The
1931 Stanley Cup Finals saw the
Montreal Canadiens facing off against the
Chicago Black Hawks. The Canadiens had the best overall record during the regular season and were the defending Stanley Cup champions. The series went the full five games, with the Canadiens winning three games to two. The Canadiens took the first two games in
Montreal, while the Black Hawks won the third game in
Chicago. The fourth game went to overtime, with the Canadiens' Howie Morenz scoring the game-winner to put the Canadiens up 3-1 in the series. The Black Hawks won the fifth game, but the Canadiens won the Stanley Cup for the second consecutive year. The series was highlighted by the outstanding goaltending of
Chicago's Charlie Gardiner, and the spectacular play of
Montreal's Morenz.
The
1931 World Series featured the St. Louis Cardinals and the
Philadelphia Athletics. The Cardinals had a strong lineup, featuring Hall of Famers Frankie Frisch, Chick Hafey, and Jim Bottomley. The Athletics had a solid lineup as well, with Hall of Famers Mickey Cochrane and Jimmie Foxx. The Cardinals won the series in seven games, with the decisive game ending in a 4-2 victory. The Cardinals' star pitcher, Burleigh Grimes, was named the MVP of the series. The Athletics had a great season, but the Cardinals were simply the better team in the World Series. They won the championship for the first time since
1926, and it was the first of three World Series titles for the Cardinals in the
1930s.