1966 in sports
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2017) |
1966 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.
Alpine skiing
- FIS Alpine World Ski Championships –
- Men's combined champion: Jean-Claude Killy, France
- Women's combined champion: Marielle Goitschel, France
American football
- Orange Bowl (1965 season):
- The Alabama Crimson Tide won 39–28 over the Nebraska Cornhuskers to win the AP Poll national championship after the previous #1 ranked Michigan State Spartans lost in the Rose Bowl and the #2 ranked Arkansas Razorbacks lost in the Cotton Bowl. This was the first time the AP conducted its final rankings at the conclusion of the postseason bowl games.
- June 8: The AFL and NFL reach an agreement to merge as equals into one league under the NFL name, to take effect with the 1970 season.
- AFL Championship – Kansas City Chiefs won 31–7 over the Buffalo Bills to advance to Super Bowl I in Jan. 1967
- NFL Championship – Green Bay Packers won 34–27 over the Dallas Cowboys to advance to Super Bowl I in Jan. 1967
- Each of the two existing top-level professional leagues added a new team for the 1966 season. The Atlanta Falcons joined the NFL, and the Miami Dolphins joined the AFL.
- 1966 NCAA University Division football season:
- November 19 – The top-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the second-ranked Michigan State Spartans play to a 10–10 tie; Notre Dame retains its No. 1 ranking in the polls and are later named AP and UPI national champions.
Artistic gymnastics
- World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
- Men's all-around champion: Mikhail Voronin, USSR
- Women's all-around champion: Věra Čáslavská, Czechoslovakia
- Men's team competition champion: Japan
- Women's team competition champion: Czechoslovakia
Association football
England
- FA Cup final – Everton win 3–2 against Sheffield Wednesday
International
- World Cup – England defeats Germany to win the 1966 World Cup Final.
- FIFA decide to give the right to host the 1974 FIFA World Cup, 1978 FIFA World Cup and 1982 Football World Cup to West Germany, Argentina and Spain respectively
Athletics
- July 17 – American runner Jim Ryun sets a new world record for the mile at 3:51.3
- August – 1966 Commonwealth Games held at Kingston, Jamaica
- September – 1966 European Championships in Athletics held at Budapest
- December – 1966 Asian Games held at Bangkok
Australian rules football
- Victorian Football League
- St Kilda wins the 70th VFL Premiership (St Kilda 10.14 (74) d Collingwood 10.13 (73))
- Brownlow Medal awarded to Ian Stewart (St Kilda)
Baseball
- Milwaukee Braves move to Atlanta, Georgia and become the Atlanta Braves.
- January 20 – The BBWAA elects Ted Williams to the Hall of Fame. Williams, the last batter to hit .400, receives 282 of a possible 302 votes.
- Roberto Clemente is the National League MVP.
- Frank Robinson is the American League MVP.
- Sandy Koufax of the Los Angeles Dodgers is the Major League Baseball Cy Young Award
- Tommie Agee of the Chicago White Sox is the American League MLB Rookie of the Year award
- Tommy Helms of the Cincinnati Red is the National League MLB Rookie of the Year award
- Ted Williams is inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame.
- World Series – Baltimore Orioles win 4 games to 0 over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Series MVP: Frank Robinson, Baltimore
- College World Series – Ohio State defeats Oklahoma State 8–2 at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium. Ohio State pitcher Steve Arlin is named tournament Most Outstanding Player
Basketball
- NCAA University Division Basketball Championship –
- NBA Finals –
- Boston Celtics won 4 games to 3 over the Los Angeles Lakers. This would be the last of the Celtics' record eight straight NBA titles.
- NBA MVP – Philadelphia 76ers center Wilt Chamberlain
- A first season of Basketball Bundesliga was held in Germany on October 1.[citation needed]
- A first Basketball Super League of Turkey games was held on December 13, replace from three regional (Istanbul, Ankara and İzmir) basketball league were merger.[citation needed]
- An NBA club, Chicago Bulls was founded in Illinois, United States on January 16.[citation needed]
Boxing
- March 29, Muhammad Ali defeats George Chuvalo in a 15-round unanimous decision
- April 25 at New York City, World Welterweight Champion Emile Griffith won a 15-round unanimous decision over Dick Tiger to also become the World Middleweight Champion.
- May 21 Muhammad Ali defeats Henry Cooper with a 6th-round TKO
- August 6 Muhammad Ali defeats Brian London with a 3rd-round KO
- September 10 Muhammad Ali defeats Karl Mildenberger with a 12th-round TKO
- November 14, Muhammad Ali knocks out Cleveland Williams in three rounds to retain the WBC heavyweight title.
Canadian football
- Grey Cup – Saskatchewan Roughriders win 29–14 over the Ottawa Rough Riders
- Vanier Cup – St. Francis Xavier X-Men win 40–14 over the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks
Cycling
- Giro d'Italia won by Gianni Motta of Italy
- Tour de France – Lucien Aimar of France
- Vuelta a España – Francisco Gabica of Spain
- UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race – Rudi Altig of Germany
Figure skating
- World Figure Skating Championships –
- Men's champion: Emmerich Dänzer, Austria
- Ladies' champion: Peggy Fleming, United States
- Pair skating champions: Ludmila Belousova & Oleg Protopopov, Soviet Union
- Ice dancing champions: Diane Towler & Bernard Ford, Great Britain
Golf
Men's professional
- Masters Tournament – Jack Nicklaus
- U.S. Open – Billy Casper
- British Open – Jack Nicklaus becomes the fourth player to win all four major professional championships.
- PGA Championship – Al Geiberger
- PGA Tour money leader – Billy Casper – $121,945
Men's amateur
Women's professional
- Women's Western Open – Mickey Wright
- LPGA Championship – Gloria Ehret
- U.S. Women's Open – Sandra Spuzich
- Titleholders Championship – Kathy Whitworth
- LPGA Tour money leader – Kathy Whitworth – $33,517
Harness racing
- Romeo Hanover wins the United States Pacing Triple Crown races –
- United States Trotting Triple Crown races –
- Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship –
- Pacers: Chamfer Star
- Trotters: Yamamoto
Horse racing
Steeplechases
Flat races
- Australia – Melbourne Cup won by Galilee
- Canada – Queen's Plate won by Titled Hero
- France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won by Bon Mot
- Ireland – Irish Derby Stakes won by Sodium
- English Triple Crown Races:
- United States Triple Crown Races:
Ice hockey
- Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season: Bobby Hull, Chicago Black Hawks
- Hart Memorial Trophy – for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: Bobby Hull, Chicago Black Hawks
- Stanley Cup – Montreal Canadiens won 4–2 over the Detroit Red Wings
- World Hockey Championship
- Men's champion: Soviet Union defeated Czechoslovakia
- NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship – Michigan State University Spartans defeat Clarkson University Golden Knights 6–1 in Minneapolis
Motorsport
Orienteering
- First Orienteering World Championships held 1–2 October in Fiskars, Finland.[2]
Rugby league
- 1966 New Zealand rugby league season
- 1966 NSWRFL season
- 1965–66 Northern Rugby Football League season / 1966–67 Northern Rugby Football League season
Rugby union
- 72nd Five Nations Championship series is won by Wales
Snooker
- World Snooker Championship challenge match: John Pulman beats Fred Davis 5–2 in matches.
Speed skating
- January 4 – death of Inga Artamonova (29), Russian world speed-skating champion, who was murdered by her husband
Tennis
Australia
- Australian Men's Singles Championship – Roy Emerson (Australia) defeats Arthur Ashe (USA) 6–4, 6–8, 6–2, 6–3
- Australian Women's Singles Championship – Margaret Smith Court (Australia) defeats Nancy Richey (USA) walkover
England
- Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship – Manuel Santana (Spain) defeats Dennis Ralston (USA) 6–4, 11–9, 6–4
- Wimbledon Women's Singles Championship – Billie Jean King (USA) defeats Maria Bueno (Brazil) 6–3, 3–6, 6–1
France
- French Men's Singles Championship – Tony Roche (Australia) defeats István Gulyás (Hungary) 6–1, 6–4, 7–5
- French Women's Singles Championship – Ann Haydon Jones (Great Britain) defeats Nancy Richey (USA) 6–3, 6–1
USA
- American Men's Singles Championship – Tournament did not start until 1968
- American Women's Singles Championship – Tournament did not start until 1968
Davis Cup
- 1966 Davis Cup –
Australia 4–1 
India at Kooyong Stadium (grass) Melbourne, Australia
Volleyball
- 1966 FIVB Men's World Championship in Prague won by Czechoslovakia
Multi-sport events
- Asian Games held in Bangkok, Thailand
- 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games held in Kingston, Jamaica[3]
- Central American and Caribbean Games held in San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Fourth Winter Universiade held in Sestriere, Italy
Awards
- Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year – Frank Robinson, Major League Baseball
- Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year – Kathy Whitworth, LPGA golf
- Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year - Jim Ryun, running
References
- ^ "Epsom Derby | History, Winners, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
- ^ "World Orienteering Championships 1966". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
- ^ "Our Games | Commonwealth Games Federation". thecgf.com. Archived from the original on 4 January 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2022.