1871 in sports
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
1871 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.
| Centuries: | 18th century · 19th century · 20th century |
| Decades: | 1840s 1850s 1860s 1870s 1880s 1890s 1900s |
| Years: | 1868 1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 |
Contents |
[edit] American football
- The 1871 college football season is the only one since the first season in 1869 until the present day that no games are played in the entire season.[1][2]
- Due to no games being played, 1871 is the only year since play began in which no college football national champion can be named, retrospectively or otherwise.
[edit] Association football
England
- Inaugural FA Cup competition begins with four matches played on 11 November. The 15 clubs entering the competition are all amateur and mainly from the London area: Barnes, Civil Service, Clapham Rovers, Crystal Palace (old), Donnington School, Hampstead Heathens, Harrow Chequers, Hitchin, Maidenhead, Marlow, Reigate, Priory, Royal Engineers, Upton Park, The Wanderers and Queen's Park (Glasgow).
[edit] Baseball
- National Association of Professional Base Ball Players champion – Philadelphia Athletics
- March – ten NABBP clubs found the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players, the first professional sports league. (Today it is commonly considered the first major league and usually called simply the "National Association" or "NA".) Thirty-three clubs establish a parallel amateur NAABBP that withers away.
- There are nine NA teams in the field and Athletic of Philadelphia wins the championship
[edit] Boxing
- With the main American Championship title claimant Mike McCoole inactive this year, attention focuses on two fights between Jem Mace and Joe Coburn. Both fights are drawn and Mace continues to state his claim to the American Championship. However, having suffered a hand injury in his second fight with Coburn, Mace relinquishes all his title claims and returns to exhibition boxing.
- McCoole is now generally regarded as the champion by default, his main challenger being Tom Allen who was defeated by McCoole in 1869.
[edit] Cricket
Events
Honours – England
- Champion County – Nottinghamshire
- Most runs – W G Grace 2739 @ 78.25 (HS 268), a staggering feat on the pitches of the time. Richard Daft has the next highest average among batsmen playing 10 innings or more, with 37.66, less than half of Grace's figure. Harry Jupp has the next highest runs aggregate, with 1068. Grace makes ten centuries in the season, while no other player can manage more than one.
- Most wickets – James Southerton 151 @ 15.72 (BB 8-63)
[edit] Golf
- British Open – no competition.
- The Open has been administered since 1860 by Prestwick Golf Club but controversy arises in 1871 which prevents the tournament being held. Finally, it is agreed that the tournament will henceforth be organised jointly by The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers.
[edit] Horse racing
Steeplechases
- Grand National – The Lamb (second win, having also won in 1868)
Flat races
- Australia: Melbourne Cup – The Pearl
- Canada: Queen's Plate – Floss
- Ireland: Irish Derby Stakes – Maid of Athens
- English Triple Crown Races:
- 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Bothwell
- Epsom Derby – Favonius
- St. Leger Stakes – Hannah
- United States Triple Crown Races:
- Belmont Stakes – Harry Bassett
[edit] Rowing
[edit] Rugby football
- 26 January – the Rugby Football Union (RFU) is founded at the Pall Mall Restaurant, which is situated near Trafalgar Square at 1 Cockspur Street, London. The formation of the RFU establishes the "handling game" as a different sport to the "dribbling game" that is increasingly being played under FA auspices.
- 21 clubs are represented at the meeting: Blackheath, Richmond, Ravenscourt Park, West Kent, Marlborough Nomads, Wimbledon Hornets, Gipsies, Civil Service, Law Club, Wellington College, Guy’s Hospital, Flamingoes, Clapham Rovers, Harlequins, King’s College, St Paul’s School, Queen’s House, Lausanne, Addison, Mohicans, Belsize Park. Algernon Rutter of Richmond is elected the first president. A committee is selected to produce a definitive national set of Rugby Football laws.
- 27 March – the first ever official international fixture in any kind of football takes place with a rugby football game between Scotland and England. Scotland (i.e., Scottish members of the RFU) defeats England (i.e., English members of the RFU) by 1 goal & 1 try to 1 try at Raeburn Place in Edinburgh. The match is played by teams of 20–a–side and the game lasts for 50 minutes each way.
- Foundation of Rochdale Hornets and Worcester RFC
[edit] Yacht racing
- The New York Yacht Club retains the America's Cup as Columbia defeats British challenger Livonia, of the Royal Harwich Yacht Club
[edit] References
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