1937 in sports

1937 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.

American football

• First Cotton Bowl Classic is played in Dallas.
• Washington Redskins win the NFL title in their first year at Washington after moving from Boston. They defeat the Chicago Bears 28–21 in Chicago.
• The Cleveland Rams join the National Football League.

Association football

England

• First Division – Manchester City win the 1936–37 title.
• FA Cup – Sunderland beat Preston North End 3–1.

Sweden

• Allsvenskan 1936/1937: AIK

Australian rules football

• Victorian Football League
  • Geelong wins the 41st VFL Premiership (Geelong 18.14 (122) d Collingwood 12.18 (90))
  • Brownlow Medal awarded to Dick Reynolds (Essendon)

Baseball

• World Series – New York Yankees defeat New York Giants, 4–1.
• Hall of Fame election – Continuing toward the goal of 10 initial inductees from the 20th century, voters select Nap Lajoie, Tris Speaker and Cy Young. A special committee selects managers Connie Mack and John McGraw, former league presidents Morgan Bulkeley and Ban Johnson, and pioneer shortstop/promoter George Wright. Selections of 19th century players are postponed.

Basketball

Events

• Major professional basketball returns with the formation of the National Basketball League.
• Eurobasket 1937 – Lithuania win the second European basketball championship.
• The fifth South American Basketball Championship in Valparaíso and Santiago is won by Chile.
• The first NAIA Men's Division I basketball tournament played in Kansas City.

Field hockey

'* July 14 – foundation of HC Den Bosch, a Dutch club based in 's-Hertogenbosch

Figure skating

• World Figure Skating Championships –
  • Men's champion: Felix Kaspar, Austria
  • Ladies' champion: Megan Taylor, Great Britain
  • Pair skating champion: Maxi Herber & Ernst Baier, Germany

Golf

Men's professional

• Masters Tournament – Byron Nelson
• PGA Championship – Denny Shute
• U.S. Open – Ralph Guldahl
• British Open – Henry Cotton

Men's amateur

• British Amateur – Robert Sweeny Jr.
• U.S. Amateur – Johnny Goodman

Women's professional

• Women's Western Open – Helen Hicks
• Titleholders Championship – Patty Berg

Horse racing

Steeplechases

• Cheltenham Gold Cup –
• Grand National –

Flat races

• Australia – Melbourne Cup won by
• Canada – Queen's Plate won by
• France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won by
• Ireland – Irish Derby Stakes won by
• English Triple Crown Races:
  1. 2,000 Guineas Stakes –
  2. Epsom Derby –
  3. St. Leger Stakes –
• United States Triple Crown Races:
  1. Kentucky Derby – War Admiral
  2. Preakness Stakes –
  3. Belmont Stakes –

Motor racing

• European Grand Prix Champion – Rudolf Caracciola
• Wally Parks founds the Road Runners Club, considered to be the start of organised drag racing

Nordic skiing

FIS Nordic World Ski Championships

• 10th FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 1937 are held at Chamonix, France

Rowing

The Boat Race

• 24 March — Oxford wins the 89th Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race

Rugby union

• 50th Home Nations Championship series is won by England

Snooker

• World Snooker Championship – Joe Davis beats Horace Lindrum 32–29

Speed skating

Speed Skating World Championships

• Men's All-round Champion – Michael Staksrud (Norway)
• Women's All-round Champion – Laila Schou Nilsen (Norway)

Tennis

Australia

• Australian Men's Singles Championship – Vivian McGrath (Australia) defeats John Bromwich (Australia) 6–3, 1–6, 6–0, 2–6, 6–1
• Australian Women's Singles Championship – Nancye Wynne Bolton (Australia) defeats Emily Hood Westacott (Australia) 6–3, 5–7, 6–4

England

• Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship – Don Budge (USA) defeats Gottfried von Cramm (Germany) 6–3, 6–4, 6–2
• Wimbledon Women's Singles Championship – Dorothy Round Little (Great Britain) defeats Jadwiga Jedrzejowska (Poland) 6–2, 2–6, 7–5

France

• French Men's Singles Championship – Henner Henkel (Germany) defeats Bunny Austin (Great Britain) 6–1, 6–4, 6–3
• French Women's Singles Championship – Hilde Krahwinkel Sperling (Germany) defeats Simone Mathieu (France) 6–2, 6–4

USA

• American Men's Singles Championship – Don Budge (USA) defeats Gottfried von Cramm (Germaany) 6–1, 7–9, 6–1, 3–6, 6–1
• American Women's Singles Championship – Anita Lizana (Chile) defeats Jadwiga Jedrzejowska (Poland) 6–4, 6–2

Davis Cup

• 1937 International Lawn Tennis Challenge – United States 4–1 Great Britain at Centre Court, Wimbledon (grass) London, United Kingdom

Yacht racing

• The New York Yacht Club retains the America's Cup as Ranger defeats British challenger Endeavour II, of the Royal Yacht Squadron, 4 races to 0

Awards

• Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year – Don Budge, Tennis
• Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year – Katherine Rawls, Swimming