1959 in sports

1959 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.

American football

 * NFL Championship: the Baltimore Colts won 31–16 over the New York Giants at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium
 * August 14 – The American Football League is founded. Play would begin the following year.
 * Sugar Bowl (1958 season):
 * The Louisiana State Tigers won 7–0 over the Clemson Tigers to win the AP and Coaches Poll national championships

Association football
Brazil Turkey
 * Taca Brasil, as predecessor for Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A, that first officially games held on August 23.
 * Turkish National League, as predecessor for Super Lig of Turkey, that first officially game held on February 21.

Athletics

 * Pan American Games athletics held in Chicago with US sprinter Ray Norton winning three gold medals in the sprint events

Baseball

 * March 3 – The San Francisco Giants officially name their new stadium Candlestick Park.
 * May 26 – In what many experts call the greatest pitching performance in history, Harvey Haddix—suffering with a flu and sore throat—hurls a 12 inning perfect game for the Pittsburgh Pirates but loses in the 13th inning 0–1 on a Don Hoak fielding error to the Milwaukee Braves as lightning storms threaten the end of the game.
 * June 25 - Emperor Hirohito, watched Japanese professional baseball game for first time in Korakuen Baseball Stadium, Tokyo, Japan. At final resulting to Tokyo Giants win over Hanshin Tigers 5 to 4 in a home run by Shigeo Nagashima from Minoru Murayama.
 * World Series – Los Angeles Dodgers win 4 games to 2 over the Chicago White Sox. The Series MVP is Larry Sherry, Los Angeles
 * The Havana Sugar Kings defeat the Richmond Virginians to win the International League Governors' Cup.
 * The Minneapolis Millers win the American Association championship.
 * Havana wins 4 games to 3 over Minneapolis to win the Junior World Series.
 * The Salt Lake City Bees win the Pacific Coast League pennant.
 * The Winnipeg Goldeyes win the Northern League championship.

Basketball

 * FIBA World Championship
 * Brazil World Champion
 * NCAA Men's Basketball Championship –
 * California wins 71–70 over West Virginia
 * NBA Finals –
 * Boston Celtics win 4 games to 0 over the Minneapolis Lakers

Boxing

 * June 26 – in New York City, Ingemar Johansson scored a 3rd-round TKO over Floyd Patterson to win the World Heavyweight Championship
 * August 27 to September 7 – Pan American Games held in Chicago, United States

Bowling
Nine-pin bowling
 * Nine-pin bowling World Championships –
 * Men's champion: Eberhard Luther, East Germany
 * Women's champion: Hilde Beljan, East Germany
 * Men's team champion: Yugoslavia
 * Women's team champion: East Germany

Canadian football

 * Grey Cup – Winnipeg Blue Bombers win 21–7 over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Cricket

 * During a Currie Cup match against Natal at the Jan Smuts Ground in East London in December, Border set the record (which still stands) for the lowest aggregate score by a first class side in a match. Border scored 34 runs in the match – 16 in the first innings and 18 in the second innings.

Curling

 * Inaugural World Curling Championships held in Falkirk and Edinburgh for men only and known as the "Scotch Cup"; it is won by a Canadianteam from Regina, Saskatchewan, skipped by Ernie Richardson

Figure skating

 * World Figure Skating Championship –
 * Men's champion: David Jenkins, United States
 * Ladies' champion: Carol Heiss, United States
 * Pair skating champion: Barbara Wagner & Robert Paul, Canada
 * Ice dancing champion: Doreen Denny & Courtney Jones, Great Britain

Golf
Men's professional Men's amateur Women's professional
 * Masters Tournament – Art Wall, Jr.
 * U.S. Open – Billy Casper
 * British Open – Gary Player
 * PGA Championship – Bob Rosburg
 * PGA Tour money leader – Art Wall, Jr. – $53,168
 * Ryder Cup – United States 8½ to 3½ over Britain in team golf
 * British Amateur – Deane Beman
 * U.S. Amateur – Jack Nicklaus
 * Women's Western Open – Betsy Rawls
 * LPGA Championship – Betsy Rawls
 * U.S. Women's Open – Mickey Wright
 * Titleholders Championship – Louise Suggs
 * LPGA Tour money leader – Betsy Rawls – $26,774

Horse racing
Steeplechases Flat races
 * Cheltenham Gold Cup – Roddy Owen
 * Grand National – Oxo
 * Australia – Melbourne Cup won by Macdougal
 * Canadian Triple Crown races:
 * Queen's Plate – New Providence
 * Prince of Wales Stakes – New Providence
 * Breeders' Stakes – New Providence
 * New Providence becomes the first horse ever to win all three races.
 * France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won by Saint Crespin
 * Ireland – Irish Derby Stakes won by Fidalgo
 * English Triple Crown races:
 * 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Taboun
 * The Derby – Parthia
 * St. Leger Stakes – Cantelo
 * United States Triple Crown races:
 * Kentucky Derby – Tomy Lee
 * Preakness Stakes – Royal Orbit
 * Belmont Stakes – Sword Dancer

Ice hockey

 * Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season: Dickie Moore, Montreal Canadiens
 * Hart Memorial Trophy for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: Andy Bathgate, New York Rangers
 * Stanley Cup – Montreal Canadiens win 4 games to 1 over the Toronto Maple Leafs
 * World Hockey Championship
 * Men's champion: Belleville McFarlands from Canada
 * NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship – University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux defeat Michigan State University Spartans 4–3 in overtime in Troy, New York
 * The Hershey Bears defeat the Buffalo Bisons 4 games to 2 to win the AHL Calder Cup.
 * The Louisville Rebels defeat the Fort Wayne Komets 4 games to 2 to win the IHL Turner Cup.
 * On November 1, Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacques Plante was injured when struck in the face by a flying puck. He offers to return to play on the condition that he wears his goalie mask.  His example soon leads to the mask becoming standard equipment for goalies and a symbol of the game itself.
 * The TV-pucken tournament starts.

Rugby league

 * 1959 New Zealand rugby league season
 * 1958–59 Northern Rugby Football League season/1959–60 Northern Rugby Football League season
 * 1959 NSWRFL season

Rugby union

 * 65th Five Nations Championship series is won by France, the team's first outright championship title

Swimming

 * July 11 – US swimmer Michael Troy breaks his own first official world record (2:19.0), set earlier in the day, in the men's 200m butterfly (long course) at a meet in Los Altos, California, clocking 2:16.4.
 * July 19 – US swimmer Becky Collins breaks the world record in the women's 200m butterfly at a meet in Redding, California, clocking 2:37.0.

Tennis
Australia England France USA Davis Cup
 * Australian Men's Singles Championship – Alex Olmedo (USA) defeats Neale Fraser (Australia) 6–1, 6–2, 3–6, 6–3
 * Australian Women's Singles Championship – Mary Carter Reitano (Australia) defeats Renee Schuurman Haygarth (South Africa) 6–2, 6–3
 * Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship – Alex Olmedo (USA) defeats Rod Laver (Australia) 6–4, 6–3, 6–4
 * Wimbledon Women's Singles Championship – Maria Bueno (Brazil) defeats Darlene Hard (USA) 6–4, 6–3
 * French Men's Singles Championship – Nicola Pietrangeli (Italy) defeats Ian Vermaak (South Africa) 3–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–1
 * French Women's Singles Championship – Christine Truman (Great Britain) defeats Zsuzsa Körmöczy (Hungary) 6–4, 7–5
 * American Men's Singles Championship – Neale Fraser (Australia) defeats Alex Olmedo (USA) 6–3, 5–7, 6–2, 6–4
 * American Women's Singles Championship – Maria Bueno (Brazil) defeats Christine Truman (Great Britain) 6–1, 6–4
 * 1959 Davis Cup – 3–2  at West Side Tennis Club (grass) New York City, United States

Volleyball

 * Volleyball at the 1959 Pan American Games in Chicago won by USA (men) and Brazil (women)

Multi-sport events

 * Central American and Caribbean Games held in Caracas, Venezuela
 * Third Pan American Games held in Chicago, United States
 * Third Mediterranean Games held in Beirut, Lebanon
 * First Summer Universiade held in Turin, Italy

Awards

 * Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year – Ingemar Johansson, Boxing
 * Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year – Maria Bueno, Tennis