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Baseball Timeline

1862 Dec 22 Cornelius Alexander McGillicuddy Is Born
Cornelius Alexander McGillicuddy, known as Connie Mack, the "Tall Tactician" of major league baseball, was born on December 22, 1862 in East Brookfield, Massachusetts. Ramrod-straight an...
1880 Jun 12 Lee Richmond Pitches a Perfect Game
John Lee Richmond (or, more commonly, Lee Richmond or J. Lee Richmond) (May 5, 1857, in Sheffield, Ohio – October 1, 1929, in Toledo, Ohio) was a left-handed pitcher who threw the first p...
1880 Jun 17 John Montgomery Ward Pitches a Perfect Game
John Montgomery Ward (March 3, 1860 – March 4, 1925) was an American Major League Baseball star pitcher, shortstop and manager. Ward was born in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, and grew up in R...
1904 May 5 Cy Young Pitches a Perfect Game
The first perfect game in American League history was thrown by Cy Young who had his last no-hit game in the National League in 1897. His appearances in games prior to this one included t...
1905 Oct 9
to 1905 Oct 14
 1905 World Series
The 1905 World Series matched the New York Giants against the Philadelphia Athletics, with the Giants winning four games to one. Four of the five games featured duels between future Hall ...
1906 Jul 7 Leroy Robert "Satchel" Paige Is Born
Leroy Robert "Satchel" Paige, perhaps baseball's greatest pitcher ever, was born on July 7, ca. 1906, in Mobile, Alabama. Paige earned his nickname, Satchel, as a young boy carrying bags ...
1907 Oct 8
to 1907 Oct 12
 1907 World Series
The 1907 World Series featured the Chicago Cubs and the Detroit Tigers, with the Cubs winning the Series four games to none (with one tie) for their first championship. The Cubs came bac...
1908 Oct 2 Addie Joss Pitches a Perfect Game
Addie Joss was born in the unincorporated community of Woodland in Dodge County, Wisconsin, where his father was a cheese maker. Several of his nicknames in baseball reflected this. As a ...
1908 Oct 10
to 1908 Oct 14
 1908 World Series
The 1908 World Series matched the defending champion Chicago Cubs against the Detroit Tigers in a rematch of the 1907 Series. In this first-ever rematch of this young event, the Cubs won ...
1909 Oct 8
to 1909 Oct 16
 1909 World Series
The 1909 World Series featured the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Detroit Tigers. The Pirates won the Series in seven games to capture their first championship of the modern Major League Base...
1910 Oct 17
to 1910 Oct 23
 1910 World Series
The 1910 World Series featured the Philadelphia Athletics and the Chicago Cubs, with the Athletics winning in five games to earn their first championship. Jack Coombs of Philadelphia won...
1911 Oct 14
to 1911 Oct 26
 1911 World Series
In the 1911 World Series, the Philadelphia Athletics beat the New York Giants four games to two. Philadelphia third baseman Frank "Home Run" Baker earned his nickname during this Series....
1912 Apr 20 Fenway Park Opens
After two rain delays, Fenway Park finally hosted its first professional baseball game on April 20, 1912. (The first official game played in Fenway actually occurred on April 9 when the S...
1912 Oct 8
to 1912 Oct 16
 1912 World Series
In the 1912 World Series, the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Giants four games to three (with one tie). This dramatic series showcased great pitching from Giant Christy Mathewson and f...
1913 Oct 7
to 1913 Oct 11
 1913 World Series
In the 1913 World Series, the Philadelphia Athletics beat the New York Giants four games to one. The A's pitching gave the edge to a closer-than-it-looked Series in 1913. The great Chris...
1914 Apr 23 Wrigley Field (originally called Weeghman Park) Opens
Originally known as Weeghman Park, Wrigley Field was built on the grounds once occupied by a seminary. * Weeghman Park was the home of Chicago's entry in the Federal League and was...
1914 Oct 9
to 1914 Oct 13
 1914 World Series
In the 1914 World Series, the Boston Braves beat the Philadelphia Athletics in a four-games sweep. A contender for greatest upset of all time, the "Miracle Braves" were in last place on ...
1914 Nov 25 Joe DiMaggio is Born
Joseph Paul "Joe" DiMaggio (November 25, 1914 – March 8, 1999), born Giuseppe Paolo DiMaggio, Jr., was an American baseball player for the New York Yankees. He was voted into the Baseball...
1915 Oct 8
to 1915 Oct 13
 1915 World Series
In the 1915 World Series, the Boston Red Sox beat the Philadelphia Phillies four games to one. In their only World Series before 1950, the Phillies won Game 1 before being swept the rest...
1916 Oct 7
to 1916 Oct 12
 1916 World Series
In the 1916 World Series, the Boston Red Sox beat the Brooklyn Robins (a.k.a. Dodgers) four games to one. Casey Stengel shined on offense for the Robins in the 1916 Series but the Red So...
1917 Oct 6
to 1917 Oct 15
 1917 World Series
In the 1917 World Series, the Chicago White Sox beat the New York Giants four games to two. The Series was played against the backdrop of World War I, which dominated the American newspap...
1918 Sep 5
to 1918 Sep 11
 1918 World Series
The 1918 World Series featured the Boston Red Sox, who defeated the Chicago Cubs four games to two. The Series victory for the Red Sox was their fifth in five tries, going back to 1903. ...
1919 Jan 31 Jackie Robinson Born
Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was born in Cairo, Georgia, the youngest of five children during a Spanish flu and smallpox epidemic. His older siblings include Edgar, Frank, Mack and Wi...
1919 Oct 1
to 1919 Oct 9
 1919 World Series
The 1919 World Series matched the American League champion Chicago White Sox against the National League champion Cincinnati Reds. Although most World Series have been of the best-of-seve...
1920 Oct 5
to 1920 Oct 12
 1920 World Series
In the 1920 World Series, the Cleveland Indians beat the Brooklyn Dodgers, then known interchangeably as the Robins in reference to their manager Wilbert Robinson, in seven games, five ga...
1921 Oct 5
to 1921 Oct 13
 1921 World Series
In the 1921 World Series, the New York Giants beat the New York Yankees five games to three. This was the last of the experimental best-five-of-nine series. The Series was much-anticipat...
1922 Apr 30 Charlie Robertson Pitches a Perfect Game
Charles Culbertson Robertson (January 31, 1896 – August 23, 1984) was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball. Born in Dexter, Texas, and grew up in Nocona, Texas graduating from ...
1922 Oct 4
to 1922 Oct 8
 1922 World Series
In the 1922 World Series, the New York Giants beat the New York Yankees in five games (four games to none with one tie; starting this year the World Series was again best-of-seven). By no...
1923 Babe Ruth wins AL MVP
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) is an annual Major League Baseball (MLB) award given to one outstanding player in each league. Since 1931, it has been awarded b...
1923 Oct 10
to 1923 Oct 15
 1923 World Series
In the 1923 World Series, the New York Yankees beat the New York Giants in six games. This would be the first of the Yankees' 27 World Series championships (as of 2009). The home field al...
1924 Oct 4
to 1924 Oct 10
 1924 World Series
In the 1924 World Series, the Washington Senators beat the New York Giants in seven games. Though the Senators (interchangeably called the Nationals in those days) would reach the World S...
1933 Jul 6 First Major League All-Star Game
The first All-Star Game was held as part of the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago, Illinois, and was the brainchild of Arch Ward, then sports editor for The Chicago Tribune. Initially intended...
1939 Jul 4 Lou Gehrig Delivers His "Luckiest Man" Farewell Speech
"Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth. I have been in ballparks for seventeen..." —Lou Gehrig at Yankee Stadium on July 4, 1939
1941 Jul 17 Pitcher Jim Bagby, Sr. Ends Joe DiMaggio's 56-Game Hitting Streak
Finally, on July 17 in Cleveland, in a night game in front of 67,468 fans, DiMaggio went hitless against Cleveland pitchers Al Smith and Jim Bagby, Jr. In his first three at-bats, DiMaggi...
1942 Mar 18 Jackie Robinson tries out for the Chicago White Sox
Jackie Robinson and Nate Moreland, two black players, ask the Chicago White Sox for a tryout. Manager Jimmy Dykes grants both players a workout, but neither will make the Sox' roster.
1944 Aug 3 Jackie Robinson acquitted in court martial trial
Jackie Robinson acquitted of reduced charges of alleged insubordination; the actual incident on the bus that had precipitated his prosecution was not mentioned in the charges or at the tr...
1945 Jackie Robinson plays for Kansas City Monarchs in Negro Leagues
In early 1945, while still at Sam Huston College, Robinson received an offer to play for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues. Robinson's contract was for $400 a month. In al...
1945 Apr 16 Jackie Robinson tries out for Boston Red Sox
Jackie Robinson and two other black players, Sam Jethroe and Marvin Williams, participate in a Boston Red Sox tryout at Fenway Park. The Red Sox elect to sign none of the three. Robinson ...
1945 Aug 28 Jackie Robinson Signs with Brooklyn Dodgers' Organization
Branch Rickey, president and general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers signs Jackie Robinson to a contract and assigns him to the team's International League farm club, the Montreal Royals....
1945 Oct 23 Jackie Robinson signs with Dodger's organization and is assigned to the Montreal Royals
Jackie Robinson signs a contract to play with the Montreal Royals of the International League, a farm team of the Brooklyn Dodgers. He received a $3,500 bonus and $600 per month salary.
1946 Mar 17 Jackie Robinson makes debut in professional organized baseball with Montreal Royals
Jackie Robinson made his professional debut in organized professional baseball at Daytona's City Island Ballpark, in an exhibition game between the Royals and their parent club, the Brook...
1946 Apr 18 Jackie Robinson plays first regular season game with Montreal Royals
Jackie Robinson plays his first professional baseball game for the Montreal Royals at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City, New Jersey. The Montreal Royals won 14 - 1.
1946 Dec 10 Walter Johnson Dies
On December 10, 1946, baseball great Walter Johnson died at the age of fifty-nine. Nicknamed "The Big Train," Johnson pitched his way to fame during twenty-one seasons with the Washingto...
1947 Jackie Robinson wins Rookie of Year Award for Major League Baseball
Jackie Robinson finished his first season with the Brooklyn Dodgers with 12 home runs, a league-leading 29 steals, and a .297 average in 1947, earning him the inaugural Major League Baseb...
1947 Apr 15 Jackie Robinson plays in first game as a major leaguer with Brooklyn Dodgers
In his first season, with Eddie Stanky entrenched at second base for the Dodgers, Robinson was forced to play first base. On April 15, 1947 Robinson made his debut before a crowd of 26,62...
1948 Aug 29 Jackie Robinson hits for cycle against the St. Louis Cardinals
Jackie Robinson hits for the cycle in the first game of a doubleheader sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals. Robinson scores three runs and drives in a pair to help the Brooklyn Dodgers to a ...
1949 Jackie Robinson wins National League Most Valuable Player (MVP)
Jackie Robinson won the Most Valuable Player award for the National League, leading the league with a .342 batting average and 37 stolen bases. Baseball fans also voted Robinson as the s...
1950 Jackie Robinson stars as himself in biographical movie, "The Jackie Robinson Story"
Jackie Robinson appears in a film biography, "The Jackie Robinson Story" in which he played himself. Actress Ruby Dee played Rachael "Rae" (Isum) Robinson.
1953 Jun 3 Alexander Cartwright is Officially Credited by the United States Congress with Inventing the Modern Game of Baseball
In the early twentieth century, the invention of baseball was attributed to Abner Doubleday, widely considered a myth by later sports historians. Cartwright was a bookseller in Manhattan,...
1955 Oct 4 Jackie Robinson wins his only championship, as the Brooklyn Dodgers beat the New York Yankees in seven games
The 1955 World Series matched the Brooklyn Dodgers against the New York Yankees, with the Dodgers winning the Series in seven games to capture their first championship in franchise histor...