- Jan 6 Albert Ward, cricketer (England batsman in 7 Tests 1893-95), dies
- Jan 13 Jacob Ruppert Jr., American Baseball HOF executive (owner New York Yankees 1915-39; signed Babe Ruth; built Yankee Stadium), dies from phlebitis at 71
- Jan 19 Cliff Heathcote, American baseball player (b. 1898)
- Jan 23 Matthias Sindelar, Austria soccer star, dies under mysterious circumstances at 35
- Apr 5 William Cooper, Australian cricket spin bowler (2 Tests, 9 wickets, BB 6/120; Victoria), dies at 89
- May 20 Joe Carr, American Pro Football HOF contributor (NFL President 1921-39), dies from a heart attack at 59
- May 30 Floyd Roberts, American auto racer, killed in a 100 mph crash during 1939 Indianapolis 500 at 39
- Jun 13 Arthur Coningham, Australian cricketer (one Test for Australia 1894), dies at 75
- Jun 25 Richard Seaman, British auto racer (German GP 1938), dies in a race accident in Belgian Grand Prix at 26
- Jul 7 Deacon White, American Baseball Hall of Fame catcher (NL batting champion, RBI leader 1877; Boston Red Stockings), dies from heat stroke at 91
- Jul 19 Tom Hayward, English cricket batsman (35 Tests, 3 x 100; HS 137; Surrey CCC), dies at 68
- Jul 26 Billy Murphy, New Zealand boxer (world featherweight champion 1890; first world champion in any class from NZ), dies at 75
- Aug 16 Ron Oxenham, cricketer (7 Tests for Australia, 14 wickets), dies
- Aug 24 William Moule, Australian lawyer, politician and cricketer (Australia v England 1880), dies at 81
- Aug 25 (Charles) "Babe" Siebert, Canadian NHL ice hockey player, 1925-39, 3X All-Star (Montreal Maroons, Boston Bruins, and 2 other teams), drowns in Lake Huron at 35
- Oct 21 H G "Nummy" Deane, South African cricket batsman (17 Tests [12 as captain], 3 x 50; Natal, Transvaal), dies from a heart attack at 44
James Naismith (1861-1939)
Nov 28 Canadian-American physical educator and inventor (basketball, football helmet), dies at 78
- Dec 15 Tom McKibbin, Australian cricket spin bowler (5 Tests, 17 wickets; NSW CA), dies at 69
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