1991 in sports

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Auto Racing

Stock car racing:
- Ernie Irvan won the Daytona 500
- NASCAR Championship - Dale Earnhardt
CART Racing - Michael Andretti won the season championship
- Indianapolis 500 - Rick Mears
Formula One Championship - Ayrton Senna of Brazil
24 hours of Le Mans: won by Volker Weidler / Johnny Herbert / Bertrand Gachot driving a Mazda 787
Rally racing - Juha Kankkunen in a Lancia won the World Rally Championship
- the team of Carlos Sainz / Luis Moya won the Monte Carlo Rally driving a Toyota Celica GT4
Drag racing - Joe Amato won the NHRA "Top Fuel" championship.

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Baseball

Dave Righetti breaks Sparky Lyle's major league record for left-handers of 238 career saves.
July 28 - Dennis Martinez of the Montreal Expos pitches the 13th perfect game in major league history, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-0.
World Series: The Minnesota Twins win 4 games to 3 over the Atlanta Braves. The series MVP is Jack Morris of Minnesota.

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Basketball

NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Duke wins 72-65 over Kansas
NBA Finals: Chicago Bulls win 4 games to 1 over the Los Angeles Lakers to earn the franchise's first championship.
June 12 - The Chicago Bulls win their first National Basketball Association championship. The Bulls beat the Los Angeles Lakers four games to one.
November 7 - Basketball player Magic Johnson announces he tested positive for the virus that causes AIDS, thus ending his career in the NBA.

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Boxing

June 1 at Palm Springs, California: Terry Norris knocked out Donald Curry in the 8th Round to win the WBC Super Welterweight Championship.

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Cricket

South Africa readmitted to the International Cricket Council following the abolition of apartheid, and play their first international game since 1970.

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Cycling

Giro d'Italia won by Franco Chiocciolo of Italy
Tour de France - Miguel Induraín of Spain
World Cycling Championship: Gianni Bugno of Italy

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Dogsled racing

Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Champion:
- Rick Swenson won with lead dog: Goose

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Field Hockey

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World Competitions

Men's Olympic Qualifier Tournament in Auckland, New Zealand
- Gold Medal: Soviet Union
- Silver Medal: India
- Bronze Medal: New Zealand

Men's Champions Trophy in Berlin, Germany
- Gold Medal: Germany
- Silver Medal: Pakistan
- Bronze Medal: The Netherlands

Women's Olympic Qualifier Tournament in Auckland, New Zealand
- Gold Medal: Germany
- Silver Medal: New Zealand
- Bronze Medal: Canada

Women's Champions Trophy in Berlin, Germany
- Gold Medal: Australia
- Silver Medal: Germany
- Bronze Medal: The Netherlands

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Regional Competitions

Men's European Nations Cup in Paris, France
- Gold Medal: Germany
- Silver Medal: The Netherlands
- Bronze Medal: England

Pan American Games (Men's Competition) in Havana, Cuba
- Gold Medal: Argentina
- Silver Medal: Canada
- Bronze Medal: United States

Women's European Nations Cup in Bruxelles, Belgium
- Gold Medal: England
- Silver Medal: Germany
- Bronze Medal: Soviet Union

Pan American Games (Women's Competition) in Havana, Cuba
- Gold Medal: Argentina
- Silver Medal: Canada
- Bronze Medal: United States

March 16 - In an international women's field hockey match at Wembley Stadium, England. France beat England 2-1. It was the last hockey match to have taken place there ending it a great era.
September 13 - 22 - Thirteenth Men's Champions Trophy held at Berlin, Germany won by hosts. Pakistan end 2nd

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Figure Skating

World Figure Skating Championships:
- Men's champion: Kurt Browning, Canada
- Women's champion: Kristi Yamaguchi, United States
- Pairs champions: Natalia Mishkutenok & Artur Dimitriev, Soviet Union
- Ice Dance champions: Isabelle Duchesnay & Paul Duchesnay (France)

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Football (American)

Super Bowl XXV: New York Giants won 20-19 over the Buffalo Bills
World Bowl '91: London Monarchs won 21-0 over the Barcelona Dragons in the inaugural World Bowl.

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Football (Australian Rules)

Australian Football League
- The Adelaide Crows join the league
- Hawthorn wins the 95th AFL premiership (Hawthorn 20.19 (139) d West Coast Eagles 13.8 (86))
- Brownlow Medal awarded to Jim Stynes (Melbourne)

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Football (Canadian)

Grey Cup: Toronto Argonauts win 36-21 over the Calgary Stampeders
Vanier Cup: Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks win 25-18 over the Mount Allison Mounties

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Football (Soccer)

FIFA Women's World Cup - United States won 2-1 over Norway
European Cup - FK Red Star beat Olympique de Marseille 5-3 on penalties (0-0aet)

For fuller coverage, see: 1991 in football (soccer)

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Golf

Men's Golf

Major championship results:
1. May - The Masters golf tournament - Ian Woosnam
2. June - US Open - Payne Stewart
3. July - British Open - Ian Baker-Finch
4. August - PGA Championship - John Daly

PGA Tour leading money winner for the year: Corey Pavin - $979,430
Champions Tour leading money winner: Mike Hill - $1,065,657
Ryder Cup: United States team won 14 1/2 - 13 ½ over the European team in world golf.