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History

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History of the Game

Doubleday to Present Day
      • Hank Aaron
      • Bud Selig's top memory was Hank Aaron securing the 1957 NL pennant for the Braves with a walk-off homer.

    • Your memories help bring game to life

    • Focusing on the intersection of personal history and the national pastime, BaseballMemoryLab.com spotlights two aspects of baseball history -- the origins and evolution of the game, and fan-submitted memories and recollections. More >

    • Historical Stats:
      • Search for a player:
      • Batting Leaders:
      • Pitching Leaders:
      • Team-by-team results:

    • Year in Review

    • MLB.com takes a look back at the season that was, with multimedia, team coverage, special features and the major events that highlighted each campaign.

    • This Day in Baseball History

    • May 24, 1935 > The first night game in Major League history is played at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. When President Franklin Delano Roosevelt pushes a button in the White House, the ballpark is illuminated. After a festive pre-game ceremony, the hometown Reds defeat the Philadelphia Phillies, 2-1.
    • This Week in Baseball History >

    • Downloads from Itunes

    • Yanks lift WS trophy in '09
    • Classic games, All-Star, Postseason and Games of the Year: download from the MLB.com Store in iTunes, ready for your device or Apple TV.

    • All-Star Game

    • AL wins thriller in '08
    • Relive All-Star week events, including the Futures Game, Home Run Derby, with All-Star Game results, MVPs, all-time roster, and more.

    • First-Year Player Draft

    • Joe Mauer, 2001
    • Sort every draft pick by year and team or draft type, find the No. 1 overall picks by year, and see what players were drafted and then sent straight to the Majors.

    • Baseball's Best

    • Mr. October
    • Watch or listen to the best games ever. You can hear baseball radio legends call baseball history as it happens and watch complete games or jump to any half-inning.

    • Team Histories

    • Ebbets Field
    • From the 1800s on, get year-by-year results, timelines, all-time rosters, leaders and stats, awards and honors, plus multimedia and more.

    • Special Reports

    • Bob Gibson
    • MLB.com's extended coverage of great baseball moments, such Ichiro's hits record, retrospectives on retired players, like Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken, and more.

    • Milestones

    • Walter Johnson
    • Find members of baseball's most exclusive clubs: 300 Wins, 3,000 Strikeouts, 500 Homers and 3,000 Hits. Plus the Milestone Tracker and milestone achievements.

    • Rare and Memorable Feats

    • Nolan Ryan
    • Baseball's most unusual, and often exciting events. Browse the no-hitters, perfect games, longest hitting streaks, and much more.

    • Awards and Honors

    • Roberto Clemente
    • From regular honors, such as Player of the Week and Player of the Month, to prizes like the the MVP, all the bases are covered.

    • Hall of Fame

    • Jackie Robinson's plaque
    • Information on all of the Cooperstown members back to the first Hall class of 1936, including first-year electees and highest voting percentages.

    • Tributes

    • Ted Williams
    • Saying goodbye to baseball legends, including broadcasters, and paying respect to the people who make the game a great spectacle.

    • Interleague Play

    • AL vs. NL
    • An overview of Interleague origins, with all-time leaders, team-by-team records, plus year-by-year stats and special features.

    • Negro Leagues

    • Chicago American Giants
    • Discover information about the legacy of the Negro Leagues, with team histories, editorial features, plus multimedia highlights such as video features.

    • Commissioners

    • Kenesaw Mountain Landis
    • Since baseball's beginnings in the mid-19th century, the governance of the game has evolved to a central figure with considerable powers called the Commissioner.