- Jan 1 23rd Orange Bowl: #20 Colorado beats #19 Clemson, 27-21
- Jan 1 23rd Sugar Bowl: #11 Baylor beats #2 Tennessee, 13-7
- Jan 1 43rd Rose Bowl: #3 Iowa beats #10 Oregon State, 35-19
Fullmer vs. Robinson
Jan 2 In the first of 4 meetings between the fighters, Gene Fullmer wins the world middleweight boxing title with a 15-round unanimous decision over Sugar Ray Robinson at New York’s Madison Square Garden
- Jan 4 MLB Los Angeles Dodgers buy 44 passenger twin-engine airplane for $775,000
Jackie Robinson Retires
Jan 5 Dodgers' Jackie Robinson announces his retirement rather than be traded to the NY Giants
Commissioner's Bing Crosby Decision
Jan 10 Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick rules Bing Crosby can keep token stock in Detroit Tigers, even though he owns part of Pittsburgh Pirates
- Jan 13 7th NFL Pro Bowl, LA Memorial Coliseum: Western Conference beats Eastern Conference, 19-10; MVPs: Bert Rechichar, Baltimore Colts, K; Ernie Stautner, Pittsburgh Steelers, DT
7th NBA All-Star Game
Jan 15 7th NBA All-Star Game, Boston Garden: East beats West, 109-97; MVP: Bob Cousy, Boston Celtics, PG
- Jan 15 Brooklyn Dodgers extend their 5-year lease on Ebbets Field by signing a new 3-year lease with real estate developer Marvin Kratter; club moves to Los Angeles the next year
- Jan 26 Joseph F Cairnes succeeds Lou Perini as President of Milwaukee Braves
Cooper Beats Fraser
Jan 28 Australian Championship Men's Tennis: Ashley Cooper wins 1st of 2 straight Australian titles; beats fellow Australian Neale Fraser 6-3, 9-11, 6-4, 6-2
All-American Final
Jan 28 Australian Championships Women's Tennis: Shirley Fry wins all-American final; beats Althea Gibson 6-3, 6-4 for her only Australian singles title
Baseball Players
Basketball Stars
Boxers
Footballers
NFL Stars
Tennis Champions