1968 in sports

1968 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.

Centuries:	19th century · 20th century · 21st century
Decades:	1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s
Years:	1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971

Alpine skiing

Alpine Skiing World Cup:
- Men's overall champion: Jean-Claude Killy, France
- Women's overall champion: Nancy Greene, Canada

American football

January 14 Super Bowl II – Green Bay Packers won 33–14 over the Oakland Raiders. After the game, Packer head coach Vince Lombardi announced his retirement as head coach of the Packers.
The Cincinnati Bengals were formed
November 17 – The Oakland Raiders score two consecutive touchdowns in the last minute of the fourth quarter to beat the New York Jets 43–32, in the infamous "Heidi Game".
Baltimore Colts 34–0 Cleveland Browns in 1968 NFL championship game.
New York Jets 27–23 Oakland Raiders in the 1968 AFL championship game.

College Football: Ohio State Buckeyes win the National Championship after beating USC Trojans in the Rose Bowl

O.J. Simpson, running back for the USC Trojans, was the overwhelming choice for the Heisman Trophy, with 2,853 points. Second was Leroy Keyes, running back for Purdue, with 1,103 points, followed by Terry Hanratty (QB-Notre Dame), Ted Kwalick (TE-Penn State) and Ted Hendricks (DE-Miami).

Association football

England – First Division Champions: Manchester City F.C.
England – FA Cup – West Bromwich Albion 1–0 Everton
Scotland – First Division Champions: Celtic F.C.
Scotland – Cup Winners: Dunfermline Athletic F.C. (defeated Heart of Midlothian 3–1)
European Championship – Italy beat Yugoslavia 2–0 in a replay. The original final ended 1–1.

Australian rules football

Victorian Football League
- Carlton wins the 72nd VFL Premiership (Carlton 7.14 (56) d Essendon 8.5 (53))
- Brownlow Medal awarded to Bob Skilton (South Melbourne)

Baseball

January 23 – Joe Medwick is voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Medwick won the Triple Crown in 1937 and batted .300 in 14 of 17 seasons.
January 28 – Goose Goslin and Kiki Cuyler are admitted to the Hall of Fame by unanimous vote of the Special Veterans Committee. Goslin was a career .316 hitter who played in four World Series. Cuyler was a .321 career hitter with four stolen base crowns.
Denny McLain of the Detroit Tigers becomes the first pitcher in Major League Baseball to win 30 or more games since Dizzy Dean of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1934. Since McLain, no pitcher has accomplished that feat.
World Series – Detroit Tigers won 4 games to 3 over the St. Louis Cardinals. The Series MVP was Mickey Lolich, Detroit.
June 24 – Jim Northrup hits grand slams in consecutive at-bats, 5th and 6th innings.

Basketball

NCAA Men's Basketball Championship –
- UCLA wins 78–55 over North Carolina
NBA Finals|NBA Finals –
- Boston Celtics won 4 games to 2 over the Los Angeles Lakers

Boxing

May 8 – Bob Foster knocked out Dick Tiger in the fourth round to win the World Lightweight Championship.

Canadian football

Grey Cup – Ottawa Rough Riders won 24–21 over the Calgary Stampeders
Vanier Cup – Queen's Golden Gaels won 42–14 over the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks

Cricket

January 31 – Australia secure victory in the Fourth Test match versus India and win the series 4–0
August 27 – England win the final Test match at The Oval against Australia to tie the series 1–1. Australia retain The Ashes
August 28 – Basil D'Oliveira is excluded from the MCC South African tour side leading to turmoil in the world of cricket.

Cycling

Giro d'Italia won by Eddy Merckx of Belgium
Tour de France – Jan Janssen of the Netherlands
World Cycling Championship – Vittorio Adorni of Italy

Field hockey

Olympic Games (Men's Competition) in Mexico City, Mexico
- Gold Medal: Pakistan
- Silver Medal: Australia
- Bronze Medal: India
March 9 – In an international women's field hockey match at Wembley Stadium, England. England beat the Netherlands 1–0.

Figure skating

World Figure Skating Championships –
- Men's champion: Emmerich Dänzer, Austria
- Ladies' champion: Peggy Fleming, United States
- Pair skating champions: Ludmila Belousova & Oleg Protopopov, Soviet Union
- Ice dancing champions: Diane Towler & Bernard Ford, Great Britain

Golf

Men's professional

Masters Tournament – Bob Goalby wins after Roberto DeVicenzo makes on a score card error. DeVicenzo writes a 4 instead of the 3 on the 17th hole.
U.S. Open – Lee Trevino becomes the first golfer to shoot in the 60s in every round of the U.S. Open.
British Open – Gary Player
PGA Championship – Julius Boros
PGA Tour money leader – Billy Casper – $205,169

Men's amateur

British Amateur – Michael Bonallack
U.S. Amateur – Bruce Fleisher

Women's professional

Women's Western Open – discontinued
LPGA Championship – Sandra Post
U.S. Women's Open – Susie Berning
Titleholders Championship – not playes
LPGA Tour money leader – Kathy Whitworth – $48,379
Canadian rookie Sandra Post became the youngest golfer to ever win an LPGA major tournament by capturing the LPGA Championship.

Horse racing

Steeplechases

Cheltenham Gold Cup – Fort Leney
Grand National – Red Alligator

Flat races

Australia – Melbourne Cup won by Royal Parma
Canada – Queen's Plate won by Merger
France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won by Vaguely Noble
Ireland – Irish Derby Stakes won by Ribero
English Triple Crown Races:
1. 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Sir Ivor
2. Epsom Derby – Sir Ivor
3. St. Leger Stakes – Ribero
United States Triple Crown Races:
1. Kentucky Derby – Forward Pass
2. Preakness Stakes – Forward Pass
3. Belmont Stakes – Stage Door Johnny

Ice hockey

January 15 – death of Bill Masterton, Canadian ice hockey player, as a result of injury sustained during a game
Art Ross Memorial Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season: Stan Mikita, Chicago Black Hawks
Hart Memorial Trophy – for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: Stan Mikita, Chicago Black Hawks
Stanley Cup – Montreal Canadiens win 4 games to 0 over the St. Louis Blues
World Hockey Championship
- Men's champion: Soviet Union defeated Czechoslovakia
NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship – University of Denver Pioneers defeat University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux 4–0 in Duluth, MN

Motor racing

April 7 – former Formula One World Drivers' Champion Jim Clark dies driver after a crash in a practice at Hockenheim
NASCAR
- February 25 – Cale Yarborough wins the Daytona 500 in the #21 Wood Brothers Mercury
- May 26 – Buddy Baker wins the World 600 in the #6 Dodge
USAC
- 30 May – Bobby Unser wins the 51st running of the Indianapolis 500 in the Rislone/Leader Cards Special All American Racers Eagle-Offenhauser
September 28 – Pedro Rodríguez and Lucien Bianchi win the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Rugby union

74th Five Nations Championship series is won by France who complete the Grand Slam

Snooker

World Snooker Championship challenge match: John Pulman beats Eddie Charlton 39–34

Swimming

XIX Olympic Games, held in Mexico City (October 17 – October 26)

Tennis

Australia

Australian Men's Singles Championship – William Bowrey (Australia) defeats Juan Gisbert Juan Gisbert, Sr. (Spain) 7–5, 2–6, 9–7, 6–4
Australian Women's Singles Championship – Billie Jean King (USA) defeats Margaret Smith Court (Australia) 6–1, 6–2

England

Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship – Rod Laver (Australia) defeats Tony Roche (Australia) 6–3, 6–4, 6–2
Wimbledon Women's Singles Championship – Billie Jean King (USA) defeats Judy Tegart Dalton (Australia) 9–7, 7–5

France

USA

Events

The "open era" in tennis begins, as all the Grand Slam events open to professionals for the first time

Davis Cup

1968 Davis Cup – United States 4–1 Australia at Memorial Drive Tennis Centre (grass) Adelaide, Australia

Multi-sport events

1968 Summer Olympics takes place in Mexico City, Mexico
- United States wins the most medals (107), and the most gold medals (45)
1968 Winter Olympics takes place in Grenoble, France
- Norway wins the most medals (14), and the most gold medals (6)
Fifth Winter Universiade held in Innsbruck, Austria

Awards

References

Sports by year 1951 – 2000

1951 \| 1952 \| 1953 \| 1954 \| 1955 \| 1956 \| 1957 \| 1958 \| 1959 \| 1960 1961 \| 1962 \| 1963 \| 1964 \| 1965 \| 1966 \| 1967 \| 1968 \| 1969 \| 1970 \| 1971 \| 1972 \| 1973 \| 1974 \| 1975 \| 1976 \| 1977 \| 1978 \| 1979 \| 1980 1981 \| 1982 \| 1983 \| 1984 \| 1985 \| 1986 \| 1987 \| 1988 \| 1989 \| 1990 \| 1991 \| 1992 \| 1993 \| 1994 \| 1995 \| 1996 \| 1997 \| 1998 \| 1999 \| 2000

to 1850 • 1851 – 1900 • 1901 – 1950 • 1951 – 2000 • from 2001

1968 in sports

Contents

Awards

References