- Jan 1 65th Sugar Bowl: #3 Ohio State beats #8 Texas A&M, 24-14
- Jan 1 85th Rose Bowl: #9 Wisconsin beats #6 UCLA, 38-31
- Jan 2 65th Orange Bowl: #7 Florida beats #18 Syracuse, 31-10
- Jan 4 College Football, 1st BCS National Championship, Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, AZ: #1 Tennessee beats #2 Florida State, 23-16, at 28th Fiesta Bowl
- Jan 6 An agreement is reached by the NBA and the players union to end a 204-day lockout which shortened the season by 50 games
- Jan 7 NBA Board of Governors unanimously ratifies a new 6-year collective bargaining agreement between the league and the National Basketball Players Association
- Jan 9 Hopman Cup Tennis, Perth: Mark Philippoussis clinches Australia's unassailable 2-0 lead, (ends 2-1), with a 6-3, 7-6 win over Sweden's Jonas Björkman; Australia's first title
Schottenheimer Resigns
Jan 11 Marty Schottenheimer resigns as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs
Jordan's Second Retirement
Jan 13 Basketball superstar Michael Jordan announces his second retirement just prior to start of lockout-shortened 1998-99 NBA season; returns in 2001 with Washington
"The Miss" as Broncos Beat Jets
Jan 17 AFC Championship, Mile High Stadium, Denver: Denver Broncos beat New York Jets, 23-10; features infamous "The Miss", Vikings' PK Gary Anderson misses field goal late 4th quarter
- Jan 17 NFC Championship, Metrodome, Minneapolis: Atlanta Falcons beat Minnesota Vikings, 30-27 (OT)
49th NHL All-Star Game
Jan 24 49th NHL All-Star Game, Ice Palace, Tampa, FL: North America beats World, 8-6; MVP: Wayne Gretzky, NY Rangers, C
Duval's Sub-60 Round
Jan 24 David Duval eagles the 18th hole for a final round 59 to win the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic at PGA West; becomes only the 3rd player to fire a sub-60 round on the PGA Tour
- Jan 25 After an inquiry into a corruption scandal, 6 International Olympic Committee members are expelled
Hingis's 3rd Title
Jan 30 Australian Open Women's Tennis: Martina Hingis of Switzerland wins her 3rd consecutive Australian title; beats unseeded Amélie Mauresmo 6-2, 6-3
- Jan 31 Australian Open Men's Tennis: Yevgeny Kafelnikov becomes first Russian, male or female, to win an Australian title; beats Thomas Enqvist of Sweden 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 7-6
- Jan 31 Super Bowl XXXIII, Pro Player Stadium, Miami, FL: Denver Broncos beat Atlanta Falcons, 34-19; MVP: John Elway, Denver, QB
Baseball Players
Basketball Stars
Boxers
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Tennis Champions