1856 in sports
Encyclopedia
BaseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
Events
- The four established New York (Manhattan) clubs play nine matches between August 30 and October 28. Several other clubs in present New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
play matches against a rival or two. Daily and weekly newspapers cover the game and some matches. - 17 October — the Eagle club scores 8 against 2 by Gotham, an extreme example of the main problem with the 21–run rule (revised to nine innings next spring).
BoxingBoxingBoxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
Events
- 26 January — Harry Poulson meets the upcoming Tom Sayers at Appledore, Kent. Sayers enhances his growing reputation by winning in the 109th round.
- 19 May — Harry Broome finally defends the Championship of England against Tom PaddockTom PaddockTom Paddock, born Thomas Paddock also known as the Redditch Needlepointer was a champion British bare-knuckle boxer in the early Victorian era....
at Manningtree. Paddock wins in the 51st round and takes the title. Broome announces his retirement. - 2 October — a scheduled bout between Paddock and former champion William PerryWilliam Perry (boxer)William Perry was a British prize fighter of the 19th century.A statue stands in the town of Tipton, yards away from the Fountain Inn public house, which was once his headquarters...
is cancelled because Paddock is ill. Paddock pays forfeit and Perry claims the English title but is not recognised. - With the American champion John MorrisseyJohn MorrisseyJohn Morrissey , also known as Old Smoke, was an Irish bare-knuckle boxer and a gang member in New York in the 1850s and later became a Democratic State Senator and U.S. Congressman from New York, backed by Tammany Hall...
refusing to fight again until 1858, the focus shifts to his eventual next opponent, the upcoming John C. HeenanJohn C. HeenanJohn Camel Heenan, aka the Benicia Boy was an American bare-knuckle prize fighter. Though highly regarded, he had only three formal fights in his entire career, losing two and drawing one....
, known as "The Benicia Boy".
CricketCricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
Events
- Surrey CCC wins the first of four consecutive Champion County titles, the team at this time including William CaffynWilliam CaffynWilliam "Billy" Caffyn was a famous English cricketer who played for Surrey CCC and the All-England Eleven.-Surrey and All-England:...
, Tom LockyerTom LockyerThomas "Tom" Lockyer was a famous English cricketer during the game's roundarm era. He was one of the outstanding wicket-keepers of the 19th century.Lockyer was a right-handed batsman...
, Edgar WillsherEdgar WillsherEdgar "Ned" Willsher was an English cricketer who is famous for being the catalyst in the shift from roundarm to overarm bowling....
, HH StephensonHH StephensonHeathfield Harman "HH" Stephenson was a famous English cricketer during the game's roundarm era....
and Julius CaesarJulius Caesar (cricketer)Julius Caesar was a Surrey cricketer who played 194 first-class cricket matches between 1849 and 1867.-Childhood:...
England
- Champion County – Surrey CCC
- Most runs – John LillywhiteJohn LillywhiteJohn Lillywhite was an English cricketer during the game's roundarm era....
620 @ 24.80 (HS 138) - Most wickets – John WisdenJohn WisdenJohn Wisden was an English cricketer who played 190 first-class cricket matches for three English county cricket teams, Kent, Middlesex and Sussex...
73 @ 12.51 (BB 6–33)
Horse racingHorse racingHorse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
England
- Grand NationalGrand NationalThe Grand National is a world-famous National Hunt horse race which is held annually at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, England. It is a handicap chase run over a distance of four miles and 856 yards , with horses jumping thirty fences over two circuits of Aintree's National Course...
– Freetrader - 1,000 Guineas Stakes – Manganese
- 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Fazzoletto
- Epsom DerbyEpsom DerbyThe Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
– Ellington - Epsom OaksEpsom OaksThe Oaks Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 10 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early June....
– Mincepie - St. Leger StakesSt. Leger StakesThe St. Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 132 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.Established in 1776, the St. Leger...
– Warlock
LacrosseLacrosseLacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
Events
- The Montreal Lacrosse ClubMontreal Lacrosse ClubThe Montreal Lacrosse Club was a lacrosse club in the Canadian city of Montreal, Quebec. The Club is notable in the history of lacrosse as it was responsible for establishing the first set of written rules of the game....
is formed in Montreal by W. George BeersWilliam George BeersWilliam George Beers , a noted Canadian dentist and patriot, is referred to as the "father of modern lacrosse" for his work establishing the first set of playing rules for the game.-Lacrosse:...
, the first organised lacrosseLacrosseLacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
team. They also develop the first codified rules of lacrosse, which Beers will rewrite in 18671867 in sports-Association football:England* Formation of the Sheffield FA, which continues to promote its own Sheffield Rules. The Sheffield FA establishes the local Youdan Cup, the first organised football tournament, which is won by Hallam FC....
.
RowingRowing (sport)Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
The Boat Race
- 15 March — CambridgeCambridge University Boat ClubThe Cambridge University Boat Club is the rowing club of the University of Cambridge, England, located on the River Cam at Cambridge, although training primarily takes place on the River Great Ouse at Ely. The club was founded in 1828...
wins the 13th Oxford and Cambridge Boat RaceThe Boat RaceThe event generally known as "The Boat Race" is a rowing race in England between the Oxford University Boat Club and the Cambridge University Boat Club, rowed between competing eights each spring on the River Thames in London. It takes place generally on the last Saturday of March or the first...
, last contested in 1854 - Beginning in 1856, the Boat Race becomes an annual event except during the two World Wars