- February 13
- Donald Bradman scores 209 in 161 minutes for South Australia at the WACA. [1]
- February 17
- Donald Bradman scores 135 in a non-Shield match for South Africa versus West Australia. [1]
- February 25
- First televised (W2XBS, New York City) hockey game (New York Rangers versus Montreal Canadiens). [1]
- February 28
- First televised basketball game (college game at New York City's Madison Square Garden-University of Pittsburgh beats Fordham University, 50-37). [1]
- March 2
- First intercollegiate track meet telecast, Madison Square Garden, New York City. [1]
- March 7
- Montreal Canadiens lose record tying NHL 15th straight game at home. [1]
- Ray Steele beats B Nagurski in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA, to become wrestling champion. [1]
- March 29
- Joe Louis knocks out Johnny Paycheck in two rounds to retain heavyweight boxing title. [1]
- March 30
- Second NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Indiana University beats Kansas 60-42. [1]
- April 7
- 7th Golf Masters Championship: Jimmy Demaret beats Lloyd Mangrum, shooting a 280. [1]
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- April 12
- NFL cuts clipping penalty from 25 yards to 15 yards. [1]
- April 13
- Cornelious Warmerdam becomes the first man to pole vault 15 feet, Berkeley, California. [1]
- Stanley Cup: New York Rangers beat Toronto Maple Leafs, 4 games to 2. [1]
- April 16
- First televised baseball game, WGN-TV, (Chicago White Sox versus Chicago Cubs exhibition). [1]
- Cleveland Indians' Bob Feller hurls an opening day no-hitter versus Chicago, 1-0. [1]
- April 19
- 44th Boston Marathon won by Gerard Coté of Canada in 2:28:28.6. [1]
- April 21
- Netherlands beats Belgium 4-2 in soccer. [1]
- April 23
- New York Yankees dedicate a plaque to Jacob Rupert. [1]
- April 30
- Brooklyn Dodgers' Tex Carleton no-hits Cincinnati Reds, 3-0. [1]
- May 1
- The 1940 Olympics are cancelled. [1]
- May 4
- 66th Kentucky Derby: Carroll Bierman aboard Gallahadion wins in 2:05. [1]
- May 11
- 66th Preakness: Fred A Smith aboard Bimelech wins in 1:58.6. [1]
- May 14
- Boston Bees' Jimmie Foxx's homerun goes over Comiskey Park's left field roof. [1]
- May 20
- Soccer team HZVV forms in Hoogeveen, Netherlands. [1]
- Trailing 7-1 in the 9th to Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Athletics wins 8-7. [1]
- May 24
- First night game at New York's Polo Grounds (New York Giants 8, Boston Bees 1). [1]
- First night game at Saint Louis Sportsman Park (Cleveland Indians 3, Saint Louis Browns 2). [1]
- May 29
- Adolf Kiefer swims world record 100 yards backstroke (58.8 seconds). [1]
- June 4
- First National League night game at Sportsman's Park (Brooklyn Dodgers 10, Saint Louis Cardinals 1). [1]
- First night game at Forbes Field (Pittsburgh Pirates 14, Boston Bees 2). [1]
- July 9
- National League beats American League 4-0 in 8th All Star Game (Sportsman Park, Saint Louis, Missouri). [1]
- July 28
- New York Yankees player Charle Keller hits three home runs to beat Chicago White Sox 10-9. [1]
- August 5
- Saint Louis Browns' John Whitehead no-hits Detroit Tigers, 4-0 in six innings. [1]
- September 15
- Third American Football League plays first game (Milwaukee 14, Columbus 2). [1]
- Chicago Tribune sponsors Ted Lyons Day (Chicago White Sox pitcher). [1]
- September 24
- Jimmy Foxx hits his 500th career home run. [1]
- September 28
- Michigan's Tom Harmon runs 72, 86 and 94 yard touchdowns. [1]
- October 4
- Wrestling returns to Madison Square Gardens after 12 year lay off. [1]
- October 8
- Cincinnati Reds beat Detroit Tigers, 4 games to 3, in 37th World Series of Baseball. [1]
- October 24
- Japan eliminates US terms (strike, play ball) from baseball. [1]
- November 10
- Pittsburgh and Philadelphia play a penalty-free NFL game. [1]
- November 17
- Green Bay Packers become first NFL team to travel by plane. [1]
- November 25
- University of Michigan retires Tom Harmon's #98. [1]
- November 30
- First game of only two-game CFL Grey Cup (Ottawa 8, Toronto Balmy Beach 2). [1]
- December 7
- 28th Canadian Football League Grey Cup (Game 2): Toronto Balmy Beach defeats Ottawa, 12-5. [1]
- December 8
- First NFL championship on national radio; Chicago Bears beat Washington Redskins 73-0. [1] [1302.147]
- December 9
- South Australia all out for 47 versus New South Wales, O'Reilly 5-11. [1]
- December 16
- Joe Louis knocks out Al McCoy in six rounds for heavyweight boxing title in Chicago, Illinois. [1]
- December 20
- Connie Mack acquires controlling interest in the Philadelphia Athletics for US$42,000. [1]
- December 25
- Donald Bradman out first ball for South Africa versus Victoria before 6213. [1]
- December 26
- First-class debut of Arthur Morris, who scores 148. [1]
- December 28
- Arthur Morris scores 111 in second innings of first game after 148. [1]
- December 29
- NFL Pro Bowl: Chicago Bears beats NFL All-Stars 28-14. [1]
1941
- January 31
- Joe Louis knocks out Red Burman in five rounds for heavyweight boxing title. [1]
- February 1
- US female Figure Skating championship won by Jane Vaughn. [1]
- US male Figure Skating championship won by Eugene Turner. [1]
- February 6
- Auke Adema win 6th official Dutch 11 Cities Skating Race (9:19). [1]
- February 17
- Joe Louis knocks out Gus Dorazio in two rounds for heavyweight boxing title. [1]
- February 25
- Boston Bruins set NHL record of 23-game unbeaten streak (15-0-8). [1]
- February 26
- Two fighters unable to continue slugfest, referee declares double knockout. [1]
- March 1
- Elmer Layden becomes first NFL commisioner. [1]
- March 4
- NHL Chicago Blackhawks' goalie Samuel LoPresti stops record 80 of 83 Boston Bruins' shots. [1]
- March 8
- First American baseball player drafted into war (Hugh Mulcahy, Philadelphia Phillies). [1]
- March 10
- Larry MacPhail, Brooklyn Dodgers' general manager, predicts all players will wear batting helmets. [1]
- March 21
- Joe Louis knocks out Abe Simon in 13 rounds for heavyweight boxing title. [1]
- March 24
- Long Island University beats Ohio University 56-42 for NIT basketball championship. [1]
- March 29
- Third NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Wisconsin beats Washington State 39-34. [1]
- April 6
- 8th Golf Masters Championship: Craig Wood wins, shooting a 280. [1]
- April 8
- Joe Louis TKOs Tony Musto in 9 rounds for heavyweight boxing title. [1]
- April 9
- PGA establishes Golf Hall of Fame. [1]
- April 12
- NHL Stanley Cup: Boston Bruins sweep Detroit Red Wings in four games. [1]
- April 19
- 45th Boston Marathon won by Leslie Pawson of Rhode Island in 2:30:38. [1]
- April 26
- A tradition begins, first organ at a baseball stadium (Chicago Cubs). [1]
- May 3
- 67th Kentucky Derby: Eddie Arcaro aboard Whirlaway wins in 2:01.4. [1]
- May 10
- 67th Preakness: Eddie Arcaro aboard Whirlaway wins in 1:58.8. [1]
- May 16
- First US/radio performance of Bennett's "Symphony in D for the Dodgers". [1]
- May 17
- Pennsylvania declares legal holiday to honor Philadelphia Athletics' manager Connie Mack. [1]
- May 20
- Chicago White Sox player Taft Wright sets American League record of RBIs in 13 consecutive games. [1]
- May 23
- Joe Louis beats Buddy Baer on disqualification in 7 rounds for heavyweight boxing title. [1]
- Rudolf Harbig runs world record 1000m (2:21.5). [1]
- May 25
- Ted Williams raises his batting average over .400 for first time in 1941. [1]
- May 28
- First night game at Washington DC, Griffith Stadium (New York Yankees 6, Senators 5). [1]
- July 2
- Joe DiMaggio breaks Willie Keeler's 44-game baseball hitting streak (45th of 56). [1]
- July 6
- New York Yankees unveil a monument to Lou Gehrig in centerfield. [1]
- July 8
- American League beats National League 7-5 in 9th All Star Game (Briggs Stadium, Detroit). [1]
- July 16
- Joe Dimaggio goes three for four, hitting in his 56th straight game. [1]
- July 17
- Joe DiMaggio's 56-game baseball hitting streak ends. [1]
- July 20
- New York Yankees beat Detroit Tigers 12-6 in 17 innings. [1]
- July 25
- Boston Red Sox player Lefty Grove becomes 12th to win 300 games (his last victory). [1]
- August 18
- Philadelphia Phillies commit 8 errors in a game. [1]
- August 30
- Saint Louis Cardinals' pitcher Lon Warneke no-hits Cincinnati Reds, 2-0. [1]
- September 4
- New York Yankees beat Boston Red Sox 6-3 and clinch their 12th and earliest pennant. [1]
- September 28
- Philadelphia Phillies lose club record 111th game. [1]
- Major League Baseball player Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox hits a batting average of .406 (and is the last player with a batting average of .400 or better). [1] [5]
- September 29
- Heavyweight Champ Joe Louis knocks out Lou Nova in 6 rounds. [1]
- October 5
- Mickey Owens drops a third strike, Tom Hendrick reaches first safely, would have been the last out, instead New York Yankees score 4 and win 7-4. [1]
- October 6
- New York Yankees beat Brooklyn Dodgers 4 games to 1, in 38th World Series. [1]
- November 26
- Amateur tennis champion Bobby Riggs turns pro. [1]
- December 1
- Last day of first-class cricket in Australia for four years. [1]
- December 2
- New York Giants name Mel Ott as player-manager, replacing Bill Terry. [1]
- December 5
- Football Writers Association of America is organized. [1]
- December 9
- 7th Heisman Trophy Award: Bruce Smith, Minnesota (Half Back). [1]
- December 11
- New York Giants acquire Johnny Mize from Saint Louis Cardinals for three players and $50,000. [1]
- December 14
- First NFL division playoff, Chicago Bears beat Green Bay Packers 33-14. [1]
- December 21
- Chicago Bears win the NFL championship, Ray McLean makes last NFL drop kick for an extra point. [1]
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