View source for 1991 in sports

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{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2021}}
{{Year nav sports topic5|1991|sports}}

'''1991 in sports''' describes the year's events in world sport.

==Alpine skiing==
* [[1990–91 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup|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]]
* [[1991 Orange Bowl|Orange Bowl]] (1990 season):
** The [[Colorado Buffaloes]] won 10–9 over the [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish]] to win the [[AP Poll]] [[1990 NCAA Division I-A football season|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|World Bowl]] '91: [[London Monarchs]] won 21–0 over the [[Barcelona Dragons (NFL Europe)|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==
* [[1991 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|World Artistic Gymnastics Championships]] –
**Men's all-around champion: [[Grigory Misutin]], USSR
**Women's all-around champion: [[Kim Zmeskal]], United States<ref>{{cite web |title=USA Gymnastics Official Biography: Kim Zmeskal |url=https://usagym.org/pages/athletes/archivedbios/z/kzmeskal.html |website=usagym.org |access-date=12 January 2021 |archive-date=6 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806215150/https://usagym.org/pages/athletes/archivedbios/z/kzmeskal.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
**Men's team competition champion: USSR
**Women's team competition champion: USSR

==Association football==
* [[1990–91 European Cup|European Cup]] – [[Red Star Belgrade]] beat [[Olympique de Marseille]] 5–3 on penalties (0–0 aet)
* [[1991 FIFA Women's World Cup|FIFA Women's World Cup]] – [[United States women's national soccer team|United States]] won 2–1 over [[Norway women's national football team|Norway]]

==Athletics==
* [[1991 World Championships in Athletics]] held in Tokyo
* 30 August – Track & Field World Championship [[Mike Powell (athlete)|Mike Powell]] breaking [[Bob Beamon]]'s 23-year-old Long Jump world record with a mark of 29' 4 1/2"

==Australian rules football==
* [[1991 AFL season|Australian Football League]]
** The [[Adelaide Crows]] join the league
** 25 April – {{AFL NM}} and {{AFL Syd}} 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 – {{AFL Car}} kick their first goal with 33 second to go against {{AFL Foo}}, the closest a team has come to finishing goalless since {{AFL Ric}} kicked 0.8 (8) in [[1961 VFL season|1961]] against [[St Kilda Football Club|St. Kilda]].
** 8 September – [[Hawthorn Football Club|Hawthorn]] beat [[West Coast Eagles|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 [[Waverley Park|VFL Park]].
** [[Brownlow Medal]] awarded to [[Jim Stynes]] ([[Melbourne Football Club|Melbourne]])
* 7 October – death of [[Darren Millane]], who played for {{AFL Col}} between 1984 and 1991, from a car crash in [[Prahran, Victoria|Prahran]].

==Baseball==
{{main|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 [[1991 Toronto Blue Jays season|the Toronto Blue Jays]]
* 28 July – [[Dennis Martínez]] of [[1991 Montreal Expos season|the Montreal Expos]] pitches the 13th [[Perfect game (baseball)|perfect game]] in major league history, beating [[1991 Los Angeles Dodgers season|the Los Angeles Dodgers]] 2–0.
* [[1991 World Series|World Series]] – [[1991 Minnesota Twins season|The Minnesota Twins]] win 4 games to 3 over [[1991 Atlanta Braves season|the Atlanta Braves]]. The series MVP is [[Jack Morris]] of Minnesota.
* [[Cal Ripken Jr.]] of [[1991 Baltimore Orioles season|the Baltimore Orioles]] is named [[AL MVP]]
* [[Terry Pendleton]] of [[1991 Atlanta Braves season|the Atlanta Braves]] is named [[NL MVP]]
* [[Roger Clemens]] of [[1991 Boston Red Sox season|the Boston Red Sox]] is named [[AL Cy Young]] award winner. It is his third of six in his career
* [[Tom Glavine]] of [[1991 Atlanta Braves season|the Atlanta Braves]] is named [[NL Cy Young]] award winner 
* [[Chuck Knoblauch]] of [[1991 Minnesota Twins season|the Minnesota Twins]] is named [[AL Rookie of the Year]]
* [[Jeff Bagwell]] of [[1991 Houston Astros season|the Houston Astros]] is named [[NL Rookie of the Year]]

==Basketball==
* [[1991 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship Game|NCAA Men's Basketball Championship]] – [[Duke Blue Devils|Duke]] wins 72–65 over [[Kansas Jayhawks|Kansas]]
* [[Larry Johnson (basketball, born 1969)|Larry Johnson]] of [[UNLV]] is named [[Naismith College Player of the Year]]
*9 February – '''[[Dee Brown (basketball, born 1968)|Dee Brown]]''' win the [[Gatorade]] [[NBA All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk Contest|Slam Dunk Contest]]
*10 February – [[1991 NBA All-Star Game|NBA All-Star Game]] is held in Charlotte, North Carolina
* 12 June – [[1991 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]]: [[1990–91 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago Bulls]] win 4 games to 1 over [[1990–91 Los Angeles Lakers season|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 [[National Basketball Association|NBA]].
* [[National Basketball League (Australia)]] [[1991 NBL Finals|Finals]]: [[Perth Wildcats]] defeated the [[Eastside Melbourne Spectres]] 2–1 in the best-of-three final series.
* 17 December – [[1991–92 Cleveland Cavaliers season|The Cleveland Cavaliers]] beat [[1991–92 Miami Heat season|the Miami Heat]] 148 to 80, the largest margin of victory in any [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] game.

==Boxing==
{{main|Boxing in the 1990s#1991}}
* 3 March – [[Mike Tyson]] [[Mike Tyson vs. Donovan Ruddock|defeats]] [[Donovan Ruddock]] in a seventh-round TKO
* 19 April – [[Evander Holyfield]] [[Evander Holyfield vs. George Foreman|defeats]] [[George Foreman]] to retain [[World Boxing Council|WBC]], [[World Boxing Association|WBA]] & [[IBF]] Heavyweight titles
* 7 to 12 May – '''[[1991 European Amateur Boxing Championships|29th European Amateur Boxing Championships]]''' held in [[Gothenburg]], Sweden
* 3 June – [[Thomas Hearns]] [[Virgil Hill vs. Thomas Hearns|defeats]] [[Virgil Hill]] with a unanimous decision to win [[World Boxing Association|WBA]] [[Light Heavyweight]] title
* 1 June at [[Palm Springs, California]] – [[Terry Norris (boxer)|Terry Norris]] [[Terry Norris vs. Donald Curry|knocked out]] [[Donald Curry]] in the 8th Round to win the WBC Super Welterweight Championship.
* 28 June [[Mike Tyson]] defeats [[Donovan Ruddock]] in a [[Mike Tyson vs. Donovan Ruddock II|rematch]] with a 12-round unanimous decision
* 2 to 18 August – '''[[Boxing at the 1991 Pan American Games|Pan American Games]]''' held in [[Havana]], Cuba.
* 5 October – [[James Toney]] [[Michael Nunn vs. 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==
* [[79th Grey Cup|Grey Cup]] – [[Toronto Argonauts]] win 36–21 over the [[Calgary Stampeders]]
* [[B.C. Lions]] Quarterback [[Doug Flutie]] is named [[CFL Most Outstanding Player]]
* [[27th Vanier Cup|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==
* [[1991 Giro d'Italia|Giro d'Italia]] won by [[Franco Chioccioli]] of Italy
* [[1991 Tour de France|Tour de France]] – [[Miguel Indurain]] of Spain
* [[1991 UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race|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]]==
* [[1991 Men's Hockey Champions Trophy|Men's Champions Trophy]]: Germany
* [[1991 Women's Hockey Champions Trophy|Women's Champions Trophy]]: Australia

==[[Figure skating]]==
* [[1991 World Figure Skating Championships|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'''
* [[1991 Masters Tournament|Master]] – [[Ian Woosnam]]
* [[1991 U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]] – [[Payne Stewart]]
* [[1991 Open Championship|British Open]] – [[Ian Baker-Finch]]
* [[1991 PGA Championship|PGA Championship]] – [[John Daly (golfer)|John Daly]]
* [[PGA Tour]] money leader – [[Corey Pavin]] – $979,430
* [[Champions Tour|Senior PGA Tour]] money leader – [[Mike Hill (golfer)|Mike Hill]] – $1,065,657
* [[1991 Ryder Cup|Ryder Cup]] – United States team won 14½ – 13½ over the Europe in team golf.
'''Men's amateur'''
* [[The Amateur Championship|British Amateur]] – [[Gary Wolstenholme]]
* [[United States Amateur Championship (men's golf)|U.S. Amateur]] – [[Mitch Voges]]
* [[European Amateur]] – [[Jim Payne (golfer)|Jim Payne]]
* [[Tiger Woods]], at age 15, won his first [[United States Golf Association|USGA]] title, the [[U.S. Junior Amateur]].
'''Women's professional'''
* [[1991 Nabisco Dinah Shore|Nabisco Dinah Shore]] – [[Amy Alcott]]
* [[1991 LPGA Championship|LPGA Championship]] – [[Meg Mallon]]
* [[1991 U.S. Women's Open|U.S. Women's Open]] – [[Meg Mallon]]
* [[1991 du Maurier Classic|Classique du Maurier]] – [[Nancy Scranton]]
* [[LPGA|LPGA Tour]] money leader – [[Pat Bradley (golfer)|Pat Bradley]] – $763,118

==Harness racing==
* [[North America Cup]] – [[Precious Bunny]]
* [[Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers|United States Pacing Triple Crown races]] –
*# [[Cane Pace]] – [[Silky Stallone]]
*# [[Little Brown Jug (horse racing)|Little Brown Jug]] – [[Precious Bunny]]
*# [[Messenger Stakes]] – [[Die Laughing (horse)|Die Laughing]]
* [[Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Trotters|United States Trotting Triple Crown races]] –
*# [[Hambletonian Stakes|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)|Fraggle Rock]]

==Horse racing==
'''Steeplechases'''
* [[1991 Cheltenham Gold Cup|Cheltenham Gold Cup]] – [[Garrison Savannah]]
* [[1991 Grand National|Grand National]] – [[Seagram]]
'''Flat races'''
* Australia – [[Melbourne Cup]] won by [[Let's Elope]]
* [[Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing|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 – [[1991 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe|Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe]] won by [[Suave Dancer]]
* Ireland – [[Irish Derby Stakes]] won by [[Generous (horse)|Generous]]
* Japan – [[Japan Cup]] won by [[Golden Pheasant (horse)|Golden Pheasant]]
* [[Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing#English Triple Crowns|English Triple Crown Races]]:
*# [[2,000 Guineas Stakes]] – [[Mystiko (horse)|Mystiko]]
*# [[1991 Epsom Derby|The Derby]] – [[Generous (horse)|Generous]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Epsom Derby {{!}} History, Winners, & Facts {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/sports/Derby-horse-race |website=www.britannica.com |access-date=4 January 2022 |language=en}}</ref>
*# [[St. Leger Stakes]] – [[Toulon (horse)|Toulon]]
* [[United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing|United States Triple Crown Races]]:
*# [[1991 Kentucky Derby|Kentucky Derby]] – [[Strike the Gold]]
*# [[1991 Preakness Stakes|Preakness Stakes]] – [[Hansel (horse)|Hansel]]
*# [[1991 Belmont Stakes|Belmont Stakes]] – [[Hansel (horse)|Hansel]]
* [[Breeders' Cup]] World Thoroughbred Championships:
*# [[Breeders' Cup Classic]] – [[Black Tie Affair]]
*# [[Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic|Breeders' Cup Distaff]] – [[Dance Smartly]]
*# [[Breeders' Cup Juvenile]] – [[Arazi (horse)|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 [[National Hockey League|NHL]]'s leading scorer during the regular season: [[Wayne Gretzky]], [[1990–91 Los Angeles Kings season|Los Angeles Kings]]
* [[Hart Memorial Trophy]] for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: [[Brett Hull]], [[1990–91 St. Louis Blues season|St. Louis Blues]]
* [[1991 Stanley Cup Finals|Stanley Cup]]
** [[1990–91 Pittsburgh Penguins season|Pittsburgh Penguins]] win 4 games to 2 over [[1990–91 Minnesota North Stars season|the Minnesota North Stars]]
* [[Conn Smythe Trophy]] – [[Mario Lemieux]], [[1990–91 Pittsburgh Penguins season|Pittsburgh Penguins]]
* World Hockey Championship
** [[1991 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships|Men's champion]]: Sweden defeated Canada
** [[1991 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships|Junior Men's champion]]: Canada defeated the USSR
* [[Sheffield Steelers]] formed
* [[San Jose Sharks]] formed
* [[Northern Michigan University]] wins the [[1991 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament|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 [[1991 Major Indoor Lacrosse League season|Major Indoor Lacrosse League]] championship

==[[Motorsport]]==
{{main|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 (1988)|Sydney Football Stadium]]. It is Penrith's first premiership since their admission in [[1967 NSWRFL season|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 [[1991 Five Nations Championship|Five Nations Championship]] series is won by [[England national rugby union team|England]] who complete the [[Grand Slam (rugby union)|Grand Slam]]
* [[Australia national rugby union team|Australia]] wins the [[1991 Rugby World Cup]]

==Snooker==
* [[1991 World Snooker Championship|World Snooker Championship]] – [[John Parrott]] beats [[Jimmy White]] 18–11
* [[Snooker world rankings|World rankings]] – [[Stephen Hendry]] remains [[Snooker world number ones|world number one]] for 1991/92

==Swimming==
* The sixth [[1991 World Aquatics Championships|FINA World Championships]], held in [[Perth]], Australia (3 January – 13)
* Eleventh [[Swimming at the 1991 Pan American Games|Pan American Games]] held in [[Havana]], Cuba (12–18 August)
* 20th [[European LC Championships 1991|European LC Championships]], held in [[Athens]], Greece (18–25 August)
* Fourth [[1991 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships|Pan Pacific Championships]], held in [[Edmonton]], Alberta, Canada (22–25 August)
* First [[European Sprint Swimming Championships 1991|European Sprint Championships]], held in [[Gelsenkirchen]], Germany (6–8 December)
* 13 December – [[Steve Crocker (swimmer)|Steve Crocker]] sets the first official [[World record progression 50m freestyle|world record]] in the men's 50m freestyle (short course) in [[Sheffield]], United Kingdom, clocking '''25.64'''.

==Taekwondo==
* [[1991 World Taekwondo Championships|World Championships]] held in [[Athens]], Greece

==Tennis==
* 20 June – death of [[Michael Westphal]] (26), German player
* [[Grand Slam in tennis]] men's results:
*# [[1991 Australian Open – Men's singles|Australian Open]] – [[Boris Becker]]
*# [[1991 French Open – Men's singles|French Open]] – [[Jim Courier]]
*# [[1991 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|Wimbledon championships]] – [[Michael Stich]]
*# [[1991 US Open – Men's singles|U.S. Open]] – [[Stefan Edberg]]
* [[Grand Slam in tennis]] women's results:
*# [[1991 Australian Open – Women's singles|Australian Open]] – [[Monica Seles]]
*# [[1991 French Open – Women's singles|French Open]] – [[Monica Seles]]
*# [[1991 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles|Wimbledon championships]] – [[Steffi Graf]]
*# [[1991 U.S. Open – Women's singles|U.S. Open]] – [[Monica Seles]]
* [[1991 Davis Cup|Davis Cup]] – France won 3–1 over the United States in world tennis.

==Triathlon==
* [[1991 ITU Triathlon World Championships|ITU World Championships]] held in [[Gold Coast, Queensland]]
* [[1991 ITU Triathlon World Cup|ITU World Cup]] (eleven races) started in the [[United States Virgin Islands]] and ended in [[Mexico]]
* [[1991 ETU Triathlon European Championships|ETU European Championships]] held in [[Geneva]], Switzerland

==Volleyball==
'''Men's competition'''
* [[1991 FIVB Volleyball World League|FIVB World League]]: Italy
* [[1991 Asian Men's Volleyball Championship|Asia Volleyball Championship]]: Japan
* [[1991 Men's European Volleyball Championship|Men's European Volleyball Championship]]: USSR
* [[Volleyball at the 1991 Pan American Games|Pan American Games]]: Cuba
'''Women's competition'''
* [[1991 Asian Women's Volleyball Championship|Asia Volleyball Championship]]: China
* [[1991 Women's European Volleyball Championship|Women's European Volleyball Championship]]: USSR
* [[Volleyball at the 1991 Pan American Games|Pan American Games]]: Cuba

==[[Water polo]]==
* [[1991 FINA Men's Water Polo World Cup|FINA Men's World Water Polo Championship]]: USA
* FINA Women's World Water Polo Championship: Netherlands

==[[Multi-sport event]]s==
* Eleventh [[1991 Pan American Games|Pan American Games]] held in [[Havana]], Cuba<ref>{{cite web |title=FAQ: What are the Pan American Games? |url=https://olympic.ca/faq-what-are-the-pan-american-games/ |website=Team Canada - Official Olympic Team Website |access-date=4 January 2022}}</ref>
* Fifth [[1991 All-Africa Games|All-Africa Games]] held in [[Cairo]], Egypt
* Eleventh [[1991 Mediterranean Games|Mediterranean Games]] held in [[Athens]], Greece
* Sixteenth [[1991 Summer Universiade|Summer Universiade]] held in [[Sheffield]], United Kingdom
* Fifteenth [[1991 Winter Universiade|Winter Universiade]] held in [[Sapporo]], Japan
* Sixteenth [[1991 Southeast Asian Games|Southeast Asian Games]] held in [[Manila]], Philippines

==Awards==
* [[Associated Press Athlete of the Year#List of award winners|Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year]] – [[Michael Jordan]], [[National Basketball Association|NBA basketball]]
* [[Associated Press Athlete of the Year#List of award winners|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 (athlete)|Mike Powell]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Sports by year 1951 – 2000}}

[[Category:1991 in sports| ]]
[[Category:Sports by year]]