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Here’s a look at the 150-year history of Major League Baseball

March 25, 2026

The old ball game

With Opening Day kicking off this week, we look back on 150 years of Major League Baseball.

The beginnings of baseball are a little murky but this year marks the 150th anniversary of the National League, which is still going. The first official game of baseball in the U.S. took place in June 1846 in Hoboken, New Jersey. In 1857, the sport had its first governing body, although the teams were not professional.

In 1867 it barred participation by Black athletes until 1947. The first fully professional baseball team, The Cincinnati Red Stockings, came in 1869.

The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players, often known simply as the National Association, was the first fully professional sports league in baseball. The NA was founded in 1871 and continued through the 1875 season.

The National League is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball and was founded in 1876.

1876: Chicago businessman William Hulbert formed the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs to replace the National Association, which he believed was mismanaged and corrupt. The National League had eight original members listed in the chart to the left.

1901: American League founded – 140 game schedule with eight teams.

1901: The Minor League system is established.

1903: First World Series: Boston Americans (AL) beat the Pittsburgh Pirates (NL).

1903–1968: World Series only (2 team playoff).

1908: “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” is released by Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer.

1933: July 6, the first All-Star Game at Comiskey Park.

1947: Jackie Robinson, who grew up in Pasadena, California, breaks baseball’s color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

1961: 162-game schedule starts.

1964: Mr. Met is the first official mascot for an MLB team.

1969–1993: Addition of League Championship series (4 team playoff).

1980: Nolan Ryan became the first million-dollar player when he signed a four-year free agent contract with the Houston Astros for $1 million per season. The salary quadrupled what he had been making with the Angels.

1994–2011: Addition of Division Series (8 team playoff).

2012–2019; 2021: Addition of Single Wild Card Games (10 team playoff).

2020: 16-team playoff (beginning of Wild Card series).

In 2020, Major League Baseball designated the following seven Negro leagues from 1920–1948 as Major Leagues:

Negro National League I (1920–1931)Eastern Colored League (1923–1928)American Negro League (1929)East–West League (1932)Negro Southern League (1932)Negro National League II (1933–1948)Negro American League (1937–1948)

2022–present: 12-team playoff (revised Wild Card series)

Most championshipsNew York Yankees: 27St. Louis Cardinals: 11L.A. Dodgers: 9Boston Red Sox: 9Athletics: 9

MLB teams that have never won the World Series:Colorado RockiesMilwaukee BrewersSan Diego PadresSeattle MarinersTampa Bay Rays

Projected payroll for teams in 2026Team Rank Payroll 2026 PayrollLAD 1 $397MNYM 2 $364MNYY 3 $308MTOR 4 $289MPHI 5 $284MATL 6 $250MHOU 7 $237MCHC 8 $231MSDP 9 $221MDET 10 $207MSFG 11 $203MBOS 12 $196MARI 13 $194MTEX 14 $185MLAA 15 $180MBAL 16 $166MSEA 17 $161MKCR 18 $146MMIL 19 $129MCIN 20 $127MCOL 21 $122MMIN 22 $106MPIT 23 $105MSTL 24 $99MWSN 25 $97MATH 26 $95MTBR 27 $88MCHW 28 $87MCLE 29 $82MMIA 30 $73MSource: fangraphs.com

Strikes and lockouts over the years1972 strikeThe first time Major League Baseball stopped working came in 1972 when the players sat out the first week-and-a-half of the season.1973 lockoutArbitration came up again just months later when the owners kept the players from spring training.1976 lockoutThree weeks of spring training.1980 strikeEight days in April 1980.1981 strikeThe strike stretched from June 12 through July 31, resulting in the loss of 713 games and an unusual split-season playoff structure.1985 strikeOnly two games were missed during a two-day strike.1990 lockoutLasted a month. Opening Day was pushed back, no games were lost.1994-95 strikePlayers struck in August 1994. There was no World Series. The strike lasted 232 days.2021-22 lockoutSpring training was delayed and Opening Day was pushed back as the lockout stretched from December 2021 to March 2022.Note: Baseball’s bargaining agreement expires after the 2026 season.

The logoThe official logo of Major League Baseball was designed by Jerry Dior in 1968, when MLB commissioned the marketing firm Dior worked at to create a logo.

The logo first appeared on uniforms during the 1969 season. It didn’t become a fixture on uniforms until 1993, when it began appearing on the back of caps.

The design includes a white silhouette of a batter. Dior did not base the batter’s silhouette on Harmon Killebrew or any other specific player as was popularly thought.

The logo was added to MLB jersey’s rear neckline in 2000.

Sources: Major League Baseball, Uniwatch, Athlonsports.com, Baseball Reference, Society for American Baseball Research, Baseball Almanac

Here’s a look at the 150-year history of Major League Baseball Orange County Register

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Here’s a look at the 150-year history of Major League Baseball

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