1866 in sports

Template:Short description Template:Year nav sports topic5 1866 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.

Association football

Events

• Foundation of Upton Park F.C.

Athletics

Events

• The Amateur Athletics Club (AAC) is founded and becomes the governing body of athletics in the United Kingdom, hosting the first national championships and introducing a definition of "amateur" that will determine eligibility for athletics competitions until the late 20th century.

Baseball

National championship

• National Association of Base Ball Players champion – Brooklyn Atlantics

Events

• National Association membership triples and geographic scope explodes, from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas to Portland, Maine. The association hears cases of professionalism at the center and there is no longer a clear and official NABBP champion.

Boxing

Events

• 6 August — Jem Mace defeats Joe Goss in the 21st round and reclaims the vacant English Championship.<ref name="JM">Cyber Boxing Zone – Jem Mace. Retrieved on 8 November 2009.</ref>
• 19 September — Mike McCoole defeats Bill Davis in the 34th round at Rhodes Point, near St Louis, and underlines his claim to the American Championship.<ref name="MM">Cyber Boxing Zone – Mike McCoole. Retrieved on 8 November 2009.</ref> The third claimant Jimmy Elliott does not fight anyone this year.<ref name="JE">Cyber Boxing Zone – Jimmy Elliott. Retrieved on 8 November 2009.</ref>

Cricket

Events

• George Wootton's tally of 119 wickets establishes a new record for an English season.

England

• Most runs – Harry Jupp 1,140 @ 31.66 (HS 165)
• Most wickets – George Wootton 119 @ 14.09 (BB 8–69)

Golf

Major tournaments

• British Open – Willie Park senior

Horse racing

Events

• Inaugural running of the Irish Derby Stakes at The Curragh is won by Selim

England

• Grand National – Salamander
• 1,000 Guineas Stakes – Repulse
• 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Lord Lyon
• The Derby – Lord Lyon<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• The Oaks – Tormentor
• St. Leger Stakes – Lord Lyon

Australia

• Melbourne Cup – The Barb

Canada

• Queen's Plate – Beacon

Ireland

• Irish Derby Stakes – Selim

Rowing

The Boat Race

• 24 March — Oxford wins the 23rd Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race

Rugby football

Events

• Foundation of Harlequins FC, Rochdale Hornets and Swinton RLFC

Yacht racing

The American schooners Vesta, Henrietta and Fleetwing cross the Atlantic Ocean from Sandy Hook to the Needles, Isle of Wight in the first organised offshore race. The Henrietta, owned by 21-year-old James Gordon Bennett, Jr., and captained by Samuel S. Samuels won the race in 13 days, 21 hours and 55 minutes.