
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…

October 30, 1871: Berkenstock returns after 4-year absence to help Philadelphia win first league championship
Major League Baseball dates its inception to 1876, but nearly…

July 29, 1872: Boston overcomes 7-run deficit to win in extra innings
The Boston Red Stockings burst out of the gate in 1872, winning…

July 20, 1872: Boston Red Stockings take a rest and then 19-game winning streak ends
On July 13, 1872, the New York Clipper reported as follows: “The…

June 12, 1872: Boston Red Stockings bury the Philadelphia Athletics
Wednesday June 12, 1872, was a hot, sultry day at the South End…

June 10, 1872: Boston Red Stockings win extra-inning game in controversial fashion
Boston’s Red Stockings were 11-1 when they arrived at Brooklyn’s…

May 11, 1872: Ninth-inning comeback gives Red Stockings victory in home opener
Newspapers were full of superlatives following the Boston Red…

September 29, 1871: Chicago beats Boston in last baseball game before the Great Fire
The Chicago Tribune described the Chicago White Stockings as…

September 13, 1871: In rare relief appearance, Harry Wright saves the day for Boston
The game to be played on Wednesday, September 13, 1871, between…

May-June 1871: The Boston Red Stockings’ homestand from hell
Losses in May and June count as much as those in September; just…

April 6, 1871: Boston Red Stockings take the field for the first time
“Well, back in 1871, my great-great-grandmother had a boardinghouse…

September 9, 1871: Red Stockings rally in 9th to defeat rival Athletics
Having won seven of their nine previous matches, including a…

September 2, 1871: Red Stockings beat up Forest Citys pitchers for 31 runs
The Boston Red Stockings were riding a scoring spree. In three…
July 4, 1871: Boston defeats Washington on Fourth of July
The July 4 game was played neither in Boston nor in Washington,…

August 3, 1871: Cuban baseball pioneer Steve Bellán has the game of his life
Esteban “Steve” Bellán was the first Latin-born player in…

September 5, 1871: ‘Bushel Basket’ Gould hits first grand slam in professional baseball history
The grand slam. It is one of the most exciting, dramatic, and…

June 21, 1871: Boston’s Albert Spalding tosses first shutout of the season
On May 4, 1871, the Fort Wayne Kekiongas1 opened the inaugural…

May 16, 1871: Troy Haymakers spoil Boston Red Stockings’ first home opener
“The game between the Red Stockings and Haymakers this afternoon,…
May 5, 1871: Red Stockings win first regular-season game in Boston baseball history
“This sort of thing isn’t done in England, you know, where…

October 30, 1871: The first pennant race: Chicago White Stockings vs. Philadelphia Athletics
When the professional clubs met to form their own association…

May 4, 1871: Association Ball: Kekionga vs. Forest City
On the rainy evening of March 17, 1871, delegates from 10 professional…

November 1, 1870: The birth of the National Association
Modern sports fans take for granted that a champion will be crowned…

July 23, 1870: The first ‘Chicago’ game
Given the powerhouse teams that represented the Windy City in…

June 14, 1870: The Atlantic Storm: Red Stockings suffer first defeat
A July 2, 1870 Harpers Weekly illustration of the game. “Friend…