- February 12
- Cleveland Rams granted an NFL franchise. [1]
- February 13
- Donald Bradman scores 123 South Africa versus Queensland, 165 minutes, 10-4 1-6 in cricket. [1]
- Maribel Vinson wins her 9th US figure skating championship. [1]
- NFL Boston Redskins move to Washington DC. [1]
- US male Figure Skating championship won by Robin Lee. [1]
- February 27
- Donald Bradman scores 169 in 5th Test Cricket versus England in 223 minutes. [1]
- March 3
- Australia snatches cricket series against England 3-2 after being 2-0 down. [1]
- March 25
- It is revealed Quaker Oats pays baseball player Babe Ruth $25,000 per year for ads. [1]
- Lionel Conacher misses on first NHL Stanley Cup penalty shot. [1]
- March 26
- Joe DiMaggio takes Ty Cobb's advice and replaces his 40 with 36 ounce bat. [1]
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- April 4
- 4th Golf Masters Championship: Byron Nelson wins, shooting a 283. [1]
- April 15
- NHL Stanley Cup: Detroit Red Wings beat New York Rangers, three games to 2. [1]
- April 19
- 41st Boston Marathon won by Walter Young of Canada in 2:33:20. [1]
- May 8
- 63rd Kentucky Derby: Charley Kurtsinger on War Admiral wins in 2:03.2. [1]
- May 9
- Cincinnati Reds beat Philadelphia Phillies 21-10 (Ernie Lombardi goes 6 for 6). [1]
- May 12
- Saint Louis Cardinals beat Philadelphia Phillies, 15-3. [1]
- May 15
- 63rd Preakness: Charley Kurtsinger aboard War Admiral wins in 1 minute 58.4 seconds. [1]
- May 27
- Carl Hubbell wins his 24th consecutive game (since July 17, 1936). [1]
- May 30
- 20th PGA Championship: Denny Shute at Pittsburgh FC Aspinwall Pennsylvania. [1]
- 61,756, second-largest crowd in Polo Grounds history, sees Brooklyn Dodgers end Carl Hubbell's consecutive-game winning streak at 24 over two seasons. [1]
- June 1
- Chicago White Sox pitcher Bill Dietrich no-hits Saint Louis Browns, 8-0. [1]
- June 6
- Philadelphia Phillies, trailing 8-2 to Saint Louis Cardinals, forfeit game. [1]
- June 13
- Joe DiMaggio hits three consecutive home runs against Saint Louis Browns. [1]
- June 21
- The BBC televises coverage of the Wimbledon tennis Championships for the first time. [457]
- June 22
- Joe Louis knocks out James Braddock for the heavyweight boxing crown. [1]
- June 25
- Chicago Cubs' Augie Galan becomes first player to switch hit home runs in a game. [1]
- July 7
- American League beats National League 8-3 in 5th All Star Game (Griffith Stad, Washington). [1]
- July 12
- Don Budge wins Davis Cup of tennis by defeating Baron Gottfried von Cramm. [1302.120]
- July 30
- Philadelphia Phillies' Dolph Camilli plays first base and registers no put outs. [1]
- August 5
- Ranger (US) beats Endeavour II (England) in 17th America's Cup. [1]
- August 6
- Cleveland Indians overturn New York Yankees' 7-6 win by a protest. [1]
- August 14
- Detroit Tigers score 36 runs in double header versus Saint Louis Browns. [1]
- August 27
- Brooklyn Dodgers' Fred Frankhouse no-hits Cincinnati Reds, 5-0 in 7 2/3 inning game. [1]
- August 29
- Philadelphia Athletics' Bob Johnson is second to get six RBIs in an inning (first). [1]
- September 4
- Doris Kopsky becomes first NABA woman cycling champion (4:22.4). [1]
- September 8
- New York Yankees trail 6-1, come up with 8 in the 9th, beat Boston Bees 9-6. [1]
- September 10
- Second American Football League plays first game (Los Angeles Bulldogs 21, Pittsburgh Americans 0); Cleveland Rams plays their first NFL game, lose 28-0. [1]
- September 17
- First NFL game in Washington, DC; Washington Redskins beat New York Giants 13-3. [1]
- October 10
- New York Yankees beat New York Giants four games to one in 34th World Series. [1]
- December 7
- Boston Red Sox acquire the contract of 19-year-old Ted Williams. [1]
- December 11
- 25th Canadian Football League Grey Cup: Toronto Argonauts defeats Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 30-7. [1]
- December 12
- Washington Redskins win NFL championship. [1]
- December 20
- Bill O'Reilly takes 9-41 for New South Wales in cricket against South Australia. [1]
- December 21
- O'Reilly completes 14-98 for cricket match, New South Wales versus South Australia. [1]
- December 25
- Queensland all out for 93 versus South Africa in front of 10,436. [1]
- December 27
- Donald Bradman scores 246 South Africa versus Queensland, 364 minutes, 20 fours. [1]
- German immigration officials, with no explanation, bar Juan Carlos Zabala of Argentina, 1932 Olympic marathon champion, from entering Germany. [1]
- December 29
- Lou Thesz beats E Marshall in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA to become wrestling champion. [1]
1938
- January 8
- Donald Bradman scores 107 for South Australia versus Queensland (first innings). [1]
- January 11
- Donald Bradman scores a second inning 113 versus Queensland after a ton in the first. [1]
- January 18
- Donald Bradman scores 104* for South Australia versus New South Wales at the Sydney Cricket Ground. [1]
- Pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander is elected to the Hall of Fame. [1]
- February 5
- Hans Engnestangen skates world record 500 metre (41.8 seconds). [1]
- February 11
- Steve Casey beats Lou Thesz in Boston, to become wrestling champion. [1]
- February 23
- Joe Louis knocks out Nathan Mann in three rounds for heavyweight boxing title. [1]
- February 26
- Rie Van Veen swims world record 200 metre free-style (2:24.6). [1]
- US female Figure Skating championship won by Joan Tozzer. [1]
- US male Figure Skating championship won by Robin Lee. [1]
- March 3
- American Bowling Congress' largest tournament (24,765 competitors). [1]
- March 19
- NHL Toronto Maple Leafs score 8 goals in 5 minutes. [1]
- March 23
- Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis frees 74 Saint Louis Cardinals' minor league players. [1]
- March 25
- First US-bred horse (Battleship) to win Grand National Steeplechase. [1]
- April 1
- Baseball Hall of Fame opens in Cooperstown, New York, USA. [1]
- Joe Louis knocks out Harry Thomas in five rounds for heavyweight boxing title. [1]
- April 4
- 5th Golf Masters Championship: Henry Picard wins, shooting a 285. [1]
- April 12
- NHL Stanley Cup: Chicago Blackhawks beat Toronto Maple Leafs, three games to one. [1]
- April 19
- 42nd Boston Marathon won by Leslie Pawson of Rhode Island in 2:35:34.8. [1]
- Philadelphia Phillies' Emmett Mueller and Brooklyn Dodgers' Ernie Koy both homer in their first at bat. [1]
- April 30
- Donald Bradman scores 258 Australia versus Worcestershire, 293 minutes, 33 fours 1 five. [1]
- May 5
- Philadelphia Phillies' Harold Kelleher faces 16 batters in 6th inning, as Chicago Cubs score 12 runs, both marks are National League records off one pitcher in a single inning. [1]
- May 7
- 64th Kentucky Derby: Eddie Arcaro aboard Lawrin wins in 2:04.8. [1]
- May 14
- 64th Preakness: Maurice Peters aboard Dauber wins in 1:59.8. [1]
- English soccer team beats Germany, 6-3. [1]
- May 16
- In cricket, Donald Bradman scores 278 Australia versus MCC, 349 minutes, 35 fours 1 six. [1]
- May 21
- Donald Bradman scores 143 Australia versus Surrey, 198 minutes, 11 fours. [1]
- May 27
- Donald Bradman scores his 1000th cricket run of England season, earliest to do so. [1]
- May 30
- New York Yankees sweep Boston Red Sox 10-0 and 5-4 in front of 83,533 at Yankee Stadium. [1]
- May 31
- Bill Edrich scores his 1,000th run of cricket season, all at Lord's. [1]
- June 11
- Cincinnati Reds' Johnny Vander Meer no-hits Boston Bees, 3-0. [1]
- June 15
- First night game at Brooklyn Ebbets Field (Cincinnati Reds 6, Brooklyn Dodgers 0) as Cincinnati Reds' pitcher Johnny Vander Meer pitches his second consecutive no hitter. [1]
- June 16
- Saint Louis Browns walk Boston Red Sox Jimmy Foxx six times in a row. [1]
- June 19
- Italy beats Hungary 4-1 in soccer's third World Cup at Paris, France. [1]
- June 22
- Joe Louis knocks out Max Schmeling at 2:04 of first round at Yankee Stadium in New York to retain heavyweight championship. [1] [500.E10]
- June 30
- Final game at Philadelphia's Baker Bowl, New York Giants beat Philadelphia Phillies 14-1. [1]
- July 2
- Helen Wills Moody (US) wins her 8th and final Wimbeldon singles tournament. [1]
- July 4
- First game at Shribe Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Boston Braves beat Philadelphia Phillies 10-5. [1]
- July 6
- National League beats American League 4-1 in 6th All Star Game (Crosley Field, Cincinnati, Ohio). [1]
- July 20
- Finland is awarded 1940 Olympic games after Japan withdraws. [1]
- July 31
- New York Yankees suspend Jake Powell, after he said on Chicago radio he'd "hit every colored person in Chicago over head with a club". [1]
- August 2
- First test of a yellow baseball (Brooklyn Dodgers versus Saint Louis Cardinals). [1]
- August 17
- Henry Armstrong won his third concurrent boxing championship. [1]
- August 26
- Montreal Maroons hockey team is dropped from the NHL. [1]
- August 27
- New York Yankees' Monte Pearson no-hits Cleveland Indians 13-0, Joe DiMaggio hits three triples. [1]
- September 15
- Only time brothers hit back-to-back home runs (Lloyd and Paul Waner, Pittsburgh Pirates). [1]
- September 18
- Despite losing a double header, New York Yankees clinch pennant number 10. [1]
- September 24
- Don Budge becomes first tennis player to win a grand slam. [1]
- October 2
- Cleveland Indians' Bob Feller strikes out 18 Detroit Tigers' players. [1]
- Detroit Tigers' Chester Laabs strikes out five times in a game. [1]
- October 9
- Cleveland Browns and Chicago Bears play a penalty-free NFL game. [1]
- New York Yankees sweep Chicago Cubs in the 35th World Series, third straight World Series win. [1] [500.E10]
- November 1
- Seabiscuit beats War Admiral in a match horse race at Pimlico. [1]
- November 2
- Babe Ruth applies for the job of Saint Louis Browns' manager. [1]
- November 5
- CFL Ottawa Roughriders score on 5-man, 4-lateral, 65-yard punt return. [1]
- Rutgers beats Princeton for first time in 60 years as Rutgers Stadium is dedicated. [1]
- November 24
- National Semi-Pro Basketball Congress authorizes yellow basketball. [1]
- December 3
- Amateur Athletic Union decides to continue linear measuring system over metric. [1]
- December 10
- 26th Canadian Football League Grey Cup: Toronto Argonauts defeat Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 30-7. [1]
- December 11
- New York Giants win NFL championship. [1]
- December 14
- American League permits Cleveland and Philadelphia to play night baseball games. [1]
- Major leagues agree on standard ball. [1]
- Baseball major leagues disagree on increasing rosters from 23 to 25. [1]
- Will Harridge is elected to a 10-year-term as American League (baseball) president. [1]
- December 16
- Donald Bradman scores 143 South Australia versus New South Wales, 11 fours 91 singles. [1]
- December 26
- Donald Bradman scores 225 South Australia versus Queensland before Christ gets him out. [1]
- Tom Goddard takes a cricket hat-trick for England versus South Africa. [1]
- December 28
- Paul Gibb scores 106 on Test Cricket debut versus South Africa. [1]
1939
- January 2
- Donald Bradman scores 107 South Africa versus Victoria, his fourth consecutive century. [1]
- January 10
- Donald Bradman hits 186 South Africa versus Queensland before Christ catches him at short-leg. [1]
- January 15
- First NFL pro bowl, New York Giants beat All Stars 13-10 in Wrigley Field. [1]
- January 17
- Ed Barrow is elected New York Yankees president succeeding deceased J Ruppert. [1]
- January 18
- South African wicketkeeper Donald Bradman gets his 6th straight ton, 135* versus New South Wales. [1]
- January 21
- US female Figure Skating championship won by Joan Tozzer. [1]
- US male Figure Skating championship won by Robin Lee. [1]
- January 24
- Eddie Collins, Willie Keeler and George Sisler elected to Baseball Hall of Fame. [1]
- January 25
- Joe Louis knocks out John Henry Lewis in one round for heavyweight boxing title. [1]
- February 4
- Glenn Cunningham (top miler) says 4-minute mile beyond human effort. [1]
- February 23
- Lou Thesz beats E Marshall in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA to become wrestling champion. [1]
- March 14
- England draw with South Africa in cricket at Durban on the 10th day. [1]
- March 16
- NHL record ten goals in one period-New York Rangers (7), New York Americans (3) and a record 26 points in the third period. [1]
- March 27
- First NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: University of Oregon beats Ohio State 46-33. [1]
- March 28
- Renaissance Big 5 win first pro basketball championship. [1]
- April 2
- 6th Golf Masters Championship: Ralph Guldahl wins, shooting a 279. [1]
- April 16
- Stanley Cup: Boston Bruins beat Toronto Maple Leafs, 4 games to 1. [1]
- April 17
- Joe Louis knocks out Jack Roper in one for heavyweight boxing title. [1]
- April 19
- 43rd Boston Marathon won by Ellison Brown of Rhode Island in 2:28:51.8. [1]
- April 30
- Lou Gehrig plays his 2130th consecutive game with the New York Yankees. [1302.92]
- May 2
- Lou Gehrig ends 2,130 consecutive game streak, New York Yankees beat Detroit Tigers 22-2. [1]
- May 6
- 65th Kentucky Derby: James Stout aboard Johnstown wins in 2:03.4. [1]
- May 13
- 65th Preakness: George Seabo aboard Challedon wins in 1:59.8. [1]
- May 16
- First American League night game, Philadelphia Shribe Park (Cleveland Indians 8, Philadelphia Athletics 3 in 10 innings). [1]
- May 17
- First sports telecast-Columbia versus Princeton-college baseball. [1]
- May 25
- Carl Storck becomes the second NFL president. [1]
- June 1
- First night baseball game at Philadelphia's Shribe Park (Pittsburgh Pirates 5, Philadelphia Phillies 2). [1]
- First televised heavyweight boxing match, featuring Max Baer vs Lou Nova. [1] [457]
- June 7
- Cleveland Indians set American League record of 16-inning game without striking out, however lose game 5-4 to New York Yankees. [1]
- June 12
- Baseball Hall of Fame opens in Cooperstown, New York. [1]
- June 21
- Doctors reveal Lou Gehrig has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. [1]
- June 27
- First night game at Cleveland Municipal Stadium (Cleveland Indians 5, Detroit Tigers 0). [1]
- Brooklyn Dodgers tie Boston Bees, 2-2, in 23 innings. [1]
- June 28
- New York Yankees hit 13 home runs, sweep Philadelphia Athletics 23-2 and 10-0. [1]
- July 3
- Lou Gehrig day; baseball player Gehrig makes "luckiest man" speech. [1]
- July 4
- Boston Red Sox' Jim Tabor hits two grand slams in one game. [1]
- New York Yankees retire first uniform (Lou Gehrig #4), first Old Timers Day. [1] [1302.92]
- July 11
- New York Yankees host 7th All Star Game, McCarthy starts 6 New York Yankees, American League wins 3-1. [1]
- July 25
- New York Yankees player Atley Donald sets American League rookie record with 12 consecutive wins. [1]
- July 26
- New York Yankees catcher Bill Dickey hits three consecutive home runs. [1]
- August 13
- New York Yankees set American League shutout margin with 21-0 victory over Philadelphia Athletics. [1]
- August 14
- First night games at Comiskey Park (Chicago White Sox 5, Saint Louis Browns 2). [1]
- August 26
- The first Major League Baseball game is telecast (W2XBS New York), a doubleheader between the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field. [1] [5] [457]
- August 30
- New York Yankees' Atley Donald pitches a baseball a record 94.7 mph (152 kph). [1]
- September 3
- New York Yankees beat Boston Red Sox on a forfeit, their fourth forfeit win. [1]
- September 8
- New York Yankees beat Boston Red Sox 4-1 in 7 innings, game called because of lightning. [1]
- September 16
- New York Yankees clinch pennant #11. [1]
- September 23
- Cookie Lavagetto goes 6 for 6; Brooklyn Dodgers get 27 hits and beat Philadelphia Phillies 22-4. [1]
- September 30
- First televised college football game (Fordham versus Waynesburg at New York City). [1]
- October 8
- New York Yankees sweep Cincinnati Reds in 36th World Series, fourth straight World Series win. [1741.25]
- October 22
- First TV NFL game: Philadelphia Eagles versus Brooklyn Dodgers. [1]
- November 4
- 1940 Olympics awarded to Helsinki, Finland. [1]
- November 19
- Don Lash wins 6th straight Amateur Athletic Union cross-country 10km championship. [1]
- December 6
- 5th Heisman Trophy Award: Nile Kinnick, Iowa (Half Back). [1]
- December 7
- Lou Gehrig, 36, is elected to Baseball's Hall of Fame. [1]
- December 10
- Green Bay Packers win NFL championship, beat New York Giants 27-0. [1]
- December 16
- Donald Bradman scores 251 South Africa versus New South Wales in cricket, 271 minutes, 38 fours 2 sixes. [1]
- December 22
- Donald Bradman scores 138 in South Australia's 7-821 versus Queensland. [1]
- December 23
- South Australia score 7-821 against Queensland in cricket. [1]
- December 25
- Clarrie Grimmett and Ward rip through Queensland in cricket except Bill Brown (156). [1]
- December 30
- Donald Bradman scores 267 South Africa versus Victoria, world record 34th double cricket century. [1]
- O'Reilly takes 14-45 (8-23 and 6-22) as New South Wales crush Queensland in cricket in two days. [1]
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