wötzel & Ingo Steuer, Germany
  • Ice dancing champions: Oksana Grishuk / Evgeny Platov, Russia

Gaelic Athletic Association

• Camogie
  • All-Ireland Camogie Champion: Cork
  • National Camogie League: Cork
• Gaelic football
  • All-Ireland Senior Football Championship – Kerry 0–13 d. Mayo 1–7
  • National Football League – Kerry 3–7 d. Cork 1–8
• Ladies' Gaelic football
  • All-Ireland Senior Football Champion: Monaghan
  • National Football League: Waterford
• Hurling
  • All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship – Clare 0–20 d. Tipperary 2–13
  • National Hurling League –

Golf

Men's professional

• Masters Tournament – Tiger Woods
• U.S. Open – Ernie Els
• British Open – Justin Leonard
• PGA Championship – Davis Love III
• PGA Tour money leader – Tiger Woods – $2,066,833
• PGA Tour Player of the Year – Tiger Woods
• PGA Tour Rookie of the Year – Stewart Cink
• Senior PGA Tour money leader – Hale Irwin – $2,343,364
• Ryder Cup – Europe won 14½–13½ over the United States in team golf.
• Tiger Woods creates an uproar with his record 12-shot victory at the Masters, and becomes the first Masters winner of African-American descent. He set the record for the lowest to-par score of -18, and the lowest 72-hole score of 272. He also rises to the No. 1 ranking on June 15, in only his 42nd week as a professional – the fastest ascent to the No. 1 ranking.

Men's amateur

• British Amateur – Craig Watson
• U.S. Amateur – Matt Kuchar
• European Amateur – Didier de Voogt

Women's professional

• Nabisco Dinah Shore – Betsy King
• LPGA Championship – Christa Johnson
• U.S. Women's Open – Alison Nicholas
• Classique du Maurier – Colleen Walker
• LPGA Tour money leader – Annika Sörenstam – $1,236,789

Handball

• World Men's Handball Championship - won by Russia
• World Women's Handball Championship - won by Denmark

Harness racing

• North America Cup – Gothic Dream
• Western Dreamer won the United States Pacing Triple Crown races –
  1. Cane Pace – Western Dreamer
  2. Little Brown Jug – Western Dreamer
  3. Messenger Stakes – Western Dreamer
• United States Trotting Triple Crown races –
  1. Hambletonian – Malabar Man
  2. Yonkers Trot – Lord Stormont
  3. Kentucky Futurity – Take Chances
• Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship –
  • Pacers: Our Sir Vancelot
  • Trotters: Pride Of Petite

Horse racing

• The Grand National Saturday meeting was abandoned after two coded bomb threats were received, causing evacuation of the course. The race was eventually run on the following Monday.

Steeplechases

• Cheltenham Gold Cup – Mr Mulligan
• Grand National – Lord Gyllene

Flat races

• Australia – Melbourne Cup won by Might And Power
• Canada – Queen's Plate won by Awesome Again
• Dubai – Dubai World Cup won by Singspiel
• France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won by Peintre Célèbre
• Ireland – Irish Derby Stakes won by Desert King
• Japan – Japan Cup won by Pilsudski
• English Triple Crown races:
  1. 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Entrepreneur
  2. Epsom Derby – Benny the Dip
  3. St. Leger Stakes – Silver Patriarch
• United States Triple Crown races:
  1. Kentucky Derby – Silver Charm
  2. Preakness Stakes – Silver Charm
  3. Belmont Stakes – Touch Gold
• Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships:
  1. Breeders' Cup Classic – Skip Away
  2. Breeders' Cup Distaff – Ajina
  3. Breeders' Cup Juvenile – Favorite Trick
  4. Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies – Countess Diana
  5. Breeders' Cup Mile – Spinning World
  6. Breeders' Cup Sprint – Elmhurst
  7. Breeders' Cup Turf – Chief Bearhart

Ice hockey

• Art Ross Memorial Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season: Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins
• Hart Memorial Trophy for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: Dominik Hasek of the Buffalo Sabres
• Stanley Cup – Detroit Red Wings win 4 games to 0 over the Philadelphia Flyers
• World Hockey Championship
  • Men's champion: Canada defeated Sweden
  • Junior Men's champion: Finland defeated Russia
  • Women's champion: Canada defeated the United States

Lacrosse

• The Rochester Knighthawks defeat the Buffalo Bandits 15–12 to win the Major Indoor Lacrosse League championship
  • The National Lacrosse League (NLL) is formed from the Major Indoor Lacrosse League (MILL), with the decision to move from league ownership of all teams to individual team ownership.
• Mann Cup for the Canadian box lacrosse championship: Victoria Shamrocks of the Western Lacrosse Association
• European Lacrosse Championships –
  • Men's champion: England defeats the Czech Republic
  • Women's champion: England defeats Wales

Mixed martial arts

The following is a list of major noteworthy MMA events during 1997 in chronological order.

Date	Event	Alternate Name/s	Location	Attendance	PPV Buyrate	Notes
February 7	UFC 12: Judgement Day	N/A	Dothan, Alabama, USA	3,100	N/A	UFC rule change, split main tournament into heavyweight (200lbs+) and lightweight (Under 200lbs) divisions. Eight-man tournament ceases. Introduction of titles. Superfights cease.
May 30	UFC 13: Ultimate Force	N/A	Augusta, Georgia, USA	5,100	N/A	Closed fisted strikes to the head were banned for this event only.
July 27	UFC 14: Showdown	N/A	Birmingham, Alabama, USA	5,000	N/A	UFC rule change, requires fighters to use 4-6 oz gloves.
October 11	Pride 1	N/A	Tokyo, Japan	47,860	N/A	Pride FC's first event. The event featured one kickboxing bout between Branko Cikatić and Ralph White.
October 17	UFC 15: Collision Course	N/A	Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, USA	N/A	N/A	UFC rule change, redefined permissible striking areas.
December 21	UFC Japan: Ultimate Japan	UFC 15.5	Yokohama, Japan	5,000	N/A	This event featured the first appearance of longtime UFC announcer Mike Goldberg.

Motor racing

• March 21 – death of John Nemechek (27), NASCAR race driver
• Stock car racing –
  • Jeff Gordon is the youngest driver ever to win the Daytona 500 on February 16
  • NASCAR Championship – Jeff Gordon
• Indy Racing League –
• Indianapolis 500 – Arie Luyendyk of the Netherlands
• Champ CarCART Racing – Alex Zanardi won the season championship
• Formula One Championship – Jacques Villeneuve of Canada
• V8 Supercars Australia
  • Championship Series won by Glenn Seton in a Ford Falcon EL.
  • Bathurst 1000 for V8 Supercars won by Russel Ingall and Larry Perkins in a Holden Commodore VS.
  • Bathurst 1000 for Super Touring won by Jim Richards and Rickard Rydell. Rydell setting a shootout lap of 2:14.x, fastest super touring lap ever around the mountain at that time.
• 24 hours of Le Mans – the team of Michele Alboreto / Stefan Johansson / Tom Kristensen won, driving a TWR–Porsche
• Rallying – Tommi Mäkinen won the World Rally Championship
  • the team of Piero Liatti / Fabrizia Pons won the Monte Carlo Rally driving a Subaru Impreza WRC97
• Drag racing – Gary Scelzi won the NHRA "Top Fuel" championship.

Radiosport

• Eighth Amateur Radio Direction Finding World Championship held in Sankt Englmar, Germany.
• Second High Speed Telegraphy World Championship held in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Rowing

• McGill University Rowing Club wins the inaugural McGill-Queen's Challenge Boat Race.

Rugby league

• March 1 at Townsville, Queensland – Adelaide Rams play their first match, a 16-24 loss to the North Queensland Cowboys at Dairy Farmers Stadium before 17,738.
• March 2 at Newcastle, Australia – Hunter Mariners play their first match: a 16-20 loss to the Canterbury Bulldogs at Topper Stadium before 6,579. The new club only lasts until the end of the season when it is closed.
• April 25 at Sydney, Australia – Super League's inaugural ANZAC Test match is won by Australia 34-22 against New Zealand at the Sydney Football Stadium before 23,829.
• May 19 at Brisbane, Australia – Super League Tri-series tournament culminates with New South Wales' 23-22 win against Queensland in the final at ANZ Stadium before 35,570. This match is notable for being the longest ever played, at 104 minutes.
• June 11 at Melbourne, Australia – The 1997 State of Origin series is wrapped up by New South Wales in game two of the three-match series against Queensland at the Melbourne Cricket Ground before 25,105.
• August 31 at Brisbane, Australia – South Queensland Crushers play their final game before folding: a 39-18 win over the Western Suburbs Magpies at Lang Park before 11,588.
• August 31 in England – Super League II's final match is played and Bradford Bulls, who finished on top of the table, are crowned champions.
• September 20 at Brisbane, Australia – the Australasian 1997 Super League season culminates in the Brisbane Broncos' 26-8 win over the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the grand final at ANZ Stadium before 58,912.
• September 28 at Sydney, Australia – the 1997 ARL season culminates in the Newcastle Knights' 22-16 win over the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the grand final at the Sydney Football Stadium before 42,482.
• October 17 at Auckland, New Zealand – 1997 World Club Championship tournament culminates in the Brisbane Broncos' 36-12 win over the Hunter Mariners at Mount Smart Stadium before 12,000. This was the Mariners' final match before folding at the close of the season.
• November 16 in Leeds, England The Super League Test series is won by Australia who defeat Great Britain 20 - 37 in the third and deciding match at Elland Road before a crowd of 39,337.

At the end of 1997, Australia's Super League and Australian Rugby League competitions were merged to form the National Rugby League and the Brisbane Rugby League premiership was replaced by the Queensland Cup.

Rugby union

• 103rd Five Nations Championship series is won by France who complete the Grand Slam

Snooker

• World Snooker Championship – Ken Doherty beats Stephen Hendry 18–12
• World rankings – Stephen Hendry remains world number one for 1997/98

Swimming

• March 28 – Japan's Ayari Aoyama breaks Misty Hyman's world record in the Women's 100m Butterfly (short course): 58:24
• Third World Short Course Championships, held in Gothenburg, Sweden (April 17 – 20)
  • April 19 – U.S.–swimmer Jenny Thompson breaks Ayari Aoyama's world record in the Women's 100m Butterfly (short course): 57:79
  • April 20 – Australia wins the most medals (17), and the most gold medals (9)
• 23rd European LC Championships, held in Seville, Spain (August 19 – 24)
  • Germany wins the most medals (19), and the most gold medals (8)
• XIX Summer Universiade, held on Sicily, Italy (August 24 – 30)

Taekwondo

• World Championships held in Hong Kong

Tennis

• Grand Slam in tennis men's results:
  1. Australian Open – Pete Sampras
  2. French Open – Gustavo Kuerten
  3. Wimbledon championships – Pete Sampras
  4. US Open – Patrick Rafter
• Grand Slam in tennis women's results:
  1. Australian Open – Martina Hingis
  2. French Open – Iva Majoli
  3. Wimbledon championships – Martina Hingis
  4. US Open – Martina Hingis
• Davis Cup – Sweden won 5–0 over the United States in world tennis.

Volleyball

• Men's World League: Italy
• Women's World Grand Prix: Russia
• Men's European Championship: Netherlands
• Women's European Championship: Russia

Water polo

• Men's World Cup: USA
• Men's European Championship: Hungary
• Women's European Championship: Italy

Multi-sport events

• Second East Asian Games held in Busan, South Korea
• 8th Pan Arab Games held in Beirut, Lebanon
• Fifth World Games held in Lahti, Finland
• 13th Mediterranean Games held in Bari, Italy
• 19th Summer Universiade held on Sicily, Italy
• 18th Winter Universiade held in Muju County, South Korea

Awards

• Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year – Tiger Woods, PGA golf
• Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year – Martina Hingis, Tennis

References