1917 in sports
- Note — many sporting events did not take place because of World War I
1917 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.
American football
- College football national championship – Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (coached by John Heisman)
- Camp Randall Stadium, home of the Wisconsin Badgers, opens
Association football
Europe
- There is no major football in Europe due to World War I
Norway
- Foundation of Rosenborg BK at Trondheim
Athletics
Men's 1500 metres
- John Zander (Sweden) breaks the world record by running a time of 2:19.1
Australian rules football
VFL Premiership:
- Collingwood wins the 21st VFL Premiership: Collingwood 9.20 (74) d Fitzroy 5.9 (39) at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)
South Australian Football League:
- not contested due to World War I
West Australian Football League:
- 15 September: South Fremantle 6.5 (41) defeats East Fremantle 3.8 (26) for their second consecutive WAFL premiership.
Bandy
Sweden
- Championship final – IFK Uppsala 11–2 AIK
Baseball
World Series
- 6–15 October — The Chicago White Sox (AL) defeat the New York Giants (NL) to win the 1917 World Series by 4 games to 2.
Boxing
Events
- World Welterweight Championshipand holds it until 1919.
- World Middleweight Championship title to Mike O'Dowd, who knocks him out in the 6th round at Brooklyn
- World Lightweight Championship, which he holds until he retires in 1925
- Another great champion, World Bantamweight Championship, which he holds until 1920
Lineal world champions[1]
- World Heavyweight Championship – Jess Willard
- World Light Heavyweight Championship – Battling Levinsky
- World Middleweight Championship – Al McCoy → Mike O'Dowd
- World Welterweight Championship – Jack Britton → Ted "Kid" Lewis
- World Lightweight Championship – Freddie Welsh → Benny Leonard
- World Featherweight Championship – Johnny Kilbane
- World Bantamweight Championship – Kid Williams → Pete Herman
- World Flyweight Championship – Jimmy Wilde
Canadian football
Grey Cup
- not contested due to World War I
Cricket
Events
- There is no first-class cricket in England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa or the West Indies due to World War I
India
- Parsees
Cycling
Tour de France
- not contested due to World War I[2]
- not contested due to World War I
Figure skating
World Figure Skating Championships
- not contested due to World War I
Golf
Events
- All major championships are cancelled due to World War I
Handball
- The first official handball match was played on December 2 in Berlin, Germany.[3]
Horse racing
England
- Grand National – not held due to World War I
- 1,000 Guineas Stakes – Diadem
- 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Gay Crusader
- The Derby – Gay Crusader[4]
- The Oaks – Sunny Jane
- St. Leger Stakes– Gay Crusader
Australia
- Melbourne Cup – Westcourt
Canada
- King's Plate – Belle Mahone
Ireland
- Irish Grand National – Pay Only
- Irish Derby Stakes– First Flier
USA
- Kentucky Derby – Omar Khayyam
- Preakness Stakes – Kalitan
- Belmont Stakes – Hourless
Ice hockey
Stanley Cup
- 17–26 March — Seattle Metropolitans (PCHA) defeats Montreal Canadiens (NHA) in the 1917 Stanley Cup Finals by 3 games to 1
Events
- Allan Cup – Toronto Dentals
- 10 November — after Eddie Livingstone, owner of the Toronto NHA team, refuses to sell, the NHA votes to suspend operations
- 26 November — in a secret meeting, several owners of the NHA form the Arena Gardens will operate a temporary franchise in Toronto while Quebec Bulldogsbecomes an NHL member but is suspended for the inaugural season.
- 19 December — the opening NHL games are played to begin the new league's inaugural season
Motor racing
Events
- No major races are held anywhere worldwide due to World War I
Multi-sport events
Far Eastern Championship Games
- Third Far Eastern Championship Games held in Tokyo, Empire of Japan
Rowing
The Boat Race
- Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race – not contested due to World War I[5]
- International Eight Boat Race - England v Australia. Rowed Putney To Hammersmith, London, 20th Oct. 1917. Won By Australia by 3/4 length.
Rugby league
England
- All first-class competitions are cancelled due to World War I
Australia
- NSW Premiership – Balmain (outright winner)
New Zealand
Rugby union
Five Nations Championship
- Five Nations Championship series is not contested due to World War I
Speed skating
Speed Skating World Championships
- not contested due to World War I
Tennis
Australia
- Australian Men's Singles Championship – not contested due to World War I
England
- Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship – not contested due to World War I
- Wimbledon Women's Singles Championship – not contested due to World War I
France
- French Men's Singles Championship – not contested due to World War I
- French Women's Singles Championship – not contested due to World War I
USA
- Nathaniel Niles(USA) 5–7 8–6 6–3 6–3
- Molla Bjurstedt Mallory (Norway) defeats Marion Vanderhoef Morse(USA) 4–6 6–0 6–2
Davis Cup
- 1917 International Lawn Tennis Challenge – not contested
References
- ^ Cyber Boxing Zone
- ^ "Cycling-Tour de France list of winners". Eurosport UK. 26 August 2020. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
- ^ Pazen, Björn (31 October 2017). "Handball in Germany celebrates 100th anniversary". European Handball Federation. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- ^ "Epsom Derby | History, Winners, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
- ^ "WW1 boat race medal sold at auction". BBC News. 26 September 2014. Retrieved 30 April 2021.