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This list shows notable sports-related deaths, events, and notable outcomes that occurred in December of 2009. Deaths in December
28: James Owen Sullivan 24: George Michael 17: Chris Henry
Current sporting seasons
American football 2009
NFL NCAA Division I FBS
Auto racing 2009
Sprint Cup begins Feb 14 Chase IRL IndyCar Series begins Mar 14 World Rally Championship begins Feb 14 Formula Two begins Apr 17 Nationwide Series begins Feb 13 Camping World Truck Series begins Feb 12 GP2 Series begins May 8 GP3 Series WTTC begins Mar 7 V8 Supercar begins Feb 18 American Le Mans begins Mar 20 Le Mans Series A1 Grand Prix begin Feb 28--> GP2 Asia Series
Superleague Formula begin Apr 4 Rolex Sports Car Series begins Jan 30 FIA GT1 World Championship begins Apr 3 FIA GT2 European Championship begins Apr 3 Formula Three World Series by Renault begins Apr 17 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Super GT-->
Major League Baseball --> Nippon Professional Baseball-->
Basketball 2009
NBA NCAA Division I men NCAA Division I women Euroleague Eurocup EuroChallenge ASEAN Basketball League Australia France Germany Greece Iran Israel Italy Philippines Philippine Cup Russia Spain Turkey
Cricket 2009–2010
Australia: Sheffield Shield Ford Ranger Cup
Bangladesh: National League
India: Ranji Trophy
New Zealand: Plunket Shield Pakistan: Quaid-i-Azam Trophy South Africa: SuperSport Series Sri Lanka: Premier Trophy
Zimbabwe: Logan Cup
Football (soccer) 2009
National teams competitions 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification (UEFA) 2011 AFC Asian Cup qualification
International clubs competitions UEFA (Europe) Champions League Europa League UEFA Women's Champions League
CONCACAF (North & Central America) Champions League OFC (Oceania) Champions League Domestic (national) competitions
Australia
England France Germany Iran Italy
Scotland Spain
Golf 2010
European Tour
Ice hockey 2009
National Hockey League
Rugby union 2009
Heineken Cup European Challenge Cup English Premiership Celtic League LV Cup Top 14
Winter sports
Alpine Skiing World Cup Biathlon World Cup Bobsleigh World Cup Cross-Country Skiing World Cup
Freestyle Skiing World Cup Luge World Cup Nordic Combined World Cup
Skeleton World Cup Ski Jumping World Cup Snowboarding World Cup Speed Skating World Cup
Days of the month
December 31, 2009 (Thursday)
American football NCAA bowl games: Bell Helicopters Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth: Air Force 47, Houston 20 Brut Sun Bowl in El Paso: Oklahoma 31, (21) Stanford 27 Texas Bowl in Houston: Navy 35, Missouri 13 Insight Bowl in Tempe: Iowa State 14, Minnesota 13 Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta: (11) Virginia Tech 37, Tennessee 14
Ice hockey World Junior Championships in Saskatchewan, Canada: (teams in bold advance to the semifinals, teams in italics secure quarterfinals berths, teams in strike go to relegation round) Group A in Saskatoon: 4–1 4–5 (SO) Canada rally from 2 goals down with 10 minutes remaining to tie the score in regulation time and then win the shootout 3–2. Final standings: Canada 11 points, USA 10, Switzerland 6, Slovakia 3, Latvia 0. Group B in Regina: 7–1 5–2 Final standings: Sweden 12 points, Russia 9, Finland 6, Czech Republic 3, Austria 0. Spengler Cup Final in Davos, Switzerland: HC Dinamo Minsk 3–1 HC Davos
December 30, 2009 (Wednesday)
American football NCAA bowl games: Roady's Humanitarian Bowl in Boise: Idaho 43, Bowling Green 42 Pacific Life Holiday Bowl in San Diego: (22) Nebraska 33, (20) Arizona 0
Cricket England in South Africa: 2nd Test in Durban, day 5: 343 and 133; 574/9d. England win by an innings and 98 runs, lead the 4-match series 1–0. Pakistan in Australia: 1st Test in Melbourne, day 5: 454/5d and 225/8d; 258 and 251. Australia win by 170 runs, lead the 3-match series 1–0.
Ice hockey World Junior Championships in Saskatchewan, Canada: (teams in italics secure quarterfinals berths, teams in strike go to relegation round) Group A in Saskatoon: 7–5 Standings: Canada, USA 9 points (3 games), Slovakia, Switzerland 3 (3), Latvia 0 (4). Group B in Regina: 10–1 Standings: Sweden 9 points (3 games), Russia, Finland 6 (3), Czech Republic 3 (3), Austria 0 (4).
December 29, 2009 (Tuesday)
Alpine skiing Men's World Cup in Bormio, Italy: Downhill: Andrej Jerman Didier Defago Michael Walchhofer Overall standings (after 15 of 34 races): (1) Carlo Janka 575 points (2) Benjamin Raich 565 (3) Didier Cuche 476 Downhill standings (after 4 of 8 races): (1) Cuche 251 points (2) Walchhofer 200 (3) Janka 184 Women's World Cup in Lienz, Austria: Slalom: Marlies Schild Sandrine Aubert Kathrin Zettel Overall standings (after 13 of 33 races): (1) Lindsey Vonn 594 points (2) Maria Riesch 549 (3) Zettel 489 Slalom standings (after 4 of 8 races): (1) Riesch 243 points (2) Schild 220 (3) Aubert 216
American football NCAA bowl games: EagleBank Bowl in Washington UCLA 30, Temple 21 Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando (25) Wisconsin 20, (15) Miami (FL) 14
Cricket England in South Africa: 2nd Test in Durban, day 4: 343 & 76/6 (32.0 ov); 575/9d (Ian Bell 141). South Africa trail by 156 runs with 4 wickets remaining. Pakistan in Australia: 1st Test in Melbourne, day 4: 454/5d and 225/8d (Shane Watson 120*, Mohammad Aamer 5/79); 258 and 170/3. Pakistan require another 252 runs with 7 wickets remaining. Watson scores his maiden Test century and Australia's first hundred this summer, while Aamer becomes the youngest fast bowler in history to claim five-wickets in an innings.
Ice hockey World Junior Championships in Saskatchewan, Canada: (teams in italics secure quarterfinals berths) Group A in Saskatoon: 1–12 8–2 Standings: Canada, USA 9 points (3 games), Slovakia 3 (3), Switzerland 0 (2), Latvia 0 (3). Group B in Regina: 1–7 4–1 Standings: Sweden 9 points (3 games), Russia 6 (3), Finland 3 (2), Czech Republic 3 (3), Austria 0 (3).
Ski jumping Four Hills Tournament: World Cup in Oberstdorf, Germany: HS 137: Andreas Kofler 265.2 points (125.0 m/134.0 m) Janne Ahonen 253.3 (116.5 m/137.0 m) Thomas Morgenstern 250.3 (124.5 m/126.5 m) World Cup standings (after 7 of 23 events): (1) Simon Ammann 469 points (2) Gregor Schlierenzauer 411 (3) Kofler 379
December 28, 2009 (Monday)
Alpine skiing Women's World Cup in Lienz, Austria: Giant slalom: Kathrin Hölzl 2:16.61 Manuela Mölgg 2:16.66 Taïna Barioz 2:16.72 Overall standings (after 12 of 33 races): (1) Lindsey Vonn 581 points (2) Maria Riesch 531 (3) Kathrin Zettel 429 Giant slalom standings (after 4 of 7 races): (1) Hölzl 281 points (2) Zettel 265 (3) Tina Maze 202
American football NFL Monday Night Football, Week 16 (division champion in bold): Chicago Bears 36, Minnesota Vikings 30 (OT) The Vikings' loss gives the New Orleans Saints home advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. NCAA bowl games: Advocare V100 Independence Bowl in Shreveport: Georgia 44, Texas A&M 20
Cricket England in South Africa: 2nd Test in Durban, day 3: 343; England 386/5 (123.0 ov, Alastair Cook 118). England led by 43 runs with 5 wickets remaining in the 1st innings. Pakistan in Australia: 1st Test in Melbourne, day 3: 454/5d & 111/3 (34.0 ov); 258. Australia led by 307 runs with 7 wickets remaining.
Ice hockey World Junior Championships in Saskatchewan, Canada: Group A in Saskatoon: 6–0 Standings (after 2 games): Canada, USA 6 points, Slovakia 3, Switzerland, Latvia 0. Group B in Regina: 0–2 Standings (after 2 games): Sweden, Russia 6 points, Finland 3, Austria, Czech Republic 0.
December 27, 2009 (Sunday)
American football NFL Week 16 (division champions in bold, teams assured of playoff berths in italics): Atlanta Falcons 31, Buffalo Bills 3 Cincinnati Bengals 17, Kansas City Chiefs 10 Five days after the Bengals attended the funeral of their teammate Chris Henry, they clinch the AFC North. Cleveland Browns 23, Oakland Raiders 9 The Raiders' Sebastian Janikowski makes a 61-yard field goal at the end of the first half, becoming the fourth kicker in NFL history to connect from 60-plus yards. Green Bay Packers 48, Seattle Seahawks 10 Houston Texans 27, Miami Dolphins 20 New England Patriots 35, Jacksonville Jaguars 7 The Pats clinch the AFC East title. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20, New Orleans Saints 17 (OT) Carolina Panthers 41, New York Giants 9 The Panthers rout the Giants in their last game at Giants Stadium. The Jets will close out Giants Stadium next week when they host the Bengals. Pittsburgh Steelers 23, Baltimore Ravens 20 San Francisco 49ers 20, Detroit Lions 6 Arizona Cardinals 31, St. Louis Rams 10 New York Jets 29, Indianapolis Colts 15 The Colts' record regular-season winning streak ends after 23 games. Peyton Manning becomes the fourth quarterback in NFL history with 50,000 career passing yards. Philadelphia Eagles 30, Denver Broncos 27 Sunday Night Football: Dallas Cowboys 17, Washington Redskins 0 The Cowboys' win gives them the last playoff berth in the NFC and sets up a home showdown with the Eagles for the NFC East title next week. NCAA bowl games: Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl in Nashville Clemson 21, Kentucky 13
Cricket England in South Africa: 2nd Test in Durban, day 2: 343; 103/1 (26.2 ov). England trail by 240 runs with 9 wickets remaining in the 1st innings. Pakistan in Australia: 1st Test in Melbourne, day 2: 454/5d; 109/4. Pakistan trail by 345 runs with 6 wickets remaining in the 1st innings. Sri Lanka in India: 5th ODI in New Delhi: 83/5 (23.3 ov). No result. India win the 5-match series 3–1.
Ice hockey World Junior Championships in Saskatchewan, Canada: Group A in Saskatoon: 3–0 8–3 Standings: USA 6 points (2 matches), Canada 3 (1), Slovakia 3 (2), Switzerland 0 (1), Latvia 0 (2). Group B in Regina: 3–7 3–4 The Finns rally from 3-goal deficit with less than 3 minutes left in the second period. Standings: Sweden 6 points (2 games), Russia, Finland 3 (1), Austria, Czech Republic 0 (2).
December 26, 2009 (Saturday)
American football NCAA bowl games: Little Caesars Pizza Bowl in Detroit: Marshall 21, Ohio 17 Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte: (17) Pittsburgh 19, UNC 17 Emerald Bowl in San Francisco: (24) USC 24, Boston College 13
Cricket England in South Africa: 2nd Test in Durban, day 1: 175/5 (61.0 ov) Pakistan in Australia: 1st Test in Melbourne, day 1: 305/3 (90.0 ov) The string of century near-misses continue with Shane Watson dismissed at 93 and Simon Katich at 98, following his 99 in the previous match.
Ice hockey World Junior Championships in Saskatchewan, Canada: Group A in Saskatoon: 0–16 3–7 Group B in Regina: 1–10 6–2
December 25, 2009 (Friday)
American football NFL Week 16: (team in bold clinches division title) San Diego Chargers 42, Tennessee Titans 17 The Chargers win their tenth straight game and secure a first-round bye in the AFC playoffs.
Basketball NBA Christmas Day games: Miami Heat 93, New York Knicks 87 Boston Celtics 86, Orlando Magic 77 Cleveland Cavaliers 102, Los Angeles Lakers 87 Phoenix Suns 124, Los Angeles Clippers 93 Portland Trail Blazers 107, Denver Nuggets 96
December 24, 2009 (Thursday)
American football NCAA bowl games: Sheraton Hawai Bowl in Honolulu: SMU 45, Nevada 10 The Mustangs easily win their first bowl appearance since the program was shut down by the NCAA in 1987 due to massive violations of NCAA rules.
Cricket Sri Lanka in India: 4th ODI in Kolkata: 315/6 (50 overs, Upul Tharanga 118); 317/3 (48.1 overs, Gautam Gambhir 150*, Virat Kohli 107). India win by 7 wickets, lead the 5-match series 3–1.
December 23, 2009 (Wednesday)
American football NCAA bowl games: SDCCU Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego: (23) Utah 37, Cal 27 The Utes win their ninth straight bowl appearance, tying USC for second on the all-time list behind Florida State's 11.
Auto racing Formula One news: Seven-time champion Michael Schumacher announces he will come back from retirement and drive for Mercedes Grand Prix team in 2010 season. BBC
December 22, 2009 (Tuesday)
American football NCAA bowl games: Maaco Bowl Las Vegas in Las Vegas: