Discover what happened in this year with HISTORY’s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.
Mar
15
On March 15, 1869, Cincinnati attorney Aaron Champion hires former cricket player Harry Wright to organize, manage and play for the Cincinnati Red Stockings, who become the first professional baseball team. The organization of the club comes shortly after the National Association of Baseball Players, which had previously banned the payment of players, allows open professionalism after the close of the 1868 season.
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May
10
On May 10, 1869, the presidents of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads meet in Promontory, Utah, and drive a ceremonial last spike into a rail line that connects their railroads. This made transcontinental railroad travel possible for the first time in U.S. history. No longer would western-bound travelers need to take the long and dangerous journey by wagon train.
Completion of the first transcontinental railroad with the Central Pacific Railroad coming from Sacramento, and the Union Pacific Railroad building out from Chicago, Promontory Point, Utah, May 10, 1869. The two railroads started the project six years earlier, in 1863. (Photo by Underwood Archives/Getty Images)
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Aug
28
Sep
27
Just after midnight on September 27, 1869, Ellis County Sheriff Wild Bill Hickok and his deputy respond to a report that a local ruffian named Samuel Strawhun and several drunken buddies were tearing up John Bitter’s Beer Saloon in Hays City, Kansas. When Hickok arrived and ordered the men to stop, Strawhun turned to attack him, and Hickok shot him in the head. Strawhun died instantly, as did the riot.
Nov
06
Nov
17
Dec
10
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