1998 in sports

Auto racing

• Stock car racing:
  • Dale Earnhardt won the Daytona 500
  • NASCAR Championship - Jeff Gordon
  • NASCAR celebrates its 50th anniversary
• Indy Racing League -
• Indianapolis 500 - Eddie Cheever
• CART Racing - Alex Zanardi won the season championship
• Formula One Championship - Mika Häkkinen of Finland
• 24 hours of Le Mans: won by the team of Laurent Aïello / Allan McNish / Stéphane Ortelli driving a Porsche 911 GT-1
• Rally racing - Tommi Mäkinen won the World Rally Championship
  • the team of Carlos Sainz / Luis Moya won the Monte Carlo Rally driving a Toyota Corolla WRC
• Drag racing - Gary Scelzi won the NHRA "Top Fuel" championship.

Baseball

• Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa each chase the home run record set previously by Roger Maris in 1961. Both men end up breaking the record; McGwire with 70 and Sosa with 66.

• World Series: New York Yankees win 4 games to 0 over the San Diego Padres. The Series MVP is Scott Brosius, New York

Basketball

• NCAA Men's Basketball Championship:
  • Kentucky wins 78-69 over Utah

• NBA Finals:
  • Chicago Bulls win 4 games to 2 over the Utah Jazz, to complete their second three-peat of the decade.

• WNBA Finals:
  • Houston Comets win two games to one over the Phoenix Mercury to repeat as champions.

• FIBA World Championship
  • Yugoslavia World Champion

• National Basketball League (Australia) Finals:
  • Adelaide 36ers defeated the South East Melbourne Magic 2-0 in the best-of-three final series.

Boxing

• May 17 to 24 – 32nd European Amateur Boxing Championships held in Minsk, Belarus
  • Light Flyweight (– 48 kg): Sergey Kazakov (Russia)
  • Flyweight (– 51 kg): Vladimir Sidorenko (Ukraine)
  • Bantamweight (– 54 kg): Sergey Danilchenko (Ukraine)
  • Featherweight (– 57 kg): Ramaz Paliani (Georgia)
  • Lightweight (– 60 kg): Kay Huste (Germany)
  • Light Welterweight (– 63.5 kg): Dorel Simion (Romania)
  • Welterweight (– 67 kg): Oleg Saitov (Russia)
  • Light Middleweight (– 71 kg): Frédéric Esther (France)
  • Middleweight (– 75 kg): Zsolt Erdei (Hungary)
  • Light Heavyweight (– 81 kg): Aleksandr Lebziak (Russia)
  • Heavyweight (– 91 kg): Giacobbe Fragomeni (Italy)
  • Super Heavyweight (+ 91 kg): Alexei Lezin (Russia)

• June 27 – Shane Mosley stopped Wilfrido Ruiz in the 5th round to retain the IBF Lightweight Championship.

Cycling

• Giro d'Italia won by Marco Pantani of Italy
• Tour de France - Marco Pantani of Italy
• World Cycling Championship: Oskar Camenzind of Switzerland

Dogsled racing

• Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Champion:
  • Jeff King wins with lead dogs: Red & Jenna

Field hockey

World competitions

• Men's World Cup in Utrecht, The Netherlands
  • Gold: The Netherlands
  • Silver: Spain
  • Bronze: Germany

• Commonwealth Games (Men's Competition) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • Gold: Australia
  • Silver: Malaysia
  • Bronze: England

• Men's Champions Trophy in Lahore, Pakistan
  • Gold: The Netherlands
  • Silver: Pakistan
  • Bronze: Australia

• Women's World Cup in Utrecht, The Netherlands
  • Gold: Australia
  • Silver: The Netherlands
  • Bronze: Germany

• Commonwealth Games (Women's Competition) in Manchester, England
  • Gold: Australia
  • Silver: England
  • Bronze: New Zealand

Regional competitions

• Asian Games (Men's Competition) in Bangkok, Thailand
  • Gold: India
  • Silver: South Korea
  • Bronze: Pakistan

• Asian Games (Women's Competition) in Bangkok, Thailand
  • Gold: South Korea
  • Silver: India
  • Bronze: China

Figure skating

• World Figure Skating Championships:
  • Men's champion: Alexei Yagudin, Russia
  • Ladies' champion: Michelle Kwan, United States
  • Pairs' champions: Elena Bereschnaya / Anton Sicharulidze, Russia
  • Ice dancing champions: Anjelika Krylova / Oleg Ovsyannikov, Russia

Football (American)

• January 13 - ABC and ESPN negotiate a $1.15 billion a season contract to keep Monday Night Football.

• Super Bowl XXXII: Denver Broncos won 31-24 over the Green Bay Packers

• NCAA: BCS National Championship (Fiesta Bowl): Tennessee Volunteers (13-0) won 23-16 over the Florida State Seminoles (11-2)

Football (Australian)

• Australian Football League
  • The Adelaide Crows win the 102nd AFL premiership (Adelaide Crows 15.15 (105) d North Melbourne 8.22 (70))
  • Brownlow Medal awarded to Robert Harvey] (St Kilda)

Football (Canadian)

• Grey Cup: Calgary Stampeders win 26-24 over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
• Vanier Cup: Saskatchewan Huskies win 24-17 over the Concordia Stingers

Football (rugby league)

The North Queensland Cowboys home stadium sponsor Stockland finished up their sponsorship contract seeing out their three year deal.

A new sponsorship deal was drawn up by the Cowboys, with local milking organisation Dairy Farmers who owned the local North Queensland milking dairy in the Tablelands. It was rebadged into the newly named 'Dairy Farmers Stadium' for year 1998.

It was also the start of the National Rugby League competition. Super League (Australia) ended its 1 year competition and the Australian Rugby League also ended theirs to merge together to become one. But for some clubs it came at a cost.

For the Hunter Mariners and Western Reds from Super League (Australia) and the South Queensland Crushers from the Australian Rugby League these franchises were over. But it was the birth of a new franchise and a first in rugby league history. A team in the state of Victoria going by the name Melbourne Storm.

The 20 teams competing in season 98 were:

Adelaide Rams,

Auckland Warriors,

Balmain Tigers,

Brisbane Broncos,

Canberra Raiders,

Canterbury Bulldogs,

Cronulla Sharks,

Gold Coast Chargers,

Illawarra Steelers,

Manly Sea Eagles,

Melbourne Storm,

Newcastle Knights,

North Queensland Cowboys,

North Sydney Bears,

Parramatta Eels,

Penrith Panthers,

St. George Dragons,

South Sydney Rabbitohs,

Sydney City Roosters,

Western Suburbs Magpies.

• • Brisbane Broncos win their fourth title, defeating Canterbury Bulldogs 38-12 in the final.

Football (Soccer)

For fuller coverage, see: 1998 in football (soccer)

Gaelic Athletic Association

• Camogie
  • All-Ireland Camogie Champion: Cork
  • National Camogie League: Cork

• Gaelic football
  • All-Ireland Senior Football Championship: Galway 1-14 d. Kiladre 1-10
  • National Football League: Offaly 0-9 d. Derry 0-7

• Ladies' Gaelic football
  • All-Ireland Senior Football Champion: Waterford
  • National Football League: Waterford

• Hurling
  • All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship: Offaly 2-16 d. Kilkenny 1-13
  • National Hurling League:

Golf

Men's golf

• Major championship results:
  1. April - The Masters - Mark O'Meara
  2. June - US Open - Lee Janzen
  3. July - British Open - Mark O'Meara
  4. August - PGA Championship - Vijay Singh

• PGA tour's leading money winner for the year: David Duval - $2,591,031
• PGA Champions Tour leading money winner: Hale Irwin - $2,861,945

Women's golf

• US Women's Open: Se Ri Pak
• LPGA Championship: Se Ri Pak
• Annika Sörenstam: leading money winner on the LPGA tour, earning $1,092,748

Harness racing

• North America Cup - Straight Path

• United States Pacing Triple Crown races:
  1. Cane Pace - Shady Character
  2. Little Brown Jug - Shady Character
  3. Messenger Stakes - Fit For Life

• United States Trotting Triple Crown races:
  1. Hambletonian - Muscles Yankee
  2. Yonkers Trot - Muscles Yankee
  3. Kentucky Futurity - Trade Balance

• Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship:
  • Pacers: Our Sir Vancelot
  • Trotters: Buster Hanover

Ice hockey

• For the first time, professional players from the National Hockey League (NHL, USA) participated in the Winter Olympics. And also for the first time in Olympic history, women took part in ice hockey.
• Women's Gold - United States won 3-1 over Canada
• Men's Gold - Czech Republic won 1-0 over Russia

• Art Ross Memorial Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season: Jaromir Jagr, Pittsburgh Penguins

• Hart Memorial Trophy: for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: Dominik Hasek - Buffalo Sabres

• Stanley Cup: Detroit Red Wings defeated the Washington Capitals 4 games to 0.

• World Hockey Championship
  • Men's champion: Sweden defeated Finland
  • Junior Men's champion: Russia defeated Canada

Lacrosse

• The 8th World Lacrosse Championship is held in Baltimore, Maryland. The United States win, and Canada is the runner-up.
• The Philadelphia Wings sweep the Baltimore Thunder in the best of three series held to determine the winner of the Champion's Cup.
• The Brampton­ Excelsiors win the Mann Cup.
• The Clarington Green Gaels win the Founders Cup.
• The Burnaby Lakers win the Minto Cup.

Radiosport

• Ninth Amateur Radio Direction Finding World Campionship held in Nyíregyháza, Hungary.

Rugby league

• The North Queensland Cowboys home stadium sponsor Stockland finished up their sponsorship contract seeing out their three year deal.

A new sponsorship deal was drawn up by the Cowboys, with local milking organisation Dairy Farmers who owned the local North Queensland milking dairy in the Tablelands. It was rebadged into the newly named 'Dairy Farmers Stadium' for year 1998.

Skiing

• Alpine skiing
  • The men's overall season champion: Hermann Maier, Austria
  • The women's overall season champion: Katja Seizinger, Germany

Snooker

• World Snooker Championship: John Higgins beats Ken Doherty 18-12
• World rankings: John Higgins becomes world number one for 1998/99

Swimming

International Tournaments

• Eighth FINA World Championships, held in Perth, Australia (January 8 – 17)
• Second European SC Championships, held in Sheffield, United Kingdom (December 11 – December 13)

Events

• December 1 – US-swimmer Jenny Thompson breaks her own world record in the Women's 100m Butterfly (short course): 56:90

Tennis

• Grand Slam in tennis men's results:
  1. Australian Open - Petr Korda
  2. French Open - Carlos Moya
  3. Wimbledon championships - Pete Sampras
  4. US Open - Patrick Rafter

• Grand Slam in tennis women's results:
  1. Australian Open - Martina Hingis
  2. French Open - Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
  3. Wimbledon championships - Jana Novotná
  4. US Open - Lindsay Davenport

• Davis Cup: Sweden wins 4-1 over Italy in world tennis.
• Serena Williams finishes the year in the top 20
• Elena Dementieva turns professional, becomes the first woman representing Russia to enter the US Open semifinal.

Thoroughbred horse racing

• Australia - Melbourne Cup - Jezabeel
• Canada - Queen's Plate - Archers Bay
• France - Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe - Sagamix
• Ireland - Irish Derby Stakes - Dream Well

• English Triple Crown races:
  1. Two Thousand Guineas Stakes - King of Kings
  2. Epsom Derby - High Rise
  3. St. Leger Stakes - Nedawi

• United States Triple Crown races:
  1. Kentucky Derby - Real Quiet
  2. Preakness Stakes - Real Quiet
  3. Belmont Stakes - Victory Gallop

• Breeders' Cup:
  1. Breeders' Cup Classic - Awesome Again
  2. Breeders' Cup Distaff - Escena
  3. Breeders' Cup Juvenile - Answer Lively
  4. Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies - Silverbulletday
  5. Breeders' Cup Mile - Da Hoss
  6. Breeders' Cup Sprint - Reraise
  7. Breeders' Cup Turf - Buck's Boy

Water polo

• Men's World Championship in Perth, Australia
  • Gold Medal: Spain
  • Silver Medal: Hungary
  • Bronze Medal: Yugoslavia

• Women's World Championship in Perth, Australia
  • Gold Medal: Italy
  • Silver Medal: The Netherlands
  • Bronze Medal: Australia

Professional wrestling

• World Championship Wrestling
  • World War III
    • Kevin Nash wins the 60-man, 3-ring World War III battle royale match.

• World Wrestling Federation
  • Royal Rumble
    • Steve Austin wins the Royal Rumble match.
  • WrestleMania XIV
    • Steve Austin wins his first WWF World Heavyweight Championship by beating Shawn Michaels. Mike Tyson was a special guest enforcer.
  • Unforgiven
    • The Undertaker defeats Kane in the first ever Inferno match
  • King of the Ring
    • Ken Shamrock is crowned King of the Ring.
    • Mick Foley is thrown from the top of the Cell by The Undertaker during their Hell in a Cell match in one of the most memorable moments in wrestling history.
  • Survivor Series
    • The Rock wins a tournament to crown a new WWF Champion, beating Mankind via a Montreal Screwjob finish.

General sporting events

• 1998 Winter Olympics held in Nagano, Japan
  • Germany wins the most medals (29), and the most gold medals (12)
  • Curling makes its Olympic debut
    • Men's Gold: Switzerland wins 9-3 over Canada
    • Women's Gold: Canada wins 7-5 over Denmark

• 1998 Commonwealth Games held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• Asian Games held in Bangkok, Thailand
• Summer Goodwill Games held in New York City, United States
• Fifth Gay Games held in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Deaths

• January 1 — Helen Wills Moody, tennis player
• March 8 — Ray Nitschke, American football player
• March 13 — Risen Star, champion thoroughbred race horse
• April 9 — John Tate (43), American boxer (b. 1955)
• May 15 — Earl Manigault, basketball player
• July 4 — Strike Out, harness racing horse
• July 8 — Lili de Alvarez, Spanish multi-sport competitor, tennis champion and author (b. 1905)
• August 17 — Władysław Komar (58), Polish shot putter (b. 1940)
• October 2 — Olivier Gendebien, Belgian race car driver
• October 27 — Winnie van Weerdenburg (52), Dutch swimmer
• November 10 — Hal Newhouser, baseball player
• November 17 — Kornelia Bouman (94), Dutch female tennis player (b. 1903)
• December 2 — Mikio Oda (93), Japanese athlete (b. 1905)
• December 20 — Phil Stubbs (36), New Zealand ocean rowing champion

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