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{{Short description|U. S. professional baseball leagues}}
{{Short description|Professional baseball leagues in the central U.S. from 1885, including 1894–1900 minor predecessor of the American League}}
{{Other uses|Western League (disambiguation)}}
{{Other uses|Western League (disambiguation)}}
{{Distinguish|Western Association}}
{{Distinguish|Western Association}}
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}}
}}


The '''Western League''' was the name of several [[minor league baseball]] leagues that operated between 1885 and 1899. These leagues were focused mainly in the [[Midwestern United States]].<ref name=SABR />
The '''Western League''' was the name of several [[minor league baseball]] leagues that operated between 1885 and 1900. These leagues were focused mainly in the [[Midwestern United States]].<ref name=SABR />


The 1893 incarnation of the league hired [[Ban Johnson]] as president in 1894.<ref name="bjohnson&al">{{cite web|url=http://athomeplate.com/alforms.shtml |title=What Every Fan Should Know: Ban Johnson and the Birth of the American League |publisher=At Home Plate |access-date=2007-12-26 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20080617183524/http://www.athomeplate.com/alforms.shtml |archive-date=2008-06-17 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 1900, Johnson renamed it the [[American League]] and declared that it was now a [[major league baseball|major league]], intending to compete against the older [[National League]] of 1876, which was centered in the American Northeast states.
The 1893 incarnation of the league hired [[Ban Johnson]] as president in 1894.<ref name="bjohnson&al">{{cite web|url=http://athomeplate.com/alforms.shtml |title=What Every Fan Should Know: Ban Johnson and the Birth of the American League |publisher=At Home Plate |access-date=2007-12-26 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20080617183524/http://www.athomeplate.com/alforms.shtml |archive-date=2008-06-17 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 1900, Johnson renamed it the [[American League]] and declared that it was now a [[Major League Baseball|major league]], intending to compete against the older [[National League (baseball)|National League]] of 1876, which was centered in the American Northeast states.


==History==
==History==
Before its incarnation in November 1893, the Western League existed in various forms. The League was formed as a minor league on February 11, 1885.<ref name=SABR>{{Citation |title=Western League versus Western Association |journal=SABR Minor League Newsletter |date=June 2002 |url=http://research.sabr.org/minors/files/newsletters/Minors2002-06.pdf |access-date=October 12, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Baseball Chronology – 1885 |publisher=TheBasebeballLibrary.com |url=http://www.baseballlibrary.com/chronology/byyear.php? |access-date=October 12, 2009}}</ref>{{sfn|Madden|Stewart|2002|p={{page needed|date=January 2021}}}} The original clubs were located in [[Indianapolis]]‚ [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]]‚ [[Cleveland]]‚ [[Milwaukee]]‚ [[Toledo, Ohio|Toledo]] and [[Omaha]]/[[Keokuk, Iowa]].<ref>{{cite web |title=1885 Western League |website=Baseball-Reference.com |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=69ab3407}}</ref> The season began on April 18, 1885 with the [[Indianapolis Hoosiers (minor league baseball)|Indianapolis Hoosiers]] winning the first title with a record of 27–4–1.{{sfn|Madden|Stewart|2002|p={{page needed|date=January 2021}}}} The league then folded on June 15, 1885.{{sfn|Madden|Stewart|2002|p=9}}
Before its incarnation in November 1893, the Western League existed in various forms. The League was formed as a minor league on February 11, 1885.<ref name=SABR>{{Citation |title=Western League versus Western Association |journal=SABR Minor League Newsletter |date=June 2002 |url=http://research.sabr.org/minors/files/newsletters/Minors2002-06.pdf |access-date=October 12, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Baseball Chronology – 1885 |publisher=TheBasebeballLibrary.com |url=http://www.baseballlibrary.com/chronology/byyear.php? |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061209234700/http://www.baseballlibrary.com/chronology/byyear.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 9, 2006 |access-date=October 12, 2009}}</ref>{{sfn|Madden|Stewart|2002|p={{page needed|date=January 2021}}}} The original clubs were located in [[Indianapolis]]‚ [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]]‚ [[Cleveland]]‚ [[Milwaukee]]‚ [[Toledo, Ohio|Toledo]] and [[Omaha]]/[[Keokuk, Iowa]].<ref>{{cite web |title=1885 Western League |website=Baseball-Reference.com |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=69ab3407}}</ref> The season began on April 18, 1885 with the [[Indianapolis Hoosiers (minor league baseball)|Indianapolis Hoosiers]] winning the first title with a record of 27–4–1.{{sfn|Madden|Stewart|2002|p={{page needed|date=January 2021}}}} The league then folded on June 15, 1885.{{sfn|Madden|Stewart|2002|p=9}}


The league was reformed on January 18, 1886, to play an 80-game schedule.<ref name=SABR/> Denver won the pennant on September 20, 1886 with a record of 54 wins and 26 losses.{{sfn|Madden|Stewart|2002|p=19}} In 1887, the league was dominated by [[Topeka, Kansas|Topeka]]'s [[Topeka Golden Giants (1887)|Golden Giants]], a high-priced collection of major leaguers, including [[Bug Holliday]], [[Jim Conway (baseball)|Jim Conway]], [[Perry Werden]] and [[Jimmy Macullar]], which won the title by 15½ games on October 2, 1887.{{sfn|Madden|Stewart|2002|p={{page needed|date=January 2021}}}} The league returned in February 1888, but dissolved after a partial season on June 21, 1888. Denver had finished first with a record of 18 wins and 6 losses.{{sfn|Madden|Stewart|2002|p=31}}
The league was reformed on January 18, 1886, to play an 80-game schedule.<ref name=SABR/> Denver won the pennant on September 20, 1886 with a record of 54 wins and 26 losses.{{sfn|Madden|Stewart|2002|p=19}} In 1887, the league was dominated by [[Topeka, Kansas|Topeka]]'s [[Topeka Golden Giants (1887)|Golden Giants]], a high-priced collection of major leaguers, including [[Bug Holliday]], [[Jim Conway (baseball)|Jim Conway]], [[Perry Werden]] and [[Jimmy Macullar]], which won the title by 15½ games on October 2, 1887.{{sfn|Madden|Stewart|2002|p={{page needed|date=January 2021}}}} The league returned in February 1888, but dissolved after a partial season on June 21, 1888. Denver had finished first with a record of 18 wins and 6 losses.{{sfn|Madden|Stewart|2002|p=31}}
The league was revived in 1892. Columbus won the title with a record of 46 wins and 26 losses. The league shut down on July 11, 1892.{{sfn|Madden|Stewart|2002|p=32}}
The league was revived in 1892. Columbus won the title with a record of 46 wins and 26 losses. The league shut down on July 11, 1892.{{sfn|Madden|Stewart|2002|p=32}}


The league was revived on May 17, 1893 and had planned a schedule<ref>{{cite web | title=Scan of May 17, 1893 article from the Evening Kansan | url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14328124/1893_western_league_schedule/|website=Newspapers.com}}</ref> before being shut down on June 20, 1893.<ref name=SABR/>
The league was revived on May 17, 1893 and had planned a schedule<ref>{{cite news | title=Scan of May 17, 1893 article from the Evening Kansan | url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14328124/1893_western_league_schedule/|newspaper=The Evening Kansan| date= May 17, 1893| page= 1}}</ref> before being shut down on June 20, 1893.<ref name=SABR/>


===Reorganization and conversion to American League===
===Reorganization and conversion to American League===
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In a meeting in [[Chicago]] on October 11, 1899, the Western League renamed itself the American League. It was still a minor league, subject to the [[Major League Baseball Constitution|National Agreement]], and generally subordinate to the older National League of [[Major League Baseball]], founded 1876. The NL gave permission to the new AL to put a team in Chicago that year, and Comiskey moved his St. Paul club to the [[South Side of Chicago|South Side]]. However, the new team in Chicago was subject to rules from the NL. The Cubs (then called the Orphans) were allowed to draft two players each year from the AL team. Comiskey was also barred from using the name "Chicago" in all of his dealings, so he cleverly revived the old moniker "White Stockings" from the days of [[Cap Anson]] for his team. The AL also transferred the [[Grand Rapids]] team to [[Cleveland]] for the 1900 season.
In a meeting in [[Chicago]] on October 11, 1899, the Western League renamed itself the American League. It was still a minor league, subject to the [[Major League Baseball Constitution|National Agreement]], and generally subordinate to the older National League of [[Major League Baseball]], founded 1876. The NL gave permission to the new AL to put a team in Chicago that year, and Comiskey moved his St. Paul club to the [[South Side of Chicago|South Side]]. However, the new team in Chicago was subject to rules from the NL. The Cubs (then called the Orphans) were allowed to draft two players each year from the AL team. Comiskey was also barred from using the name "Chicago" in all of his dealings, so he cleverly revived the old moniker "White Stockings" from the days of [[Cap Anson]] for his team. The AL also transferred the [[Grand Rapids]] team to [[Cleveland]] for the 1900 season.


After the 1900 season, the American League declined to renew its membership in the "National Agreement" and declared itself a "major league". It began raiding NL team rosters and attempting to compete directly against the NL. The franchises in the smaller cities of [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]], [[Indianapolis]], [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]] and [[Minneapolis]] were replaced by the larger, more important urban centers of [[Baltimore]], [[Boston]], [[Philadelphia]] and [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]] for the 1901 season. The second and third of those cities already had NL teams. Next, [[Milwaukee]] moved to [[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis]] in 1902. [[Baltimore Orioles (1901-02)|Baltimore]], having fallen into disarray, was replaced by [[New York Yankees|New York City]] in 1903, for the reason that the new league would not be totally respected and have "major league" status without a team in the nation's largest city. The American League team lineup settled on five franchises in cities that already had NL teams (Boston, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, and St. Louis) and two in cities that had been recently abandoned by the NL (Cleveland and Washington), but only one in a city remaining from the former Western League lineup of 1899 ([[Detroit]]). Four of the other 1899 Western League cities now host Major League Baseball today (Kansas City, Milwaukee, and St. Paul and Minneapolis jointly), while three do not (Buffalo, Grand Rapids, and Indianapolis, but all have minor league teams). This membership list for both leagues lasted in place for nearly a half-century until the move of the [[Boston Braves (baseball)|Boston Braves]] to Milwaukee in 1952, the [[St. Louis Browns]] to Baltimore, becoming the new [[Baltimore Orioles]] in 1954, and the [[Philadelphia Athletics]] to Kansas City in 1955.
After the 1900 season, the American League declined to renew its membership in the "National Agreement" and declared itself a "major league". It began raiding NL team rosters and attempting to compete directly against the NL. The franchises in the smaller cities of [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]], [[Indianapolis]], [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]] and [[Minneapolis]] were replaced by the larger, more important urban centers of [[Baltimore]], [[Boston]], [[Philadelphia]] and [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]] for the 1901 season. The second and third of those cities already had NL teams. Next, [[Milwaukee]] moved to [[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis]] in 1902. [[Baltimore Orioles (1901–1902)|Baltimore]], having fallen into disarray, was replaced by [[New York Yankees|New York City]] in 1903, for the reason that the new league would not be totally respected and have "major league" status without a team in the nation's largest city. The American League team lineup settled on five franchises in cities that already had NL teams (Boston, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, and St. Louis) and two in cities that had been recently abandoned by the NL (Cleveland and Washington), but only one in a city remaining from the former Western League lineup of 1899 ([[Detroit]]). Four of the other 1899 Western League cities now host Major League Baseball today (Kansas City, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis and Saint Paul jointly), while three do not (Buffalo, Grand Rapids, and Indianapolis, but all have minor league teams). This membership list for both leagues lasted in place for nearly a half-century until the move of the [[Boston Braves (baseball)|Boston Braves]] to Milwaukee in 1952, the [[St. Louis Browns]] to Baltimore, becoming the new [[Baltimore Orioles]] in 1954, and the [[Philadelphia Athletics]] to Kansas City in 1955.


The American League's claim to major league status was disputed, but had to be recognized after the [[Boston Red Sox]] defeated the NL champion [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] in the first [[World Series]] held in late 1903.
The American League's claim to major league status was disputed, but had to be recognized after the [[Boston Red Sox]] defeated the NL champion [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] in the first [[World Series]] held in late 1903.


===Another Western League===
===20th century Western League===
{{Main|Western League (1900–1958)}}
{{Main|Western League (1900–1958)}}
When [[Ban Johnson]] changed his league's name to the American League before the 1900 season, another "Western League" was immediately formed to function on the supporting "minor league" level.<ref name=SABR/> This League operated from 1900 to 1937 and later from 1947 to 1958. Its franchises were located west of the [[Mississippi River]], in the [[Great Plains]] and [[Rocky Mountains]] states, as in that early part of the 20th century, it was difficult and long-enduring for teams to go on "road trips" to distant cities by the then existing railroad passenger train systems. In its post-World War II incarnation, the later Western League included clubs in [[Denver, Colorado]] (now represented in the National League by the [[Colorado Rockies]]), [[Des Moines, Iowa]], [[Omaha, Nebraska]], and [[Colorado Springs, Colorado]] (now all represented by teams of the Class AAA ("Triple A") [[Pacific Coast League]]).
When [[Ban Johnson]] changed his league's name to the American League before the 1900 season, another "Western League" was immediately formed to function on the supporting minor-league level.<ref name=SABR/> This league operated from 1900 to 1937 and later from 1947 to 1958. Its franchises were located west of the [[Mississippi River]], in the [[Great Plains]] and [[Rocky Mountains]] states.


In its post-World War II incarnation, the later Western League included clubs in [[Denver, Colorado]]; [[Des Moines, Iowa]]; [[Omaha, Nebraska]]; and [[Colorado Springs, Colorado]]. Each of those cities later served as the home for a [[Triple-A (baseball)|Triple-A]] team in the [[Pacific Coast League]] (the [[Denver Bears]], [[Iowa Cubs]], [[Omaha Royals]], and [[Colorado Springs Sky Sox]], respectively).
⚫
Several other 20th century minor league circuits have also used the same name.

⚫
Several other 20th century minor-league circuits have also used the same name.


==Cities represented 1885–1888 1887, 1892==
==Cities represented 1885–1888 1887, 1892==
Line 80: Line 82:
*[[Hutchinson, Kansas]]: [[Hutchinson (baseball)|Hutchinson]] (1888)
*[[Hutchinson, Kansas]]: [[Hutchinson (baseball)|Hutchinson]] (1888)
*[[Indianapolis, Indiana]]: [[Indianapolis Hoosiers (minor league baseball)|Indianapolis Hoosiers]] (1886, 1892)
*[[Indianapolis, Indiana]]: [[Indianapolis Hoosiers (minor league baseball)|Indianapolis Hoosiers]] (1886, 1892)
*[[Kansas City, Missouri]]: [[Kansas City Cowboys (1885-1901)|Kansas City Cowboys]] (1885, 1887, 1892)
*[[Kansas City, Missouri]]: [[Kansas City Cowboys (1885–1901)|Kansas City Cowboys]] (1885, 1887, 1892)
*[[Keokuk, Iowa]]: [[Keokuk Hawkeyes]] (1885)
*[[Keokuk, Iowa]]: [[Keokuk Hawkeyes]] (1885)
*[[Leadville, Colorado]]: [[Leadville Blues]] (1886)
*[[Leadville, Colorado]]: [[Leadville Blues]] (1886)
*[[Leavenworth, Kansas]]: [[Leavenworth Soldiers]] (1886–1888)
*[[Leavenworth, Kansas]]: [[Leavenworth Soldiers]] (1886–1888)
*[[Lincoln, Nebraska]]: [[Lincoln Tree Planters]] (1886–188)
*[[Lincoln, Nebraska]]: [[Lincoln Tree Planters]] (1886–188)
*[[Milwaukee, Wisconsin]]: Milwaukee Milwaukees (1885); [[Milwaukee Brewers (1886–1892)|Milwaukee Brewers]] (1892)
*[[Milwaukee, Wisconsin]]: [[Milwaukee Brewers (1884–1885)|Milwaukee Brewers]] (1885); [[Milwaukee Brewers (1886–1892)|Milwaukee Brewers]] (1892)
*[[Minneapolis, Minnesota]]: [[Minneapolis Minnies (Minnesota)|Minneapolis Minnies]] (1892)
*[[Minneapolis, Minnesota]]: [[Minneapolis Minnies (Minnesota)|Minneapolis Minnies]] (1892)
*[[Newton, Kansas]]: [[Newton (baseball)|Newton]] (1888)
*[[Newton, Kansas]]: [[Newton (baseball)|Newton]] (1888)
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*[[Toledo, Ohio]]: [[Toledo Avengers]] (1885)
*[[Toledo, Ohio]]: [[Toledo Avengers]] (1885)
*[[Topeka, Kansas]] [[Topeka Capitals (baseball)|Topeka Capitals]] (1886); [[Topeka Golden Giants]] (1887)
*[[Topeka, Kansas]] [[Topeka Capitals (baseball)|Topeka Capitals]] (1886); [[Topeka Golden Giants]] (1887)
*[[Wichita, Kansas]]: [[Wichita Braves]] (1887)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Western_League|title=Western League – BR Bullpen|website=Baseball-reference.com|access-date=November 14, 2021}}</ref>
*[[Wichita, Kansas]]: [[Wichita Braves]] (1887)<ref name=encyc>{{cite book |title=The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball |others=Lloyd Johnson & Miles Wolff, editors |edition=Third |publisher=[[Baseball America]] |date=2007 |isbn=978-1932391176}}</ref>


==League members 1894–1900==
==League members 1894–1900==
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*[[Sioux City Cornhuskers]] → [[St. Paul Saints (1895–1899)|St. Paul Saints]], 1895 → Chicago White Stockings, 1900 (renamed [[Chicago White Sox]], 1903)
*[[Sioux City Cornhuskers]] → [[St. Paul Saints (1895–1899)|St. Paul Saints]], 1895 → Chicago White Stockings, 1900 (renamed [[Chicago White Sox]], 1903)
*[[Milwaukee Brewers (1894–1901)|Milwaukee Brewers]] → [[St. Louis Browns]], 1902 → [[Baltimore Orioles]], 1954
*[[Milwaukee Brewers (1894–1901)|Milwaukee Brewers]] → [[St. Louis Browns]], 1902 → [[Baltimore Orioles]], 1954
*[[Grand Rapids Rippers]] → Cleveland Bluebirds, 1900 (known as Cleveland Broncos by 1902, Cleveland Naps from 1903, and named [[Cleveland Indians]], 1915.
*[[Grand Rapids Rippers]] → Cleveland Bluebirds, 1900 (known as Cleveland Broncos by 1902, Cleveland Naps from 1903, and named Cleveland Indians from 1915, and [[Cleveland Guardians]] from 2022)
:Had transferred to [[St. Joseph, Missouri]] and [[Omaha, Nebraska]] in 1898, and [[Columbus, Ohio]] in 1899 before returning to Michigan in July of 1899.
:Had transferred to [[St. Joseph, Missouri]] and [[Omaha, Nebraska]] in 1898, and [[Columbus, Ohio]] in 1899 before returning to Michigan in July 1899.
*[[Kansas City Blues (1885-1901)|Kansas City Blues]] → first [[Washington Senators (1901–1960)|Washington Senators]] franchise, 1901 → [[Minnesota Twins]], 1961
*[[Kansas City Blues (1885–1901)|Kansas City Blues]] → first [[Washington Senators (1901–1960)|Washington Senators]] franchise, 1901 → [[Minnesota Twins]], 1961
*[[Toledo White Stockings]]<ref>{{cite book |last1=Husman |first1=John |title=Baseball in Toledo |date=2003 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=9780738523279 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pPa6LCWS6u8C&q=western+league+toledo+team+1894&pg=PA10 |language=en}}</ref> → [[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]] Buckeyes,<ref>{{cite web |title=The Official Site of Minor League Baseball {{!}} MiLB.com Homepage |url=http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?idx=59 |website=MiLB.com |language=en}}</ref> 1896 → replaced by Buffalo, 1899
*[[Toledo White Stockings]]<ref>{{cite book |last1=Husman |first1=John |title=Baseball in Toledo |date=2003 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=9780738523279 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pPa6LCWS6u8C&q=western+league+toledo+team+1894&pg=PA10 |language=en}}</ref> → [[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]] Buckeyes,<ref>{{cite web |title=The Official Site of Minor League Baseball {{!}} MiLB.com Homepage |url=http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?idx=59 |website=MiLB.com |language=en}}</ref> 1896 → replaced by Buffalo, 1899
*[[Buffalo Bisons (1886–1970)|Buffalo Bisons]], 1899 → dropped for newly organized [[Boston Red Sox|Boston Americans]], 1901
*[[Buffalo Bisons (1886–1970)|Buffalo Bisons]], 1899 → dropped for newly organized [[Boston Red Sox|Boston Americans]], 1901
Line 118: Line 120:
* 1896 – [[Minneapolis Millers]]
* 1896 – [[Minneapolis Millers]]
* 1897 – [[Indianapolis Hoosiers (minor league baseball)|Indianapolis Hoosiers]]
* 1897 – [[Indianapolis Hoosiers (minor league baseball)|Indianapolis Hoosiers]]
* 1898 – [[Kansas City Blues (1885-1901)|Kansas City Blues]]
* 1898 – [[Kansas City Blues (1885–1901)|Kansas City Blues]]
* 1899 – [[Indianapolis Hoosiers (minor league baseball)|Indianapolis Hoosiers]]
* 1899 – [[Indianapolis Hoosiers (minor league baseball)|Indianapolis Hoosiers]]
* 1900 – [[Chicago White Sox|Chicago White Stockings]] (American League)
* 1900 – [[Chicago White Sox|Chicago White Stockings]] (American League)

Revision as of 10:15, 30 April 2024

For other uses, see Western League (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Western Association.

Western League of Professional Baseball Clubs
Most recent season or competition:
1900
SportBaseball
FoundedFebruary 11, 1885
First season1885
Ceased1900
Replaced byAmerican League
CEOBan Johnson (1894–1900)
CountryUnited States
ContinentNorth America
Last
champion(s)		Chicago White Stockings
Most titlesIndianapolis (4)
Related
competitions		Western Association

The Western League was the name of several minor league baseball leagues that operated between 1885 and 1900. These leagues were focused mainly in the Midwestern United States.[1]

The 1893 incarnation of the league hired Ban Johnson as president in 1894.[2] In 1900, Johnson renamed it the American League and declared that it was now a major league, intending to compete against the older National League of 1876, which was centered in the American Northeast states.

History

Before its incarnation in November 1893, the Western League existed in various forms. The League was formed as a minor league on February 11, 1885.[1][3][4] The original clubs were located in Indianapolis‚ Kansas City‚ Cleveland‚ Milwaukee‚ Toledo and Omaha/Keokuk, Iowa.[5] The season began on April 18, 1885 with the Indianapolis Hoosiers winning the first title with a record of 27–4–1.[4] The league then folded on June 15, 1885.[6]

The league was reformed on January 18, 1886, to play an 80-game schedule.[1] Denver won the pennant on September 20, 1886 with a record of 54 wins and 26 losses.[7] In 1887, the league was dominated by Topeka's Golden Giants, a high-priced collection of major leaguers, including Bug Holliday, Jim Conway, Perry Werden and Jimmy Macullar, which won the title by 15½ games on October 2, 1887.[4] The league returned in February 1888, but dissolved after a partial season on June 21, 1888. Denver had finished first with a record of 18 wins and 6 losses.[8] The league was revived in 1892. Columbus won the title with a record of 46 wins and 26 losses. The league shut down on July 11, 1892.[9]

The league was revived on May 17, 1893 and had planned a schedule[10] before being shut down on June 20, 1893.[1]

Reorganization and conversion to American League

In a meeting in Detroit, Michigan, on November 20, 1893, the Western League reorganized again. From this point forward, this version of the WL has continued in existence, eventually becoming the modern-day American League.

In 1894, Ban Johnson was hired as president of the new league, and remained so until his retirement nearly 35 years later. Johnson, a Cincinnati-based newspaper reporter, had been recommended by his friend Charles Comiskey, a former major league star with the St. Louis Browns in the 1880s, who was then managing the Cincinnati Reds.[2] After the 1894 season, when Comiskey's contract with the Reds was up, he decided to take his chances at ownership. He bought the Sioux City team and transferred it to Saint Paul, Minnesota. These two men were among the cornerstones of the American League.

After the 1899 season, the National League announced it was dropping four of its franchises, reducing its membership from 12 to 8 teams. The franchises that were eliminated were Baltimore, Cleveland, Louisville and Washington. This afforded an opportunity for the Western circuit to expand into those vacated cities.

In a meeting in Chicago on October 11, 1899, the Western League renamed itself the American League. It was still a minor league, subject to the National Agreement, and generally subordinate to the older National League of Major League Baseball, founded 1876. The NL gave permission to the new AL to put a team in Chicago that year, and Comiskey moved his St. Paul club to the South Side. However, the new team in Chicago was subject to rules from the NL. The Cubs (then called the Orphans) were allowed to draft two players each year from the AL team. Comiskey was also barred from using the name "Chicago" in all of his dealings, so he cleverly revived the old moniker "White Stockings" from the days of Cap Anson for his team. The AL also transferred the Grand Rapids team to Cleveland for the 1900 season.

After the 1900 season, the American League declined to renew its membership in the "National Agreement" and declared itself a "major league". It began raiding NL team rosters and attempting to compete directly against the NL. The franchises in the smaller cities of Buffalo, Indianapolis, Kansas City and Minneapolis were replaced by the larger, more important urban centers of Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington for the 1901 season. The second and third of those cities already had NL teams. Next, Milwaukee moved to St. Louis in 1902. Baltimore, having fallen into disarray, was replaced by New York City in 1903, for the reason that the new league would not be totally respected and have "major league" status without a team in the nation's largest city. The American League team lineup settled on five franchises in cities that already had NL teams (Boston, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, and St. Louis) and two in cities that had been recently abandoned by the NL (Cleveland and Washington), but only one in a city remaining from the former Western League lineup of 1899 (Detroit). Four of the other 1899 Western League cities now host Major League Baseball today (Kansas City, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis and Saint Paul jointly), while three do not (Buffalo, Grand Rapids, and Indianapolis, but all have minor league teams). This membership list for both leagues lasted in place for nearly a half-century until the move of the Boston Braves to Milwaukee in 1952, the St. Louis Browns to Baltimore, becoming the new Baltimore Orioles in 1954, and the Philadelphia Athletics to Kansas City in 1955.

The American League's claim to major league status was disputed, but had to be recognized after the Boston Red Sox defeated the NL champion Pittsburgh Pirates in the first World Series held in late 1903.

20th century Western League

Main article: Western League (1900–1958)

When Ban Johnson changed his league's name to the American League before the 1900 season, another "Western League" was immediately formed to function on the supporting minor-league level.[1] This league operated from 1900 to 1937 and later from 1947 to 1958. Its franchises were located west of the Mississippi River, in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains states.

In its post-World War II incarnation, the later Western League included clubs in Denver, Colorado; Des Moines, Iowa; Omaha, Nebraska; and Colorado Springs, Colorado. Each of those cities later served as the home for a Triple-A team in the Pacific Coast League (the Denver Bears, Iowa Cubs, Omaha Royals, and Colorado Springs Sky Sox, respectively).

Several other 20th century minor-league circuits have also used the same name.

Cities represented 1885–1888 1887, 1892

League members 1894–1900

Had transferred to St. Joseph, Missouri and Omaha, Nebraska in 1898, and Columbus, Ohio in 1899 before returning to Michigan in July 1899.

Pennant winners

* There were no seasons in 1889, 1890, 1891, and 1893

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Western League versus Western Association" (PDF), SABR Minor League Newsletter, June 2002, retrieved October 12, 2009
  2. ^ a b "What Every Fan Should Know: Ban Johnson and the Birth of the American League". At Home Plate. Archived from the original on June 17, 2008. Retrieved December 26, 2007.
  3. ^ "Baseball Chronology – 1885". TheBasebeballLibrary.com. Archived from the original on December 9, 2006. Retrieved October 12, 2009.
  4. ^ a b c Madden & Stewart 2002, p. [page needed].
  5. ^ "1885 Western League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  6. ^ Madden & Stewart 2002, p. 9.
  7. ^ Madden & Stewart 2002, p. 19.
  8. ^ Madden & Stewart 2002, p. 31.
  9. ^ Madden & Stewart 2002, p. 32.
  10. ^ "Scan of May 17, 1893 article from the Evening Kansan". The Evening Kansan. May 17, 1893. p. 1.
  11. ^ The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball. Lloyd Johnson & Miles Wolff, editors (Third ed.). Baseball America. 2007. ISBN 978-1932391176.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  12. ^ Husman, John (2003). Baseball in Toledo. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9780738523279.
  13. ^ "The Official Site of Minor League Baseball | MiLB.com Homepage". MiLB.com.

Sources

  • The National League Story, Lee Allen, Putnam, 1961.
  • The American League Story, Lee Allen, Putnam, 1962.
  • On to Nicollet, Stew Thornley, Nodin Press, 1988.
  • Batter-Up!, Ross Bernstein, Nodin Press, 2002.
  • ProQuest Historical Newspapers
  • Total Baseball, 8th edition, John Thorn, Phil Birnbaum, Bill Deane, and Rob Neyer, SportClassic Press, 2004.
  • Madden, W.C; Stewart, Patrick J. (2002). The Western League: A Baseball History, 1885 through 1999. McFarland. ISBN 9780786410033.
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