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]
- July 23
- The Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (international sport federation) is founded. [5]
- 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 Trojans 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, USA. [1]
- February 17
- First Test Cricket match played at Sydney Cricket Ground. [1]
- February 22
- With 120 miles James Saunders wins New York City's 24-hour race and $100 prize. [1]
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- March 11
- Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association organized in Princeton, New Jersey, USA. [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
- US Baseball's 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) forms in Canada. [1]
- January 16
- Québec Rugby Football Union forms. [1]
- January 20
- Billy Barnes takes a hat-trick, England versus Australia at Melbourne Cricket Ground. [1]
- January 22
- England complete first innings victory in Tests versus Australia at Melbourne Cricket Ground. [1]
- January 30
- England team presented with ashes of a bail after Sydney cricket Test. [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]
- New York Athletic Club hires Bob Rogers as first American pro sports trainer. [1]
- May 23
- 9th Kentucky Derby: William Donohue aboard Leonatus wins in 2:43. [1]
- May 26
- 11th Preakness: G Barbee aboard Jacobus wins in 2:42.5. [1]
- June 2
- First night baseball under lights, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA. [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 Cubs' Burns (extra bases), Williamson and Pfeiffer get three hits in one inning. [1]
- September 8
- New York Giants score 13 runs in an inning against the Philadelphia Phillies. [1]
- September 13
- Cleveland Blues' pitcher Hugh Daily no-hits Philadelphia Phillies 1-0. [1]
- November 6
- NYAC organizes first American cross-country championship race. [1]
1884
- February 7
- Canadian Rugby Football Union forms. [1]
- May 16
- 10th Kentucky Derby: Isaac Murphy aboard Buchanan wins in 2:40.25. [1]
- May 22
- One-armed pitcher Hugh Daily fans 13 batters. [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 in cricket versus England XI in four hours. [1]
- August 28
- Mickey Welsh strikes-out first nine men he faces. [1]
- October 23
- First World Series OKed by AA, Providence (National League) beats New York Mets (AA) 6-0. [1]
- November 17
- Cops arrest boxer John L Sullivan in second round for being "cruel". [1]
- December 12
- First Cricket Test match played at the Adelaide Oval. [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-ounce gloves and 3-minute rounds is fought between John L Sullivan and Dominick McCaffrey. [1]
- Philadelphia Phillies' pitcher Charlie Ferguson no-hits Providence 1-0. [1]
- September 12
- Highest score (35) recorded in any first-class soccer match is set. [1]
- September 16
- Sailing ship Puritan (US) beats Genesta (England) in 6th running of America's Cup. [1]
- October 15
- Hoss Radbourne pitches his 60th win of the season. [1]
1886
- January 1
- First Tournament of Roses, Pasadena, California, USA. [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 25
- First international polo meet (US versus England). [1]
- September 11
- Sailing ship Mayflower (US) beats Galatea (England) in 7th America's Cup. [1]
1887
- January 21
- Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) forms in the USA. [1]
- January 28
- England all out for 45 versus Australia Sydney Cricket Ground, 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, Pennsylvania, USA). [1]
- February 26
- George Lohmann takes first 8-wicket haul in Test Crickets, 8-35 at Sydney Cricket Ground. [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 make most lopsided shut-out, beating Indianapolis 24-0. [1]
- August 21
- Mighty (Dan) Casey strikes out in a game with the New York Giants. [1]
- September 16
- The first game of softball is played in Chicago, Illinois, USA. [5]
- September 30
- Sailing ship 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, Illinois). [1]
- December 19
- Jake Kilrain and Jem Smith fight bare knuckles 106 rounds to a draw. [1]
- December 28
- Sir John Layton Jarvis becomes first British race horse trainer to be knighted. [1]
1888
- January 30
- Harry Moses 297 not out for New South Wales against Victoria in cricket. [1]
- 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]
- May 11
- 16th Preakness: F Littlefield aboard Refund wins in 2:49. [1]
- May 12
- Crouching start for running race first used by Charles Sherrill of Yale. [1]
- May 14
- 14th Kentucky Derby: George Covington aboard MacBeth II wins in 2:38.25. [1]
- June 3
- Casey at the Bat is published in the San Francisco Examiner. [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, in Yonkers, New York, opens with just six holes. [1]
- December 25
- First indoor baseball game played at fairgrounds in Philadelphia. [1]
1889
- January 30
- Victoria beats New South Wales after following on (New South Wales all out 63 needed 76). [1]
- March 12
- Start of South Africa's first Test, versus England, at 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]
- 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 Major League baseball record with 26th consecutive loss. [1]
- July 8
- John L Sullivan wins by knockout in 75 rounds in last bare-knuckle bout. [1]
- August 29
- First American International professional lawn tennis contest (Newport, Rhode Island). [1]
- October 24
- Softball rules adopted by Mid Winter Indoor Baseball League. [1]
- November 4
- Players League begins, declaring independence from baseball's National League. [1]
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