1978 in sports

Table of contents

1 Auto racing
2 Baseball
3 Basketball
4 Boxing
5 Cycling
6 Field Hockey
7 Figure Skating
8 Football (Soccer)
9 Football (American)
10 Canadian Football League
11 Golf
12 Thoroughbred Horse Racing
13 Harness Racing
14 Ice Hockey
15 Skiing
16 Snooker
17 Tennis
18 General sporting events
19 Births
20 Deaths

Auto racing

USAC - A J Foyt won final season championship under USAC.
- CART, Championship Auto Racing Teams open wheel racing established in the United States.
- Indianapolis 500 - won by Al Unser Snr

World Series: New York Yankees win 4 games to 2 over the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Series MVP is Bucky Dent, New York

Wilt Chamberlain is elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame, along with coaches Sam Barry, Eddie Hickey, John McLendon, Ray Meyer and Pete Newell, and referee Jim Enright
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship:
- Kentucky wins 94-88 over Duke
NBA Finals:
- Washington Bullets won 4 games to 3 over the Seattle SuperSonics

February 15: Leon Spinks defeats Muhammad Ali by decision in 15 rounds to win the world's Heavyweight title.
September 15: Muhammad Ali recovers the world's Heavyweight title, beating Leon Spinks by decision in their rematch. It is the first time a boxer wins the world Heavyweight title for a third time.

March 11 - In an international women's field hockey match at Wembley Stadium,England. England drew with the United States of America 2-2.
Women's Field Hockey World Cup - The Netherlands are the World Champions.
November 17 - 24: Champions Trophy first held in Lahore, Pakistan won by Pakistan.

World Figure Skating Championships:
- Men's champion: Charles Tickner, United States
- Women's champion: Anett Pötzsch, Germany
- Pairs champions: Irina Rodnina & Alexander Saizew, Soviet Union

Australia - Melbourne Cup - Arwon
Canada - Queen's Plate - Regal Embrace
France - Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe - Alleged
Ireland - Irish Derby Stakes - Shirley Heights
English Triple Crown Races:
1. Two Thousand Guineas Stakes - Roland Gardens
2. Epsom Derby - Shirley Heights
3. St. Leger Stakes - Julio Mariner
July 13: At Belmont Park, Elmont, New York, star jockey, Ron Turcotte is injured in a racing accident ending his career, leaving him a paraplegic.
Affirmed, ridden by jockey Steve Cauthen, wins the United States Triple Crown Races by narrowly defeating Alydar in all three races:
1. Kentucky Derby - Affirmed, Alydar
2. Preakness Stakes - Affirmed, Alydar
3. Belmont Stakes - Affirmed, Alydar

Art Ross Memorial Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season: Guy Lafleur, Montreal Canadiens
Hart Memorial Trophy for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: Guy Lafleur, Montreal Canadiens
Stanley Cup: Montreal Canadiens win 4 games to 2 over the Boston Bruins
World Hockey Championship
- Men's champion: Soviet Union defeated Czechoslovakia
- Junior Men's champion: Soviet Union defeated Sweden
- Note: In the early years of the Junior tournament, Canada did not send a true National Junior team to the event. Instead, the Memorial Cup champions usually went to represent Canada. The exception was 1978 in Montreal, when an "all-star" team was put together.

Alpine Skiing
- The men's overall season champion: Ingemar Stenmark, Sweden
- The women's overall season champion: Hanni Wenzel, Liechtenstein