See also: 1939 in sports, other events of 1940, 1941 in sports and the list of 'years in sports'.

Many sporting events did not take place because of World War II.

Baseball

• The Cincinnati Reds defeated the Detroit Tigers in the World Series, 4 games to 3.
• Dom DiMaggio debuted April 16; Pee Wee Reese debuted April 23.
• Final season for Wally Berger .
• Trade: June 12, the Brooklyn Dodgers traded four players and $125,000 cash to the St. Louis Cardinals for Joe Medwick and another player.

Football (Australian Rules)

• Victorian Football League
  • Melbourne wins the 44th VFL Premiership (Melbourne 15.17 (107) d Richmond 10.8 (68))
  • Brownlow Medal awarded to Des Fothergill (Collingwood) and Herbie Matthews (South Melbourne)

American Football

• Minnesota Golden Gophers National college football champions.
• Chicago Bears 73-0 Washington Redskins for the NFL championship.

Horse Racing

• March 2 - In his final race, Seabiscuit wins the $121,000 Santa Anita Handicap to become the top money earner of all time.

Snooker

• World Snooker Championship: Joe Davis beats Fred Davis 37-36

Births

• February 25 - Ron Santo, baseball player
• January 20 - Jack Nicklaus, American golfer.
• March 6 - Willie Stargell, baseball player
• April 15 - Willie Davis, baseball player
• April 15 - Woody Fryman , baseball player
• April 25 – Maribel Yerxa Owen, U.S. figure skating champion (d. 1961)
• May 20 - Sadaharu Oh, Japanese baseball legend
• May 20 - Stan Mikita, Hockey Hall of Famer
• June 23 - Wilma Rudolph (+1994), American runner.
• July 3 - César Tovar, baseball player
• July 18 - Joe Torre, baseball player and manager
• July 20 - Tony Oliva, baseball player
• September 12 - Mickey Lolich, baseball player
• October 9 - Joe Pepitone , baseball player
• October 23 - Pelé, Brazilian soccer player.
• November 23 - Luis Tiant, baseball player

Deaths

• May 8 - Chick Fraser , baseball player
• October 17 - George Davis, baseball player
• December 16 - Billy Hamilton, baseball player