1959 in sports

1959 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.

American football

• NFL Championship: the Baltimore Colts won 31–16 over the New York Giants at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium
• August 14 – The American Football League is founded. Play would begin the following year.
• Sugar Bowl (1958 season):
  • The Louisiana State Tigers won 7–0 over the Clemson Tigers to win the AP and Coaches Poll national championships

Association football

Brazil

• Taca Brasil, as predecessor for Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A, that first officially games held on August 23.

Turkey

• Turkish National League, as predecessor for Super Lig of Turkey, that first officially game held on February 21.

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.
• May 26 – In what many experts call the greatest pitching performance in history, Harvey Haddix—suffering with a flu and sore throat—hurls a 12 inning perfect game for the Pittsburgh Pirates but loses in the 13th inning 0–1 on a Don Hoak fielding error to the Milwaukee Braves as lightning storms threaten the end of the game.
• June 25 - Emperor Hirohito, watched Japanese professional baseball game for first time in Korakuen Baseball Stadium, Tokyo, Japan. At final resulting to Tokyo Giants win over Hanshin Tigers 5 to 4 in a home run by Shigeo Nagashima from Minoru Murayama.
• 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 defeat the Richmond Virginians to win the International League Governors' 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 –
  • 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

Bowling

Nine-pin bowling

• Nine-pin bowling World Championships –
  • Men's champion: Eberhard Luther, East Germany
  • Women's champion: Hilde Beljan, East Germany
  • Men's team champion: Yugoslavia
  • Women's team champion: East Germany

Canadian football

• Grey Cup – Winnipeg Blue Bombers win 21–7 over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Cricket

• During a Currie Cup match against Natal at the Jan Smuts Ground in East London in December, Border set the record (which still stands) for the lowest aggregate score by a first class side in a match. Border scored 34 runs in the match – 16 in the first innings and 18 in the second innings.

Curling

• Inaugural World Curling Championships held in Falkirk and Edinburgh for men only and known as the "Scotch Cup"; it is won by a Canadianteam from Regina, Saskatchewan, skipped by Ernie Richardson

Figure skating

• World Figure Skating Championship –
  • 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

• British Amateur – Deane Beman
• U.S. Amateur – Jack Nicklaus

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:
  1. Queen's Plate – New Providence
  2. Prince of Wales Stakes – New Providence
  3. 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:
  1. 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Taboun
  2. The Derby – Parthia
  3. St. Leger Stakes – Cantelo
• United States Triple Crown races:
  1. Kentucky Derby – Tomy Lee
  2. Preakness Stakes – Royal Orbit
  3. Belmont Stakes – Sword Dancer

Ice hockey

• Art Ross 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, New York
• 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 soon leads to the mask becoming standard equipment for goalies and a symbol of the game itself.
• The TV-pucken tournament starts.

Motorsport

Main articles: 1959 in motorsport and List of 1959 motorsport champions

Rugby league

• 1959 New Zealand rugby league season
• 1958–59 Northern Rugby Football League season/1959–60 Northern Rugby Football League season
• 1959 NSWRFL season

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 first official world record (2:19.0), set earlier in the day, 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

Australia

• Australian Men's Singles Championship – Alex Olmedo (USA) defeats Neale Fraser (Australia) 6–1, 6–2, 3–6, 6–3
• Australian Women's Singles Championship – Mary Carter Reitano (Australia) defeats Renee Schuurman Haygarth (South Africa) 6–2, 6–3

England

• Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship – Alex Olmedo (USA) defeats Rod Laver (Australia) 6–4, 6–3, 6–4
• Wimbledon Women's Singles Championship – Maria Bueno (Brazil) defeats Darlene Hard (USA) 6–4, 6–3

France

• French Men's Singles Championship – Nicola Pietrangeli (Italy) defeats Ian Vermaak (South Africa) 3–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–1
• French Women's Singles Championship – Christine Truman (Great Britain) defeats Zsuzsa Körmöczy (Hungary) 6–4, 7–5

USA

• American Men's Singles Championship – Neale Fraser (Australia) defeats Alex Olmedo (USA) 6–3, 5–7, 6–2, 6–4
• American Women's Singles Championship – Maria Bueno (Brazil) defeats Christine Truman (Great Britain) 6–1, 6–4

Davis Cup

• 1959 Davis Cup – Australia 3–2 United States at West Side Tennis Club (grass) New York City, United States

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