1945 in sports explained

Note — many sporting events did not take place because of World War II

1945 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.

American football

• NFL Championship

the Cleveland Rams won 15–14 over the Washington Redskins at Cleveland Stadium

• Army Cadets – college football national championship

Association football

England

• With the end of World War II, the FA Cup is reinstated for the 1945–46 season; played on a two–legged basis. However, clubs are not yet prepared for a full league programme, so the Football League does not resume; regional leagues remain for another year.

France

• 26 August: French Division 1 football is resumed for the first time since 1938–39.

Germany

• There is no major football in Germany due to World War II and the Allied occupation.

Portugal

• Primeira Liga won by S.L. Benfica.

Spain

• La Liga won by Barcelona.

Italy

• Serie A – not contested due to World War II.

Yugoslavia (Serbia)

• Partizan Belgrade was founded in Humska area, Belgrade.
• Red Star Belgrade was founded in Dedinje area, Belgrade on March 4.

Australian rules football

• Victorian Football League
  • Carlton wins the 49th VFL Premiership defeating South Melbourne 15.13 (103) to 10.15 (75) in the Grand Final.
• South Australian National Football League:
  • 29 September: West Torrens win their third SANFL premiership, defeating Port Adelaide 15.25 (115) to 15.12 (102).
• Western Australian National Football League:
  • 29 March: After three seasons of football limited to players under 18 or 19, and a proposal to limit eligibility to players under 25, the WANFL decides to restore open-age league football.^[1]
  • 13 October: East Fremantle 12.15 (87) defeat South Fremantle 7.9 (51) for their nineteenth senior WANFL premiership.

Baseball

• World Series – Detroit Tigers defeat the Chicago Cubs, 4 games to 3.
• Negro World Series – Cleveland Buckeyes swept the Homestead Grays, 4 games to 0.
• A professional baseball league, Tokyo Senators was founded in Japan on November 6, as predecessor of Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.

Basketball

NBL Championship

• Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons over Sheboygan Redskins (3–2)

Events

• The twelfth South American Basketball Championship in Guayaquil is won by Brazil.

Italy

• Pallacanestro Varese was founded in Lombardy Region.

Serbia

• KK Crvena zvezda, as known well for professional basketball club of Serbia, officially founded on March 3.

Cricket

England

• With the end of World War II in Europe, a small number of first-class matches are played for the first time since 1939, but it is not practicable to resume the County Championship or the Minor Counties Championship.
• Most runs – Len Hutton 782 @ 48.87 (HS 188)
• Most wickets – Dick Pollard 28 @ 24.25 (BB 6–75)

Australia

• 23 November – With the lifting of bans on weekday sport at the end of World War II, first-class cricket is played in Australia for the first time since 1 December 1941. The Sheffield Shield, however, is not contested until the following season.

India

• 4–8 March: Cottari Subbanna Nayudu of Holkar sets two first-class records in the Ranji Trophy final against Bombay, bowling 912 balls and conceding 428 runs in the match.^[2]
• Ranji Trophy – Bombay beat Holkar by 374 runs
• Bombay Pentangular – Hindus

New Zealand

• 24 December: The Plunket Shield is resumed after having not been contested, despite a small number of interprovincial first-class matches, since 1939–40.

South Africa

• 15 December: With the end of World War II, first-class cricket is played in South Africa for the first time since 14 March 1943, though the last regular interprovincial matches had been in 1939–40.

Cycling

Tour de France

• not contested due to World War II^[3]

Giro d'Italia

• not contested due to World War II

Figure skating

World Figure Skating Championships

• not contested due to World War II

Golf

Men's professional

• Masters Tournament – not played due to World War II^[4]
• U.S. Open – not played due to World War II
• British Open – not played due to World War II
• PGA Championship – Byron Nelson
• PGA Tour money leader – Byron Nelson – $63,336

Men's amateur

• British Amateur – not played due to World War II
• U.S. Amateur – not played due to World War II

Women's professional

• Women's Western Open – Babe Zaharias
• Titleholders Championship – not played due to World War II

Horse racing

Steeplechases

• Cheltenham Gold Cup – Red Rower
• Grand National – not held due to World War II

Hurdle races

• Champion Hurdle – Brains Trust

Flat races

• Australia – Melbourne Cup won by Rainbird
• Canada – King's Plate won by Uttermost
• France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won by Nikellora
• Ireland – Irish Derby Stakes won by Piccadilly
• English Triple Crown Races:
  1. 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Court Martial
  2. The Derby – Dante^[5]
  3. St. Leger Stakes – Chamossaire
• United States Triple Crown Races:
  1. Kentucky Derby – Hoop Jr.
  2. Preakness Stakes – Polynesian
  3. Belmont Stakes – Pavot

Ice hockey

• Stanley Cup: Toronto Maple Leafs beat Detroit Red Wings four games to three.

Motor racing

• Indianapolis 500 – not held due to World War II
• 9 September – The first European Grand Prix since 1939 is held in Paris, being won by Jean-Pierre Wimille.

Rowing

The Boat Race

• Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race is not contested due to World War II

Rugby league

• 1945–46 European Rugby League Championship
• 1945 New Zealand rugby league season
• 1945 NSWRFL season
• 1944–45 Northern Rugby Football League Wartime Emergency League season / 1945–46 Northern Rugby Football League season

Rugby union

• Five Nations Championship series is not contested due to World War II

Speed skating

Speed Skating World Championships

• not contested due to World War II

Tennis

Australia

• Australian Men's Singles Championship – not contested
• Australian Women's Singles Championship – not contested

England

• Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship – not contested
• Wimbledon Women's Singles Championship – not contested

France

• French Men's Singles Championship – Yvon Petra (France) defeats Bernard Destremau (France) 7–5, 6–4, 6–2
• French Women's Singles Championship – Lolette Payot (Switzerland) defeats Simone Iribarne Lafargue (France) 6–3, 6–4

USA

• American Men's Singles Championship – Frank Parker (USA) defeats Bill Talbert (USA) 14–12, 6–1, 6–2
• American Women's Singles Championship – Sarah Palfrey Cooke (USA) defeats Pauline Betz Addie (USA) 3–6, 8–6, 6–4

Davis Cup

• 1945 International Lawn Tennis Challenge – not contested

Notes and References

1. “League Football – An Open Competition: Decision for 1945 Season”; The West Australian, 23 March 1945, p. 2
2. Webber, Roy; The Playfair Book of Cricket Records; pp. 163-165. Published 1951 by Playfair Books.
3. Web site: Cycling-Tour de France list of winners . Eurosport UK . 18 February 2021 . en . 26 August 2020.
4. Book: Young . William H. . Young . Nancy K. . World War II and the Postwar Years in America: A Historical and Cultural Encyclopedia [2 volumes]

   A Historical and Cultural Encyclopedia ]

   . 17 September 2010 . ABC-CLIO . 978-0-313-35653-7 . 361 . en.
5. Web site: Epsom Derby History, Winners, & Facts Britannica . www.britannica.com . 3 January 2022 . en.