- Jan 1 24th Rose Bowl: #2 California beats #4 Alabama, 13-0
- Jan 1 4th Orange Bowl: Auburn beats Michigan State, 6-0
- Jan 1 4th Sugar Bowl: Santa Clara beats LSU, 6-0
- Jan 2 Book publisher Simon and Schuster founded
Henry Hudson Statue
Jan 6 Bronze memorial statue of explorer Henry Hudson erected in the Bronx, New York
- Jan 10 Eduard van Beinum debuts as conductor of the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Netherlands
La Sauvage
Jan 10 Jean Anouilh's play "La Sauvage" premieres in Paris
- Jan 10 Paul Vincent Carroll's "White Seed" premieres in NYC
- Jan 11 Don Bradman scores a second innings 113 vs Qld after a ton in the 1st innings
- Jan 11 Frances Moulton elected 1st woman president of a US national bank
- Jan 13 The Church of England accepts the theory of evolution
- Jan 14 National Society for Legalization of Euthanasia forms (NY)
Carnegie Hall's First Jazz Concert
Jan 16 First jazz concert held at Carnegie Hall, performed by Benny Goodman and his band
Berg retains Title
Jan 16 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Patty Berg retains title by a massive 14 strokes ahead of Jane Cothran
Kennedy US Ambassador
Jan 17 Joseph P. Kennedy becomes the 44th United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom
Our Town
Jan 22 "Our Town", Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer-winner of small-town life in Grover's Corners, New Hampshire, premieres (NJ)
- Jan 25 Ian Hay's "Bachelor Born" premieres in NYC
Budge's Grand Slam 1st Leg
Jan 31 Australian Championships Men's Tennis: American Don Budge wins the 1st-leg of his Grand Slam; beats John Bromwich of Australia 6-4, 6-2, 6-1
- Jan 31 Australian Championships Women's Tennis: American Dorothy Cheney wins her only Grand Slam singles title; beats Dorothy Stevenson of Australia 6-3, 6-2
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