1970 in sports - Definition and Overview

See also: 1969 in sports, other events of 1970, 1971 in sports and the list of 'years in sports'.

Auto Racing

• Stock car racing:
  • Pete Hamilton won the Daytona 500
  • NASCAR Championship - Bobby Isaac
• Indianapolis 500 - Al Unser, Sr.
• USAC Racing - Al Unser, Sr. won the season championship
• Formula One Championship - Jochen Rindt of Austria
• 24 hours of Le Mans: the team of Hans Herrmann / Richard Attwood won, driving a Porsche 917
• Rally racing - the team of Bjorn Waldegard / Lars Helmer won the Monte Carlo Rally driving a Porsche 911S.
• Drag racing - the NHRA launches the "Supernationals". Rick Ramsey wins "Top Fuel"

Baseball

• January 16: Gold Glove outfielder Curt Flood files a civil lawsuit challenging baseball's reserve clause, a suit that will have historic implications. Flood refused to report to the Phillies after he was traded by the Cardinals, contending the baseball rule violates federal antitrust laws.
• January 17: The Sporting News names Willie Mays as Player of the Decade for the 1960s.
• January 20: Lou Boudreau is elected to the Hall of Fame, receiving 232 of a possible 300 votes from the BBWAA.
• June 12: Dock Ellis of the Pittsburgh Pirates throws a no-hitter against the San Diego Padres. It is later revealed that he did so while under the influence of LSD.
• Robert Peterson's book Only the Ball was White is published. The book brought pressure on Major League Baseball to recognize the African-American players from Negro League baseball by equally honoring those qualified in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
• World Series: The American League's Baltimore Orioles win their second World Title by defeating the National League's Cincinnati Reds, 4 games to 1.

Basketball

• NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship:
  • UCLA wins 80-69 over Jacksonville

• NBA Finals:
  • New York Knicks won 4 games to 3 over the Los Angeles Lakers

Boxing

• February 15 - Carlos Cruz, Featherweight Boxing Champion died in a plane crash
• February 16 - Joe Frazier starts a heavyweight world boxing champion winning streak with the knock out of Jimmy Ellis in five rounds.

Cricket

• International Cricket Council votes to suspend South Africa from international cricket indefinitely because of its government's apartheid policy.

Cycling

• Giro d'Italia won by Eddy Merckx of Belgium
• Tour de France - Eddy Merckx of Belgium
• World Cycling Championship: Jean-Pierre Monsere of Belgium

Figure Skating

• World Figure Skating Championships:
  • Men's champion: Tim Wood, United States
  • Women's champion: Gabrielle Seyfert, Germany
  • Pairs champions: Irina Rodnina & Alexej Ulanow, Soviet Union

Football (American)

• Super Bowl IV: Kansas City Chiefs won 23-7 over the Minnesota Vikings

Football (Australian Rules)

• Victorian Football League
  • Carlton wins the 74th VFL Premiership (Carlton 17.9 (111) d Collingwood 14.17 (101))
  • Brownlow Medal awarded to Peter Bedford (South Melbourne)

Football (Canadian)

• Grey Cup: Montreal Alouettes win 23-10 over the Calgary Stampeders
• Vanier Cup: Manitoba Bisons win 38-11 over the Ottawa Gee Gees

Football (Soccer)

• World Cup held in Mexico: Brazil won final 4-1 over Italy
• England - FA Cup: Chelsea won 2-1 over Leeds United

Golf

Men's Golf

• Grand Slam of golf results:
  1. May - The Masters - Billy Casper
  2. June - US Open - Tony Jacklin
  3. July - British Open - Jack Nicklaus
  4. August - PGA Championship - Dave Stockton

• PGA tour's leading money winner for the year: Lee Trevino - $157,037

Women's Golf

• US Open - Donna Caponi
• LPGA Championship - Shirley Englehorn
• Kathy Whitworth: leading money winner on the LPGA tour, earning $30,235

Thoroughbred Horse Racing

• Australia - Melbourne Cup - Baghdad Note
• Canada - Queen's Plate - Almoner
• France - Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe - Sassafrás
• Ireland - Irish Derby Stakes - Nijinsky II

• Nijinsky II wins the English Triple Crown Races:
  1. Two Thousand Guineas Stakes - Nijinsky II
  2. Epsom Derby - Nijinsky II
  3. St. Leger Stakes - Nijinsky II

• United States Triple Crown Races:
  1. Kentucky Derby - Dust Commander
  2. Preakness Stakes - Personality
  3. Belmont Stakes - High Echelon

Harness Racing

• Fresh Yankee was named "Horse of the Year" by the U.S. Trotting Association and the U.S. Harness Writers Association.

• Most Happy Fella won the United States Pacing Triple Crown races:
  1. Cane Pace - Most Happy Fella
  2. Little Brown Jug - Most Happy Fella
  3. Messenger Stakes - Most Happy Fella

• United States Trotting Triple Crown races:
  1. Hambletonian - Timothy T.
  2. Yonkers Trot - Victory Star
  3. Kentucky Futurity - Timothy T.

• Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship:
  • Pacers: Bold David

Ice Hockey

• Art Ross Memorial Trophy - Bobby Orr becomes the first defenseman in the history of the National Hockey League to lead the league in scoring.
• Hart Memorial Trophy for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins
• Stanley Cup: Boston Bruins win the Cup for the first time in 29 years, defeating the St. Louis Blues 4 games to 0. Defenseman, Bobby Orr is awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the series MVP (most valuable player).
• World Hockey Championship
  • Men's champion: Soviet Union defeated Sweden

Skiing

• Alpine Skiing
  • The men's overall season champion: Karl Schranz, Austria
  • The women's overall season champion: Michele Jacot, France

Snooker

• World Snooker Championship: Ray Reardon beats John Pulman 37-33

Tennis

• Grand Slam in tennis men's results:
  1. Australian Open - Arthur Ashe
  2. French Open - Jan Kodes
  3. Wimbledon championships - John Newcombe
  4. US Open - Ken Rosewall

• Margaret Smith Court wins the Grand Slam in women's tennis:
  1. Australian Open - Margaret Smith Court
  2. French Open - Margaret Smith Court
  3. Wimbledon championships - Margaret Smith Court
  4. US Open - Margaret Smith Court

• Davis Cup: United States wins 5-0 over Germany F.R. in world tennis.

General sporting events

• British Commonwealth Games held in Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Births

• February 11 - Alistair Brown, English cricket player.
• February 11 - Jason Allyn Scott, US rower.
• March 30 - Secretariat, two-time Horse of the Year, 1973 Triple Crown winner (+ 1989)
• April 19 - Kelly Holmes, UK athlete
• April 29 - Andre Agassi, tennis player
• May 12 - Mike Weir, Canadian, professional golfer
• May 16 - Gabriela Sabatini, tennis player
• May 24 - Jeff Zgonina, football player
• June 20 - Maia Lewis, New Zealand cricketer
• August 13 - Alan Shearer, England and Newcastle soccer player
• September 10 - Belinda Clarke,Australian cricketer
• September 28 - Isabelle Brasseur, figure skating world champion
• October 3 - Justine Sowry, Australian field hockey goalkeeper
• October 17 - Anil Kumble, Indian cricketer
• November 12 - Tonya Harding, US figure skater

Deaths

• February 6 - Abe Attell, World Champion and Hall of Fame boxer
• February 15 - Carlos Cruz, Featherweight Champion boxer
• May 19 - Ray Schalk, Major League Baseball player (1912-1929)
• May 31 - Terry Sawchuk, ice hockey goalie
• June 2 - Bruce McLaren, race car driver
• June 16 - Brian Piccolo, American football star
• May 31 - Terry Sawchuk, Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender
• July 4 - Harold Vanderbilt, 3-time America's Cup winner
• September 3 - Vince Lombardi, NFL coach, Super Bowl trophy and Rotary Lombardi Award named for him
• September 5 - Jochen Rindt, Austrian Formula One racing driver
• September 19 - Greville Stevens, English cricketer
• November 5 - Charley Root, Major League Baseball pitcher (1923-1941)