1871: Adelaide Oval playing area is levelled and planted.
1873: The oval is officially opened on December 13 with a cricket game between British and colonial-born players.
1877: The first football game at the ground is played, an inter-colonial match between Adelaide and St Kilda.
1878: Tennis is played on the oval.
1882: The famous red-roofed members grandstand is built. It remains until 2009.
1884: The oval becomes the world’s sixth Test venue when Australia takes on England.
1885: A crowd of 8000 watches as the first night game of football is played under electric light.
1889: The first South Australian Football Association Grand Final is played.
1890: The oval is surrounded by an asphalt bike track.
1895: Australian bowler Albert Trott takes a Test record 8-43 against England.
1911: Adelaide Oval scoreboard, designed by architect Kenneth Milne, is put in use.
1914: Port Adelaide caps historic undefeated season with victory over North Adelaide in the SAFL grand final and then over VFL premiers Carlton to be crowned Champions of the Commonwealth.
1932: Don Bradman hits the highest Test score at the Adelaide Oval, 299 not out against South Africa.
1933: A record crowd of 50,962 watches the second day of the third ‘Bodyline’ Test between Australia and England.
1936: SANFL goals record-holder Ken Farmer boots 11 majors in a half to finish with 15 for North Adelaide against Glenelg.
1936: Hundreds of children faint during South Australia’s centenary celebrations.
1942: An American football exhibition match on Independence Day (July 4) attracts more than 28,000 spectators.
1948: Australia amasses a venue-record 674 runs against India. Bradman top-scores with 201.
1949: The first women’s Test match at the ground, between Australia and England, attracts 17,025 spectators over three days.
1958: English soccer club Blackpool beats Australia 1-0 in front of 18,582 spectators.
1959: Port Adelaide cements its place in history with a record sixth consecutive premiership. Led by captain/coach Geof Motley, the Magpies beat West Adelaide by 10 points.
1965: A record crowd of 62,543 watches Port Adelaide defeat Sturt in the SANFL Grand Final.
1966: Sturt wins the first of five straight SANFL flags.
1972: North Adelaide beats Carlton to be crowned champion of Australia. Star Blue Alex Jesaulenko famously applauds triple Magarey medallist Barrie Robran’s sublime play.
1973: Graham Cornes marks and goals from a tight angle to steal the game for Glenelg against North Adelaide in the SANFL Grand Final.
1974: SANFL grand finals moved to newly constructed Football Park, now known as AAMI Stadium.
1975: Australia beats the West Indies by five wickets in the first One Day International at the ground.
1977: Fleetwood Mac becomes the first major rock group to play at Adelaide Oval. David Bowie, KISS, Simon and Garfunkel, Paul McCartney, Madonna, Michael Jackson and AC/DC have also performed at the venue.
1984: Australian bowler Carl Rackemann takes 5-16 against Pakistan, a record One Day International haul at the ground.
1991: First game of professional rugby league played, between St George and Balmain.
1996: South Australia claims its most recent Sheffield Shield, beating Western Australia in the final.
1997: Lights constructed at the ground, despite protests from local residents.
2003: Australia plays Namibia in the first international rugby union game at the venue.
2005: West Indies legend Brian Lara hits 156 in his team’s 4/339 in a One Day International against Pakistan, both records at the venue.
2009: Plans to redevelop Adelaide Oval are announced and the western grandstand, erected in 1882, is torn down.
2010: New western grandstand completed.
2011: First AFL game played between Port Adelaide and Melbourne, in front of a crowd of 29,340.
2012: Work starts on redevelopment of the eastern and southern grandstands.
2013: Southern grandstand is opened in time for the second Ashes Test between Australia and England.
