1947 in sports

Table of contents

1 Auto racing 2 Baseball 3 Boxing 4 Football (soccer) 5 Snooker 6 Births 7 Deaths

Auto racing

• Wally Parks founds the Southern California Timing Association, to better organize drag racing.

• Hall of Fame election: The writers' election is successful for the first time since 1942, with voters choosing Carl Hubbell, Frankie Frisch, Mickey Cochrane and Lefty Grove. Selections of 19th century players are delayed once again.
• April 15: Jackie Robinson, an African-American, takes the field at first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers Major League Baseball team, breaking that sport's color line.
• World Series: The New York Yankees defeat the Brooklyn Dodgers, 4 games to 3.

• Rocky Graziano defeats Tony Zale to win boxing’s world middleweight championship.

• England - FA Cup: Charlton Athletic wins 1-0 over Burnley after extra time

• World Snooker Championship: Walter Donaldson beats Fred Davis 82-63.

• January 31 - Nolan Ryan, Baseball Hall of Famer
• February 5 - Darrell Waltrip, automobile racer, broadcaster
• February 13 - Mike Krzyzewski, Duke University basketball coach, Basketball Hall of Famer
• March 6 - Dick Fosbury, athlete (high jump)
• March 7 - Walter Röhrl, car racer
• April 16 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Basketball Hall of Famer
• April 26 - Donna DeVarona, Olympic gold medalist in swimming, sports journalist, sports activist
• June 22 - Pete Maravich, Basketball Hall of Famer (+ 1988)

• January 20: Josh Gibson, famed Negro League slugger, dies of a brain tumor at age 35.