1781 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.
Archery
Events
* Foundation of the Toxophilite Society at
Leicester Square
Leicester Square ( ) is a pedestrianised square in the West End of London, England. It was laid out in 1670 as Leicester Fields, which was named after the recently built Leicester House, itself named after Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester ...
, London; it later gained royal patronage and became the Royal Toxophilite Society in 1787.
Boxing
Events
* Unknown.
Cricket
Events
* The
Hambledon Club
The Hambledon Club was a social club that is famous for its organisation of 18th century cricket matches. By the late 1770s it was the foremost cricket club in England.
Foundation
The origin of the club, based near Hambledon in rural Hampshire, ...
abandoned its traditional home at
Broadhalfpenny Down
Broadhalfpenny Down (pronounced /ˌbrɔ:dˈheɪpniː/; '' brawd-HAYP-nee'') is a historic cricket ground in Hambledon, Hampshire. It is known as the "Cradle of Cricket" because it was the home venue in the 18th century of the Hambledon Club, b ...
after the members decided it was "too remote" and relocated to
Windmill Down
Windmill Down is a rural location near the town of Hambledon in Hampshire. From 1782 to 1795, it was the home of the Hambledon Club as a noted cricket venue.
Hambledon used Broadhalfpenny Down from at least 1753 until 1781 when it was abandone ...
just outside Hambledon village
England
* Most runs
[Note that scorecards created in the 18th century are not necessarily accurate or complete; therefore any summary of runs, wickets or catches can only represent the known totals and the missing data prevents effective computation of averages] –
James Aylward 319
* Most wickets
–
Lamborn 27
Horse racing
England
*
The Derby –
Young Eclipse
Young Eclipse (1778 – c. 1803) was a Thoroughbred racehorse that won the 1781 Epsom Derby. He raced until he was six years old, winning seven races and retiring to stud in 1785. He was not a successful sire.
Background
Young Eclipse was f ...
*
The Oaks – Faith
*
St Leger Stakes
The St Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a d ...
– Serina
References
{{Sports by year to 1850
1781
Events
January–March
* January – William Pitt the Younger, later Prime Minister of Great Britain, enters Parliament, aged 21.
* January 1 – Industrial Revolution: The Iron Bridge opens across the River Severn in Eng ...