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1991 in sports
Reference material by Wikipedia contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
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January 2021
October 2021
1991 sports
1991 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.
Alpine skiing
Alpine Skiing World Cup
Men's overall season champion: Marc Girardelli, Luxembourg
Women's overall season champion: Petra Kronberger, Austria
American football
Super Bowl XXV – the New York Giants (NFC) won 20–19 over the Buffalo Bills (AFC)
Location: Tampa Stadium
Attendance: 73,813
MVP: Ottis Anderson, RB (New York)
Thurman Thomas of the Buffalo Bills is named the NFL MVP
Orange Bowl (1990 season):
The Colorado Buffaloes won 10–9 over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to win the AP Poll national championships
Desmond Howard, University of Michigan wide receiver seals the Heisman Trophy with a 93-yard punt return in Michigan's 31–3 hammering of Ohio State.
World Bowl '91: London Monarchs won 21–0 over the Barcelona Dragons in the inaugural World Bowl.
Quarterback Stan Gelbaugh of the London Monarchs is named the World League of American Football's inaugural seasons Most Valuable Player
Artistic gymnastics
World Artistic Gymnastics Championships –
Men's all-around champion: Grigory Misutin, USSR
Women's all-around champion: Kim Zmeskal, United StatesUSA Gymnastics Official Biography: Kim Zmeskal https://usagym.org/pages/athletes/archivedbios/z/kzmeskal.html usagym.org 12 January 2021 6 August 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160806215150/https://usagym.org/pages/athletes/archivedbios/z/kzmeskal.html dead
Men's team competition champion: USSR
Women's team competition champion: USSR
Association football
European Cup – Red Star Belgrade beat Olympique de Marseille 5–3 on penalties (0–0 aet)
FIFA Women's World Cup – United States won 2–1 over Norway
Athletics
1991 World Championships in Athletics held in Tokyo
30 August – Track & Field World Championship Mike Powell breaking Bob Beamon's 23-year-old Long Jump world record with a mark of 29' 4 1/2"
Australian rules football
Australian Football League
The Adelaide Crows join the league
25 April – and kick between them 32.18 (210) in the first half. It is the record aggregate score for a half of VFL/AFL football.
2 June – kick their first goal with 33 second to go against , the closest a team has come to finishing goalless since kicked 0.8 (8) in 1961 against St. Kilda.
8 September – Hawthorn beat West Coast 18.16 (124) to 15.11 (101) in the first final outside Melbourne.
1991 AFL Grand Final (28 September) – Hawthorn wins the 95th AFL premiership beating West Coast 20.19 (139) to 13.8 (86) in the only Grand Final at VFL Park.
Brownlow Medal awarded to Jim Stynes (Melbourne)
7 October – death of Darren Millane, who played for between 1984 and 1991, from a car crash in Prahran.
Baseball
1991 in baseball
Dave Righetti breaks Sparky Lyle's major league record for left-handers of 238 career saves.
1 May – Nolan Ryan pitchers his seventh career no hitter with a 3–0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays
28 July – Dennis Martínez of the Montreal Expos pitches the 13th perfect game in major league history, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 2–0.
World Series – The Minnesota Twins win 4 games to 3 over the Atlanta Braves. The series MVP is Jack Morris of Minnesota.
Cal Ripken Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles is named AL MVP
Terry Pendleton of the Atlanta Braves is named NL MVP
Roger Clemens of the Boston Red Sox is named AL Cy Young award winner. It is his third of six in his career
Tom Glavine of the Atlanta Braves is named NL Cy Young award winner
Chuck Knoblauch of the Minnesota Twins is named AL Rookie of the Year
Jeff Bagwell of the Houston Astros is named NL Rookie of the Year
Basketball
NCAA Men's Basketball Championship – Duke wins 72–65 over Kansas
Larry Johnson of UNLV is named Naismith College Player of the Year
9 February – Dee Brown win the Gatorade Slam Dunk Contest
10 February – NBA All-Star Game is held in Charlotte, North Carolina
12 June – NBA Finals: Chicago Bulls win 4 games to 1 over the Los Angeles Lakers to earn the franchise's first championship, starting a run of six titles in eight seasons.
Michael Jordan is named the NBA MVP, his second of 5 awards.
7 November – Lakers' superstar Magic Johnson announces he tested positive for the virus that causes AIDS, thus ending his career in the NBA.
National Basketball League (Australia) Finals: Perth Wildcats defeated the Eastside Melbourne Spectres 2–1 in the best-of-three final series.
17 December – The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Miami Heat 148 to 80, the largest margin of victory in any NBA game.
Boxing
Boxing in the 1990s#1991
18 March – Mike Tyson defeats Donovan Ruddock in a seventh-round TKO
19 April – Evander Holyfield defeats George Foreman to retain WBC, WBA & IBF Heavyweight titles
7 to 12 May – 29th European Amateur Boxing Championships held in Gothenburg, Sweden
3 June – Thomas Hearns defeats Virgil Hill with a unanimous decision to win WBA Light Heavyweight title
1 June at Palm Springs, California – Terry Norris knocked out Donald Curry in the 8th Round to win the WBC Super Welterweight Championship.
28 June Mike Tyson defeats Donovan Ruddock in a rematch with a 12-round unanimous decision
2 to 18 August – Pan American Games held in Havana, Cuba.
5 October – James Toney defeats Michael Nunn with a TKO to win IBF Middleweight title
James Toney is named Ring Magazine fighter of the year
Canadian football
Grey Cup – Toronto Argonauts win 36–21 over the Calgary Stampeders
B.C. Lions Quarterback Doug Flutie is named CFL Most Outstanding Player
Vanier Cup – Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks win 25–18 over the Mount Allison Mounties
Cricket
South Africa readmitted to the International Cricket Council following the abolition of apartheid, and play their first international game since 1970.
Cycling
Giro d'Italia won by Franco Chioccioli of Italy
Tour de France – Miguel Indurain of Spain
UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race – Gianni Bugno of Italy
Dogsled racing
Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Champion –
Rick Swenson won with lead dog: Goose
Field hockey
Men's Champions Trophy: Germany
Women's Champions Trophy: Australia
Figure skating
World Figure Skating Championships –
Men's champion: Kurt Browning, Canada
Ladies' champion: Kristi Yamaguchi, United States
Pair skating champions: Natalia Mishkutenok & Artur Dmitriev, Soviet Union
Ice dancing champions: Isabelle Duchesnay & Paul Duchesnay, France
Golf
Men's professional
Master – Ian Woosnam
U.S. Open – Payne Stewart
British Open – Ian Baker-Finch
PGA Championship – John Daly
PGA Tour money leader – Corey Pavin – $979,430
Senior PGA Tour money leader – Mike Hill – $1,065,657
Ryder Cup – United States team won 14½ – 13½ over the Europe in team golf.
Men's amateur
British Amateur – Gary Wolstenholme
U.S. Amateur – Mitch Voges
European Amateur – Jim Payne
Tiger Woods, at age 15, won his first USGA title, the U.S. Junior Amateur.
Women's professional
Nabisco Dinah Shore – Amy Alcott
LPGA Championship – Meg Mallon
U.S. Women's Open – Meg Mallon
Classique du Maurier – Nancy Scranton
LPGA Tour money leader – Pat Bradley – $763,118
Harness racing
North America Cup – Precious Bunny
United States Pacing Triple Crown races –
Cane Pace – Silky Stallone
Little Brown Jug – Precious Bunny
Messenger Stakes – Die Laughing
United States Trotting Triple Crown races –
Hambletonian – Giant Victory
Yonkers Trot – Crown's Invitation
Kentucky Futurity – Whiteland Janice
Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship –
Pacers: Mark Ranover
Trotters: Fraggle Rock
Horse racing
Steeplechases
Cheltenham Gold Cup – Garrison Savannah
Grand National – Seagram
Flat races
Australia – Melbourne Cup won by Let's Elope
Canadian Triple Crown Races:
Queen's Plate – Dance Smartly
Prince of Wales Stakes – Dance Smartly
Breeders' Stakes – Dance Smartly
Dance Smartly becomes the country's third consecutive Triple Crown winner.
France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won by Suave Dancer
Ireland – Irish Derby Stakes won by Generous
Japan – Japan Cup won by Golden Pheasant
English Triple Crown Races:
2,000 Guineas Stakes – Mystiko
The Derby – GenerousEpsom Derby History, Winners, & Facts Britannica https://www.britannica.com/sports/Derby-horse-race www.britannica.com 4 January 2022 en
St. Leger Stakes – Toulon
United States Triple Crown Races:
Kentucky Derby – Strike the Gold
Preakness Stakes – Hansel
Belmont Stakes – Hansel
Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships:
Breeders' Cup Classic – Black Tie Affair
Breeders' Cup Distaff – Dance Smartly
Breeders' Cup Juvenile – Arazi
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies – Pleasant Stage
Breeders' Cup Mile – Opening Verse
Breeders' Cup Sprint – Sheikh Albadou
Breeders' Cup Turf – Miss Alleged
Ice hockey
Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season: Wayne Gretzky, Los Angeles Kings
Hart Memorial Trophy for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: Brett Hull, St. Louis Blues
Stanley Cup
Pittsburgh Penguins win four games to two over the Minnesota North Stars
Conn Smythe Trophy – Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins
World Hockey Championship
Men's champion: Sweden defeated Canada
Junior Men's champion: Canada defeated the USSR
Sheffield Steelers formed
San Jose Sharks formed
Northern Michigan University wins the NCAA Division I title in hockey, 8–7 in the third overtime against Boston University.
Lacrosse
The Detroit Turbos defeat the Baltimore Thunder to win the Major Indoor Lacrosse League championship
Motorsport
1991 in motorsport List of 1991 motorsport champions
Radiosport
The Friendship Radiosport Games held in Portland, Oregon, United States was the first international Amateur Radio Direction Finding competition held in the Americas.
Third European High Speed Telegraphy Championship held in Neerpelt, Belgium.
Rugby League
1991 Kangaroo tour of Papua New Guinea
Penrith Panthers defeat two-time defending premiers Canberra Raiders in the New South Wales Rugby League Grand Final at the Sydney Football Stadium. It is Penrith's first premiership since their admission in 1967.
Wigan retained their title in the English Rugby League competition, with Oldham, Sheffield Eagles and Rochdale Hornets being relegated. To date this is Rochdale's last appearance in the top flight.
Rugby Union
97th Five Nations Championship series is won by England who complete the Grand Slam
Australia wins the 1991 Rugby World Cup
Snooker
World Snooker Championship – John Parrott beats Jimmy White 18–11
World rankings – Stephen Hendry remains world number one for 1991/92
Swimming
The sixth FINA World Championships, held in Perth, Australia (3 January – 13)
Eleventh Pan American Games held in Havana, Cuba (12–18 August)
20th European LC Championships, held in Athens, Greece (18–25 August)
Fourth Pan Pacific Championships, held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (22–25 August)
First European Sprint Championships, held in Gelsenkirchen, Germany (6–8 December)
13 December – Steve Crocker sets the first official world record in the men's 50m freestyle (short course) in Sheffield, United Kingdom, clocking 25.64.
Taekwondo
World Championships held in Athens, Greece
Tennis
20 June – death of Michael Westphal (26), German player
Grand Slam in tennis men's results:
Australian Open – Boris Becker
French Open – Jim Courier
Wimbledon championships – Michael Stich
U.S. Open – Stefan Edberg
Grand Slam in tennis women's results:
Australian Open – Monica Seles
French Open – Monica Seles
Wimbledon championships – Steffi Graf
U.S. Open – Monica Seles
Davis Cup – France won 3–1 over the United States in world tennis.
Triathlon
ITU World Championships held in Gold Coast, Queensland
ITU World Cup (eleven races) started in the United States Virgin Islands and ended in Mexico
ETU European Championships held in Geneva, Switzerland
Volleyball
Men's competition
FIVB World League: Italy
Asia Volleyball Championship: Japan
Men's European Volleyball Championship: USSR
Pan American Games: Cuba
Women's competition
Asia Volleyball Championship: China
Women's European Volleyball Championship: USSR
Pan American Games: Cuba
Water polo
FINA Men's World Water Polo Championship: USA
FINA Women's World Water Polo Championship: Netherlands
Multi-sport events
Eleventh Pan American Games held in Havana, CubaFAQ: What are the Pan American Games? https://olympic.ca/faq-what-are-the-pan-american-games/ Team Canada - Official Olympic Team Website 4 January 2022
Fifth All-Africa Games held in Cairo, Egypt
Eleventh Mediterranean Games held in Athens, Greece
Sixteenth Summer Universiade held in Sheffield, United Kingdom
Fifteenth Winter Universiade held in Sapporo, Japan
Sixteenth Southeast Asian Games held in Manila, Philippines
Awards
Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year – Michael Jordan, NBA basketball
Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year – Monica Seles, Tennis
Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year – Michael Jordan
James E. Sullivan Award – Olympic Long Jumper Mike Powell
References
Category:Sports by year