Athletics

Marathon

• August 17 — Enschede Marathon, Netherlands
• Men's Winner: Piet Bleeker (NED) 2:32:39

• December 1 — Fukuoka Marathon, Japan
• Men's Winner: Kurao Hiroshima (JPN) 2:21:40

Auto racing

• NASCAR Championship - Buck Baker
• Indianapolis 500 - Sam Hanks
• USAC Racing - Jimmy Bryan won the season championship
• Formula One Championship - Juan Manuel Fangio of Argentina
• 24 hours of Le Mans:
• the team of Ron Flockhart / Ivor Bueb won, driving a Jaguar D-Type
• Rally racing:
• the team of Erik Carlsson / Mario Pavoni won the Finland Car Rally driving a Saab 93
• Drag racing - George Dahir won the AHRA "Top Fuel" championship at the Nationals

Baseball

• January 5 - Jackie Robinson retires rather than move across town from the Dodgers to the Giants, to whom he had been traded in December.
• Roy Sievers lead American league with 42 home runs and 114 RBIs, for the last place Washington Senators.
• Cy Young Award: Warren Spahn, Milwaukee Braves
• World Series: Milwaukee Braves defeat New York Yankees four games to three.
• May 3 - Walter O'Malley, the owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers, agrees to move the team from Brooklyn, New York, to Los Angeles, California.
• August 19- Horace Stoneham announces that the Giants are moving from New York to San Francisco, California.
• October 8 - Walter O'Malley announces that the Dodgers are going to move from Brooklyn, New York to Los Angeles, California.
• The Winnipeg Goldeyes win the Northern League championship.

Basketball

• NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship:
• North Carolina wins 54-53 over Kansas
• NBA Finals:
• Boston Celtics won 4 games to 3 over the St. Louis Hawks

• The tenth European basketball championship, Eurobasket 1957, is won by the Soviet Union.

Boxing

• September 23 - Carmen Basilio won the World Middleweight Championship by a 15 round decision over Sugar Ray Robinson.

Cycling

• Giro d'Italia won by Gastone Nencini of Italy
• Tour de France - Jacques Anquetil of France
• World Cycling Championship: Rik Van Steenbergen of Belgium

Figure skating

• World Figure Skating Championships:
• Men's champion: David Jenkins, United States
• Ladies' champion: Carol Heiss, United States
• Pair skating champions: Barbara Wagner & Robert Paul, Canada
• Ice dancing champions: June Markham & Courtney Jones, Great Britain

Football (American)

• NFL Championship: Detroit Lions won 59-14 over the Cleveland Browns.

Football (Canadian)

• Grey Cup: Hamilton Tiger-Cats won 32-7 over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Football (soccer)

• European Cup - Real Madrid beat Fiorentina 2-0.

England

• First Division - Manchester United win the 1956-57 title.
• FA Cup - Aston Villa beat Manchester United 2-1.
• May 15 - Stanley Matthews makes his last England appearance

Golf

• April 4-7 - Masters Tournament - Doug Ford
• June 13-16 - U.S. Open - Dick Mayer
• July 2-5 - British Open - Bobby Locke
• July 21 - PGA Championship - Lionel Hebert
• PGA Tour money leader - Dick Mayer - $65,835
• Ryder Cup - Britain wins 7 1/2 to 4 1/2 over the United States in team golf.

Men's amateur

• British Amateur - Reid Jack
• U.S. Amateur - Hillman Robbins

Women's professional

• Women's Western Open - Patty Berg
• LPGA Championship - Louise Suggs
• June 27-30 - U.S. Women's Open - Betsy Rawls
• Titleholders Championship - Patty Berg
• LPGA Tour money leader - Patty Berg - $16,272

Thoroughbred Horse Racing

• Australia - Melbourne Cup - Straight Draw
• Canada - Queen's Plate - Lyford Cay
• France - Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe - Oroso
• Ireland - Irish Derby Stakes - Ballymoss
• English Triple Crown Races:
1. 2,000 Guineas Stakes - Crepello
2. Epsom Derby - Crepello
3. St. Leger Stakes - Ballymoss

• United States Triple Crown Races:
1. May 4 - Kentucky Derby - Iron Liege
2. Preakness Stakes - Bold Ruler
3. Belmont Stakes - Gallant Man

Harness Racing

• United States Pacing Triple Crown races:
1. Cane Pace - Torpid
2. Little Brown Jug - Torpid
3. Messenger Stakes - Meadow Lands

• United States Trotting Triple Crown races:
1. Hambletonian - Hickory Smoke
2. Yonkers Trot
3. Kentucky Futurity

• Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship:
• Pacers: Radiant Venture

Ice Hockey

• 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
• Stanley Cup: Montreal Canadiens win 4 games to 1 over the Boston Bruins
• World Hockey Championship
• Men's champion: Sweden defeated the Soviet Union

• NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship - Colorado College Tigers defeat University of Michigan Wolverines 13-6 in Colorado Springs, CO

Snooker

• World Snooker Championship: John Pulman beats Jackie Rea 39-34

Tennis

• Grand Slam in tennis men's results:
1. Australian Open - Ashley Cooper
2. French Open - Sven Davidson
3. Wimbledon championships - Lew Hoad
4. US Open - Malcolm Anderson

• American Althea Gibson became the first black player to win a Wimbledon singles championship.
• Grand Slam in tennis women's results:
1. Australian Open - Shirley Fry
2. French Open - Shirley Bloomer
3. Wimbledon championships - Althea Gibson
4. US Open - Althea Gibson

• Davis Cup: Australia won 3-2 over the United States in world tennis.

Multi-sport events

• Pan Arab Games held in Beirut, Lebanon

Awards

• Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year: Ted Williams, Major League Baseball
• Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year: Althea Gibson, Tennis

Births

January

• January 1 — Ramaz Shengelia, Soviet soccer player
• January 5 — Karl Allgöwer, German soccer player
• January 6 — Nancy Lopez, American pro golfer
• January 11 — Darryl Dawkins, US basketball player
• January 11 — Bryan Robson, English soccer player and manager
• January 11 — José Reinaldo de Lima, Brazilian soccer player
• January 17 — Michel Vaarten, Belgian track and road cyclist
• January 19 — Steve Sampson, American soccer coach
• January 20 — Enrico Gilardi, Italian basketball player
• January 21 — Greg Ryan, American soccer coach
• January 22 — Mike Bossy, Canadian ice hockey player
• January 29 — Manuela Groß, German figure skater
• January 30 — Payne Stewart, American golfer (d. 1999)
• January 31 — Shirley Babashoff, American swimmer
• January 31 — Bojan Križaj, Slovakian alpine skier

February

• February 1 — Walter Schachner, Austrian soccer player and manager
• February 5 — Craig Wilson, American water polo player
• February 9 — Gordon Strachan, Scottish soccer player and manager
• February 18 — Marita Koch, East-German athlete
• February 20 — Dimitrios Delifotis, Greek long jumper
• February 26 — Connie Carpenter-Phinney, American cycle racer and speed skater
• February 26 — Joe Mullen, US ice hockey player and manager
• February 26 — Keena Rothhammer, US freestyle swimmer
• February 28 — Lyudmila Butuzova, Soviet high jumper
• February 28 — Jan Ceulemans, Belgian soccer player and manager

March

• March 4 — Giorgio Lalle, Italian breaststroke swimmer
• March 6 — Yoshiyuki Matsuoka, Japanese judoka
• March 6 — Juan Roldán, Argentinian boxer
• March 12 — Patrick Battiston, French soccer player
• March 12 — Bruce Bickford, American long-distance runner
• March 21 — Marja Wokke, Dutch marathon runner
• March 22 — Urpo Pikkupeura, Finnish ice speed skater
• March 23 — Sosthenes Bitok, Kenyan long-distance runner
• March 24 — Roderik Bouwman, Dutch field hockey player
• March 24 — Miro Zalar, Slovenian-Swedish pole vaulter
• March 28 — Chris Maddocks, British race walker
• March 30 — Douglas Burke, American water polo player
• March 31 — Tsendiin Damdin, Mongolian judoka

April

• April 2 — Beth Beglin, American field hockey player
• April 6 — Gail Amundrud, Canadian freestyle swimmer
• April 6 — Coby van Baalen, Dutch equestrian
• April 6 — Maurizio Damilano, Italian race walker
• April 6 — Dick Nieuwenhuizen, Dutch water polo player and coach
• April 9 — Seve Ballesteros, Spanish golfer
• April 12 — María Ángeles Rodríguez, Spanish field hockey player
• April 15 — Evelyn Ashford, US athlete
• April 25 — Bernard Rajzman, Brazilian volleyball player
• April 25 — Theo de Rooy, Dutch cyclist and cycling manager
• April 26 — Nery McKeen, Cuban middle-distance runner
• April 27 — Eric Bristow, British darts player
• April 27 — Konrad Dobler, German long-distance runner
• April 29 — Sofia Sakorafa, Greek javelin thrower
• April 30 — Tony Rogers, New Zealand middle distance runner

May

• May 5 — Aad van Mil, Dutch water polo player
• May 6 — Orlando Gatinchi, Puerto Rican breaststroke swimmer
• May 7 — Sinjin Smith, American volleyball player
• May 9 — Fulvio Collovati, Italian soccer player
• May 10 — Phil Mahre, American alpine skier
• May 14 — David Westcott, British field hockey player and cricketer
• May 16 — Joan Benoit, American marathon runner
• May 16 — Antonio Maceda, Spanish soccer player
• May 18 — Herbert Bauch, East German boxer
• May 18 — Carlos Berrocal, Puerto Rican swimmer
• May 19 — Bill Laimbeer, US basketball player
• May 21 — Susan Woodstra, American volleyball player
• May 22 — Jan Jaap Korevaar, Dutch water polo player
• May 27 — Duncan Goodhew, British swimmer
• May 28 — Kirk Gibson, US baseball player
• May 30 — Allison Roe, New Zealand long-distance athlete

June

• June 3 — Horst-Ulrich Hänel, German field hockey player
• June 12 — Javed Miandad, Pakistani cricketer and coach
• June 13 — Rinat Dasaev, Soviet soccer goalkeeper
• June 16 — Adri van Tiggelen, Dutch soccer player
• June 27 — Gabriella Dorio, Italian athlete
• June 28 — Mike Skinner, US Craftsman Truck racer
• June 30 — Bradley Cooper, Bahamian discus thrower and shot putter
• June 30 — Sterling Marlin, US autocar racer

July

• July 2 — Paul "Bubli" Chohan, Indian-born field hockey player of Canada
• July 2 — Bret Hart, American wrestler
• July 8 — Christophe Roger-Vasselin, French tennis player
• July 9 — George Nagy, Canadian swimmer
• July 12 — Jozsef Csuhay, Hungarian soccer player
• July 13 — Thierry Boutsen, Belgian race driver
• July 16 — Wlodzimierz Smolarek, Polish soccer player
• July 23 — István Lévai, Hungarian boxer
• July 25 — Steve Podborski, Canadian alpine skier
• July 29 — Nellie Kim, gymnast
• July 30 — Nery Pumpido, Argentinian soccer player

August

• August 4 — Hilbert van der Duim, Dutch speed skater
• August 4 — John Wark, Scottish football (soccer) player
• August 10 — Imre Kiss, Hungarian football (soccer) goalkeeper
• August 16 — Mark and Michael Evans, Canadian rowers
• August 17 — Robin Cousins, British figure skater
• August 18 — Agberto Guimarães, Brazilian middle-distance runner
• August 18 — Jan Jalocha, Polish football (soccer) player
• August 19 — Gianni Davito, Italian high jumper
• August 20 — Oscar Arizaga, Peruvian football (soccer) player
• August 25 — Paweł Skrzecz, Polish boxer
• August 27 — Bernhard Langer, German golfer
• August 27 — Wiljon Vaandrager, Dutch rower

September

• September 4 — Gidamis Shahanga, Tanzanian long-distance runner
• September 5 — Marcelo Garraffo, Argentine field hockey player
• September 5 — Peter Winnen, Dutch cyclist
• September 6 — Ron Berteling, Dutch ice hockey player and manager
• September 6 — Luis Rosendo Ramos, Mexican road bicycle racer
• September 11 — Preben Elkjær Larsen, Danish soccer player
• September 12 — Eleoncio Mercedes, Dominican boxer (d. 1985)
• September 17 — Kyoji Yamawaki, Japanese gymnast
• September 21 — Ulf Ekstrand, Swedish ice speed skater
• September 21 — Ignacio Escamilla, Mexican freestyle swimmer
• September 21 — Sidney Moncrief, US basketball player
• September 22 — Lex Bos, Dutch field hockey goalkeeper
• September 22 — Mark Johnson, US ice hockey player
• September 22 — Giuseppe Saronni, Italian cyclist
• September 24 — Wolfgang Wolf, German soccer player and manager
• September 26 — Klaus Augenthaler, German soccer player and manager
• September 27 — Harald Schmid, German athlete
• September 29 — David Grylls, American track cyclist

October

• October 3 — Adolfo Horta, Cuban boxer
• October 4 — Michael Anthony, Guyanese boxer
• October 4 — Robin Wilson, New Zealand field hockey player
• October 7 — Jayne Torvill, British figure skater
• October 8 — Astrid Benöhr, German triathlete
• October 8 — Antonio Cabrini, Italian soccer player
• October 8 — Pamela Spencer, American high jumper
• October 9 — Vitaly Daraselia, Soviet soccer player
• October 9 — Dionisio Quintana, Cuban javelin thrower
• October 10 — Art Boileau, Canadian long-distance runner
• October 10 — Robert Cattrall, British field hockey player
• October 13 — Eduardo Malasquez, Peruvian soccer player
• October 16 — Cathy Baker, New Zealand field hockey player
• October 18 — Jane Goulding, New Zealand field hockey player
• October 18 — Payao Pooltarat, Thai boxer (d. 2006)
• October 22 — Dumitru Cipere, Romanian boxer
• October 22 — Hassan Sardar, Pakistani field hockey player
• October 23 — Graham Rix, English soccer player and manager
• October 27 — Glenn Hoddle, English soccer player and manager

November

• November 2 — Rita Crockett, American volleyball player
• November 5 — Patrick Burrows, Canadian field hockey defender
• November 10 — Jodi Anderson, American heptathlete
• November 11 — Vladimir Pleshakov, Soviet field hockey player
• November 14 — Karen Shelton, American field hockey player
• November 16 — Mark Nenow, American long-distance runner
• November 20 — Stefan Bellof, German racecar driver (d. 1985)
• November 30 — Laura Mulhall, Argentine field hockey goalkeeper

December

• December 2 — Randy Gardner, US pairs figure skating champion
• December 5 — Patriz Ilg, German athlete
• December 5 — Charlene Morett, American field hockey player
• December 5 — Paul Steele, Canadian rower
• December 6 — Louis Jani, Canadian judoka
• December 8 — José Luis González, Spanish middle-distance runner
• December 9 — Sheryl Johnson, American field hockey player
• December 9 — José Salazar, Venezuelan triple jumper
• December 18 — Fieke Boekhorst, Dutch field hockey player
• December 19 — Kevin McHale, US basketball player
• December 20 — Hisatoshi Shintaku, Japanese long-distance runner
• December 22 — Anders Eklund, Swedish heavyweight boxer
• December 23 — Rob Barel, Dutch triathlete
• December 25 — Guy Vandersmissen, Belgian soccer player
• December 26 — Anne Quist, Dutch rower
• December 27 — James Sanford, American track and field sprinter
• December 31 — Fabrizio Meoni, Italian motor cyclist (d. 2005)

Deaths

• January 31 — John Marshall (26), Australian freestyle swimmer (b. 1930)
• May — Len Eshmont, American football player with San Francisco 49ers
• May 31 — Johnny Kilbane (68), American featherweight boxer (b. 1889)
• June 13 — Irving Baxter (81), American athlete (b. 1876)
• July 3 — Dolf Luque, Major League Baseball player (1914-1935)
• October 22 — Bok de Korver (74), Dutch football (soccer) player (b. 1883)
• December 6 — Maurice Peeters, Dutch track cyclist (b. 1882)
• December 8 — Joep Packbiers (82), Dutch archer (b. 1875)