- January 25
- Jill Kinmont hits a tree and breaks her back in Snow Cup Ski Race. [1]
- January 29
- John William Cox buys Yankee Stadium, sells grounds to Knights of Columbus, later leaves structure to Rice University (1962). [1]
- February 13
- Patty Berg wins LPGA Saint Petersburg Golf Open. [1]
- February 17
- Ice Dance Championship at Vienna Austria won by J Westwood/Demmy of Great Britain. [1]
- Ice Pairs Championship at Vienna won by Frances Dafoe and Bowden of Canada. [1]
- Ladies Figure Skating Championship in Vienna won by Tenley Albright os the USA. [1]
- Mike Souchak sets PGA 72-hole record of 257. [1]
- February 20
- Fay Crocker wins LPGA Serbin Golf Open. [1]
- February 27
- Betty Jameson wins LPGA Sarasota Golf Open. [1]
- March 1
- Pakistan versus India five Test Cricket series ends in a 0-0 draw. [1]
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- March 6
- Jackie Pung wins LPGA Jacksonville Golf Open. [1]
- March 7
- Baseball commissioner Ford Frick says he favors legalization of spitter. [1]
- March 13
- Patty Berg wins LPGA Titleholders Golf Championship. [1]
- March 17
- NHL hockey player Maurice "Rocket" Richard is suspended, sparks 7-hour riot in Montréal, Québec, Canada. [1]
- March 19
- 17th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: San Francisco beats La Salle 77-63. [1]
- March 21
- The Brooklyn Bulletin asks Brooklyn Dodgers' fans not to call their team "Bums". [1]
- March 28
- New Zealand cricket all out for 26 versus England at Eden Park. [1]
- March 31
- Collie Smith scores 104 on cricket debut West Indies versus Australia, Kingston. [1]
- April 2
- Pancho Gonzales retains tennis title by winning a tournament playing under table tennis rules. [1]
- US female Figure Skating championship won by Tenley Albright. [1]
- US male Figure Skating championship won by Hayes A Jenkins. [1]
- April 3
- Baltimore Orioles pull their first triple play (3-6-2 versus Kansas City Athletics). [1]
- Louise Suggs wins LPGA Oklahoma City Golf Open. [1]
- April 10
- 19th Golf Masters Championship: Cary Middlecoff wins, shooting a 279. [1]
- 9th NBA Championship: Syracuse Nationals beat Fort Wayne Pistons, 4 games to 3. [1]
- April 12
- First Major League Baseball game in Kansas City; Kansas City Athletics beat Detroit Tigers, 6-2. [1]
- April 14
- NHL Stanley Cup: Detroit Red Wings beat Montreal Canadiens, 4 games to 3. [1]
- April 17
- Betty Jameson wins LPGA Babe Didrikson-Zaharias Golf Open. [1]
- April 19
- 59th Boston Marathon won by Hideo Hamamura of Japan in 2:18:22. [1]
- April 21
- Brooklyn Dodgers win record 10th straight game since beginning of a season. [1]
- April 22
- Kansas City Athletic's first game, they beat Detroit Tigers 6-2. [1]
- April 23
- Betsy Rawls wins LPGA Carrollton Golf Open. [1]
- May 1
- Babe Didrikson-Zaharias wins LPGA Peach Blossom Golf Tournament. [1]
- Bobby Feller's 15th one-hit or less game (12 one-hitters, three no-hitters). [1]
- May 7
- 81st Kentucky Derby: Bill Shoemaker aboard Swaps wins in 2:01.8. [1]
- May 13
- Mickey Mantle hits three consecutive homeruns of at least 463 feet. [1]
- May 16
- Heavyweight Rocky Marciano knocks out Don Cockell in 9 rounds (San Francisco) for heavyweight boxing title. [1]
- Ray Lindwall scores his second Test Cricket century 118 at Bridgetown. [1]
- May 18
- Atkinson and Depeiaza take West Indies from 6-187 to 6-494 in day versus Australia. [1]
- May 19
- Atkinson and Depeiaza make 347 stand for 7th wkt West Indies versus Australia. [1]
- May 27
- Boston Red Sox player Norm Zauchin gets ten RBIs, beating Washington Senators 16-0. [1]
- May 28
- 81st Preakness: Eddie Arcaro aboard Nashua wins in 1:54.6. [1]
- Bob Sweikert wins Indianapolis 500 with an average speed of 128.213 mph. [1]
- Fay Crocker wins LPGA Wolverine Golf Open. [1]
- June 11
- Eddie Arcaro ties record of six Belmont Stakes wins. [1]
- June 13
- Mercedes racing car kills 77 at Le Mans, France. [1]
- June 19
- Mickey Mantle hits career home run number 100. [1]
- Philadelphia Phillies beat Chicago Cubs 1-0 in 15 innings, ties longest shut out in Philadelphia Phillies history. [1]
- June 24
- Harmon Killebrew hits his first home run (off Billy Hoeff). [1]
- July 12
- National League beats American League 6-5 (12 innings) in 22nd All Star Game (Milwaukee). [1]
- July 14
- Two killed, many dazed when lightning strikes Ascott racetrack, England. [1]
- July 22
- Philadelphia Phillies longest win streak since 1892 hits 11. [1]
- July 29
- Smokey Burgess hits three home runs to help Pittsburgh Pirates beat Cincinnati Reds 16-5. [1]
- August 3
- Automobile Association of America ends support of auto racing. [1]
- August 26
- First color telecast (NBC) of a tennis match (Davis Cup). [1] [457]
- August 28
- First NFL preseason sudden death football, Los Angeles Rams beats New York Giants 23-17. [1]
- September 8
- Earliest clinching of a National League pennant (Brooklyn Dodgers). [1]
- September 16
- The New York Yankees' Hank Bauer and Yogi Berra homer in the 9th inning beating Boston Red Sox 5-4 taking over first place in the league. [1]
- US Auto Club forms to oversee four major auto racing categories. [1]
- September 21
- Rocky Marciano versus Archie Moore in heavyweight championship fight; Marciano wins in 9th round. [1302.169]
- September 22
- Heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano knocks out Archie Moore in nine rounds. [1]
- October 4
- Brooklyn Dodgers only World Series victory, beating New York Yankees in 7 (World Series #52). [1]
- October 18
- Track and Field names Jesse Owens all-time track athlete. [1]
- October 20
- New York Yankees begin 16-game exhibition in Japan. [1]
- November 12
- E Arcaro, E Sande and G Woolf first inductees in Jockey hall of fame. [1]
- December 6
- New York psychologist Joyce Brothers wins TV's $64,000 Question on boxing. [1]
- December 8
- 21st Heisman Trophy Award: Howard Cassady, Ohio State (Half Back). [1]
- Brooklyn catcher Roy Campanella wins his third Most Valuable Player Award. [1]
- December 26
- Cleveland Browns beat Los Angeles Rams 38-14 in NFL championship game. [1]
- December 28
- 44th Davis Cup: Australia beats USA in New York (5-0). [1]
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