1881 in sports describes the year's events in world sports.
Athletics
USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
American football
College championship
College football national championship – Yale Bulldogs
Events
Michigan Wolverines is the first "western" team to travel east and play against the established teams at Harvard Crimson, Yale Bulldogs and Princeton Tigers.
Association football
England
FA Cup final – Old Carthusians 3–0 Old Etonians at The Oval in the last final to be played between two southern amateur sides. Blackburn Rovers and Bolton Wanderers both change their venues to enclosed grounds where gate money can be charged, an increasing practice among clubs that are openly (or otherwise) professional. Preston North End is founded and plays from the start at Deepdale, which holds the world record for the length of time a venue has been in continuous use by one major league club. Burnley FC founded as Burnley Rovers RUFC which decides in May 1882 to switch codes. The Rovers suffix is dropped two years later and the club renamed as Burnley AFC. Newcastle United, which has a complicated early history, is founded as Stanley FC by a cricket club in the Byker area of Newcastle. France Foundation of FC Girondins de Bordeaux. Ireland Moyola Park F.C. wins the inaugural Irish Cup final Scotland 12 March — Andrew Watson makes his Scotland debut, becoming the world's first black international football player Scottish Cup final – Queen's Park 3–1 Dumbarton at Hampden Park (replay after Dumbarton protests about the original match which Queen's Park has won 2–1)
Baseball
National championship
National League champions – Chicago White Stockings
Events
Detroit replaces Cincinnati leaving Cleveland and Providence the southerly cities on the National League circuit. Four others lie on the northerly rail line from stalwart Chicago to stalwart Boston: Detroit, Buffalo, Troy, and Worcester. In autumn, for the first time, all eight National League clubs prepare to continue next season.
Boxing
Events
Paddy Ryan takes part in a number of exhibition bouts but does not defend his Heavyweight Championship of America title. John L. Sullivan continues his rise to the championship with a series of knockout victories, none of them lasting longer than eight rounds.
Cricket
Events
Lancashire County Cricket Club wins its first outright title. At the end of the season, an English team led by Alfred Shaw goes to Australia for the 1881–82 Test series. England Champion County – Lancashire Most runs – A. N. Hornby 1,534 @ 40.36 (HS 188) Most wickets – Ted Peate 173 @ 12.68 (BB 8–30) Australia Most runs – Tom Horan 318 @ 35.33 (HS 113) Most wickets – Edwin Evans 32 @ 11.25 (BB 5–34)
Golf
Major tournaments
British Open – Bob Ferguson
Gymnastics
Events
23 July — the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique, the world's oldest international sport federation, is founded.
Horse racing
England
Grand National – Woodbrook
1,000 Guineas Stakes – Thebais
2,000 Guineas Stakes – Peregrine
The Derby – Iroquois
The Oaks – Thebais
St. Leger Stakes – Iroquois
Australia
Melbourne Cup – Zulu
Canada
Queen's Plate – Vice Chancellor
Ireland
Irish Grand National – Antoinette
Irish Derby Stakes – Master Ned
USA
Kentucky Derby – Hindoo
Preakness Stakes – Saunterer
Belmont Stakes – Saunterer
Rowing
The Boat Race
8 April — Oxford wins the 38th Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race
Rugby football
Events
Wales plays its first international match but is well beaten by England
Tennis
England
Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship – William Renshaw (GB) defeated John Hartley (GB) 6–0 6–1 6–1 USA First U.S. National Singles Championship, precursor of the US Open, won by Richard D. Sears (USA) who defeats William E. Glyn (USA) 6–0 6–3 6–2
World
The 6th pre-open era 1881 Men's Tennis season gets underway 65 tournaments are staged this year from 4 April to 10 November.
Yacht racing
America's Cup
The New York Yacht Club retains the America's Cup as Mischief defeats Canadian challenger Atalanta, of the Bay of Quinte Yacht Club