1980 in sports

1980 in sportsdescribes the year's events in world sport.

Alpine skiing

• Alpine Skiing World Cup:
  • Men's overall season champion:Andreas Wenzel,Liechtenstein
  • Women's overall season champion:Hanni Wenzel,Liechtenstein
• January 12 – Canada'sKen Read,the leader of the "Crazy Canucks"ski team, wins theHahnenkamm downhillinKitzbühel,Austria, becoming the second North American to ever win the classic race.

American football

• January 20 −Super Bowl XIV:thePittsburgh Steelers(AFC) won 31–19 over theLos Angeles Rams(NFC)
  • Location:Rose Bowl
  • Attendance: 103,985
  • MVP:Terry Bradshaw,QB (Pittsburgh)
• Sugar Bowl(1979 season):
  • TheAlabama Crimson Tidewon 24–9 over theArkansas Razorbacksto claim the college footballnational championship
• December 21: TheNew Orleans Saintsbecame the NFL's first ever 1-15 team

Association football

• European Championship–West Germany2–1Belgium
• European Cup–Nottingham Forest1–0Hamburg
• UEFA Cup– 2 legs,Borussia Mönchengladbach3–2Eintracht Frankfurt;Eintracht Frankfurt 1–0 Borussia Mönchengladbach, 3–3 on aggregate, Frankfurt win onaway goals
• Cup Winners' Cup–Valencia0–0Arsenal(AET), Valencia won 5–4 onpenalties
• England – FA Cup–West Ham Unitedwon 1–0 overArsenal
• Newport County AFCwinWelsh Cupfor first time.

Athletics

• March 31 – death ofJesse Owens,American sprinter who won four gold medals at the Berlin Olympics in 1936
• June 12 – Soviet Union'sNadiya Olizarenkosets the world record in the women's 800 metres, clocking 1:54.85 at Moscow
• July 27 –Nadiya Olizarenkobetters her own world record in thewomen's 800 metresat the1980 Summer Olympicsin Moscow, clocking 1:53.43.

Australian rules football

• Victorian Football League
  • Richmondwins the 84thVFL Premiership(Richmond 23.21 (159) dCollingwood9.24 (78))
  • Brownlow Medalawarded toKelvin Templeton(Footscray)

Baseball

Main article:1980 in baseball

• September 18 –OutfielderGary Wardbecome the sixthMinnesota Twinsplayer to hit for thecycle.The Twins lose 9–8 to theMilwaukee Brewers,wasting Ward's effort. On May 26,2004his son,Daryle Ward,will repeat the feat guiding thePirates' 11–8 victory over theCardinals.Ward joined his father to become the first father-son combination in major league history to hit for the cycle.
• Rollie FingersbreaksHoyt Wilhelm's major league record of 250 saves
• 1980 World Series– ThePhiladelphia Philliesof theNational Leagueend 97 years of frustration by defeating theAmerican LeaguechampionKansas City Royalsfour games to two, for the Phillies' first-ever World Championship.
• Japan'sSadaharu Ohretires from theYomiuri Giantsas the all time professional baseball home run king.

Basketball

NBA Finals

• Los Angeles Lakerswin four games to two over thePhiladelphia 76ers

National Basketball League (Australia) Finals

• St. Kilda Saintsdefeated theWest Adelaide Bearcats113–88 in thefinal.

Boxing

• March 14–22 members of the United States Olympic boxing team died in a plane crash nearWarsaw, Poland
• June 20-Roberto DurándefeatsSugar Ray Leonardby a 15-round decision to winboxing'sWBCworld Welterweight title.
• August 2-Thomas HearnsdefeatsJosé "Pipino" Cuevasby a knockout in round 2 to win boxing'sWBAworld Welterweight title andYasutsune Ueharaknocks outSamuel Serranoin round six to win the WBA's world Jr. Lightweight title inDetroit
• InCincinnati,Aaron PryordefeatsAntonio Cervantesby a knockout in round four to win the WBA's world Jr. Welterweight title.
• October 2-Larry HolmesdefeatsMuhammad Aliby a knockout in round eleven to retain boxing's WBC world Heavyweight title, in what would be Ali's last world title bout.
• November 25- InThe No Más Fight,inNew Orleans,Louisiana,Sugar Ray Leonardrecovers the WBC's world Welterweight championship with an eight-round technical knockout ofRoberto Durán.

Canadian football

• Grey Cup–Edmonton Eskimoswin 48–10 over theHamilton Tiger-Cats
• Vanier Cup–Alberta Golden Bearswin 40–21 over theOttawa Gee-Gees

Cycling

• Giro d'Italiawon byBernard Hinaultof France
• Tour de France–Joop Zoetemelkof the Netherlands
• UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race–Bernard Hinaultof France

Disc sports

• Disc ultimateleague play begins inTorontowith the formation of theToronto Ultimate League

Dog sledding

• Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Champion–
  • Joe Maywon with lead dogs:Wilbur&Cora Gray

Field hockey

• Men's Champions Trophyheld in Karachi and won by Pakistan
• Olympic Games (Men's Competition)won by India
• Olympic Games (Women's Competition)won by Zimbabwe

Figure skating

• World Figure Skating Championships–
  • Men's champion:Jan Hoffmann,Germany
  • Ladies' champion:Anett Pötzsch,Germany
  • Pair skating champions:Marina Cherkasova&Sergei Shakhrai,Soviet Union
  • Ice dancing champions:Krisztina Regőczy&András Sallay,Hungary

Gaelic Athletic Association

• Camogie
  • All-Ireland Camogie Champion:Cork
  • National Camogie League:Kilkenny
• Gaelic football
  • All-Ireland Senior Football Championship–Kerry1–9 diedRoscommon1–6
  • National Football League–Cork0–11 diedKerry0–10
• Ladies' Gaelic football
  • All-Ireland Senior Football Champion:Tipperary
  • National Football League:Kerry
• Hurling
  • All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship–Galway2–15 diedLimerick3–9
  • National Hurling League–Cork2–10 4–15 beatLimerick2–10 4–6

Golf

Men's professional

• TheSenior PGA Tour(now called Champions Tour) is founded.
• Masters Tournament–Seve Ballesteros
• U.S. Open–Jack Nicklaus
• British Open–Tom Watson
• PGA Championship–Jack Nicklaus
• PGA Tourmoney leader –Tom Watson– $530,808
• Senior PGA Tour– money leader –Don January– $44,100

Men's amateur

• British Amateur–Duncan Evans
• U.S. Amateur–Hal Sutton

Women's professional

• LPGA Championship–Sally Little
• U.S. Women's Open–Amy Alcott
• Classique Peter Jackson Classic–Pat Bradley
• LPGA Tourmoney leader –Beth Daniel– $231,000

Harness racing

• Superhorse,Niatrosswins theUnited States Pacing Triple Crown races–
  1. Cane Pace–Niatross
  2. Little Brown Jug–Niatross
  3. Messenger Stakes–Niatross
• United States Trotting Triple Crown races–
  1. Hambletonian–Burgomeister
  2. Yonkers Trot– Nevele Impulse
  3. Kentucky Futurity– Final Score
• Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship–
  • Pacers:Koala King
  • Trotters:Hano Direct

Horse racing

Steeplechases

• Cheltenham Gold Cup–Master Smudge
• Grand National–Ben Nevis

Flat races

• Australia –Melbourne Cupwon byBeldale Ball
• Canada –Queen's Platewon byDriving Home
• France –Prix de l'Arc de Triomphewon byDetroit
• Ireland –Irish Derby Stakeswon byTyrnavos
• English Triple Crown Races:
  1. 2,000 Guineas Stakes–Known Fact
  2. The Derby–Henbit
  3. St. Leger Stakes–Light Cavalry
• United States Triple Crown Races:
  1. Kentucky Derby–Genuine Risk
  2. Preakness Stakes–Codex
  3. Belmont Stakes–Temperance Hill

Ice hockey

• New York IslanderswinStanley CuponBobby Nystrom's overtime goal in Game 6 of theFinalsover thePhiladelphia Flyers.
• TheUnited States men's ice hockey teamdefeats the Soviet Union en route to the gold medal in what is known as theMiracle on Ice.

Motorsport

Main articles:1980 in motorsportandList of 1980 motorsport champions

Olympic Games

• 1980 Summer Olympicstakes place in Moscow,USSR(July 19 - August 3)
  • USSRwins the most medals (195), and the most gold medals (80).
• 1980 Winter Olympicstakes place inLake Placid,United States (February 13 - February 24)
  • GDRwins the most medals (23), and theUSSRwins the most gold medals (10).

Radiosport

• FirstAmateur Radio Direction FindingWorld Championships held in Cetniewo, Poland.

Rugby league

• 8 July – The inaugural1980 State of Origin gameis won byQueenslandwho defeatNew South Wales20–10 atLang Park
• 1980 European Rugby League Championship
• 1980 New Zealand rugby league season
• 1979–80 Northern Rugby Football League season
• 1980 NSWRFL season
• 1980–81 Rugby Football League season
• 1980 Tooth Cup

Rugby union

• 86thFive Nations Championshipseries is won byEnglandwho complete theGrand Slam

Snooker

• World Snooker Championship–Cliff ThorburnbeatsAlex Higgins18–16, becoming the first non-UK player to win the title
• World rankings–Ray Reardonremainsworld number onefor 1980/81

Speed skating

• February 19-Eric HeidenskatesOlympicsrecord1000 meterin 1 15.18

Swimming

• XXII Olympic Games,held in Moscow, Soviet Union (July 20 – July 27)
• February 2 – USA'sChris Cavanaughsets a world record in the50m freestyle(long course) at a swimming meet inAmersfoort,Netherlands, shaving off 0.04 of the previous record (23.70) set by Germany'sKlaus Steinbachnearly a year ago: 23.66.
• April 10 –Chris Cavanaughbetters his own world record in the 50m freestyle (long course) at a swimming meet inAustin,Texas (USA): 23.12. At the same event (and on the same day), two other swimmers from the United States,Rowdy GainesandBruce Stahl,go under his time, clocking 22.96 and 22.83 respectively.
• August 15 – USA'sJoe Bottombetters the world record in the 50m freestyle (long course) at a meet inHonolulu, Hawaii,shaving off 0.12 of the previous record (22.83) set byBruce Stahlfour months earlier: 22.71.

Tennis

• April 16-Arthur Asheretires from professional tennis
• Grand Slam in tennismen's results:
  1. Australian Open–Brian Teacher
  2. French Open–Björn Borg
  3. Wimbledon championships–Björn Borg
  4. U.S. Open–John McEnroe
• Grand Slam in tenniswomen's results:
  1. Australian Open–Hana Mandlíková
  2. French Open–Chris Evert
  3. Wimbledon championships–Evonne Goolagong Cawley
  4. U.S. Open–Chris Evert
• Davis CupWorld tennis –Czechoslovakiadefeated Italy 4–1.

Water polo

• Water polo at the 1980 Summer Olympicswon by USSR

Yacht racing

• TheNew York Yacht Clubretains theAmerica's CupasFreedomdefeats challengerAustralia,of theRoyal Perth Yacht Club,4 races to 1

Awards

• ABC'sWide World of SportsAthlete of the Year: U.S. Olympic Hockey Team
• Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year–U.S. Olympic hockey team,Amateur Ice Hockey
• Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year–Chris Evert,Tennis