FOOTBALL
- NFL CHAMPIONSHIP:
(in an upset) Cleveland Browns (30), Los Angeles Rams (28) - The NFL and the AAFC merged adding 3 teams to the league including the Cleveland Browns
- The Browns victory over the rams was a huge upset, the financially impoverished AAFC teams were thought to be inferior
- Football games are televised for the first time
BASEBALL
- WORLD SERIES:
(in a sweep) New York Yankee’s (4), Philadelphia Phillies (0) - This win gives the Yankee’s their 13th world championship
- Whitey Ford has his first World Series appearance and win for the Yankee’s
- Joe Dimaggio gets his 2,000th hit
BASKETBALL
- NBA CHAMPIONSHIP:
(series went 6 games) Minneapolis Lakers (4) games, Syracuse Nationals (2) Games - This would be the second NBA Championship in a basketball dynasty that lasted 5 years
- George Mikan would again be named MVP, the press called him “The greatest basketball player ever”
Tennis
- WIMBLETON:
Men’s Singles
(American) Budge Patty defeated (Australian) Frank Sedgman (6-1 8-10 6-2 6-3) - Women’s Singles
(both Americans) Louise Brough Clapp defeated Margaret Osborne DuPont (6-1, 3-6, 6-1) - Australia wins the Davis Cup Challenge tournament
GOLF
- PGA CHAMPIONSHIP: Sam Snead
- Snead wins 11 major tournaments this year
- The MASTERS: Jimmy Demaret
- Demaret becomes the first player to win the Masters three times
- Bing Crosby enters the British Amateur Championship but gets bumped in the first round
- US WOMEN’S OPEN: Babe Didrikson Zaharias who also wins the other two LPGA major tournaments
HOCKEY
- STANLEY CUP:
(in 7 games) Detroit Red Wings (4) games, New York Rangers (3) games - The seventh game was decided in double overtime, a Stanley Cup first
- Gordie Howe the league’s preeminent player was sidelined with a life and career threatening skull fracture
prior to the Cup series
BOXING
- WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP:
(15 round unanimous decision) Ezzard Charles defeats Joe Louis to retain his title in Yankee stadium - Sugar Ray Robinson knocks out Jose Basora to win MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE
- Sandy Saddler lifted the world FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP from Willie Pep in a seventh round knockout
CAR RACING
- INDIANAPOLIS 500: Johnny Parson
the race was called after 345 miles (138 laps) due to rain - NASCAR Grand National Champion: Bill Rexford with 1,959.0 accumulated points
- SEBRING: although actually a 1951 competition the first ever Sebring endurance race was run on 12/31/1950
HORSE RACING
- KENTUCKY DERBY
Middleground, ridden by William Boland - BELMONT STAKES:
Middleground, jockey William Boland - PREAKNESS STAKES:
Hill Prince, jockey Eddie Arcaro