1947 in sports
| Years in sports: | 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 |
| Centuries: | 19th century · 20th century · 21st century |
| Decades: | 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s |
| Years: | 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 |
1947 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.
- Chicago Cardinals beat the Philadelphia Eagles 28-21 to win the NFL championship.
- Cleveland Browns beat the New York Yankees to win the AAFC championship.
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish – college football national championship
Colombia
- Atletico Nacional, officially founded in Medelin on March 7.[citation needed]
England
- First Division – Liverpool win the 1946-47 title.
- FA Cup – Charlton Athletic beat Burnley 1-0 after extra time
Spain
Italy
Germany
- No major football is held due to the Allied occupation of Germany.
France
Portugal
- Primeira Liga won by Sporting C.P.
Romania
- Asociatia Sportiva a Armatei Bucuresti (Bucharest Army Sports Association FC), a predecessor for Steaua Bucharest FC, officially founded on June 7.[citation needed]
- Carlton wins the 51st VFL Premiership, defeating Essendon 13.8 (86) to 11.19 (85) in the 1947 VFL Grand Final.
- Brownlow Medal awarded to Bert Deacon (Carlton)
South Australian National Football League
- 4 October – West Adelaide win their sixth SANFL premiership, defeating Norwood 10.15 (75) to 5.15 (45)
- Magarey Medal awarded to Bob Hank (West Torrens)
Western Australian National Football League
- 11 October – South Fremantle with their third WA(N)FL premiership but first since 1917, defeating West Perth 13.8 (86) to 9.17 (71)
- Sandover Medal awarded to Clive Lewington (South Fremantle)
- January 20 – death of Josh Gibson (35), famed Negro League slugger
- Jackie Robinson becomes the first African-American baseball player in Major League Baseball.
- April 27 – Babe Ruth Day was celebrated all across the Major Leagues, with Babe himself appearing at Yankee Stadium. Although stricken with throat cancer, Ruth said to the audience: "The only real game I think in the world is baseball."
- World Series – New York Yankees beat Brooklyn Dodgers 4 games to 3.
- June 27–28 – In the inaugural College World Series, California defeats Yale 2 games to 0 in the best-of-three series. The Yale team featured future U.S. President George Bush.
- Negro World Series – New York Cubans defeat the Cleveland Buckeyes, 4 games to 1.
BAA (NBA) Finals
- Philadelphia Warriors win four games to one over the Chicago Stags
NBL Championship
- Chicago American Gears win three games to two over the Rochester Royals
- Rocky Graziano defeats Tony Zale to win boxing’s world middleweight championship.
- December 5 – Joe Louis defeats Jersey Joe Walcott to retain his heavyweight championship
- Grey Cup – Toronto Argonauts defeat Winnipeg Blue Bombers 10–9
Events
- Dennis Compton and Bill Edrich both beat Tom Hayward’s 1906 record of 3,518 runs in a first-class season.
- England tour Australia for the first Ashes series since 1938, losing three Tests to nil
- South Africa tour England for the first time since 1935, losing three Tests to nil
- County Championship – Middlesex
- Minor Counties Championship – Surrey Second Eleven
- Most runs – Dennis Compton 3,816 @ 90.85 (HS 246)
- Most wickets – Tom Goddard 238 @ 17.38 (BB 9–41)
- Wisden Cricketers of the Year – Alan Melville, Norman Yardley, Martin Donnelly, Dudley Nourse, Jack Robertson
Australia
- Sheffield Shield – Victoria
- Most runs – Dennis Compton 1,432 @ 65.09 (HS 163)[1]
- Most wickets – Doug Wright 51 @ 33.31 (BB 7–105)[2]
India
- Ranji Trophy – 7–11 March: Baroda defeated Holkar by an innings and 409 runs
New Zealand
South Africa
- World Figure Skating Championship
- Men's champion: Hans Gerschwiler, Switzerland
- Ladies' champion: Barbara Ann Scott, Canada
- Pair skating champions: Micheline Lannoy & Pierre Baugniet, Belgium
Men’s professional
- Masters Tournament – Jimmy Demaret
- U.S. Open – Lew Worsham
- PGA Championship – Jim Ferrier
- British Open – Fred Daly
Men’s amateur
Women’s professional
- Women's Western Open – Louise Suggs
- U.S. Women's Open – Betty Jameson
- Titleholders Championship – Babe Zaharias
Steeplechases
Hurdle races
Flat races
- September 1, 1947: Calumet Farm of Lexington, Kentucky became the first stable in Thoroughbred racing history to surpass $1 million in annual earnings when Armed won the Washington Park Handicap.
- Australia – Melbourne Cup won by Hiraji[3]
- Canada – Queen's Plate won by Moldy
- France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won by Le Paillon
- Ireland – Irish Derby Stakes won by Sayajirao
- English Triple Crown Races:
- United States Triple Crown Races:
- Kentucky Derby – Jet Pilot
- Preakness Stakes – Faultless. This race is remembered for radio race caller Clem McCarthy declaring Jet Pilot the winner when in reality it was Faultless.
- Belmont Stakes – Phalanx
- Toronto Maple Leafs defeat Montreal Canadiens 4 games to 2 to win the Stanley Cup. Ted "Teeder" Kennedy scores the match-winning goal late in game six to win the Maple Leafs their first of three straight Cups, the first time any NHL team has accomplished that feat.
The Boat Race
- 29 March — Cambridge wins the 93rd Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race
- 1946–47 European Rugby League Championship/1947–48 European Rugby League Championship
- 1947 New Zealand rugby league season
- 1947 NSWRFL season
- 1946–47 Northern Rugby Football League season/1947–48 Northern Rugby Football League season
Five Nations Championship
- 53rd Five Nations Championship series is shared by England and Wales
- World Snooker Championship – Walter Donaldson beats Fred Davis 82-63.
Speed Skating World Championships
- Men's All-round Champion – Lassi Parkkinen (Finland)
- Women's All-round Champion – Verné Lesche (Finland)
Australia
- Australian Men's Singles Championship – Dinny Pails (Australia) defeats John Bromwich (Australia) 4–6, 6–4, 3–6, 7–5, 8–6
- Australian Women's Singles Championship – Nancye Wynne Bolton (Australia) defeats Nell Hall Hopman (Australia) 6–3, 6–2
England
- Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship – Jack Kramer (USA) defeats Tom Brown (USA) 6–1, 6–3, 6–2
- Wimbledon Women's Singles Championship – Margaret Osborne duPont (USA) defeats Doris Hart (USA) 6–2, 6–4
France
- French Men's Singles Championship – József Asbóth (Hungary) defeats Eric Sturgess (South Africa) 8–6, 7–5, 6–4
- French Women's Singles Championship – Patricia Canning Todd (USA) defeats Doris Hart (USA) 6–3, 3–6, 6–4
USA
- American Men's Singles Championship – Jack Kramer (USA) defeats Frank Parker (USA) 4–6, 2–6, 6–1, 6–0, 6–3
- American Women's Singles Championship – Louise Brough Clapp (USA) defeated Margaret Osborne duPont (USA) 8–6, 4–6, 6–1
Davis Cup
- 1947 Davis Cup –
United States 4–1 
Australia at West Side Tennis Club (grass) New York City, United States
Awards
- Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year – Johnny Lujack, College football
- Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year – Babe Didrikson Zaharias, LPGA golf