1997 in sports
See also: 1996 in sports, other events of 1997, 1998 in sports and the list of 'years in sports'.
Auto Racing
- Stock car racing:
- Jeff Gordon is the youngest driver ever to win the Daytona 500
- NASCAR Championship - Jeff Gordon
- Indy Racing League -
- Indianapolis 500 - Arie Luyendyk
- CART Racing - Alex Zanardi won the season championship
- Formula One Championship - Jacques Villeneuve of Canada
- 24 hours of Le Mans: the team of Michele Alboreto / Stefan Johansson / Tom Kristensen won, driving a TWR-Porsche
- Rally racing - the team of Piero Liatti / Fabrizia Pons won the Monte Carlo Rally driving a Subaru Impreza WRC97
- Drag racing - Gary Scelzi won the NHRA "Top Fuel" championship.
Baseball
- World Series: Florida Marlins won 4 games to 3 over the Cleveland Indians. The Series MVP was Livan Hernandez, Florida
Basketball
- NCAA Men's Basketball Championship:
- Arizona wins 84-79 over Kentucky
- Arizona wins 84-79 over Kentucky
- NBA Finals:
- Chicago Bulls earn their second repeat of the decade as they beat the Utah Jazz 4 games to 2 (see Steve Kerr).
- Chicago Bulls earn their second repeat of the decade as they beat the Utah Jazz 4 games to 2 (see Steve Kerr).
- WNBA Finals:
- Houston Comets defeat the New York Liberty in one game playoff series.
Boxing
- January 18 - Las Vegas, Nevada - Oscar De La Hoya maintained his World Boxing Council super lightweight title in with a 12-round unanimous decision over Miguel Angel Gonzalez.
- June 28 - Mike Tyson bites off a piece of the ear of Evander Holyfield in the third round of their WBA Heavyweight title fight, getting disqualified by referee Mills Lane.
- July 9 - Mike Tyson's boxing license is suspended for at least a year and he is fined $3 million for biting Evander Holyfield's ear in a televised match.
Cycling
- Giro d'Italia won by Ivan Gotti of Italy
- Tour de France - Jan Ullrich of Germany
- World Cycling Championship: Laurent Brochard of France
Figure Skating
- World Figure Skating Championships:
- Men's champion: Elvis Stojko, Canada
- Women's champion: Tara Lipinski, United States
- Pairs champions: Mandy Wötzel & Ingo Steuer, Germany
Football (Soccer)
- England - FA Cup: Chelsea won 2-0 over Middlesbrough
Football (American)
- Super Bowl XXXI: Green Bay Packers won 35-21 over the New England Patriots
Canadian Football League
- Grey Cup: Toronto Argonauts won 47-23 over the Saskatchewan Roughriders
- Vanier Cup: UBC Thunderbirds win 39-23 over the Ottawa Gee Gees
Golf
- Grand Slam of golf results:
- May - The Masters - Tiger Woods
- June - US Open - Ernie Els
- July - British Open - Justin Leonard
- August - PGA Championship - Davis Love III
- PGA tour's leading money winner for the year: Tiger Woods - $2,066,833
- PGA Champions Tour leading money winner: Hale Irwin - $2,343,364
- Ryder Cup: Europe won 14 1/2-13 1/2 over the United States in world team golf.
- US Women's Open - Alison Nicholas
- LPGA Championship - Chris Johnson
- Annika Sörenstam: leading money winner on the LPGA tour, earning $1,236,789.
Thoroughbred Horse Racing
- Australia - Melbourne Cup - Might And Power
- Canada - Queen's Plate - Awesome Again
- France - Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe - Peintre Célčbre
- Ireland - Irish Derby Stakes - Desert King
- English Triple Crown Races:
- Two Thousand Guineas Stakes - Entrepreneur
- Epsom Derby - Benny the Dip
- St. Leger Stakes - Silver Patriarch
- United States Triple Crown Races:
- Kentucky Derby - Silver Charm
- Preakness Stakes - Silver Charm
- Belmont Stakes - Touch Gold
Harness Racing
- North America Cup - Gothic Dream
- Western Dreamer won the United States Pacing Triple Crown races:
- Cane Pace - Western Dreamer
- Little Brown Jug - Western Dreamer
- Messenger Stakes - Western Dreamer
- United States Trotting Triple Crown races:
- Hambletonian - Malabar Man
- Yonkers Trot - Lord Stormont
- Kentucky Futurity - Take Chances
- Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship:
- Pacers: Our Sir Vancelot
- Trotters: Pride Of Petite
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: Dominik Hasek of the Buffalo Sabres
- Stanley Cup - Detroit Red Wings win 4 games to 0 over the Philadelphia Flyers
- World Hockey Championship
Skiing
- Alpine Skiing
- The men's overall season champion: Luc Alphand, France
- The women's overall season champion: Pernilla Wiberg, Sweden
Tennis
- Grand Slam in tennis men's results:
- Australian Open - Pete Sampras
- French Open - Gustavo Kuerten
- Wimbledon championships - Pete Sampras
- US Open - Patrick Rafter
- Grand Slam in tennis women's results:
- Australian Open - Martina Hingis
- French Open - Iva Majoli
- Wimbledon championships - Martina Hingis
- US Open - Martina Hingis
- Davis Cup: Sweden won 5-0 over the United States in world tennis.
General sporting events
- Embassy World Snooker Championship:
- Ken Doherty won 18-12 over Stephen Hendry
- Ken Doherty won 18-12 over Stephen Hendry
- Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Champion:
- Martin Buser won with lead dogs: Blondie & Fearless
- Martin Buser won with lead dogs: Blondie & Fearless
Births
Deaths
- March 21 - John Nemechek 27, NASCAR race driver
- September 9 - Richie Ashburn, Major League Baseball player
- November 14 - Eddie Arcaro, only jockey to win two Triple Crowns