- February 12
- National League votes 6-2 for one commissioner American League votes 6-2 to keep group commission. [1]
- February 13
- US National Negro Baseball League is organized. [1]
- February 22
- In Emeryville, New York, the first dog race track to employ an imitation rabbit opens. [1] [5]
- March 3
- Montreal Canadiens scores NHL record 16 goals beating Québec Bulldogs. [1]
- March 10
- NHL's Québec Bulldogs' Jim Malone scores six goals versus Ottawa Senators. [1]
- March 20
- US Ladies Figure Skating Championship won by Theresa Weld. [1]
- US Men's Figure Skating Championship won by Sherwin Badger. [1]
- April 1
- Stanley Cup: Ottawa Senators (NHL) beat Seattle Metropolitans (PCHA), 3 games to 2. [1]
- April 17
- American Professional Football Association forms (later NFL). [1]
- April 19
- 24th Boston Marathon won by Peter Trivoulidas of Greece in 2:29:31. [1]
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- April 20
- (to September 12) The Games of the VII Olympiad are held in Antwerp, Belgium. [7]
- Philadelphia Phillies' manager Gravvy Cravath puts himself in as pinch hitter, makes a three-run homer and beats New York Giants 3-0. [1]
- May 1
- Babe Ruth's first New York Yankees' homerun and 50th of career, out of Polo Grounds. [1]
- Brooklyn Dodgers tie Boston Braves, 1-1, in 26 innings. [1]
- May 2
- First game of National Negro Baseball League played in Indianapolis, Indiana. [1]
- May 8
- 46th Kentucky Derby: Ted Rice aboard Paul Jones wins in 2:09. [1]
- May 14
- New York Giants inform New York Yankees that the lease allowing them to play in the Polo Grounds will not be renewed at end of 1920 season. [1]
- Washington Senators' Walter Johnson wins his 300th game versus Detroit Tigers. [1]
- May 15
- Soccer team ADO '20 forms in Heemskerk. [1]
- May 18
- 46th Preakness: Clarence Kummer aboard Man O' War wins in 1:51.6. [1]
- May 20
- Policemen raid the Chicago Cubs' bleachers and arrest 24 fans for gambling. [1]
- June 20
- New York Yankees win protest of 1-0 Chicago White Sox win and game is replayed. [1]
- July 1
- Washington Senators' Walter Johnson no-hits Boston Red Sox, 1-0. [1]
- July 6
- New York Yankees score team record 14 runs in one inning versus Washington Senators. [1]
- July 15
- Babe Ruth ties his record of 29 home runs in a season. [1]
- July 16
- Babe Ruth sets season home run record with 30 en route to 54. [1]
- US wins Davis Cup sweeping Australia in five straight matches. [1]
- July 25
- Boston Red Sox turn triple-play, but Babe Ruth's 35th home run leads New York Yankees to 8-2 win. [1]
- July 27
- Resolute beats Shamrock IV (England) in 14th running of America's Cup. [1]
- August 8
- Detroit Tigers beat New York Yankees 1-0 in shortest American League game, 73 minutes. [1]
- August 16
- Ray Chapman, of the Cleveland Indians, is hit in the head by New York Yankees' Carl Mays' pitch. (He dies next day, only major league fatality.) [1]
- August 17
- Ray Chapman, hit in the head by New York Yankees' Carl Mays' pitch, dies. [1]
- August 20
- Allen Woodring wins Oympic 200m dash wearing borrowed shoes. [1]
- Preliminary meeting in Akron to form American Pro Football Association. [1] [5]
- August 25
- First US woman to win in Olympics (Ethelda Bleibtrey). [1]
- September 6
- First radio broadcast of a boxing prizefight. [1]
- September 12
- Games of the VII Olympiad close in Antwerp, Belgium. [1]
- September 17
- The American Pro Football Association is organized in Canton, Ohio, USA. [1] [5]
- September 25
- Vern Bradburn of Winnipeg Victorias kicks 9 singles in a game. [1]
- September 28
- Eight Chicago White Sox players are indicted, they threw 1919 World Series (Black Sox scandal). [1]
- September 29
- Babe Ruth sets home run season record at 54 runs. [1]
- October 2
- Cincinnati Reds beat Pittsburgh Pirates two games out of three in a tripleheader. [1]
- October 3
- American Pro Football Association plays first games. [1]
- October 10
- Cleveland Indians' Bill Wambsganns makes first unassisted World Series triple play (World Series #17). [1]
- Cleveland Indians' Elmer Smith hits the first World Series grand slam (World Series #17). [1]
- Chicago Cardinals play first APFA game, a 0-0 tie. [1]
- October 12
- Cleveland Indians beat Brooklyn Dodgers, five games to two in 17th World Series. [1]
- Man O' War's last horse race and win. [1]
- October 17
- Decatur Staleys play first APFA game, win 7-0. [1]
- October 29
- Edward Barrow is named New York Yankees' general manager. [1]
- November 12
- Judge Kennesaw Mountain Landis elected first US baseball commissioner. [1]
- November 14
- American Pro Football Association's Chicago Tigers' Joe Guyon punts 95 yards. [1]
- November 25
- WTAW of College Station, Texas, broadcasts first football play-by-play. [1]
- December 4
- First Pro football playoff game Buffalo-7, Canton-3 at Polo Grounds stadium. [1]
- 8th Canadian Football League Grey Cup: University of Toronto defeats Toronto Argonauts, 16-3. [1]
- December 5
- Pro football playoff game: Akron and Buffalo 0-0 tie, title undecided. [1]
- December 7
- New South Wales make 802 against South Australia in cricket, then Mailey takes 8-81. [1]
- December 14
- Heavyweight Jack Dempsey knocks out Bill Brennan in 12 for heavyweight boxing title in New York City, New York. [1]
- December 17
- American League votes to allow pitchers who used the spitball in 1920 to continue using it as long as they are in the league (The National League will do the same - 17 holdover spitballers in all). [1]
- December 19
- First US indoor curling rink opens (Brookline, Massachusetts). [1]
- December 20
- Bert Collins scores 104 on Test Cricket debut versus England at Sydney Cricket Ground. [1]
- December 31
- Roy Park makes first-ball duck in only Test Cricket inning, versus England at Melbourne Cricket Ground. [1]
1921
- January 12
- Kenesaw Mountain Landis becomes first commissioner of Major League Baseball. [1]
- January 26
- Soccer team GVAV of Groningen Netherlands forms. [1]
- Hockey's Toronto Saints' Pat Corb Denneny scores six goals versus Hamilton Tigers. [1]
- February 5
- New York Yankees purchase 20 acres in the Bronx for Yankee Stadium. [1] [5]
- February 15
- Arthur Mailey completes 9-121 versus England, Australian Test Cricket record. [1]
- February 27
- US female Figure Skating championship won by Theresa Weld Blanchard. [1]
- US male Figure Skating championship won by Sherwin Badger. [1]
- March 1
- Australia Cricket team completes 5-0 drubbing of England. [1]
- April 4
- Stanley Cup: Ottawa Senators (NHL) beat Vancouver Millionaires (PCHA), three games to 2. [1]
- April 11
- KDKA broadcasts the first radio sporting event, a boxing match (Johnny Ray vs Johnny Dundee). [1]
- April 14
- NHL Championship: Ottawa Senators sweep Toronto Saint Patricks in two games. [1]
- April 19
- 25th Boston Marathon won by Frank Zuna of New Jersey in 2:18:57.6. [1]
- April 21
- Ottawa Senators beat Vancouver Millionaires three games to two for hockey's Stanley Cup. [1]
- April 23
- Charles Paddock runs world record 100 metre (10.4 seconds). [1]
- April 30
- American Professional Football Association reorganizes in Akron, Ohio. [1]
- May 6
- American Soccer League is formed. [1]
- May 7
- 47th Kentucky Derby: Charles Thompson on Behave Yourself wins 2:04.2. [1]
- May 16
- 47th Preakness: F Coltiletti aboard Broomspun wins in 1:54.2. [1]
- June 10
- Babe Ruth becomes all-time home run champion with number 120 (Gavvy Cravath). [1]
- June 13
- New York Yankees' pitcher Babe Ruth hits two home runs beating Detroit Tigers 11-8. [1]
- June 25
- Jack Hutchinson becomes first American to win golf's British Open. [1]
- July 2
- First million dollar gate (US$1.7 million) boxing match (Jack Dempsey knocks out Carpentier). [1]
- July 21
- Cleveland Indians (9) and New York Yankees (7) hit a record 16 doubles. [1]
- July 23
- Edward Gourdin of the US sets long jump record at 25 feet 2.75 inches. [1]
- August 3
- Due to a technicality, eight Chicago White Sox players accused in the Black Sox scandal are acquited, however commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis throws them out of baseball. [1]
- August 5
- First radio baseball broadcast, Harold Arlin on KDKA radio Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Pirates beat Philadelphia Phillies 8-5. [1] [457]
- August 25
- New York Yankees' pitcher Harry Harper hits three batters in an inning, tying record. [1]
- August 27
- J E Clair of Acme Packing Company of Green Bay granted an APFA franchise (Green Bay Packers). [1]
- September 27
- New York Yankees beat Cleveland Indians 21-7 in Polo Grounds stadium. [1]
- October 1
- First all New York series to be played entirely in one stadium (the Polo Grounds) and first New York Yankees World Series begins (World Series #18). [1]
- October 5
- First World Series radio broadcast, New York Yankees beat New York Giants 3-0 (World Series #18). [1]
- October 9
- Babe Ruth's first World Series homer; only Sunday game ever pitched by Carl Mays. [1]
- October 10
- NFL Decatur Staleys become Chicago Staleys, win 14-10. [1]
- October 13
- New York Giants beat New York Yankees, five games to three in 18th World Series. [1]
- October 16
- Jim Conzelman takes over as coach of Rock Island Independents from Frank Coughlin-only mid-game coaching change in APFA/NFL history. [1]
- October 23
- Green Bay Packers play first APFA game, win 7-6 over Minneapolis Marines. [1]
- December 3
- 9th Canadian Football League Grey Cup: Toronto Argonauts defeat Edmonton Eskimos, 23-0. [1]
- December 20
- American League votes to return to best-of-7 World Series of Baseball, while National League votes best-of-9. Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis casts deciding vote for best-of-7. [1]
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