Note — many sporting events did not take place because of World War II
1941 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.
American football NFL Championship: the Chicago Bears won 37–9 over the New York Giants at Wrigley Field Minnesota Golden Gophers – college football national champions. Chicago Bears win only meeting vs. Green Bay Packers in the playoffs. On January 23, 2011, they will meet again in the playoffs. At a college game in Youngstown, Ohio, game officials use a penalty flag for the first time.
Association football La Liga won by Atlético Aviación German football championship won by SK Rapid Wien Serie A won by Bologna Primeira Liga won by Sporting CP There is no major football competition in England, Scotland or France due to World War II. In England, several regional leagues are played but statistics from these are not counted in players’ figures.
Australian rules football Victorian Football League Melbourne wins the 45th VFL Premiership, beating Essendon 19.13 (127) to 13.20 (98) in the 1941 VFL Grand Final Brownlow Medal awarded to Norman Ware (Footscray) South Australian National Football League: 4 October: Norwood 14.16 (100) beats Sturt 10.11 (71) for their nineteenth premiership but first since 1929. Western Australian National Football League: 11 October: West Perth 14.14 (98) beat East Fremantle 10.17 (77) to win their eighth WANFL premiership.
Baseball New York Yankees win the World Series, beating Brooklyn Dodgers by 4 games to 1 Ted Williams records a season batting average of .406; it is the last time a major leaguer hit over .400 Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak (May 15 – July 16)
Basketball NBL Championship
Oshkosh All-Stars over Sheboygan Redskins (3–0)
Events Ninth South American Basketball Championship in Mendoza is won by Argentina.
Boxing Events The highlight of the year is the World Heavyweight title fight between two current world champions, Joe Louis and Billy Conn, won by Louis with a 13th-round knockout. Lineal world championsCyber Boxing Zone World Heavyweight Championship – Joe Louis World Light Heavyweight Championship – Billy Conn World Middleweight Championship – vacant → Tony Zale World Welterweight Championship – Fritzie Zivic → Freddie "Red" Cochrane World Lightweight Championship – Lew Jenkins → Sammy Angott World Featherweight Championship – Harry Jeffra → Joey Archibald → Albert "Chalky" Wright World Bantamweight Championship – Lou Salica World Flyweight Championship – vacant
Cricket England and South Africa There is no first-class cricket in England or South Africa due to World War II. India Ranji Trophy – Maharashtra defeats Madras by six wickets. Bombay Pentangular – Hindus Australia During the 1940–41 season, although the Sheffield Shield is not contested, a number of interstate cricket matches are played for patriotic funding. For the 1941–42 season, seven three-day interstate matches are scheduled but only one is played before the urgency of the Pacific War puts an end to Australian first-class cricket until November 1945. New Zealand and West Indies New Zealand abandons the Plunket Shield for 1940–41 but here, and in the West Indies, a small number of first-class matches are arranged and played each season until after the war without being part of an official competition.
Cycling Tour de France not contested due to World War II Giro d'Italia not contested due to World War II
Figure skating World Figure Skating Championships not contested due to World War II
Golf Men's professional Masters Tournament – Craig Wood 1941 U.S. Open – Craig Wood British Open – not played due to World War II PGA Championship – Vic Ghezzi Men's amateur British Amateur – not played due to World War II U.S. Amateur – Bud Ward Women's professional Women's Western Open – Patty Berg Titleholders Championship – Dorothy Kirby
Horse racing Steeplechases Cheltenham Gold Cup – Poet Prince Grand National – not held due to World War II Hurdle races Champion Hurdle – Seneca Flat races Australia – Melbourne Cup won by Skipton Canada – King's Plate won by Budpath France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won by Le Pacha Ireland – Irish Derby Stakes won by Sol Oriens English Triple Crown Races: 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Lambert Simnel The Derby – Owen Tudor St. Leger Stakes – Sun Castle United States Triple Crown Races: Kentucky Derby – Whirlaway Preakness Stakes – Whirlaway Belmont Stakes – Whirlaway
Ice hockey Stanley Cup – Boston Bruins defeat the Detroit Red Wings 4 games to 0.
Motorsport
Rowing The Boat Race Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race is not contested due to World War II
Rugby league 1941 New Zealand rugby league season 1941 NSWRFL season 1940–41 Northern Rugby Football League Wartime Emergency League season / 1941–42 Northern Rugby Football League Wartime Emergency League season
Rugby union Five Nations Championship series is not contested due to World War II
Speed skating Speed Skating World Championships not contested due to World War II
Tennis Australia Australian Men's Singles Championship – not contested Australian Women's Singles Championship – not contested England Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship – not contested Wimbledon Women's Singles Championship – not contested France French Men's Singles Championship – Bernard Destremau (France) defeats Robert Ramillon (France) 6–4, 2–6, 6–3, 6–4 French Women's Singles Championship – Alice Weiwers (Luxembourg) defeats Anne-Marie Seghers (France) 6–0, 6–2 USA American Men's Singles Championship – Bobby Riggs (USA) defeats Frank Kovacs (USA) 5–7, 6–1, 6–3, 6–3 American Women's Singles Championship – Sarah Palfrey Cooke (USA) defeats Pauline Betz Addie (USA) 7–5, 6–2 Davis Cup 1941 International Lawn Tennis Challenge – not contested
Awards Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year – Joe DiMaggio, Major League Baseball Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year – Betty Hicks Newell, golf
References