1966 in sports
1966 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.
| Years in sports: | 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 |
| Centuries: | 19th century · 20th century · 21st century |
| Decades: | 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s |
| Years: | 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 |
Alpine skiing
- FIS Alpine World Ski Championships –
- Men's combined champion: Jean-Claude Killy, France
- Women's combined champion: Marielle Goitschel, France
American football
- Orange Bowl (1965 season):
- The Alabama Crimson Tide won 39-28 over the Nebraska Cornhuskers to win the AP Poll national championship
- Rose Bowl (1965 season):
- The Michigan State Spartans lose 14-12 to the UCLA Bruins; voted national champions by the UPI Poll
- 1966 season championships were played in late 1966 and early 1967
- June 8: The AFL and NFL reach an agreement to merge as equals into one league under the NFL name, to take effect with the 1970 season.
- AFL Championship – Kansas City Chiefs won 31-7 over the Buffalo Bills
- NFL Championship – Green Bay Packers won 34-27 over the Dallas Cowboys
- Each of the two existing top-level professional leagues added a new team for the 1966 season. The Atlanta Falcons joined the NFL, and the Miami Dolphins joined the AFL.
- November 19 - The #1 ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the #2 ranked Michigan State Spartans play to a 10-10 tie; Notre Dame are voted AP and UPI Poll national champions and Michigan State is voted national champions by the NFF.
Artistic gymnastics
- World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
- Men's all-around champion: Mikhail Voronin, USSR
- Women's all-around champion:
- Men's team competition champion: Japan
- Women's team competition champion: Czechoslovakia
Association football
England
- FA Cup final – Everton win 3-2 against Sheffield Wednesday
International
- World Cup – England defeats Germany to win the 1966 World Cup Final.
- FIFA decide to give the right to host the Football World Cup 1974, Football World Cup 1978 and 1982 Football World Cup to West Germany, Argentina and Spain respectively
Athletics
- July 17 – American runner Jim Ryun sets a new world record for the mile at 3:51.3
- August – 1966 Commonwealth Games held at Kingston, Jamaica
- September – 1966 European Championships in Athletics held at Budapest
- December – 1966 Asian Games held at Bangkok
Australian rules football
- Victorian Football League
- St Kilda wins the 70th VFL Premiership (St Kilda 10.14 (74) d Collingwood 10.13 (73))
- Brownlow Medal awarded to Ian Stewart (St Kidan dan hill was born
Baseball
- January 20 – The BBWAA elects Ted Williams to the Hall of Fame. Williams, the last batter to hit .400, receives 282 of a possible 302 votes.
- Roberto Clemente is the National League MVP.
- Frank Robinson is the American League MVP.
- Sandy Koufax of the Los Angeles Dodgers is the Major League Baseball Cy Young Award
- Tommie Agee of the Chicago White Sox is the American League MLB Rookie of the Year award
- Tommy Helms of the Cincinnati Red is the National League MLB Rookie of the Year award
- Ted Williams is inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame.
- World Series – Baltimore Orioles win 4 games to 0 over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Series MVP: Frank Robinson, Baltimore
- College World Series - Ohio State defeats Oklahoma State 8-2 at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium. Ohio State pitcher Steve Arlin is named tournatent Most Outstanding Player
Basketball
- NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship –
- Texas Western wins 72-65 over Kentucky
- NBA Finals|NBA Finals –
- Boston Celtics won 4 games to 3 over the Los Angeles Lakers
- NBA MVP Philadelphia 76ers center Wilt Chamberlain
Boxing
- March 29, Muhammad Ali defeats George Chuvalo in a 15 round unanimous decision
- April 25 at New York City, World Welterweight Champion Emile Griffith won a 15 round unanimous decision over Dick Tiger to also become the World Middleweight Champion.
- May 21 Muhammad Ali defeats Henry Cooper with a 6th round TKO
- August 6 Muhammad Ali defeats Brian London with a 3rd round KO
- September 10 Muhammad Ali defeats Karl Mildenberger with a 12th round TKO
- November 14, Muhammad Ali knocks out Cleveland Williams in three rounds to retain the WBC heavyweight title.
Canadian football
- Grey Cup – Saskatchewan Roughriders win 29-14 over the Ottawa Rough Riders
- Vanier Cup – St. Francis Xavier X-Men win 40-14 over the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks
Cycling
- Giro d'Italia won by Gianni Motta of Italy
- Tour de France - Lucien Aimar of France
- Vuelta a España - Francisco Gabica of Spain
- UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race – Rudi Altig of Germany
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 - Jack Nicklaus
- U.S. Open - Billy Casper
- British Open - Jack Nicklaus becomes the fourth player to win all four major professional championships.
- PGA Championship - Al Geiberger
- PGA Tour money leader - Billy Casper - $121,945
Men's amateur
Women's professional
- Women's Western Open - Mickey Wright
- LPGA Championship - Gloria Ehret
- U.S. Women's Open - Sandra Spuzich
- Titleholders Championship - Kathy Whitworth
- LPGA Tour money leader - Kathy Whitworth - $33,517
Harness racing
- Romeo Hanover wins the United States Pacing Triple Crown races –
- United States Trotting Triple Crown races –
- Hambletonian - Kerry Way
- Yonkers Trot - Polaris
- Kentucky Futurity - Governor Armbro
- Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship –
- Pacers: Chamfer Star
- Trotters: Yamamoto
Horse racing
Steeplechases
- Cheltenham Gold Cup – Arkle
- Grand National – Anglo
Flat races
- Australia – Melbourne Cup won by Galilee
- Canada – Queen's Plate won by Titled Hero
- France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won by Bon Mot
- Ireland – Irish Derby Stakes won by Sodium
- English Triple Crown Races:
- United States Triple Crown Races:
Ice hockey
- Art Ross Memorial Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season: Bobby Hull, Chicago Black Hawks
- Hart Memorial Trophy – for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: Bobby Hull, Chicago Black Hawks
- Stanley Cup – Montreal Canadiens won 4-2 over the Detroit Red Wings
- World Hockey Championship
- Men's champion: Soviet Union defeated Czechoslovakia
- NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship - Michigan State University Spartans defeat Clarkson University Golden Knights 6-1 in Minneapolis, MN
Motor racing
- Stock car racing –
- Richard Petty wins the Daytona 500 in the #43 Plymouth
- Marvin Panch wins the World 600 in the #20 Wood Brothers Ford
- NASCAR Championship - David Pearson (#3, Dodge)
- USAC Racing
- 30 May – Graham Hill wins the 51st running of the Indianapolis 500 in the American Red Ball Special Lola-Cosworth
- Mario Andretti wins the season championship
- Formula One – J. A. Brabham (Australia) wins World Drivers' Champion, driving an MRD-Repco. He is the only driver to win a championship in a car of his own team.
- 24 hours of Le Mans – Bruce McLaren / Chris Amon win, sharing Ford GT-40 Mk.II
- Rally racing - the team of Pauli Toivonen / Ensio Mikander win the Monte Carlo Rally driving a Citroën DS. However, the result was highly controversial, with the top finishers (including the BMC Mini Cooper S and Ford Cortina) disqualified on the dubious basis of their quartz-iodide single filament bulbs being illegal. It allows Citröen, who had made the necessary changes to their lighting systems just before the end of the event, to step up and take the winning slot.
- Drag racing - Pete Robinson wins the NHRA Top Fuel World Championship.
Orienteering
- First Orienteering World Championships held 1–2 October in Fiskars, Finland.
Rugby league
- 1966 New Zealand rugby league season
- 1966 NSWRFL season
- 1965–66 Northern Rugby Football League season / 1966–67 Northern Rugby Football League season
Rugby union
- 72nd Five Nations Championship series is won by Wales
Snooker
- World Snooker Championship challenge match: John Pulman beats Fred Davis 5-2 in matches.
Speed skating
- January 4 – death of Inga Artamonova (29), Russian world speed-skating champion, who was murdered by her husband
Tennis
Australia
- Australian Men's Singles Championship – Roy Emerson (Australia) defeats Arthur Ashe (USA) 6–4, 6–8, 6–2, 6–3
- Australian Women's Singles Championship – Margaret Smith Court (Australia) defeats Nancy Richey (USA) walkover
England
- Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship – Manuel Santana (Spain) defeats Dennis Ralston (USA) 6–4, 11–9, 6–4
- Wimbledon Women's Singles Championship – Billie Jean King (USA) defeats Maria Bueno (Brazil) 6–3, 3–6, 6–1
France
- French Men's Singles Championship – Tony Roche defeats István Gulyás 6–1, 6–4, 7–5
- French Women's Singles Championship –
USA
- American Men's Singles Championship – Tournament did not start until 1968
- American Women's Singles Championship – Tournament did not start until 1968
Davis Cup
- 1966 Davis Cup –
Australia 4–1 
India at Kooyong Stadium (grass) Melbourne, Australia
Volleyball
- 1966 FIVB Men's World Championship in Prague won by Czechoslovakia
Multi-sport events
- Asian Games held in Bangkok, Thailand
- British Empire and Commonwealth Games held in Kingston, Jamaica
- Central American and Caribbean Games held in San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Fourth Winter Universiade held in Sestriere, Italy
Awards
- Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year – Frank Robinson, Major League Baseball
- Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year – Kathy Whitworth, LPGA golf
References
{{Sports by year 1951 – 2000}}
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