- January 13
- Both Henry Aaron and Frank Robinson are elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. [1] [56]
- January 19
- Australia-West Indies one-day game that produced a Privy Council libel case. [1]
- January 22
- Free agent Reggie Jackson signs a four-year, nearly US$4 million contract with the California Angels. [56]
- January 24
- Super Bowl XVI at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan: San Francisco 49ers beat Cincinnati Bengals, 26-21; Most Valuable Player: Joe Montana, Quarterback. [1] [116]
- January 26
- New York Islanders score four goals within 1:38, five within 2:37 versus Pittsburgh Penguins. [1]
- January 27
- Philadelphia Phillies trade Larry Bowa and Ryne Sandberg to Chicago Cubs for Ivan DeJesus. [1]
- West Indies beat Australia 3-1 to win World Series Cup. [1]
- January 29
- Old Dominion ends Los Angeles Tech's women's basketball record 54-game win streak. [1]
- Wayne Garland, baseball first millionaire free agent, waived by Cleveland Indians. [1]
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- January 30
- US female Figure Skating championship won by Rosalynn Sumners. [1]
- January 31
- 12th NFL Pro Bowl: AFC beats NFC 16-13. [1]
- 32nd NBA All-Star Game: East beats West 120-118 at New Jersey. [1]
- Gustafson skates world record 10 km (14:26.59). [1]
- Hollis Stacy wins LPGA Whirlpool Golf Championship of Deer Creek. [1]
- US male Figure Skating championship won by Scott Hamilton. [1]
- February 7
- Joanne Carner wins LPGA Elizabeth Arden Golf Classic. [1]
- February 8
- The longest-playing infield foursome is broken up as the Los Angeles Dodgers trade Davey Lopes to the Oakland Athletics for minor leaguer Lance Hudson. The second baseman had played with Steve Garvey, Ron Cey and Bill Russell since 1974. [1] [56]
- February 9
- 34th NHL All-Star Game: Wales beat Campbell 4-2 at Washington. [1]
- February 12
- Wayne Gretzky scores 153rd point of season, tying NHL record. [1]
- February 13
- New York Islanders' Bryan Trottier scores five goals against the Philadelphia Flyers. [1]
- February 14
- Hollis Stacy wins LPGA S&H Golf Classic. [1]
- February 17
- Commencement of Sri Lanka's first Test Cricket match, versus England. [1]
- February 19
- Sharie Langford, California, sets women's bowling series record of 853. [1]
- February 20
- New York Islanders win record 15th straight NHL game. [1]
- February 21
- Beth Daniel wins LPGA Bent Tree Ladies Golf Classic. [1]
- February 24
- Wayne Gretzky of the Edmonton Oilers scores his 77th goal of the National Hockey League season, breaking the previous record of 76. [1] [116]
- February 26
- Test Cricket debut of Martin Crowe, versus Australia Wellington, run out 9. [1]
- February 27
- Earl Anthony becomes first professional bowler to win more than US$1 million. [1]
- Dan Issel (NBA-Denver Nuggets) hits on 63rd consecutive free throw. [1]
- February 28
- Ayako Okamoto wins LPGA Arizona Copper Golf Classic. [1]
- March 2
- 60th hat trick in New York Islanders' history-Bryan Trottier. [1]
- March 4
- Second double hat trick in New York Islanders' history-Mike Bossy and Denis Potvin. [1]
- March 5
- Gaylord Perry (with 297 wins) signs with Seattle Mariners. [1]
- March 6
- NBA highest scoring game: San Antonio beat Milwaukee Bucks 171-166 (three overtime periods). [1]
- March 7
- Jarmilla Kratochvilova runs world record 400 metre indoor (49.59 seconds). [1]
- NCAA Tournament Selection televised live for first time. [1]
- Beth Daniel wins LPGA American Express Sun City Golf Classic. [1]
- March 10
- Salim Malik scores 100 in second inning of Test Cricket debut (v SL). [1]
- Travis Jackson and Happy Chandler elected to Baseball Hall of Fame. [1]
- March 12
- First-class debut of Courtney Walsh, Jamaica versus Leeward Islands. [1]
- March 13
- World Ice Dance Championship in Copenhagen won by Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean (Great Britain). [1]
- World Ice Pairs Figure Skating Championship in Copenhagen won by Sabine Baess and Tassilo Thierbach (German Democratic Republic). [1]
- World Ladies Figure Skate Championship in Copenhagen won by Elaine Zayak (USA). [1]
- World Men's Figure Skating Championship in Copenhagen won by Scott Hamilton (USA). [1]
- March 14
- Sally Little wins LPGA Olympia Gold Golf Classic. [1]
- Sidath Wettimuny scores Sri Lanka's first Test Cricket century. [1]
- March 20
- First-class debut of Richie Richardson, Leeward Islands versus Barbados. [1]
- March 21
- Jerry Pate celebrates golf win by jumping into the water hazard. [1]
- Nancy Lopez wins LPGA J&B Scotch Pro-Am Golf Tournament. [1]
- March 23
- New York Islanders' Mike Bossy's 20th career hat trick-4 goals. [1]
- March 25
- Wayne Gretzky becomes first NHL player to score 200 points in a season. [1]
- March 27
- Randy Holt sets Washington Capitals' record of 34 penalty minutes. [1]
- Imran takes 14-116 for cricket match versus Sri Lanka at Lahore. [1]
- March 28
- First NCAA Women's Basketball Championship: Louisiana Tech beats Cheney 76-62. [1]
- Amy Alcott wins LPGA Women's Kemper Golf Open. [1]
- March 29
- 44th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: North Carolina beats Georgetown 63-62. [1]
- Delhi 707 beats Karnataka 705 on first innings to win Ranji Trophy. [1]
- April 2
- In exhibition game Oakland Athletics' pitcher Steve McCatty comes to bat using a 15-inch toy bat (under Billy Martin's orders), protesting disallowing of designated hitter. [1]
- April 3
- Buffalo Sabres' Gil Perrault scores his 1,000th NHL point. [1]
- April 4
- 11th Nabisco Dinah Shore Golf Championship won by Sally Little. [1]
- April 5
- Saint Louis Cardinals' Jim Kaat pitches in record 24th consecutive season. [1]
- April 6
- Largest crowd ever to see a baseball game in Minnesota: 52,279. [1]
- A blizzard unprecedented in size for April dumps 1-2 feet of snow on the northeastern U.S., closing schools and businesses, snarling traffic, and canceling several major league baseball games. [56] [116]
- April 8
- Tracy Caulkins (19) wins her 36th US swimming title. [1]
- April 9
- Los Angeles Lakers block 21 Denver Nuggets' shots setting NBA regulation game record. [1]
- April 10
- Los Angeles Kings losing 5-0 to Edmonton Oilers in the third period, win in overtime 6-5. [1]
- April 11
- 46th Golf Masters Championship: Craig Stadler wins, shooting a 284. [1]
- April 18
- Kathy Whitworth wins LPGA CPC Women's Golf International. [1]
- Atlanta Braves win record 11th straight opening game (beat Houston Astros). [1]
- April 19
- Rosie Ruiz, marathon race cheater, arrested for forgery. [1]
- 11th Boston Women's Marathon won by Charlotte Teske of Germany in 2:29:33. [1]
- 86th Boston Marathon won by Alberto Salazar of Oregon in 2:08:51. [1]
- April 20
- With a 4-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds, the Atlanta Braves record their 12th consecutive victory to establish a major-league record for the most victories from the beginning of the season. [1] [56]
- April 21
- Atlanta Braves win their 13th straight game. [1]
- April 22
- Atlanta Braves lose after winning first 13 games of season. [1]
- April 24
- Firestone World Bowling Tournament of Champions won by Mike Durbin. [1]
- Saint Louis Cardinals win 12th game in a row; 7-4 over Philadelphia Phillies. [1]
- April 25
- Patty Sheehan wins LPGA Orlando Lady Golf Classic. [1]
- New York Yankees fire manager Bob Lemon. [1]
- April 26
- Gene Michaels becomes the New York Yankees' manager for the second time. [1] [56]
- April 30
- Atlanta Braves win record 12th straight from beginning of season. [1]
- May 1
- 108th Kentucky Derby: Ed Delahoussaye on Gato Del Sol wins in 2:02.4. [1]
- May 2
- Beth Daniel wins LPGA Birmingham Golf Classic. [1]
- May 4
- Minnesota Twins' rookie outfielder Jim Eisenreich, who suffers from Tourette's Syndrome, removes himself, due to taunts from Boston Red Sox bleacher fans. [1]
- May 5
- Stanley Cup: New York Islanders beat Vancouver Canucks, 4 games to 0. [1]
- May 6
- Seattle Mariners' Gaylord Perry becomes 15th pitcher to win 300 games. [1]
- May 7
- Federal jury rules NFL violates antitrust laws in preventing Oakland Raiders from moving to Los Angeles. [1]
- May 9
- Sally Little wins LPGA United Virginia Bank Golf Classic. [1]
- May 12
- FC Barcelona wins 22nd Europe Cup II. [1]
- US Football League forms. [1]
- May 13
- Chicago Cubs win their 8,000th baseball game (beat Houston Astros). [1]
- May 15
- 108th Preakness: 16-year-old Jack Kaenel aboard Aloma's Ruler wins in 1:55.4. [1]
- May 16
- Kathy Whitworth wins LPGA Lady Michelob Golf Tournament. [1]
- May 18
- Detroit Tigers' outfielder Larry Herndon is 14th to hit four consecutive homeruns. [1]
- May 19
- IFK Göteborg wins 11th UEFA Cup at Göteborg, Sweden. [1]
- May 23
- Cathy Morse wins LPGA Chrysler-Plymouth Charity Golf Classic. [1]
- May 25
- Chicago Cubs' Fergie Jenkins becomes the seventh pitcher in major league history to strike out 3,000 batters. [1] [56]
- May 26
- Aston Villa win the 27th European Cup beating Bayern Munich 1-0 in Rotterdam. [1] [116]
- May 27
- John McMullen buys NHL Colorodo Rockies and gets approval to move to New Jersey. [1]
- May 30
- Sandra Spuzich wins LPGA Corning Golf Classic. [1]
- Indianapolis 500: 1973 winner Gordon Johncock wins his second race over 1979 winner Rick Mears by 0.16 seconds, the closest finish to date. [1] [116]
- June 5
- Conquistador Cielo wins Belmont Stakes by 14.5 lengths. [1]
- June 7
- New York Mets draft Dwight Gooden, Roger McDowell and Randy Myers. [1]
- Los Angeles Dodgers' first baseman Steve Garvey becomes only the fifth player in major league history to play in 1,000 consecutive games. [56]
- June 8
- Los Angeles Lakers beat Philadelphia 76ers for the NBA championship. [1]
- June 11
- Larry Holmes defeats Gerry Cooney, retains WBC heavyweight crown. [1]
- June 20
- Pete Rose becomes the fifth major leaguer to appear in 3000 games. [56]
- June 22
- Philadelphia Phillies' Pete Rose moves into second place for career hits passing Hank Aaron with his 3,772 hit. [56]
- June 27
- The Atlanta Braves tie a major league mark with seven double plays as the team defeats the Cincinnati Reds, 2-0. [56]
- July 3
- Martina Navratilova defeats Chris Evert Lloyd at Wimbeldon. [1]
- July 4
- Jimmy Connors beats John McEnroe for his last Wimbeldon championship. [1]
- July 7
- David Moorcroft of United Kingdom sets record for 5000m, 13:00.41. [1]
- Steve Scott of US runs the mile in a record 3:47.69. [1]
- July 10
- Miguel Vasquez makes first public quadruple somersault on trapeze. [1]
- July 11
- Italy beats Federal Republic of Germany 3-1 for soccer's 12th World Cup in Madrid, Spain. [1] [116]
- July 13
- In the first All-Star game played outside the United States, the National League records its 11th straight win beating American League at Montreal's Olympic Stadium, 4-1. [1] [56]
- July 31
- Philadelphia Phillies' second baseman Manny Trillo ends his errorless streak at 479 chances setting a major league record. [56]
- August 1
- Hank Aaron, Frank Robinson, Travis Jackson, and Happy Chandler, are inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. [56]
- American Greg Louganis becomes first diver to score 700 (752.67) in 11 dives. [1]
- August 3
- Clyde King replaces Gene Michaels as New York Yankees' manager. [1]
- August 4
- New York Mets' Joel Youngblood singles in Chicago Cubs' day game, then singles for Montreal Expos in Philadelphia night game. (He was traded in between). [1]
- August 14
- With his 12,365th career at-bat, Philadelphia Phillies' Pete Rose passes Hank Aaron to become the all-time leader of plate appearances. [1] [56]
- August 18
- Passing Hank Aaron, Pete Rose becomes the all-time leader in plate appearances when he steps up the plate for the 13,941st time. [1] [56]
- Los Angeles Dodgers beat Chicago Cubs, 6-5, in 21 innings (game started August 17). [1]
- August 19
- Renaldo Nehemiah of US sets record for 110 m hurdles, 12.93 seconds. [1]
- August 20
- Don Lever becomes the first captain of the New Jersey Devils. [1]
- August 21
- Milwaukee Brewers' reliever Rollie Fingers becomes the first player in major league history to record 300 career saves as Milwaukee defeats the Seattle Mariners, 3-2. [56]
- Rollie Fingers (Milwaukee Brewers) becomes first pitcher to get save #300. [1]
- August 27
- Rickey Henderson steals 119th base of season; breaks Lou Brock's mark. [1]
- September 11
- Chris Evert scores 6th US Open tennis title defeating Hana Mandlikava. [1]
- September 13
- Joe Lefevre gets six hits in one baseball game. [1]
- September 14
- Trevor Baxter sets skateboard high jump record of 5 feet 5.7 inches. [1]
- September 17
- New Jersey Devils' first exhibition game, beating the Washington Capitals 3-1 in Hershey, Pennsylvania. [1]
- September 19
- Seattle Mariners' rookie Orlando Mercado becomes third player to hit a grand slam for his first major league hit. [56]
- New Orleans Saints' first road shutout victory beating Chicago Bears 10-0. [1]
- September 21
- 2,251 turn out to see the Montreal Expos play the New York Mets at Shea Stadium. [1]
- New Jersey Devils beat New York Rangers 3-2 in exhibition; first hockey in Meadowlands (New Jersey). [1]
- NFL players begin a 57-day strike. [1]
- October 3
- Cox 4 rowing record set at 12:52 for 99 miles (Geneva, Switzerland). [1]
- Record 11,763 start a 186-mile cross-country race near Stockholm, Sweden. [1]
- Scott Weiland runs Detroit marathon backwards in less than five hours. [1]
- October 5
- New Jersey Devils first game, ties Pittsburgh Penguins 3-3 at the Meadowlands Coliseum. [1]
- October 6
- Auburn's Al Del Greco kicks six field goals. [1]
- October 8
- New Jersey Devils first victory, beating New York Rangers 3-2 at the Meadowlands Coliseum. [1]
- October 12
- Milwaukee Brewers' Paul Molitor gets World Series record five hits (World Series #79). [1]
- October 13
- International Olympic Committee restores two gold medals from 1912 Olympics to Jim Thorpe. [1]
- New Jersey Devils first short handed goal-Don Lever. [1]
- October 14
- New York Islanders assessed 108 penalty minutes Pittsburgh Penguins 125 (233 total). [1]
- New York Islanders greatest shutout margin (9-0) versus Pittsburgh Penguins. [1]
- October 16
- New Jersey Devils first road victory 6-5 over Pittsburgh Penguins. [1]
- October 18
- The International Olympic Committee reinstates Jim Thorpe's amateur status for 1909-12, allowing his 1912 Olympic gold medals to be posthumously returned. [1020.815]
- October 20
- During the UEFA Cup match between FC Spartak Moscow and HFC Haarlem at least 63 people are crushed to death. [116]
- October 26
- Steve Carlton becomes first pitcher to win four Cy Young awards. [1]
- November 3
- Detroit Pistons block 20 Cleveland Cavalier shots tying NBA regulation game record. [1]
- November 5
- Cleveland Cavaliers lose 24th consecutive game (NBA record). [1]
- November 9
- Sugar Ray Leonard retires for the first time. [1]
- November 11
- 30th time New York Islanders shut-out-2-0 versus Minnesota North Stars. [1]
- November 13
- Korean boxer Duk Koo Kim fatally injured when knocked out by Ray Mancini. [1]
- November 16
- Agreement reached ending 57-day football strike. [1]
- November 20
- University of California, Berkeley executes "The Play" in a college football game against Stanford. Completing a wacky 57-yard kickoff return that includes five laterals, Kevin Moen runs through Stanford band members who had prematurely come onto the field. His touchdown stands and California wins 25-20. [116]
- November 23
- New York Islanders and Minnesota North Stars play to an 8-8 tie. [1]
- November 26
- Clyde King named New York Yankees' manager. [1]
- Howard Cossell calls his last fight after being disgusted by the Larry Holmes-Tex Cobb mismatch. [1]
- November 27
- Fifth time New York Rangers shut-out New York Islanders 3-0. [1]
- December 3
- First New Jersey Devils' hat-trick by Steve Tambellini, in defeating Hartford Whalers 5-4. [1]
- Tommy Hearns wins WBC Welterweight title in decision over Benitez. [1]
- December 4
- 48th Heisman Trophy Award: Herschel Walker, Georgia (Running Back). [1]
- December 5
- Ingrid Berghmans (Netherlands) retains judo's world championship. [1]
- Mel Gray ends NFL streak of 121 consecutive game receptions. [1]
- Cleveland Browns' Brian Sipe sets club record with 33 pass completions. [1]
- December 8
- Clark Gilles fails in 7th New York Islanders' penalty shot. [1]
- December 10
- Heavyweight Michael Doakes knocks out Mike Weaver in 1:03 in Las Vegas, Nevada. [1]
- December 12
- 57th Australian Women's Tennis: Chris Evert beats Martina Navratilova (6-3, 2-6, 6-3). [1]
- Joanne Carner/John Mahaffey win LPGA J C Penney Golf Classic. [1]
- December 13
- 71st Australian Men's Tennis: Johan Kriek beats Steve Denton (6-3, 6-3, 6-2). [1]
- New Jersey Devils' first hat trick-Steve Tambellini. [1]
- December 14
- Marcel Dionne, Los Angeles, California, becomes 9th NHL player to score 500 goals. [1]
- December 15
- Bill Parcells becomes the 12th head coach of the New York Giants. [1]
- December 16
- Tom Seaver agrees to new contract with New York Mets. [1]
- December 20
- Super Bowl XX is awarded to the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. [116]
- December 24
- Chaminade, with a student body of only 850 students, beats #1 ranked Virginia 77-72 in a Honolulu holiday basketball classic. [1]
- December 25
- Mudassar Nazar scores century, then Imran rips through Indians. [1]
- December 27
- Imran Khan 8-60 to bring innings victory versus India at Karachi. [1]
- December 29
- Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant ends his career with Alabama (323 wins). [1]
- December 30
- England defeats Australia by three runs at cricket Melbourne Cricket Ground. [1]
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