Athletics

For an extensive coverage see 1988 in athletics (track and field)

Marathon

International Races

• January 31 — Osaka Marathon, Japan
• Women's Winner: Lisa Martin (AUS) 2:23:51

• February 14 — Tokyo Marathon, Japan
• Men's Winner: Abebe Mekonnen (ETH) 2:08:33

• March 6 — Los Angeles Marathon, United States
• Men's Winner: Martín Mondragón (MEX) 2:10:19
• Women's Winner: Blanca Jaime (MEX) 2:36:11

• March 20 — Seoul Marathon, South Korea
• Men's Winner: Kim Won-Tak (KOR) 2:12:41
• Women's Winner: Lee Mi-Ok (KOR) 2:33:14

• April 17 — Rotterdam Marathon, Netherlands
• Men's Winner: Belayneh Densamo (ETH) 2:06:50 (World Record)
• Women's Winner: Xiao Hongyan (CHN) 2:37:46

• April 17 — London Marathon, United Kingdom
• Men's Winner: Henrik Jørgensen (DEN) 2:10:20
• Women's Winner: Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) 2:25:41

• April 18 — Boston Marathon, United States
• Men's Winner: Ibrahim Hussein (KEN) 2:08:43
• Women's Winner: Rosa Mota (POR) 2:24:30

• April 24 — Hamburg Marathon, Germany
• Men's Winner: Martin Vrábel (CZE) 2:14:55
• Women's Winner: Charlotte Teske (FRG) 2:30:23

• May 7 — Amsterdam Marathon, Netherlands
• Men's Winner: Gerard Nijboer (NED) 2:12:38
• Women's Winner: Elena Murgoci (ROM) 2:41:56

• May 15 — Paris Marathon, France
• Men's Winner: Manuel Matias (POR) 2:13:53
• Women's Winner: Aurora Cunha (POR) 2:34:55

• September 4 — Montreal Marathon, Canada
• Men's Winner: Ric Sayre (USA) 2:18:07
• Women's Winner: Cindy New (CAN) 2:44:37

• September 23 — Seoul Olympic Marathon, South Korea
• Women's Winner: Rosa Mota (POR) 2:25:40

• October 2 — Seoul Olympic Marathon, South Korea
• Men's Winner: Gelindo Bordin (ITA) 2:10:32

• October 9 — Berlin Marathon, West Germany
• Men's Winner: Suleiman Nyambui (TAN) 2:11:45
• Women's Winner: Renata Kokowska (POL) 2:29:16

• October 16 — Eindhoven Marathon, Netherlands
• Men's Winner: Jean-Pierre Paumen (BEL) 2:14:54
• Women's Winner: Heather MacDuff (NED) 2:34:26

• October 16 — Beijing Marathon, China PR
• Men's Winner: Abebe Mekonnen (ETH) 2:07:35

• October 30 — Chicago Marathon, United States
• Men's Winner: Alejandro Cruz (MEX) 2:08:57
• Women's Winner: Lisa Weidenbach (USA) 2:29:17

• November 6 — Lisbon Marathon, Portugal
• Men's Winner: Osmiro Souza da Silva (BRA) 2:20:20
• Women's Winner: Janete Mayal (BRA) 2:43:11

• November 6 — New York City Marathon, United States
• Men's Winner: Steve Jones (GBR) 2:08:20
• Women's Winner: Grete Waitz (NOR) 2:28:07

• November 13 — Tokyo Marathon, Japan
• Women's Winner: Aurora Cunha (POR) 2:31:26

• December 4 — Fukuoka Marathon, Japan
• Men's Winner: Toshihiro Shibutani (JPN) 2:11:04

• December 11 — Honolulu Marathon, United States
• Men's Winner: Piergiovanni Poli (ITA) 2:12:47
• Women's Winner: Cyndie Welte (USA) 2:41:52

National Champions

• May 15 — Ottawa, Canada
• Men's Winner: Gordon Christie — 2:18:40
• Women's Winner: Jean Payette — 2:54:27

Auto Racing

• Stock car racing:
• Bobby Allison won the Daytona 500
• NASCAR Championship - Bill Elliott
• CART Racing - Danny Sullivan won the season championship
• Indianapolis 500 - Rick Mears
• Formula One Championship - Ayrton Senna of Brazil
• 24 hours of Le Mans:
• won by the team of Jan Lammers / Johnny Dumfries / Andy Wallace driving a Jaguar XJR-9LM
• Rally racing - Miki Biasion in a Lancia won the World Rally Championship
• the team of Bruno Saby / Jean-Francois Fauchille won the Monte Carlo Rally driving a Lancia Delta HF 4x4
• Drag racing - Joe Amato won the NHRA "Top Fuel" championship.
• Touring car racing:
• Tony Longhurst and Tomas Mezera won the Tooheys 1000 endurance race in Australia, driving a Ford Sierra

Baseball

• January 12: Former Pirates slugger Willie Stargell is the only player elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Stargell, leader of two world champions in Pittsburgh and NL co-MVP in 1979 at age 39, becomes the 17th player to be elected in his first year of eligibility. Jim Bunning falls four votes shy of the 321 needed for election in his 13th year on the ballot.
• August 9: The first night game ever at Wrigley Field is played. After an attempt the previous night was rained out, the Cubs defeat the New York Mets 6-4.
• World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers won 4 games to 1 over the Oakland Athletics. The Series MVP was Orel Hershiser, Los Angeles

Basketball

• NCAA Men's Basketball Championship:
• Kansas wins 83-79 over Oklahoma

• NBA Finals|NBA Finals:
• Los Angeles Lakers won 4 games to 3 over the Detroit Pistons

• National Basketball League (Australia) Finals:
• Canberra Cannons defeated the Buffalo BILLS 2-1 in the best-of-three final series.

Boxing

• June 6 - In Las Vegas, Nevada, Iran Barkley knocked out Thomas Hearns in the 3rd round to win the WBC Middleweight Title.
• June 27 In what was dubbed Superfight '88 Mike Tyson knocks out Michael Spinks in Atlantic City, New Jersey and defends the Undisputed Heavyweight Championship of the World.
• November 7 - In Las Vegas, Nevada, boxer Sugar Ray Leonard knocks out Donnie LaLonde.

Cycling

• Giro d'Italia won by Andrew Hampsten of the United States
• Tour de France - Pedro Delgado of Spain
• World Cycling Championship: Maurizio Fondriest of Italy

Field Hockey

• Men's Champions Trophy in Lahore, Pakistan
• Gold Medal: West Germany
• Silver Medal: Pakistan
• Bronze Medal: Australia

• Olympic Games (Men's Competition) in Seoul, South Korea
• Gold Medal: Great Britain
• Silver Medal: West Germany
• Bronze Medal: The Netherlands

Figure skating

• World Figure Skating Championships:
• Men's champion: Brian Boitano, United States
• Ladies' champion: Katarina Witt, East Germany
• Pair skating champions: Elena Valova / Oleg Vasiliev, Soviet Union
• Ice dancing champions: Natalia Bestemianova / Andrei Bukin, Soviet Union

Football (American)

• Super Bowl XXII: The Washington Redskins win their second Super Bowl title and fourth NFL title 42-10 over the Denver Broncos.
• Notre Dame Fighting Irish defeat West Virginia Mountaineers in collegiate National Championship game.
• December 17 - Jamie Morris of Washington Redskins sets NFL single game record for rushing attempts (45) in 20-17 loss to Cincinnati Bengals.

Football (Australian rules football)

• Victorian Football League
• Hawthorn wins the 92nd VFL Premiership (Hawthorn 22.20 (152) d Melbourne 6.20 (56))
• Brownlow Medal awarded to Gerard Healy (Sydney Swans)

Football (Canadian)

• Grey Cup: Winnipeg Blue Bombers won 22-21 over the B.C. Lions
• Vanier Cup: Calgary Dinos won 52-23 over the St. Mary's Huskies

Football (rugby league)

• Sixteen Teams competing

Balmain Tigers,

Brisbane Broncos,

Canberra Raiders,

Canterbury Bulldogs,

Cronulla Sharks,

Eastern Suburbs Roosters,

Gold Coast-Tweed Giants,

Illawarra Steelers,

Manly Sea Eagles,

Newcastle Knights,

North Sydney Bears,

Parramatta Eels,

Penrith Panthers,

St. George Dragons,

South Sydney Rabbitohs,

Western Suburbs Magpies,

• Canterbury Bulldogs win their sixth title, defeating Balmain Tigers 24-12 in the final.

Football (Soccer)

For an extensive coverage see 1988 in football (soccer)

Gaelic Athletic Association

• Camogie
• All-Ireland Camogie Champion: Kilkenny
• National Camogie League: Kilkenny

• Gaelic football
• All-Ireland Senior Football Championship: Meath 0-13 d. Cork 0-9
• National Football League: Meath 2-13 d. Dublin 0-11

• Ladies' Gaelic football
• All-Ireland Senior Football Champion: Kerry
• National Football League: Kerry

• Hurling
• All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship: Galway 1-15 d. Tipperary 0-14
• National Hurling League:

Golf

• April 7-10 - Masters Tournament - Sandy Lyle
• June 16-20 - U.S. Open - Curtis Strange
• July 14-17 - British Open - Seve Ballesteros
• August 11-14 - PGA Championship - Jeff Sluman
• PGA Tour money leader - Curtis Strange - $1,147,644
• Senior PGA Tour money leader - Bob Charles - $533,929

Men's amateur

• British Amateur - Christian Hardin
• U.S. Amateur - Eric Meeks
• European Amateur - not played

Women's professional

• Nabisco Dinah Shore - Amy Alcott
• LPGA Championship - Sherri Turner
• July 21-24 - U.S. Women's Open - Liselotte Neumann
• Classique du Maurier - Sally Little
• LPGA Tour money leader - Sherri Turner - $350,851

Thoroughbred Horse Racing

• Australia - Melbourne Cup - Empire Rose
• Canada - Queen's Plate - Regal Intention
• France - Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe - Tony Bin
• Ireland - Irish Derby Stakes - Kahyasi
• English Triple Crown Races:
1. 2,000 Guineas Stakes - Doyoun
2. Epsom Derby - Kahyasi
3. St. Leger Stakes - Minister Son

• United States Triple Crown Races:
1. May 7 - Kentucky Derby - Winning Colors
2. Preakness Stakes - Risen Star
3. Belmont Stakes - Risen Star

• Breeders' Cup:
1. Breeders' Cup Classic - Alysheba
2. Breeders' Cup Distaff - Personal Ensign
3. Breeders' Cup Juvenile - Is It True
4. Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies - Open Mind
5. Breeders' Cup Mile - Miesque
6. Breeders' Cup Sprint - Gulch
7. Breeders' Cup Turf - Great Communicator

Harness Racing

• North America Cup - Jate Lobell
• United States Pacing Triple Crown races:
1. Cane Pace - Runnymede Lobell
2. Little Brown Jug - B.J. Scoot
3. Messenger Stakes - Matt's Scooter

• United States Trotting Triple Crown races:
1. Hambletonian - Armbro Goal
2. Yonkers Trot - Southern Newton
3. Kentucky Futurity - Huggie Hanover

• Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship:
• Pacers: Our Maestro
• Trotters: True Roman

Ice Hockey

• Art Ross Memorial Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season: Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins
• Hart Memorial Trophy for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins
• Stanley Cup: Edmonton Oilers won 4 games to 0 over the Boston Bruins
• August 9 - Hockey's Wayne Gretzky traded to the Los Angeles Kings
• World Hockey Championship:
• Men's champion: Soviet Union won the Olympic gold medal
• Junior Men's champion: Canada defeated the USSR

• December 31 - In a game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and New Jersey Devils, Mario Lemieux scores five goals and becomes the only player in NHL history to score a goal in all five possible game situations in the same game: even-strength, power play, shorthanded, penalty shot, and empty net.

Lacrosse

• The New Jersey Saints beat the Washington Wave 17-16 to win the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League Championship.
• Following the season, the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League changes its name to the Major Indoor Lacrosse League (MILL).
• The Brooklin­ Redmen win the Mann Cup.
• The Kitchener-Waterloo win the Founders Cup.
• The Esquimalt Legion win the Minto Cup.

Radiosport

• Fourth Amateur Radio Direction Finding World Championship held in Beatenberg, Switzerland.

Skiing

• Alpine Skiing
• The men's overall season champion: Pirmin Zurbriggen, Switzerland
• The women's overall season champion: Michela Figini, Switzerland

Snooker

• World Snooker Championship: Steve Davis beats Terry Griffiths 18-11
• World rankings: Steve Davis remains world number one for 1988/89

Swimming

Events

• Olympic Games held in Seoul, South Korea (September 18 – September 25)

Records

• March 25 — USA's Tom Jager betters his own world record (22.32) in the 50m freestyle (long course) at a swimming meet in Orlando, Florida, clocking 22.23.
• September 24 — Matt Biondi breaks Tom Jager's world record (22.23) in the 50m freestyle (long course) in the final of the event at the Seoul Olympic Games, clocking 22.14.

Tennis

• Grand Slam in tennis men's results:
1. Australian Open – Mats Wilander
2. French Open – Mats Wilander
3. Wimbledon – Stefan Edberg
4. US Open – Mats Wilander

• Steffi Graf becomes only the third woman in history to win the Grand Slam in tennis:
1. Australian Open – Steffi Graf
2. French Open – Steffi Graf
3. Wimbledon – Steffi Graf
4. US Open – Steffi Graf

• 1988 Summer Olympics
• Men's Singles Competition
• Gold – Miloslav Mečíř
• Silver – Tim Mayotte
• Bronze – Stefan Edberg and Brad Gilbert
• Women's Singles Competition
• Gold – Steffi Graf
• Silver – Gabriela Sabatini
• Bronze – Zina Garrison and Manuela Maleeva
• Men's Doubles Competition
• Gold – Ken Flach & Robert Seguso
• Silver – Emilio Sánchez & Sergio Casal
• Bronze – Miloslav Mečíř & Milan Šrejber and Stefan Edberg & Anders Järryd
• Women's Doubles Competition
• Gold – Pam Shriver & Zina Garrison
• Silver – Jana Novotná & Helena Suková
• Bronze – Elizabeth Smylie & Wendy Turnbull and Steffi Graf & Claudia Kohde-Kilsch

• Davis Cup
• Germany won 4-1 over Sweden in world team tennis

Yacht racing

• The San Diego Yacht Club retains the America's Cup as Stars & Stripes '88 defeats New Zealand challenger KZ1, from the Mercury Bay Boating Club, 2 races to 0

Volleyball

Men's Competition

• Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea
• Gold Medal:
• Silver Medal:
• Bronze Medal:

Women's Competition

• Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea
• Gold Medal:
• Silver Medal:
• Bronze Medal:

Water polo

Men's Competition

• Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea
• Gold Medal:
• Silver Medal:
• Bronze Medal:

Multi-sport events

• 1988 Summer Olympics takes place in Seoul, South Korea
• USSR wins the most medals (132), and the most gold medals (55).
• September 24: Canada's Ben Johnson wins Olympic gold in 100 metres. Two days later, he is stripped of the medal after testing positive for a banned substance.

• 1988 Winter Olympics takes place in Calgary, Canada
• USSR wins the most medals (29), and the most gold medals (11).

• Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Champion:
• Susan Butcher wins with lead dogs: Granite & Tolstoi

Awards

• Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year: Orel Hershiser, Major League Baseball
• Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year: Florence Griffith Joyner, Track and field

Births

• January 11 — Wang Yimei, Chinese volleyball player
• January 22 — Greg Oden, American basketball player
• January 25 — Tatiana Golovin, French tennis player
• February 12 — Nicoleta Daniela Şofronie, Romanian artistic gymnast
• March 5 — Jovana Brakočević, Serbian volleyball player
• March 15 — Urpo Sivula, Finnish volleyball player
• April 3 — Anja Klinar, Slovenian butterfly and medley swimmer
• April 16 — Simon Child, New Zealand field hockey striker
• May 23 — Morgan Pressel, American golfer
• June 9 — Sara Isakovič, Slovenian freestyle swimmer
• June 17 — Andrew Ogilvy, Australian basketball player
• August 5 — Federica Pellegrini, Italian swimmer
• August 11 — Patrick Mills, Australian basketball player
• August 25 — Angela Park, Brazilian golfer
• August 29 — Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, English sprinter
• August 31 — Yoandry Leal, Cuban volleyball player
• September 19 — Thiemo de Bakker, Dutch tennis player
• September 26 — Qiuyue Wei, Chinese volleyball player
• September 29 — Kevin Durant, American basketball player
• October 7 — Sebastiaan Verschuren, Dutch freestyle swimmer
• November 12 — Cindy Rondon, Dominican Republic volleyball player
• November 20 — Christina Irvin, Turkish swimmer
• December 4 — Lisa Ingildeeva, Russia-born gymnast from Germany
• December 15 — Ilona Senderek, Polish figure skater
• December 26 — Manuela Canetti, Brazilian water polo goalkeeper

Deaths

• January 5 — Pete Maravich, NBA basketball hall of famer
• February 28 — Harvey Kuenn, Major League Baseball player (1952-1966)
• March 16 — Mickey Thompson, auto race driver — murdered
• March 19 — Bun Cook, National Hockey League and Hockey Hall of Fame player
• March 21 — Edd Roush, Major League Baseball player (1963-1931)
• March 29 — Ted Kluszewski, Major League Baseball player (1947-1961)
• April 10 — Cliff Gladwin, English cricketer
• July 8 — Ray Barbuti (83), American athlete and American football player (b. 1905)
• July 12 — Enzo Sacchi (62), Italian road bicycle and track cyclist (b. 1926)
• August 14 — Enzo Ferrari, Italian automobile manufacturer
• October 13 — Mike Venezia, jockey, racing accident at Belmont Park
• October 22 — Henry Armstrong, World boxing champion
• November 21 — "King" Carl Hubbell, Major League Baseball pitcher (1928-1943)