1959 in sports
Encyclopedia
1959 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.
American football
Athletics
Baseball
Basketball
Boxing
Canadian football
Curling
Figure skating
Golf
Men's professional
Men's amateur
Women's professional
Horse racing
Steeplechases
Flat races
Ice hockey
Rugby union
Swimming
Tennis
Australia
England
France
USA
Davis Cup
Volleyball
Multi-sport event
American footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
- NFL ChampionshipNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
– Baltimore ColtsIndianapolis ColtsThe Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
won 31-16 over the New York GiantsNew York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... - August 14 - The American Football LeagueAmerican Football LeagueThe American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
is founded. Play would begin the following year.
AthleticsAthletics (track and field)Athletics is an exclusive collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking. The most common types of athletics competitions are track and field, road running, cross country running, and race walking...
- Pan American Games athleticsAthletics at the 1959 Pan American GamesThis page shows the medal winners during the Athletics Competition at the 1959 Pan American Games, held in Chicago, United States. The United States continued its domination, winning 18 out of a possible 22 gold medals at Soldier Field. Controversy occurred in the hammer throw event. Hal Connolly...
held in Chicago with US sprinter Ray NortonRay NortonOtis Ray Norton is a former American sprinter. In college he ran for San José State University, where he was coached by Lloyd Winter. He later won two gold medals at the 1959 Pan American Games. In that same year he tied Leamon King's record at the 100 meters at 10.1 seconds.In 1960 he set or...
winning three gold medals in the sprint events
BaseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
- March 3 – The San Francisco GiantsSan Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
officially name their new stadium Candlestick Park. - May 26 – In what many experts call the greatest pitching performance in history, Harvey HaddixHarvey HaddixHarvey Haddix, Jr. was a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher who played with the St. Louis Cardinals , Philadelphia Phillies , Cincinnati Redlegs , Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Orioles . Haddix was born in Medway, Ohio, located just outside of Springfield...
--suffering with a flu and sore throat--hurls a 12 inning perfect game for the Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh PiratesThe Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
but loses in the 13th inning 0-1 on a Don HoakDon HoakDonald Albert Hoak was a Major League Baseball player. Nicknamed "Tiger," Hoak was a third baseman who played ten seasons in the Majors with the Brooklyn Dodgers , Chicago Cubs , Cincinnati Reds , Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies...
fielding error to the Milwaukee Braves as lightning storms threaten the end of the game. - World SeriesWorld SeriesThe World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
– Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles DodgersThe Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
win 4 games to 2 over the Chicago White SoxChicago White SoxThe Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
. The Series MVP is Larry SherryLarry SherryLawrence Sherry was an American right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who spent most of his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers...
, Los Angeles - The Havana Sugar KingsHavana Sugar KingsThe Havana Sugar Kings were a Cuban-based minor league baseball team that played in the Class AAA International League from 1954 to 1960 . They were affiliated with Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds, and their home stadium was El Gran Estadio del Cerro in Havana, Cuba.-History:The Sugar...
defeate the Richmond VirginiansRichmond VirginiansThe Richmond Virginians was the name of a minor league baseball Class AAA International League franchise that played in Richmond, Virginia, from 1954 through 1964....
to win the International LeagueInternational LeagueThe International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
Governors' CupGovernors' CupThe Governors' Cup is the trophy awarded each year to the champion of the International League, one of the two current Triple-A level minor leagues of Major League Baseball.-Governors' Cup history:...
. - The Minneapolis MillersMinneapolis MillersThe Minneapolis Millers were an American professional minor league baseball team that played in Minneapolis, Minnesota, until 1960. In the 19th century a different Minneapolis Millers were part of the Western League.The team played first in Athletic Park and later Nicollet Park.The name Minneapolis...
win the American AssociationAmerican Association (20th century)The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
championship. - Havana wins 4 games to 3 over Minneapolis to win the Junior World SeriesJunior World SeriesThe Junior World Series was the name given to a postseason series between champions of two of the three high-minor baseball leagues, modeled on the World Series of Major League Baseball...
. - The Salt Lake City Bees win the Pacific Coast LeaguePacific Coast LeagueThe Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
pennant. - The Winnipeg GoldeyesWinnipeg GoldeyesThe Winnipeg Goldeyes are a professional baseball team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in Canada. The Goldeyes play in the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. From 1994 to 2010, the team was a member of the Northern League.The...
win the Northern League championship.
BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
- FIBA World Championship
- BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
World Champion
- Brazil
- NCAA Men's Basketball Championship –
- California wins 71-70 over West Virginia
- NBA FinalsNational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
|NBA FinalsNational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
–- Boston CelticsBoston CelticsThe Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
win 4 games to 0 over the Minneapolis LakersLos Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
- Boston Celtics
BoxingBoxingBoxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
- June 26 – in New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Ingemar JohanssonIngemar JohanssonJens Ingemar Johansson was a Swedish boxer and former heavyweight champion of the world. Johansson was the fifth heavyweight champion born outside the United States. In 1959 he defeated Floyd Patterson by TKO in the third round, after flooring Patterson seven times in that round, to win the World...
scored a 3rd round TKO over Floyd PattersonFloyd PattersonFloyd Patterson was an American heavyweight boxer and former undisputed heavyweight champion. At 21, Patterson became the youngest man to win the world heavyweight title. He was also the first heavyweight boxer to regain the title. He had a record of 55 wins 8 losses and 1 draw, with 40 wins by...
to win the World Heavyweight Championship - August 27 to September 7 – Pan American GamesBoxing at the 1959 Pan American GamesThe Men's Boxing Tournament at the 1959 Pan American Games was held in Chicago, United States, from August 27 to September 7.- Medal winners :-Medal table:-External links:*...
held in ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Canadian footballCanadian footballCanadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
- Grey CupGrey CupThe Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
– Winnipeg Blue BombersWinnipeg Blue BombersThe Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
win 21-7 over the Hamilton Tiger-CatsHamilton Tiger-CatsThe Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
CurlingCurlingCurling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
- Inaugural World Curling ChampionshipsWorld Curling ChampionshipsThe World Curling Championships are annual curling events which showcase the world's best curlers, organized by the World Curling Federation. There are men's, women's and mixed championships. The men's championship started in 1959, while the women's in 1979...
held in FalkirkFalkirkFalkirk is a town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies in the Forth Valley, almost midway between the two most populous cities of Scotland; north-west of Edinburgh and north-east of Glasgow....
and EdinburghEdinburghEdinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
for men only and known as the "Scotch Cup"; it is won by a Canadian team from Regina, SaskatchewanRegina, SaskatchewanRegina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
, skipped by Ernie RichardsonErnie RichardsonErnest M. Richardson, CM is a Canadian and world curling champion.Ernie Richardson was the skip of the Regina-based team made up of his brother Garnet and cousins Arnold, Wes Richardson, and Mel Perry who replaced Wes in 1963 due to back issues...
Figure skatingFigure skatingFigure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
- World Figure Skating ChampionshipsWorld Figure Skating ChampionshipsThe World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion...
–- Men's champion: David Jenkins, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
- Ladies' champion: Carol HeissCarol HeissCarol Elizabeth Heiss Jenkins is an American figure skater. She is the 1960 Olympic Champion in Ladies Singles, 1956 Olympic silver medalist and five-time World Champion .-Biography:...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... - Pair skating champion: Barbara WagnerBarbara WagnerBarbara Aileen Wagner is a former Canadian pair skater who competed with Robert Paul. The couple captured five Canadian titles and four world titles, and capped their career by winning the gold medal at the 1960 Winter Olympics.After her competitive career, she married fellow skater James Grogan...
& Robert PaulRobert PaulRobert Paul was a Canadian figure skater, who competed in pairs with Barbara Wagner. He was born in Toronto. From their start as a team in 1952, they captured five Canadian titles and four world titles, and capped their career by winning the gold medal at the 1960 Winter Olympics.After skating as...
, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... - Ice dancing champion: Doreen DennyDoreen DennyDoreen Denny is a British ice dancer. With partner Courtney Jones, she is the 1959 & 1960 World champion and 1959-1961 European champion.After the 1961 season, Denny and Jones announced their retirement from competitive skating, as Denny planned to marry Italian dance champion Gianfranco Canepa...
& Courtney JonesCourtney JonesCourtney John Lyndhurst Jones OBE is a former British ice dancer. With partner June Markham, he is the 1957 & 1958 World champion and European champion. With partner Doreen Denny, he is the 1959 & 1960 World champion and 1959-1961 European champion.Jones and Peri Horne created the Starlight Waltz...
, Great BritainGreat BritainGreat Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
- Men's champion: David Jenkins, United States
GolfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
Men's professional
- Masters Tournament - Art Wall, Jr.Art Wall, Jr.Arthur Jonathan Wall, Jr. was an American golfer.Wall was born in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. He attended Duke University, graduating in 1949 with a business degree....
- U.S. OpenU.S. Open (golf)The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
- Billy CasperBilly CasperWilliam Earl Casper, Jr. is an American professional golfer who was one of the most prolific tournament winners on the PGA Tour from the mid 1950s to the mid 1970s.-Early years:... - British OpenThe Open ChampionshipThe Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
- Gary PlayerGary PlayerGary Player DMS; OIG is a South African professional golfer. With his nine major championship victories, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of golf. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. Player has won 165 tournaments on six continents over six... - PGA ChampionshipPGA ChampionshipThe PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
- Bob RosburgBob RosburgRobert Reginald "Rossie" Rosburg was an American professional golfer who later became a sports color analyst for ABC television.-Early years, college:Rosburg was born in San Francisco, California... - PGA TourPGA TourThe PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
money leader - Art Wall, Jr.Art Wall, Jr.Arthur Jonathan Wall, Jr. was an American golfer.Wall was born in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. He attended Duke University, graduating in 1949 with a business degree....
- $53,168 - Ryder CupRyder CupThe Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe...
- United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
8½ to 3½ over BritainUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in team golf
Men's amateur
- British AmateurThe Amateur ChampionshipThe Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur...
- Deane BemanDeane BemanDeane R. Beman is an American professional golfer, golf administrator, and golf course architect.Beman was born in Washington, D.C. and graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park, where he played for the varsity golf team. Following graduation, Beman had a career in the insurance... - U.S. Amateur - Jack NicklausJack NicklausJack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
Women's professional
- Women's Western Open - Betsy RawlsBetsy RawlsElizabeth Earle "Betsy" Rawls is an American professional golfer.Rawls was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina. After attending the University of Texas, Rawls joined the LPGA Tour in its second season in 1951. She won 55 tournaments on the tour, including eight major championships...
- LPGA ChampionshipLPGA ChampionshipThe LPGA Championship, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Wegmans LPGA Championship, is the second-longest running tournament in the history of the Ladies Professional Golf Association surpassed only by the U.S. Women's Open. It is one of four majors on the LPGA tour...
- Betsy RawlsBetsy RawlsElizabeth Earle "Betsy" Rawls is an American professional golfer.Rawls was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina. After attending the University of Texas, Rawls joined the LPGA Tour in its second season in 1951. She won 55 tournaments on the tour, including eight major championships... - U.S. Women's Open - Mickey WrightMickey WrightMary Kathryn "Mickey" Wright is an American professional golfer. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.-Early life:...
- Titleholders ChampionshipTitleholders ChampionshipThe Titleholders Championship was a women's golf tournament played from in 1937 to 1966 and again in 1972. It was later designated a major championship by the LPGA Tour.It should not be confused with two other LPGA events with similar names:...
- Louise SuggsLouise SuggsMae Louise Suggs is a retired professional golfer, one of the founders of the LPGA Tour and thus modern ladies' golf.-Amateur career:Born in Atlanta, Suggs had a very successful amateur career, beginning as a teenager... - LPGA TourLPGAThe LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from...
money leader - Betsy RawlsBetsy RawlsElizabeth Earle "Betsy" Rawls is an American professional golfer.Rawls was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina. After attending the University of Texas, Rawls joined the LPGA Tour in its second season in 1951. She won 55 tournaments on the tour, including eight major championships...
- $26,774
Horse racingHorse racingHorse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
Steeplechases
- Cheltenham Gold CupCheltenham Gold CupThe Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in the United Kingdom which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles and 2½ furlongs , and during its running there are twenty-two fences to be jumped...
– Roddy Owen - Grand NationalGrand NationalThe Grand National is a world-famous National Hunt horse race which is held annually at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, England. It is a handicap chase run over a distance of four miles and 856 yards , with horses jumping thirty fences over two circuits of Aintree's National Course...
– Oxo
Flat races
- Australia – Melbourne CupMelbourne CupThe Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Marketed as "the race that stops a nation", it is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races...
won by MacdougalMacdougalMacdougal, sired 1953, was a New Zealand thoroughbred racehorse.He won the 1959 Melbourne Cup, ridden by Pat Glennon.... - Canadian Triple Crown racesCanadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred RacingThe Canadian Triple Crown is a series of three Thoroughbred horse races run annually in Canada which is open to three-year-old horses foaled in Canada...
:- Queen's PlateQueen's PlateThe Queen's Plate is Canada's oldest thoroughbred horse race. It is run at a distance of 1¼ miles for 3-year-old thoroughbred horses foaled in Canada. The race takes place each summer in June or July at Woodbine Racetrack, Etobicoke , Ontario...
– New ProvidenceNew Providence (horse)New Providence is a Thoroughbred racehorse who in 1959 became the first official winner of the Canadian Triple Crown.Retired to stud duty at owner E. P... - Prince of Wales StakesPrince of Wales StakesThe Prince of Wales Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Fort Erie Race Track in Fort Erie, Ontario. Restricted to three-year-old horses bred in Canada, it is contested on dirt over a distance of a mile and three sixteenths . In 1959, the Prince of Wales Stakes became the...
– New Providence - Breeders' StakesBreeders' StakesThe Breeders' Stakes is a Canadian stakes race for Thoroughbred race horses first run in 1889. Since 1959 it has been the third race in the Canadian Triple Crown for three-year-olds...
– New Providence
- New Providence becomes the first horse ever to win all three races.
- Queen's Plate
- France – Prix de l'Arc de TriomphePrix de l'Arc de TriompheThe Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year, usually on the first Sunday in October.Popularly referred to as the...
won by Saint Crespin - Ireland – Irish Derby StakesIrish Derby StakesThe Irish Derby is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late June or early July.It is Ireland's equivalent of the Epsom Derby,...
won by FidalgoFidalgoFidalgo , from Galician and Portuguese filho de algo—sometimes translated into English as "son of somebody" or "son of some "—is a traditional title used in Portugal to refer to a member of the titled or untitled nobility... - English Triple Crown races:
- 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Taboun
- Epsom DerbyEpsom DerbyThe Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
– ParthiaParthia (horse)Parthia was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from October 1958 to July 1960 he ran twelve times, winning six races, four of which are now Group races. His most notable success came in the 1959 Epsom Derby... - St. Leger StakesSt. Leger StakesThe St. Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 132 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.Established in 1776, the St. Leger...
– Cantelo
- United States Triple Crown racesUnited States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred RacingIn the United States, the "Triple Crown" is usually the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, a series of three Thoroughbred horse races for three-year-old horses run in May and early June of each year consisting of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.While Daily Racing Form...
:- Kentucky DerbyKentucky DerbyThe Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
– Tomy LeeTomy LeeTomy Lee was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1959 Kentucky Derby defeating Sword Dancer, First Landing, Royal Orbit and the filly Silver Spoon.... - Preakness StakesPreakness StakesThe Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
– Royal OrbitRoyal OrbitRoyal Orbit was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known as the winner of the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the U.S. Triple Crown races.... - Belmont StakesBelmont StakesThe Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
– Sword Dancer
- Kentucky Derby
Ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
- Art Ross Memorial Trophy as the NHLNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
's leading scorer during the regular season: Dickie Moore, Montreal CanadiensMontreal CanadiensThe Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ... - Hart Memorial TrophyHart Memorial TrophyThe Hart Memorial Trophy, originally known as the Hart Trophy, the "oldest and most prestigious individual award in hockey", is awarded annually to the "player adjudged most valuable to his team" in the National Hockey League . The Hart Memorial Trophy has been awarded 86 times to 53 different...
for the NHLNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
's Most Valuable Player: Andy BathgateAndy BathgateAndrew James Bathgate is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League for the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins.-Playing career:...
, New York RangersNew York RangersThe New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the... - Stanley CupStanley CupThe Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
– Montreal CanadiensMontreal CanadiensThe Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
win 4 games to 1 over the Toronto Maple LeafsToronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... - World Hockey Championship
- Men's champion: Belleville McFarlandsBelleville McFarlandsThe Belleville McFarlands were a men's senior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association Senior division from 1956 to 1961. The McFarlands were based out of Belleville, Ontario, playing home games at the Belleville Memorial Arena....
from CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
- Men's champion: Belleville McFarlands
- NCAA Men's Ice Hockey ChampionshipNCAA Men's Ice Hockey ChampionshipThe annual NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship tournament determines the top men's ice hockey team in NCAA Division I and Division III. The semi-finals and finals of the Division I Championship are branded as the Frozen Four, a passing nod to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship - known...
- University of North DakotaUniversity of North DakotaThe University of North Dakota is a public university in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA. Established by the Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883, six years before the establishment of the state of North Dakota, UND is the oldest and largest university in the state and enrolls over 14,000 students. ...
Fighting Sioux defeat Michigan State UniversityMichigan State UniversityMichigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
Spartans 4-3 in overtime in Troy, New YorkTroy, New YorkTroy is a city in the US State of New York and the seat of Rensselaer County. Troy is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany and Schenectady, forming a region popularly called the Capital... - The Hershey BearsHershey BearsThe Hershey Bears Hockey Club is a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League, and is currently the top affiliate of the NHL Washington Capitals. The hockey club is based in the unincorporated town of Hershey, Pennsylvania, located within Derry Township some 14 miles east of...
defeat the Buffalo BisonsBuffalo BisonsThe Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
4 games to 2 to win the AHLAmerican Hockey LeagueThe American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
Calder CupCalder CupThe Calder Cup is awarded annually to the playoff champion of the American Hockey League. The trophy is the world's second oldest continuous professional ice hockey championship, having first been awarded in 1937 following the 1936-37 AHL season, and continuously being awarded every year.The cup...
. - The Louisville RebelsLouisville RebelsThe Louisville Rebels were a minor league professional ice hockey team that played in the International Hockey League from 1957 to 1960. The Rebels were based in Louisville, Kentucky and originally played at the Louisville Gardens, and later the Freedom Hall...
defeat the Fort Wayne KometsFort Wayne KometsThe Fort Wayne Komets are a minor league ice hockey franchise currently a member of the Central Hockey League in the Northern Conference. The team was previously a member of the International Hockey League before it merged into the CHL in 2010...
4 games to 2 to win the IHL Turner CupTurner CupThe Turner Cup is the championship trophy of the International Hockey League. The Cup is named for Joe Turner, a goaltender from Windsor, Ontario. Turner became professional with the Detroit Red Wings organization, and played one season with the Indianapolis Capitals in the American Hockey League...
. - On November 1, Montreal CanadiensMontreal CanadiensThe Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
goaltenderGoaltenderIn ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
Jacques PlanteJacques PlanteJoseph Jacques Omer Plante was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. During a career lasting from 1947–1975, he was considered to be one of the most important innovators in hockey...
was injured when struck in the face by a flying puckHockey puckA puck is a disk used in various games serving the same functions as a ball does in ball games. The best-known use of pucks is in ice hockey, a major international sport.- Etymology :The origin of the word "puck" is obscure...
. He offers to return to play on the condition that he wears his goalie maskGoaltenderIn ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
. His example soon leads to the mask becoming standard equipment for goalies and a symbol of the game itself. - The TV-puckenTV-puckenTV-pucken is a Swedish national ice hockey tournament for district teams of boys under 15 years of age. It was created by hockey legend Sven "Tumba" Johansson....
tournament starts.
Motor racing
- January 22 – Mike HawthornMike HawthornJohn Michael Hawthorn was a racing driver, born in Mexborough, Yorkshire, England, and educated at Ardingly College, West Sussex.-Racing career:...
, reigning Formula OneFormula OneFormula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
World Drivers' Champion, is killed in a road crash in his Jaguar Mark 1Jaguar Mark 1The Jaguar Mark 1 was a saloon car produced by Jaguar between 1955 and 1959. Referred to in contemporary company documentation as the Jaguar 2.4-litre and Jaguar 3.4-litre, the word "Saloon" was often added. The designation "Mark 1" was included retrospectively upon its replacement by the Mark 2... - Stock car racingStock car racingStock car racing is a form of automobile racing found mainly in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Great Britain, Brazil and Argentina. Traditionally, races are run on oval tracks measuring approximately in length...
–- Lee PettyLee PettyLee Arnold Petty was an American stock car driver in the 1950s and 1960s. He was one of the pioneers of NASCAR, and one of its first superstars. He was born near Randleman, North Carolina.-Career:...
in the #42 PlymouthPlymouth (automobile)Plymouth was a marque of automobile based in the United States, produced by the Chrysler Corporation and its successor DaimlerChrysler.-Origins:...
wins the inaugural Daytona 500Daytona 500The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
in a photo finish - NASCAR Championship – Lee PettyLee PettyLee Arnold Petty was an American stock car driver in the 1950s and 1960s. He was one of the pioneers of NASCAR, and one of its first superstars. He was born near Randleman, North Carolina.-Career:...
(PlymouthPlymouth (automobile)Plymouth was a marque of automobile based in the United States, produced by the Chrysler Corporation and its successor DaimlerChrysler.-Origins:...
) - 30 May – Rodger WardRodger WardRodger M. Ward was an American racecar driver who won the 1959 and 1962 Indianapolis 500. He also was the 1959 and 1962 USAC Championship Car champion.-Early history:...
wins the 43nd running1959 Indianapolis 500The 1959 Indianapolis 500 was an automobile race held at Indianapolis on Saturday, May 30, 1959. The event was part of the 1959 World Drivers' Championship.- Classification :- Notes :*Fastest Lead Lap: Johnny Thomson - 1:01.89...
of the Indianapolis 500Indianapolis 500The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
in the Leader Cards 500 Special Watson-OffenhauserOffenhauserOffenhauser was an American racing engine manufacturer that operated from 1933 to 1983.The Offenhauser engine, familiarly known as the "Offy", was developed by Fred Offenhauser and his employer Harry Arminius Miller, after maintaining and repairing a 1913 Peugeot Grand Prix car of the type which...
- Lee Petty
- USAC RacingChamp CarChamp Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
– Rodger WardRodger WardRodger M. Ward was an American racecar driver who won the 1959 and 1962 Indianapolis 500. He also was the 1959 and 1962 USAC Championship Car champion.-Early history:... - Formula OneFormula OneFormula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
– John A. BrabhamJack BrabhamSir John Arthur "Jack" Brabham, AO, OBE is an Australian former racing driver who was Formula One champion in , and . He was a founder of the Brabham racing team and race car constructor that bore his name....
(Australia) is World Drivers' Champion, in a CooperCooper Car CompanyThe Cooper Car Company was founded in 1946 by Charles Cooper and his son John Cooper. Together with John's boyhood friend, Eric Brandon, they began by building racing cars in Charles' small garage in Surbiton, Surrey, England in 1946...
T51Cooper T51The Cooper T51 was a Formula One and Formula Two racing car designed and built by the Cooper Car Company for the 1959 Formula One season. The T51 earned a significant place in motor racing history when Jack Brabham drove the car to become the first driver to win the championship with a rear-engined...
-ClimaxCoventry ClimaxCoventry Climax was a British forklift truck, fire pump, and speciality engine manufacturer.-History:The company was started in 1903 as Lee Stroyer, but two years later, following the departure of Stroyer, it was relocated to Paynes Lane, Coventry, and renamed to Coventry-Simplex by H...
. - 24 hours of Le Mans24 Hours of Le MansThe 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
– Carroll ShelbyCarroll ShelbyCarroll Hall Shelby is an American retired automotive designer and racing driver. He is most well known for making Mustangs for Ford Motor Company known as Mustang Cobras which he has done since 1965...
/ Roy SalvadoriRoy SalvadoriRoy Francesco Salvadori is a former motor racing driver and manager from England. He participated in 50 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 12 July 1952, and achieved two podiums, scoring a total of 19 Championship points.During a varied career he also won the 24 Hours of Le...
win, sharing an Aston Martin DBR1Aston MartinAston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury sports cars, based in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The company name is derived from the name of one of the company's founders, Lionel Martin, and from the Aston Hill speed hillclimb near Aston Clinton in Buckinghamshire... - Rally racing – Paul Coltelloni / Pierre AlexandrePierre AlexandrePierre Alexandre is a writer, a journalist and a businessman. He has found and is the CEO of New York Financial Press, a media company based in Wall Street, inside the Stock Exchange.-Education:...
win the Monte Carlo RallyMonte Carlo RallyThe Monte Carlo Rally or Rally Monte Carlo is a rallying event organised each year by the Automobile Club de Monaco which also organises the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix and the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique. The rally takes place along the French Riviera in the Principality of Monaco and...
, sharing a Citroën IDCitroën DSThe Citroën DS is an executive car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën between 1955 and 1975. Styled by Italian sculptor and industrial designer Flaminio Bertoni and the French aeronautical engineer André Lefèbvre, the DS was known for its aerodynamic futuristic body design and innovative... - Drag racingDrag racingDrag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
–- Chris "the Greek" KaramesinesChris KaramesinesChris Karamesines is an American drag racer and one of NHRA's early pioneers and nicknamed "The Golden Greek". In 2009, he became the first driver in NHRA history to compete and become the fastest driver at over 78 years old at the final event of the 2009 season at Pomona driving in the Top Fuel...
wins the AHRAAmerican Hot Rod AssociationAmerican Hot Rod Association, also known as AHRA, and most recently AHRA Motorsports. In late 2008 Rod Saint restarted the AHRA and brought onboard Jim Tice, son of the late Jim Tice Sr., and Troy Moe, nephew of Orville Moe. 2010 was to be the beginning of a new era and season with the 'reunion...
Top Fuel title - Rodney Singer wins Top Eliminator at the NHRA Nationals
- Chris "the Greek" Karamesines
Rugby unionRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
- 65th Five Nations ChampionshipSix Nations ChampionshipThe Six Nations Championship is an annual international rugby union competition involving six European sides: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
series is won by FranceFrance national rugby union teamThe France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
, the team's first outright championship title
SwimmingSwimming (sport)Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
- July 11 – US swimmer Michael TroyMichael TroyMichael Francis Troy is a retired butterfly swimmer from the United States, who broke the world record in the 200m butterfly five consecutive times before it was taken over by fellow American swimmer Carl Robie in 1961....
breaks his own, earlier in the day set first official world record (2:19.0) in the men's 200m butterfly (long course) at a meet in Los Altos, CaliforniaLos Altos, CaliforniaLos Altos is a city at the southern end of the San Francisco Peninsula, in the San Francisco Bay Area. The city is in Santa Clara County, California, United States. The population was 28,976 according to the 2010 census....
, clocking 2:16.4. - July 19 – US swimmer Becky Collins breaks the world record in the women's 200m butterflyButterfly strokeThe butterfly is a swimming stroke swum on the breast, with both arms moving simultaneously. The butterfly kick was developed separately, and is also known as the "dolphin kick"...
at a meet in Redding, CaliforniaRedding, CaliforniaRedding is a city in far-Northern California. It is the county seat of Shasta County, California, USA. With a population of 89,861, according to the 2010 Census...
, clocking 2:37.0.
TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
Australia
- Australian Men's Singles Championship – Alex OlmedoAlex OlmedoAlejandro "Alex" Rodríguez Olmedo is a former tennis player from Peru, who was ranked as the top amateur player in the world in 1959. Although born and raised in Peru, he came to Southern California and was mentored by Perry T. Jones, President of the Southern California Tennis Association at the...
(USA) defeats Neale FraserNeale FraserNeale Andrew Fraser AO MBE is a former tennis player from Australia, born in Melbourne, Victoria, the son of a Victorian judge. He began playing tennis at age 11 and attended St Kevin's College, Melbourne where he became Captain of Tennis at the school.Fraser won Wimbledon in 1960 and the US...
(Australia) 6–1, 6–2, 3–6, 6–3 - Australian Women's Singles Championship – Mary Carter ReitanoMary Carter ReitanoMary Carter Reitano is a female former tennis player from Australia.Reitano won the singles title at the 1956 and 1959 Australian Championships and failed to reached the semifinals there only once in nine attempts. She teamed with Margaret Court to win the women's doubles title there in 1961...
(Australia) defeats Renee Schuurman Haygarth (South Africa) 6–2, 6–3
England
- Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship – Alex OlmedoAlex OlmedoAlejandro "Alex" Rodríguez Olmedo is a former tennis player from Peru, who was ranked as the top amateur player in the world in 1959. Although born and raised in Peru, he came to Southern California and was mentored by Perry T. Jones, President of the Southern California Tennis Association at the...
(USA) defeats Rod LaverRod LaverRodney George "Rod" Laver MBE is an Australian former tennis player who holds the record for titles won in career, and was the World No. 1 player for seven consecutive years, from 1964 to 1970...
(Australia) 6–4, 6–3, 6–4 - Wimbledon Women's Singles Championship – Maria BuenoMaria BuenoMaria Esther Andion Bueno is a former professional tennis player from Brazil. During her 11-year career , she won 19 Major titles ....
(Brazil) defeats Darlene HardDarlene HardDarlene Hard is an American former amateur tennis player. Known for her volleying ability and strong serves, she captured singles titles at the French Championships in 1960 and the U.S...
(USA) 6–4, 6–3
France
- French Men's Singles Championship –
- French Women's Singles Championship –
USA
Davis Cup
- 1959 Davis Cup1959 Davis CupThe 1959 Davis Cup was the 48th edition of the most important tournament between national teams in men's tennis. The Europe Zone was modified so that only the previous year's semifinalists were guaranteed first round byes...
– 3–2 at West Side Tennis ClubWest Side Tennis ClubThe West Side Tennis Club is a private tennis club located in Forest Hills, a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. It is currently an oasis within the City with 38 courts in all four surfaces , a junior Olympic swimming pool and many other amenities.It is most notable for hosting...
(grass) New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
VolleyballVolleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
- Volleyball at the 1959 Pan American GamesVolleyball at the 1959 Pan American GamesThis page presents the results of the Men's and Women's Volleyball Tournament during the 1959 Pan American Games, which was held from August 28 to September 6, 1959 in Chicago, United States.-Final Ranking:-Final Ranking:-References:* *...
in Chicago won by USA (men) and Brazil (women)
Multi-sport eventMulti-sport eventA multi-sport event is an organized sporting event, often held over multiple days, featuring competition in many different sports between organized teams of athletes from nation-states. The first major, modern, multi-sport event of international significance was the modern Olympic Games.Many...
s
- Central American and Caribbean Games1959 Central American and Caribbean GamesThe 8th Central American and Caribbean Games were held in Caracas, Venezuela, and it was the first time this nation had held the Games. The Games were held from 6 January to 15 January 1959 and included 1.150 athletes from seventeen nations, competing in twelve sports.-References:...
held in CaracasCaracasCaracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
, VenezuelaVenezuelaVenezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south... - Third Pan American Games1959 Pan American GamesThe 3rd Pan American Games opened on August 27, 1959 in sunny 90°F heat before 40,000 people in Chicago, Illinois, United States. The first Pan American Games held in North America, they were originally scheduled for Cleveland, Ohio, but the U.S. Congress’s decision to cut $5,000,000 in federal...
held in ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... - Third Mediterranean GamesMediterranean GamesThe Mediterranean Games are a multi-sport games held every four years, mainly for nations bordering the Mediterranean Sea, where Europe, Africa and Asia meet. The idea was proposed at the 1948 Summer Olympics by Muhammed Taher Pasha, chairman of the Egyptian Olympic Committee, and they were first...
held in Beirut, Lebanon - First Summer Universiade1959 Summer UniversiadeThe 1959 Summer Universiade, also known as the I Summer Universiade, took place in Turin, Italy.-Medal table:-Sports at the 1959 Summer Universiade:*Athletics*Basketball*Fencing*Swimming*Tennis*Volleyball*Water polo...
held in Turin, Italy
Awards
- Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year – Ingemar JohanssonIngemar JohanssonJens Ingemar Johansson was a Swedish boxer and former heavyweight champion of the world. Johansson was the fifth heavyweight champion born outside the United States. In 1959 he defeated Floyd Patterson by TKO in the third round, after flooring Patterson seven times in that round, to win the World...
, BoxingBoxingBoxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds... - Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year – Maria BuenoMaria BuenoMaria Esther Andion Bueno is a former professional tennis player from Brazil. During her 11-year career , she won 19 Major titles ....
, TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...