October 3, 1867: “The First Colored Baseball Championship”
"Championship” is often a fluid concept when applied to 19th-century…
October 7, 1867: Candy Cummings debuts the curve
One of the oldest, most venerable weapons in the pitcher’s…
June 15, 1869: A cunning play saves Cincinnati’s streak
Tuesday dawned gray and damp in New York City. But the sun broke…
August 26, 1869: Cincinnati Red Stockings: Unbeaten, But Tied
By August 1869 the Cincinnati Red Stockings had become the top…
September 3, 1869: Inter-racial baseball in Philadelphia
Frederick Douglass said no city was more prejudiced against colored…
June 14, 1870: The Atlantic Storm: Red Stockings suffer first defeat
A July 2, 1870 Harpers Weekly illustration of the game. “Friend…
July 23, 1870: The first ‘Chicago’ game
Given the powerhouse teams that represented the Windy City in…
November 1, 1870: The birth of the National Association
Modern sports fans take for granted that a champion will be crowned…
April 6, 1871: Boston Red Stockings take the field for the first time
“Well, back in 1871, my great-great-grandmother had a boardinghouse…
May-June 1871: The Boston Red Stockings’ homestand from hell
Losses in May and June count as much as those in September; just…
May 4, 1871: Association Ball: Kekionga vs. Forest City
On the rainy evening of March 17, 1871, delegates from 10 professional…
June 14, 1872: Early Baseball Encounters in the West: The Yeddo Royal Japanese Troupe Play Ball in America
Of the 13 members of the Yeddo Royal Japanese Troupe, eight…
August 9, 1872: Eckfords halt 3-month skid with help of familiar reinforcements
In major-league history, 10 teams have lost their first 11 regular-season…
September 20, 1872: In pre-championship exhibition, Red Stockings get best of Mutuals
One day before the final game in the championship series between…
June 18, 1874: Mutuals’ 38-1 win over Chicago White Stockings is the biggest blowout ever
The Chicago Cubs are the oldest pillar in big-league sports.…
Summer 1874: New game in the Old Country: U.S. teams tour England
It has been stated that America and England are two countries…
April 19, 1875: Boston Red Stockings treat home crowd to a 6-0 shutout over New Haven Elm Citys
April 19, 1875, was a notable date in American history, being…
April 29, 1875: Boston Red Stockings blow out Washington in 22-5 win
On April 28, 1875, the Richmond Daily Dispatch announced to its…
May 18, 1875: Boston rivalry with Hartford heats up in Red Stockings’ win
In the 1870s it was Hartford, not New York, that was Boston’s…
May 29, 1875: The first recorded no-hitter: Princeton vs. Yale
“Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah! Tiger! Hish! Boom! Ha!” According…
June 3, 1875: The unbeatable Boston Red Caps
The best winning percentage the New York Yankees ever enjoyed…
June 5, 1875: Boston Red Stockings’ record streak stopped in St. Louis
After beginning the 1875 National Association season with victories…
June 19, 1875: The ‘Model’ Game: Hartford vs. Chicago
The Chicago Tribune called it “The Most Brilliant Contest in…
June 28, 1875: Rowdy crowd helps visiting Red Stockings tie Athletics in Philadelphia
The Boston Post summarized the game succinctly:“The base ball…