Baseball is known as our country's 'national pastime' and on this day in history, the New York Giants (now in San Francisco) took a giant step forward for women: hosting the first ever Ladies Night at the Polo Grounds where they played. This event, which took place in 1883, offered free admission to ladies as a way of encouraging them to attend a game. In recent years, professional athletics have come back around and are recognizing the important role their female fans play, but there was definitely a lengthy period in which sports were just for men. We think it's pretty cool that all the way back in 1883, marketing to women was a smart move!

related: 3 Reasons Why Smart Women Love Baseball via Jezebel

image via Flickr Creative Commons