1914 in sports

Boston Braves (NL) defeats Philadelphia Athletics (AL) by 4 games to 0. This "Miracle Braves" upset will be the only National League win in the nine seasons of 1910–18.

Events

The "Federal League War" ensues when the Federal League leaves Minor League Baseball and competes with the two established major leagues. Retaining clubs in Kansas City, Indianapolis, St Louis, Chicago and Pittsburgh, the Federal League sets up additional clubs in Buffalo, Baltimore and Brooklyn.
Baltimore Terrapins are a great popular success and drive the minor Orioles out of business, so creating the basis of the baseball anti–trust case
22 April — Babe Ruth pitches his first professional game for the Baltimore Orioles at age 19

[edit] Boxing

Events

Jack Johnson spends the year moving from one country to another but stages exhibition fights as far afield as Gothenburg and Buenos Aires. In June, he defends his world heavyweight title against Frank Moran in Paris and wins over 20 rounds.
1 to 24 January — Danish boxer Waldemar Holberg defeats Ray Bronson over 20 rounds in Melbourne and claims the vacant World Welterweight Championship. Just 23 days later, Holberg loses the title to Tom McCormick after a sixth round foul, also at Melbourne.
21 March — McCormick loses the welterweight title to Matt Wells over 20 rounds at Sydney.
30 March — a World Flyweight Championship (108lb to 112lb) is proposed for the first time after Jimmy Wilde defeats Eugene Husson in London. Wilde, subsequently ranked by most experts as the greatest-ever flyweight, holds the title until 1923.
7 April — Al McCoy defeats George Chip with a surprise first round knockout in Brooklyn, New York, to take the World Middleweight Championship. McCoy holds the title until 1917.
With a series of wins from April to November, Jack Dillon resolves the long-standing issue of the vacant World Light Heavyweight Championship in his favour. He defeats Battling Levinsky, Bob Moha, Frank Mantell and Charley Weinert to claim the title, which he holds until 1916.
3 June — Kid Williams defeats Johnny Coulon by a third round knockout at Vernon, California, to win the World Bantamweight Championship. Williams holds the title until 1917.
7 July — Freddie Welsh defeats Willie Ritchie over 20 rounds in London to win the World Lightweight Championship. Welsh holds the title until 1917.

Lineal world champions^[1]

World Heavyweight Championship – Jack Johnson
World Light Heavyweight Championship – vacant → Jack Dillon
World Middleweight Championship – George Chip → Al McCoy
World Welterweight Championship – vacant → Waldemar Holberg → Tom McCormick → Matt Wells
World Lightweight Championship – Willie Ritchie → Freddie Welsh
World Featherweight Championship – Johnny Kilbane
World Bantamweight Championship – Johnny Coulon → Kid Williams
World Flyweight Championship – Jimmy Wilde

[edit] Canadian football

Grey Cup

6th Grey Cup in the Canadian Football League – Toronto Argonauts 14–2 University of Toronto Varsity Blues

[edit] Cricket

Events

The 1914 English cricket season is cancelled at the end of August because of the outbreak of the First World War. The last four matches to be played all finish on 2 September and the remaining five scheduled fixtures are cancelled.

Honours – England

County Championship – Surrey
Minor Counties Championship – undecided
Most runs – Jack Hobbs 2697 @ 58.63 (HS 226)
Most wickets – Colin Blythe 170 @ 15.19 (BB 9–97)
Wisden Cricketers of the Year – Johnny Douglas, Percy Fender, Wally Hardinge, Donald Knight, Sydney Smith

Honours – Australia

Sheffield Shield – New South Wales
Most runs – Charlie Macartney 892 @ 111.50 (HS 201)
Most wickets – Charles Kelleway 45 @ 12.68 (BB 7–35)

Honours – South Africa

Currie Cup – not contested
Most runs – Jack Hobbs 1489 @ 74.45 (HS 170)
Most wickets – Sydney Barnes 104 @ 10.74 (BB 9–103)

Honours – India

Bombay Quadrangular – Hindus shared with Muslims
Most runs – Dinkar Deodhar 157 @ 31.40 (HS 67)
Most wickets – S A Aziz 18 @ 12.83 (BB 7–58)

Honours – New Zealand

Plunket Shield – Canterbury
Most runs – Victor Trumper 628 @ 69.77 (HS 293)
Most wickets – Warwick Armstrong 52 @ 15.17 (BB 7–17)

[edit] Cycling

Tour de France

Philippe Thys (Belgium) wins the 12th Tour de France

[edit] Figure skating

World Figure Skating Championships

World Men's Champion – Gosta Sandahl (Sweden)
World Women's Champion – Opika von Méray Horváth (Hungary)
World Pairs Champions – Ludowika Jakobsson-Eilers / Walter Jakobsson (Finland)

[edit] Golf

Major tournaments

British Open – Harry Vardon
US Open – Walter Hagen

Other tournaments

British Amateur – J L C Jenkins
US Amateur – Francis Ouimet

[edit] Horse racing

England

Grand National – Sunloch
1,000 Guineas Stakes – Princess Dorrie
2,000 Guineas Stakes – Kennymore
Epsom Derby – Durbar
Epsom Oaks – Princess Dorrie
St. Leger Stakes – Black Jester

Australia

Melbourne Cup – Kingsburgh

Canada

Queen's Plate – Beehive

Ireland

Irish Grand National – Civil War
Irish Derby Stakes – Land of Song

USA

Kentucky Derby – Old Rosebud
Preakness Stakes – Holiday
Belmont Stakes – Luke Mcluke

[edit] Ice hockey

Stanley Cup

Toronto Blueshirts wins the National Hockey Association (NHA) championship and their first Stanley Cup.

Events

Victoria Aristocrats wins the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA) championship
Blueshirts play Aristocrats in a challenge series with Blueshirts winning by three games to nil. The NHA and PCHA agree to start an annual playoff in 1915 to decide the Stanley Cup winner.
Regina Victorias wins the Allan Cup

[edit] Motor racing

Grand Prix racing

4 July — the 6th French Grand Prix, organised by the Automobile Club de France (ACF), is run at Lyon over 752.58 km (37.629 km x 20 laps). The winner is Christian Lautenschlager of Germany driving a Mercedes 18/100 in 7:08:18.4. The race is retrospectively referred to as the XIV Grand Prix de l´ACF.

Indianapolis 500

30 May — 4th running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is won by René Thomas (France) in a Delage Type Y.

Vanderbilt Cup

26 February — 9th running of the Vanderbilt Cup at Santa Monica is won by Ralph DePalma (Italy) driving a Mercedes GP.

American Grand Prize

28 February — 5th running of the American Grand Prize takes place at Santa Monica over 648.934 km (13.519 km x 48 laps) and is won by Eddie Pullen (USA) driving a Mercer 35-R in 5:13:30.