Editing 1973 in sports

{{Short description|Sports-related events of 1973}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{more citations needed|date=September 2014}}

'''1973 in sports''' describes the year's events in world sport.
{{Year nav sports topic5|1973|sports}}

==[[Alpine skiing]]==
* [[1972–73 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]]==
* 14 January − [[Super Bowl VII]]: the [[Miami Dolphins]] (AFC) won 14–7 over the [[Washington Redskins]] (NFC) to complete the only perfect (unbeaten and untied) season in the history of the NFL
** Location: [[Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum]]
** Attendance: 90,182	
** MVP: [[Jake Scott]], FS (Miami)
* [[1973 Rose Bowl|Rose Bowl]] (1972 season):
** The [[USC Trojans|Southern California Trojans]] won 42–17 over the [[Ohio State Buckeyes]] to win college football [[1972 NCAA University Division football season|national championship]]
* [[O. J. Simpson]] becomes the first player in [[National Football League|NFL]] history to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a single season.

==[[Association football]]==
* Brazil – [[Palmeiras]] wins the [[1973 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A|Campeonato Brasileiro]]
* [[1973 FA Cup Final|England – FA Cup]] – [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]] wins 1–0 over [[Leeds United A.F.C.|Leeds United]]
* 1 January 1973, [[Edinburgh]], [[Scotland]], Edinburgh Derby between [[Heart of Midlothian F.C.|Hearts]] and [[Hibernian F.C.|Hibernian]] played at Tynecastle ends in a 7–0 victory for Hibernian.
*[[Philadelphia Atoms]] defeat [[Toronto Metros]] to win the [[North American Soccer League (1968–84)|North American Soccer League]] [[1973 North American Soccer League season|championship]] in their inaugural season.

==[[Australian rules football]]==
* [[Victorian Football League (1897–1989)|Victorian Football League]]
** [[Richmond Football Club|Richmond]] wins the 77th [[1973 VFL season|VFL Premiership]] defeating [[Carlton Football Club|Carlton]] 16.20 (116) to 12.14 (86) [[1973 VFL Grand Final|in the Grand Final]].
** [[Brownlow Medal]] awarded to [[Keith Greig]] ([[North Melbourne Football Club|North Melbourne]])
* [[South Australian National Football League]]:
** 1 September: [[South Adelaide Football Club|South Adelaide]] kick only 1.4 (10) against [[Sturt Football Club|Sturt]]'s 14.24 (108) in the rain at [[Unley Oval]], with the Panthers' sole goal being the first score of the match after five minutes. It was the lowest score in the SA(N)FL between 1914 and 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://australianfootball.com/seasons/lowest_scores/SANFL_107/400 |title=SANFL: Lowest Scores |access-date=30 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131230232147/http://australianfootball.com/seasons/lowest_scores/SANFL_107/400 |archive-date=30 December 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
** 29 September: [[Glenelg Football Club|Glenelg]] 21.11 (137) defeat [[North Adelaide Football Club|North Adelaide]] 19.16 (130) for their second [[1973 SANFL season|SANFL premiership]] in what is often regarded as the great-ever SANFL Grand Final
* [[Western Australian National Football League]]
** 29 September: [[Subiaco Football Club|Subiaco]] break the longest premiership drought in WANFL history, beating [[West Perth Football Club|West Perth]] 10.12 (72) to 6.4 (40) for their first [[1973 WANFL season|premiership]] [[1924 WAFL season|since 1924]].

==[[Bandy]]==
* [[1973 Bandy World Championship]] is held in the Soviet Union and won by {{Bandy|URS}}.

==[[Baseball]]==
* 18 January – [[Orlando Cepeda]] signs [[1973 Boston Red Sox season|with the Boston Red Sox]], making him the first player signed by a team ''specifically to be a'' [[designated hitter]].
* The [[American League]] uses the [[designated hitter]] rule for the first time.  [[Ron Blomberg]] is the first player to bat as a DH.
* [[1973 World Series|World Series]] – [[1973 Oakland Athletics season|Oakland Athletics]] won 4 games to 3 over [[1973 New York Mets season|the New York Mets]]
* [[Yomiuri Giants|Yomiuri Giants of Tokyo]], takes only nine consecutive title on [[Central League|Japan Central League]](on October 22) and [[Japan Series]] on both Japan Professional Baseball League title. (on November 1){{citation needed|date=March 2024}}

==[[Basketball]]==
* [[1973 NCAA University Division Basketball Championship Game|NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship]] –
** [[University of California, Los Angeles|UCLA]] wins 87–66 over [[University of Memphis|Memphis State]]. [[Bill Walton]] of UCLA scored 44 points in the Championship game.
* [[1973 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]] –
** [[1972–73 New York Knicks season|New York Knicks]] won 4 games to 1 over [[1972–73 Los Angeles Lakers season|the Los Angeles Lakers]]
* [[1973 ABA Finals|ABA Finals]] –
** [[Indiana Pacers]] defeat [[Kentucky Colonels]], 4 games to 3

==[[Boxing]]==
* 22 January – [[George Foreman]] beats [[Joe Frazier]] by a knockout in two rounds to lift the world's Heavyweight championship from Frazier. It is [[HBO Boxing]]'s first telecast.

==[[Canadian football]]==
* [[61st Grey Cup|Grey Cup]] – [[Ottawa Rough Riders]] win 22–18 over the [[Edmonton Eskimos]]
* [[9th Vanier Cup|Vanier Cup]] – [[St. Mary's Huskies]] win 14–6 over the [[McGill Redmen]]

==[[Cycle sport|Cycling]]==
* [[1973 Tour de France|Tour de France]] – [[Luis Ocaña]] of Spain
* [[1973 UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race|UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race]] – [[Felice Gimondi]], of Italy

==[[Dogsled racing]]==
* [[Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race|Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Champion]] –
** [[Dick Wilmarth]] won with lead dog: ''Hotfoot''

==[[Field hockey]]==
* [[1973 Men's Hockey World Cup|Men's World Cup]] in [[Amstelveen]], Netherlands won by the Netherlands

==[[Figure skating]]==
* [[1973 World Figure Skating Championships|World Figure Skating Championships]] –
** Men's champion: [[Ondrej Nepela]], [[Czechoslovakia]]
** Ladies' champion: [[Karen Magnussen]], Canada
** Pair skating champions: [[Irina Rodnina]] & [[Alexander Zaitsev (skater)|Alexander Zaitsev]], Soviet Union
** Ice dancing champions: [[Lyudmila Pakhomova]] & [[Aleksandr Gorshkov (figure skater)|Alexandr Gorshkov]], Soviet Union

==[[Golf]]==
'''Men's professional'''
* [[1973 Masters Tournament|Masters Tournament]] – [[Tommy Aaron]]
* [[1973 U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]] – [[Johnny Miller]] – Miller's final round of 63 was a new major championship record which has been equaled several times since, it wasn't until [[2017]] when that record was broken by [[Branden Grace]] at The Open Championship when he shot a 62.
* [[1973 Open Championship|British Open]] – [[Tom Weiskopf]]
* [[1973 PGA Championship|PGA Championship]] – [[Jack Nicklaus]]
* [[PGA Tour]] money leader – [[Jack Nicklaus]] – $308,362
* [[1973 Ryder Cup|Ryder Cup]] – United States won 19–13 over Great Britain & Ireland in team golf.
'''Men's amateur'''
* [[British Amateur]] – [[Dick Siderowf]]
* [[U.S. Amateur]] – [[Craig Stadler]]
'''Women's professional'''
* [[1973 LPGA Championship|LPGA Championship]] – [[Mary Mills (golfer)|Mary Mills]]
* [[1973 U.S. Women's Open|U.S. Women's Open]] – [[Susie Berning]]
* [[LPGA Tour]] money leader – [[Kathy Whitworth]] – $82,864

==[[Harness racing]]==
* [[Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers|United States Pacing Triple Crown races]] –
*# [[Cane Pace]] – [[Smog (horse)|Smog]]
*# [[Little Brown Jug (horse racing)|Little Brown Jug]] – [[Melvin's Woe]]
*# [[Messenger Stakes]] – [[Valiant Bret]]
* [[Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Trotters|United States Trotting Triple Crown races]] –
*# [[Hambletonian Stakes|Hambletonian]] – [[Flirth]]
*# [[Yonkers Trot]] – Tamerlane
*# [[Kentucky Futurity]] – Arnie Almahurst
* [[Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship]] –
** Pacers: [[Hondo Grattan]]
** Trotters: [[Precocious (horse)|Precocious]]

==[[Horse racing]]==
* [[Secretariat (racehorse)|Secretariat]], ridden by jockey [[Ron Turcotte]], becomes the first horse in 25 years to win all three [[Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing|United States Triple Crown Races]]
'''Steeplechases'''
* [[Cheltenham Gold Cup]] – [[The Dikler]]
* [[1973 Grand National|Grand National]] – [[Red Rum]]
'''Flat races'''
* Australia – [[Melbourne Cup]] – [[Gala Supreme]]
* Canada – [[Queen's Plate]] – [[Royal Chocolate]]
* France – [[1973 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe|Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe]] – [[Rheingold (horse)|Rheingold]]
* Ireland – [[Irish Derby Stakes]] – [[Weavers' Hall]]
* [[Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing|English Triple Crown Races]]:
*# [[2,000 Guineas Stakes]] – [[Mon Fils]]
*# [[Epsom Derby|The Derby]] – [[Morston (horse)|Morston]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Epsom Derby {{!}} History, Winners, & Facts {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/sports/Derby-horse-race |website=Encyclopædia Britannica |access-date=3 January 2022 |language=en}}</ref>
*# [[St. Leger Stakes]] – [[Peleid]]
* [[Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing|United States Triple Crown Races]]:
*# [[1973 Kentucky Derby|Kentucky Derby]] – [[Secretariat (racehorse)|Secretariat]]
*# [[1973 Preakness Stakes|Preakness Stakes]] – [[Secretariat (racehorse)|Secretariat]]
*# [[1973 Belmont Stakes|Belmont Stakes]] – [[Secretariat (racehorse)|Secretariat]]

==[[Ice hockey]]==
* [[Art Ross Trophy]] as the [[National Hockey League|NHL]]'s leading scorer during the regular season: [[Phil Esposito]], [[1972–73 Boston Bruins season|Boston Bruins]]
* [[Hart Memorial Trophy]] for the [[National Hockey League|NHL]]'s Most Valuable Player: [[Bobby Clarke]] – [[1972–73 Philadelphia Flyers season|Philadelphia Flyers]]
* [[1973 Stanley Cup Finals|Stanley Cup]] – [[1972–73 Montreal Canadiens season|Montreal Canadiens]] defeat [[1972–73 Chicago Black Hawks season|the Chicago Blackhawks]] 4 games to 2
* [[World Hockey Association]] 
** [[AVCO Cup]] – [[New England Whalers]] defeat the [[Winnipeg Jets (1972–96)|Winnipeg Jets]] 4 games to 1 for first league championship.
* [[1973 Ice Hockey World Championships|World Hockey Championship]] –
** Men's champion: Soviet Union defeated Sweden
* [[1973 NCAA University Division men's ice hockey tournament|NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship]] – [[University of Wisconsin–Madison]] Badgers defeat [[University of Denver]] Pioneers 4–2 in [[Boston]]

==[[Lacrosse]]==
* [[1973 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship|NCAA Division I Men's Championship]] – [[University of Maryland]] Terrapins defeated [[Johns Hopkins University]] Bluejays 10–9 in 2 overtimes.

==[[Motorsport]]==
{{main|1973 in motorsport|List of 1973 motorsport champions}}

==[[Radiosport]]==
* Seventh [[Amateur Radio Direction Finding]] European Championship held in Komló, Hungary.
* First [[American Radio Relay League|ARRL]] 10 Meter Contest held in December.

==[[Rugby league]]==
*[[Captain Morgan Trophy]]
*[[1973 New Zealand rugby league season]]
*[[1973 NSWRFL season]]
*[[1972–73 Northern Rugby Football League season]] / [[1973–74 Northern Rugby Football League season]]

==[[Rugby union]]==
* 79th [[1973 Five Nations Championship|Five Nations Championship]] series is a five-way tie with all teams winning two matches each

==[[Snooker]]==
* [[1973 World Snooker Championship|World Snooker Championship]] – [[Ray Reardon]] beats [[Eddie Charlton]] 38–32

==[[Swimming (sport)|Swimming]]==
* The first [[1973 World Aquatics Championships|FINA World Championships]] held in [[Belgrade]], [[Yugoslavia]]

==[[Tennis]]==
* [[Grand Slam in tennis]] men's results:
*# [[1973 Australian Open – Men's singles|Australian Open]] – [[John Newcombe]]
*# [[1973 French Open – Men's singles|French Open]] – [[Ilie Năstase]]
*# [[1973 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|Wimbledon]] – [[Jan Kodeš]]
*# [[1973 U.S. Open – Men's singles|US Open]] – [[John Newcombe]]
* [[Grand Slam in tennis]] women's results:
*# [[1973 Australian Open|Australian Open]] – [[Margaret Court]]
*# [[1973 French Open – Women's singles|French Open]] – [[Margaret Court]]
*# [[1973 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles|Wimbledon]] – [[Billie Jean King]]
*# [[1973 U.S. Open – Women's singles|US Open]] – [[Margaret Court]]
* [[1973 Davis Cup|Davis Cup]] – Australia wins 5–0 over the United States in world tennis.
* Men and women players receive equal prize money at the US Open
* 20 September – In the famed Battle of the sexes at [[Houston]]'s [[Astrodome]] – Billie Jean King beat [[Bobby Riggs]] in 3straight sets.

==[[Water polo]]==
* [[1973 FINA Men's World Water Polo Championship]] held in Belgrade and won by Hungary

==General sporting events==
* Second [[1973 All-Africa Games|All-Africa Games]] held in [[Lagos]], [[Nigeria]]
* Seventh [[1973 Summer Universiade|Summer Universiade]] held in Moscow, Soviet Union

==Awards==
* [[Associated Press Athlete of the Year#List of award winners|Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year]] – [[O. J. Simpson]], [[National Football League]]
* [[Associated Press Athlete of the Year#List of award winners|Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year]] – [[Billie Jean King]], [[Tennis]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Sports by year 1951 – 2000}}

[[Category:1973 in sports| ]]
[[Category:Sports by year]]