WOW
track and field
The 1940 Summer Olympics to be held in Helsinki, were cancelled due to outbreak of World War II. The major international athletics event of the year was thus the annual Finland-Sweden athletics international, held at the new Helsinki Olympic Stadium, exceptionally held as a triple international between Finland, Sweden and Germany.
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.
Basketball
The eighth South American Basketball Championship in Montevideo is won by Uruguay.
Football (American)
Minnesota Golden Gophers, Stanford Cardinals, and the Boston College Eagles three way tie for National college football champions.
Chicago Bears crush the Washington Redskins 73-0 for the NFL championship.
Football (Australian)
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)
Golf
Masters Jimmy Demaret
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
Awards
Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year: Tom Harmon, College football
Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year: Alice Marble, Tennis
