- Jan 3 Luke Appling, American Baseball Hall of Fame shortstop, (7 x MLB All Star; AL batting champion 1936, 43; Chicago White Sox), dies of abdominal aortic aneurysm at 83
- Jan 7 Joe Hicks, American baseball coach, dies of cancer at 64
- Jan 20 Bill Riordon, American tennis promotor (Jimmy Connors), dies
Red Grange (1903-1991)
Jan 28 American "Galloping Ghost" of football (University of Illinois, Chicago Bears), dies of Parkinson's disease at 87