1940 in sports

1940 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.

Note — many sporting events did not take place because of World War II

American football

NFL championship

• Chicago Bears 73–0 Washington Redskins in the NFL championship game

College championship

• College football national championship – Minnesota Golden Gophers, Stanford Indians and Tennessee Volunteers (shared)

Athletics

• The 1940 Summer Olympics to be held in Helsinki, were cancelled due to outbreak of World War II. The major international athletics event of the year was thus the annual Finland-Sweden athletics international, held at the new Helsinki Olympic Stadium, exceptionally held as a triple international between Finland, Sweden and Germany.

Australian rules football

• Victorian Football League
  • Melbourne wins the 44th VFL Premiership (Melbourne 15.17 (107) d Richmond 10.8 (68))
  • Brownlow Medal awarded to Des Fothergill (Collingwood) and Herbie Matthews (South Melbourne)

Baseball

• The Cincinnati Reds defeated the Detroit Tigers in the World Series by 4 games to 3

Basketball

NBL Championship

• Akron Firestone Non-Skids win three games to two over the Oshkosh All-Stars

Events

• The eighth South American Basketball Championship in Montevideo is won by Uruguay.

Golf

Men's professional

• Masters Tournament – Jimmy Demaret
• U.S. Open – Lawson Little
• British Open – not played due to World War II
• PGA Championship – Byron Nelson

Men's amateur

• British Amateur – not played due to World War II
• U.S. Amateur – Dick Chapman

Women's professional

• Women's Western Open – Babe Zaharias
• Titleholders Championship – Helen Hicks

Horse racing

• March 2 – in his final race, Seabiscuit wins the $121,000 Santa Anita Handicap

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 – Gallahadion
  2. Preakness Stakes – Bimelech
  3. Belmont Stakes – Bimelech

Ice hockey

• The New York Rangers defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4 games to 2 to win the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup.

Motor racing

• Indianapolis 500 – Wilbur Shaw wins the 28th running of the May classic in the Boyle Racing Headquarters Special Maserati.

Olympic Games

1940 Winter Olympics

• The 1940 Winter Olympics, due to take place at Sapporo, are cancelled due to World War II

1940 Summer Olympics

• The 1940 Summer Olympics, due to take place at Tokyo, are cancelled due to World War II

Rowing

The Boat Race

• Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race is not contested due to World War II

Rugby union

• Five Nations Championship series is not contested due to World War II

Speed skating

Speed Skating World Championships

• not contested due to World War II

Tennis

Australia

• Australian Men's Singles Championship – Adrian Quist (Australia) defeats Jack Crawford (Australia) 6–3, 6–1, 6–2
• Australian Women's Singles Championship – Nancye Wynne Bolton (Australia) defeats Thelma Coyne Long (Australia) 5–7, 6–4, 6–0

England

• Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship – not contested
• Wimbledon Women's Singles Championship – not contested

France

• French Men's Singles Championship – not contested
• French Women's Singles Championship – not contested

USA

• American Men's Singles Championship – Don McNeill (USA) defeats Bobby Riggs (USA) 4–6, 6–8, 6–3, 6–3, 7–5
• American Women's Singles Championship – Alice Marble (USA) defeats Helen Jacobs (USA) 6–2, 6–3

Davis Cup

• 1940 International Lawn Tennis Challenge – not contested

Awards

• Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year – Tom Harmon, College football
• Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year – Alice Marble, Tennis