1950s Sports

FOOTBALL

NFL Championship:
Detroit Lions (17) Cleveland Browns (7)
This is the third time that the Browns had won their American Conference Championship to lose in the NFL Championship
The Dallas Texans which was formed by the dissolving of the New York Yanks in 1951
was again handed back to the NFL after posting a (1) and (11) season
Professional football does not return to Texas until 1960
Bill Wade, QB, Vanderbilt was the #1 draft pick of the year, he went to the Los Angeles Rams

BASEBALL

World Series:
(in 7 games) New York Yankee’s (4 games) Brooklyn Dodgers (3 games)
The Braves play their final season in Boston before being relocated to Milwaukee for financial reasons
Ted Williams hits a two run, home run in his last game before being drafted to serve in the Marines in Korea
The National League tops the American League, (3–2) in the All Star Game

BASKETBALL

NBA Championship:
(in 7 games) Minneapolis Lakers (4 games) New York Knicks (3 games)
This is the Lakers third Championship in four years, they would go on to win six titles
George Mikan is the series MVP and the Sports Writers’ MVP for 1952
New York may have lost the finals but it was their 6th consecutive playoff season
NBA All-Star Game: Eastern Division wins (108) to Western Division (91)

Tennis

Wimbledon:
Mens Singles – (in a tie breaker) Frank Sedgman defeated Jaroslav Drobný (4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2)
Womens Singles – Mo Connolly bested Louise Brough (7–5, 6–3)
US (Open) National Championship:
Mens Singles – Frank Sedgman over Gardnar Mulloy (6-1, 6-2, 6-3)
Davis Cup:
United States won the Americas Zone but lost to Australia in the Challenge Round

GOLF

The Masters: Sam Snead shot a (286) played at Augusta National Golf Club
U.S. Open: Julius Boros shot a (281) played at Northwood Club in Dallas, Texas
Boros was 32 years old and wouldn’t win another major until he was in his forties
when he would win 16 more tournaments until he was 53
(webmaster note: Boros was a neighbor of my Father’s in Ft Lauderdale, FL and a very nice man)
PGA Championship: Jim Turnesa shot a (289) at Big Spring Country Club in Louisville, Kentucky
U.S. Women’s Open: Betsy Rawls shot (8 over par), she would go on to win 3 more majors

HOCKEY

Stanley Cup: (in a sweep) Detroit Red Wings (4 games) Montreal Canadians (0 games)
World Ice Hockey Championships: Team Canada defeats Team USA for the fifteenth time ..ouch!
Gordie Howe is again the league MVP as well as the scored points champ
The first televised Hockey game aired October 11, 1952 on CBC

WINTER OLYMPICS

Held in Oslo, Norway
Japan and (West) Germany were allowed to compete for the first time since WWII
Norway won the total Medal count with (16) including (7) Gold
The USA was second with (11) total and (4) Gold
Norwegian Hjalmar Andersen was the games biggest winner taking home (3) Gold Medals for Speed Skating
Dick Button of the United States performed the first ever triple jump to win Gold in Figure Skating

SUMMER OLYMPICS

Held in Helsinki, Finland from July 19, 1952 to August 3, 1952
The most number of world records were broken at these Olympic Games
The United States won the total medal count with (76) total including (40) Gold medals
The USSR was second with (71) totals including (22) Gold
This was the USSR’s first Olympic appearance and first medal
A total of (13) Countries made their Olympic debut including Bahamas, China, Ghana,
Guatemala, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Israel, Netherlands Antilles, Nigeria, Soviet Union (USSR), Thailand, and Vietnam
The Republic of China (Chinese Taipei/Taiwan) withdrew from the games in protest over The Peoples Republic of China (China) being admitted

CAR RACING

Indianapolis 500: Troy Ruttman,
Ruttman was the youngest driver (22 years old) to win the Indianapolis 500
The Hudson Hornet was the car of the year winning 27 of the 34 sanctioned races
no other car company won over 3 races
Palm Beach Speedway both opened and closed the 1952 NASCAR season the only time a track would do that
Tim Flock won the Grand National Champion points competition
after winning 8 of the 33 events driving of course, a Hudson

HORSE RACING

Kentucky Derby: Hill Gail, Jockey – Eddie Arcaro
Hill Gail was injured and couldn’t run in the other two legs of the Triple Crown
Belmont Stakes: One Count, Jockey – Eddie Arcaro
Preakness Stakes: Blue Man, Jockey – Conn McCreary