- Jan 1 13th Orange Bowl: #10 Rice beats #7 Tennessee, 8-0
- Jan 1 13th Sugar Bowl: #3 Georgia beats #9 North Carolina, 20-10
- Jan 1 33rd Rose Bowl: #5 Illinois beats #4 UCLA, 45-14
- Jan 7 Australia v England at MCG drawn in 6 days, 1st cricket draw in Australia since 1882
- Jan 8 Toronto Maple Leaf rookie Howie Meeker scores 5 goals in a game
- Jan 9 Providence Steamrollers guard Dino Martin becomes the first NBA player to ever score 40 points in a game, in a 91-68 win over Cleveland Rebels at Rhode Island Auditorium
Greenberg to the Pirates
Jan 18 Detroit Tigers sell Hank Greenberg to Pirates (for $25-35,000)
- Jan 24 NFL adds 5th official, the back judge and allows sudden death in playoffs
Pails Defeats Bromwich
Jan 29 Australian Championships Men's Tennis: Dinny Pails beats fellow Australian John Bromwich 4-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, 8-6 for his only Grand Slam title
- Jan 29 Australian Championships Women's Tennis: Nancye Wynne Bolton wins 3rd consecutive Australian singles crown; beats Nell Hall Hopman 6-3, 6-2
Bradman's Duck
Feb 3 Bradman bowled by Alec Bedser for a duck in 4th Test Cricket
- Feb 6 Compton & Arthur Morris both complete dual tons in same Test Cricket
Indians Prepare for 1st Black Players
Mar 1 MLB Cleveland Indians owner Bill Veeck sets up spring training camp in racially tolerant Phoenix, AZ in anticipation of signing team's first black players; Larry Doby is first acquisition later in the season
- Mar 21 Test Cricket debut of Bert Sutcliffe, NZ v England at Christchurch
- Mar 25 9th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Holy Cross beats Oklahoma, 58-47; Crusaders' first victory in first title game
- Mar 25 Last day of Test cricket for Walter Hammond (v NZ, Christchurch)
- Mar 29 101st Grand National: 100/1 Irish outsider Caughoo ridden by 35-year-old jockey Eddie Dempsey wins by 20 lengths from Lough Conn
Babe Didrikson Zaharias
Mar 30 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Babe Didrikson Zaharias wins her first of 3 Titleholders titles by 5 strokes ahead of Dorothy Kirby
11th US Masters
Apr 6 11th US Masters Tournament, Augusta National GC: Jimmy Demaret wins his 2nd Masters by 2 strokes over Byron Nelson and amateur Frank Stranahan
Leo Durocher Suspended
Apr 9 Baseball Commissioner Happy Chandler suspends Brooklyn Dodger Leo Durocher for 1 year for "association with known gamblers"
Jackie Robinson's MLB Contract
Apr 10 Jackie Robinson becomes first black player of the 20th century to sign a MLB contract; Brooklyn GM, Branch Rickey announces Dodgers had bought Robinson’s contract from Montreal Royals
- Apr 15 Jackie Robinson becomes the first African-American to play in US major league baseball (Dodgers)
- Apr 17 Jackie Robinson bunts for his 1st major league hit
Maurice Richard Named MVP
Apr 19 After scoring 45 goals during the regular season, Montreal Canadiens' Maurice Richard is named MVP
- Apr 19 England beats France, 6-3 at Twickenham to be level on points with Wales for a share of the Five Nations Rugby Championship; first appearance of France in tournament since 1931
- Apr 19 Stanley Cup Final, Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Ontario: Toronto Maple Leafs edge Montreal Canadiens, 2-1 for a 4-2 series win; first all-Canadian final since 1935
- Apr 19 Suh Yun Buck wins world record marathon (2:25:39)
- Apr 21 51st Boston Marathon won by Yun Bok Soh of Korea in 2:25:39; world best time
- Apr 22 1st Basketball Association of America Finals: Philadelphia Warriors beat Chicago Stags, 83-80 to take inaugural series, 4 games to 2
- May 1 Cleveland Indians abandon League Park (venue for weekday games) to play all MLB games at Municipal Stadium
- May 3 73rd Kentucky Derby: Eric Guerin aboard Jet Pilot wins in 2:06.8
- May 8 A movement among Cardinal players to protest its 1st meeting with Jackie Robinson & the Dodgers is aborted by a talk from owner Sam Breadon
- May 10 72nd Preakness: Doug Dodson aboard Faultless wins in 1:59
- May 18 MLB Philadelphia A's catcher Warren Rosar catches his 147th game without an error
31st Indianapolis 500
May 30 31st Indianapolis 500: Mauri Rose leads for final 8 laps after confused pit messages with teammate Bill Holland to take the controversial victory; race marred by a 41st lap crash that claims life of Shorty Cantlon
47th US Men's Open
Jun 15 US Open Men's Golf, St. Louis CC: Lew Worsham defeats Sam Snead by 1 stroke in an 18-hole playoff for his only major title
- Jun 18 Cincinnati Reds pitcher Ewell Blackwell no-hits Boston Braves, 6-0 at Crosley Field, Cincinnati
- Jun 24 Future Baseball Hall of Fame infielder Jackie Robinson steals home for first of 19 times in his career as the Brooklyn Dodgers beat Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-2
- Jun 24 PGA Championship Men's Golf, Plum Hollow CC: Jim Ferrier becomes first Australian to win a major title; beats Chick Herbert, 2 & 1
- Jun 29 US Open Women's Golf, Starmount Forest CC: American Betty Jameson wins her only US crown, 6 strokes ahead of runners-up Polly Riley and Sally Sessions, both amateurs
- Jun 29 Yanks beat Senators 3-1 starting a 19 game winning streak
- Jul 1 Basketball Association of America (BAA), which later became the National Basketball Association (NBA), holds its inaugural college player draft
- Jul 4 British Open Men's Golf, Royal Liverpool: Irishman Fred Daly wins his only Open, 1 stroke clear of Reg Horne and Frank Stranahan
Wimbledon Men's Tennis
Jul 4 Wimbledon Men's Tennis: Jack Kramer wins his only Wimbledon singles title beating fellow American Tom Brown 6-1, 6-3, 6-2
Baseball Record
Jul 5 Cleveland Indians rookie Larry Doby becomes 1st black player in AL when he strikes out in 6-5 loss vs Chicago White Sox
Wimbledon Women's Tennis
Jul 5 Wimbledon Women's Tennis: Margaret Osborne beats Doris Hart 6-2, 6-4 for her only Wimbledon singles title
- Jul 8 14th All Star Baseball Game: AL wins 2-1 at Wrigley Field, Chicago
- Jul 16 Bobo Newsom wins 200th game, 1st as a Yankee & Yanks 18th straight In nightcap Vic Rashi extends streak to 19
- Jul 18 Tigers shut out Yanks 2-0, end 19 game winning streak
- Jul 20 Tour de France: French rider Jean Robic takes lead on final stage to win overall classification; Pierre Brambilla of Italy mountains champion
- Jul 26 46th Men's French Championships: Jozsef Asboth beats Eric Sturgess (8-6, 7-5, 6-4)
- Jul 26 French Championships Women's Tennis: In an all-American final Patricia Todd wins her only major singles title beating Doris Hart 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
Yogi Berra Starts a record
Jul 27 New York Yankees catcher Yogi Berra starts a record 148 game errorless streak
- Jul 30 Cincinnati Reds' pitcher Ewell Blackwell record-breaking 16 game winning streak ends, losing to NY Giants 5-4
- Aug 4 American boxer Ike Williams knocks out Bob Montgomery in 6 rounds in Philadelphia to unify the world lightweight title
- Aug 14 Babe Didrikson Zaharias gives up amateur status for $300,000
- Aug 16 Future Baseball HOF outfielder Ralph Kiner hits 3 successive HRs for host Pittsburgh Pirates in a 12-7 win over St. Louis Cardinals; both clubs smash a then MLB record 10 homers
- Aug 20 Boston Braves hit a million attendance for 1st time
- Aug 22 14th NFL Chicago All-Star Game: All-Stars 16, Chicago Bears 0 (105,840)
- Aug 23 1st Baseball Little League World Series, Williamsport, Pennsylvania: Maynard Midgets beat Lock Haven All Stars, 16-7
- Aug 26 Dodgers' Dan Bankhead, MLB's 1st African-American pitcher, homers in his 1st MLB at bat in 16-3 loss to Pittsburgh, at Ebbetts Field, Brooklyn, NYC
- Aug 31 NY Giants set season record for HRs by a club 183 (en route to 221)
- Sep 1 Davis Cup Men's Tennis, Forest Hills, NY: USA retains title as Ted Schroeder outlasts Australian Dinny Pails 6-3, 8-6, 4-6, 9-11, 10-8 4-1 for a 3-1 lead; ends 4-1
- Sep 1 Infielder Jack Lohrke hits NY Giants' 183rd homer of season in 2-1 win v Boston Braves; breaks NY Yankees MLB mark of 182 set in 1936
- Sep 3 New York Yankees total 18 hits, all singles to rout Boston Red Sox, 11-2 at Fenway Park
- Sep 3 Philadelphia A's rookie pitcher Bill McCahan no-hits Washington Senators, 3-0
- Sep 4 Champion Middlesex cricket batsman Denis Compton scores 101 for South of England in tour match defeat to South Africa at Lord's; his record 17th century of the English season
- Sep 12 Pittsburgh's future Baseball HOF left fielder Ralph Kiner hits 2 HRs in Pirates' 4-3 win over the Boston Braves at Forbes Field; record 8th HR in 4 games
- Sep 14 US National Championship Men's Tennis, Forest Hills, NY: Jack Kramer wins second straight US title; beats fellow American Frank Parker 4-6, 2-6, 6-1, 6-0, 6-3
US Open Women's Tennis
Sep 14 US National Championship Women's Tennis, Forest Hills, NY: Louise Brough beats Margaret Osborne duPoint 8-6, 4-6, 6-1 for her only US singles title
- Sep 15 Yanks clinch pennant #15
- Sep 17 Jackie Robinson is named Rookie of Year by Sporting News
- Sep 19 Jackie Robinson is named 1947 "Rookie of the Year"
- Sep 22 Brooklyn Dodgers clinch NL pennant as Chicago defeats St. Louis Cardinals in second game of a double header
- Sep 26 Happy Chandler announces Ford & Gillette to sponsor World Series
Joe McCarthy Joins Red Sox
Sep 29 Former New York Yankees manager Joe McCarthy signs to manage Boston Red Sox
- Sep 30 In first televised World Series Baseball game, NY Yankees beat Brooklyn Dodgers, 5-3 in Game 1 at Yankee Stadium; also largest WS crowd to date, 73,365
- Oct 2 New York Yankees catcher Yogi Berra hits the first pinch-hit home run in Baseball World Series history off Ralph Branca in the 7th inning of a 9-8 loss to the Brooklyn Dodgers in Game 3
Gionfriddo robs DiMaggio
Oct 5 Brooklyn outfielder Al Gionfriddo makes famous catch off Joe DiMaggio in Game 6 of Baseball World Series; Dodgers beat Yankees, 8-6; catch inspires "back-back-back" expression
- Oct 6 Baseball World Series: NY Yankees beat Brooklyn Dodgers, 5-2 at Yankee Stadium to clinch series, 4 games to 3; 11th championship in team history
- Oct 7 Larry MacPhail resigns as NY Yankees GM after final game of 4-3 World Series win over Brooklyn Dodgers
- Oct 13 1st NHL All-Star Game, Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, ON: All-Stars beat Toronto Maple Leafs, 4-3
- Oct 20 Radio rights for the Baseball World Series sell for $475,000 for 3 years
- Oct 25 Bradman scores 156 for South Australia v India, 152 mins, 22 fours
- Nov 2 After just 6 games of the season, Chicago Blackhawks trade NHL scoring leader Max Bentley along with Cy Thomas to Toronto Maple Leafs for Gus Bodnar, Bud Poile, Gaye Stewart, Bob Goldham, and Ernie Dickens
- Nov 8 Bradman scores his 99th 1st-class cricket century, 100 South Australia v Victoria
- Nov 15 Bradman scores his 100th 100, 172 v Indians at the SCG
- Nov 15 Soccer team GVVV forms in Veenendaal
- Nov 21 Bill Longson beats Lou Thesz in St Louis, to win National Wrestling Association World Heavyweight title
Baugh's Six Touchdowns
Nov 23 Washington Redskins quarterback Sammy Baugh passes for 6 touchdowns vs. Chicago Cardinals (45-21)
- Nov 27 Joe DiMaggio wins his 3rd MVP, beating Ted Williams by 1 vote
- Nov 29 CFL Grey Cup, Varsity Stadium, Toronto: Toronto Argonauts win 3rd straight and 8th title; beat Calgary Stampeders, 10-9
- Dec 1 In first cricket Test match between the 2 nations, India is dismissed for 58 by Australia in Brisbane; fast bowler Ernie Toshack takes 5 for 2 off 2.3 overs; Don Bradman scores 185 as Australia wins by an innings & 226 runs
- Dec 2 13th Heisman Trophy Award: Johnny Lujack, Notre Dame (QB)
- Dec 2 In rain affected 1st Test in Brisbane, Australia compiles 1st innings total 645 on Day 3 v India (Bradman 187, Hassett 128); Australia wins by an innings and 332
First Test India vs. Australia
Dec 4 In the first cricket Test match between the 2 nations, India is dismissed for 98 by Australia in Brisbane to lose by an innings & 226 runs; fast bowler Ernie Toshack takes 6 for 29 for match figures of 11 for 31
- Dec 5 Joe Louis beats Jersey Joe Walcott in 15 for heavyweight boxing title, at Madison Square Garden, NYC
- Dec 11 Pacific Coast League application for major league status rejected
- Dec 14 Cleveland Browns beat NY Yankees 14-3 in AAFC championship game
- Dec 14 The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is founded in Daytona Beach, Florida
- Dec 19 1948 NFL Draft: Harry Gilmer from University of Alabama first pick by Washington Redskins
- Dec 28 Chic Cards beat Philadelphia Eagles 28-21 in NFL championship game
- Dec 28 National Football League Championship, Comiskey Park, Chicago: Chicago Cardinals beat Philadelphia Eagles, 28-21; Cardinals' only title victory
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