1964 in sports

1964 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.

Years in sports: 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 Centuries: 19th century · 20th century · 21st century Decades: 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s Years: 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967

Contents 1 Alpine skiing 2 American football 3 Association football 3.1 England 3.2 International 4 Athletics (track and field) 5 Australian rules football 6 Baseball 7 Basketball 8 Boxing 9 Canadian football 10 Cycling 11 Field hockey 12 Figure skating 13 Golf 14 Harness racing 15 Horse racing 16 Ice hockey 17 Lacrosse 18 Motor racing 19 Rugby league 20 Rugby union 21 Snooker 22 Swimming 23 Tennis 24 Volleyball 25 Yacht racing 26 Multi-sport events 27 Awards 28 References 29 Films

Alpine skiing
Men's Olympic Gold Medal: Downhill: Egon Zimmermann, Austria Slalom: Josef Stiegler, Austria Giant Slalom: François Bonlieu, France

Women's Olympic Gold Medal: Downhill: Christl Haas, Austria Slalom: Christine Goitschel, France Giant Slalom: Marielle Goitschel, France

FIS Alpine World Ski Championships – Men's combined champion: Ludwig Leitner, Germany Women's combined champion: Marielle Goitschel, France

American football
AFL Championship – Buffalo Bills win 11-7 over the San Diego Chargers AFL MVP - Gino Cappelletti, WR Boston Patriots NFL Championship – Cleveland Browns win 27-0 over the Baltimore Colts NFL MVP - Johnny Unitas, QB - Baltimore Colts Cotton Bowl (1963 season): The Texas Longhorns won 28-6 over the Navy Midshipmen to win the college football national championship

Heisman Trophy - John Huarte QB, Notre Dame

Association football
England FA Cup final – West Ham United won 3-2 over Preston North End

International Spain beat the Soviet Union 2-1 to win the European Championship. In October during the celebration of the 1964 Summer Olympics FIFA gives the right to host the Football World Cup in 1970 to Mexico.

Athletics (track and field)
March 6 – Tom O'Hara sets a new world record for the indoor mile run by completing it in 3 minutes and 56.4 seconds

Australian rules football
Victorian Football League Melbourne wins the 68th VFL Premiership (Melbourne 8.16 (64) d Collingwood 8.12 (60)) Brownlow Medal awarded to Gordon Collis (Carlton)

Baseball
February 15 – death of Ken Hubbs (22), Chicago Cubs player, in an air crash just before the season began April 17 – The New York Mets play their first game at brand-new Shea Stadium and lose 4–3 to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Willie Stargell hits the first home run in the stadium's history, a second-inning solo shot off the Mets' Jack Fisher. June 21 – Jim Bunning of the Philadelphia Phillies pitched a perfect game in a 6-0 victory over the New York Mets. World Series – St. Louis Cardinals win 4 games to 3 over the New York Yankees. The Series MVP is pitcher, Bob Gibson of St. Louis. AL MVP - Brooks Robinson 3B, Baltimore Orioles NL MVP - Ken Boyer 3B, St. Louis Cardinals AL Rookie of the Year - Tony Oliva OF, Minnesota Twins NL Rookie of the Year - Dick Allen 3B, Philadelphia Phillies Cy Young Award - Dean Chance, Los Angeles Angels

Basketball
NCAA Men's Basketball Championship – UCLA wins 97-83 over Duke

Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year - Gary Bradds F, Ohio State NBA Finals – Boston Celtics won 4 games to 1 over the San Francisco Warriors NBA MVP - Oscar Robertson G, Cincinnati Royals NBA Rookie of the Year - Jerry Lucas F, Cincinnati Royals

Boxing
February 25 in Miami Beach, Florida - Cassius Clay defeated Sonny Liston by TKO in the 7th round to win the World Heavyweight Championship. December 14 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Joey Giardello won a 15 round decision over Rubin "Hurricane" Carter to win the World Middleweight title.

Canadian football
Grey Cup – B.C. Lions win 34-24 over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Cycling
Giro d'Italia won by Jacques Anquetil of France Tour de France - Jacques Anquetil of France UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race – Jan Janssen of Netherlands

Field hockey
Olympic Games (Men's Competition) in Tokyo, Japan Gold Medal: India Silver Medal: Pakistan Bronze Medal: Australia

Figure skating
World Figure Skating Championships Men's champion: Manfred Schnelldorfer, Germany Ladies' champion: Sjoukje Dijkstra, Netherlands Pair skating champions: Marika Kilius & Hans-Jürgen Bäumler, Germany Ice dancing champions: Eva Romanová & Pavel Roman, Czechoslovakia

Golf
Men's professional Masters Tournament - Arnold Palmer U.S. Open - Ken Venturi British Open - Tony Lema PGA Championship - Bobby Nichols PGA Tour money leader - Jack Nicklaus - $113,285

Men's amateur British Amateur - Gordon Clark U.S. Amateur - William C. Campbell

Women's professional Women's Western Open - Carol Mann LPGA Championship - Mary Mills U.S. Women's Open - Mickey Wright Titleholders Championship - Marilynn Smith LPGA Tour money leader - Mickey Wright - $29,800

Harness racing
United States Pacing Triple Crown races – 1.Cane Pace - Race Time 2.Little Brown Jug - Vicar Hanover 3.Messenger Stakes - Race Time

Ayres won the United States Trotting Triple Crown races – 1.Hambletonian - Ayres 2.Yonkers Trot - Ayres 3.Kentucky Futurity - Ayres

Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship – Pacers: Minuteman

Horse racing
Northern Dancer becomes the first Canadian–bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby

Steeplechases Cheltenham Gold Cup – Arkle Grand National – Team Spirit

Flat races Australia – Melbourne Cup won by Polo Prince Canada – Queen's Plate won by Northern Dancer France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won by Prince Royal Ireland – Irish Derby Stakes won by Santa Claus English Triple Crown Races: 1.2,000 Guineas Stakes – Baldric 2.Epsom Derby – Santa Claus 3.St. Leger Stakes – Indiana

United States Triple Crown Races: 1.Kentucky Derby – Northern Dancer 2.Preakness Stakes – Northern Dancer 3.Belmont Stakes – Quadrangle

Ice hockey
Art Ross Memorial Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season: Stan Mikita, Chicago Black Hawks Hart Memorial Trophy for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: Jean Beliveau, Montreal Canadiens Stanley Cup – Toronto Maple Leafs won 4-3 over the Detroit Red Wings World Hockey Championship – Men's champion: Soviet Union defeated Sweden

NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship - University of Michigan Wolverines defeat University of Denver Pioneers 6-3 in Denver, CO

Lacrosse
Guelph Mohawks win the first Castrol Cup. Vancouver Carlings win the Mann Cup. Oshawa Green Gaels win the Minto Cup.

Motor racing
Stock car racing – January 19 – death of Joe Weatherly, NASCAR Grand National champion, in a crash at Riverside. He is the first reigning Grand National champion to be killed, and the only reigning champion to die in a racing accident. February 23 – Richard Petty wins the Daytona 500 in the #43 Plymouth July 2 – death of Glen "Fireball" Roberts, American stock car driver, following injuries and burns sustained in a crash during the World 600

July 17 – Donald Campbell, son of the great British record-breaker Malcolm, in Bluebird CN7 makes the last wheel-driven land speed record attempt. His speed, 403.10 mph (648.73 km/h), is less than the unratified speed of the controversial Spirit of America. NASCAR Championship - Richard Petty wins his first of seven titles. May 30 – A.J. Foyt wins the 48th running of the Indianapolis 500 in the Sheraton-Thompson Special Watson-Offenhauser

USAC Racing - A.J. Foyt wins the season championship Formula One – John Surtees (Great Britain) wins the World Drivers' Champion, driving for Ferrari. 24 hours of Le Mans – Jean Guichet / Nino Vaccarella win, sharing a Ferrari 275P Rally racing - the team of Paddy Hopkirk / Henry Liddon win the Monte Carlo Rally driving a Mini Cooper S Drag racing - Don Garlits wins the NHRA Top Fuel Dragster Championship

Rugby league
1964 New Zealand rugby league season 1964 NSWRFL season 1963–64 Northern Rugby Football League season / 1964–65 Northern Rugby Football League season

Rugby union
70th Five Nations Championship series is shared by Scotland and Wales

Snooker
The World Snooker Championship is revived in a challenge format: John Pulman beats Fred Davis 19-16 John Pulman beats Rex Williams 40-33

Swimming
February 29 – in Sydney, Australian swimmer Dawn Fraser sets a new world record in the women's 100m freestyle (long course) competition: 58.9 seconds. March 29 – Australia's Kevin Berry sets a new world record in the men's 200m butterfly (long course) at a meet in Sydney, clocking 2:06.9. July 12 – US swimmer Sharon Stouder breaks the world record in the women's 200m butterfly (long course) with one second, during a meet in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, clocking 2:28.1. August 2 – Sharon Stouder once again breaks the world record in the women's 200m butterfly (long course), this time in Los Altos, California, clocking 2:26.4. October 18 – Kevin Berry breaks his own world record in the men's 200m butterfly (long course) on the last day of the swimming competition at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, with a time of 2:06.6.

Tennis
Australia Australian Men's Singles Championship – Roy Emerson (Australia) defeats Fred Stolle (Australia) 6–3, 6–4, 6–2 Australian Women's Singles Championship – Margaret Smith Court (Australia) defeats Lesley Turner Bowrey (Australia) 6–3, 6–2

France French Men's Singles Championship – Manuel Santana (Spain) defeats Nicola Pietrangeli (Italy) 6–3, 6–1, 4–6, 7–5 French Women's Singles Championship – Margaret Court (Australia) defeats Maria Bueno (Brazil) 5–7, 6–1, 6–2

UK Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship – Roy Emerson (Australia) defeats Fred Stolle (Australia) 6–4, 12–10, 4–6, 6–3 Wimbledon Women's Singles Championship – Maria Bueno (Brazil) defeats Margaret Smith Court (Australia) 6–4, 7–9, 6–3

USA American Men's Singles Championship – Roy Emerson (Australia) defeats Fred Stolle (Australia) in straight sets 6–4, 6–2, 6–4 American Women's Singles Championship – Maria Bueno (Brazil) defeats Carole Caldwell Graebner (USA) in straight sets 6–1, 6–0

Davis Cup 1964 Davis Cup – Australia 3–2  United States at Harold Clark Courts (clay) Cleveland, United States

Volleyball
Volleyball at the 1964 Summer Olympics won by USSR (men) and Japan (women)

Yacht racing
The New York Yacht Club retains the America's Cup as Constellation defeats British challenger Sovereign, of the Royal Thames Yacht Club, 4 races to 0

Multi-sport events
1964 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan United States wins the most medals (90), and the most gold medals (36). This Olympic opening ceremony is first time of live Olympic telecast program by geostationary communication satellite.

1964 Winter Olympics held in Innsbruck, Austria USSR wins the most medals (25), and the most gold medals (11).

Third Winter Universiade held in Špindleruv Mlýn, Czechoslovakia

Awards
Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year – Don Schollander, Swimming Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year – Mickey Wright, LPGA golf ABC's Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year: Don Schollander, Swimming Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year - Ken Venturi - Golf

Films

 * Ride the Wild Surf