Editing 1972 in sports

{{Short description|Sports-related events of 1972}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{refimprove|date=January 2022}}

'''1972 in sports''' describes the year's events in world sport.
{{Year nav sports topic5|1972|sports}}

==[[Alpine skiing]]==
* [[1971–72 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup|Alpine Skiing World Cup]]
** Men's overall season champion: [[Gustav Thöni]], Italy
** Women's overall season champion: [[Annemarie Pröll]], Austria

==[[American football]]==
* 16 January − [[Super Bowl VI]]: the [[Dallas Cowboys]] (NFC) won 24−3 over the [[Miami Dolphins]] (AFC)
** Location: [[Tulane Stadium]]
** Attendance: 81,023
** MVP: [[Roger Staubach]], QB (Dallas)
* [[1972 Orange Bowl|Orange Bowl]] (1971 season):
** The [[Nebraska Cornhuskers]] won 38–6 over the [[Alabama Crimson Tide]] to win the college football [[1971 NCAA University Division football season|national championship]]
* 23 December – In the first [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] playoff game in 25 years (and the franchises first playoff win), rookie [[Franco Harris]] salvages and converts into a touchdown a final seconds [[Terry Bradshaw]] incomplete pass in what has been called the greatest play in NFL history—The Immaculate Reception—to beat the [[Oakland Raiders]] 13–7.

==[[Association football]]==
* Brazil – [[Palmeiras]] wins the [[1972 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A|Campeonato Brasileiro]]
* [[1972 FA Cup Final|England – FA Cup]] – [[Leeds United A.F.C.|Leeds United]] won 1–0 over [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]]
* [[1972 European Cup Winners' Cup Final|Europe – Cup Winners' Cup]] – [[Rangers F.C.]] won 3–2 over [[FC Dinamo Moscow|Dinamo Moscow]]
* [[Germany national football team|West Germany]] beat the [[USSR national football team|Soviet Union]] 3–0 to win the [[1972 European Football Championship|European Championship]].

==[[Sport of athletics|Athletics]]==
* September – [[Athletics at the 1972 Summer Olympics]] held in Munich

==[[Australian rules football]]==
* [[Victorian Football League (1897–1989)|Victorian Football League]]
** [[Carlton Football Club|Carlton]] wins the 76th [[1972 VFL season|VFL Premiership]] (Carlton 28.9 (177) d [[Richmond Football Club|Richmond]] 22.18 (150))
** [[Brownlow Medal]] awarded to [[Len Thompson]] ([[Collingwood Football Club|Collingwood]])

==[[Baseball]]==
{{main|1972 in baseball}}
[[File:Sandy Koufax.jpg|thumb|180px|Hall of Famer [[Sandy Koufax]]]]
* The [[Washington Senators (1961–71)|Washington Senators]] move to Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas to become the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]].
* 19 January – The BBWAA elects [[Sandy Koufax]] (344 votes), [[Yogi Berra]] (339), and [[Early Wynn]] (301) to the [[Baseball|Hall of Fame]].
* [[Sparky Lyle]] saves 35 games for the [[New York Yankees]], breaking [[Ron Perranoski]]'s 1970 records for AL pitchers and left-handers. Lyle also becomes the first left-hander to save 100 career games in the American League.
* [[1972 World Series|World Series]] – [[Oakland Athletics]] win their first World Championship since the team was based in [[Philadelphia]] in 1930, and sixth in franchise history, by defeating the [[Cincinnati Reds]], 4 games to 3.
* 31 December – The [[Pittsburgh Pirates]]' legendary right fielder [[Roberto Clemente]] dies in a plane crash near [[Puerto Rico]] on his way to bring relief supplies to [[1972 Nicaragua earthquake|Nicaraguan earthquake]] victims.

==[[Basketball]]==
* [[1972 NCAA University Division basketball tournament|NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship]] –
** [[UCLA]] wins 81–76 over Florida St.
* [[1972 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]] –
** [[Los Angeles Lakers]] won 4 games to 1 over the [[New York Knicks]]
* [[1972 ABA Finals]] –
** [[Indiana Pacers]] defeat [[New York Nets]] 4 games to 2

==[[Boxing]]==
* 26 June – [[Roberto Durán]] stopped [[Ken Buchanan]] in the thirteenth round to win the WBA Lightweight Championship.

==[[Canadian football]]==
* [[60th Grey Cup|Grey Cup]] – [[Hamilton Tiger-Cats]] won 13–10 over the [[Saskatchewan Roughriders]]
* [[8th Vanier Cup|Vanier Cup]] – [[Alberta Golden Bears]] won 20–7 over the [[Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks]]

==[[Cycle sport|Cycling]]==
* [[1972 Giro d'Italia|Giro d'Italia]] won by [[Eddy Merckx]] of Belgium
* [[1972 Tour de France|Tour de France]] – [[Eddy Merckx]] of Belgium
* [[1972 UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race|UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race]] – [[Marino Basso]] of Italy

==[[Flying disc games|Disc sports]]==
* Disc sports are introduced to Canada at the [[Ken Westerfield|Canadian Open Frisbee Championships]] in Toronto

==[[Field hockey]]==
* [[Hockey at the 1972 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games (Men's Competition)]] in [[Munich]], West Germany
** Gold Medal: West Germany
** Silver Medal: Pakistan
** Bronze Medal:

==[[Figure skating]]==
* [[1972 World Figure Skating Championships|World Figure Skating Championships]] –
** Men's champion: [[Ondrej Nepela]], [[Czechoslovakia]]
** Ladies' champion: [[Trixi Schuba]], Austria
** Pair skating champions: [[Irina Rodnina]] & [[Alexei Ulyanov]], Soviet Union
** Ice dancing champions: [[Lyudmila Pakhomova]] & [[Aleksandr Gorshkov (figure skater)|Alexandr Gorshkov]], Soviet Union

==[[Golf]]==
'''Men's professional'''
* [[1972 Masters Tournament|Masters Tournament]] – [[Jack Nicklaus]]
* [[1972 U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]] – [[Jack Nicklaus]]
* [[1972 Open Championship|British Open]] – [[Lee Trevino]]
* [[1972 PGA Championship|PGA Championship]] – [[Gary Player]]
* [[PGA Tour]] money leader – [[Jack Nicklaus]] – $320,542
* The [[PGA European Tour|European Tour]] begins its first season of competition.
'''Men's amateur'''
* [[The Amateur Championship|British Amateur]] – [[Trevor Homer]]
* [[United States Amateur Championship (men's golf)|U.S. Amateur]] – [[Vinny Giles]]
'''Women's professional'''
* [[1972 LPGA Championship|LPGA Championship]] – [[Kathy Ahern]]
* [[1972 U.S. Women's Open|U.S. Women's Open]] – [[Susie Berning]]
* [[1972 Titleholders Championship|Titleholders Championship]] – [[Sandra Palmer (golfer)|Sandra Palmer]]
* [[LPGA|LPGA Tour]] money leader – [[Kathy Whitworth]] – $65,063

==[[Harness racing]]==
* 21 September – [[Strike Out]] became the first Canadian owned [[harness racing]] horse to ever win the [[Little Brown Jug (horse racing)|Little Brown Jug]].
* [[Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers|United States Pacing Triple Crown races]] –
*# [[Cane Pace]] – [[Hilarious Way]]
*# [[Little Brown Jug (horse racing)|Little Brown Jug]] – [[Strike Out]]
*# [[Messenger Stakes]] – [[Silent Majority (horse)|Silent Majority]]
* [[Super Bowl (horse)|Super Bowl]] wins the [[Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Trotters|United States Trotting Triple Crown races]] –
*# [[Hambletonian Stakes|Hambletonian]] – [[Super Bowl (horse)|Super Bowl]]
*# [[Yonkers Trot]] – [[Super Bowl (horse)|Super Bowl]]
*# [[Kentucky Futurity]] – [[Super Bowl (horse)|Super Bowl]]
* [[Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship]] –
** Pacers: [[Welcome Advice]]

==[[Horse racing]]==
'''Steeplechases'''
* [[Cheltenham Gold Cup]] – [[Glencaraig Lady]]
* [[1972 Grand National|Grand National]] – [[Well To Do]]
'''Flat races'''
* Australia – [[Melbourne Cup]] won by [[Piping Lane]]
* Canada – [[Queen's Plate]] won by [[Victoria Song]]
* France – [[1972 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe|Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe]] won by [[San San (horse)|San San]]
* Ireland – [[Irish Derby Stakes]] won by [[Steel Pulse (horse)|Steel Pulse]]
* [[Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing|English Triple Crown Races]]:
*# [[2,000 Guineas Stakes]] – [[High Top]]
*# [[Epsom Derby|The Derby]] – [[Roberto (horse)|Roberto]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Epsom Derby {{!}} History, Winners, & Facts {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/sports/Derby-horse-race |website=www.britannica.com |access-date=3 January 2022 |language=en}}</ref>
*# [[St. Leger Stakes]] – [[Boucher (horse)|Boucher]]
* [[Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing|United States Triple Crown Races]]:
*# [[1972 Kentucky Derby|Kentucky Derby]] – [[Riva Ridge]]
*# [[1972 Preakness Stakes|Preakness Stakes]] – [[Bee Bee Bee]]
*# [[Belmont Stakes]] – [[Riva Ridge]]

==[[Ice hockey]]==
* 18 March - [[1972 NCAA University Division men's ice hockey tournament|NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship]] – [[Boston University]] Terriers defeat [[Cornell University]] Big Red 4–0 in [[Boston]], Massachusetts
* 22 April - [[Czechoslovakia]] defeats the Soviet Union to win the [[1972 Ice Hockey World Championships]].
* 11 May - The [[Boston Bruins]] defeat the [[New York Rangers]] 3–0 to win the [[1972 Stanley Cup Finals]] four games to two.
* 14 May - The [[Cornwall Royals]] defeat the [[Peterborough Petes]] to win the [[1972 Memorial Cup]] Canadian amateur ice hockey junior men's championship.
* 15 May - The [[Spokane Jets]] defeat the [[Barrie Flyers]] 6–3 to win the [[1972 Allan Cup]] Canadian amateur ice hockey senior men's championship.<ref name="scm17">{{cite news |work=Spokane Chronicle |date=May 17, 1972 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XqdYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jfgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4053%2C730891 |title=Jets' Coach Relaxing After Triumphant Year|first=Chuck |last=Stewart |page=12}}</ref>
* [[Art Ross Trophy]] as the [[National Hockey League|NHL]]'s leading scorer during the regular season: [[Phil Esposito]], [[Boston Bruins]]
* [[Hart Memorial Trophy]] – for the [[National Hockey League|NHL]]'s Most Valuable Player: [[Bobby Orr]], [[Boston Bruins]]
* 28 September – [[Paul Henderson]] scored the "goal of the century" to give Canada the win in the [[Summit Series]], the first ever Canada versus the Soviet Union challenge series.
* 7 October - The [[National Hockey League]] begins the [[1972–73 NHL season|1972–73]] season.
*  11 October - The [[World Hockey Association]] (WHA) professional league begins play in its first season. This new league signed several of the top NHL stars including [[Bobby Hull]] and [[Derek Sanderson]].

==[[Lacrosse]]==
* The Long Branch P.C.O.'s win the first [[Founders Cup]].
* The New Westminster Salmonbellies win the [[Mann Cup]].
* The Peterborough PCO's win the [[Minto Cup]].

==[[Motorsport]]==
{{main|1972 in motorsport|List of 1972 motorsport champions}}

==[[Rugby league]]==
*[[1972 NSWRFL season]]
*[[1972 New Zealand rugby league season]]
*[[1971–72 Northern Rugby Football League season]] / [[1972–73 Northern Rugby Football League season]]
*[[1972 Rugby League World Cup]]

==[[Rugby union]]==
* 78th [[1972 Five Nations Championship|Five Nations Championship]] series is undecided after two matches are not played for political reasons

==[[Snooker]]==
* [[1972 World Snooker Championship|World Snooker Championship]] – [[Alex Higgins]] beats [[John Spencer (snooker player)|John Spencer]] 37–32

==[[Swimming (sport)|Swimming]]==
* [[Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics|XX Olympic Games]], held in [[Munich]], West Germany (28 August – 4 September)

==[[Tennis]]==
* [[Grand Slam in tennis]] men's results:
*# [[1972 Australian Open – Men's singles|Australian Open]] – [[Ken Rosewall]]
*# [[1972 French Open – Men's singles|French Open]] – [[Andrés Gimeno]]
*# [[1972 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|Wimbledon championships]] – [[Stan Smith]]
*# [[1972 U.S. Open – Men's singles|U.S. Open]] – [[Ilie Năstase]]
* [[Grand Slam in tennis]] women's results:
*# [[1972 Australian Open – Women's singles|Australian Open]] – [[Virginia Wade]]
*# [[1972 French Open – Women's singles|French Open]] – [[Billie Jean King]]
*# [[1972 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles|Wimbledon championships]] – [[Billie Jean King]]
*# [[1972 U.S. Open – Women's singles|U.S. Open]] – [[Billie Jean King]] (first player in Open Era to repeat as singles champion)
* [[1972 Davis Cup|Davis Cup]] – United States wins 3–2 over [[Romania]] in world tennis.

==General sporting events==
* [[1972 Summer Olympics]] takes place in [[Munich]], Germany
** [[Soviet Union|USSR]] wins the most medals (99), and the most gold medals (50)
* [[1972 Winter Olympics]] takes place in [[Sapporo]], Japan
** [[Soviet Union|USSR]] wins the most medals (16), and the most gold medals (8)
* Seventh [[1972 Winter Universiade|Winter Universiade]] held in [[Lake Placid, New York]], United States

==Awards==
* [[Associated Press Athlete of the Year#List of award winners|Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year]] – [[Mark Spitz]], [[swimming (sport)|Swimming]]
* [[Associated Press Athlete of the Year#List of award winners|Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year]] – [[Olga Korbut]], [[Gymnastics]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Sports by year 1951 – 2000}}

[[Category:1972 in sports| ]]
[[Category:Sports by year]]