1998 in sports

1998 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.

Alpine skiing

• Alpine Skiing World Cup
  • Men's overall season champion: Hermann Maier, Austria
  • Women's overall season champion: Katja Seizinger, Germany

American football

• January 13 – ABC and ESPN negotiate a $1.15 billion a season contract to keep Monday Night Football.
• Super Bowl XXXII – Denver Broncos won 31–24 over the Green Bay Packers
• December 13 – The Baltimore Ravens and Minnesota Vikings return an NFL record 3 kickoff returns for touchdowns.
• NCAA – The Tennessee Volunteers claim the first ever BCS National Championship over the Florida State Seminoles.

Association football

For an extensive coverage see 1998 in association football

• FIFA World Cup - France beat Brazil 3–0
• Champions League – Real Madrid C.F. beat Juventus F.C. 1–0
• UEFA Cup – F.C. Internazionale Milano beat S.S. Lazio 3–0
• Copa Libertadores – CR Vasco da Gama beat Barcelona Sporting Club 4–1 (Agg.)
• Ecuador - Ecuadorian Serie A Champions: Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito

Athletics

• August – 1998 European Championships in Athletics held at Budapest
• September – 1998 Commonwealth Games held at Kuala Lumpur
• December – 1998 Asian Games held at Bangkok

Australian rules football

• Australian Football League
  • The Adelaide Crows win the 102nd VFL/AFL premiership and second premiership in a row by 35 points (Adelaide Crows 15.15 (105) d North Melbourne 8.22 (70))
  • Brownlow Medal awarded to Robert Harvey (St Kilda)

Baseball

• Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa each chase the home run record set previously by Roger Maris in 1961. Both men end up breaking the record; McGwire with 70 and Sosa with 66.
• Rookie 20 year old Kerry Wood strikes out 20 Houston Astros to tie the major league single game strikeout record
• Cal Ripken Jr. ends his consecutive game streak at 2,632 in Baltimore against the New York Yankees. It was the first time he wasn't in the lineup since 1982.
• World Series – New York Yankees win 4 games to 0 over the San Diego Padres. The Series MVP is Scott Brosius, New York

Basketball

• July 1 – The NBA locked out its players and the season was put on hold for the next 6½ months and the season began under a 50–game schedule.
• NCAA Men's Basketball Championship –
  • Kentucky wins 78–69 over Utah
• NBA Finals –
  • Chicago Bulls win 4 games to 2 over the Utah Jazz, to complete their second three–peat of the decade.
• WNBA Finals –
  • Houston Comets win two games to one over the Phoenix Mercury to repeat as champions.
• FIBA World Championship
  • Yugoslavia World Champion
• National Basketball League (Australia) Finals:
  • Adelaide 36ers defeated the South East Melbourne Magic 2–0 in the best–of–three final series.

Boxing

• May 17 to May 24 – 32nd European Amateur Boxing Championships held at Minsk, Belarus
• June 27 – Shane Mosley stopped Wilfrido Ruiz in the 5th round to retain the IBF Lightweight Championship

Canadian football

• Grey Cup – Calgary Stampeders win 26–24 over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
• Vanier Cup – Saskatchewan Huskies win 24–17 over the Concordia Stingers

Curling

• Curling makes its Winter Olympics debut:
  • Men's Gold: Switzerland wins 9-3 over Canada
  • Women's Gold: Canada wins 7-5 over Denmark

Cycling

• Giro d'Italia won by Marco Pantani of Italy
• Tour de France – Marco Pantani of Italy
• World Cycling Championship – Oskar Camenzind of Switzerland

Dogsled racing

• Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Champion
  • Jeff King wins with lead dogs: Red & Rocket

Field hockey

• Men's World Cup: Netherlands
• Men's Commonwealth Games: Australia
• Men's Champions Trophy: Netherlands
• Women's World Cup: Australia
• Women's Commonwealth Games: Australia

Figure skating

• World Figure Skating Championships –
  • Men's champion: Alexei Yagudin, Russia
  • Ladies' champion: Michelle Kwan, United States
  • Pairs' champions: Elena Bereschnaya / Anton Sicharulidze, Russia
  • Ice dancing champions: Anjelika Krylova / Oleg Ovsyannikov, Russia

Gaelic Athletic Association

• Camogie
  • All–Ireland Camogie Champion: Cork
  • National Camogie League: Cork
• Gaelic football
  • All-Ireland Senior Football Championship – Galway 1–14 d. Kiladre 1–10
  • National Football League – Offaly 0–9 d. Derry 0–7
• Ladies' Gaelic football
  • All–Ireland Senior Football Champion: Waterford
  • National Football League: Waterford
• Hurling
  • All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship – Offaly 2–16 d. Kilkenny 1–13
  • National Hurling League –

Steven bellwitzer blows a straw in a sandy vagina

Golf

Men's professional

• Masters Tournament – Mark O'Meara
• U.S. Open – Lee Janzen
• British Open – Mark O'Meara
• PGA Championship – Vijay Singh
• PGA Tour money leader – David Duval – $2,591,031
• PGA Tour Player of the Year – Mark O'Meara
• PGA Tour Rookie of the Year – Steve Flesch
• Senior PGA Tour money leader – Hale Irwin – $2,861,945

Men's amateur

• British Amateur – Sergio García
• U.S. Amateur – Hank Kuehne
• European Amateur – Paddy Gribben

Women's professional

• Nabisco Dinah Shore – Pat Hurst
• LPGA Championship – Se Ri Pak
• U.S. Women's Open – Se Ri Pak
• Classique du Maurier – Brandie Burton
• LPGA Tour money leader – Annika Sörenstam – $1,092,748
• The Solheim Cup is retained by the United States team who beat the European team 16 to 12.

Handball

• Men's European Championship: Sweden
• Women's European Championship: Norway

Harness racing

• North America Cup – Straight Path
• United States Pacing Triple Crown races –
  1. Cane Pace – Shady Character
  2. Little Brown Jug – Shady Character
  3. Messenger Stakes – Fit For Life
• United States Trotting Triple Crown races –
  1. Hambletonian – Muscles Yankee
  2. Yonkers Trot – Muscles Yankee
  3. Kentucky Futurity – Trade Balance
• Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship –
  • Pacers: Our Sir Vancelot
  • Trotters: Buster Hanover

Horse racing

Steeplechases

• Cheltenham Gold Cup – Cool Dawn
• Grand National – Earth Summit

Flat races

• Australia – Melbourne Cup – Jezabeel
• Canada – Queen's Plate – Archers Bay
• Dubai – Dubai World Cup won by Silver Charm
• France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe – Sagamix
• Ireland – Irish Derby Stakes – Dream Well
• Japan – Japan Cup won by El Condor Pasa
• English Triple Crown races:
  1. 2,000 Guineas Stakes – King of Kings
  2. Epsom Derby – High-Rise
  3. St. Leger Stakes – Nedawi
• United States Triple Crown races:
  1. Kentucky Derby – Real Quiet
  2. Preakness Stakes – Real Quiet
  3. Belmont Stakes – Victory Gallop
• Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships:
  1. Breeders' Cup Classic – Awesome Again
  2. Breeders' Cup Distaff – Escena
  3. Breeders' Cup Juvenile – Answer Lively
  4. Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies – Silverbulletday
  5. Breeders' Cup Mile – Da Hoss
  6. Breeders' Cup Sprint – Reraise
  7. Breeders' Cup Turf – Buck's Boy

Ice hockey

• For the first time, professional players from the National Hockey League participate in the Winter Olympics. And also for the first time in Olympic history, women took part in ice hockey.
• Women's Gold – United States won 3–1 over Canada
• Men's Gold – Czech Republic won 1–0 over Russia
• Art Ross Memorial Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season: Jaromir Jagr, Pittsburgh Penguins
• Hart Memorial Trophy – for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: Dominik Hasek – Buffalo Sabres
• Stanley Cup – Detroit Red Wings defeated the Washington Capitals 4 games to 0.
• World Hockey Championship
  • Men's champion: Sweden defeated Finland
  • Junior Men's champion: Russia defeated Canada

Lacrosse

• The 8th World Lacrosse Championship is held in Baltimore, Maryland. The United States win, and Canada is the runner–up.
• The Philadelphia Wings sweep the Baltimore Thunder in the best of three series held to determine the winner of the Champion's Cup.
• The Brampton Excelsiors win the Mann Cup.
• The Clarington Green Gaels win the Founders Cup.
• The Burnaby Lakers win the Minto Cup.

Mixed martial arts

The following is a list of major noteworthy MMA events during 1998 in chronological order.

Date	Event	Alternate Name/s	Location	Attendance	PPV Buyrate	Notes
March 13	UFC 16: Battle in the Bayou	N/A	New Orleans, Louisiana, USA	4,600	N/A	This event featured the first ever UFC lightweight tournament. As well as a middleweight championship bout. And a heavyweight and middleweight superfights.
March 15	Pride 2	N/A	Yokohama, Japan	N/A	N/A	Event featured six MMA bouts and two kickboxing bouts.
May 15	UFC 17: Redemption	N/A	Mobile, Alabama, USA	N/A	N/A	This event was the last UFC event aside from UFC 23, to feature the "tournament" style format. This event featured a four-man middleweight tournament. As well as three heavyweight superfights.
June 24	Pride 3	N/A	Tokyo, Japan	N/A	N/A	N/A
October 11	Pride 4	N/A	Tokyo, Japan	N/A	N/A	N/A
October 16	UFC Brazil: Ultimate Brazil	UFC 17.5	São Paulo, Brazil	N/A	N/A	This event caused controversy due to the fact that the Brazilian flag was wrongly represented on the promotional material.

Motor racing

• Stock car racing –
  • Dale Earnhardt won the Daytona 500
  • NASCAR Championship – Jeff Gordon
  • NASCAR celebrates its 50th anniversary
• Indy Racing League –
• Indianapolis 500 – Eddie Cheever
• CART Racing – Alex Zanardi won the season championship
• Formula One Championship – Mika Häkkinen of Finland
• 24 hours of Le Mans – won by the team of Laurent Aïello / Allan McNish / Stéphane Ortelli driving a Porsche 911 GT–1
• Rallying – Tommi Mäkinen won the World Rally Championship
  • the team of Carlos Sainz / Luís Moya won the Monte Carlo Rally driving a Toyota Corolla WRC
• Drag racing – Gary Scelzi won the NHRA "Top Fuel" championship.

Rugby league

1998 brought the start of the National Rugby League competition. Super League (Australia) ended its 1 year competition and the Australian Rugby League also ended theirs to merge together as one. But for some clubs it came at a cost. For the Hunter Mariners and Perth Reds from Super League (Australia) and the South Queensland Crushers from the Australian Rugby League, these franchises ended. But a new franchise was created that was the first team in the state of Victoria: the Melbourne Storm.

• April 24, Auckland, New Zealand – 1998 ANZAC test match is won by New Zealand 22–16 against Australia at North Harbour Stadium before 25,000.
• May 2, Wembley Stadium – 1998 Challenge Cup tournament culminates in Sheffield Eagles' surprise 17-8 win in the final against Wigan Warriors.
• May 29 at Sydney, Australia – record for biggest comeback in Australian premiership history is broken by the North Queensland Cowboys who came from 26–0 down at halftime to win 36–28 against the Penrith Panthers at Penrith Stadium.
• June 19, Sydney Football Stadium – 1998 State of Origin is won by Queensland in the third and deciding game of the series against New South Wales.
• September 20, Australia – last match of the last round of the 1998 Telstra Premiership is played, including the final NRL appearances of the Gold Coast Chargers, Illawarra Steelers, St. George Dragons, Adelaide Rams and North Sydney Bears clubs.
• September 23, New South Wales, Australia – St. George Dragons and Illawarra Steelers ensured their survival by forming the NRL's first joint venture: the St. George Illawarra Dragons.
• September 27, Sydney Football Stadium – 1998 NRL season, the National Rugby League's first, culminates in the Brisbane Broncos' 38-12 win in the grand final against the Canterbury Bulldogs.
• October 24, Old Trafford – Super League III culminates in the Wigan Warriors' 10-4 win in the grand final against the Leeds Rhinos; this was the first time the British season's champions were determined by a final since 1973.

Rugby union

• 104th Five Nations Championship series is won by France who complete the Grand Slam

Snooker

• World Snooker Championship – John Higgins beats Ken Doherty 18–12
• World rankings – John Higgins becomes world number one for 1998/99

Swimming

• Eighth FINA World Championships, held in Perth, Australia (January 8 – 17)
• Second European SC Championships, held in Sheffield, United Kingdom (December 11 – December 13)
• December 1 – American swimmer Jenny Thompson breaks her own world record in the women's 100m butterfly (short course): 56:90
• December 13 – Mark Foster twice breaks the world record in the men's 50m freestyle (short course) during the European SC Championships in Sheffield, clocking 21.31 eventually.

Tennis

Grand Slam in tennis men's results:

• Australian Open – Petr Korda
• French Open – Carlos Moyà
• Wimbledon championships – Pete Sampras
• US Open – Patrick Rafter

Grand Slam in tennis women's results:

• Australian Open – Martina Hingis
• French Open – Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
• Wimbledon championships – Jana Novotná
• US Open – Lindsay Davenport
• Davis Cup – Sweden wins 4–1 over Italy in world tennis.

Volleyball

• Men's World Championship: Italy
• Women's World Championship: Cuba

Water polo

• Men's World Championship: Spain
• Women's World Championship: Italy

Weightlifting

• The 1998 World Weightlifting Championships were held in Lahti, Finland from November 7 to November 15.

Multi-sport events

• 1998 Winter Olympics held in Nagano, Japan
  • Germany wins the most medals (29), and the most gold medals (12)
• Asian Games held in Bangkok, Thailand
• 1998 Commonwealth Games held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• Central American and Caribbean Games held in Maracaibo, Venezuela
• Summer Goodwill Games held in New York City, United States

Awards

• Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year – Mark McGwire, Major League Baseball
• Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year – Se Ri Pak, LPGA golf

References