Post-season playoff: the Chicago White Stockings played the St. Louis Browns, ended with both teams going 3–3–1 in a best-of-seven series. Game 1 finished in a tie called after eight inning due to darkness; Game 2 was awarded to Chicago by forfeit after six innings because St. Louis refused to continue after disputing an umpiring decision. Both teams dispute series and claim championship.
January 15 – The Union Association holds a meeting in which only the Kansas City Unions and the Milwaukee Brewers attend. The decision is made to formally shut down the league.
February 11 – The original configuration of the Western League is formed.
April 29 – After being shut out for the 2nd straight game, players on the Cincinnati Red Stockings are fined $25 each by their manager O. P. Caylor.
May 7 – The St. Louis Browns take over 1st place in the American Association with a 13–1 win over the Philadelphia Athletics and will remain there for the rest of the season.
June 17 – "Phenomenal" Smith loses his first start as a Brooklyn Gray by a score of 18–5 after his teammates commit 14 errors behind him, including 7 by shortstop Germany Smith. "Phenomenal"'s boast of being so good that he could win by himself doesn't sit well with the other Brooklyn players, who are fined $500 for their intentional poor play. In the interests of team chemistry, Smith is immediately released.
June 25 – 10 different players collect at least 2 hits each for the Brooklyn Grays in their 21–14 win over the Philadelphia Athletics. George Strief of Philadelphia sets a major league record by hitting 4 triples in the game.
July–September
July 1 – Tom Burns of the Chicago White Stockings hits a home run that is estimated at 500 feet in a Chicago win.
July 3 – Jim McCormick of the Providence Grays wins his 200th career game for his first victory of the season. 6 days later he will be sold to the Chicago White Stockings where he will win 20 games.
July 4 – Owen Keenan of the Youngstown, Ohio club beats New Castle in both games of a double-header, pitching one game right-handed and the other game left-handed.
July 11 – After winning 175 games while pitching over 2,300 innings for the Chicago White Stockings since 1880, pitcher Larry Corcoran is released after straining his arm muscles so badly that he is unable to throw. Corcoran will only pitch 54 more innings and win 2 more games for the remainder of his career.
July 12 – The Buffalo Bisons sell Pud Galvin to the Pittsburgh Alleghenys for $5,000.
July 27 – John Clarkson, in the midst of a 53 win season, pitches a no-hitter for the Chicago White Stockings.
July 29 – Henry Larkin ties the record by hitting 4 doubles in a game.
August 16 – Louis Henke dies of a ruptured liver, sustained in an on-field collision in a Southern League game the previous day.
August 26 – Roger Connor of the New York Giants starts a first-inning triple play. 12 days later, Connor would be involved in another first-inning triple play.
August 27 – Paul Hines is released by the Providence Grays after they accuse him of intentionally playing poorly.
September 17 – The Detroit Wolverines purchase controlling ownership in the Buffalo Bisons in a move that will be overturned by the National League.
September 19 – With former Buffalo players Dan Brouthers, Hardy Richardson, Jack Rowe and Deacon White in uniform for the Detroit Wolverines, the National League orders their game against the New York Giants forfeited if they play. Detroit sits the 4 new players and loses to the Giants 6–5. The 4 return to Buffalo to finish the season.
September 30 – The Chicago White Stockings clinch the National League pennant with a 2–1 win over the New York Giants.
October–December
October 1 – The first all black professional team is formed by Frank P. Thompson. Originally known as the Athletics, they will soon change their name to the Cuban Giants.
October 7 – Fred Shaw of the Providence Grays throws a 5 inning no-hitter before 12 fans in Buffalo in the first game of a double-header against the Bisons. Shaw beats them again in another 5-inning game in the nightcap.
October 10 – The Providence Grays sweep the Buffalo Bisons in a double-header in the Bison's last day in the major leagues. Buffalo finishes the season with a 17-game winless streak, only managing 1 tie in the season's last 3 weeks.
October 10 – Joe Gerhardt, second baseman of the New York Giants finishes the season with a .155 batting average while shortstop Charlie Bastian of the Philadelphia Quakers ends the year with a .167 average. Both players set still-standing records for the lowest batting average in a season (with a minimum of 350 at-bats) for their respective positions.
October 17 – The National League sets a minimum player salary of $1,000 and a maximum of $2,000 for the 1886 season.
October 22 John Montgomery Ward, along with several teammates, forms the Brotherhood of Professional Base-ball Players, the first union in professional sports history. The Brotherhood would ultimately result in the Players' League in 1890.
October 24 – The final game of the 1885 World Series is played. The St. Louis Browns defeat the Chicago White Stockings 13–4 to tie the series at 3 wins each, with game 1 having ended in a tie.
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