1931 in sports

yearbox
in?=in sports
cp=19th century
c=20th century
cf=21st century
yp1=1928
yp2=1929
yp3=1930
year=1931
ya1=1932
ya2=1933
ya3=1934
dp3=1900s
dp2=1910s
dp1=1920s
d=1930s
da=0
dn1=1940s
dn2=1950s
dn3=1960s|

Athletics

*September 6 — Czechoslovakia's Antonie Briksová sets a new world record in the women's 20 km walk in Prague: 2:24:00.
*September 14 — Czechoslovakia's Antonie Odvárková breaks the world record in the women's 20 km walk in Prague, clocking 2:14:07.

=Auto Racing=

*Grand Prix racing - "Main article: 1931 Grand Prix season." European Champion: Ferdinando Minoia
*24 hours of Le Mans: Earl Howe and Tim Birkin, driving an Alfa Romeo 8C.
*Louis Schneider wins the Indy 500.

=Baseball (Major League)=

*World Series: The St. Louis Cardinals (101-53, NL) defeated the Philadelphia Athletics (107-45, AL) four games to three.
*MVP Awards: NL: Frankie Frisch; AL: Lefty Grove
*Debutes: Billy Herman (August 29), Ernie Lombardi (April 15), Red Rolfe (June 29), Dixie Walker (April 28), Paul Derringer (April 16).
*Major trades:
**December: The St. Louis Cardinals traded Burleigh Grimes to the Chicago Cubs for Bud Teachout and Hack Wilson.

=Baseball (Negro League)=

*The Negro National League disbands. The St. Louis Stars win the league's last championship.

Basketball

*Northwestern University wins the College Basketball Title.

Boxing

*Heavyweight Champion: Undisputed Max Schmeling

Cycling

*Giro d'Italia won by Francesco Camusso of Italy
*Tour de France - Antonin Magne of France
*World Cycling Championship: Learco Guerra of Italy

Figure Skating

*World Figure Skating Championships:
**Men's champion: Karl Schäfer, Austria
**Women's champion: Sonja Henie, Norway
**Pairs champions: Emilia Rotter & László Szollás, Hungary

=Football (American)=

*Green Bay Packers win the NFL title with a 13-2 record.
*USC wins the College Football Title.

Football (Australian rules football)

* Victorian Football League
** Geelong wins the 35th VFL Premiership (Geelong 9.14 (68) d Richmond 7.6 (48))
** Brownlow Medal awarded to Haydn Bunton, Sr (Fitzroy)

=Football (Canadian)=

* Grey Cup: Montreal AAA win 22-0 over the Regina Roughriders

Football (soccer)

Brazil

*Founding of Botafogo Futebol Clube (PB)
*Founding of Esporte Clube Bahia

England

* First Division - Arsenal win the 1930-31 title, becoming the first Southern club to do so.
*FA Cup - West Bromwich Albion beat Birmingham City 2-1.

Golf

Men's professional
*June 2-5 - British Open - Tommy Armour
*July 3-6 - U.S. Open - Billy Burke
*September 14 - PGA Championship - Tom CreavyMen's amateur
*British Amateur - Eric Martin-Smith
*U.S. Amateur - Francis OuimetWomen's professional
*Women's Western Open - June Beebe

=Thoroughbred Horse Racing=

*Australia - Melbourne Cup - White Nose
*Canada - Queen's Plate - Froth Blower
*France - Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe - Pearl Cap
*Ireland - Irish Derby Stakes - Sea Serpent

*English Triple Crown Races:
*#2,000 Guineas Stakes - Cameronian
*#Epsom Derby - Cameronian
*#St. Leger Stakes - Sandwich

*United States Triple Crown Races:
*#May 16 - Kentucky Derby - Twenty Grand
*#Preakness Stakes - Mate
*#Belmont Stakes - Twenty Grand

=Harness Racing=

*Hambletonian - Calumet Butler
*Kentucky Futurity - The Protector

Ice Hockey

*Stanley Cup: The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Chicago Black Hawks three games to two.

*World Hockey Championship
**Men's: Gold: Canada, Silver: U.S., Bronze: Austria

Rugby Union

*Six Nations Championship - Wales

Snooker

*World Snooker Championship: Joe Davis beats Tom Dennis 25-21

Tennis

*Grand Slam in tennis men's results:
*#Australian Open - Jack Crawford
*#French Open - Jean Borotra
*#Wimbledon championships - Sidney Wood
*#US Open - H. Ellsworth Vines

*Grand Slam in tennis women's results:
*#Australian Open - Coral Buttsworth
*#French Open - Cilly Aussem
*#Wimbledon championships - Cilly Aussem
*#US Open - Helen Wills Moody

*Davis Cup - France wins 3-2 over Great Britain

Awards

*Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year: Pepper Martin, Major League Baseball
*Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year: Helene Madison, Swimming

Births

* January 4 — Guido Messina, Italian road bicycle and track cyclist
* January 17 — Don Zimmer, American baseball coach
* January 31 — Ernie Banks, American baseball player
* February 1 — Marino Morettini, Italian road bicycle and track cyclist (d. 1990)
* February 15 — Adrie Voorting, Dutch road bicycle and track cyclist (d. 1961)
* February 24 — Maria Piątkowska, Polish athlete
* March 14 — Frank Sando, British long-distance runner
* March 19 — Alan Newton, British track cyclist
* March 23 — Yevgeny Grishin, Soviet-Russian speedskater (d. 2005)
* April 3 — Ricardo Senn, Argentine cyclist
* April 7 — Jeff Elliott, British decathlete and pole vaulter
* May 6 — Willie Mays, American baseball hall of famer
* May 8 — Bob Clotworthy, American diver
* May 21 — Mino de Rossi, Italian road bicycle and track cyclist
* June 11 — Moos Linneman, Dutch boxer
* June 24 — Billy Casper, American golfer
* September 15 — Lincoln Hurring, New Zealand swimmer
* September 16 — Werner Lueg, German middle distance runner
* October 11 — Tadeusz Rut, Polish hammer thrower (d. 2002)
* October 12 — Thomas Nicholls, British boxer
* October 13 — Eddie Mathews, American baseball player (d. 2001)
* October 21 — Mickey Mantle, American baseball player (d. 1995)
* November 9 — Eric Sandstrom, British track and field sprinter
* November 29 — André Noyelle, Belgian road cyclist (d. 2003)
* November 30 — Bill Walsh, American football head coach (d. 2007)
* December 8 — Bob Arum, American boxing promoter
*Ken Boyer
*Jim Bunning
*Bill Virdon

Deaths

*September 17 — Marvin Hart, former heavyweight boxing champion
* October 7 — Eugen Schmidt (57), Danish shooter and athlete (b. 1874)

*Jack Chesbro
*Charles Comiskey
*Roger Connor
*Knute Rockne