1919 IN SPORT

1919 in sports describes the year's events in world sport. Although World War I had ended in 1918, the influenza pandemic and planning difficulties from the war still curtailed sport to a considerable extent.

American football

Green Bay Packers established at Green Bay, Wisconsin
Decatur Staleys established at Decatur, Illinois; the club will relocate to Chicago in 1921 and rename itself Chicago Bears
New York Pro Football League holds what is believed to be the first ever playoff tournament, won by the Buffalo Prospects
Canton Bulldogs win Ohio League title and the de facto national championship
Most professional teams reactivate after suspending operations the year before

Association football

England

Competitive football resumes after the end of World War I in the 1919–20 season
The First Division is expanded from 20 to 22 teams; Chelsea is spared relegation, while Arsenal controversially win promotion from the Second Division, despite only finishing fifth in 1915, at the expense of rivals Tottenham Hotspur. Derby County and Preston North End are also promoted.
The Second Division is expanded from 20 teams to 22, bringing the total number of League clubs to 44. Glossop is expelled from the league and five clubs are elected. Stoke FC is restored to the league while Coventry City, South Shields (membership until 1930), Rotherham United and West Ham United all join the league for the first time.
Leeds City is expelled from the Football League due to financial irregularities after the 1919–20 season has begun; Port Vale is elected as a late entrant and takes over Leeds City's playing record to date.

France

Formation of the French Football Federation (Fédération Française de Football or FFF)

Germany

National Championship – suspended during World War I

Poland

Formation of the Polish Football Association (Polski Związek Piłki Nożnej or PZPN)

Spain

Valencia CF was founded in Spain, on March 18^[1]

Australian rules football

VFL Premiership

Collingwood wins the 23rd VFL Premiership, defeating Richmond 11.12 (78) to 7.11 (53) at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in the 1919 VFL Grand Final.

South Australian Football League

3 May: SAFL league football resumes after three seasons of “patriotic competitions” due to World War I.
27 September: Sturt and North Adelaide draw 5.9 (39) apiece in the 1919 SAFL Grand Final.
4 October: In a low-scoring replay, Sturt 3.5 (23) defeat North Adelaide 2.6 (18) to win their second SAFL premiership.

West Australian Football League

20 September: East Perth 10.8 (68) defeat East Fremantle 7.4 (46) to win their first WAFL premiership.

Bandy

Sweden

Championship final – IFK Uppsala 8–2 IF Göta

Baseball

World Series

Cincinnati Reds (NL) defeats Chicago White Sox (AL) to win the 1919 World Series by 5 games to 3

Events

Even before game one of this World Series, there are rumours that some White Sox players have agreed to throw the series to the Reds for payment from gamblers. This will explode a year later in the Black Sox Scandal.
Babe Ruth hits 29 home runs for the Boston Red Sox, breaking the single season record of 27 set by Ned Williamson in 1884

Minor leagues

The Florida State League is founded with teams in Bartow, Bradenton, Lakeland, Orlando, Sandford and Tampa
The Intercounty Baseball League is formed in Ontario, Canada with teams in Stratford, Guelph, Kitchener and Galt

Boxing

Events

4 July — Jack Dempsey becomes World Heavyweight Champion by knocking out Jess Willard, the defending champion, in four rounds. Dempsey becomes one of the greatest-ever boxing champions, his charisma and punching power enabling promoters to stage the first "million dollar gates".
Jack Britton regains the World Welterweight Championship from Ted "Kid" Lewis for the second time, this time retaining it until his defeat by Mickey Walker in 1922.

Lineal world champions^[2]

Canadian football

Grey Cup

not contested

Cricket

Events

Very few first-class matches are played worldwide during the 1918–19 season but the County Championship is reintroduced in the 1919 English season to progress the game's post-war recovery.

England

County Championship – Yorkshire
Minor Counties Championship – not contested
Most runs – Jack Hobbs 2594 @ 60.32 (HS 205*)
Most wickets – Wilfred Rhodes 164 @ 14.42 (BB 8–44)
Wisden Cricketers of the Year – Andy Ducat, Patsy Hendren, Percy Holmes, Herbert Sutcliffe, Ernest Tyldesley

Australia

Sheffield Shield – not contested
Most runs – Warwick Armstrong 249 @ 83.00 (HS 162*)
Most wickets – Ted McDonald 25 @ 15.72 (BB 8–42)

India

Bombay Quadrangular – Europeans

New Zealand

Plunket Shield – Wellington (Dec 1918 to Jan 1919) and Canterbury (from Jan 1919)

South Africa

18 October – With the end of World War I, first-class cricket is played in South Africa for the first time since 13 April 1914. However, the interprovincial Currie Cup does not resume until 1920–21.

West Indies

Inter-Colonial Tournament – not contested

Cycling

Tour de France

Firmin Lambot (Belgium) wins the 13th Tour de France^[3]

Giro d'Italia

Costante Girardengo

Figure skating

World Figure Skating Championships

The championships are not contested

Golf

Major tournaments

British Open – not contested due to World War I
US Open – Walter Hagen
USPGA Championship – Jim Barnes

Other tournaments

British Amateur – not contested due to World War I
US Amateur – Davidson Herron

Horse racing

Events

Sir Barton is the first horse to win the United States Triple Crown

England

Australia

Melbourne Cup – Artilleryman

Canada

King's Plate – Ladder of Light

Ireland

Irish Grand National – not contested
Irish Derby Stakes – Loch Lomond

USA

Ice hockey

Stanley Cup

Montreal Canadiens and Seattle Metropolitans win two games each in the 1919 Stanley Cup Finals before the series, held at Seattle, is cancelled after all of the Montreal players contract Spanish flu

Events

March 6 - Montreal Canadiens defeat Ottawa Senators in a best-of-seven series to win the National Hockey League championship.
March 14 - Seattle Metropolitans defeat Vancouver Millionaires in a two-game playoff to win the 1919 PCHA season title.
Allan Cup – Hamilton Tigers OHA)
1919 Memorial Cup - University of Toronto Schools wins the inaugural Memorial Cup for the Canadian national junior championship

Motorsport

Multi-sport events

Far Eastern Championship Games

Fourth Far Eastern Championship Games held in Manila, Philippine Islands

Rowing

The Boat Race

Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race – not contested due to World War I^[5]

Rugby league

England

It is not possible to resume national competitions in the 1918–19 season but county leagues and cups are arranged.
Lancashire League Championship – Rochdale Hornets
Yorkshire League Championship – Hull
Lancashire County Cup – Rochdale Hornets 22–0 Oldham
Yorkshire County Cup – Huddersfield 14–8 Dewsbury

Australia

NSW Premiership – Balmain (outright winner)

Rugby union

Five Nations Championship

Five Nations Championship series is not contested due to World War I.
An Inter-Services Championship is held in Great Britain between Allied Forces rugby teams. The tournament is won by the New Zealand Army team.