Major League Baseball

Each Major League Baseball (MLB) team plays a six month, 162-game regular season within two leagues, each of which have three geographical divisions. The MLB All-Star Game is held each July. Following the regular season, eight teams qualify for the MLB Playoffs. After two rounds are played to determine each league champion, the two remaining teams participate in the World Series.

The 2009 Major League Baseball season began on April 5, 2009, in a game between the 2008 World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies and their division rival Atlanta Braves. The game was televised on ESPN 2 at 8:00 p.m. (EST), as part of their Sunday Night Baseball telecast.MLB.com: Phillies welcome repeat challenge (April 3, 2009)

On January 1, 2009, Major League Baseball launched the MLB Network. A cable and satellite channel dedicated exclusively to Major League Baseball. The network launched at 7pm Eastern Standard Time. The first program is a re-broadcast of a Classic baseball game featuring the "perfect game" pitched by Don Larsen in the 1956 World Series.Official Site: MLB Network

1. Cy Young Award: Best Pitcher
2. DHL Delivery Man of the Year: Best relief pitcher as voted by fans
3. Rawlings Gold Glove Award: Best outfielder in each position as voted by the managers and coaches
4. Hank Aaron Award: Top hitter
5. Manager of the Year
6. Most Valuable Player
7. Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award: Best relief pitcher based on statistics
8. Roberto Clemente Award: Awarded for character and charitable donations
9. Rookie of the Year
10. Silver Slugger Award: Best infielder in each position

• 1869: First professional baseball game played

• 1876: Formation of the National League

• 1900: Formation of the American League

• 1903: Boston Americans defeated Pittsburgh Pirates in first ever World Series

• 1919: Chicago White Sox lose to Cincinnati Reds in a 'fixed' World Series

• 1921: Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis named first ever Commissioner of Baseball

• 1933: First All-Star Game held in Chicago

• 1936: Charter members inducted into the:Baseball Hall of Fame

• 1939: First ever televised game

• 1947: NBC televises World Series nationally for the first time

• 1951: New York Giants defeated Brooklyn Dodgers in 3-game playoff series

• 1965: First Major League Baseball Draft held

• 1969: AL and NL split into two divisions each

• 1972: First ever players' strike results in first week's games canceled

• 1994: Season ends early due to MLB Players' Strike

• 1995: First completed season with three divisions and a wild card team in MLB Playoffs

• 2009: Rule changed so playoff games will be played to conclusion