1970 in sports
See also: 1969 in sports, other events of 1970, 1971 in sports and the list of 'years in sports'.
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Auto Racing
- Stock car racing:
- Pete Hamilton won the Daytona 500
- NASCAR Championship - Bobby Isaac
- Indianapolis 500 - Al Unser, Sr.
- USAC Racing - Al Unser, Sr. won the season championship
- Formula One Championship - Jochen Rindt of Austria
- 24 hours of Le Mans: the team of Hans Herrmann / Richard Attwood won, driving a Porsche 917
- Rally racing - the team of Bjorn Waldegard / Lars Helmer won the Monte Carlo Rally driving a Porsche 911S.
- Drag racing - the NHRA launches the "Supernationals". Rick Ramsey wins "Top Fuel"
Baseball
- January 16: Gold Glove outfielder Curt Flood files a civil lawsuit challenging baseball's reserve clause, a suit that will have historic implications. Flood refused to report to the Phillies after he was traded by the Cardinals, contending the baseball rule violates federal antitrust laws.
- January 17: The Sporting News names Willie Mays as Player of the Decade for the 1960s.
- January 20: Lou Boudreau is elected to the Hall of Fame, receiving 232 of a possible 300 votes from the BBWAA.
- June 12: Dock Ellis of the Pittsburgh Pirates throws a no-hitter against the San Diego Padres. It is later revealed that he did so while under the influence of LSD.
- Robert Peterson's book Only the Ball was White is published. The book brought pressure on Major League Baseball to recognize the African-American players from Negro League baseball by equally honoring those qualified in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
- World Series: The American League's Baltimore Orioles win their second World Title by defeating the National League's Cincinnati Reds, 4 games to 1.
Basketball
- NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship:
- UCLA wins 80-69 over Jacksonville
- NBA Finals:
- New York Knicks won 4 games to 3 over the Los Angeles Lakers
- FIBA World Championship:
- Yugoslavia World Champion
Boxing
- February 15 - Carlos Cruz, Featherweight Boxing Champion died in a plane crash
- February 16 - Joe Frazier starts a heavyweight world boxing champion winning streak with the knock out of Jimmy Ellis in five rounds.
Cricket
- International Cricket Council votes to suspend South Africa from international cricket indefinitely because of its government's apartheid policy.
Cycling
- Giro d'Italia won by Eddy Merckx of Belgium
- Tour de France - Eddy Merckx of Belgium
- World Cycling Championship: Jean-Pierre Monsere of Belgium
Figure Skating
- World Figure Skating Championships:
- Men's champion: Tim Wood, United States
- Women's champion: Gabrielle Seyfert, Germany
- Pairs champions: Irina Rodnina & Alexej Ulanow, Soviet Union
Football (American)
- Super Bowl IV: Kansas City Chiefs won 23-7 over the Minnesota Vikings
Football (Australian Rules)
- Victorian Football League
- Carlton wins the 74th VFL Premiership (Carlton 17.9 (111) d Collingwood 14.17 (101))
- Brownlow Medal awarded to Peter Bedford (South Melbourne)
Football (Canadian)
- Grey Cup: Montreal Alouettes win 23-10 over the Calgary Stampeders
- Vanier Cup: Manitoba Bisons win 38-11 over the Ottawa Gee Gees
Football (Soccer)
- World Cup held in Mexico: Brazil won final 4-1 over Italy
- England - FA Cup: Chelsea won 2-1 over Leeds United
Golf
- Grand Slam of golf results:
- PGA tour's leading money winner for the year: Lee Trevino - $157,037
- US Open - Donna Caponi
- LPGA Championship - Shirley Englehorn
- Kathy Whitworth: leading money winner on the LPGA tour, earning $30,235
Thoroughbred Horse Racing
- Australia - Melbourne Cup - Baghdad Note
- Canada - Queen's Plate - Almoner
- France - Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe - Sassafrás
- Ireland - Irish Derby Stakes - Nijinsky II
- Nijinsky II wins the English Triple Crown Races:
- United States Triple Crown Races:
- Kentucky Derby - Dust Commander
- Preakness Stakes - Personality
- Belmont Stakes - High Echelon
Harness Racing
- Fresh Yankee was named "Horse of the Year" by the U.S. Trotting Association and the U.S. Harness Writers Association.
- Most Happy Fella won the United States Pacing Triple Crown races:
- Cane Pace - Most Happy Fella
- Little Brown Jug - Most Happy Fella
- Messenger Stakes - Most Happy Fella
- United States Trotting Triple Crown races:
- Hambletonian - Timothy T.
- Yonkers Trot - Victory Star
- Kentucky Futurity - Timothy T.
- Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship:
- Pacers: Bold David
Ice Hockey
- Art Ross Memorial Trophy - Bobby Orr becomes the first defenseman in the history of the National Hockey League to lead the league in scoring.
- Hart Memorial Trophy for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins
- Stanley Cup: Boston Bruins win the Cup for the first time in 29 years, defeating the St. Louis Blues 4 games to 0. Defenseman, Bobby Orr is awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the series MVP (most valuable player).
- World Hockey Championship
- Men's champion: Soviet Union defeated Sweden
Skiing
Snooker
- World Snooker Championship: Ray Reardon beats John Pulman 37-33
Speed skating
- First ISU Sprint Speed Skating Championships for Men and Ladies held in West Allis, U.S.A.
Tennis
- Grand Slam in tennis men's results:
- Davis Cup: United States wins 5-0 over Germany F.R. in world tennis.
General sporting events
Births
- February 11 - Alistair Brown, English cricket player.
- February 11 - Jason Allyn Scott, US rower.
- March 30 - Secretariat, two-time Horse of the Year, 1973 Triple Crown winner (+ 1989)
- April 19 - Kelly Holmes, UK athlete
- April 29 - Andre Agassi, tennis player
- May 12 - Mike Weir, Canadian, professional golfer
- May 16 - Gabriela Sabatini, tennis player
- May 24 - Jeff Zgonina, football player
- June 20 - Maia Lewis, New Zealand cricketer
- August 13 - Alan Shearer, England and Newcastle soccer player
- September 10 - Belinda Clarke,Australian cricketer
- September 28 - Isabelle Brasseur, figure skating world champion
- October 3 - Justine Sowry, Australian field hockey goalkeeper
- October 17 - Anil Kumble, Indian cricketer
- November 12 - Tonya Harding, US figure skater
Deaths
- February 6 - Abe Attell, World Champion and Hall of Fame boxer
- February 15 - Carlos Cruz, Featherweight Champion boxer
- May 19 - Ray Schalk, Major League Baseball player (1912-1929)
- May 31 - Terry Sawchuk, ice hockey goalie
- June 2 - Bruce McLaren, race car driver
- June 16 - Brian Piccolo, American football star
- May 31 - Terry Sawchuk, Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender
- July 4 - Harold Vanderbilt, 3-time America's Cup winner
- September 3 - Vince Lombardi, NFL coach, Super Bowl trophy and Rotary Lombardi Award named for him
- September 5 - Jochen Rindt, Austrian Formula One racing driver
- September 19 - Greville Stevens, English cricketer
- November 5 - Charley Root, Major League Baseball pitcher (1923-1941)
- December 30 (found dead) - Sonny Liston boxer (1932-1970)