1951 in sports
In this article, the topic of 1951 in sports will be addressed from different perspectives with the aim of delving into its meaning, importance and repercussions in today's society. Various research and expert opinions will be explored to fully understand the impact 1951 in sports has in different areas of daily life. In addition, specific cases and illustrative examples will be analyzed that will help contextualize the relevance of 1951 in sports in the current context. Throughout the article we will seek to offer a comprehensive and complete vision of 1951 in sports, in order to provide the reader with a clear and deep understanding of this topic that is so relevant today.
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1951 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.
American football
- NFL Championship: the Los Angeles Rams won 24–17 over the Cleveland Browns at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
- January 14 – The National Football League has its first Pro Bowl Game (Los Angeles).
- September 28 – Norm Van Brocklin sets NFL single game record for most passing yards (554) helping Los Angeles Rams beat New York Yanks 48–21.
- Sugar Bowl (1950 season):
- The Oklahoma Sooners lose 13–7 to the Kentucky Wildcats; still awarded the college football national championship by AP and Coaches Poll
Association football
England
- First Division – Tottenham Hotspur win the 1950–51 title.
- FA Cup – Newcastle United beat Blackpool 2–0.
Spain
- La Liga won by Atlético Madrid
Italy
Germany
Portugal
- Primeira Liga won by Sporting C.P.
France
- French Division 1 won by Nice.
Athletics
The athletics competition at the 1951 Pan American Games is held in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Mal Whitfield of the USA wins gold medals in three events: 400 m, 800 m and 4 × 400 m relay.
Australian rules football
- 29 September − Geelong wins the 55th VFL Premiership defeating Essendon 11.15 (81) to 10.10 (70) in the 1951 VFL Grand Final.
- Brownlow Medal is awarded to Bernie Smith (Geelong)
South Australian National Football League
- 29 September − Port Adelaide wins its fourteenth SANFL premiership, defeating North Adelaide 10.12 (72) to 9.7 (61) after the Magpies lost only one game for the season.
- Magarey Medal awarded to John Marriott (Norwood)
Western Australian National Football League
- October 13 – West Perth wins its eleventh WANFL premiership, beating South Fremantle 13.10 (88) to 12.13 (85)
- Sandover Medal awarded to Fred Buttsworth (West Perth)
Baseball
- January 29 – baseball signs a six-year All-Star game deal for TV and radio rights for $6 million
- September 30 – Joe DiMaggio plays in his final career regular season game.
- October 3 – In one of the most famous finishes in baseball history, Bobby Thomson of the New York Giants hits a three-run walk-off home run, immortalized as the Shot Heard 'Round the World, to give the Giants a 5–4 win over the Brooklyn Dodgers for the National League title.
- World Series – The New York Yankees win 4 games to 2 over the New York Giants.
- Japan Series – The Yomiuri Giants win 4 games to 2 over the Nankai Hawks.
Basketball
- Rochester Royals over New York Knicks (4–3)
Events
- The seventh European basketball championship, Eurobasket 1951, is won by the Soviet Union.
Boxing
- July 10 – Randy Turpin becomes the middleweight boxing champion by defeating Sugar Ray Robinson.
- July 18 – Jersey Joe Walcott knocks out Ezzard Charles in round 7 during their bout in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Canadian football
- Grey Cup – Ottawa Rough Riders wins 21–14 over the Saskatchewan Roughriders
Cycling
- Giro d'Italia is won by Fiorenzo Magni of Italy
- Tour de France – Hugo Koblet of Switzerland
Figure skating
- World Figure Skating Championships –
- Men's champion: Dick Button, United States
- Ladies' champion: Jeannette Altwegg, Great Britain
- Pair skating champions: Ria Baran & Paul Falk, Germany
Golf
Men's professional
- Masters Tournament – Ben Hogan
- U.S. Open – Ben Hogan
- PGA Championship – Sam Snead
- British Open – Max Faulkner
- PGA Tour money leader – Lloyd Mangrum – $26,089
- Ryder Cup – United States team wins 91⁄2 to 21⁄2 over the British team.
Men's amateur
Women's professional
- Women's Western Open – Patty Berg
- U.S. Women's Open – Betsy Rawls
- Titleholders Championship – Pat O'Sullivan
- LPGA Tour money leader – Babe Zaharias – $15,087
Harness racing
- Tar Heel, a standardbred horse driven by Del Cameron, runs the first two–minute mile in harness racing history.
- Little Brown Jug for pacers is won by Tar Heel
- Hambletonian for trotters is won by Mainliner
- Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship –
- Pacers: Vedette
- Trotters: Gay Belwin
Horse racing
- July 14 – Citation winds his 32nd race, the Hollywood Gold Cup, becoming the first equine millionaire.
Steeplechases
Hurdle races
- Champion Hurdle – Hatton's Grace for the third successive year
Flat races
- Australia – Melbourne Cup is won by Delat
- Canada – King's Plate is won by Major Factor
- France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is won by Tantieme
- Ireland – Irish Derby is won by Fraise du Bois II
- English Triple Crown Races:
- United States Triple Crown Races:
Ice hockey
- August 26 – Bill Barilko, Toronto Maple Leafs dies in an air crash
- Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season: Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings
- Hart Memorial Trophy – for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: Milt Schmidt, Boston Bruins
- Stanley Cup – Toronto Maple Leafs win 4 games to 1 over the Montreal Canadiens
- World Hockey Championship
- Men's champion: Canada's Lethbridge Maple Leafs
- NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship – University of Michigan Wolverines defeat Brown University Bruins 7–1 in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Lacrosse
- The 50th anniversaries of the donations of both the Mann Cup and the Minto Cup.
- The Peterborough Timbermen win the 50th Mann Cup.
- The Mimico Mountaineers win the 50th Minto Cup.
Motorsport
Rugby league
- 1950–51 European Rugby League Championship / 1951–52 European Rugby League Championship
- 1951 French rugby league tour of Australia and New Zealand
- 1951 New Zealand rugby league season
- 1951 NSWRFL season
- 1950–51 Northern Rugby Football League season / 1951–52 Northern Rugby Football League season
Rugby union
- 57th Five Nations Championship series is won by Ireland
Snooker
- World Snooker Championship – Fred Davis beats Walter Donaldson 58–39.
Speed skating
Speed Skating World Championships
- Men's All-round Champion – Hjalmar Andersen (Norway)
Tennis
Australia
- Australian Men's Singles Championship – Dick Savitt (USA) defeats Ken McGregor (Australia) 6–3, 2–6, 6–3, 6–1
- Australian Women's Singles Championship – Nancye Wynne Bolton (Australia) defeats Thelma Coyne Long (Australia) 6–1, 7–5
England
- Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship – Dick Savitt (USA) defeats Ken McGregor (Australia) 6–4, 6–4, 6–4
- Wimbledon Women's Singles Championship – Doris Hart (USA) defeats Shirley Fry Irvin (USA) 6–1, 6–0
France
- French Men's Singles Championship – Jaroslav Drobný (Egypt) defeats Eric Sturgess (South Africa) 6–3, 6–3, 6–3
- French Women's Singles Championship – Shirley Fry Irvin (USA) defeats Doris Hart (USA) 6–3, 3–6, 6–3
USA
- American Men's Singles Championship – Frank Sedgman (Australia) defeats Vic Seixas (USA) 6–4, 6–1, 6–1
- American Women's Singles Championship – Maureen Connolly (USA) defeats Shirley Fry Irvin (USA) 6–3, 1–6, 6–4
Davis Cup
- 1951 Davis Cup –
Australia 3–2 
United States at White City Stadium (grass) Sydney, Australia
Multi-sport events
- First Pan American Games are held in Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Asian Games are held in New Delhi, India
- First Mediterranean Games are held in Alexandria, Egypt
Awards
- Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year – Dick Kazmaier, College football
- Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year – Maureen Connolly, Tennis
References
- ^ Port Adelaide Magpies 1951 season
- ^ "Epsom Derby | History, Winners, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
- ^ "Pan American Games". FEI. 9 April 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2021.