1956 in sports: Difference between revisions

See also: 1955 in sports, other events of 1956, 1957 in sports and the list of 'years in sports'.

Auto Racing

• NASCAR Championship - Buck Baker
• The United States Auto Club (USAC) was founded to take over race sanctioning from the American Automobile Association (AAA).
• USAC Racing:
  • Pat Flaherty won the Indianapolis 500
  • Jimmy Bryan won the season championship
• Formula One Championship - Juan Manuel Fangio of Argentina
• 24 hours of Le Mans:
• Rally racing -
• Drag racing -

Baseball

• October - World Series:

Basketball

• NCAA Men's Basketball Championship:
  • San Francisco wins 83-71 over Iowa

• NBA Finals:

Boxing

• April 27 - Rocky Marciano retires as the only undefeated HeavyWeight Champion of the world with a perfect record (49-0).

• November 30 , in Chicago, Illinois - Floyd Patterson knocks out Archie Moore in the 5th round to win the vacant World Heavyweight title.

Cycling

• Tour de France - Roger Walkowiak of France

Figure Skating

• World Figure Skating Championships:
  • Men's champion:
  • Women's champion:
  • Pairs champions:

Football (American)

• The NFL Championship:

Canadian Football League

• Grey Cup: Edmonton Eskimos win 50-27 over the Montreal Alouettes

Golf

Men's Golf

• Grand Slam of golf results:
  1. May - The Masters golf tournament - Jack Burke, Jr.
  2. June - US Open - Cary Middlecoff
  3. July - British Open - Peter Thomson
  4. August - PGA Championship - Jack Burke

• PGA tour's leading money winner for the year

Women's Golf

• US Women's Open - Kathy Cornelius
• Marlene Hagge: leading money winner on the LPGA tour, earning $20,235.

Thoroughbred Horse Racing

• Australia - Melbourne Cup - Evening Peal
• Canada - Queen's Plate - Canadian Champ
• France - Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe - Ribot

• English Triple Crown Races:
  1. Two Thousand Guineas Stakes - Gilles de Retz
  2. Epsom Derby - Lavandin
  3. St. Leger Stakes - Cambremer

• United States Triple Crown Races:
  1. Kentucky Derby - Needles
  2. Preakness Stakes - Fabius
  3. Belmont Stakes - Needles

Harness Racing

• TheUnited States Pacing Triple Crown races is created with the addition of the Messenger Stakes.
  1. Cane Pace - Noble Adios
  2. Little Brown Jug - Noble Adios
  3. Messenger Stakes - Belle Acton

• United States Trotting Triple Crown races:
  1. Hambletonian - The Intruder
  2. Yonkers Trot
  3. Kentucky Futurity

Ice Hockey

• Art Ross Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s leading scorer during the regular season: Jean Beliveau, Montreal Canadiens

• Hart Memorial Trophy: for the NHL’s Most Valuable Player

• Stanley Cup: Montreal Canadiens win 4 games to 1 over the Detroit Red Wings

• World Hockey Championship
  • Men's champion:

Skiing

• Alpine Skiing
  • The men’s overall season championship
  • The women’s overall season championship

Tennis

• Grand Slam in tennis mens results:
  1. Australian Open - Lew Hoad
  2. French Open - Lew Hoad
  3. Wimbledon championships - Lew Hoad
  4. US Open - Ken Rosewall

• Grand Slam in tennis womens results:
  1. Australian Open - Mary Carter
  2. French Open - Althea Gibson
  3. Wimbledon championships - Shirley Fry
  4. US Open - Shirley Fry

• Davis Cup of world tennis.

General sporting events

• January 26 - 1956 Winter Olympic Games open in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy
• Summer Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia

Births

• March 29 - Kurt Thomas, gymnast