References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2008 June 28.

1890 February 14 First New South Wales vs South Australia first-class cricket game. [1] March 2 Oscar Fredriksen skates world record 5 km (9:19). [1] May 13 18th Preakness: W Martin aboard Montague wins in 2:36.75. [1] May 14 16th Kentucky Derby: Isaac Murphy aboard Riley wins in 2:45. [1] May 19 Gus Kempis cricketer (South Africa's first Test), dies of fever at age 24. [1] May 30 First Dodger homerun (Dave Foutz). [1] June 6 United States Polo Association formed, New York City. [1] September 1 First baseball tripleheader-Boston vs Pittsburgh. [1] September 16 Newswriter George Whitney Calhoun names Green Bay team the Packers. [1] September 23 Ed Cartwright bats in 7 RBIs in one inning. [1] September 29 First pro baseball game, New York Metropolitans beat the Washington Nationals 4-2 in five innings at the Polo Grounds in New York City. [1] October 28 Last National League-AA World Series game Brooklyn ties Louisville three games and one tie. [1] November 29 First Army-Navy football game, Score: Navy 24, Army 0 at West Point. [1] December 3 Bill Midwinter cricketer (8 Tests for Australia, four for England), dies. [1] 1891 January 4 Joe Hunter cricket wicket-keeper (England on 1884-85 Autralian tour), dies. [1] February 28 Oscar Grundén skates world record 500 metre (50.8 seconds). [1] March 28 First world weightlifting championship held. [1] Dick Pilling cricketer ("Prince of Wicketkeepers", England 1881-88), dies. [1] May 1 Cy Young pitches first game played in Cleveland's League Park Cleveland Spiders 12, Cincinnati Redlegs 3. [1] May 13 17th Kentucky Derby: Isaac Murphy aboard Kingman wins in 2:52.25. [1] May 21 Boxers Peter Jackson and Jim Corbett fight to a draw in 61 rounds. [1] October 18 First international six-day bicycle race in US (Madison Square Gardens, New York City) begins. [1] December 1 James Naismith creates the game of basketball. [1] December 15 James Naismith invents basketball (Canada). [1] December 19 Canadian Rugby Union forms. [1] December 21 Eighteen students play first basketball game (Springfield College). [1] 1892 January 15 Basketball rules published in Triangle Magazine, Massachusetts. [1] January 20 First basketball game played (Massachusetts). [1] February 2 Johnny Briggs takes a hat-trick, England vs Australia SCG. [1] Longest boxing match under modern rules; 77 rounds in Nameoki, Illinois between Harry Sharpe and Frank Crosby. [1] February 19 Monty Bowden cricket Captain (England vs South Africa 1889), dies at age 26. [1] February 22 Manitoba Rugby Football Union forms. [1] March 11 First public basketball game (Springfield Massachusetts). [1] March 18 Lord Stanley proposes silver challenge cup for hockey (Stanley Cup). [1] March 19 Three brothers Hearne play in same Test Cricket England vs South Africa (Cape Town). [1] April 17 First Sunday National League baseball game, Cincinnati Reds beat Saint Louis Cardinals 5-1. [1] April 29 Charlie Reilly is baseball's first pinch hitter. [1] May 11 18th Kentucky Derby: Lonnie Clayton aboard Azra wins in 2:41.5. [1] May 14 Vitesse 1892 soccer team forms in Arnhem. [1] June 7 John J Doyle of Clev Spiders is first to pinch hit in a baseball game. [1] June 10 Wilbert Robinson of Baltimore Orioles sets record of 7 for 7 in 9 inning game. [1] June 28 Philadelphia Phillies tie club record of 16 straight victories. [1] September 29 First night football game played (Mansfield, Pennsylvania). [1] November 12 Allegheny Athletic Association beats Pittsburgh Athletic Club, 4-0 in football. [1] Pudge Heffelfinger receives $500, becomes first pro football player. [1] December 16 Commencement of first Sheffield Shield cricket game, South Africa vs New South Wales. [1] December 27 N C Biddle beats Livingston 4-0 in first black college football game. [1] 1893 January 11 Jaap Eden skates world record 1500m (2 35). [1] January 26 Abner Doubleday credited with inventing baseball, dies on 74th birthday. [1] February 5 Alfred Naess skates world record 500 metre (49.4 seconds). [1] February 26 Einar Halvorsen skates world record 500 metre (48 seconds). [1] April 3 First New South Wales vs Queensland F-C game, at Brisbane Exhibition Ground. [1] April 6 Andy Bowen and Jack Burke box 7 hours 19 minutes to no decision in Saint Louis (111 rounds, longest bout in boxing history). [1] May 10 19th Kentucky Derby: Eddie Kunze aboard Lookout wins in 2:39.25. [1] May 11 Henri Desgrange establishes first bicycle-world record (35.325 km). [1] July 1 San Francisco Bay City Club opens first US bicycle race track, made of wood. [1] August 9 First US bowling magazine, Gut Holz, published in New York. [1] 1894 January 21 Oscar Fredriksen skates world record 500m in 47.8 seconds. [1] January 25 James J Corbett knocks out Charley Mitchell in three for heavyweight boxing title. [1] January 27 First college basketball game, University of Chicago beats Chicago YMCA 19-11. [1] February 23 Stanley Cup: Montréal AAA's awarded cup by trustees as Ottawa refuses to travel to Toronto to play. [1] March 11 John Selby cricketer (6 Tests for England 1877-82), dies. [1] March 22 Stanley Cup: Montréal AAA beat Ottawa Generals, 3-1 (first Cup game ever). [1] April 24 French cyclist Henri Desgrange rides 100km in world record 2:39:18. [1] Philadelphia Phillies' Lave Cross hits for the cycle vs Brooklyn Dodgers. [1] May 15 20th Kentucky Derby: Frank Goodale aboard Chant wins in 2:41. [1] May 16 Fire in Boston destroys baseball stadium and 170 other buildings. [1] May 17 19th Preakness: Fred Taral aboard Assignee wins in 1:49.25. [1] May 30 Bobby Lowe is first to hit four homeruns in one baseball game. [1] June 15 Philadelphia Phillies beat Cincinnati Reds, 21-8. [1] June 24 Decision to begin modern Olympics every four years. [1] August 17 Philadelphia Phillies get 36 hits, Sam Thompson hits for cycle beating Louisville 29-4. [1] December 14 Day One first Test Cricket Australia vs England Australia 5-346 (Giffen 161, Gregory 85). [1] Test Cricket debut of Joe Darling, Ernie Jones, Archie MacLaren. [1] December 15 Cricket day two first T Australia vs England Australia 586 (Gregory 201) England 3-130. [1] December 17 Cricket day three 1T Australia vs England England 325 all out, 261 behind on first inning. [1] December 18 Cricket day four 1T Australia vs England England following on 4-268, 7 in front. [1] December 19 Cricket day five 1T Australia vs England England 437 all out, Australia need 177 are 2-113. [1] December 20 Day Six 1T Australia vs England Australia need 177 to win, all out 166. [1] England beat Australia by 10 runs in the first six-day Test Cricket. [1] December 22 United States Golf Association is formed (New York City, New York). [1] December 24 Soccer team Achilles '94 forms in Axes. [1] December 25 First midwestern football team to play on west coast, University of Chicago defeats Stanford 24-4 at Palo Alto California. [1] 1895 January 15 Albert Trott takes 8-43 on Test debut, then a record. [1] January 18 Amsterdam's AFC soccer team forms. [1] January 30 Tasmania beat Victoria for first F-C victory in 41 years. [1] February 3 Wilhelm Mauseth skates world record 500 metre (46.8 seconds). [1] February 9 First intercollegiate basketball game (Minnesota Agricultural beats Hamline, 9-3). [1] Volleyball invented by W G Morgan in Massachusetts. [1] February 23 Jaap Eden skates world record 10 km (17:56). [1] March 6 England beat Australia to win one of the best cricket series ever, 3-2. [1] J T Brown hits the fastest 50 in Test Crickets (28 minutes) England vs Australia. [1] March 9 Stanley Cup: Montréal Victorias awarded cup, as Queens University (Kingston Ontario) loses to Montréal AAA, 5-1. [1] April 15 Josephine Blatt (US) makes hip-and-harness lift of 3564 pounds (record). [1] May 6 21st Kentucky Derby: Soup Perkins aboard Halma wins in 2:37.5. [1] May 17 W G Grace completes his 100th 100 vs Somerset at Bristol. [1] May 25 20th Preakness: Fred Taral aboard Belmar wins in 1:50.5. [1] May 30 W G Grace scores his 1,000th Cricket run of the season after 22 days. [1] August 31 First pro football game (quarterback John Brallier paid $10 and won 12-0). [1] September 9 The American Bowling Congress formed (New York City). [1] September 12 Defender (US) beats Valkyrie III (England) in 10th America's Cup. [1] 1896 January 6 First US women's six-day bicycle race starts, Madison Square Garden. [1] January 27 Tasmania bowl out Victoria for 65 for their first ever innings victory. [1] February 12 Isaac Murphy jockey, 628 win on 1,412 mounts (44.5%), dies at age 35. [1] February 14 George Lohmann takes a hat-trick vs South Africa, 8-7 for inning. [1] South Africa all out for 30 vs England - their lowest ever. [1] Stanley Cup: Winnipeg Victorias beat Montréal Victorias, 2-0. [1] February 24 Victoria all out for 43 vs South Australia, Jones 6-15 Jarvis 4-27. [1] March 2 George Lohmann takes 9-28 vs South Africa at Johannesburg. [1] March 10 After Bob Fitzsimmons knocks out much larger Jim Corbett to win world heavyweight championship he says, "The bigger they are, the harder they fall". [1] Charilaos Vasilakos of Greece wins first modern marathon in 3:18. [1] March 22 Charilaos Vasilakos wins first marathon (3:18). [1] March 25 Modern Olympics begin in Athens Greece. [1] April 6 First modern Olympic games begin in Athens Greece; American, James Connolly, wins first Olympic gold medal in modern history. [1] April 10 Greek runner Spiridon Loues wins first modern Olympic marathon in Athens (2:58:50). [1] April 12 Stamasia Portrisi is first woman to win a marathon (5:30 in Athens). [1] April 15 First Olympic games close at Athens, Greece. [1] May 6 22nd Kentucky Derby: Willie Simms aboard Ben Brush wins in 2:07.75. [1] May 8 Yorkshire Cricket all out for 887 against Warwickshire. [1] May 26 First American intercollegiate bicycle race, Manhattan Beach New York. [1] July 13 Ed Delahanty, becomes second major league player to hit four home runs in a game. [1] November 26 First large indoor football game, University of Chicago beats University of Michigan 7-6. [1] A.A. Stagg of University of Chicago creates the football huddle. [1] December 10 First intercollegiate basketball game (Wesleyan beats Yale 4-3). [1] December 30 Stanley Cup: Montréal Victorias beat Winnipeg Victorias, 6-5. [1] December 31 Leland Hone cricketer (scored 7 and 6 in only England Test 1879), dies. [1] 1897 January 1 First football game between black colleges-Atlanta University 10, Tuskegee 0. [1] January 8 Michael Eagan wins first US national amateur handball championship. [1] January 30 John Cottam cricket (Test for Australia 1897, no Sheffield matches), dies. [1] February 5 Hoss Radbourn pitcher won 60 games in 1884, dies at age 42. [1] March 9 Indian fans start calling the team Indians (in 1915 becomes official). [1] March 15 First indoor fly casting tournament opens, at Madison Square Garden. [1] March 17 Robert Fitzsimmons knocks out James J Corbett in 14 for heavyweight boxing title. [1] March 20 First known intercollegiate basketball game, Yale beats University of Pennsylvania 32-10. [1] April 19 First Boston Marathon won by John McDermott of New York in 2:55:10. [1] May 4 23rd Kentucky Derby: Buttons Garner aboard Typhoon II wins in 2:12.5. [1] May 8 22nd Preakness: T Thorpe aboard Paul Kauvar wins in 1:51.25. [1] May 11 Washington Senator catcher Charlie Farrell throws out 8 attempted stealers. [1] May 18 New York Giants William Joyce sets record of four triples in one game. [1] May 29 31st Belmont Stakes: J Scherrer aboard Scottish Cheiftain wins in 2:23.25. [1] June 29 Chicago beats Louisville 36-7 (baseball). [1] December 27 Stanley Cup: Montréal Victorias beat Ottawa Capitals, 15-2. [1] 1898 January 19 Brown defeats Harvard 6-0 in first intercollegiate hockey game. [1] April 19 Second Boston Marathon won by Ron McDonald of Massachusetts in 2:42:00. [1] April 21 Philadelphia Phillies' pitcher Bill Duggleby hits a grand slam on first at bat. [1] April 22 Baltimore Orioles' player James Hughes no-hits Boston Braves 8-0. [1] Cincinnati Red Theodore Breitenstein no-hits Pittsburgh Pirates 11-0. [1] April 30 Championship wrestling match at the Metropolitan turns into a brawl. [1] May 4 24th Kentucky Derby: Willie Simms aboard Plaudit wins in 2:09. [1] May 26 32nd Belmont Stakes: F Littlefield aboard Bowling Brook wins in 2:32. [1] 1899 January 7 Walter Camp publishes his first All-American football team in Collier's. [1] February 12 First two-man team six-day bicycle race in US begins, Madison Square Garden, New York City. [1] February 16 Pelham Warner scores 132 on Test Cricket debut (England vs South Africa Johannesburg). [1] February 18 Stanley Cup: Montréal Shamrocks sweep Queens University (Kingston Ontario) in two games. [1] March 14 Stanley Cup: Montréal Shamrocks beat Winnipeg Victorias, 6-2. [1] March 24 Billy Barnes cricketer (725 runs in 21 Tests for England), dies. [1] April 4 South Africa all out 35 vs England (Trott 4-19, Haigh 6-11). [1] April 18 John McGraw, at age 36, managerial debut as Baltimore Orioles' manager. [1] April 19 Third Boston Marathon won by Lawrence Brignolia of Massachusetts in 2:54:38. [1] April 22 E J [Ned] Gregory cricketer (one Test for Australia), dies. [1] May 4 25th Kentucky Derby: Fred Taral aboard Manuel wins in 2:12. [1] May 25 33rd Belmont Stakes: R Clawson aboard Jean Beraud wins in 2:23. [1] May 30 24th Preakness: R Clawson aboard Half Time wins in 1:47. [1] June 9 Jim Jeffries knocks out Bob Fitzsimmons for the Heavyweight boxxing crown. [1] July 29 Southern California Golf Association formed. [1] October 20 Columbia (US) beats Shamrock (England) in 11th America's Cup. [1] November 3 Jim Jeffries retains heavyweight boxing title over Sailor Tom Sharkey. [1] December 12 George F Grant of Boston)first black graduate of Harvard College, and a dentist) patents the wooden golf tee. [1]