- Dec 2 First day of World Series Cricket at VFL Park in Melbourne; barely 200 people see Australia dismissed for 256 by West Indies; Ray Bright top scores with 69; Michael Holding captures 4 wickets & Andy Roberts 3; WI go on to win 1st WSC 'Test' by 3 wickets
- Dec 4 Davis Cup Men's Tennis, Sydney: John Alexander beats Adriano Panatta of Italy 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 8-6, 11-9 in a 3 hour, 54 minute classic to give Australia a 3-1 victory
- Dec 4 NFL's 5,000th game, Cincinnati beats KC 27-7
1st World Series Cricket 'Test'
Dec 4 West Indies win 1st World Series Cricket 'Test' against Australia at VFL Park in Melbourne by 3 wickets; chasing 235 for victory, Viv Richards with 56 and Clive Lloyd 44 guide WI to 237/7 with 2 days to spare
Abdul Qadir Test Debut
Dec 14 Test Cricket debut of Pakistan spin bowling great Abdul Qadir v England in 1st Test at Lahore
- Dec 17 Rookie defenseman Barry Beck scores first career hat trick and adds an assist in Colorado Rockies' 5-1 win v Minnesota North Stars; sets NHL record for rookie defensemen with a goal in his 6th straight game
- Dec 18 NBA Cleveland Cavaliers retire jersey # 42, Nate Thumond
- Dec 25 7th Fiesta Bowl: #8 Penn State beats #15 Arizona State, 42-30
Ballon d'Or
Dec 27 Ballon d'Or: Borussia Mönchengladbach's Danish forward Allan Simonsen is named Europe's best football player ahead of Hamburg forward Kevin Keegan and Nancy midfielder Michel Platini
Evonne Goolagong Cawley Champion
Dec 30 Australian Open Women's Tennis: Evonne Goolagong Cawley wins her 6th career Grand Slam title; beats fellow Australian Helen Gourlay Cawley 6-3, 6-0
Gerulaitis Defeats Lloyd
Dec 31 Australian Open Men's Tennis: American Vitas Gerulaitis wins his first and only Grand Slam event; beats Englishman John Lloyd 6-3, 7-6, 5-7, 3-6, 6-2