- Jan 1 Ahmet Suat Özyazıcı, Turkish soccer manager (4xTurkish Super League; 3xTurkish Cup Trabzonspor) and midfielder (3 caps; İdmanocağı, Trabzonspor), born in Trabzon, Turkey (d. 2023)
- Jan 1 Don Nehlen, American College Football Hall of Fame coach (Bowling Green 1968-76, West Virginia 1980-2000), born in Mansfield, Ohio
- Jan 5 Terry Lineen, New Zealand rugby union centre (12 caps; Auckland), born in Auckland, New Zealand (d. 2020)
Darlene Hard (1936-2021)
Jan 6 American tennis player (US C'ships 1960-61, French C'ships 1960; 18 Grand Slam doubles titles), born in Los Angeles, California
- Jan 6 Rubén Amaro, Sr., Mexican baseball player (Philadelphia Phillies), born in Nuevo Laredo (d. 2017)
- Jan 9 Mike Davies, Welsh tennis player, entrepreneur and administrator (ED ATP; GM ITF; Grand Slam Cup creator), born in Swansea, Wales (d. 2015)
- Jan 9 Ralph Terry, American baseball pitcher (MLB All Star 1962, 62²; World Series 1961, 62 [MVP]; NY Yankees, KC Athletics, Cleveland Indians, NY Mets), born in Big Cabin, Oklahoma (d. 2022)
- Jan 11 Abdullah the Butcher [Lawrence Robert Shreve], Canadian professional wrestler, born in Windsor, Ontario
- Jan 14 Ludmila Pinayeva, Russian kayaker (Olympic gold 500m 1964, 1968, 1972), born in Krasnoye Selo, Russia
- Jan 14 Reiner Klimke, German equestrian (Olympic gold 1984), born in Münster, Germany (d. 1999)
- Jan 22 Noel Kelly, Australian rugby league hooker (25 Tests; Queensland, NSW, Western Suburbs) and coach (Western Suburbs, North Sydney), born in Ipswich, Australia (d. 2020)
- Jan 23 Jerry Kramer, American football player (Green Bay Packers) and author (Instant Replay), born in Jordan, Montana
About January 1936
How Old? 88 years old
Generation: Silent Generation
Leap Year: Yes
Baseball Players
Basketball Stars
Boxers
Footballers
NFL Stars
Tennis Champions