1917 in sports
1917 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.
Note — many sporting events did not take place because of World War I
American football
College championship
Association football
Europe
- There is no major football in Europe due to World War I
Norway
- Foundation of Rosenborg BK at Trondheim
Athletics
Men's 1500 metres
- John Zander (Sweden) breaks the world record by running a time of 3:54.7 at Stockholm.
Australian rules football
VFL Premiership:
- Collingwood wins the 21st VFL Premiership: Collingwood 9.20 (74) d Fitzroy 5.9 (39) at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)
South Australian Football League:
- not contested due to World War I
West Australian Football League:
- 15 September: South Fremantle 6.5 (41) defeats East Fremantle 3.8 (26) for their second consecutive WAFL premiership.
Bandy
Sweden
- Championship final – IFK Uppsala 11–2 AIK
Baseball
World Series
- 6–15 October — Chicago White Sox (AL) defeats New York Giants (NL) to win the 1917 World Series by 4 games to 2.
Boxing
Events
- Ted "Kid" Lewis regains the World Welterweight Championship and holds it until 1919.
- Al McCoy loses the World Middleweight Championship title to Mike O'Dowd, who knocks him out in the 6th round at Brooklyn
- Benny Leonard, widely regarded as the greatest-ever lightweight, defeats Freddie Welsh at New York to win the World Lightweight Championship, which he holds until he retires in 1925
- Another great champion, Pete Herman defeats Kid Williams over 20 rounds at New Orleans to take the World Bantamweight Championship, which he holds until 1920
Lineal world champions[1]
- World Heavyweight Championship – Jess Willard
- World Light Heavyweight Championship – Battling Levinsky
- World Middleweight Championship – Al McCoy → Mike O'Dowd
- World Welterweight Championship – Jack Britton → Ted "Kid" Lewis
- World Lightweight Championship – Freddie Welsh → Benny Leonard
- World Featherweight Championship – Johnny Kilbane
- World Bantamweight Championship – Kid Williams → Pete Herman
- World Flyweight Championship – Jimmy Wilde
Canadian football
Grey Cup
- not contested due to World War I
Cricket
Events
- There is no first-class cricket in England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa or the West Indies due to World War I
India
- Bombay Quadrangular – Europeans shared with Parsees
Cycling
- not contested due to World War I
- not contested due to World War I
Figure skating
World Figure Skating Championships
- not contested due to World War I
Golf
Events
- All major championships are cancelled due to World War I
Horse racing
England
- Grand National – not held due to World War I
- 1,000 Guineas Stakes – Diadem
- 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Gay Crusader
- Epsom Derby – Gay Crusader
- Epsom Oaks – Sunny Jane
- St. Leger Stakes – Gay Crusader
Australia
- Melbourne Cup – Westcourt
Canada
- Queen's Plate – Belle Mahone
Ireland
- Irish Grand National – Pay Only
- Irish Derby Stakes – First Flier
USA
- Kentucky Derby – Omar Khayyam
- Preakness Stakes – Kalitan
- Belmont Stakes – Hourless
Ice hockey
Stanley Cup
- 17–26 March — Seattle Metropolitans (PCHA) defeats Montreal Canadiens (NHA) in the 1917 Stanley Cup Finals by 3 games to 1
Events
- Allan Cup – Toronto Dentals
- 10 November — after Eddie Livingstone, owner of the Toronto NHA team, refuses to sell, the NHA votes to suspend operations
- 26 November — in a secret meeting, several owners of the NHA form the National Hockey League (NHL) to force out the owner of the Toronto Blueshirts NHA team. Toronto’s Arena Gardens will operate a temporary franchise in Toronto while Quebec Bulldogs becomes a NHL member but is suspended for the inaugural season.
- 19 December — the opening NHL games are played to begin the new league’s inaugural season
Motor racing
Events
- No major races are held anywhere worldwide due to World War I
Multi-sport events
Far Eastern Championship Games
- Third Far Eastern Championship Games held in Tokyo, Empire of Japan
Rowing
The Boat Race
- Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race – not contested due to World War I
- International Eight Boat Race - England v Australia. Rowed Putney To Hammersmith, London, 20th Oct. 1917. Won By Australia by 3/4 length.
Rugby league
England
- All first-class competitions are cancelled due to World War I
Australia
- NSW Premiership – Balmain (outright winner)
New Zealand
Rugby union
Five Nations Championship
- Five Nations Championship series is not contested due to World War I
Speed skating
Speed Skating World Championships
- not contested due to World War I
Tennis
Australia
- Australian Men's Singles Championship – not contested due to World War I
England
- Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship – not contested due to World War I
- Wimbledon Women's Singles Championship – not contested due to World War I
France
- French Men's Singles Championship – not contested due to World War I
- French Women's Singles Championship – not contested due to World War I
USA
- American Men's Singles Championship – Lindley Murray (USA) defeats Nathaniel Niles (USA) 5–7 8–6 6–3 6–3
- American Women's Singles Championship – Molla Bjurstedt Mallory (Norway) defeats Marion Vanderhoef Morse (USA) 4–6 6–0 6–2
Davis Cup
- 1917 International Lawn Tennis Challenge – not contested