1880

May 18

• 6th Kentucky Derby: George Lewis aboard Fonso wins in 2:37.5. [1]

May 28

• 8th Preakness: L Hughes aboard Grenada wins in 2:40.5. [1]

June 10

• Charlie Jones becomes first to hit two home runs in one inning. [1]

June 12

• First baseball perfect game-John Richmond of Worcester beats Cleve. [1]

June 17

• John Ward, Providence, pitches perfect game versus Buffalo. [1]

1881

May 17

• 7th Kentucky Derby: Jim McLaughlin aboard Hindoo wins in 2:40. [1]

May 21

• US Nation Lawn Tennis Association is formed. [1]

May 27

• 9th Preakness: T Costello aboard Saunterer wins in 2:40.5. [1]

August 3

• US Nation Lawn Tennis Association removes "Nation" from name. [1]

August 31

• First US tennis championships (Newport, Rhode Island). [1]

September 27

• Chicago Cubs beat Troy 10-8 before record small "crowd" of 12. [1]

1882

February 7

• Last bare knuckle champion John L Sullivan knocks out Paddy Ryan in Mississippi. [1]

February 17

• First Test Cricket match played at Sydney Cricket Ground. [1]

March 11

• Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association organized in Princeton New Jersey. [1]

March 18

• Morgan Earp brother of Wyatt Earp, shot and killed while playing billiards in Tombstone. [1]

May 16

• 8th Kentucky Derby: Babe Hurd aboard Apollo wins in 2:40.25. [1]

May 27

• 10th Preakness: T Costello aboard Vanguard wins in 2:44.5. [1]

June 24

• National League expells umpire Richard Higham for dishonesty. [1]

September 25

• First baseball doubleheader (Providence and Worcester). [1]

1883

January 4

• Ontario Rugby Football Union (forerunner of Canadian Football League) formed. [1]

January 6

• Ontario Rugby Football Union forms. [1]

January 16

• Québec Rugby Football Union forms. [1]

January 20

• Billy Barnes takes a hat-trick, England versus Australia Melbourne Cricket Ground. [1]

January 22

• England complete first innings victory in Tests versus Australia Melbourne Cricket Ground. [1]

January 30

• England team presented with ashes of a bail after Sydney Test. [1]

March 12

• Murrumgunarriman [Twopenny], cricketer (Aboriginal team 1868), dies. [1]

May 1

• National League Baseball returns to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; first National League game since 1876. The Providence Grays beat the Philadelphia Quakers 4-3. [1] [56]

May 22

• Cub's Billy Sunday's first at bat, begins 14 consecutive strike-outs. [1]

May 23

• 9th Kentucky Derby: William Donohue aboard Leonatus wins in 2:43. [1]
• Baseball game between one-armed and one-legged players. [1]

May 26

• 11th Preakness: G Barbee aboard Jacobus wins in 2:42.5. [1]

June 2

• First night baseball under lights, Fort Wayne Indiana. [1]

June 16

• First baseball "Ladies' Day" (New York Gothams beat Cleveland Spiders 5-2). [1]

August 23

• Philadelphia Phillies make 27 errors against Providence (wild pitches, walks and passballs count as errors prior to 1888). [1]

September 6

• Chicago Cub's Burns (extra bases), Williamson and Pfeiffer get three hits in one inn. [1]

September 8

• New York Giants score 13 runs in an inning against the Philadelphia Phillies. [1]

November 6

• NYAC organizes first American cross-country championship race. [1]

1884

February 7

• Canadian Rugby Football Union forms. [1]

April 5

• John Wisden publisher/cricketer (prominent Sussex player), dies. [1]

May 16

• 10th Kentucky Derby: Isaac Murphy aboard Buchanan wins in 2:40.25. [1]

May 22

• One-armed pitcher Hugh Daily fanned 13 hitters. [1]

May 23

• 12th Preakness: S Fisher aboard Knight of Ellerslie wins in 2:39.5. [1]

May 26

• Fred Spofforth takes 7-34 and 7-3 versus England XI in four hours. [1]

October 23

• First world series OKed by AA, Providence (National League) beats New York Mets (AA) 6-0. [1]

1885

May 14

• 11th Kentucky Derby: Babe Henderson aboard Joe Cotton wins in 2:37.25. [1]

May 22

• 13th Preakness: Jim McLaughlin aboard Tecumseh wins in 2:49. [1]

August 29

• Boxing's first heavyweight title fight with 3-oz gloves and 3-minute rounds fought between John L Sullivan and Dominick McCaffrey. [1]

September 12

• Highest score (35) recorded in any first-class soccer match is set. [1]

September 16

• Puritan (US) beats Genesta (England) in 6th running of America's Cup. [1]

1886

January 1

• First Tournament of Roses, Pasadena California. [1]

January 3

• Birth of Arthur Mailey cricketer (great Aussie leg-spinner and cartoonist). [1]

May 14

• 12th Kentucky Derby: Paul Duffy aboard Ben Ali wins in 2:36.5. [1]

May 21

• 14th Preakness: S Fisher aboard Bard wins in 2:45. [1]

August 15

• Guy Hecker scores 7 runs in one game. [1]

August 25

• First international polo meet (US versus England). [1]

September 11

• Mayflower (US) beats Galatea (England) in 7th America's Cup. [1]

1887

January 28

• England all out for 45 versus Australia SCG, their lowest total ever. [1]

February 14

• Chicago Cubs sell Mike King Kelly to Boston for record $10,000. [1]

February 20

• First minor league baseball association organizes (Pittsburgh). [1]

February 26

• George Lohmann took first 8-wicket haul in Test Crickets, 8-35 at SCG. [1]

April 10

• Soccer team Be Quick forms in Hairs Groningen. [1]

April 30

• First game played at Broad and Huntingdon Saint Park (Baker Bowl) in Philadelphia; Philadelphia Phillies beat New York Giants 19-10. [1]

May 11

• 13th Kentucky Derby: Isaac Lewis aboard Montrose wins in 2:39.25. [1]

May 13

• 15th Preakness: William Donohue aboard Dunboyne wins in 2:39.5. [1]

June 28

• Philadelphia Phillies most lopsided shut-out beating Indianapolis 24-0. [1]

August 21

• Mighty (Dan) Casey Struck-out in a game with the New York Giants. [1]

September 16

• The first game of softball is played in Chicago, Illinois. [5]

September 30

• Volunteer (US) beats Thistle (Scotland) in 8th America's Cup. [1]

October 8

• Philadelphia Phillies set club record 16th straight victory. [1]

October 26

• Detroit (National League) beats Saint Louis (AA) 10 games to 5 in the World Series. [1]

November 23

• Notre Dame loses its first football game 8-0 to Michigan. [1]

November 30

• First indoor softball game (Chicago). [1]

1888

February 22

• John Reid of Scotland demonstrates golf to Americans (Yonkers New York). [1]

March 10

• Heavyweight Boxing champion John L Sullivan draws Charlie Mitchell in 30 rounds. [1]

March 22

• English Football League established. [1]

April 1

• Soccer team Sparta forms in Rotterdam. [1]

May 11

• 16th Preakness: F Littlefield aboard Refund wins in 2:49. [1]

May 14

• 14th Kentucky Derby: George Covington aboard MacBeth II wins in 2:38.25. [1]

July 3

• New York Giants pitcher Rube Marquard ties record of 19 game win-streak. [1]

August 10

• New York Giants pitcher Tim Keefe sets a 19 game win streak record. [1]

August 25

• Henry Slocum wins US Lawn Tennis Association singles title. [1]

October 20

• Chicago and All America baseball teams play exhibition in Auckland, New Zealand. [1]

November 14

• Saint Andrews Golf Club, Yonkers New York, opens with just six holes. [1]
• USC Trojans (then Methodists) play their first football game. [1]

December 22

• Heavyweight Boxing Champion John L Sullivan challenges Jake Kilrain. [1]

December 25

• First indoor baseball game played at fairgrounds in Philadelphia. [1]

1889

January 30

• Victoria beat New South Wales after following on (New South Wales all out 63 needed 76). [1]

February 12

• Andrew Greenwood cricketer (batted in England's first two Tests 1877), dies. [1]

March 12

• Start of South Africa's first Test, versus England, Port Elizabeth. [1]

March 25

• First Test Cricket match played at Newlands, Cape Town versus England. [1]

March 26

• Bernard Tancred carries bat for 26 out of 47! South Africa versus England. [1]
• Johnny Briggs took 15-26 (7-17 and 8-11) versus South Africa at Newlands. [1]
• South Africa all out 47, then follow-on all out 43 versus England. [1]

March 30

• John T Reid opens first US golf course (Yonkers New York). [1]

April 8

• Henry Jupp cricketer (scored 63 on Test debut for England in 1877), dies. [1]

May 9

• 15th Kentucky Derby: Thomas Kiley aboard Spokane wins in 2:34.5. [1]

May 10

• 17th Preakness: W Anderson aboard Buddhist wins in 2:17.5. [1]

June 22

• Louisville Colonels set ML baseball record with 26th consecutive loss. [1]

August 29

• First American International pro lawn tennis contest (Newport Rhode Island). [1]

October 18

• First all New York City world series New York Giants (National League) play Brooklyn (AA) (World Series #86). [1]

October 24

• Softball rules adopted by Mid Winter Indoor Baseball League. [1]

October 29

• New York Giants (National League) beat Brooklyn (AA) in world series 6 games to 3. [1]

November 4

• Players League begins, declaring independence from baseball's National League. [1]