1931 24 Hours of Le Mans, Practice
After their races the Bugatti team drove their cars across from Molsheim in eastern France, arriving on Thursday. In practice, one of the cars blew a rear tyre, so team manager "Meo" Costantini directed the drivers to not go above 4000rpm to limit their top speed for the first six hours.


1931 24 Hours of Le Mans, Practice
Through practice, the Alfa Romeos had engine ignition problems because of the hybrid fuel being used. This had happened the year before to Birkin and his "Blower Bentleys". His solution then was to switch to pure benzole and change out the pistons. Parts were delayed coming from the factory in Milan, the mechanics worked through the night but by race morning only three of the cars were ready. Team manager Aldo Giovannini stood down Campari and Minoia and instead teamed up Marinoni (as a very competent mechanic in his own right) with Zehender.


1931 24 Hours of Le Mans, Practice
The ACO celebrated its Silver Jubilee, formed in 1906 running the first French Grand Prix. Special guests at the Saturday luncheon included Ferenc Szisz and Felice Nazzaro who had finished first and second respectively at that inaugural event. ACO Club secretary, Georges Durand, had also served 25 years and was the honorary starter for the race on a hot, sunny Saturday afternoon.


1931 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Start
First away from the flagfall at 4pm were the two Chryslers, however their lead was short-lived and with the big cars' sluggish acceleration out of the Pontlieue corners, they were overtaken by the works Bugattis of Chiron and Divo. Henri Stoffel wound up the Mercedes' supercharger and quickly blasted past all four of them into the lead– Chiron failed his breaking at Mulsanne on lap 3 trying to outbrake him and ended up down the escape road. The two Alfas, and the Bugattis of Rost and Louis-Dreyfus filled out the top-9. A bit further back the three Aston Martins were jockeying with the Lorraine while the Chryslers slipped back.


1931 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Start
After an hour though, by lap ten, it was all change. Birkin had just come in with a misfiring sparkplug when both Stoffel and Chiron arrived with flat tyres. This put Marinoni's Alfa in the lead, followed by the Bugattis of Divo and Rost. In his race back up the field Chiron had a big moment halfway down the Hunaudières straight. Having just overtaken Birkin, the other rear tyre blew at top speed putting him in a wild slide. With skill, he regained control and managed to get the car slowly back to the pits.


1931 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Start
The two Chryslers were the first retirements. Sommer was out after 14 laps with a holed radiator, and then five laps later, into the pits came Costier with the same problem. At 6.30pm Marinoni had just finished his 20th lap, leading from Divo but Rost, running third, did not come around. He had been going down the back straight at 175 kp/h when a tyre blew. The car crashed through the roadside fence and trees. Three men standing in the spectator-prohibited zone were run down and one, Jules Bourgoin, was killed while the other two were seriously injured. Rost had been thrown from the car and suffered head injuries and a broken shoulder and ribs.


1931 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Start
So, after three hours, at the first round of pit-stops, Divo led from Marinoni and Stoffel, having all done 23 laps. Chiron was a lap behind with the two Talbots. Chiron then pitted with a third delaminated tyre. Bouriat, who had just taken over from Divo was called in soon after while leading and both remaining works Bugattis were withdrawn, despite boos from the spectators.


1931 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Start
This left the Mercedes to battle the Alfa Romeos. But when tyre-delaminations struck them twice, the drivers decided to ease back and change tyres every hour to avoid further issues. These delays cost the Mercedes eight laps. The Talbots' reliability kept them in touch with the leaders, only doing their first pit-stops at 8pm, four hours into the race. It was unknown why Odette Siko bought her Bugatti in for its second stop after 38 laps, but when the team refuelled it two laps before regulations allowed, they were disqualified.


1931 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Night
As dusk fell, Couper's Bentley broke its crankcase just as he was braking for the corners at Pontlieue. The driver managed to stop just in front of the barriers blocking the main road into Le Mans Going into the night, Marinoni/Zehender were still leading. At the 6-hour mark (10pm) they had done 46 laps. Howe and Birkin were closing in quickly, eventually overtaking them after midnight. Just a lap back was the Talbot of Rose-Richards/Saunders-Davies while the Lewis/Hindmarsh sister-car had been delayed by electrical issues and now three laps behind them with the Mercedes half a lap further back.


1931 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Night
The three Astons were also still running together inside the top-10: Bezzant/Cook in 6th (40 laps) and Bertelli/Harvey in 7th. However the team had replaced their headlamps with heavier Zeiss headlamps. The strain from the roads gradually shook the bolts loose and all the Aston Martins lost time getting them re-secured. The Caban of Labric/Giraud-Cabantous got beached at Pontlieue after midnight, losing much time getting dug out.


1931 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Night
Then at 2.30am, a violent lightning flash and thunderclap heralded a short intense squall that flooded the track for an hour. Cars quickly came into the pits to raise wind-screens and put on wet-weather gear. But on his out-lap, Zehender aquaplaned off at Indianapolis corner, slamming the front corner. It got repaired and back on the road, but lost four laps. The two Fox & Nicholl Talbots were still running reliably in third and fourth – their only issues were similar to the Aston Martins. Both cars each had one of their headlamp brackets brake. The drivers latched onto faster cars, using them as spotters through the night on the dark roads.


1931 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Morning
As dawn broke nearly half the field had retired or been withdrawn. Howe and Birkin had done 92 laps, four laps ahead of Marinoni/Zehender with the two Talbots a further two laps back. Not long after 6am the rear-axle broke on the works Alfa in second, forcing its retirement. The MG of Samuelson/Kindell smacked an earth-bank avoiding another car. They lost three-quarters an hour fixing the suspension. Ivanowski was able to get hold of some Dunlop tyres to replace his problematic Engleberts.


1931 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Morning
With the supercharger running, he was soon putting in very quick times, setting the fastest lap of the race. He was able to overhaul one of the Talbots and got a lap back off the leaders. At 9am, the Bezzant/Cook Aston Martin still running in fifth broke a front-wing support and the wing fell off. Without parts no repairs were possible, and the car was retired.


1931 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Morning
Around 9.30am, Lewis noticed the Talbot's rear fueltank shifting on the chassis. Pitting, the team found the frame had cracked just above the rear axle. Despite twenty minutes of repairs (using belts and straps to tie the tank in place) and three more laps, it was still dangerously loose, and the car had to be retired. The metal fatigue was put down to the combined strain from this race and the recent Brooklands Double-12 it had run in. This moved the Mercedes up into second, a place it held for the rest of the race. The two little Cabans had quietly kept circulating at a regular rate at the tail of the field, designed to get them to their target distance. But during the morning, Caban's car came to a stop on the Mulsanne straight with fuel-feed issues.


1931 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Morning
Going into the afternoon there were only nine cars left running. The last Bugatti had just retired – the privateer entry of Jean Sébilleau lost its failing clutch. Although the privateer Alfa had a sizeable lead over the Mercedes, they were not able to ease off, as the Talbot (in third) kept up the pressure for honours in the Index and Biennial Cup handicap competitions.


1931 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Finish and post-race
In the end, the hard driving by Howe and Birkin gave them a comfortable seven-lap victory, and they were only the second crew to win all three prizes: outright distance, Index and the Coupe Bienniale. It was Birkin's second win after his victory in 1929 with Bentley. They also gave Italy its first win in the endurance event, earning personal congratulations from Mussolini. Their total distance covered broke the 3,000 km (1,900 mi) barrier for the first time.


1931 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Finish and post-race
The Mercedes lasted the distance, finishing four laps ahead of the Talbot of Rose-Richards/Saunders-Davies. Fourth, 23 laps further back, was the old Lorraine-Dietrich. It had spent most of the race mixing it with the Aston Martins, with newer engines half its size. In the end it covered two more laps, but 100km less, than its stable-mate that had won the 1926 race.


1931 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Finish and post-race
The remaining two Aston Martins had varying stories: Peacock & Newsome retired with less than two hours to go because of bodywork issues while the other, after the assorted delays, had to hurry on to make its target distance. "Bert" Bertelli and Maurice Harvey made it by just one lap, finishing fifth and winning the 1500cc class. The little Caban of Vernet/Vallon was the final classified car, just meeting its target by bare metres and over 900km behind the winner. The meagre six finishers being the lowest number in the history of the race.


1931 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Finish and post-race
The hard-luck story was the Samuelson/Kindell MG. With just over an hour to go, a conrod broke. The team isolated the affected cylinder and parked the car to rejoin the race just before 4pm to complete a final, careful lap. Regulations stipulated the last lap had to be done within 30 minutes but when Samuelson took 32 minutes to complete it they were left unclassified.


1931 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Finish and post-race
Alfa Romeo developed the successful 8C-2300 into a shorter, Grand-Prix version developing 180 bhp. After a great win in the year's 10-hour Italian Grand Prix, it gained the "Monza" moniker. Bugatti instead chose to mothball their Type 50s, to concentrate on the more successful Type 51, while the engines were fitted to the new Type 54. In a busy month after the race, Ivanowski and Stoffel took the Mercedes successively to the 10-hour French Grand Prix (DNF), Spa 24 Hours (DNF) and Belgian Grand Prix (5th).


1931 24 Hours of Le Mans, Official results, Finishers
Results taken from Quentin Spurring's book, officially licensed by the ACO Class Winners are in Bold text.


1931 AAA Championship Car season
The 1931 AAA Championship Car season consisted of seven races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in Syracuse, New York on September 12. There was also one non-championship race. The AAA National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Louis Schneider.


1931 Afghan parliamentary election
Parliamentary elections were held in Afghanistan in 1931. A new constitution, which came into effect on 31 October 1931, provided for parliamentary elections to be held every three years. The first of these were held in 1931. Suffrage was granted to men aged over 20. The first formal bi-cameral Afghan Parliament convened later that same year.


1931 Akron Zippers football team
The 1931 Akron Zippers football team was an American football team that represented the University of Akron in the Ohio Athletic Conference during the 1931 college football season. In its fifth season under head coach Red Blair, the team compiled a 1–7 record (0–6 in conference) and was outscored by a total of 114 to 39. William Schmittgen was the team captain.


1931 Alabama Crimson Tide football team
The 1931 Alabama Crimson Tide football team (variously "Alabama", "UA" or "Bama") represented the University of Alabama in the 1931 college football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 38th overall and 10th season as a member of the Southern Conference (SoCon). The team was led by head coach Frank Thomas, in his first year, and played their home games at Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, at Legion Field in Birmingham and at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama. They finished the season with a record of nine wins and one loss (9–1 overall, 7–1 in the SoCon).


1931 Alabama Crimson Tide football team
The Crimson Tide won the Southern Conference championship, the 1931 Rose Bowl and a share of the national championship in Wallace Wade's final year at Alabama. The Crimson Tide lost all of the starters from their 10–0 1930 team except for Johnny Cain, but still played almost as well. With Frank Thomas hired as Wade's successor, Alabama won their first three games of the 1931 season against Howard, Ole Miss and Mississippi A&M before they suffered their only loss of the season against Tennessee.


1931 Alabama Crimson Tide football team
The Crimson Tide responded from the loss to win their final five regular season games against Sewanee, Kentucky, Florida, Clemson and Vanderbilt. Alabama then competed in a pair of charity games scheduled in early November to follow the regular season finale against Vanderbilt. In these two games, the Crimson Tide defeated Chattanooga and then three separate Washington, D.C. schools in an exhibition that featured an all-star collection of former Crimson Tide players.


1931 Alabama Crimson Tide football team
Although Alabama did have considerable success on the field, tragedy did strike the team on November 17 when freshman center James Richard Nichols died from complications due to a spinal injury he suffered during a football practice. His death was the first major accident associated with the Alabama football program in its history.


1931 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Before the season
Prior to the start of the 1930 season, head coach Wallace Wade announced his resignation in order to become the head coach at Duke. On July 26, 1930, former Chattanooga head and then Georgia assistant coach Frank Thomas was announced as Wade's successor by the University Athletic Committee. Signed to a three-year contract, Thomas would take over as head coach on January 1, 1931, with the 1931 season being his first as head coach. In the 1930 season, Alabama finished the season undefeated, with a victory in the 1931 Rose Bowl and as national champions. For the 1931 season, coach Thomas retired Wade's single-wing offense and installed the Notre Dame Box formation that he learned as both a player and assistant coach at Notre Dame under Knute Rockne.


1931 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Game summaries, Howard
In what was Frank Thomas' first game as Alabama head coach, Alabama opened the 1931 season with a 42–6 victory over Howard College (now Samford University) at Denny Stadium. The Crimson Tide took a 14–0 lead into halftime after Leon Long scored on touchdown runs of one-yard in the first and five-yards in the second quarter. In the third, Alabama extended their lead to 28–0 when Johnny Cain threw a 59-yard touchdown pass to Hillman Holley, followed by a short Long touchdown run later in the quarter.


1931 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Game summaries, Howard
After Howard scored their only points on a 57-yard touchdown pass late in the third, Alabama closed the game with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns. Holley and Larry Hughes each scored on short touchdown runs to make the final score 42–6. Holley starred in the game with his 204 yards rushing and two touchdowns. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Howard to 12–0.


1931 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Game summaries, Ole Miss
In what was Frank Thomas' first SoCon game as Alabama head coach, the Crimson Tide defeated the Ole Miss Rebels 55–6 at Denny Stadium. Alabama took a 20–0 first quarter lead on a trio of touchdowns. Hillman Holley scored first on a 41-yard run, Johnny Cain second on a three-yard run, and Larry Hughes third on a short run. The Crimson Tide further extended their lead to 34–0 at the half after Holley scored on a 47-yard run and Leon Long on a two-yard run.


1931 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Game summaries, Ole Miss
After Cain scored again for Alabama in the third, the Rebels scored their only points of the game when Jack Burke returned a Jennings B. Whitworth kickoff 105 yards for a touchdown. The Crimson Tide then closed the game with touchdown runs from Cain and Long to make the final margin 55–6. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Ole Miss to 15–2–1.


1931 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Game summaries, Mississippi A&M
In what was Frank Thomas' first road game as Alabama head coach, the Crimson Tide defeated the Mississippi A&M Aggies (now the Mississippi State Bulldogs) 53–0 at Greer Memorial Field in Meridian. In the game, Alabama only played its starters in the first quarter. Touchdowns were scored twice by Erskine Walker and Ben Smith and once each by Howard Chappell, Hillman Holley, Larry Hughes and Leon Long. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Mississippi A&M to 15–4–2.


1931 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Game summaries, Tennessee
Before 23,000 fans at Shields–Watkins Field, Alabama was shutout by the Tennessee Volunteers, 25–0, in Knoxville. The Volunteers took an early 7–0 lead in the first quarter when Gene McEver scored on a short touchdown run. After a scoreless second quarter, McEver scored again on a three-yard touchdown run to extend the Tennessee lead to 13–0. The Volunteers then finished the game with touchdowns on a 17-yard H. B. Brackett run and a six-yard pass from Brackett to McEver to make the final score 25–0. The loss brought Alabama's all-time record against Tennessee to 9–5–1.


1931 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Game summaries, Sewanee
A week after being shut out by Tennessee, Alabama rebounded with a 33–0 shutout against the Sewanee Tigers at Legion Field. Alabama scored their first pair of touchdowns in the first five minutes of the game. The first came when Hillman Holley scored on an eight-yard run and the second when Holley threw a seven-yard pass to Ben Smith to give Alabama a 13–0 lead. Johnny Cain then scored on a short run in the second, and after a scoreless third quarter, the Crimson Tide closed the game with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns. Joe Causey scored first on a 28-yard run and then Howard Chappell threw a touchdown pass to Leon Long to make the final score 33–0. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Sewanee to 14–10–3.


1931 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Game summaries, Kentucky
On homecoming in Tuscaloosa, Alabama defeated the Kentucky Wildcats 9–7 at Denny Stadium. After a scoreless first half dominated by both defenses, Kentucky scored the first points of the game early in the third quarter. The touchdown was scored on the only first down made by the Wildcats on the afternoon when John Kelly scored on a 57-yard run for a 7–0 Kentucky lead. Later in the quarter, Alabama tied the game at 7–7 later in the quarter when Johnny Cain scored on a short touchdown run.


1931 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Game summaries, Kentucky
The Crimson Tide then took a 9–7 lead early in the fourth quarter when both Tom Hupke and Jennings B. Whitworth blocked a Ralph Kercheval punt that rolled out of the endzone for a safety. Prior to the safety, a long Cain punt pinned Kentucky deep in its territory and set it up. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Kentucky to 10–1.


1931 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Game summaries, Florida
Against the Florida Gators, Alabama posted their third shutout of the season with their 41–0 victory. After a scoreless first quarter, Alabama scored a pair of second-quarter touchdowns on short runs by Johnny Cain and Leon Long to take a 14–0 halftime lead. The Crimson Tide then scored four second half touchdowns on runs by Long and Hillman Holley in the third and on runs by Howard Chappell and Erskine Walker in the fourth to make the final score 41–0. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Florida to 5–3.


1931 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Game summaries, Clemson
In their only game played in Montgomery, Alabama defeated the Clemson Tigers 74–7 at the Cramton Bowl. In the game, the Crimson Tide scored eleven touchdowns in the victory. Players who scored were Johnny Cain and Howard Chappell with three; Hillman Holley with two; and Joe Causey, Leon Long and Thomas McMillian each scored one. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Clemson to 3–3.


1931 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Game summaries, Vanderbilt
On Thanksgiving Day, Alabama defeated the Vanderbilt Commodores 14–6 at Dudley Field. Alabama scored both of their touchdowns in the first half. Johnny Cain scored first on a short run in the first and Hillman Holley scored on a 16-yard run in the second to give the Crimson Tide a 14–0 halftime lead. The Commodores scored their only points in the third on a Vernon Close run. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Vanderbilt to 4–8.


1931 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Charity games
In early November, University officials announced the football team would participate in a pair of charity games after the scheduled season finale against Vanderbilt. The two games included one against Chattanooga where the 1931 squad would compete, and an all-star exhibition in Washington, D.C. that would feature graduating seniors and former Crimson Tide players. Each of the two games was played as part of a national campaign to raise money for unemployment relief due to the effects of the Great Depression.


1931 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Charity games, Chattanooga
In the first of the two scheduled charity games, Alabama defeated the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association champion Chattanooga Moccasins 39–0 at Chamberlain Field. Alabama scored its first touchdown on the second play of the game on a 67-yard Howard Chappell run. In the second quarter, touchdowns were scored on a 41-yard Leon Long run and a five-yard Ben Smith run for an 18–0 halftime lead. The Crimson Tide then closed the game with three second half touchdowns: a 53-yard Long run, a Johnny Cain pass to Hillman Holley and on a short Chappell run.


1931 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Charity games, Chattanooga
Both coach Thomas (from 1925 to 1928) and assistant coach Harold Drew (from 1929 to 1930) had previously served as head coach at Chattanooga. Although this was played as a charity game, Alabama does include the win in its all-time record. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Chattanooga to 4–0.


1931 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Charity games, Washington charity game
After the first charity game against Chattanooga, an all-star team of former Alabama players was assembled to compete in the second charity game to benefit the unemployed. The game was played at Griffith Stadium and featured three separate contests against George Washington, Catholic University and Georgetown. Each of the three games consisted of two, ten-minute halves, and because the Alabama team was playing three separate squads, the Crimson Tide was allowed to make unlimited substitutions.


1931 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Charity games, Washington charity game
The players on the Alabama team were primarily from the current and 1930 team that captured the national championship, and were led by coach Thomas and assistant coach Hank Crisp. The players selected included: Dave Boykin, Herschel Caldwell, John Campbell, Joe Causey, C. B. "Foots" Clement, Edgar Dobbs, Jess Eberdt, Albert Elmore, Ellis Hagler, Frank Howard, Allison Hubert, Max Jackson, Leon Long, Ralph McRight, John Miller, Claude Perry, Clyde "Shorty" Propst, Joe Sharpe, Fred Sington, Ben Smith, Earl Smith, John Henry Suther, John Tucker and Jennings B. Whitworth.


1931 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Charity games, Washington charity game
With all three played on December 12, Alabama faced George Washington in the first contest. Although the game ended in a 0–0 tie, Alabama had several long plays that included a pair of successive runs by John Campbell for 75 yards and a 55-yard passing play from Allison Hubert to Campbell. The Crimson Tide then defeated Catholic University in the second game 7–0. The only score of the game was set up after Leon Long intercepted a Catholic pass at their own 42-yard line.


1931 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Charity games, Washington charity game
After five runs for 31 yards by Hubert and one by Herschel Caldwell for three yards, Long scored the game-winning touchdown on a three-yard run. In the final game, Alabama tied Georgetown 0–0 after Long intercepted a Hoyas pass in the endzone on a fourth-and-three play late in the second period.


1931 Albanian National Championship
The 1931 Albanian National Championship was the second edition of the Albanian National Championship, the top professional league for association football clubs.


1931 Albanian National Championship, Overview
It was contested by 7 teams. The tournament ran from April 19 to July 5, 1931. SK Tirana won the championship. For the 1931 season the league was divided into two groups, Group A consisted of SK Tirana, Bashkimi Shkodran from Shkodër and Sportklub Vlora from Vlorë. Group B consisted of Teuta from Durrës, Skënderbeu from Korçë, SK Elbasani and SK Muzaka from Berat. Urani changed their name to SK Elbasani for this season.


1931 Albanian National Championship, League standings, Group B
Note: 'Bashkimi Shkodran' is the previous name for Vllaznia, 'Sportklub Vlora' is the previous name for Flamurtari and 'SK Muzaka' is the previous name for Tomori


1931 Albanian National Championship, Winning Squad of SK Tirana
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


1931 All England Badminton Championships
The 1931 All England Championships was a badminton tournament held at the Royal Horticultural Hall, Westminster, England from March 3 to March 8, 1931.


1931 All-Big Six Conference football team
The 1931 All-Big Six Conference football team consists of American football players chosen by various organizations for All-Big Six Conference teams for the 1931 college football season. The selectors for the 1931 season included the Associated Press (AP).


1931 All-Big Ten Conference football team
The 1931 All-Big Ten Conference football team consists of American football players selected to the All-Big Ten Conference teams chosen by various selectors for the 1931 Big Ten Conference football season.


1931 All-Big Ten Conference football team, Key
CPT = Captain's team, chosen by votes of captains of Big Ten football teams


1931 All-Big Ten Conference football team, Key
Bold = Consensus first-team selection of the AP and UP


1931 All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
The 1931 All-Ireland Minor Football Championship was the third staging of the All-Ireland Minor Football Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county Gaelic football tournament for boys under the age of 18.


1931 All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
Dublin entered the championship as defending champions, however, they were beaten by Louth in the Leinster quarter-final.


1931 All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
On 20 September 1931, Kerry won the championship following a 3-4 to 0-4 defeat of Louth in the All-Ireland final. This was their first All-Ireland title.


1931 All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship
The 1931 All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship was the fourth staging of the All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1928.


1931 All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship
Tipperary entered the championship as the defending champions, however, they were beaten by Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final.


1931 All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship
On 27 September 1931 Kilkenny won the championship following a 4-7 to 2-3 defeat of Galway in the All-Ireland final. This was their first All-Ireland title.


1931 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The 1931 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship was the 45th staging of Ireland's premier Gaelic football knock-out competition. Kerry were the winners.


1931 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, Results, Ulster Senior Football Championship
An objection was made and the game awarded to Antrim.


1931 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final
The 1931 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final was the 44th All-Ireland Final and the deciding match of the 1931 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, an inter-county Gaelic football tournament for the top teams in Ireland.


1931 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final
Kildare led 0-7 to 0-4 at half-time but Kerry outclassed them in the second half, a defensive mixup allowing a Paul Russell long shot drop into the goals.


1931 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final
It was the second of five All-Ireland football titles won by Kerry in the 1930s.


1931 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The 1931 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship was the 45th staging of the All-Ireland hurling championship since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1887. The championship began on 10 May 1931 and ended on 1 November 1931.


1931 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
Tipperary were the defending champions, however, they were defeated in the provincial series of games. Cork won the title following a 5-8 to 3-4 victory over Kilkenny in a second replay of the final.


1931 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, Format
Quarter-finals: (2 matches) These were two single matches between the first four teams drawn from the province of Leinster. Two teams were eliminated at this stage while the two winning teams advanced to the semi-finals.


1931 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, Format
Semi-finals: (2 matches) The winners of the two quarter-finals joined the two remaining Leinster teams to make up the semi-final pairings. Two teams were eliminated at this stage while the two winning teams advanced to the final.


1931 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, Format
Final: (1 match) The winners of the two semi-finals contested this game. One team was eliminated at this stage while the winning team advanced to the All-Ireland semi-final.


1931 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, Format
Quarter-finals: (2 matches) These were two single matches between the first four teams drawn from the province of Munster. Two teams were eliminated at this stage while the two winning teams advanced to the semi-finals.


1931 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, Format
Semi-final: (1 match) The winners of the two quarter-finals played in this lone semi-final. One team was eliminated at this stage while the winning team advanced to the final.


1931 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, Format
Final: (1 match) The winner of the semi-final and Waterford, who received a bye to this stage of the championship, contested this game. One team was eliminated at this stage while the winning team advanced to the All-Ireland final.


1931 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, Format
Semi-final: (1 match) The winners of the Leinster championship were drawn to play Galway, who received a bye to this stage of the championship. One team was eliminated at this stage while the winning team advanced to the final.


1931 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, Format
Final: (1 match) The winners of the lone semi-final and the Munster champions contested this game with the winners being declared All-Ireland champions.


1931 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final
The first 1931 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final took place on 6 September 1931 at Croke Park, Dublin. It was the 44th All-Ireland final and was contested by Cork and Kilkenny. The match ended in a 1-5 apiece draw. The replay took place at the same venue five weeks later on 11 October 1931. Once again, the sides finished level with both scoring 2-5. An unprecedented second replay took place on 1 November 1931. On that occasion the Leinster champions lost to their Munster opponents on a score line of 5-8 to 3-4.


1931 All-Pacific Coast football team
The 1931 All-Pacific Coast football team consists of American football players chosen by various organizations for All-Pacific Coast teams for the 1931 college football season. The organizations selecting teams in 1934 included the Associated Press (AP), the Newspaper Enterprise Association, and the United Press (UP).


1931 All-Pacific Coast football team, Key
NEA = Newspaper Enterprise Association, "picked by votes of sports writers on western NEA Service newspapers"


1931 All-Pacific Coast football team, Key
Bold = Consensus first-team selection by at least two of the AP, NEA and UP


1931 All-Pro Team
The 1931 All-Pro Team consisted of American football players chosen by various selectors for the All-Pro team of the National Football League (NFL) for the 1931 NFL season. Teams were selected by, among others, the Green Bay Press-Gazette based on the returns of ballots sent to each club in the league as well as sports writers and officials, the United Press (UP), and Collyer's Eye (CE).


1931 All-Pro Team
Players displayed in bold were consensus first-team selections. Four players were unanimously selected for the first team by all three selectors: Portsmouth Spartans quarterback Dutch Clark; Chicago Bears halfback Red Grange; Chicago Cardinals fullback Ernie Nevers; and New York Giants guard Butch Gibson.


1931 All-Southwest Conference football team
The 1931 All-Southwest Conference football team consists of American football players chosen by various organizations for All-Southwest Conference teams for the 1931 college football season. The selectors for the 1931 season included the Associated Press (AP).


1931 Allan Cup
The 1931 Allan Cup was the Canadian national senior ice hockey championship for the 1930-31 Senior season. It was won by the Winnipeg Hockey Club. This team also won the Keane Memorial Cup as Winnipeg's city champions, the Pattinson Cup as Manitoba's provincial champions, as well as the Olympic and world championship held in Lake Placid, New York the following year.


1931 Allan Cup
The roster was: Romeo Rivers, Clifford Crowley, George "Tic" Garbutt, Bill Cockburn (Captain), J. Alston "Stoney" Wise, Hugh Sutherland, Victor Lindquist, Billy Bowman (Trainer), Jack Hughes (Coach), W.J. Robertson (Manager), W.R. Bawlf (President), D.G. Thomson (Vice-President), Johnny Myers (Asst. Manager), J. Drake (Trainer), Foster Woolley, Stanley Wagner, Harold "Hack" Simpson, Roy Henkel, and Ken Moore.


1931 Allan Cup
The 1913 & 1931 Winnipeg Hockey Club were inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame in the team category.


1931 American Soccer League, Overview
At the start of this season the American Soccer League was in decline, suffering from the effects of the Great Depression. Clubs had begun to fold, merge and disappear. The eventual champions, New Bedford Whalers, had been formed by Sam Mark following the merger of Fall River F.C. and New York Yankees. Long time ASL members Brooklyn Wanderers folded before the season. However New York Americans, later to become a perennial contender in the second ASL, made their debut.


1931 American Soccer League, Overview
The season began on February 29, 1931. The first half ended on May 31, 1931. The second half began September 19, 1931, and the season concluded on December 27, 1931. The season saw strong performances by New Bedford Whalers,  New York Giants and a resurgent Pawtucket Rangers. Hakoah All-Stars improved markedly to take fourth place. Although the Whalers won this season, they lost the playoff series for the overall 1931 champion, being defeated by Spring 1931 champions New York Giants in a play-off. Whalers took the first game at home 8-3 before the Giants came back to win 6-0, taking the series on a 9-8 aggregate score.


1931 Annandale state by-election
The 1931 Annandale state by-election was held on 18 April 1931 for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Annandale because the seat of Robert Stuart-Robertson (Labor) was declared vacant on 9 April 1931 as he had been declared bankrupt.


1931 Annandale state by-election
Stuart-Robertson re-contested and was returned with a reduced majority. There was some controversy over using Anzac Day for the by-election. He defeated the Independent candidate Harry Meatheringham who had contested four previous elections in the seats of Auburn, North Shore and North Sydney, as well as Communist William Morrison and another Independent Martha Simpson, two first time candidates who never stood again.


1931 Argentine Primera División
The 1931 Primera División season was the 40th season of top-flight football in Argentina and the first to be professional in the country, after eighteen clubs broke away from the amateur league structure to form the professional league, "Liga Argentina de Football" (LAF). The inaugural champions was Boca Juniors led by coach Mario Fortunato. The top scorer of the championship was Alberto Zozaya of Estudiantes de La Plata with 33 goals.


1931 Argentine Primera División
The official body (AFA) remained amateur under the denomination "Asociación Amateurs Argentina de Football".


1931 Argentine Primera División, Final tables, Championship playoff
Estudiantil Porteño and Almagro finished level on points at the top of the table, so a championship playoff was played to proclaim a champion.


1931 Argentine general election
The Argentine general election of 1931 was held on 8 November.


1931 Argentine general election, Background
Following months of protest triggered in part by the onset of the great depression, a quiet coup d'état deposed the aging Hipólito Yrigoyen in September 1930. His country's first leader elected via universal suffrage (though without the participation of women), Yrigoyen had strained alliances within his own centrist Radical Civic Union (UCR) through frequent interventions against willful governors and had set business powerhouses such as Standard Oil against him through his support of YPF, the state oil concern founded in 1922.


1931 Argentine general election, Background
Staging its first coup since 1861, the Argentine military, then dominated by conservative, rural interests, called on José Félix Uriburu, a retired general and member of the Supreme War Council, to assume the role of Provisional President. Uriburu, the nephew of former President José Evaristo Uriburu, had no taste for politics and was in ailing health.


1931 Argentine general election, Background
He nevertheless set down an ambitious agenda, entrusting his Interior Minister, Matías Sánchez Sorondo, to replace the 1912 Sáenz Peña Law (which provided for universal male suffrage and the secret ballot) with one promoting a single, ruling party not unlike the one that kept the landowner-oriented National Autonomist Party (PAN) in power from 1874 to 1916. Aligning themselves behind the relatively moderate National Democratic Party, conservatives were defeated in gubernatorial polls in the paramount Province of Buenos Aires in April 1931. The results not only raised hopes for the centrist, urban-oriented UCR, it also persuaded Uriburu that Sanchez Sorondo's "electoral reform" would not keep conservatives in power, in and of itself.


1931 Argentine general election, Background
The UCR turned to Marcelo Torcuato de Alvear for leadership ahead of the November 1931 elections. The scion of one of Argentina's traditional landed families and President from 1922 to 1928, Alvear's alliance with Yrigoyen soured as he challenged the latter's personality cult (hence his creation of a splinter, "Antipersonalist" UCR). The seasoned Alvear, however, took care to assuage the still-popular Yrigoyen's objections by naming former Salta Province Governor Adolfo Güemes (a staunch Yrigoyen supporter) as his running mate.


1931 Argentine general election, Background
Facing a recovered and nearly-unified UCR, President Uriburu dispensed with his previous pledge to restore constitutional order and annulled the Buenos Aires Province elections. He also promoted the Argentine Civic Legion, an armed fascist organization entrusted to intimidate the opposition. Alvear's establishment of a Renewal Junta helped lead to a violent July 20 clash with Uriburu's forces in Corrientes Province, which gave the President the pretext for ordering Alvear's deportation, a few days later. Deprived of their candidate, the UCR boycotted the 1931 election, though party committees in a number of provinces participated in the November polls.


1931 Argentine general election, Background
The support of UCR Senator Leopoldo Melo (the leader of the anti-Yrigoyen faction of the party) and Uriburu for retired General Agustín Justo as candidate resulted in the Concordance. This new, conservative alliance heeded Uriburu's sage advice during their nominating convention, sidestepping imposing landowners in favor of Justo, who had been President Alvear's War Minister in the 1920s, They picked former Córdoba Governor Julio Roca as his running mate; Roca, the son of the late PAN leader, Julio A. Roca, had led the Democratic Party of Córdoba.


1931 Argentine general election, Background
The Democratic Progressive Party (PDP), known for its anti-corruption platform, nominated Senator Lisandro de la Torre, who also earned the endorsement of the Socialist Party of Argentina, a party in search of leadership following the passing of Juan B. Justo, in 1928. The alliance alienated conservatives in the PDP, however, who instead endorsed the aging Francisco A. Barroetaveña, a former Senator who ran on a UCR ticket limited to his Entre Ríos Province. Barroetaveña, who helped found the UCR in 1890, broke with Yrigoyen during the 1920s and hoped to rally the exiled Alvear's supporters behind him.


1931 Argentine general election, Background
Ultimately, voter intimidation and widespread irregularities helped give the National Democratic-led Concordance a sizable victory on election night. The electoral college, however, which counted the conservatives' ad hoc Lista Única (Unified List) separately, was far more closely divided: 135 for Justo, 124 for de la Torre, and 117 for the numerous UCR tickets who defied Alvear's boycott (including Barroetaveña's). As most of these splinter UCR tickets were led by conservative figures opposed to the muck-raking Senator de la Torre, their pledge of most of their 117 electors handed Justo the Presidency.


1931 Arizona State Bulldogs football team
The 1931 Arizona State Bulldogs football team was an American football team that represented Arizona State Teachers College (later renamed Arizona State University) in the Border Conference during the 1931 college football season. In their second season under head coach Ted Shipkey, the Bulldogs compiled a 6–2 record (3–1 against conference opponents), won the conference championship, and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 169 to 66. The team captain was fullback Horace Smitheran. The Bulldogs finished 4–1 at home and 2–1 on the road. Home games were played at Irish Field in Tempe, Arizona.


1931 Arizona State Bulldogs football team, Game summaries
In the season opener on September 26, Arizona State defeated the Sacaton Indians, 66-0, in Tempe.


1931 Arizona State Bulldogs football team, Game summaries
On October 3, the Bulldogs dropped a 27-13 road game at College of Mines and Metallurgy of the University of Texas (later renamed University of Texas at El Paso).


1931 Arizona State Bulldogs football team, Game summaries
On October 17, Arizona State defeated New Mexico State 25-7 at Irish Field.


1931 Arizona State Bulldogs football team, Game summaries
On October 24, the Bulldogs recorded a 20-6 road victory against Arizona State Teachers College at Flagstaff (ASTCF, later renamed Northern Arizona University).


1931 Arizona State Bulldogs football team, Game summaries
On October 31, in the Arizona–Arizona State football rivalry game in Tempe, Arizona State beat Arizona 19-6.


1931 Arizona State Bulldogs football team, Game summaries
On November 7, the Bulldogs earned a 7-0 road shutout win over Fresno State.


1931 Arizona State Bulldogs football team, Game summaries
On November 14, Arizona State fell to ASTCF 13-7 at Irish Field.


1931 Arizona State Bulldogs football team, Game summaries
On November 21, the Bulldogs closed the season by defeating the Arizona All-Stars 13-7 in Tempe.


1931 Arizona State Bulldogs football team, Roster
The usual Arizona State lineup included left end Wilburn Dick, left tackle Cecil McCullar, left guard Earl McCullar, center Reid Calicoat, right guard Paul Griffin, right tackle Don Pace, right end Bob Smith, quarterback Howard "Curley" Blount, halfbacks Norris Steverson and Bill Baxter, and fullback Horace Smitheran.


1931 Arizona State Bulldogs football team, Roster
Bob Adams, Guideo Cislaghi, Norman Clements, Ben Cole, Anson Cooper, and Howard Curry were also on the roster.


1931 Arizona State Bulldogs football team, Awards and honors
Halfback Norris Steverson earned Associated Press (AP) All-American honorable mention honors for the 1931 football season.


1931 Arizona State Bulldogs football team, Awards and honors
Steverson, right guard Paul Griffin, and left end Dick Wilburn earned All-Southern Conference honors for the 1931 campaign.


1931 Arizona Wildcats football team
The 1931 Arizona Wildcats football team represented the University of Arizona in the Border Conference during the 1931 college football season. In their first and only season under head coach Fred Enke, the Wildcats compiled a 3–5–1 record (1–1–1 against Border opponents), finished third in the conference, and were outscored by their opponents, 149 to 72. The team captain was Horace Collier. The team played its home games at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Arizona.


1931 Arkansas Razorbacks football team
The 1931 Arkansas Razorbacks football team represented the University of Arkansas in the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1931 college football season. In their third year under head coach Fred Thomsen, the Razorbacks compiled a 3–5–1 record (0–4 against SWC opponents), finished in last place in the SWC, and were outscored by their opponents by a combined total of 126 to 82.


1931 Army Cadets football team
The 1931 Army Cadets football team represented the United States Military Academy in the 1931 college football season. In their second season under head coach Ralph Sasse, the Cadets compiled an 8–2–1 record, shut out four of their eleven opponents, and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 296 to 72. In the annual Army–Navy Game, the Cadets defeated the Midshipmen 17–7. The Cadets also defeated Notre Dame, 12 to 0. Army's two losses were to Harvard by a point and a 26–0 shutout at Pittsburgh.


1931 Army Cadets football team
Right End Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Jr. broke his neck making a tackle in the tie with Yale and died two days later of his injuries.


1931 Army Cadets football team
Two Army players were recognized on the All-America team. Tackle Jack Price received first-team honors from the International News Service (INS) and Central Press Association (CP), and halfback Ray Stecker received third-team honors from the INS.


1931 Ashton-under-Lyne by-election
The Ashton-Under-Lyne by-election of 1931 was held on 30 April. It was triggered by the death of the town's Labour MP, Albert Bellamy, and resulted in a victory for the Conservative candidate, Col John Broadbent.


1931 Ashton-under-Lyne by-election
This was the first election contested by Oswald Mosley's New Party, which had only been formed on 1 March that year after Mosley had resigned from the Labour Party. The furious crowd on the market ground by the town hall shouted down Mosley as he tried to speak after the declaration, calling him a traitor and blaming him for Labour's defeat. He is reputed to have said to his aide, John Strachey: "That is the crowd that has prevented anyone doing anything in England since the (First World) War." Strachey believed that it was at that point that British fascism was born.


1931 Ashton-under-Lyne by-election
Mosley had been seriously ill with pleurisy and pneumonia, preventing him from taking part in the campaign until its last week. During the campaign there were huge crowds to hear Mosley's wife, Lady Cynthia, speak. However, the Ashton Reporter felt that these were artificially swelled by the many girls who wanted to admire the clothes worn by the glamorous Lady Cynthia.


1931 Ashton-under-Lyne by-election
The Labour Party hoped to hold the seat, and narrowed its choice of possible candidates to two: Stan Awbery, an activist in the Transport and General Workers' Union, based in Wales, and John William Gordon, an Irish-born Catholic who was chief accountant of the National Union of Railwaymen. Concerns that the substantial number of Catholics in the seat might have become disillusioned with the party led to the selection of Gordon to contest the seat.


1931 Assembly of Representatives election
Elections to the Assembly of Representatives were held in Mandatory Palestine on 5 January 1931. Mapai emerged as the largest party, winning 27 of the 71 seats.


1931 Assembly of Representatives election, Electoral system
Voter choice was limited by ethnic group; Ashkenazi Jews could only vote for Ashkenazi lists, whilst Sephardic Jews and Yemenite Jews were similarly constrained. A total of 18 lists contested the election. The number of seats in the Assembly was reduced from 221 to 71.


1931 Assembly of Representatives election, Campaign
The elections were boycotted by Agudat Yisrael in protest at women being allowed to vote and the Yishuv's approach to religious education and ritual slaughter.


1931 Assembly of Representatives election, Aftermath
Following the elections, the Assembly elected the 23-member Jewish National Council, with eleven elected from Mapai, four from the Sephardim Bloc, three from Mizrachi, three from the General Zionists and two from smaller parties. The Revisionists refused to join the Council on the basis that the Assembly had refused to pass three resolutions it presented on not taking part in the Legislative Council, overturning the decision of the Jewish Agency to take part in a round table conference or to not send members to negotiate with the British government.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1931 Atlantic hurricane season included the deadliest hurricane in the history of Belize (then known as British Honduras). A total of 13 tropical storms were recorded during the season, which was the most since 1916. However, only three of them intensified into hurricanes and just one reached major hurricane intensity, which is Category 3 or higher on the modern-day Saffir–Simpson scale. Nine of the tropical cyclones were identified in real-time, while evidence of the existence of four other tropical cyclones was uncovered by the Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project in 2012 and added to the Atlantic hurricane database. Additionally, two of the tropical storms were upgraded to hurricane status as part of the reanalysis.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season
Overall, the first four tropical cyclones left mostly minor impact on land. In early September, the fifth system caused severe flooding in Puerto Rico, leaving considerable damage to sugarcane crops and causing at least 30 deaths. Just days later, the British Honduras hurricane formed in the Caribbean Sea. The most intense tropical cyclone of the season, it peaked as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 km/h). Striking British Honduras at peak intensity, the hurricane caused about 2,500 deaths and about $7.5 million (1931 USD) in damage there. It remains the deadliest hurricane in the history of Belize. The next hurricane caused significant damage in Puerto Rico and resulted in at least two fatalities. The remaining six tropical cyclones left little to no impacts on land.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Season summary
Tropical cyclogenesis began in late June, with a system developing over the western Caribbean Sea on June 24. The storm struck Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula and Texas before dissipating on June 28. In July, a cyclone also developed over the western Caribbean and struck the Yucatan Peninsula and Louisiana. August was slightly more active, featuring two tropical systems. Four cyclones originated in the month of September, including all of the season's three hurricanes. The sixth system, also known as the British Honduras hurricane, developed over the southeastern Caribbean on September 6.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Season summary
It became the most intense cyclone of the season, peaking as a Category 4 hurricane on the modern day Saffir–Simpson scale with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 km/h). The hurricane made landfall in Belize at peak intensity on September 10. In October, two additional cyclones formed, though both remained well under hurricane intensity. The season's final three tropical cyclones developed in the month of November, with the last dissipating near the Bahamas on November 25.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Season summary
A total of thirteen tropical cyclones developed, the most since 1916, though many remained weak, with only three intensifying into a hurricane. Only one system, the British Honduras hurricane, reached major hurricane status, which is Category 3 or higher on the Saffir–Simpson scale. Most of the storms also impacted land, but few left deaths or inflicted serious damage. Six of the systems made landfall or moved across the Yucatán Peninsula. Overall, the tropical cyclones of the season collectively resulted in $7.6 million in damage and approximately 2,533 deaths, with the vast majority of the destruction being caused by the British Honduras hurricane.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Season summary
The season's total activity was reflected with an accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) rating of 48, far below the 1931–1943 average of 91.2, even though the season featured the highest number of tropical storms since 1916. In contrast, the previous season had an ACE value of 50, despite having 10 fewer tropical storms than the 1931 season. ACE is a metric used to express the energy used by a tropical cyclone during its lifetime. Therefore, a storm with a longer duration will have high values of ACE. It is only calculated at six-hour increments in which specific tropical and subtropical systems are either at or above sustained wind speeds of 39 mph (63 km/h), which is the threshold for tropical storm intensity. Thus, tropical depressions are not included here.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm One
Around 12:00 UTC on June 24, the season's first tropical cyclone developed just offshore the Yucatán Peninsula. It moved slowly north and intensified into a tropical storm six hours later in accordance with data from a nearby ship. After attaining peak winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) early on June 25, the storm struck the Yucatán Peninsula and subsequently emerged into the Gulf of Mexico. It did not intensify while over water, instead making a second landfall on the southern Texas coast at 22:00 UTC on June 27, with winds of 45 mph (75 km/h). The system weakened to a tropical depression eight hours later, dissipating over southern Texas after 18:00 UTC on June 28.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm One
High tides in Boca Chica Village, Texas, in advance of the storm swept over a highway and bridge. Officials undertook evacuations along the coastline. Localized but significant rainfall fell across South Texas, maximized at 12.6 in (320 mm) in Runno, inundating some streets in Corpus Christi to a depth of 2–3 ft (0.6–0.9 m). Winds there peaked at 39 mph (63 km/h). Rising creeks and rivers throughout Kleburg County inundated the cotton and feed crops, and farther west in Hebbronville, hundreds of acres of land were flooded. Rising water along the Texas Mexican Railway inundated some tracks, delaying trains for several hours.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Two
Another tropical depression formed in the western Caribbean around 06:00 UTC on July 11, this time about 75 mi (120 km) northeast of the Honduras–Nicaragua border. It moved west-northwest without development, striking near Chetumal, Quintana Roo, late on July 12 as a tropical depression. As the cyclone progressed across the Yucatán Peninsula, it developed into a tropical storm early the next day as supported by surface observations. The storm banked north once in the Gulf of Mexico and attained peak winds of 70 mph (110 km/h) late on July 14, based on observations from a ship.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Two
However, it remains possible that the storm briefly intensified into a hurricane. Some weakening occurred before the system made landfall along the coastline of central Louisiana with winds of 60 mph (95 km/h). The cyclone moved north-northwest, weakening to a tropical depression on July 16 and ultimately dissipating south of Tulsa, Oklahoma, after 06:00 UTC the following morning.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Two
The storm caused marginal damage to the Louisiana coast, snapping some trees and flooding some streets following about 4 in (100 mm) of rain. At Frenier, a small town along the western coast of Lake Pontchartrain, 100 head of cattle were lost to storm surge. The rough surf atop the 6 ft (1.8 m) tide generated along the Mississippi coast damaged some piers and sank several small boats. In the Bay St. Louis area, telephone and telegraph connections were severed by the storm. A boxcar traversing the Illinois Central Railroad at Gulfport was derailed into the sea after part of the track was impacted by storm surge. Further west, the cyclone enhanced the high tide at Caplen, Texas and Gilchrist, Texas, resulting in the evacuation of a hundred people.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Three
A tropical depression developed between Saint Vincent and Saint Lucia around 18:00 UTC on August 10. It intensified into a tropical storm twelve hours later. As the cyclone turned to the west from the west-northwest, it continued to intensify, reaching maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) late on August 12. It made landfall a short distance south of Belize City, Belize, around 20:00 UTC on August 15 with slightly weaker winds of 50 mph (85 km/h).


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Three
While the system fell to tropical depression intensity while over land, it intensified into a tropical storm over the Bay of Campeche early on August 17, regaining peak strength as it made landfall north of Veracruz, Veracruz, just after 12:00 UTC on August 18. The cyclone quickly weakened once inland and dissipated after 00:00 UTC on August 19.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Three
While land stations in Mexico did not observe gale force winds, the Honduran steamship Morazan recorded sustained winds of 46 mph (74 km/h) while stationed at the harbor in Frontera, Tabasco. After the cyclone emerged into the Gulf of Mexico, several ports in the state of Veracruz closed to boat traffic in anticipation of the storm.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Four
A tropical depression developed about 70 miles (110 km) north of Barbados around 06:00 UTC on August 16. It moved northwest through the Leeward Islands over the next few hours. While officially recognized as a tropical storm beginning at 06:00 UTC the next morning, there are no conclusive indications that the system ever attained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h); the lack of substantive evidence simply prevented a downgrade during the Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project. Nevertheless, the weak cyclone progressed through the U.S. Virgin Islands and into the southwestern Atlantic, where it fell to tropical depression intensity early on August 18. The cyclone curved to the north-northeast and dissipated after 06:00 UTC on August 21.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Four
A station at the Dominica Botanical Gardens in Roseau, Dominica, recorded 5.4 in (140 mm) of rainfall, accompanied by gusty, albeit non-damaging winds. The storm generated abnormally high tides in New Jersey. At Atlantic City, about 150 people were caught in the undertows, with 1 death occurring, 4 others suffering serious injuries, and 1 person missing.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Five
As part of the Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project, a previously unidentified tropical cyclone was found to have developed just north of the Leeward Islands by 00:00 UTC on September 1, although this could have occurred sooner. It moved nearly due west throughout its lifespan, intensifying to a tropical storm early on September 3 and making landfall along the coastline of northeastern Hispaniola around 14:00 UTC that day with winds of 45 mph (75 km/h). Weakening ensued over the island, and the system degenerated into an open trough after 00:00 UTC on September 4. The remnants of the cyclone were later absorbed by a frontal system off the U.S. East Coast after September 9.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Five
Downpours associated with the system caused a flood disaster in Puerto Rico. According to reports, up to 3.28 in (83.3 mm) in 24 hours caused many rivers to overflow their banks. The normally dry Portugués River was transformed into a torrent of water that carried many small houses and huts downstream, crashing them into a bridge leading to the harbor front in Ponce. There, 90 houses were destroyed and an additional 120 were damaged; this included the Residencia Jacobo Cabassa, considered one of the finest buildings on the island.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Five
The flood, in conjunction with landslides, caused significant damage to roads and bridges. Adjacent to Ponce, the Río Inabón caused damage to warehouses. Considerable loss was imposed upon the growing sugarcane crop in Puerto Rico's valleys. Initial reports feared up to 200 people were killed. In the immediate wake of the storm, 30 bodies were recovered, though swollen rivers prevented access to hard-hit locations and that number was expected to increase. Governor Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ordered all government departments to assist in search and rescue, while the Red Cross cared for 250 homeless in Ponce.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Hurricane Six
A tropical wave emerged from Africa on August 28. The wave may have developed into a tropical cyclone over the eastern Atlantic at the end of August, though evidence is inconclusive. Given the absence of abundant evidence beforehand, a tropical depression is assessed to have developed about 65 miles (100 km) west of Grenada by 18:00 UTC on September 6. The system moved west-northwest through the Caribbean, becoming a tropical storm six hours after formation and a hurricane late on September 8.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Hurricane Six
Still intensifying, it reached peak strength as a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 130 mph (215 km/h) before making a devastating landfall around Belize City, Belize, at 20:00 UTC on September 10. It fell to tropical storm intensity before crossing the Bay of Campeche, where its exact intensity is unknown given sparse data. The system ultimately made landfall north of Tampico, Tamaulipas, early on September 13 as a minimal tropical storm. It weakened to a tropical depression shortly after moving inaldn and dissipated after 12:00 UTC that day.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Hurricane Six
The approach of the hurricane in Belize coincided with celebrations for the Battle of St. George's Caye. Local residents gathered in the street and were apathetic to the cyclone, both because warnings from U.S. ships in the region may have been withheld, and because residents believed local reefs would stunt the impact of any approaching storm. St. George's Caye was reportedly left in ruin. Upon landfall on the mainland, the system delivered winds up to 132 mph (212 km/h) and a large storm surge in Belize City, inundating streets to a depth of 5–9 ft (2–3 m).


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Hurricane Six
Seventy percent of the city was destroyed, including all properties on six streets being completely washed away. All agricultural plantations within the vicinity of Belize City, as well as along the Belize River, were razed. The mouth of the Belize River was obstructed by the wreckage of numerous small boats, including six schooners and a 200 t (200,000 kg) dredge. Overall, damage throughout Belize was estimated at $7.5 million. The storm killed approximately 2,500 people, signifying the deadliest hurricane on record in Belize and one of the deadliest on record in the Atlantic basin.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Hurricane Seven
A tropical storm was first noted about 455 miles (730 km) northeast of Barbados around 18:00 UTC on September 8. It intensified on a west-northwest course, becoming a hurricane early on September 10 prior to moving through the U.S. Virgin Islands. The hurricane continued into Puerto Rico – making landfall on the north coast of the island on September 11 – defying initial projections that it would pass safely north. Early on September 12, the storm struck near Punta Cana, Dominican Republic as a minimal hurricane.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Hurricane Seven
The cyclone weakened to a tropical storm as it moved south of due west across Haiti, Jamaica, and the western Caribbean. At 19:00 UTC on September 14, it made another landfall north of Belize's border with the Yucatán Peninsula as a strong tropical storm. The cyclone emerged into the Bay of Campeche and quickly strengthened to its peak as a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph (160 km/h), making a final landfall just east of Veracruz, Veracruz, at 06:00 UTC on September 16 at that intensity. It rapidly weakened once inland and dissipated after 18:00 UTC.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Hurricane Seven
As the system traversed the Caribbean Islands, it produced maximum winds of 60 mph (97 km/h) on St. Thomas. Due to its small stature, damage in Puerto Rico was mainly confined to the San Juan district, and in fact, many residents across the island were unaware a hurricane had occurred. A total of 200 homes were unroofed in the hardest-hit areas, and flooding from the previous disaster just days earlier was exacerbated. The home of the governor sustained water damage. Fruit, coffee, grapefruit, and coconut districts were most severely impacted, though the coffee suffered only minor losses.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Hurricane Seven
At least two people were killed. In the immediate wake of the storm, motorcycle police reported a number of people drowned, but no concrete figure was given. Along the coastline, small craft were pushed onshore. The Spanish training ship Juan Sebastián de Elcano dumped 2,500 cases of garlic into the San Juan Harbor and suffered two small holes through her plates after being battered by the storm. The steamer Cerrito was swept onto a reef as well. Two people were hurt in vessels along the coast, including one who sustained a broken ship while being knocked into a ship's railing.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Hurricane Seven
Eight people were injured in total, including the head of the Weather Bureau who fell from an anemometer tower during a lull in the cyclone. Communication lines were severed across Puerto Rico. In the neighboring Dominican Republic, Pan-American Airways reported that the Santo Domingo power plant was disabled. In Mexico, the strongest wind speed recorded during the storm's first landfall was 51 mph (82 km/h) at Chetumal, Quintana Roo. The city of Veracruz observed winds of 95 mph (153 km/h). The hurricane unroofed many homes and toppled a number of trees, while warehouses and docks were demolished. Numerous ships sank in the Veracruz harbor. Damage in the city exceeded $100,000. Strong winds knocked out communications at Alvarado and Boca del Río.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Hurricane Eight
A tropical depression formed about 635 miles (1,020 km) northeast of the Leeward Islands around 06:00 UTC on September 23. The cyclone maintained a general northward heading throughout its duration. Peripheral data from nearby ships indicate it attained tropical storm intensity early on September 24 and gradually strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane four days later, with peak winds of 75 mph (120 km/h). A gradual weakening trend ensued thereafter, and the storm transitioned into an extratropical cyclone around 00:00 UTC on September 28 while to the southeast of Newfoundland. The post-tropical low turned northeast and persisted for a little over a day before it was absorbed by a front or dissipated.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Nine
Another tropical cyclone was discovered as a part of the Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project. A tropical depression, which may have originated from a decaying frontal boundary, formed north of Cat Island in the Bahamas around 12:00 UTC on October 13. The cyclone moved west-northwest through the northern archipelago islands but failed to reach tropical storm intensity until early on October 15, when it had curved northeast away from the Bahamas. The broad system attained peak winds of 45 mph (75 km/h) before transitioning into an extratropical cyclone and combining with a nearby low by 12:00 UTC on October 16 to the west of Bermuda.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Ten
A broad trough or area of low pressure persisted in the western Caribbean Sea for a few days before organizing into a tropical depression north of Honduras around 12:00 UTC on October 18. It intensified into a tropical storm six hours later while moving northeast. The cyclone made landfall in central Cuba at 18:00 UTC on October 19 with winds of 45 mph (75 km/h); these winds mark its peak intensity as a tropical storm.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Ten
After crossing Cuba, it continued through the Bahamas and into the western Atlantic, where it transitioned into an extratropical cyclone southwest of Bermuda by 00:00 UTC on October 21. The post-tropical low acquired peak winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) before dissipating east of Bermuda after 18:00 UTC the next day.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Eleven
Yet another tropical cyclone identified in the Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project began as a tropical depression north of the Honduras–Nicaragua border around 12:00 UTC on November 1. It intensified into a tropical storm early the next day and later attained maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h). For most of its duration, these winds were located 85–230 miles (135–370 km) from the center, suggesting the storm displayed some characteristics of a subtropical cyclone. After reaching its peak, the system began a gradual weakening trend and meandered over the western Caribbean Sea. It dissipated north of Honduras after 18:00 UTC on November 5.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Twelve
Another previously undocumented tropical cyclone began as an area of low pressure that persisted over the southwestern Caribbean Sea for several days in early November. It organized into a tropical depression by 12:00 UTC on November 11 and strengthened to a tropical storm early the next day. The system curved toward the north-northwest, narrowly avoiding Honduras and Nicaragua, but banked back toward the west-northwest thereafter and attained peak winds of 50 mph (85 km/h). The cyclone did not further strengthen in the western Caribbean, instead making landfall near Chetumal around 04:00 UTC on November 16 as a minimal tropical storm. It weakened over the Yucatán Peninsula and emerged into the Bay of Campeche, where the storm lost its closed circulation and dissipated after 18:00 UTC on November 16.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Thirteen
The season's final system was first identified as a tropical storm north of the Leeward Islands around 06:00 UTC on November 22. Stormy weather was recorded on Antigua, and on Saint Lucia, a high tide coupled with 3.5 inches (89 mm) of rain in three hours flooded one building. The storm traveled west-northwest for two days before curving southwest, reaching peak winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) while doing so. Turning southwestward, the system weakened on approach to the Bahamas and dissipated after 18:00 UTC on November 25 to the northeast of Little Abaco Island. As part of the Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project, it was noted that this system may have been a subtropical cyclone for a portion of its duration.


1931 Atlantic hurricane season, Season effects
The following table lists all of the storms that formed in the 1931 Atlantic hurricane season. It includes their duration, names, areas affected, damages, and death totals. Deaths in parentheses are indirect (an example of an indirect death would be a traffic accident), but were still related to that storm. Damage and deaths include totals from the storm's precursor and its remnants, and all of the damage figures are in 1931 USD.


1931 Auburn Tigers baseball team
The 1931 Auburn Tigers baseball team represented the Auburn Tigers of the Auburn University in the 1931 NCAA baseball season.


1931 Auburn Tigers football team
The 1931 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 1931 Southern Conference football season. Led by second-year head coach Chet A. Wynne, the team went 5–3–1, which was the team's first winning season since 1925.


1931 Auburn Tigers football team
1931 was the first and only time Auburn has played the University of Wisconsin during the regular season, though they have since played twice in bowl games.


1931 Auckland City mayoral election
The 1931 Auckland City mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. In 1931, elections were held for the Mayor of Auckland plus other local government positions including twenty-one city councillors. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season
The inaugural Fox Memorial Shield was won by Marist Old Boys who defeated Devonport United 12–5 in the final round to win by 2 competition points over the same side. This was Marists second ever first grade title after previously winning it in 1924. Devonport United did however win the Roope Rooster competition defeating Ponsonby United in the final. This was their second time winning the Roope Rooster after they won the inaugural title in 1915. They also beat Marist Old Boys to win the Stormont Shield Trophy for the second year in a row.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season
Alongside these feats Devonport also won the inaugural reserve grade competition with a 5–5 draw in the final securing them the 1 competition point they needed to edge out Ponsonby United. Richmond Rovers won the Stallard Cup by winning the reserve grade knockout competition, defeating Newton Rangers reserves in the final 13–5.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season
On the final day of the season Mr. Samuel Harris of the Newton Rangers team had a heart attack while running with the ball in the final of the Seven-A-Side charity tournament. The game was called off with no result given. He had played with Newton for 2 seasons after moving to Auckland from Hikurangi. He was single and 26 years of age at the time.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season
Eastern Suburbs toured New Zealand at the end of the season and played 5 matches including 3 at Carlaw Park against Devonport, Devonport-Marist combined, and an Auckland Colts side.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, Fox Memorial Shield replaces Monteith Shield
It was the first season where the premier senior teams had competed for the Fox Memorial Shield. Prior to 1931 the trophy awarded was the Monteith Shield (1920–1930), and before that the Myers Cup (1910–14) (there were no trophies awarded during WW1 despite the first grade championship being competed for each season).


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, Fox Memorial Shield replaces Monteith Shield
The donor of the Monteith Shield had wrote to the league asking permission to withdraw the trophy from club competition and that the league play for a new trophy named after Edward Vincent Fox who had passed away the season previous and who had been heavily involved in Auckland Rugby League for a long period of time. The new trophy was being donated by friends of Fox. The trophy was finished and presented to the league in September.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, Fox Memorial Shield replaces Monteith Shield
It was described thus; "measuring 27 inches across by 22 inches deep, the base is a handsome sample of polished rimu, with overlay of contrasting puriri, on which is an ornate centrepiece in oxidised silver depicting an incident of play in the New Zealand v Australia match of 1926". The donators of the trophy even went to the extent of sending the silver piece to England to have it effectively reproduced.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, Fox Memorial Shield replaces Monteith Shield
The Auckland City Council Parks Committee designated the following of its grounds to the league code: Auckland Domain (2), Outer Domain (1), Victoria Park, Auckland (1), Walker Road (2), Western Springs (1), Grey Lynn Park (1), and 1 additional ground at Grey Lynn to alternate between rugby and league.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, Financial statement and annual report – From childhood to manhood
The annual report to be filed at the annual general meeting showed that the league had a £9,711 5/9 surplus with total assets of £10,534 19/4. As there were smaller crowds in 1930 the gate receipts were £2,282 12/, down from £3,465 10/5 in 1929. The Junior Management Committee reported that the number of juniors registered was 1,930 compared with 984 the previous year, and 63 teams took the field.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, Financial statement and annual report – From childhood to manhood
At the annual general meeting Mr. James Carlaw said that "this is a very important meeting, as we have now reached our twenty-first birthday, and have developed from childhood to manhood". Mr. Phelan presented trophies to the various winners from the previous season. At the Devonport annual meeting Mr. A. Ferguson who was a member of the New Zealand Council and who was presiding over the meeting said that the league game in New Zealand needed to follow the Australian model. He stated that they "demonstrated the value of physical fitness, which was produced by intensive, scientific training".


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, Senior competition restructuring and Carlaw Park gate takings
A management committee meeting which also included the special committee setup the previous year to look into the restructuring of the Senior A and Senior B competitions adjusted their original plans. It had been decided at the end of the 1930 season to reduce the Senior A competition from eight teams to six, thus forcing teams into merging with one another. After the meeting this was adjusted to seven teams. The teams would be Devonport, Richmond Rovers, Ellerslie-Otahuhu (which also included the Mangere club, who could then choose their own name), Marist Old Boys, City, Newton, and Ponsonby United. The Kingsland team which had been removed from the A grade asked for permission to join with the Marist Old Boys.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, Senior competition restructuring and Carlaw Park gate takings
The B grade (essentially the second division which had run from 1925–1930) was still to be eliminated. The league would encourage B grade players to try out for the reserve grade teams in the A grade clubs.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, Senior competition restructuring and Carlaw Park gate takings
In a major development for the rugby league game in Auckland the special committee recommended that winning teams would be granted 12.5% of the net gate takings each weekend with losing teams sharing a "trifle less". The league would also enforce a rule where every Senior A club must field a reserve grade team "of sufficient calibre to satisfy the management committee". If they failed to do so they would be vulnerable to being removed from the A grade. The league also reserved the right to set the two lowest teams together at the end of the season against each other in a match and eliminating the losers, or compelling them to improve their standard of play or withdraw from the league.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, Eastern Suburbs tour of New Zealand
In mid October the Eastern Suburbs club team from Sydney toured New Zealand. They began their tour with a match against Northland in Whangarei before meeting Devonport at Carlaw Park the very next day. They then travelled to Hamilton where they played South Auckland while also fitting in a trip to see the sights of Rotorua. Eastern Suburbs then travelled back to Auckland where they played against a combined Marist-Devonport team, and an Auckland Colts side before returning home with 4 wins and a loss.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, Rule changes
At the Management Committee meeting prior to the start of the season it was decided to adhere to the latest rules, where a team forcing the ball in their own in goal area would take a drop kick from the 25-yard line as opposed from their own try line. There was an adjustment to the weight allowance from the fourth grade down, and sixth grade players should be under 18 and a half on 1 May. At a following Management Committee meeting it was reported that the English Rugby League had advised that at scrum put in's the loose head would be transferred from the defending team to the attacking team.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, Rule changes
On 15 August a referee was assaulted by a player after a match between the City and Newmarket Fourth Grade teams at Western Springs. He had ordered off a player from each team. The City player came back on the field and his team refused to remove him so the referee called the match off. He was then harassed by a number of players and one of them then fought with him, "the pair rolled on the ground fighting for a few minutes, the referee holding his own until some spectators intervened and separated" them.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, New clubs at Papakura and Glenora, and several amalgamations
On March 26 the Papakura Rugby League club was formed with 60 players enrolling. They applied to the Papakura Town Board for use of the reserve at Papakura. This was granted as the entire club had switched over from Rugby Union meaning they had no competition for the field. The council said that if a representative rugby game was being played on the field then the league team could use Prince Edward Park (which later became their home ground and remains so to this day). On Saturday, 18 April they played a practice match with Mount Wellington at Papakura. The match was won by Mt Wellington by 8 points to 5. Papakura's points came from an unconverted try to Johnstone, and I. Wilson kicked a penalty goal. They held their first social on the evening of Wednesday 22 April at the Paragon Theatre.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, New clubs at Papakura and Glenora, and several amalgamations
The Kingsland Athletic club joined with Marist meaning their senior players would join those of Marist. Kingsland were already an amalgamated club involving Kingsland Rovers and Grafton Athletic. This placed Marist as one of the early favourites to win the Senior Grade. This was discussed in an article on the prospects of all the teams in the New Zealand Herald.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, New clubs at Papakura and Glenora, and several amalgamations
The Ellerslie, Otahuhu, and Mangere clubs combined to form a senior team with the Mangere Senior B team being regraded to first junior with the team playing as part of the Ellerslie-Otahuhu side. However Mangere Rugby League Football Club then sent a deputation to a Management Committee meeting asking to be able to play as a separate institution as a junior club rather than be a part of the Ellerslie-Otahuhu amalgamation. They wished to be affiliated under their own name rather than amalgamate with Ellerslie.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, New clubs at Papakura and Glenora, and several amalgamations
Several speakers from Mangere they said that they wished to play league football but maintain their own identity as a Māori team. The League said that there should be a conference with Ellerslie and in the meantime they would play for one week with Ellerslie. At a league meeting on 27 May the league decided to uphold their earlier ruling and enforce the amalgamation with the decision reviewed at the end of the season. It was expressed that the Mangere players were willing to play as the league suggested.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, New clubs at Papakura and Glenora, and several amalgamations
Mr. Jim Rukutai suggested that Mangere be granted permission to retain their identity for twelve months, subject to all transfers being through the Ellerslie-Otahuhu United Club. The chairman of the league said "he did not think that there was any objection to Mangere playing as the Mangere section of the amalgamated club, but it was the duty of the League to uphold Ellerslie-Otahuhu Club". In the meantime he thought "moral suasion should be used by the members and the position would right itself".


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, New clubs at Papakura and Glenora, and several amalgamations
At the Management Committee meeting on 10 June it was reported by the chairman that the Mangere and Ellerslie clubs had reached a satisfactory agreement and that "the Māori senior team,… was willing to continue playing the league code. It was intended that Mangere should apply for the resignation of its players who had already played for Ellerslie" The matter would be deferred for one week.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, New clubs at Papakura and Glenora, and several amalgamations
It was announced at a City Rovers club meeting that the Parnell club had amalgamated with them. They would enter teams in the senior, reserve senior, first junior, third intermediate, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh grades, and also in the primary school competition. Ten of the Parnell senior B players were regraded to first class juniors and would play for that particular City Rovers side.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, New clubs at Papakura and Glenora, and several amalgamations
In June a new club was registered in the Glen Eden district and was named Glenora. They entered a team in the third grade intermediate.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, Fox Memorial Shield (1st grade championship)
The Senior Grade was reduced from 8 teams to 7 for the 1931 season. Each team had to field a reserve side and their matches were to be played prior to the A team's matches at the same venue.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, Fox Memorial Shield (1st grade championship), Fox Memorial fixtures, Round 1
In Round 1 Marist won after time however the play was continued erroneously. Time was up but the time keeper allowed additional tackles and did not ring the bell until after the winning try had been scored. Richmond protested the result and after multiple meetings it was eventually decided by the league Management Committee to replay the match.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, Fox Memorial Shield (1st grade championship), Fox Memorial fixtures, Round 2
In the match between Marist and Ponsonby, Lunn (Ponsonby) left the field in the 2nd half with a broken rib.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, Fox Memorial Shield (1st grade championship), Fox Memorial fixtures, Round 3
The Round 3 match between Richmond and Newton was the first ever senior league match played at Western Springs Stadium which had opened for cycling and field sports in 1929.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, Fox Memorial Shield (1st grade championship), Fox Memorial fixtures, Round 1 replay
This match was replayed from Round 1 when the time keeper allowed play to continue well after the bel should have been rung. In the replayed match H Carter for Marist was ordered off for “rough play”. Charles Gregory and Gordon Campbell both of Marist then left the field with injuries leaving Marist to hang on with 10 men for the last few minutes of the game.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, Fox Memorial Shield (1st grade championship), Fox Memorial fixtures, Round 9
In the Richmond – City match both Stan Prentice and Steve Watene were both sent off for fighting.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, Fox Memorial Shield (1st grade championship), Fox Memorial fixtures, Round 12
The Round 12 match at Devonport between the hosts and Ellerslie-Otahuhu was one with paid entry after permission was granted by the Devonport Borough Council. A sum of £12 5/ was raised to assist the Devonport Welfare League's funds.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, Fox Memorial Shield (1st grade championship), Fox Memorial fixtures, Round 13
The Round 13 matches were played in terrible conditions which saw the cancellation of almost all league in Auckland. The match between Marist and Ellerslie-Otahuhu played at Papatoetoe was abandoned at halftime due to the north-westerly squalls making playing conditions impossible. The score of 21–3 in favour of Marist was declared the final score. City was severely understrength with 5 of its regular players absent, while in the Ponsonby-Devonport match Lou Hutt of Ponsonby was ordered off near the end of the match.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, Fox Memorial Shield (1st grade championship), Roope Rooster knockout competition, Semi finals
The semi finals were postponed initially due to poor weather before being played on 12 September. The match between Ponsonby and Richmond went to extra-time after it was 20–20 at the end of regular time. This was very rare as usually tied games were replayed. Ponsonby went on to win 28–20.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, Fox Memorial Shield (1st grade championship), Top try scorers and point scorers
Top try and point scorers for A Grade, Roope Rooster matches and the Stormont Shield match. Frank Delgrosso of Ponsonby was the top point scorer for the 3rd time in his career with 70 points. He was regularly in the top 5 point scorers in the first grade competitions and to this point in his career had amassed more than any other player, with 665 points. Len Scott (Devonport United) was the top try scorer with 12, closely followed by George Batchelor (Marist Old Boys) and Pat Meehan with 11, and Stan Prentice (Richmond Rovers) with 10.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, Fox Memorial Shield (1st grade championship), Senior reserve grade standings
The standings include the 'final' between Devonport and Ponsonby which was a 5–5 draw. This meant Devonport won the title as they finished the competition with one more point that Ponsonby. A Round 11 result between Marist and City is unknown as it was not reported in the newspapers while the score between Devonport and Ellerslie-Otahuhu in Round 12 is also unknown, though Devonport were the victor.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, Fox Memorial Shield (1st grade championship), Senior reserve grade fixtures
The Round 13 matches at Carlaw Park were cancelled due to the poor weather conditions and the necessity to protect the ground for the Senior matches to follow immediately afterwards.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, Fox Memorial Shield (1st grade championship), Charity day tournament and death of a player (Samuel Harris)
On 31 October a Charity Day was held at Carlaw Park. It featured a Seven-A-Side tournament, an 'old timers' match, a match between the referees and St Johns Ambulance, and several running races. The proceeds would all go to the St John Ambulance Brigade. Mr. Samuel Harris of the Newton team collapsed and died from heart failure a few minutes from time in the final. He had played in their earlier matches and had participated in a running race but had complained of feeling too unwell to run again. He collapsed while running with the ball and despite immediate attention from members of St, John Ambulance he died almost immediately. The match was called off. Harris had joined Newton in 1930 and was originally from Hikurangi. His funeral was held in Hikurangi on 4 November.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, Lower grades and other club matches, Lower grade teams
The Mid-Week competition which was running once again was made up of nine teams. It was decided to allocate the Monteith Shield to the championship. This had formerly been awarded to the winner of the Senior grade champions, but as of this year the newly presented Fox Memorial Shield would replace it. The Waitemata (Endean) Shield would be awarded to the team scoring the most championship points in the second round, and the "Nuko" Cup to the winner of the two lower teams on the ladder. Marist were awarded the Davis Shield for scoring the most competition points in the junior grades.


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, Lower grades and other club matches, Lower grade teams
Grades were made of the following teams with the winning team in bold:


1931 Auckland Rugby League season, Representative season
It was a very quiet year on the representative team front. There was a match played between North Island and South Island, but the Auckland team's only match was against Northland. In a surprise result Northland had defeated South Auckland to lift the trophy. Auckland played Northland but the match was not for the Northern Union Shield and so they decided to play several young players including future Kiwi Albert Laing who had not yet even played a first grade match and could only manage a 19 all draw. Auckland junior teams played two matches and a colts side played against the touring Eastern Suburbs team from Sydney who were the recently crowned premiers of the New South Wales Rugby League competition.


1931 Australia rugby union tour of New Zealand
The 1931 Australia rugby union tour of New Zealand was a series of rugby union games undertaken by the Australia team in New Zealand against invitational and national teams of New Zealand.


1931 Australia rugby union tour of New Zealand
The Queensland Rugby Union had collapsed in 1919 and would not be reborn until 1929 leaving the New South Wales Rugby Union to administer the game in Australia at the national representative level. In 1931 finally an "all-australian" team was refounded.


1931 Australian Championships
The 1931 Australian Championships was a tennis tournament that took place on outdoor Grass courts at the White City Tennis Club, Sydney, Australia from 27 February to 9 March. It was the 24th edition of the Australian Championships (now known as the Australian Open), the 6th held in Sydney, and the first Grand Slam tournament of the year. The singles titles were won by Australians Jack Crawford and Coral McInnes Buttsworth.


1931 Australian Championships, Finals, Women's Singles
Coral McInnes Buttsworth defeated  Marjorie Cox Crawford  1–6, 6–3, 6–4


1931 Australian Championships, Finals, Men's Doubles
Charles Donohoe /  Ray Dunlop defeated  Jack Crawford /  Harry Hopman 8–6, 6–2, 5–7, 7–9, 6–4


1931 Australian Championships, Finals, Women's Doubles
Daphne Akhurst Cozens /  Louie Bickerton defeated  Nell Lloyd /  Gwen Utz 6–0, 6–4


1931 Australian Championships, Finals, Mixed Doubles
Marjorie Cox Crawford /  Jack Crawford defeated  Emily Hood Westacott /  Aubrey Willard 7–5, 6–4


1931 Australian Championships – Men's Doubles
The third seeds Charles Donohoe and Ray Dunlop defeated the defending champions Jack Crawford and Harry Hopman 8–6, 6–2, 5–7, 7–9, 6–4 in the final, to win the Men's Doubles tennis title at the 1931 Australian Championships.


1931 Australian Championships – Men's Doubles
Because of falling light this match had to be ceased on a scheduled day (Saturday, 7 March) with the score at two sets to one for Donohoe/Dunlop and 7–7 in the fourth. The play was resumed on Monday, 9 March.


1931 Australian Championships – Men's Singles
Jack Crawford defeated Harry Hopman 6–4, 6–2, 2–6, 6–1 in the final to win the Men's Singles tennis title at the 1931 Australian Championships.


1931 Australian Championships – Men's Singles, Seeds
The seeded players are listed below. Jack Crawford is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated.


1931 Australian Championships – Mixed Doubles
Nell Hall and Harry Hopman were the defending champions and the second seeds, but they lost in the semifinals.


1931 Australian Championships – Mixed Doubles
The first-seeded Marjorie Crawford and Jack Crawford defeated unseeded Emily Hood Westacott and Aubrey Willard 7–5, 6–4 in the final, to win the Mixed Doubles tennis title at the 1931 Australian Championships.


1931 Australian Championships – Women's Doubles
The first-seeded Louie Bickerton and Daphne Akhurst Cozens defeated the unseeded Nell Lloyd and Gwen Utz 6–0, 6–4 in the final, to win the Women's Doubles tennis title at the 1931 Australian Championships..


1931 Australian Championships – Women's Singles
Coral Buttsworth defeated Marjorie Crawford 1–6, 6–3, 6–4, in the final to win the Women's Singles tennis title at the 1931 Australian Championships.


1931 Australian Championships – Women's Singles, Seeds
The seeded players are listed below. Coral Buttsworth is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated.


1931 Australian Grand Prix
The 1931 Australian Grand Prix was a motor race held at the Phillip Island Circuit in Victoria, Australia on 23 March 1931. The race, which was the fourth Australian Grand Prix and the fourth to be held at Phillip Island, had 19 entries and 14 starters. It was organised by the Victorian Light Car Club.


1931 Australian Grand Prix
The race was staged using a handicap format with the first car starting 35 minutes before the two "Scratch" cars. Prize money was paid for both handicap and overall results with the principle prize of £100 awarded to the fastest car to complete the distance.


1931 Australian Grand Prix
Carl Junker was awarded the Grand Prix win, having set the fastest time driving a Bugatti Type 39. The Handicap Section was won by Cyril Dickason, driving an Austin 7.


1931 Australian Labor Party leadership spill
The Australian Labor Party held a leadership election on 2 March 1931, in the context of the developing party split. Prime Minister James Scullin was easily re-elected, defeating Jack Beasley of the Lang Labor faction.