John "Bud" Fowler, SABR's 2020 Overlooked 19th Century Legend who was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2022 (NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME LIBRARY)

May 17, 1878: Bud Fowler becomes the first Black player in Organized Baseball

Professional baseball leagues began in 1871 with the founding…
John "Bud" Fowler, SABR's 2020 Overlooked 19th Century Legend who was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2022 (NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME LIBRARY)

August 6, 1887: Bud Fowler joins the Montpelier Capital Citys

Black baseball pioneer and 2022 Hall of Famer Bud Fowler played…

August 23, 1889: Kid Nichols and Omaha White Sox edge Sioux City on Ladies’ Day

Located 100 miles apart along the Missouri River, Omaha, Nebraska,…

May 1, 1890: Detroit Wolverines top Toronto in ragged season opener

After losing the Syracuse, Rochester, and Toledo franchises to…
Cy Young (NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME LIBRARY)

May 6-8, 1890: Canton’s Cy Young wins one and loses one in Akron

With an impressive 67-37 record, Canton, Ohio, won the 1889 pennant…
Kid Carsey (June 30, 1894, New York Clipper)

October 12, 1890: Oakland’s Kid Carsey hurls no-hitter in San Francisco

In 1890 professional baseball was illegal on Sundays in many…
Honus Wagner (COURTESY OF STEPHEN V. RICE)

May 5, 1897: Honus Wagner leads Paterson to victory in Lancaster’s home opener

In the 1890s, Paterson, New Jersey, was a thriving city of 100,000…

April 19, 1900: A “Basket of Fresh Goose Eggs”

On April 19, 1900, hundreds of baseball fans gathered outside…

May 14, 1906: 'Humpy' Badel leads Buffalo Bisons to victory in home opener

Under the leadership of manager George Stallings, the Buffalo…

April 17, 1908: Memphis Turtles win season opener; Tris Speaker debuts for Little Rock

Thomas F. McCullough, business manager of the Southern Association’s…

June 12, 1908: Joe Jackson slugs the ball for his hometown team

On June 11, 1908, the Greenville (South Carolina) Spinners won…

July 16, 1913: Oh, you Brewers! Squeeze play ends 19-inning battle

“This year Columbus is fighting desperately for the lead with…

September 12, 1915: Nashville fans start a riot and players get punished

As more major- and minor-league ballparks increase protective…

September 7, 1921: Teams split four hits in Dakota League action

For a certain type of twenty-first-century baseball fan – one…

June 4, 1927: Umpire Gerald Hayes halts tie game, infuriates Syracuse crowd

The Syracuse (New York) Stars, managed by Burt Shotton, were…
Joe Hauser (TRADING CARD DB)

October 5, 1932: Minneapolis Millers come up short on 'play of six decisions'

The Little World Series had been played on and off between the…
DeLorimier Park, circa 1933 (Musée McCord Museum)

July 18, 1933: Night baseball makes its debut in Montreal

When it opened in 1928, Montreal’s De Lorimier Stadium was…

May 10, 1939: Olean beats Bradford on New York-Penn League’s first day

Forty-one minor leagues operated in the United States in 1939.…