1983 in sports
See also: 1982 in sports, other events of 1983, 1984 in sports and the list of 'years in sports'.
Artistic Gymnastics
- World Artistic Gymnastics Championships:
- Men's all-around champion: Dmitry Bilozerchev, USSR
- Women's all-around champion: Natalia Yurchenko, USSR
- Men's team competition champion: China
- Women's team competition champion: USSR
Athletics (track and field)
- February 27 - In East Rutherford, New Jersey, Ireland's Eamonn Coghlan set a new World Indoor Record for the mile, clocking 3:49.78.
- First IAAF World Championships in Athletics held in Helsinki
Auto Racing
- Stock car racing:
- CART Racing - Al Unser won the season championship
- Formula One Championship - Nelson Piquet of Brazil
- 24 hours of Le Mans: the team of Vern Schuppan / Al Holbert / Hurley Haywood won, driving a Porsche 956
- Rally racing - Hannu Mikkola in an Audi won the World Rally Championship
- the team of Walter Röhrl /Christian Geistdorfer won the Monte Carlo Rally driving a Lancia 037
- Drag racing - Gary Beck won the NHRA Top Fuel championship.
Baseball
- January 12 - Brooks Robinson and Juan Marichal are elected to the Hall of Fame. Robinson, winner of 16 straight Gold Glove Awards and hero of the 1970 World Series, becomes the 14th player elected in his first year of eligibility. Marichal, the winningest Latin American pitcher in major league history, won 20 or more games six times and had an ERA of 2.50 or less six times.
- World Series: - Baltimore Orioles win their most recent World Series 4 games to 1 over the Philadelphia Phillies
Basketball
- NCAA Men's Basketball Championship:
- North Carolina State wins 54-52 over Houston
- NBA Finals:
- Philadelphia 76ers won 4 games to 0 over the Los Angeles Lakers
- National Basketball League (Australia) Finals:
- Canberra Cannons defeated the West Adelaide Bearcats 75-73 in the final.
Boxing
- May 20 - For the first time ever, two world Heavyweight champions defend their titles the same night, at the same place: Larry Holmes retains the WBC title defeating future two time world champion Tim Witherspoon, and Michael Dokes retains his WBA title with a 15 round draw (tie) against former world champion Mike Weaver.
- June 16 - Roberto Duran wins his third world title, knocking out WBA world Jr. Middleweight champion Davey Moore in eight rounds.
- November 10 - Marvin Hagler retains his unified world Middleweight title with a 15 round unanimous decision over Roberto Duran. It was 1983's most anticipated bout.
Cricket
- Cricket World Cup - India beat West Indies by 43 runs.
- Asian Cricket Council formed.
Cycling
- Giro d'Italia won by Giuseppe Saronni of Italy
- Tour de France - Laurent Fignon of France
- World Cycling Championship: Greg Lemond of the United States
Dogsled racing
- Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Champion:
- Rick Mackey won with lead dogs: Preacher & Jody
Field Hockey
- Men's European Nations Cup in Amstelveen, The Netherlands
- Gold Medal: The Netherlands
- Silver Medal: Soviet Union
- Bronze Medal: West Germany
- Men's Champions Trophy in Karachi, Pakistan
- Gold Medal: Australia
- Silver Medal: Pakistan
- Bronze Medal: West Germany
- Pan American Games (Men's Competition) in Caracas, Venezuela
- Gold Medal: Canada
- Silver Medal: Argentina
- Bronze Medal: Chile
- Women's World Cup Qualifier Tournament in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Gold Medal: Ireland
- Silver Medal: Spain
- Bronze Medal: Malaysia
- Women's World Cup in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Gold Medal: The Netherlands
- Silver Medal: Canada
- Bronze Medal: Australia
- March 12 - In an international women's field hockey match at Wembley Stadium, England. England beat West Germany 3-2.
Figure skating
- World Figure Skating Championships:
- Men's champion: Scott Hamilton, United States
- Ladies' champion: Rosalynn Sumners, United States
- Pair skating champions: Elena Valova & Oleg Vasiliev, Soviet Union
- Ice dancing champions: Jayne Torvill & Christopher Dean, Great Britain
Football (American)
- Super Bowl XVII: Washington Redskins won their first Super Bowl title, and first NFL title since 1942, 27-17 over the Miami Dolphins.
- The Miami Hurricanes win thier first national championship over the Nebraska Cornhuskers 31-30 in the Orange Bowl.
Football (Australian rules football)
- Victorian Football League
- Hawthorn wins the 87th VFL Premiership (Hawthorn 20.20 (140) d Essendon 8.9 (57))
- Brownlow Medal awarded to Ross Glendinning (North Melbourne)
Football (Canadian)
- Grey Cup: Toronto Argonauts won 18-17 over the B.C. Lions
- Vanier Cup: Calgary Dinos won 31-21 over the Queen's Golden Gaels
Football (Soccer)
- World Club Championship: Grêmio FBPA (Brazil) 2-1 Hamburger SV (Germany) Grêmio FBPA World Champion
- UEFA Champions League: Hamburg 1-0 Juventus
- Copa Libertadores de América: Two legs; 1st leg Peñarol 1-1 Grêmio FBPA; 2nd leg Grêmio 2-1 Peñarol; Grêmio won 3-2 on aggregate
- UEFA Cup: Two legs; 1st leg Anderlecht 1-0 Benfica; 2nd leg Benfica 1-1 Anderlecht; Anderlecht won 2-1 on aggregate
- Cup Winners' Cup: Aberdeen 2-1 Real Madrid (AET)
- Super Cup: Two legs; 1st leg Hamburg 0-0 Aberdeen; 2nd leg Aberdeen 2-0 Hamburg; Aberdeen won 2-0 on aggregate
- League champions
- Argentina: Estudiantes LP (Nacional), Independiente (Metropolitano)
- Brazil: Flamengo (Taça de Ouro)
- England: Liverpool
- France: Nantes
- Italy: Roma
- Netherlands: Ajax
- Portugal: Benfica
- Scotland: Dundee United
- Spain: Athletic Bilbao
- West Germany: Hamburg
- England - FA Cup: Manchester United won 2 - 2 (aet); 4 - 0 (replay) over Brighton & Hove Albion
- FIFA decided to give to Mexico the right to host the Football World Cup 1986 after Colombia announced the reject to celebrate the event.
Gaelic Athletic Association
- Gaelic football
- All-Ireland Senior Football Championship: Dublin 1-10 d. Galway 1-8
- National Football League: Down 1-8 d. Armagh 0-8
Golf
- Major championship results:
- April - The Masters - Seve Ballesteros
- June - US Open - Larry Nelson
- July - British Open - Tom Watson
- August - PGA Championship - Hal Sutton
- PGA Tour leading money winner for the year: Hal Sutton - $426,668
- Champions Tour leading money winner: Don January - $237,571
- Ryder Cup: United States won 14 1/2 - 13 1/2 over Europe in world team golf.
- US Women's Open - Jan Stephenson
- LPGA Championship - Patty Sheehan
- JoAnne Carner:leading money winner on the LPGA tour, earning $291,404.
Thoroughbred Horse Racing
- February 8 - the great Shergar was kidnapped from Ballymany Stud, near the Curragh in County Kildare, Ireland. No trace of the horse has ever been found.
- Australia - Melbourne Cup - Kiwi
- Canada - Queen's Plate - Bompago
- France - Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe - All Along
- Ireland - Irish Derby Stakes - Shareef Dancer
- United States Triple Crown Races:
- Sunny's Halo becomes on the second Canadian bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby.
- Kentucky Derby - Sunny's Halo
- Preakness Stakes - Deputed Testamony
- Belmont Stakes - Caveat
Harness Racing
- Ralph Hanover wins the United States Pacing Triple Crown races:
- Cane Pace - Ralph Hanover
- Little Brown Jug - Ralph Hanover
- Messenger Stakes - Ralph Hanover
- Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship:
- Pacers: Gammalite
- Trotters: Scotch Notch
Ice Hockey
- Art Ross Memorial Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season: Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers
- Hart Memorial Trophy for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers
- Stanley Cup: New York Islanders win 4-0 over the Edmonton Oilers
- World Hockey Championship:
- Men's champion: Soviet Union defeated Czechoslovakia
- Junior Men's champion: USSR defetated Czechoslovakia
Radiosport
- First European High Speed Telegraphy Championships held in Moscow, Russia.
Skiing
- Alpine Skiing
- The men's overall season champion: Phil Mahre, USA
- The women's overall season champion: Tamara McKinney, USA
Snooker
- World Snooker Championship: Steve Davis beats Cliff Thorburn 18-6
- World rankings: Steve Davis becomes world number one for 1983/84
Tennis
- Grand Slam in tennis men's results:
- Grand Slam in tennis women's results:
Yacht racing
- Australia II, of the Royal Perth Yacht Club, wins the America's Cup over Liberty, from the New York Yacht Club, 4 races to 3; the victory breaks a 132-year winning streak by the NYYC through 25 Cup challenges, the longest-running unbeaten streak in all of sports
General sporting events
- Ninth Pan American Games held in Caracas, Colombia
- Ninth Mediterranean Games held in Casablanca, Morocco
- Twelfth Summer Universiade held in Edmonton, Canada
- Eleventh Winter Universiade held in Sofia, Bulgaria
- January 18 - The International Olympic Committee restores the medals to the family of Jim Thorpe
- Association of Christian College Athletics formed
- 61 year old potato farmer Cliff Young wins Sydney-Melbourne Marathon
Births
January
- January 7 — Marc Burns, Trinidad and Tobago athlete
- January 13 — Marsha Marescia, South African field hockey player
- January 16 — Marta Marrero, Spanish tennis player
- January 21 — Francesca Segat, Italian butterfly swimmer
- January 25 — Brian Mayanja, Ugandan boxer
February
- February 2 — Bridget McKeever, Irish field hockey player
- February 5 — Adi Bichman, Israeli freestyle and medley swimmer
- February 9 — Keith Beavers, Canadian backstroke and medley swimmer
- February 11 — Rafael van der Vaart, Dutch football (soccer) player
- February 12 — Vikki Bunce, Scottish field hockey forward
- February 13 — Santi Freixa, Spanish field hockey striker
- February 13 — Bradley Shaw, New Zealand field hockey player
- February 18 — Roberta Vinci, Italian tennis player
- February 19 — Detelin Dalakliev, Bulgarian boxer
- February 20 — Kayla Bashore, American field hockey defender
- February 23 — Mido, Egyptian football (soccer) player
- February 26 — Floris Evers, Dutch field hockey player
- February 27 — Duje Draganja, Croatian swimmer
March
- March 4 — Olaf Wildeboer, Dutch-Spanish freestyle swimmer
- March 10 — Elena Bovina, Russian tennis player
- March 13 — Kaitlin Sandeno, American swimmer
- March 14 — Bakhtiyar Artayev, Kazakh boxer
- March 15 — Carlos José Tamara, Colombian boxer
April
- April 12 — Jelena Dokic, Serbian tennis player
- April 13 — Schalk Burger, South African rugby player
- April 15 — Ilya Kovalchuk, Russian NHL player
- April 17 — Miguel Cabrera, Major League Baseball player
- April 22 — Igor Čerenšek, Croatian freestyle swimmer
- April 23 — Daniela Hantuchova, Slovak tennis player
May
- May 5 — Matt Naylor, Australian field hockey player
- May 6 — Connor Grimes, Canadian field hockey player
- May 7 — Marco Galiazzo, Italian archer
- May 9 — Yoshihiro Okumura, Japanese swimmer
- May 11 — Francisco Bojado, Mexican boxer
- May 13 — Kelly Doton, American field hockey forward
- May 17 — Nicky Hofs, Dutch football player
- May 17 — Danko Lazović, Serbian football player
- May 21 — Diego Camacho, Bolivian tennis player
- May 24 — Thomas Felten, Dutch swimmer
- May 27 — Bobby Convey, American football player
June
- June 6 — Joe Rokocoko, New Zealand rugby player
- June 8 — Kim Clijsters, Belgian tennis player
- June 12 — Christine Sinclair, Canadian soccer player
- June 13 — Gerson Magraõ, Brazilian football player
- June 25 — Todd Cooper, English swimmer
July
- July 5 — Jie Zheng, Chinese tennis player
- July 6 — Thijs van Valkengoed, Dutch breaststroke swimmer
- July 14 — Igor Andreev, Russian tennis player
- July 14 — Joeri van Dijk, Dutch sailor
- July 17 — James Pereira, Brazilian boxer
- July 20 — Ignisious Gaisah, Ghanaian athlete
- July 23 — Aaron Peirsol, American swimmer
- July 26 — Naomi van As, Dutch field hockey player
- July 26 — Jessika Dubuc, Canadian synchronized swimmer
August
- August 5 — Annika Mehlhorn, German butterfly and medley swimmer
- August 6 — Robin van Persie, Dutch football player
- August 11 — Ren Hui, Chinese speed skater
- August 12 — Klaas Jan Huntelaar, Dutch football player
- August 14 — Elena Baltacha, Scottish tennis player
- August 18 — Georgina Bardach, Argentine swimmer
- August 18 — Russell Ford, Australian field hockey striker
- August 20 — Leonoor Voskamp, Dutch field hockey player
- August 22 — Theo Bos, Dutch track cyclist
- August 31 — Alex Blackwell, Australian cricketer
- August 31 — Kate Blackwell, Australian cricketer
September
- September 15 — Tatiana Rouba, Spanish swimmer
- September 16 — Kirsty Coventry, Zimbabwean swimmer
- September 22 — Glenn Loovens, Dutch football player
- September 23 — Carly Piper, American swimmer
- September 24 — Lyndon Ferns, South African swimmer
- September 27 — Kirsten Thomson, Australian freestyle swimmer
- September 29 — Ricardo Quaresma, Portuguese football player
- September 30 — Andreea Răducan, Romanian gymnast
October
- October 2 — Prakash Amritraj, Indian tennis player
- October 5 — Florian Mayer, German tennis player from
- October 7 — José David Mosquera, Colombian boxer
- October 11 — Ruslan Ponomariov, Ukrianian chess player
- October 16 — Philipp Kohlschreiber, German tennis player
- October 16 — Ramaz Nozadze, Georgian wrestler
- October 21 — Brent Hayden, Canadian swimmer
- October 24 — Brian Vickers, NASCAR driver
November
- November 11 — Philipp Lahm, German footballer
- November 15 — John Heitinga, Dutch football player
- November 15 — Fernando Verdasco, Spanish tennis player
- November 17 — Jodie Henry, Australian swimmer
- November 24 — André Bahia, Brazilian football player
- November 24 — Víctor Sojo, Spanish field hockey striker
- November 30 — Vladislav Polyakov, Kazakhstani swimmer
December
- December 6 — Bryan Habana, South African rugby player
- December 13 — Janeth Jepkosgei, Kenyan middle distance runner
- December 13 — Otylia Jędrzejczak, Polish butterfly swimmer
- December 21 — Niels Scheuneman, Dutch cyclist
- December 28 — Flávia Delaroli, Brazilian freestyle swimmer
- December 30 — Yussif Chibsah, Ghanaian football (soccer) player
Deaths
- Adios Butler — harness racing horse
- January 24 — Juan Carlos Zabala, Argentine athlete (b. 1911)
- January 26 — Del Rice, Major League Baseball player
- January 26 — Paul "Bear" Bryant college football coach at Alabama
- February 1 — Tullio Campagnolo, Italian bicycle manufacturer
- February 14 — Lina Radke (79), German athlete (b. 1903)
- February 22 — Romain Maes, Belgian cyclist
- March 13 — Louison Bobet, French cyclist
- April 23 — Buster Crabbe, U.S. Olympic swimming gold medalist turned actor
- April 24 — Rolf Stommelen, German racing driver, killed in an IMSA race
- April 28 — Ron James, Australian cricketer
- April 17 — Dutch Leonard, Major League Baseball player (b. 1909)
- April 23 — Marguerite Broquedis (90), French tennis player (b. 1893)
- May 1 — George Hodgson (89), Canadian swimmer (b. 1893)
- May 31 — Jack Dempsey, American world champion boxer
- June 27 — Don Ida, balloonist, killed during a race
- June 27 — Maxie Anderson, balloonist, killed during a race
- June 29 — Joe Delaney, football player, Kansas City Chiefs, a true hero, after rescuing one boy, he drowned while attempting to rescue 2 more
- July 7 — Vic Wertz, Major League Baseball player
- July 28 — Alec Marks, Australian cricketer
- August 12 — Henry Gifford Vivian, New Zealand cricketer
- September 08 — Antonin Magne, French cylist
- October 31 — George Halas, National Football League coach, Chicago Bears
- November 15 — Charlie Grimm, Major League Baseball player
Categories
1983 in sports