- January 4
- 69th Australian Mens Tennis: B Teacher beats Kim Warwick (7-5, 7-6, 6-3). [1]
- January 6
- 50th hat trick in New York Islanders' history - John Tonelli scores five goals. [1]
- January 8
- India all out 63 in one-day international versus Australia. [1]
- Cincinnati Reds become last team to sign a free agent (Larry Biitner). [1]
- January 13
- New York Islanders' Mike Bossy's 15th career hat trick-4 goals. [1]
- January 15
- Bob Gibson elected to Baseball's Hall of Fame. [1]
- January 16
- Ivan Lendl intentionally loses a match in the Volvo Masters in order to avoid having to play Björn Borg. [1]
- January 20
- New York Islanders' Glenn Resch's 25th and last shut-out opponent-Calgary Flames 5-0. [1]
- January 22
- 40th New York Islanders' shut-out 3-0 versus Detroit Red Wings-Billy Smith' 15th. [1]
vvv advertisement vvv
^^^ advertisement ^^^
- O A "Bum" Phillips becomes head coach of the New Orleans Saints. [1]
- January 23
- Mike Bossy becomes first in NHL to score 50 goals in 50 games. [1]
- Boston Red Sox trade Fred Lynn to California Angels for Frank Tanana and Joe Rudi. [1]
- January 24
- New York Islanders score five power play goals against Quebec Nordiques. [1]
- Kim Hughes scores 213 versus India at Adelaide. [1]
- January 25
- NFL Super Bowl XV at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana: Oakland Raiders beat Philadelphia Eagles, 27-10; Most Valuable Player: Jim Plunkett, quarterback. [1] [119]
- January 26
- Sandeep Patil scores memorable 174 versus Australia at Adelaide Oval. [1]
- January 29
- American League approves sale of Chicago White Sox to Jerry Reinsdorf and Eddie Einhorn for US$20 million, and 80 percent of Seattle Mariners to George Argyros for US$104 million. [1]
- January 31
- Gaetan Boucher skates world record 1000m (1:13.39). [1]
- February 1
- 31st NBA All-Star Game: East beats West 123-120 at Cleveland, Ohio. [1]
- Sandra Palmer win LPGA Whirlpool Golf Championship of Deer Creek. [1]
- Trevor Chappell bowls underarm to Brian McKechnie, WSC Final Melbourne Cricket Ground. [1]
- 11th NFL Pro Bowl: NFC beats AFC 21-7. [1]
- February 3
- Australia beats New Zealand 3-1 to win World Series Cup. [1]
- February 6
- Suleiman Nyambui runs world record 5k indoor (13:20.4). [1]
- February 8
- Sally Little wins LPGA Elizabeth Arden Golf Classic. [1]
- US female Figure Skating championship won by Elaine Zayak. [1]
- US male Figure Skating championship won by Scott Hamilton. [1]
- February 10
- 33rd NHL All-Star Game: Campbell beat Wales 4-1 at Los Angeles, California. [1]
- Dennis Lillee becomes Australian Cricket's top wicket-taker with 249. [1]
- February 11
- Australia all out 83 versus India at Melbourne Cricket Ground chasing 143 to win. [1]
- February 12
- Arbitrator Goetz declares Boston Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk a free agent. [1]
- February 15
- Joanne Carner wins LPGA S&H Golf Classic. [1]
- February 20
- James Sanford equals 50 metre indoor world record (5.61 seconds). [1]
- February 22
- Amy Alcott wins LPGA Bent Tree Ladies Golf Classic. [1]
- February 25
- New York Islanders give up their most goals (11) versus Calgary Flames. [1]
- Executive Board of Baseball Players' Association votes unanimously to strike on May 29 if the issue of free-agent compensation remains unresolved. [1]
- February 26
- Boston Bruins and Minnesota North Stars play most penalty-filled NHL game-406 minutes total. [1]
- February 28
- Calvin Murphy (Houston Rockets) sets NBA record with 78 consecutive free throws. [1]
- March 1
- Sally Little wins LPGA Olympia Gold Golf Classic. [1]
- March 3
- New York Islanders' Mike Bossy's 9th and final hat trick of season-4 goals. [1]
- New York Islanders and Edmonton Oilers play to an 8-8 tie. [1]
- March 5
- World Ice Dance Championship in Hartford won by Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean (Great Britain). [1]
- World Ice Pairs Figure Skating Championship in Hartford won by Irina Vorobieva and Igor Lisovski (USSR). [1]
- World Ladies Figure Skating Championship in Hartfoed won by Denise Biellmann (Switzerland). [1]
- World Men's Figure Skating Championship in Hartford won by Scott Hamilton (USA). [1]
- March 8
- Nancy Lopez wins LPGA Arizona Copper Golf Classic. [1]
- March 11
- Johnny Mize and Rube Foster elected to baseball Hall of Fame. [1]
- March 13
- NCAA Saint Joseph's upsets top seed DePaul. [1]
- March 15
- Patty Hayes wins LPGA Sun City Golf Classic. [1]
- March 17
- FC Lisse, Dutch soccer team, forms. [1]
- March 18
- Buffalo Sabres sets NHL record of 9 goals in one period (they beat Toronto Maple Leafs 14-4). [1]
- March 22
- Donna Caponi Young wins LPGA Desert Inn Pro-Am Golf Tournament. [1]
- Toshihiko Seko runs world record 25km (1:13:55.8) and 30km (1:29:18.8). [1]
- March 24
- Bombay beats Delhi by innings and 46 to win Ranji Cricket Trophy. [1]
- March 28
- Christa Rothenburger skates ladies world record 500 metre (40.18 seconds). [1]
- Gabi Schönbrunn skates ladies world record 3 km (4:01.70). [1]
- Viv Richards scores century in the first Test at his home in Antigua. [1]
- Yevgeni Kulikov skates world record 500 metre (36.91 seconds). [1]
- March 29
- Pat Bradley wins LPGA Women's Kemper Golf Open. [1]
- Tiina Lehtola ski-jumps female record 110 metres. [1]
- The first London Marathon starts with 7,500 runners. [119] [565.211]
- March 30
- 43rd NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Indiana beats North Carolina 63-50. [1]
- April 3
- Arnie Boldt of Saskatchewan, Canada, jumps 6 feet 8.25 inches, with one leg. [1]
- April 5
- 10th Colgate Dinah Shore Golf Championship won by Nancy Lopez. [1]
- Philadelphia Flyers amass a record 2,621 penalty minutes. [1]
- April 8
- New York Islanders score nine goals against Toronto Maple Leafs in playoffs. [1]
- April 9
- Los Angeles Dodgers' Fernando Valenzuela's first start, beats Houston Astros 2-0. [1]
- April 11
- Larry Holmes beats Trevor Holmes in 15 rounds for heavyweight boxing title. [1]
- April 12
- 45th Golf Masters Championship: Tom Watson wins, shooting a 280. [1]
- Donna Caponi Young wins LPGA American Defender/WRAL Golf Classic. [1]
- April 17
- New York Rangers' Anders Hedberg is second to score on a Stanley Cup penalty shot. [1]
- New York Islanders' Potvin's three playoff power-play goals tie NHL record versus Edmonton Oilers. [1]
- April 18
- A Minor League baseball game between the Rochester Red Wings and the Pawtucket Red Sox at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, becomes the longest professional baseball game in history: 8 hours and 25 minutes/33 innings (the 33rd inning is not played until June 23). [1] [56] [119]
- April 19
- With a 6-1 opening day victory over the Seattle Mariners, the Oakland Athletics establish a major league record by winning eleven consecutive season openers. [1] [56]
- Beth Daniel wins LPGA Florida Lady Citrus Golf. [1]
- April 20
- 85th Boston Marathon won by Toshihiko Seko of Japan in 2:09:26. [1]
- 10th Boston Women's Marathon won by Allison Roe of New Zealand in 2:26:46. [1]
- April 22
- Los Angeles Dodgers' rookie Fernando Valenzuela tosses his third shutout in four starts. [1]
- April 24
- San Antonio Spurs blocks 20 Golden State Warriors' shots to set NBA regulation game record. [1]
- Bill Shoemaker wins his 8000th race, 2000 more than any other jockey. [1]
- April 25
- Seattle Mariners' manager Maury Wills is suspended for two games after ordering Seattle's grounds crew to enlarge batter's boxes by one foot. [1]
- April 26
- Beth Solomon wins LPGA Birmingham Golf Classic. [1]
- April 29
- Philadelphia Phillies' Steve Carlton is first lefty to strike out 3,000 batters. [1]
- May 2
- 107th Kentucky Derby: Jorge Velasquez on Pleasant Colony wins in 2:02. [1]
- May 3
- Sally Little wins LPGA CPC Women's Golf International. [1]
- May 4
- New York Yankees' Ron Davis strikes out eight consecutive California Angels, ran record of 13 strikeouts of last 14 faced, also saved Gene Nelson's first win, 4-2. [1]
- Silvana Cruciata runs 15km female world record (49:44.0). [1]
- May 5
- 16th and final Mayor's Trophy Game, New York Mets beat New York Yankees 4-1, hold 8-7-1 edge. [1]
- May 6
- Seattle Mariners' manager Maury Wills is fired and replaced by Rene Lachemann. [1]
- May 8
- Ron Davis pitches 10th consecutive strike out, one short of record. [1]
- May 10
- Montréal Expos' Charlie Lee no-hits San Francisco Giants, 4-0. [1]
- Amy Alcott wins LPGA Lady Michelob Golf Tournament. [1]
- May 13
- Dinamo Tbilisi wins 21st Europe Cup II. [1]
- May 14
- 35th NBA Championship: Boston Celtics beat Houston Rockets, 4 games to 2. [1]
- May 15
- Leonard Barker of Cleveland Indians pitches perfect game versus Toronto Blue Jays. [1]
- May 16
- Houston Astros' Craig Reynolds hits three triples beating Chicago Cubs 6-1. [1]
- 107th Preakness: Jorge Velasquez aboard Pleasant Colony wins in 1:54.6. [1]
- May 17
- New York Islanders score five power play goals against Philadelphia Flyers in a playoff game. [1]
- Kathy Whitworth wins LPGA Coca-Cola Golf Classic. [1]
- May 19
- Pittsburgh Pirates' Jim Bibby gives up a leadoff single to Atlanta Braves' Terry Harper, then retires the next 27 batters. [1]
- May 20
- Ipswich Town wins 10th UEFA Cup at Amsterdam. [1]
- May 21
- Stanley Cup: New York Islanders beat Minnesota North Stars, 4 games to 1. [1]
- May 24
- Kathy Hite wins LPGA Corning Golf Classic. [1]
- Bobby Unser wins, loses, and wins a controversial Indianapolis 500 race. [1]
- May 25
- Texas Rangers' Bill Stein sets American League record with seven consecutive pinch hits. [1]
- May 27
- Liverpool wins 26th Europe Cup 1 at Paris, France. [1]
- May 30
- Los Angeles Dodgers are quickest to get 1,000,000 attendence (22 games). [1]
- May 31
- Cathy Reynolds wins LPGA Golden Lights Golf Championship. [1]
- June 5
- Houston Astros' pitcher Nolan Ryan passes Early Wynn as the all-time walk leader [1,777] issuing two walks in a 3-0 win over the New York Mets. [56]
- June 7
- Björn Borg wins his 6th French Open singles (defeats Ivan Lendl). [1]
- June 10
- Pete Rose ties Stan Musial's National League record of 3,630 hits. [1]
- Sebastian Coe of England sets the 800m record (1:41.73) in Florence, Italy. [1]
- June 12
- Major League Baseball goes on strike, forcing the cancellation of 38 percent of the schedule. [1] [119]
- June 22
- John McEnroe exhibits a disgraceful act of misbehavior at Wimbeldon. [1]
- June 23
- 33-inning game ends, Pawtucket 3, Rochester 2 (started April 18). [1]
- July 7
- Ben Plucknett of US throws discus 72.34m, but throw is disqualified. [1]
- July 11
- Sebastian Coe of United Kingdom sets record for 1000 metre, 2:12.18. [1]
- July 31
- The fifty-day old baseball strike is settled as owners and players agreeing on a pooling systems for free-agents compensation. The All Star game will mark the end of baseball's first ever mid-season work stoppage. [1] [56]
- August 9
- Major League Baseball resumes from strike with the 52nd All-Star Game in Cleveland's Municipal Stadium. National League beats American League 5-4. [1] [119]
- August 10
- The Philadelphia Phillies' Pete Rose passes Stan Musial as the all-time National League hit leader when he collects his 3,631st off Saint Louis Cardinals' pitcher Mark Littell. [1] [56]
- August 14
- George Foster hits his 8th home run into the red seats at Riverfront. [1]
- August 15
- Robin Leamy of US swims record 7.98 kph for 50m. [1]
- August 16
- Highest score in World Cup soccer match (New Zealand-13, Fiji-0). [1]
- August 28
- Sebastian Coe of United Kingdom sets 1-mile record of 3:47.33. [1]
- September 3
- The Boston Red Sox and the Seattle Mariners play nineteen innings to a 7-7 tie. The game ends with the Mariners winning 8-7 in 20 innings when the suspended game is resumed the next day making it the longest game played in Fenway Park history. [56]
- September 4
- Seattle Mariners beat Boston Red Sox, 8-7, in 20 innings (started September 3). [1]
- September 6
- Bob Lemon becomes the New York Yankees' manager for the second time. [1] [56]
- September 13
- April Moon sets women's handbow distance record of 1,039 yards, 13 inches. [1]
- Atlanta Falcons tie record of 31 points in fourth quarter (vs Green Bay Packers). [1]
- John McEnroe beats Björn Borg for US Open title. [1]
- September 20
- Joe Danelo kicks New York Giants' record 55-yard field goal. [1]
- September 21
- Steve Carlton strikes out National League record 3,118th (Andre Dawson). [1]
- September 26
- Nolan Ryan sets a Major League Baseball record by throwing his fifth no-hitter. [5]
- Houston Astros' Nolan Ryan's fifth no-hitter, beats Los Angeles Dodgers, 5-0. [1]
- September 30
- Seoul, South Korea is selected to host 1988 Summer Olympics. [1]
- October 4
- Pasakevi Kouna of Greece (age 9) is youngest international gymnastics participant. [1]
- October 7
- In first Eastern Division championship New York Yankees beat Milwaukee Brewers 5-3. [1]
- October 8
- USAC appeals panel restores disputed Indy 500 victory to Al Unser. [1]
- October 11
- LeRoy Irvin sets yards gained on punt returns record (207 yards). [1]
- New York Yankees beat Milwaukee Brewers 7-3 and win only Eastern Championship Series. [1]
- October 15
- The New York Yankees shutout the Oakland Athletics 4-0 to capture their thirty-third American League pennant. [1] [56]
- October 18
- New York Giants Joe Danelo ties NFL record of six field goals in a game. [1]
- October 19
- Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Montreal Expos 2-1, in the deciding game of the National League Championship Series. [1] [56]
- October 26
- Los Angeles Dodgers beat New York Yankees, four games to two in 78th World Series. [1]
- October 28
- The Los Angeles Dodgers defeat the New York Yankees 9-2, to capture the World Championship in six games. [56]
- November 1
- Third meeting of San Francisco Giants-New York Jets, Jets up 2-1 with 26-7 win. [1]
- November 5
- Former Miami Dolphins' player Mercury Morris is sentenced to 20 years for drug trafficking, conspiracy, and possession of cocaine. [1]
- November 12
- Billy Martin named American League Manager of the Year (Oakland Athletics). [1]
- November 17
- NBA New York Knicks' Bill Cartwright ties record of 19 of 19 free throws. [1]
- November 22
- San Diego Chargers' Dan Fouts passes for six touchdowns versus Oakland Raiders (55-21). [1]
- November 28
- Bear Bryant wins his 315th game to out-distance Alonzo Stagg and become college football's winningest coach. [1]
- December 2
- Fernando Valenzuela (Los Angeles Dodgers) wins National League Rookie of the Year. [1]
- December 3
- Beth Daniel/Tom Kite win LPGA J C Penney Golf Classic. [1]
- December 5
- 47th Heisman Trophy Award: Marcus Allen, Southern California (Running Back). [1]
- 56th Australian Women Tennis: Martina Navratilova beats Chris Evert (6-7, 6-4, 7-5). [1]
- December 6
- Rob de Castella of Australia sets marathon record at 2:08:18. [1]
- December 11
- Muhammad Ali's 61st and last fight, losing to Trevor Berbick. [1]
- Washington Capitals' biggest margin of victory (9) beating Toronto Maple Leafs 11-2. [1]
- December 13
- 70th Davis Cup: USA beats Argentina in Cincinnati (3-1). [1]
- December 20
- Cleveland Browns set team records for most fumbles (9) and most turnovers (10). [1]
- Doug Small (Winnipeg Jets) ties NHL record scoring at 5 second mark. [1]
- December 21
- Cincinnati beats Bradley 75-73 in 7 overtimes (NCAA record). [1]
- December 23
- Boycott becomes leading run-scorer in Test Crickets with 8033. [1]
- December 26
- One of the great day's Test Cricket at the Melbourne Cricket Ground Australia versus West Indies. [1]
- December 27
- Edmonton Oilers' Wayne Gretzky becomes fastest NHL player to get 100 points (38th game). [1]
- Lillee becomes the leading wicket-taker in Test Crickets with 310. [1]
- December 30
- Wayne Gretzky sets NHL record of 50 goals by 39th game of season. [1]
|