1. The emergence of a national game, 1825-60:
The earliest known newspaper report of a 'bass-ball' challenge (1825)
Baseball in Rochester, New York (1825)
A description of 'Base, or Goal Ball' (1834)
Ball playing among Native Americans (1837)
The constitution of the Olympic Ball Club of Philadelphia (1837)
A Canadian ball game (1838)
The first reported baseball games between New York City-area clubs (1845)
Dr. Daniel Adams and the Knickerbockers of New York (1850s)
The New York baseball rules (1854)
'The New York Base Ball Clubs' (1854)
The growing popularity of baseball in New York (1855)
A defense of baseball as a 'manly exercise' (1856)
Formation of the National Association of Base Ball Players (NABBP) in New York (1857)
Rules of the Massachusetts game (1858)
The first Brooklyn-New York All-Star match (1858)
A song celebrating 'Uncle Samuel's sport' (1858)
The first intercollegiate ball game (1859)
The first reported African American baseball games (1859 and 1862)
The functions of each defensive player (1860).
2. Baseball becomes a commercial spectacle, 1861-71:
A benefit match for two famous players (1861)
Prospects for the baseball season in Brooklyn (1862)
The premature death of baseball's first superstar (1862)
Three players expelled for 'selling' a game (1865)
The Tenth Annual Convention of the NABBP (1866)
The incorporation of the Louisville Base Ball and Skating Park Company (1866)
A Fourth of July game in Kansas (1867)
'The ancient history of base ball' (1867)
The Forest City Club upsets the Nationals of Washington, D.C. (1867)
Henry Chadwick's 'Model Base Ball Player' (1867)
The exclusion of African Americans from the NABBP (1867)
Some of baseball's 'technical terms' (1868)
A new rule on professional players (1869)
Cincinnati's Red Stockings edge the Mutuals of New York (1869)
Professionals seize control of the NABBP (1869)
The significance of the defeat of the Red Stockings by Brooklyn (1870)
The New York State Base Ball Association bans African Americans (1870)
The debate continues over professionalism (1870).
3. The formation of the first professional leagues, 1871-82:
The formation of the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players (NA) (1871)
American Baseball Players' tour of England (1874)
Spring training and the Force Case (1875)
Problems with the NA according to William Hulbert (1875)
Hulbert's proposal to form a new league (1875)
'A startling coup d'etat': the National League (NL) is formed (1876)
Formation of the International Association (1877)
Louisville players expelled for 'cussed crookedness' (1877)
Baseball's first unassisted triple play (1878)
Model player contract of the Chicago Club (1879)
The NL adopts a player reservation system (1879)
The first night baseball game (1880)
Prejudice against an African American player in Louisville (1881)
Formation of the American Association (AA) (1881)
Providence defeats Detroit in eighteen-inning contents, 1-0 (1882)
The first World Series (1882).
4. Baseball prospers, 1883-88:
The Tripartite Agreement (1883)
Formation of the Union Association (1883)
'A base-ball burlesque': a women's game (1883)
Bleachers collapse on opening day in Cincinnati (1884)
New National Agreement signed (1885)
African American baseball clubs (1886)
Baseball 'notes and comments' (1886)
St. Louis Browns celebrate World Championship (1886)
Heavyweight Champion John L. Sullivan nearly causes a riot at a California League game (1886)
Formation of the National League of Colored Base Ball Clubs (1887)
The 'Colored League' opening day in Louisville (1887)
World Champion St. Louis Browns refuse to play Cuban Giants (1887)
African American player responds to report of proposed ban of Blacks in the Tri-State League (1888)
'King' Kelly defends player 'kicking' (1888)
A humorous look at the Umpire (1888)
The widespread popularity of baseball (1888)
Baseball promotes 'local pride' in New York City (1888)
Poem: 'Casey at the Bat' (1888).
5. The Great Player Revolt, 1887-90:
John Ward attacks the Reserve Clause (1887)
Francis Richter proposes a player reservation system for the Minor Leagues (1887)
The Brush Salary Classification Plan (1888)
Albert G. Spalding's Round-the-World Tour stops in London (1889)
Celebration of the conclusion of the Great Tour (1889)
Player strike by Louisville Players (1889)
A controversial game in Brooklyn (1889)
A player's league proposed (1889)
The 'Brotherhood Manifesto' (1889)
The NL responds to the Manifesto (1889)
Formation of the Players' League (PL) (1889)
A history of the player revolt from the players' perspective (1890)
A history of the player revolt from the owners' perspective (1890)
The Reserve Clause overturned in Court (1890)
Baseball's contribution to the economy (1890)
The demise of the PL (1890).
Prospects for local baseball in Louisville (1891)
The 'Pirates' earn their name (1891)
The NL reorganizes and expands to twelve teams (1891)
The NL adopts a split-season format (1892)
A scoreless tie in the first game of the Championship Series (1892)
A revolutionary rule change: 60' 6" (1893)
A Fourth of July game in Sitka, Alaska (1893)
Ban Johnson's career as baseball executive launched (1893)
Henry Chadwick argues for sacrifice over slugging (1894)
The Page Fence Giants play the Cincinnati Reds (1895)
John Ward explains the hit-and-run play (1896)
Boston and Baltimore conclude an epic Pennant Race (1897)
The Brush Purification Plan (1898).
7. The birth of the American League and the origins of the World Series, 1899-1905:
Western League disbanded and renamed the American League (AL) (1899)
Home Wagner and other Louisville Stars transferred to Pittsburgh (1899)
NL reduced to an eight-team circuit (1900)
Inaugural AL game played in Detroit (1900)
Formation of the Players' Protective Association (1900)
Formation of the National Association of Professional Base Ball Leagues by the Minor Leagues (1901)
John J. McGraw defects to the NL (1902)
The NL and the AL sign a peace agreement (1903)
Richter condemns Minor Leagues for subordinating themselves to the Major Leagues (1903)
NL and AL formally agree to play annual World Series (1905).
8. Postscript: The origins of the creation myth:
A.G. Spalding requests formation of a Special Committee to investigate the origins of baseball (1905)
Special Base Ball Commission appointed (1906)
Abner Graves identifies Abner Doubleday as the 'Father of Baseball' (1908)
The Final Report of the Commission (1908).