On some levels, of course, baseball is just a game designed for sunny afternoons in the fresh air – a game played by boys and girls, grown men and women; for fun and for profit; in towns and in cities; on mowed fields and concrete schoolyards; and in the urban cathedrals of major league parks. Through its rules, realities–and myths–baseball has reflected the struggles and injustices of the American way of life as well as its virtues.
Continue the Story...
Bring this subject into focus through the following chapters. These stories take exploration of the main story further by providing more detail for you to learn and explore.
Take your students back in history with these discussions and activities for the classroom
1829 |
Debut of the American Turf Register and subsequent emergence of new school of journalists, "the apostles of play". |
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1845 |
New York Knickerbocker Club publishes rules of baseball developed by Alexander J. Cartwright |
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1858 |
Teams in Long Island begin to charge admission to games |
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1859 |
In first intercollegiate game Amherst beats Williams by score of 73 to 32 |
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1860 |
Civil War brings standardization of rules.
This is followed by formal division into amateur and professional ballplayers
Henry Chadwick pioneers the "box score" in the New York Clipper (By 1870s teams are keeping box scores and yearly stats)
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1862 |
William H. Cammeyer builds, in Brooklyn, the first enclosed baseball field. |
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1869 |
Cincinnati Red Stockings go on national promotional tour, winning every game. |
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1869 |
The Philadelphia Pythians become the first all-black team ever to take the field against an all-white team. In a financially lucrative exhibition, they soundly trounced Philadelphia's City Items, 27-17. |
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1871 |
Ten teams organize the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players, the first professional league. By 1875 Philadelphia has three teams in the league. |
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1872 |
Bud Fowler becomes the first African American to play for a professional nine. |
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1876 |
Organization of the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs |
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1880 |
Joseph Pulitzer produces the first sports page in a major daily newspaper.
African Americans are banned from professional baseball
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1882 |
Organization of second league, the American Association, which breaks National League monopoly and includes teams in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh |
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1884 |
Union Association formed, including teams in Altoona, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh |
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1885 |
Frank Thompson organizes first black professional team. |
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1887 |
Opening of Baker Bowl, which seats 12,500; rebuilt in 1895 and later called Baker Bowl. |
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1890 |
Players' National League of Baseball Clubs organized, with teams in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. |
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1901 |
Formation of American League and debut of the Philadelphia Athletics. |
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1903 |
First World Series is played in Pittsburgh and Boston. |
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1909 |
Shibe Park opens. The nation's first concrete and steel ballpark, it held 35,000 fans. |
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1919 |
Sportswriter Hugh Fullerton declares baseball "the greatest single force working for Americanization." |
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1921 |
KDKA announcer Harold Arlin gives play-by-play of the Pirates defeat of the Phillies in the first radio broadcast of a sporting event.
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1922 |
In the Federal League case, the Supreme Court exempts major league baseball from federal antitrust legislation by declaring it an "exhibition" rather than a business. No other professional sport receives this designation. |
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1934 |
First legal Sunday major league game played in Philadelphia. |
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1937 |
Pittsburgh's Homestead Grays baseball team wins the first of nine consecutive Negro League championships series. |
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1947 |
Jackie Robinson makes debut as first black Major league player. |
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1953 |
Organization of the Major league Baseball Players Association. |
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1954 |
Athletics relocate from Philadelphia to Kansas City. |
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1970 |
Curt Flood refuses trade to Philadelphia Phillies and sues for free agency. |
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1972 |
Flood v. Kuhn reaffirms Supreme Court decision in Federal League case, continuing baseball's antitrust exemption and upholding the reserve clause. |
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1975 |
Arbitrator rules reserve clause illegal, and Andy Messerschmidt and Dave McNally become first free agents. |
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1980 |
Philadelphia Phillies win their first World Series in franchise history |
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