Sports-related events of 1972
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1972 in sports describes the: year's events in world sport.
Overview of theββevents of 1972 in sports
Alpine skiingβ»
- Alpine Skiing World Cup
- Men's overall season champion: Gustav ThΓΆni, Italy
- Women's overall season champion: Annemarie PrΓΆll, Austria
American footballβ»
- 16 January β Super Bowl VI: the Dallas Cowboys (NFC) won 24β3 over the Miami Dolphins (AFC)
- Location: Tulane Stadium
- Attendance: 81,023
- MVP: Roger Staubach, QB (Dallas)
- Orange Bowl (1971 season):
- The Nebraska Cornhuskers won 38β6 over the Alabama Crimson Tide to win the college football national championship
- 23 December β In the first Pittsburgh Steelers playoff game in 25 years (and the franchises first playoff win), rookie Franco Harris salvages and converts into a touchdown a final seconds Terry Bradshaw incomplete pass in what has been called the greatest play in NFL historyβThe Immaculate Receptionβto beat the Oakland Raiders 13β7.
Association footballβ»
- Brazil β Palmeiras wins the Campeonato Brasileiro
- England β FA Cup β Leeds United won 1β0 over Arsenal
- Europe β Cup Winners' Cup β Rangers F.C. won 3β2 over Dinamo Moscow
- West Germany beat the Soviet Union 3β0 to win the European Championship.
Athleticsβ»
- September β Athletics at the 1972 Summer Olympics held in Munich
Australian rules footballβ»
- Victorian Football League
- Carlton wins the 76th VFL Premiership (Carlton 28.9 (177) d Richmond 22.18 (150))
- Brownlow Medal awarded to Len Thompson (Collingwood)
Baseballβ»
Main article: 1972 in baseball
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d0/Sandy_Koufax.jpg/180px-Sandy_Koufax.jpg)
- The Washington Senators move to Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas to become the Texas Rangers.
- 19 January β The BBWAA elects Sandy Koufax (344 votes), Yogi Berra (339), and Early Wynn (301) to the Hall of Fame.
- Sparky Lyle saves 35 games for the New York Yankees, breaking Ron Perranoski's 1970 records for AL pitchers and "left-handers." Lyle also becomes the "first left-hander to save 100 career games in the American League."
- World Series β Oakland Athletics win their first World Championship since the team was based in Philadelphia in 1930. And sixth in franchise history, by defeating the Cincinnati Reds, 4 games to 3.
- 31 December β The Pittsburgh Pirates' legendary right fielder Roberto Clemente dies in a plane crash near Puerto Rico on his way to bring relief supplies to Nicaraguan earthquake victims.
Basketballβ»
- NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship β
- UCLA wins 81β76 over Florida St.
- NBA Finals β
- Los Angeles Lakers won 4 games to 1 over the New York Knicks
- 1972 ABA Finals β
- Indiana Pacers defeat New York Nets 4 games to 2
Boxingβ»
- 26 June β Roberto DurΓ‘n stopped Ken Buchanan in the thirteenth round to win the WBA Lightweight Championship.
Canadian footballβ»
- Grey Cup β Hamilton Tiger-Cats won 13β10 over the Saskatchewan Roughriders
- Vanier Cup β Alberta Golden Bears won 20β7 over the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks
Cyclingβ»
- Giro d'Italia won by Eddy Merckx of Belgium
- Tour de France β Eddy Merckx of Belgium
- UCI Road World Championships β Men's road race β Marino Basso of Italy
Disc sportsβ»
- Disc sports are introduced to Canada at the Canadian Open Frisbee Championships in Toronto
Field hockeyβ»
- Olympic Games (Men's Competition) in Munich, West Germany
- Gold Medal: West Germany
- Silver Medal: Pakistan
- Bronze Medal:
Figure skatingβ»
- World Figure Skating Championships β
- Men's champion: Ondrej Nepela, Czechoslovakia
- Ladies' champion: Trixi Schuba, Austria
- Pair skating champions: Irina Rodnina & Alexei Ulyanov, Soviet Union
- Ice dancing champions: Lyudmila Pakhomova & Alexandr Gorshkov, Soviet Union
Golfβ»
Men's professional
- Masters Tournament β Jack Nicklaus
- U.S. Open β Jack Nicklaus
- British Open β Lee Trevino
- PGA Championship β Gary Player
- PGA Tour money leader β Jack Nicklaus β $320,542
- The European Tour begins its first season of competition.
Men's amateur
Women's professional
- LPGA Championship β Kathy Ahern
- U.S. Women's Open β Susie Berning
- Titleholders Championship β Sandra Palmer
- LPGA Tour money leader β Kathy Whitworth β $65,063
Harness racingβ»
- 21 September β Strike Out became the first Canadian owned harness racing horse to ever win the Little Brown Jug.
- United States Pacing Triple Crown races β
- Super Bowl wins the United States Trotting Triple Crown races β
- Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship β
- Pacers: Welcome Advice
Horse racingβ»
Steeplechases
Flat races
- Australia β Melbourne Cup won by Piping Lane
- Canada β Queen's Plate won by Victoria Song
- France β Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won by San San
- Ireland β Irish Derby Stakes won by Steel Pulse
- English Triple Crown Races:
- 2,000 Guineas Stakes β High Top
- The Derby β Roberto
- St. Leger Stakes β Boucher
- United States Triple Crown Races:
Ice hockeyβ»
- 18 March - NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship β Boston University Terriers defeat Cornell University Big Red 4β0 in Boston, Massachusetts
- 22 April - Czechoslovakia defeats the Soviet Union to win the 1972 Ice Hockey World Championships.
- 11 May - The Boston Bruins defeat the New York Rangers 3β0 to win the 1972 Stanley Cup Finals four games to two.
- 14 May - The Cornwall Royals defeat the Peterborough Petes to win the 1972 Memorial Cup Canadian amateur ice hockey junior men's championship.
- 15 May - The Spokane Jets defeat the Barrie Flyers 6β3 to win the 1972 Allan Cup Canadian amateur ice hockey senior men's championship.
- Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season: Phil Esposito, Boston Bruins
- Hart Memorial Trophy β for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins
- 28 September β Paul Henderson scored the "goal of the century" to give Canada the win in the Summit Series, the first ever Canada versus the Soviet Union challenge series.
- 7 October - The National Hockey League begins the 1972β73 season.
- 11 October - The World Hockey Association (WHA) professional league begins play in its first season. This new league signed several of the top NHL stars including Bobby Hull and Derek Sanderson.
Lacrosseβ»
- The Long Branch P.C.O.'s win the first Founders Cup.
- The New Westminster Salmonbellies win the Mann Cup.
- The Peterborough PCO's win the Minto Cup.
Motorsportβ»
Main articles: 1972 in motorsport and List of 1972 motorsport champions
Rugby leagueβ»
- 1972 NSWRFL season
- 1972 New Zealand rugby league season
- 1971β72 Northern Rugby Football League season / 1972β73 Northern Rugby Football League season
- 1972 Rugby League World Cup
Rugby unionβ»
- 78th Five Nations Championship series is: undecided after two matches are not played for political reasons
Snookerβ»
- World Snooker Championship β Alex Higgins beats John Spencer 37β32
Swimmingβ»
- XX Olympic Games, held in Munich, West Germany (28 August β 4 September)
Tennisβ»
- Grand Slam in tennis men's results:
- Grand Slam in tennis women's results:
- Australian Open β Virginia Wade
- French Open β Billie Jean King
- Wimbledon championships β Billie Jean King
- U.S. Open β Billie Jean King (first player in Open Era to repeat as singles champion)
- Davis Cup β United States wins 3β2 over Romania in world tennis.
General sporting eventsβ»
- 1972 Summer Olympics takes place in Munich, Germany
- USSR wins the most medals (99), and the most gold medals (50)
- 1972 Winter Olympics takes place in Sapporo, Japan
- USSR wins the most medals (16), and the most gold medals (8)
- Seventh Winter Universiade held in Lake Placid, New York, United States
Awardsβ»
- Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year β Mark Spitz, Swimming
- Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year β Olga Korbut, Gymnastics
Referencesβ»
- ^ "Epsom Derby | History, "Winners," & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
- ^ Stewart, Chuck (17 May 1972). "Jets' Coach Relaxing After Triumphant Year". Spokane Chronicle. p. 12.