July 20, 1858 – The very first charged admission to see a baseball game occurred for a New York All-Star team against a Star-studded lineup of Brooklyn ball players. The National Association of Base Ball Players was organized earlier in this year in recognition of the potential profits that baseball could provide.
The first admission fee of half of a dollar was charged that year for the All-Star game between the Brooklyn and New York clubs. You see until that point in time baseball players joined a dues-paying club in order to rent the fields to play their games on.
Typically these were amateur teams in name, but almost always featured a few players who were covertly paid. That $0.50 admission was not a small fee. Many unskilled workers at that time would only make $2-3 per week in earnings.
To find more great daily sports history make sure to check out the Sports Jersey Dispatch and Pigskin Dispatch.
More From Sports History Network

The Mad Russian: Tom Meschery’s Extraordinary NBA Career and Unforgettable Life Story
Tom Meschery was one of the great players in Golden State Warriors history. His

Terrible 1970s Passing Performances Resulting In Victory
In 1973 and 1974, a couple of terrible passing performances by a couple of

FIFA Through The Ages: Unveilling the Revolutionary Changes in E-Sports
The gaming industry is going through a long and constant path of development, and

Reliving The 1986 Chicago Bears’ Season
Much has been said and written about the 1985 Chicago Bears, but what about

Unveiling the Real Lives of Wrestling Superstars in “350 Days” Documentary
The most common regret expressed by people before they die is: “ I wish

Reliving The 1974 Dallas Cowboys’ Season
After appearing in the NFC Championship game four years in a row, from 1970

Dick Tracy and the Chicago Cardinals
Long before we could watch football games on our phones, or talk with our

Touchdowns and Time: A Brief History of the NFL
The National Football League (NFL), America’s preeminent professional football organization, has a rich and