Professional Sports 1952

1952 Baseball

Billy Martin saves the day!

World Series – New York Yankees win 4 games to 3 over the Brooklyn Dodgers. The play of the game was with the bases loaded and two outs Giants Jackie Robertson comes to bat and hits a towering infield fly ball. All runners go, Both the pitcher and the 2nd baseman seem to lose the track of the ball and short stop Billy Martin runs past the mound with a spectacular catch putting an end to the Giant rally and giving the Yankees their 4th World Series win in a row. World Series Almanac 1952

Boston Red Sox Ted Williams was drafted into service in May by the United States Marine Corp. He flew 39 combat missions in jet aircraft and returned to baseball in the Summer of 1953. A WW2 pilot Williams felt he had paid his debt to America but unhappy or not, he served his country admirably. Ted Williams in Korea.

1952 Football

NFL Championship – After losing the championship game 2 years in a row, the Cleveland Browns lose once again to the Detroit Lions win 17–7.

1952 Basketball

NBA Finals – The NBA was still in flux with teams changing names and locations like socks. The Minneapolis Lakers with the help of George Makin who was the first BIG MAN in the NBA won 4 games to 3 over the Syracuse Nationals

1952 Hockey

World Hockey Championship: Canada defeated the United States

Stanley Cup – Detroit Red Wings win 4 games to 0 over the Montreal Canadiens

Art Ross Memorial Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season: Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings

Hart Memorial Trophy – for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings

NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship – Michigan Wolverines defeat Colorado College Tigers 4–1

1952 Golf

Julius Boros

Masters Tournament – Sam Snead
U.S. Open – Julius Boros
PGA Championship – Jim Turnesa
British Open – Bobby Locke
PGA Tour money leader – Julius Boros – $37,033

Women's Western Open – Betsy Rawls
U.S. Women's Open – Louise Suggs
Titleholders Championship – Babe Zaharias
LPGA Tour money leader – Betsy Rawls – $14,505

Athletes of the Year 1952

Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year: Bob Mathias, track

Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year: Maureen Connolly, tennis

ABC's Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year: Maureen Connolly, tennis

Professional Sports 1952

World Wrestling Entertainment is founded by Vincent J. McMahon and Joseph Raymond "Toots" Mondt.

1952 Boxing

Rocky Marciano faced the world heavyweight champion Jersey Joe Walcott on September 23, 1952. Though Walcott dropped Marciano in the first round in the thirteenth Marciano's "Suzie Q" right cross knocked Walcott out and Marciano became the heavyweight champion of the world. Rocky Marciano Bio

Joey Maxim defeats Sugar Ray Robinson by knockout to retain his world light heavyweight title.

1st sporting event televised nationally was a boxing match between Joe Walcott and Ezzard Charles.

1952 Tennis Grand Slam

Australian Open – Ken McGregor
French Open – Jaroslav Drobny
Wimbledon championships – Frank Sedgman
US Open – Frank Sedgman

Australian Open – Thelma Long
French Open – Doris Hart
Wimbledon championships – Maureen Connolly
US Open – Maureen Connolly

Davis Cup – Australia wins 4–1 over the United States in world tennis.

1952 Horseracing

Kentucky Derby – Hill Gail
Preakness Stakes – Blue Man
Belmont Stakes – One Count

College Sports 1952

Football 1952

1952 Heisman Trophy - Billy Vessels, Oklahoma HB

1952 SUGAR BOWL: #2 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 24 over #7 Mississippi Rebels 7

1952 COTTON BOWL: #8 Tennessee Volunteers 16 over #10 Texas Longhorns 0

1952 ROSE BOWL: #5 USC Trojans  7 over #11 Wisconsin Badgers 0

1952 ORANGE BOWL: #9 Alabama Crimson Tide 61 over #14 Syracuse Orangemen 6

1952 college football champions - Georgia Tech wins national college football championship

Basketball 1952

NCAA Men's Basketball Championship – Kansas wins 80 – 63 over St. John's