MLB Records and Stats vs OpenF1

This entry documents MLB's own `statsapi.mlb.com` backend -- the same undocumented, keyless JSON API that powers MLB.com and its official apps -- covering teams, rosters, schedules, box scores, standings, and decades of historical stats, reverse-engineered and mirrored in the community `mlb-data-api-docs` reference. There's no official support or SLA since MLB never published it as a public product, but it has stayed stable and free for years. A live probe of the real host returned data with no API key and a wildcard `Access-Control-Allow-Origin`, resolving `cors: unknown -> yes` and correcting `https: false -> true` -- the stored `false` was stale, the host is https-only.

OpenF1 is an open-source F1 data API spanning 18 endpoints -- car telemetry at up to 3.7Hz, lap and sector times, race-control flags, pit stops, team radio, and championship standings -- returned as JSON or, by appending a query flag, CSV. Historical data back to the 2023 season is free with no API key, credit card, or signup at all; a paid Sponsor tier (about €9.90/month) only adds access during live sessions, roughly 3 seconds after real-world events. A live request confirmed the public endpoint responds keyless and echoes permissive CORS headers, matching its "zero friction" pitch.