1983

January 1

• PGA inaugurates all-exempt tour. [1]
• Pennsylvania State beats Georgia in Sugar Bowl for college football title. [1]

January 2

• Ken Anderson of Cincinnati, Ohio completes record 20 consecutive passes. [1]

January 3

• Tony Dorsett sets NFL record with 99-yard rush, Dallas Cowboys versus Minnesota Vikings. [1]

January 4

• US Football League holds its first player draft. [1]

January 7

• Australia regain the Ashes with a 2-1 series win versus England. [1]

January 10

• New York Supreme Court issues a preliminary injunction barring New York Yankees from playing season-opening series against Detroit Tigers in Denver, Colorado. [1]

January 11

• Billy Martin named New York Yankees' manager for third time. [1]
• Billy Martin becomes the New York Yankees' manager for the third time, replacing Clyde King. [56]

January 12

• NCAA creates the football Kickoff Classic to begin in August. [1]
• Brooks Robinson and Juan Marichal elected to Baseball Hall of Fame. [1]

January 13

• Quebec Nordiques play 251st NHL game without being shut out. [1]
• American Medical Association urges ban on boxing, cites Muhammad Ali's deteriorating condition. [1]

January 15

• Hartford Whalers' smallest crowd 4,812 (beat New Jersey Devils) during blizzard. [1]
• Javed Miandad and Mudassar Nazar make 451 stand versus India. [1]

January 18

• International Olympic Committee restores Jim Thorpe's Olympic medals 70 years after they were taken from him for being paid $25 in semipro baseball. [1]

January 19

• Saint Louis Cardinals' infielder Ozzie Smith becomes baseball's first $1 million shortstop, signing a three-year contract. [56]

January 22

• Björn Borg retires from tennis after winning five consecutive Wimbledon championships. (January 23 [1]) [115]
• Fred Bakewell, cricketer (dashing England bat of 1930s, 6 Tests), dies. [1]

January 23

• Houston Rockets is first NBA team to be held scoreless in an overtime Portland Trail Blazers out-score them 17-0 and win 113-96. [1]
• Schöne skates ladies world record 5 km (7:40.97). [1]

January 24

• Hulk Hogan pins the Iron Sheik for World Wrestling Federation title. [1]

January 26

• Death of Paul "Bear" Bryant, American college football coach, at age 69 in Alabama (born 1913). [1] [115]

January 30

• Super Bowl XVII at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California: Washington Redskins beat Miami Dolphins, 27-17; Most Valuable Player: John Riggins, Running Back. [1] [115]
• Hilbert van Thumb becomes European skating champ. [1]
• Pat Bradley wins LPGA Mazda of Deer Creek Golf Classic. [1]

February 2

• Bryan Valentine, cricketer (7 Tests for England, 454 runs), dies. [1]

February 3

• US female Figure Skating championship won by Rosalynn Sumners. [1]

February 4

• US male Figure Skating championship won by Scott Hamilton. [1]

February 6

• 13th NFL Pro Bowl: NFC beats AFC 20-19. [1]
• Nancy Lopez wins LPGA Elizabeth Arden Golf Classic. [1]

February 8

• Champion thoroughbred Shergar kidnapped in Ireland; never found; Lloyds of London pays US$10.6 million insurance. [1]
• Wayne Gretzky sets NHL all star record of four goals in one period. [1]
• 35th NHL All-Star Game: Campbell beats Wales 9-3 at New York Islanders. [1]
• Baseball orders Mickey Mantle to sever ties with Claridge Casino. [1]

February 13

• Donna White wins LPGA Sarasota Golf Classic. [1]
• World Boxing Council becomes first to cut boxing from 15 to 12 rounds. [1]
• 33rd NBA All-Star Game: East beats West 132-123 at Los Angeles, California. [1]
• Australia beats New Zealand 2-0 to win World Series Cup. [1]

February 17

• Bob Bourne fails on 8th New York Islanders' penalty shot. [1]

February 19

• Vladimir Salnikov (USSR) sets 400-metre freestyle swimming record. [1]
• Fernando Valenzuela wins his salary arbitration of US$1 million. [1]

February 20

• Roland Liboton becomes world champion cross-country cycling. [1]

February 21

• Donald Davis runs one mile backwards in 6 minutes 7.1 seconds. [1]
• NBA San Diego Clippers begin a 29-game road losing streak. [1]

February 22

• Romain Maes, Belgian bicyclist (Tour de France 1935), dies at age 70. [1]
• Vladimir Salnikov (USSR) sets 1500 metre freestyle swimming record. [1]

February 23

• USFL New Jersey Generals sign Heisman winner Herschel Walker (3 years - US$5 million). [1]

February 27

• Eamonn Coghlan sets indoor mile record of 3:49.78. [1]
• Jan Stephenson wins Tucson Conquistadores LPGA Golf Tournament. [1]

March 1

• Tamara McKinney becomes first US woman skier to win the World Cup. [1]

March 5

• New South Wales beats Western Australia by 54 runs to win Sheffield Shield. [1]

March 6

• US Football League begins its first season. [1]
• Anne-Marie Palli wins LPGA Samaritan Turquoise Golf Classic. [1]

March 10

• Walter Alston, Los Angeles Dodgers manager, elected to Hall of Fame. [1]

March 11

• World Ice Dance Championship in Helsinki Finland won by Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean (Great Britain). [1]
• World Ice Pairs Figure Skating Championship in Helsinki won by Elena Valova and Oleg Vasiliev (USSR). [1]
• World Ladies Figure Skating Championship in Helsinki won by Rosalynn Sumners (USA). [1]
• World Men's Figure Skating Championship in Helsinki won by Scott Hamilton (USA). [1]

March 12

• Don Ritchie runs world record 50 mile (4:01:09). [1]

March 13

• First USFL overtime game-Birmingham Stallions beat Oakland Invaders 20-14. [1]
• Louison Bobet, French cyclist (Tour de France 1953-55), dies at age 58. [1]

March 15

• Karnataka beats Bombay on first innings to win cricket Ranji Trophy. [1]

March 16

• Smallest crowd (1814) at Cleveland Coliseum for NBA game, Cleveland Caviliers versus New Jersey Nets. [1]

March 17

• 70th hat trick in New York Islanders' history-Mike Bossy. [1]

March 20

• Kathy Whitworth wins LPGA Women's Kemper Golf Open. [1]

March 25

• Pavel Pegov skates world record 1000 metre (1:12.58). [1]
• Christa Rothenburger skates world record 500 metre ladies (39.69 seconds). [1]

March 27

• Larry Holmes beats Lucien Rodriguez in 12 rounds for heavyweight boxing title. [1]

April 1

• New York Islanders' Mike Bossy becomes first to score 60 goals in three consecutive seasons. [1]

April 3

• 12th Nabisco Dinah Shore Golf Championship won by Amy Alcott. [1]
• Second NCAA Women's Basketball Championship: Southern California beats Los Angeles Tech 69-67. [1]

April 4

• 45th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: North Carolina State beats Houston 54-52. [1]

April 5

• New York Mets' Tom Seaver's sets record 14th National League Opening Day assignment. [1]

April 7

• WIBC Championship Tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada, attracts 75,480 women bowlers for 83-day event. [1]

April 10

• Nancy Lopez wins LPGA J&B Scotch Pro-Am Golf Tournament. [1]
• Washington Capitals 3-New York Islanders 6 - Patrick Division Semifinals - Islanders win series 3-2. [1]
• Baltimore Orioles' Eddie Murray hits his 1,000 career hit. [1]
• Hennie Kuiper (Netherlands) wins Paris-Roubaix cycle race. [1]

April 11

• 47th Golf Masters Championship: Seve Ballesteros wins, shooting a 280. [1]

April 14

• New York Islanders tie own record with two shorthanded playoff goals in a period versus New York Rangers. [1]
• Nina Dumbadze, Russian discus thrower (Olympics-bronze-1952), dies at age 64. [1]
• North Carolina State beats Houston for NCAA basketball title. [1]

April 16

• Setting a National League consecutive game-played record, Los Angeles Dodgers' first baseman Steve Garvey appears in his 1,118th straight game. [1] [56]

April 17

• New York Islanders tie NHL record with three shorthanded playoff goals versus New York Rangers; Rangers 7-Islanders 6-Patrick Division Finals- Islanders hold 2-1 lead; Wayne Gretzky scores 7 goals. [1]
• Lynn Adams wins LPGA Combanks Orlando Golf Classic. [1]
• Baseball pitcher Nolan Ryan strikes out his 3,500th batter. [1]
• Grete Waltz runs female world record marathon (2:25:29). [1]

April 18

• Alan Melville, cricketer (11 Tests for South Africa, 894 runs), dies. [1]
• 12th Boston Women's Marathon won by Joan Benoit Samuelson in 2:22:43. [1]
• 87th Boston Marathon won by Greg Meyer of Massachusetts in 2:09:00. [1]

April 22

• New York Rangers 2-New York Islanders 5-Patrick Division Finals-Islanders win series 4-2. [1]
• Start of first Sri Lanka-Australia Test Cricket match (at Kandy). [1]

April 23

• David Hookes scores his only Test Cricket century, 143 versus Sri Lanka. [1]
• Buster Crabbe, 400 metre US swimmer (Olympics-gold-1932)/actor, dies from a heart attack in Scottsdale, Arizona at age 76. [1]

April 24

• Hollis Stacy wins LPGA S&H Golf Classic. [1]

April 26

• San Antonio spurs beat Denver Nuggets 152-133 in NBA playoff game. [1]

April 27

• Houston Astros' pitcher Nolan Ryan breaks Walter Johnson's 56-year old record by striking out Brad Mills for his 3,509th career strikeout. [56]

April 28

• Ron James, cricketer (New South Wales's Sheffield Shield captain 1949-50), dies. [1]

May 1

• Hollis Stacy wins LPGA CPC International Golf Tournament. [1]
• Nolan Ryan surpasses Walter Johnson for most strikeouts (3,508). [1]
• V N Swamy, Indian cricket pace bowler (without distinction), dies. [1]

May 7

• 109th Kentucky Derby: Ed Delahoussaye on Sunny's Halo wins in 2:02.2. [1]
• August Hoffman performs record 29,051 consecutive sit-ups. [1]
• Boston Bruins 4-New York Islanders 8-Wales Conference Championship-Isles win series 4-2. [1]

May 8

• Janet Coles wins LPGA Lady Michelob Golf Tournament. [1]

May 10

• Lee Chin Yong performs 170 continuous chin-ups in Seoul, Korea. [1]

May 11

• Aberdeen FC wins the European Cup Winners Cup - beating Real Madrid 2-1 in the final played in Gothenburg, Sweden. [1] [115]

May 13

• Reggie Jackson is first major league player to strike out 2,000 times. [1]

May 14

• Rosa Mota runs female world record 20k (1:06:55.5). [1]

May 15

• Lenore Muraoka wins LPGA United Virginia Bank Golf Classic. [1]

May 17

• Stanley Cup: New York Islanders sweep Edmonton Oilers in four games. [1]

May 20

• Michael Dokes and Mike Weaver fight to a draw in 15 for heavyweight boxing title. [1]
• Philadelphia Phillies' Steve Carlton passes W Johnson with second-most strike outs. [1]
• Larry Holmes beats Tim Witherspoon in 12 for heavyweight boxing title. [1]

May 21

• 109th Preakness: Donald Miller Jr on Deputed Testamony wins in 1:55.4. [1]

May 22

• Pat Bradley wins LPGA Chrysler-Plymouth Charity Golf Tournament. [1]
• Toronto Blue Jays' Cliff Johnson hits record 18th pinch hit homerun. [1]

May 25

• Kirk Gibson (Detroit Tigers) and Jorge Orta (Toronto Blue Jays) hit inside park homeruns. [1]

May 26

• Los Angeles Lakers set NBA playoff game record of fewest free throws. [1]
• 29th Walker Cup: US 13.5-Great Britain/Ireland 10.5. [1]

May 28

• Hamburger ZV wins 28th Europe Cup 1 in Athens, Greece. [1]

May 29

• Indianapolis 500: Tom Sneva wins his first race after three previous runner-up finishes. [115]
• Patty Sheehan wins LPGA Corning Golf Classic. [1]
• Yuri Dumchev of USSR throws discus a record 71.86 metres. [1]

May 30

• American League president Lee MacPhail suspends New York Yankees' owner George Steinbrenner for one week, for his public criticism of umpires. [1]
• Surrey all out for 14 versus Essex, their lowest score ever. [1]

May 31

• 37th NBA Championship: Philadelphia 76ers sweep Los Angeles Lakers in four games. [1]

June 5

• Yannich Noah becomes first Frenchman to win French Open since WW II. [1]

June 7

• Steve Carlton of the Philadelphia Phillies strikes out Lonnie Smith for his 3,522nd career strikeout to pass Nolan Ryan as the all-time strikeout leader. [56]

June 8

• Charlos Vieira begins 191-hour "nonstop" cycling in Leiria, Portugal. [1]

June 16

• Charlos Vieira completes 191-hour "nonstop" cycling in Leiria, Portugal. [1]

June 20

• New York Yankees' Bobby Murcer retires. [1]

June 22

• NHL institutes a 5-minute sudden death overtime period. [1]

June 24

• Don Sutton becomes 8th pitcher to strikeout 3,000 batters. [1]

June 25

• Udo Beyer of East Germany sets record for shot put, 22.22m. [1]
• India wins the Prudential Cup (Cricket World Cup). [115]

July 3

• Calvin Smith of US becomes fastest man alive (9.93s for 100m). [1]
• John McEnroe regains men's singles title at Wimbledon. [1]

July 4

• New York Yankees' Dave Righetti no-hits the Boston Red Sox. [1]

July 5

• New Jersey Devils purchase AHL Maine Mariners as their farm team. [1]

July 6

• Fred Lynn of California Angels hits All-Star game first grand slam (American League wins 13-3). [1]

July 24

• George Brett, batting for the Kansas City Royals against the New York Yankees, has a game-winning home run nullified in the "Pine Tar Incident." [1] [5]

July 26

• Jarmila Kratochvilova of Czech sets 800m woman's record (1:53.28). [1]

July 29

• Steve Garvey ends his National League record 1,207 consecutive game streak. [1]

July 30

• Weight lifter Sergei Didyk of USSR jerks a record 261 kg. [1]

July 31

• Brooks Robinson, Juan Marichal, George Kell and Walter Alston are inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. [56]

August 6

• Minnesota Vikings beat Saint Louis Cardinals 28-10 in London, England (NFL expo). [1]

August 7

• First World Track and Field Championships. [1]
• Bobby Murcer day at Yankee Stadium. [1]
• Grete Waitz of Norway wins first all-women Marathon (Helsinki, Finland). [1]

August 19

• LSU footballer Billy Cannon sentenced to five years for counterfeiting. [1]

August 25

• Triple A baseball's Louisville breaks one million fan mark. [1]

August 28

• Joseph Kreckman sets record of 2,215 clay pigeons shot in an hour. [1]

August 31

• Edwin Moses of USA sets the 400m hurdle record (47.02) in Koblenz. [1]

September 4

• Greg LeMond becomes only American to win cycling's Road Championship. [1]
• Scott Michael Pellaton sets barefoot waterski speed record (119.36 mph). [1]

September 5

• Elmer Trettr sets record for highest terminal velocity at 201.34 mph end of a 440-yard motorcycle run from a standing start. [1]

September 9

• Vitas Gerulatis bets his house that Martina Navratilova can't beat the 100th ranked male tennis player. [1]

September 11

• Franco Harris becomes third NFL player to rush 11,000 yards. [1]

September 18

• New Orleans Saints' first overtime victory; beating Chicago Bears 34-31. [1]

September 20

• 3,112 turn out to see the Pittsburgh Pirates play the New York Mets at Shea Stadium. [1]

September 22

• Zhu Jianhau (China) sets high jump record at 7 feet 9.75 inches. [1]

September 23

• Philadelphia Phillies' Steve Carlton wins his 300th game (beating Saint Louis Cardinals). [1]

September 26

• Ali Haji-Sheikh kicks New York Giants' record 56-yard field goal. [1]
• Australia II wins America's Cup yacht race (first non-US winner). [1] [115]
• Saint Louis Cardinals' pitcher Bob Forsch second no-hitter beats Montreal Expos, 3-0. [1]

September 29

• Oakland Athletics' Mike Warren no-hits Chicago White Sox, 3-0. [1]

October 2

• Carl Yastrezemski's last at bat. [1]

October 6

• Buffalo Bills' quarterback Joe Ferguson passes 419 yards with five touchdowns. [1]
• New York Islander's Mike Bossy's earns 25th career hat trick. [1]
• New York Jets announce they are leaving Shea Stadium for the Meadowlands Coliseum. [1]

October 8

• The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-2 to win the National League Championship Series. [56]
• Washington Capitals' first NHL overtime game losing to New York Islanders 8-7. [1]

October 15

• Chicago Black Hawks and Toronto Maple Leafs combine for fastest five goals in NHL hockey (84 seconds). [1]
• Columbia beats Yale 21-18 in football, will lose next 44 games. [1]

October 16

• The Baltimore Orioles defeat the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 5 of the World Series, 5-0, to win the series 4 games to 1 for their 3rd World Championship. [1] [115]

October 31

• Death of George S. Halas, American football player and coach at age 88 (born 1895). [1] [115]

November 4

• Washington Capitals' first NHL overtime victory beating Vancouver Canucks 5-4. [1]

November 7

• Ali Haji-Sheikh kicks his second New York Giants' record 56-yard field goal. [1]

November 12

• New Jersey Devils, first overtime game, lose to Calgary Flames 4-3. [1]

November 15

• Mike Bossy scores 75th hat trick in New York Islanders' history. [1]

November 20

• Cleveland Browns shutout New England Patriots 30-0. [1]
• New York Giants' Butch Woolfolk ties NFL record of 43 attempts rushing. [1]

November 30

• Denver Nuggets' coach Doug Moe, hopelessly behind, advises team to let Portland Trail Blazers break their scoring record. [1]

December 2

• Atholl Mckinnon, cricketer (South African lefty spinner in 8 Tests), dies. [1]

December 3

• 49th Heisman Trophy Award: Mike Rozier, Nebraska (RB). [1]

December 4

• New Jersey Devils' first shut-out, beating Detroit Red Wings 6-0. [1]

December 5

• Los Angeles Dodgers' pitcher Steve Howe is suspended for one year for cocaine use. [1]

December 10

• 58th Australian Women's Tennis: M Navratilova beats K Jordan (6-2, 7-6). [1]
• Last NFL game at Shea Stadium; Pittsburgh Steelers beat New York Jets 34-7. [1]

December 11

• Grêmio (Brazil) becomes the new soccer world champion, after beating Hamburger SV (Germany) by 2-1. [115]
• 72nd Australian Men's Tennis: Mats Wilander beats Ivan Lendl (6-1, 6-4, 6-4). [1]
• Jan Stephens/Fred Couples win LPGA J C Penney Golf Classic. [1]

December 13

• The Denver Nuggets and the visiting Detroit Pistons combine for an NBA record 370 points, with Detroit winning in triple overtime, 186-184. [1] [115]
• New York Islander's Butch Goring scores four goals against Edmonton Oilers. [1]

December 15

• Three Kansas City Royals' players suspended due to cocaine usage. [1]

December 16

• Replacing Billy Martin, Yogi Berra is hired for the second time to manage the New York Yankees. [1] [56]

December 18

• NBA San Diego Clippers end 29-game road losing streak. [1]

December 19

• The original FIFA World Cup trophy, the Jules Rimet Trophy, is stolen from the headquarters of the Brazilian Football Confederation in Rio de Janeiro. [5]

December 20

• Guy Lafleur, Montreal Canadians, becomes 10th NHL player to score 500 goals. [1]
• New York Islanders score their most goals (11) versus Pittsburgh Penguins. [1]

December 21

• NBA Indiana Pacers end a 28-game road losing streak. [1]
• NCAA rules rescind last two-minute men's basketball free throw rule. [1]

December 22

• New York Islanders score three shorthanded goals against Washington Capitals. [1]

December 26

• Test Cricket debut of Gregory Richard John Matthews, versus Pakistan Melbourne Cricket Ground. [1]

December 28

• 72nd Davis Cup: Australia beats Sweden in Melbourne (3-2). [1]
• Warren Cromartie signs three year US$2.5 million contract with Yomiuri Giants. [1]

December 29

• Gavaskar makes the highest Test Cricket score by an Indian, 236 versus West Indies. [1]
• Graeme Yallop completes 268 versus Pakistan at cricket Melbourne Cricket Ground. [1]

December 31

• Bill Hunt, cricketer (Test for Australia, out 0, took 0-25 and 0-14), dies. [1]