MISCELLANEOUS BASEBALL HISTORY

1839 — Abner Doubleday is credited with inventing baseball in Cooperstown, New York.

1846 —The first official game of baseball is played between the Knickerbockers and a group of cricket players.

1867 — Candy Cummings throws the first curveball in baseball.

1876 — The National League is established, with William Hulbert as president.

1900 — The American League is created.

1903 — The Boston Pilgrims and the Pittsburgh Pirates play the first World Series.

1912 — Fenway Park opens.

1919 — In the most famous scandal in baseball history, eight players from the Chicago White Sox are accused of throwing the World Series against the Cincinnati Reds.

1920 — Babe Ruth is sold to the New York Yankees.

1925 — Lou Gehrig replaces Wally Pipp in the Yankee lineup.

1927 — The 1927 Yankees are considered one of the greatest baseball teams of all time.

1932 — Babe Ruth hits his legendary“called shot” home run against Charlie Root and the Chicago Cubs.
— Lou Gehrig hits four home runs in one game.

1933 — Major League Baseball’s first All-Star game is played.

1941 — Joe DiMaggio hits safely in 56 consecutive games.
— Ted Williams hits .406 for the season.

1945 — Jackie Robinson makes his Major League debut.

1951 — Bobby Thomson hits his pennant-winning home run against the Dodgers.

1961 — Roger Maris breaks Babe Ruth’s home run record.

1973 — George Steinbrenner buys the New York Yankees.
— The designated hitter rule is established in the American League.

1974 — Hank Aaron breaks Babe Ruth’s career home run record.

1985 — Pete Rose breaks Ty Cobb’s all-time hit record.

1988 — Kirk Gibson hits a pinch-hit game-winning home run in the World Series.

1995 — Cal Ripken Jr. breaks Lou Gehrig’s streak with his 2,131st consecutive game.