1989 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.
Alpine skiing Alpine Skiing World Cup Men's overall season champion: Marc Girardelli, Luxembourg Women's overall season champion: Vreni Schneider, Switzerland
American football Super Bowl XXIII – the San Francisco 49ers (NFC) won 20–16 over the Cincinnati Bengals (AFC) Location: Joe Robbie Stadium Attendance: 75,129 MVP: Jerry Rice, WR (San Francisco) January 2 - Fiesta Bowl (1988 season): The Notre Dame Fighting Irish won 34-21 over the West Virginia Mountaineers to win the national championship
Artistic gymnastics World Artistic Gymnastics Championships – Men's all-around champion: Igor Korobchinsky, USSR Women's all-around champion: Svetlana Boginskaya, USSR Men's team competition champion: USSR Women's team competition champion: USSR
Association football
Australian rules football Victorian Football League May 6 – Geelong kicks the highest losing score in VFL/AFL history, kicking 25.13 (163) to Hawthorn’s 26.15 (171) June 24 – Essendon kicks the lowest winning score since the 1927 Grand Final, beating Footscray 3.10 (28) to 3.5 (23). Hawthorn wins the 93rd VFL Premiership beating Geelong 21.18 (144) d 21.12 (138) Brownlow Medal awarded to Paul Couch (Geelong)
Baseball
April 8 – One-handed pitcher Jim Abbott makes his major-league debut with the California Angels, without spending a single day in the minor leagues. He went on to a 12–12 record for the season. August 10 – Ten months after undergoing surgery for cancer in his pitching arm, San Francisco Giants pitcher Dave Dravecky returns to the major leagues, winning his comeback 4–3. August 15 – Dave Dravecky's comeback bid ends when his pitching arm breaks in the sixth inning of his second start. Two years later, the cancer-stricken arm would be amputated. August 24 – Following an investigation that he gambled on baseball, superstar player Pete Rose is banned from baseball for life. World Series – Oakland Athletics won 4 games to 0 over the San Francisco Giants in a series that was delayed because of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. The Series MVP was Dave Stewart, Oakland. Taiwan Professional Baseball League, officially founded on October 23.
Basketball NCAA Men's Basketball Championship – Michigan wins 80–79 over Seton Hall in overtime NBA Finals – The Detroit Pistons win 4 games to 0 over the Los Angeles Lakers to win the franchise's first championship. National Basketball League (Australia) Finals: North Melbourne Giants defeated the Canberra Cannons 2–1 in the best-of-three final series.
Boxing February 11 – In Grenoble, France, Rene Jacquot won a 12-round decision over Donald Curry to win the World Welterweight Championship May 29 to June 3 – 28th European Amateur Boxing Championships held in Athens, Greece
Canadian football Grey Cup – Saskatchewan Roughriders won 43–40 over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats Vanier Cup – Western Ontario Mustangs won 35–10 over the Saskatchewan Huskies
Cycling Giro d'Italia won by Laurent Fignon of France Tour de France – Greg LeMond of the United States UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race – Greg LeMond of the United States
Dogsled racing Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Champion – Joe Runyan won with lead dogs: Rambo & Ferlin the Husky
Field hockey Men's Champions Trophy: Australia Women's Champions Trophy: South Korea
Figure skating World Figure Skating Championships – Men's champion: Kurt Browning, Canada Ladies’ champion: Midori Ito, Japan Pair skating champions: Ekaterina Gordeeva & Sergei Grinkov, Soviet Union Ice dancing champions: Marina Klimova / Sergei Ponomarenko, Soviet Union
Gaelic Athletic Association Camogie All-Ireland Camogie Champion: Kilkenny National Camogie League: Kilkenny Gaelic football All-Ireland Senior Football Championship – Cork 0–17 died Mayo 1–11 National Football League – Cork 0–15 died Dublin 0–12 Ladies' Gaelic football All-Ireland Senior Football Champion: Kerry National Football League: Kerry Hurling All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship – Tipperary 4–24 died Antrim 3–9 National Hurling League – Galway 2–16 beat Tipperary 4–8
Golf Men's professional Masters Tournament – Nick Faldo U.S. Open – Curtis Strange British Open – Mark Calcavecchia PGA Championship – Payne Stewart PGA Tour money leader – Tom Kite – $1,395,278 Senior PGA Tour money leader – Bob Charles – $725,887 Ryder Cup – Europe and the United States teams tied 14–14 in team golf. Men's amateur British Amateur – Stephen Dodd U.S. Amateur – Chris Patton European Amateur – David Ecob Women's professional Nabisco Dinah Shore – Juli Inkster LPGA Championship – Nancy Lopez U.S. Women's Open – Betsy King Classique du Maurier – Tammie Green LPGA Tour money leader – Betsy King – $654,132
Harness racing North America Cup – Goalie Jeff United States Pacing Triple Crown races – Cane Pace – Dancing Master Little Brown Jug – Goalie Jeff Messenger Stakes – Sandman Hanover United States Trotting Triple Crown races – Hambletonian – Park Ave Joe & Probe (dead heat) Yonkers Trot – Valley Victory Kentucky Futurity – Peace Corps Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship – Pacers: Jodie's Babe Trotters: Yankee Loch
Horse racing Steeplechases Cheltenham Gold Cup – Desert Orchid Grand National – Little Polveir Flat races Australia – Melbourne Cup won by Tawrrific Canadian Triple Crown Races: Queen's Plate – With Approval Prince of Wales Stakes – With Approval Breeders' Stakes – With Approval With Approval becomes the first horse to win the Canadian Triple Crown since 1963. France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won by Carroll House Ireland – Irish Derby Stakes won by Old Vic Japan – Japan Cup won by Horlicks English Triple Crown Races: 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Nashwan The Derby – Nashwan St. Leger Stakes – Michelozzo United States Triple Crown Races: May 6 – Kentucky Derby – Sunday Silence Preakness Stakes – Sunday Silence Belmont Stakes – Easy Goer Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships: Breeders' Cup Classic – Sunday Silence Breeders' Cup Distaff – Bayakoa Breeders' Cup Juvenile – Rhythm Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies – Go for Wand Breeders' Cup Mile – Steinlen Breeders' Cup Sprint – Dancing Spree Breeders' Cup Turf – Prized
Ice hockey Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season: Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins March 22 – St. Louis Blues’ Steve Tuttle slits the jugular vein of Buffalo Sabres’ goaltender Clint Malarchuk, with a total of 300 stitches needed to close the wound thanks to trainer Jim Pizzutelli. Hart Memorial Trophy for the NHL’s Most Valuable Player: Wayne Gretzky, Los Angeles Kings Stanley Cup – The Calgary Flames won 4 games to 2 over the Montreal Canadiens. This constitutes the only time that the visiting team won the cup at the Montreal Forum against the Canadiens. World Hockey Championship Men's champion: Soviet Union defeated Canada Junior Men's champion: Soviet Union defeated Sweden
Lacrosse The Philadelphia Wings defeat the New York Saints to win the Major Indoor Lacrosse League championship
Motorsport
Radiosport Second European High Speed Telegraphy Championship held in Hanover, Germany.
Rugby league 1989 Kangaroo tour of New Zealand June 7 – 1989 Panasonic Cup tournament final: Brisbane Broncos 22–20 Illawarra Steelers at Parramatta Stadium June 14 – 1989 State of Origin title is wrapped up by Queensland in Game Two of the three-match series against New South Wales at the Sydney Football Stadium before 40,000. July 23 – first of the 1989–1992 World Cup's twenty tournament matches is won by Australia 22–14 over New Zealand at Mount Smart Stadium before 15,000 September 24 – 1989 NSWRL season Grand Final: Canberra Raiders 19–14 Balmain Tigers at Sydney Football Stadium before 40,500. October 4 – 1989 World Club Challenge match is won by Widnes who defeats Canberra Raiders 30–18 at Old Trafford before 30,768
Rugby union 95th Five Nations Championship series is won by France
Snooker World Snooker Championship – Steve Davis beats John Parrott 18–3 World rankings – Steve Davis remains world number one for 1989/90
Swimming Third Pan Pacific Championships, held in Tokyo, Japan (August 17 – 20) August 20 – Tom Jager once again regains the world record (22.14) in the 50m freestyle (long course) during 1989 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, with a time of 22.12.
Taekwondo World Championships held in Seoul, South Korea
Tennis Grand Slam in tennis men's results: Australian Open – Ivan Lendl French Open – Michael Chang Wimbledon championships – Boris Becker U.S. Open – Boris Becker Grand Slam in tennis women's results: Australian Open – Steffi Graf French Open – Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Wimbledon championships – Steffi Graf U.S. Open – Steffi Graf Davis Cup – Germany F.R. won 3–2 over Sweden in world tennis.
Triathlon 1989 ITU Triathlon World Championships held in Avignon, France ETU European Championships held in Cascais, Portugal
Volleyball 1989 FIVB Men's World Cup won by Cuba 1989 FIVB Women's World Cup won by Cuba 1989 Men's European Volleyball Championship won by Italy 1989 Women's European Volleyball Championship won by USSR
Water polo Men's Water Polo World Cup won by Yugoslavia Men's European Water Polo Championship won by West Germany Women's European Water Polo Championship won by the Netherlands
Multi-sport events Third World Games held in Karlsruhe, West Germany 15th Summer Universiade held in Duisburg, West Germany Fourteenth Winter Universiade held in Sofia, Bulgaria
Awards Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year – Joe Montana, National Football League Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year – Steffi Graf, Tennis Associated Press Male Athlete of the Decade: Wayne Gretzky, National Hockey League
References