Dan Brown hits the dirt in vain as the Ohio State catcher clenches the ball for the tag. (1995)
Baseball at MSU started with humble beginnings. It was the first organized sport at the State Agricultural College in athletic history, which was MSU’s second university name. Students organized the team and played local communities including the Capital Club of Lansing.
1865 - The Star baseball team, a student-run athletic team and one of the first of its kind, is created on campus. The team's first competition outside school is a five-game series against Capital Club of Lansing. A variety of student-run teams started and disbanded until an official team was introduced.
1868 - The first match recorded between M.A.C. and the University of Michigan took place during this year.
1884 - On May 19, a M.A.C. baseball team plays Olivet College at Olivet and wins 20-9. It is the earliest recorded intercollegiate sports event at M.A.C.
1886 - The M.A.C. baseball club was officially created.
1888 - The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA), NCAA Division III affiliated conference, is formed with MSU as one of its members. MIAA is America’s oldest college conference.
1907 - M.A.C drops out of MIAA and is no longer a member. MSU was the first champion of the MIAA. Throughout M.A.C.’s membership the baseball program won five MIAA baseball championships.
1919 - Michigan Agricultural College joins the NCAA and becomes a member.
1925 - John H. Kobs starts his first season as head coach of Michigan State College of Agriculture and Applied Science baseball team. Kobs would go on to serve as coach until his retirement after the 1963 season, the longest serving baseball coach in MSU history. He is succeeded by Danny Litwhiler.
1944 - Due to the outbreak of World War II and the United States involvement, MSU had no varsity team during this year.
1949 - MSU was admitted membership to the Big Ten nearly 50 years after it is established and shortly after the departure of the University of Chicago. They joined rival team the University of Michigan, admitted in 1896.
