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July 3, 1877: Louisville’s Charley Snyder becomes first major leaguer to wear a catcher’s mask
Invented by Harvard College baseball nine captain Fred Thayer,…
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August 8, 1877: Brown Stockings’ Mike Dorgan becomes first major leaguer to adopt a catcher’s mask
In the first inning of a National League contest on August 8,…
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May 26, 1875: Journeyman outfielder Jim Clinton notches his only major-league pitching victory
On April 26, 1875, two games into the season, the Brooklyn Atlantics…
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August 10, 1876: Short-handed Athletics borrow substitute from Mutuals, as both teams careen toward expulsion
As the Mutuals of New York prepared to host the Athletics of…
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May 8, 1878: Rookie Sam Weaver tosses 1-hitter according to official scorer, but not all his colleagues
In the fall of 1877, membership in the struggling National League…
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June 5, 1875: Boston Red Stockings’ record streak stopped in St. Louis
After beginning the 1875 National Association season with victories…
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May 17, 1878: Bud Fowler becomes the first Black player in Organized Baseball
Professional baseball leagues began in 1871 with the founding…
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October 30, 1875: Dominant Red Stockings close out National Association season with 71st win
The final day of the 1875 base ball season was one of those rare…
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August 4, 1875: Boston Red Stockings get the best of Joe Borden
“The Chicagoes were not, as aforesaid, able to make a clean…
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June 28, 1875: Rowdy crowd helps visiting Red Stockings tie Athletics in Philadelphia
The Boston Post summarized the game succinctly:“The base ball…
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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…
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June 14, 1876: George Hall gets five hits, but is it a cycle?
The first official cycle in the major leagues was accomplished…
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May 1, 1877: The double shutout
“The Grandest Game ever played,” Henry Chadwick called it.…
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June 21, 1879: The cameo of William Edward White
William Edward White's 1879 appearance for Providence made…
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June 2, 1879: Lee Richmond’s no-hit debut
When the National Association’s last place Worcester club…
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September 14, 1878: Farewell to old-style ball
On September 14, 1878, more than 3,000 screaming supporters shoved…
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May 8, 1878: Three in one? Paul Hines’ unassisted triple play
The baseball game played on May 8, 1878, between Providence…
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August 20, 1877: Gray outcomes for ‘Louisville Four’
Baseball’s difficulties with gambling have a long if not distinguished…
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July 15, 1876: Wearin’ of the ‘Grin’: George Bradley’s no-hitter
1876 St. Louis Brown Stockings. 1 - Joe Blong, 2 - George Bradley,…
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April 22, 1876: A new age begins with inaugural National League game
It is perhaps fitting that the National League played its first…
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July 28, 1875: The first professional no-hitter: Joe Borden
Professional baseball in the 19th century produced many notable…
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June 19, 1875: The ‘Model’ Game: Hartford vs. Chicago
The Chicago Tribune called it “The Most Brilliant Contest in…
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June 3, 1875: The unbeatable Boston Red Caps
The best winning percentage the New York Yankees ever enjoyed…
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May 29, 1875: The first recorded no-hitter: Princeton vs. Yale
“Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah! Tiger! Hish! Boom! Ha!” According…