Take me out to the ball game ----------------------------- Boston Red Sox :World Series champions 2018 ----------------------------- Baseball is celebrating 150 years since the Cincinnati Red Stockings played the first professional game on May 4, 1869 ----------------------------- OPENING PITCH 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings become first ever professional baseball team 1876 National League founded 1900 American League founded 1903 Boston Americans beat Pittsburgh Pirates in first World Series 1920 Babe Ruth (right) sold by Boston Red Sox to New York Yankees 1929 Babe Ruth hits 500th home run 1945 Jackie Robinson (right) signs with Brooklyn Dodgers 1947 New York Yankees beat Brooklyn Dodgers in first televised World Series 1957 New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers move west, to San Francisco and Los Angeles respectively 1994 World Series cancelled due to players’ strike 1998 Mark McGwire sets new single- season home run record with 70 2000 Chicago Cubs and New York Mets open season in Japan to help grow game globally 2004 Boston Red Sox win first World Series in 84 years 2007 Report into steroid scandal published 2016 Chicago Cubs break longest title drought to win first World Series in 108 years ----------------------------- Fans watch first World Series in 1903 Baseball grew in popularity over 19th century Yankee Stadium Iconic 1923 stadium hosts final game in 2008 ----------------------------- WORLD SERIES TITLES American League: 66 National League: 48 ----------------------------- Source: MLB Pictures: AP, Getty Images © GRAPHIC NEWS