# 1945 in sports

    Note — many sporting events did not take place because of World War II
1945 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.

## American football

* NFL Championship: the Cleveland Rams won 15–14 over the Washington Redskins at Cleveland Stadium
* Army Cadets – college football national championship

## Association football

England
* With the end of World War II, the FA Cup is reinstated for the 1945–46 season; played on a two–legged basis. However, clubs are not yet prepared for a full league programme, so the Football League does not resume; regional leagues remain for another year.
France
* 26 August: French Division 1 football is resumed for the first time since 1938–39.
Germany
* There is no major football in Germany due to World War II and the Allied occupation.
Portugal
* Primeira Liga won by S.L. Benfica.
Spain
* La Liga won by Barcelona.
Italy
* Serie A – not contested due to World War II.
Yugoslavia (Serbia)
* Partizan Belgrade was founded in Humska area, Belgrade.
* Red Star Belgrade was founded in Dedinje area, Belgrade on March 4.

## Australian rules football

* Victorian Football League
** Carlton wins the 49th VFL Premiership defeating South Melbourne 15.13 (103) to 10.15 (75) in the Grand Final.
* South Australian National Football League:
** 29 September: West Torrens win their third SANFL premiership, defeating Port Adelaide 15.25 (115) to 15.12 (102).
* Western Australian National Football League:
** 29 March: After three seasons of football limited to players under 18 or 19, and a proposal to limit eligibility to players under 25, the WANFL decides to restore open-age league football.
** 13 October: East Fremantle 12.15 (87) defeat South Fremantle 7.9 (51) for their nineteenth senior WANFL premiership.

## Baseball

* World Series – Detroit Tigers defeat the Chicago Cubs, 4 games to 3.
* Negro World Series – Cleveland Buckeyes swept the Homestead Grays, 4 games to 0.
* A professional baseball league, Tokyo Senators was founded in Japan on November 6, as predecessor of Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.

## Basketball

NBL Championship
* Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons over Sheboygan Redskins (3–2)
Events
* The twelfth South American Basketball Championship in Guayaquil is won by Brazil.
Italy
* Pallacanestro Varese was founded in Lombardy Region.
Serbia
* KK Crvena zvezda, as known well for professional basketball club of Serbia, officially founded on March 3.

## Cricket

England
* With the end of World War II in Europe, a small number of first-class matches are played for the first time since 1939, but it is not practicable to resume the County Championship or the Minor Counties Championship.
* Most runs – Len Hutton 782 @ 48.87 (HS 188)
* Most wickets – Dick Pollard 28 @ 24.25 (BB 6–75)
Australia
* 23 November – With the lifting of bans on weekday sport at the end of World War II, first-class cricket is played in Australia for the first time since 1 December 1941. The Sheffield Shield, however, is not contested until the following season.
India
* 4–8 March: Cottari Subbanna Nayudu of Holkar sets two first-class records in the Ranji Trophy final against Bombay, bowling 912 balls and conceding 428 runs in the match.
* Ranji Trophy – Bombay beat Holkar by 374 runs
* Bombay Pentangular – Hindus
New Zealand
* 24 December: The Plunket Shield is resumed after having not been contested, despite a small number of interprovincial first-class matches, since 1939–40.
South Africa
* 15 December: With the end of World War II, first-class cricket is played in South Africa for the first time since 14 March 1943, though the last regular interprovincial matches had been in 1939–40.

## Cycling

Tour de France
* not contested due to World War II
Giro d'Italia
* not contested due to World War II

## Figure skating

World Figure Skating Championships
* not contested due to World War II

## Golf

Men's professional
* Masters Tournament – not played due to World War II
* U.S. Open – not played due to World War II
* British Open – not played due to World War II
* PGA Championship – Byron Nelson
* PGA Tour money leader – Byron Nelson – $63,336
Men's amateur
* British Amateur – not played due to World War II
* U.S. Amateur – not played due to World War II
Women's professional
* Women's Western Open – Babe Zaharias
* Titleholders Championship – not played due to World War II

## Horse racing

Steeplechases
* Cheltenham Gold Cup – Red Rower
* Grand National – not held due to World War II
Hurdle races
* Champion Hurdle – Brains Trust
Flat races
* Australia – Melbourne Cup won by Rainbird
* Canada – King's Plate won by Uttermost
* France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won by Nikellora
* Ireland – Irish Derby Stakes won by Piccadilly
* English Triple Crown Races:
** 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Court Martial
** The Derby – Dante
** St. Leger Stakes – Chamossaire
* United States Triple Crown Races:
** Kentucky Derby – Hoop Jr.
** Preakness Stakes – Polynesian
** Belmont Stakes – Pavot

## Ice hockey

* Stanley Cup: Toronto Maple Leafs beat Detroit Red Wings four games to three.

## Motor racing

* Indianapolis 500 – not held due to World War II
* 9 September – The first European Grand Prix since 1939 is held in Paris, being won by Jean-Pierre Wimille.

## Rowing

The Boat Race
* Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race is not contested due to World War II

## Rugby league

* 1945–46 European Rugby League Championship
* 1945 New Zealand rugby league season
* 1945 NSWRFL season
* 1944–45 Northern Rugby Football League Wartime Emergency League season / 1945–46 Northern Rugby Football League season

## Rugby union

* Five Nations Championship series is not contested due to World War II

## Speed skating

Speed Skating World Championships
* not contested due to World War II

## Tennis

Australia
* Australian Men's Singles Championship – not contested
* Australian Women's Singles Championship – not contested
England
* Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship – not contested
* Wimbledon Women's Singles Championship – not contested
France
* French Men's Singles Championship – Yvon Petra (France) defeats Bernard Destremau (France) 7–5, 6–4, 6–2
* French Women's Singles Championship – Lolette Payot (Switzerland) defeats Simone Iribarne Lafargue (France) 6–3, 6–4
USA
* American Men's Singles Championship – Frank Parker (USA) defeats Bill Talbert (USA) 14–12, 6–1, 6–2
* American Women's Singles Championship – Sarah Palfrey Cooke (USA) defeats Pauline Betz Addie (USA) 3–6, 8–6, 6–4
Davis Cup
* 1945 International Lawn Tennis Challenge – not contested