1991 IN SPORTS

==Artistic Gymnastics==

★ World Artistic Gymnastics Championships:

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★ Men's all-around champion: Grigory Misutin, USSR

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★ Women's all-around champion: Kim Zmeskal, USA

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★ Men's team competition champion: USSR

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★ Women's team competition champion: USSR
==Athletics

Contents

National Champions

Regional Competitions

Football (Rugby)

Records

Awards

Pro Wrestling

Births

Deaths

=Marathon

International Races

★ January 27 — Osaka Marathon, Japan

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★ Women's Winner: Katrin Dörre (GER) 2:27:43

★ February 2 — Las Vegas Marathon, United States

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★ Men's Winner: Samuel Rotich (KEN) 2:16:03

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★ Women's Winner: Nadia Prasad (USA) 2:39:10

★ February 10 — Tokyo Marathon, Japan

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★ Men's Winner: Abebe Mekonnen (JPN) 2:10:26

★ March 3 — Los Angeles Marathon, United States

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★ Men's Winner: Mark Plaatjes (RSA) 2:10:29

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★ Women's Winner: Cathy O'Brien (USA) 2:29:38

★ April 15 — Boston Marathon, United States

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★ Men's Winner: Ibrahim Hussein (KEN) 2:11:06

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★ Women's Winner: Wanda Panfil (POL) 2:24:18

★ April 21 — London Marathon, United Kingdom

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★ Men's Winner: Yakov Tolstikov (URS) 2:09:17

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★ Women's Winner: Rosa Mota (POR) 2:26:14

★ April 21 — Rotterdam Marathon, Netherlands

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★ Men's Winner: Robert de Castella (AUS) 2:09:42

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★ Women's Winner: Joke Kleijweg (NED) 2:34:18

★ May 26 — Hamburg Marathon, Germany

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★ Men's Winner: Jörg Peter (GDR) 2:10:43

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★ Women's Winner: Annette Fincke (FRG) 2:35:48

★ June 15 — Enschede Marathon, Netherlands

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★ Men's Winner: Sergey Prorokov (URS) 2:15:04

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★ Women's Winner: Czesława Mentlewicz (POL) 2:41:48

★ July 9 — Mediterranean Games Marathon, Athens, Greece

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★ Men's Winner: Salah Qoquaiche (MAR) 2:20:26

★ August 3 — Pan American Games Marathon, Havana, Cuba

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★ Men's Winner: Ignacio Alberto Cuba (CUB) 2:19:27

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★ Women's Winner: Olga Appell (MEX) 2:43:36

★ August 25 — IAAF World Championships Marathon, Tokyo, Japan

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★ Women's Winner: Wanda Panfil (POL) 2:29:53

★ September 1 — IAAF World Championships Marathon, Tokyo, Japan

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★ Men's Winner: Hiromi Taniguchi (JPN) 2:14:57

★ September 15 — Amsterdam Marathon, Netherlands

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★ Men's Winner: Tesfaye Tafa (ETH) 2:13:26

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★ Women's Winner: Mieke Hombergen (NED) 2:41:14

★ September 29 — Berlin Marathon, West Germany

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★ Men's Winner: Stephen Brace (WAL) 2:10:57

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★ Women's Winner: Renata Kokowska (POL) 2:27:36

★ October 13 — Eindhoven Marathon, Netherlands

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★ Men's Winner: Vladimir Kotov (BLR) 2:14:03

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★ Women's Winner: Mieke Hombergen (NED) 2:46:28

★ October 13 — Beijing Marathon, China PR

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★ Men's Winner: Negash Dube (ETH) 2:12:55

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★ Women's Winner: Deborah Noy (GBR) 2:35:18

★ October 20 — Lisbon Marathon, Portugal

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★ Men's Winner: Mario Sousa (POR) 2:15:21

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★ Women's Winner: Rita Borralho (POR) 2:38:39

★ October 27 — Chicago Marathon, United States

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★ Men's Winner: Joseildo da Silva (BRA) 2:14:33

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★ Women's Winner: Marie-Louise Hamrin (SWE) 2:36:21

★ November 3 — New York City Marathon, United States

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★ Men's Winner: Salvador García (MEX) 2:09:28

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★ Women's Winner: Liz McColgan (GBR) 2:27:32

★ November 17 — Tokyo Marathon, Japan

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★ Women's Winner: Mari Tanigawa (JPN) 2:31:27

★ December 1 — Fukuoka Marathon, Japan

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★ Men's Winner: Shuichi Morishita (JPN) 2:10:58

★ December 15 — Honolulu Marathon, United States

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★ Men's Winner: Benson Masya (KEN) 2:18:24

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★ Women's Winner: Ritva Lemettinen (FIN) 2:40:11

National Champions

★ May 12 — Ottawa, Canada

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★ Men's Winner: Michael Petrocci — 2:23:44

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★ Women's Winner: Laura Konantz — 2:51:00
==Auto Racing==

★ Stock car racing:

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★ Ernie Irvan won the Daytona 500

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★ NASCAR Championship - Dale Earnhardt

★ CART Racing - Michael Andretti won the season championship

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★ Indianapolis 500 - Rick Mears

★ Formula One Championship - Ayrton Senna of Brazil

★ 24 hours of Le Mans: won by Volker Weidler / Johnny Herbert / Bertrand Gachot driving a Mazda 787

★ Rally racing - Juha Kankkunen in a Lancia won the World Rally Championship

★
★ the team of Carlos Sainz / Luis Moya won the Monte Carlo Rally driving a Toyota Celica GT4

★ Drag racing - Joe Amato won the NHRA "Top Fuel" championship.
==Baseball==

★ Dave Righetti breaks Sparky Lyle's major league record for left-handers of 238 career saves.

★ July 28 - Dennis Martinez of the Montreal Expos pitches the 13th perfect game in major league history, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-0.

★ World Series: The Minnesota Twins win 4 games to 3 over the Atlanta Braves. The series MVP is Jack Morris of Minnesota.
==Basketball==

★ NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Duke wins 72-65 over Kansas

★ June 12 - NBA Finals|NBA Finals: Chicago Bulls win 4 games to 1 over the Los Angeles Lakers to earn the franchise's first championship.

★ November 7 - Basketball player Magic Johnson announces he tested positive for the virus that causes AIDS, thus ending his career in the NBA.

★ National Basketball League (Australia) Finals: Perth Wildcats defeated the Eastside Melbourne Spectres 2-1 in the best-of-three final series.
==Boxing==

★ May 7 to 12 – '29th European Amateur Boxing Championships' held in Gothenburg, Sweden

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★ ''Light Flyweight (– 48 kg):'' Ivailo Marinov (Bulgaria)

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★ ''Flyweight (– 51 kg):'' István Kovács (Hungary)

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★ ''Bantamweight (– 54 kg):'' Serafim Todorov (Bulgaria)

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★ ''Featherweight (– 57 kg):'' Paul Griffin (Ireland)

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★ ''Lightweight (– 60 kg):'' Vasile Nistor (Romania)

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★ ''Light Welterweight (– 63.5 kg):'' Konstantin Tszyu (Soviet Union)

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★ ''Welterweight (– 67 kg):'' Roberto Welin (Sweden)

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★ ''Light Middleweight (– 71 kg):'' Israel Akopkochyan (Soviet Union)

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★ ''Middleweight (– 75 kg):'' Sven Ottke (Germany)

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★ ''Light Heavyweight (– 81 kg):'' Dariusz Michalczewski (Germany)

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★ ''Heavyweight (– 91 kg):'' Arnold Vanderlyde (Netherlands)

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★ ''Super Heavyweight (+ 91 kg):'' Yevgeni Belousov (Soviet Union)



★ June 1 at Palm Springs, California – Terry Norris knocked out Donald Curry in the 8th Round to win the WBC Super Welterweight Championship.



★ August 2 to 18 – 'Pan American Games' held in Havana, Cuba.

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★ ''Light Flyweight (– 48 kg):'' Rogelio Marcelo (Cuba)

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★ ''Flyweight (– 51 kg):'' José Ramos (Cuba)

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★ ''Bantamweight (– 54 kg):'' Enrique Carrion (Cuba)

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★ ''Featherweight (– 57 kg):'' Arnaldo Mesa (Cuba)

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★ ''Lightweight (– 60 kg):'' Julio Gonzáles (Cuba)

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★ ''Light Welterweight (– 63.5 kg):'' Steve Johnston (United States)

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★ ''Welterweight (– 67 kg):'' Juan Hernández Sierra (Cuba)

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★ ''Light Middleweight (– 71 kg):'' Juan Carlos Lemus (Cuba)

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★ ''Middleweight (– 75 kg):'' Ramón Garbey (Cuba)

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★ ''Light Heavyweight (– 81 kg):'' Orestes Solano (Cuba)

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★ ''Heavyweight (– 91 kg):'' Félix Savón (Cuba)

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★ ''Super Heavyweight (+ 91 kg):'' Roberto Balado (Cuba)
==Cricket==

★ South Africa readmitted to the International Cricket Council following the abolition of apartheid, and play their first international game since 1970.
==Cycling==

★ Giro d'Italia won by Franco Chiocciolo of Italy

★ Tour de France - Miguel Indurain of Spain

★ World Cycling Championship: Gianni Bugno of Italy
==Dogsled racing==

★ Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Champion:

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★ Rick Swenson won with lead dog: ''Goose''
==Field Hockey==

World Competitions

★ Men's Olympic Qualifier Tournament in Auckland, New Zealand

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★ Gold Medal: Soviet Union

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★ Silver Medal: India

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★ Bronze Medal: New Zealand

★ Men's Champions Trophy in Berlin, Germany

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★ Gold Medal: Germany

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★ Silver Medal: Pakistan

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★ Bronze Medal: The Netherlands

★ Women's Olympic Qualifier Tournament in Auckland, New Zealand

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★ Gold Medal: Germany

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★ Silver Medal: New Zealand

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★ Bronze Medal: Canada

★ Women's Champions Trophy in Berlin, Germany

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★ Gold Medal: Australia

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★ Silver Medal: Germany

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★ Bronze Medal: The Netherlands
March 16 - In an international women's field hockey match at Wembley Stadium, England. England were beaten by France 2-1. It was the last ever match to have taken place at Wembley Stadium.

Regional Competitions

★ Men's European Nations Cup in Paris, France

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★ Gold Medal: Germany

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★ Silver Medal: The Netherlands

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★ Bronze Medal: England

★ Pan American Games (Men's Competition) in Havana, Cuba

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★ Gold Medal: Argentina

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★ Silver Medal: Canada

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★ Bronze Medal: United States

★ Women's European Nations Cup in Bruxelles, Belgium

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★ Gold Medal: England

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★ Silver Medal: Germany

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★ Bronze Medal: Soviet Union

★ Pan American Games (Women's Competition) in Havana, Cuba

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★ Gold Medal: Argentina

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★ Silver Medal: Canada

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★ Bronze Medal: United States

★ September 13 - 22 - Thirteenth Men's Champions Trophy held at Berlin, Germany won by hosts. Pakistan end 2nd
==Figure skating==

★ World Figure Skating Championships:

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★ Men's champion: Kurt Browning, Canada

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★ Ladies' champion: Kristi Yamaguchi, United States

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★ Pair skating champions: Natalia Mishkutenok & Artur Dmitriev, Soviet Union

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★ Ice dancing champions: Isabelle Duchesnay & Paul Duchesnay, France
==Football (American)==

★ Super Bowl XXV: New York Giants won 20-19 over the Buffalo Bills

★ NCAA Football Championship: Washington Huskies 12-0 (CNN/USA Today Coaches Poll)

★ World Bowl '91: London Monarchs won 21-0 over the Barcelona Dragons in the inaugural World Bowl.
==Football (Australian rules football)==

★ Australian Football League

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★ The Adelaide Crows join the league

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★ Hawthorn wins the 95th AFL premiership (Hawthorn 20.19 (139) d West Coast Eagles 13.8 (86))

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★ Brownlow Medal awarded to Jim Stynes (Melbourne)
==Football (Canadian)==

★ Grey Cup: Toronto Argonauts win 36-21 over the Calgary Stampeders

★ Vanier Cup: Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks win 25-18 over the Mount Allison Mounties
==Football (Soccer)==
::''For an extensive coverage see 1991 in football (soccer)''

★ FIFA Women's World Cup - United States won 2-1 over Norway

★ European Cup - FK Red Star beat Olympique de Marseille 5-3 on penalties (0-0 aet)

Football (Rugby)

★ Australia wins the 1991 Rugby World Cup
==Golf==
Men's Golf

★ Major championship results:

★ #May - The Masters golf tournament - Ian Woosnam

★ #June - US Open - Payne Stewart

★ #July - British Open - Ian Baker-Finch

★ #August - PGA Championship - John Daly

★ PGA Tour leading money winner for the year: Corey Pavin - $979,430

★ Champions Tour leading money winner: Mike Hill - $1,065,657

★ Ryder Cup: United States team won 14 1/2 - 13 ½ over the European team in world golf.

★ Tiger Woods, at age 15, won his first USGA title, the U.S. Junior Amateur.
Women's Golf

★ US Women's Open - Meg Mallon

★ LPGA Championship - Meg Mallon

★ Pat Bradley: leading money winner on the LPGA tour, earning $763,118.
==Thoroughbred Horse Racing==

★ Australia - Melbourne Cup - Let's Elope

★ Canada - Queen's Plate - Dance Smartly

★ France - Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe - Suave Dancer

★ Ireland - Irish Derby Stakes - Generous

★ English Triple Crown Races:

★ #Two Thousand Guineas Stakes - Mystiko

★ #Epsom Derby - Generous

★ #St. Leger Stakes - Toulon

★ United States Triple Crown Races:

★ #Kentucky Derby - Strike the Gold

★ #Preakness Stakes - Hansel

★ #Belmont Stakes - Hansel

★ Breeders' Cup:

★ #Breeders' Cup Classic - Black Tie Affair

★ #Breeders' Cup Distaff - Dance Smartly

★ #Breeders' Cup Juvenile - Arazi

★ #Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies - Pleasant Stage

★ #Breeders' Cup Mile - Opening Verse

★ #Breeders' Cup Sprint - Sheikh Albadou

★ #Breeders' Cup Turf - Miss Alleged
==Harness Racing==

★ North America Cup - Precious Bunny

★ United States Pacing Triple Crown races:

★ #Cane Pace - Silky Stallone

★ #Little Brown Jug - Precious Bunny

★ #Messenger Stakes - Die Laughing

★ United States Trotting Triple Crown races:

★ #Hambletonian - Giant Victory

★ #Yonkers Trot -

★ #Kentucky Futurity - Whiteland Janice

★ Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship:

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★ Pacers: Mark Ranover

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★ Trotters: Fraggle Rock
==Ice Hockey==

★ Art Ross Memorial Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season: Wayne Gretzky, Los Angeles Kings

★ Hart Memorial Trophy for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: Brett Hull, St. Louis Blues

★ Stanley Cup:

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★ Pittsburgh Penguins win 4 games to 2 over the Minnesota North Stars

★ Conn Smythe Trophy: Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins

★ World Hockey Championship

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★ Men's champion: Sweden defeated Canada

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★ Junior Men's champion: Canada defeated the USSR

★ Sheffield Steelers formed
==Lacrosse==

★ The Detroit Turbos defeat the Baltimore Thunder to win the Major Indoor Lacrosse League championship
==Radiosport==

★ The Friendship Radiosport Games held in Portland, Oregon, USA was the first international Amateur Radio Direction Finding competition held in the Americas.

★ Third European High Speed Telegraphy Championship held in Neerpelt, Belgium.
==Skiing==

★ Alpine Skiing

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★ The men's overall season champion: Marc Girardelli, Luxembourg

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★ The women's overall season champion: Petra Kronberger, Austria
==Snooker==

★ World Snooker Championship: John Parrott beats Jimmy White 18-11

★ World rankings: Stephen Hendry remains world number one for 1991/92
==Swimming==

International events

★ The sixth FINA World Championships, held in Perth, Australia (January 3 – 13)

★ 20th European LC Championships, held in Athens, Greece (August 18 – 25)

★ Fourth Pan Pacific Championships, held in Edmonton, Canada (August 22 – 25)

★ First European Sprint Championships, held in Gelsenkirchen, Germany (December 6 – 8)

Records

★ December 13 — Steve Crocker sets the first official world record in the men's 50m freestyle (short course) in Sheffield, United Kingdom, clocking '21.64'.
==Tennis==

★ Grand Slam in tennis men's results:

★ #Australian Open - Boris Becker

★ #French Open - Jim Courier

★ #Wimbledon championships - Michael Stich

★ #US Open - Stefan Edberg

★ Grand Slam in tennis women's results:

★ #Australian Open - Monica Seles

★ #French Open - Monica Seles

★ #Wimbledon championships - Steffi Graf

★ #US Open - Monica Seles

★ Davis Cup: France won 3-1 over the United States in world tennis.
== Water Polo ==

★ Men's World Championship in Perth, Australia

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★ Gold Medal: Yugoslavia

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★ Silver Medal: Spain

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★ Bronze Medal: Hungary

★ Women's World Championship in Perth, Australia

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★ Gold Medal: The Netherlands

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★ Silver Medal: Canada

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★ Bronze Medal: United States
==General sporting events==

★ Eleventh Pan American Games held in Havana, Cuba

★ Fifth All-Africa Games held in Cairo, Egypt

★ Eleventh Mediterranean Games held in Athens, Greece

★ Sixteenth Summer Universiade held in Sheffield, United Kingdom

★ Fifteenth Winter Universiade held in Sapporo, Japan

Awards

★ Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year: Michael Jordan, NBA basketball

★ Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year: Monica Seles, Tennis

Pro Wrestling

★ Hulk Hogan, wins WWF/WWE's ''Royal Rumble 1991''

★ The WCW World Heavyweight Championship is created, but only is used for a year. It is re-used again in 1994 until 2001, until WWE bought out World Championship Wrestling (WCW).

Births

★ January 15 - Rubab Raza, Pakistani swimmer

★ December 5 - Ethan Cohen, tennis player

Deaths

★ January 1 — Inga Gentzel (82), Swedish athlete (b. 1908)

★ January 3 — Luke Appling, American baseball player (1930-1950)

★ January 21 — Red Grange, American National Football League player

★ March 2 — James "Cool Papa" Bell, Negro League baseball player

★ April 4 — Luc de Rijck, Belgian soccer player

★ April 20 — Bucky Walters, American baseball pitcher (1934-1950)

★ April 25 — Theo Laseroms, Dutch soccer player

★ May 6 — Chucky Mullins, US football player

★ May 14 — Aladár Gerevich (81), Hungarian fencer (b. 1910)

★ May 20 — Pete Runnels, American baseball player (1951-1964)

★ June 8 — Mary Bacon, jockey

★ June 20 — Michael Westphal (26), German tennis player (b. 1965)

★ August 10 — Ellen Braumüller (80), German track and field athlete (b. 1910)

★ September 15 — Smoky Burgess, American baseball player (1949-1967)

★ October 7 — Leo Durocher, American baseball player (1925-1945), and manager

★ October 7 — Darren Millane, Australian Rules Football player (1984-91)

★ October 23 — Július Torma (69), Slovak boxer (b. 1922)

★ November 26 — Bob Johnson, American ice hockey coach

★ December 5 — Hein van der Zee (62), Dutch boxer (b. 1929)

★ December 16 — Horatio Luro, race horse trainer including Northern Dancer

★ December 25 — Mahmood Hussain, Pakistani cricketer