-
An early form of golf is played by the Romans called paganica, where players hit a stuffed leather ball with a bent stick. This is the earliest form of a golf-type game that we know of today.
-
An early form of tennis called Jeu de Paume (Game of the Palm), where players hit the ball back and forth with their hand, surfaces.
-
The origin of modern golf can be traced back to Scotland in the 15th Century.
-
Rackets first come into use in tennis, and the game starts being called "tennis" for the first time.
-
The first Rules of Golf are set by the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers.There were 13 of these rules.
-
The first official game of baseball is played between a cricket team and a team called the Knickerbockers.
-
Walter Wingfield becomes the father of modern tennis after he designs and patents a game called “Sticky."
-
The first official rules of football are written by Walter Camp.
-
The first ever Wimbledon tournament is played, which is now one of the most popular and prestigious tournaments in tennis.
-
Basketball is invented by Dr. James Naismith. The first games are played at Springfield College in Massachusetts.
-
The first Professional Golfer’s Association (PGA) is formed in the UK. Other countries will follow and make their own PGA for their country.
-
The first world series is played between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Boston Americans.
-
The American Professional Football Association founded, and the name later changed to the National Football League, which is what we know it as today.
-
Baseball is broadcast over the radio for the first time, exposing many more people to baseball and allowing anyone to listen to a game.
-
Basketball becomes an official Olympic sport.
-
The first NFL draft is held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Philadelphia, PA.
-
Tennis was broadcast over the radio for the first time, helping tennis to spread globally.
-
An NFL game is televised for the very first time, allowing many people to see their first ever football game.
-
The Basketball Association of America is formed, and the name is later changed to the National Basketball Association (NBA).
-
Jackie Robinson breaks the color barrier in the MLB after he plays with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
-
Chuck Cooper becomes the first African American selected in the NBA Draft.
-
The NFL and the AFL merge leagues, creating one professional football league. The teams that were in each league are now in either the NFC or AFC conference.
-
Chris Ford of Boston Celtics makes the first three-pointer in NBA history.
-
The Cubs and the Mets open the season in Tokyo to help grow the game globally.
-
Golf is played at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. It is the first time in 112 years that golf is played at the Olympics, the previous being in 1904.
