The following is a timeline of franchise evolution in Major League Baseball.
Background
- Source: The Baseball Encyclopedia (10 ed.). Macmillan General Reference. 1996. ISBN 978-0028608150.
- Note: Team names are given here according to the convention used by The Baseball Encyclopedia, which regularized them into the familiar form of modern team names. However, most teams in the early period had no name, aside from that of the club (as in "Hartford Base Ball Club" or "Athletic Base Ball Club of Philadelphia"), and nicknames like "Beaneaters," "Perfectos" and the many allusions to uniform colors were inventions by the florid sportswriters of the day.[1]
The National Association of Base Ball Players (NABBP) was the first organization to govern baseball. The succeeding National Association of Professional Base Ball Players (NA) was then established as the first professional baseball league. In 1876 six clubs from the NA and two independents joined to create the National League (NL). In subsequent years, the following major leagues competed against the NL, but all eventually folded:
- American Association (AA) (1882–1891) – several franchises transferred to the NL, both during and after the AA's existence.
- Union Association (UA) (1884) – only one franchise joined the NL after the UA disbanded.
- Players' League (PL) (1890) – none of its franchises joined the NL.
In 1900 the minor league Western League renamed itself the American League (AL). All of the 1899 Western League teams were a part of the transformation with the Saint Paul Apostles moving to Chicago to play as the White Stockings. In 1901 the AL declared itself a major league. For its inaugural major league season the AL dropped its teams in Indianapolis, Buffalo and Minneapolis and replaced them with franchises in Boston, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. The Kansas City Blues moved to Washington D.C. to play as the Senators.
Another major league competitor was the Federal League (FL) (1914–1915). However, none of its teams joined either the NL or AL after it disbanded.
In 2020, Major League Baseball designated the following seven Negro leagues from 1920–1948 as major leagues:[2]
Timeline
The first line is the formation of the National League (NL) in 1876, and the second is the transformation of the American League (AL) to a major league in 1901. The third line is the beginning of the expansion era in 1961. The fourth line marks the legal merger of the American and National Leagues into a single Major League Baseball in 2000.
World Series championships are shown with a "•", National League Pennants before the World Series are shown with a "^", and American League Pennants before the World Series are shown with a "#". No World Series was played in 1904, so the pennant winners for each league are indicated. Due to the 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike, there were no pennant or World Series winners in 1994, so this year is left blank.
- Prior to 1876, only teams from the National Association (NA) that established the NL are shown.
- Between 1876 and 1901, in addition to the NL teams, only American Association (AA) and Union Association (UA) teams that eventually joined the NL are shown. No teams from the Players' League (PL) are shown.
- After 1901, only AL and NL teams are shown. No teams from the Federal League (FL) nor the seven Negro leagues are shown.
1876–1900: Pre-modern Era
1876: Founding of the National League (NL)
The NL was established with eight teams.
1877
- The New York Mutuals and Philadelphia Athletics were expelled.
- The Hartford Dark Blues moved to Brooklyn and became the Brooklyn Hartfords.
| Team folded after this season ^
|
1878
- The Brooklyn Hartfords, Louisville Grays, and St. Louis Brown Stockings folded.
- The Indianapolis Blues, Milwaukee Grays, and Providence Grays joined.
| First season in NL *
|
Only season in NL §
|
1879
| First season in NL *
|
Only season in NL §
|
Team disbanded after this season ^
|
1880
| First season in NL *
|
Only season in NL §
|
1881
- The Cincinnati Stars were expelled because they refused to sign a league-wide pledge to ban alcohol at ballparks.
- The Detroit Wolverines joined.
1882: Establishment of the American Association (AA)
The AA was established with six teams.
| Team folded after this season ^
|
1883
| First season in NL or AA *
|
1884: The Union Association (UA) as a third league
| First season in AA *
|
Only season in AA/Folds mid-season §
|
Last season in AA or NL ^
|
1885: Back to two leagues
- The UA disbanded.
- The St. Louis Maroons from the UA joined the NL.
- The Cleveland Blues, Columbus Buckeyes, Indianapolis Hoosiers, and Toledo Blue Stockings folded.
- The Richmond Virginians returned to Minor League Baseball.
- The New York Gothams became the New York Giants.
- The Brooklyn Atlantics became the Brooklyn Grays.
- The Louisville Eclipse became the Louisville Colonels.
| Team moved from the former UA **
|
Last season in NL ^
|
1886
| First season in NL *
|
Only season in NL §
|
1887
| First season in AA *
|
Team moved from AA **
|
Last season in AA ^
|
1888
| First season in AA *
|
Last season in NL ^
|
1889
| First season in AA *
|
Team moved from AA **
|
Last season in AA or NL ^
|
1890: The Players' League (PL) as a third league
- The PL was established with eight teams.
- The Chicago White Stockings became the Chicago Colts.
- The Philadelphia Quakers became the Philadelphia Phillies.
- The Brooklyn Bridegrooms transferred to the NL.
- The Cincinnati Red Stockings transferred to the NL and became the Cincinnati Reds.
- The Indianapolis Hoosiers, Kansas City Cowboys, and Washington Nationals folded.
- The Baltimore Orioles transferred to Minor League Baseball and were replaced by the Brooklyn Gladiators. The Brooklyn Gladiators then folded mid-season, and the Baltimore Orioles returned to the AA to finish the season.
- The Rochester Broncos, a new Syracuse Stars, and the Toledo Maumees joined the AA.
| Team moved from AA **
|
Only season in AA §
|
Last AA season ^
|
1891: Last AA season
| First MLB season *
|
Only season in MLB §
|
Last MLB season ^
|
1892: NL monopoly
- The AA folded.
- The Baltimore Orioles, Louisville Colonels, St. Louis Browns, and Washington Statesmen (all from the AA) joined the NL.
- The Washington Statesmen became the Washington Senators.
| Teams move from the former AA **
|
1896
The Brooklyn Grooms became the Brooklyn Bridegrooms again.
1898
The Chicago Colts became the Chicago Orphans.
1899
| Team folded after this season ^
|
1900: Classic Eight
- The Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Spiders, Louisville Colonels, and Washington Senators folded.
- The St. Louis Perfectos became the St. Louis Cardinals.
1901–1919: Birth of the Modern Era
1901: Founding of the American League (AL)
The AL was established with eight teams.
1902
| Team folded after this season ^
|
1903: National Agreement and Founding of National Baseball Commission
1904
The Chicago White Stockings became the Chicago White Sox.
1907
The Boston Beaneaters became the Boston Doves.
1908
The Boston Americans became the Boston Red Sox.
1911
1912
The Boston Rustlers became the Boston Braves.
1913
1914: The Federal League (FL) as a third league
- The Federal League (FL) declared itself as a "third major league" with its own eight teams, and competed with the NL and AL.
- The Brooklyn Dodgers became the Brooklyn Robins.
1915
1916: Back to two leagues
The FL folded prior to the season.
1920–1946: Establishment of the Negro major leagues
1920: Establishment of the Negro National League (NNL)
The NNL was established with eight teams, the first black baseball league to be designated a major league.
| Team withdrew after this season ^^
|
1921: Commissioner of Baseball established
| Only season in NNL §
|
Team folded after this season ^
|
1922
| First season in NNL *
|
Only season in NNL §
|
1923: Founding of the Eastern Colored League (ECL)
| Only season in NNL §
|
Only season in NNL, folded mid-season §§
|
Associate member, joined mid-season, team folded after season ^
|
1924
| First season in NNL or ECL*
|
Only season in NNL §
|
1925
| Team folded mid-season ^
|
Team withdrew after this season ^^
|
1926
| Only season in NNL or ECL, folded mid-season §
|
Team folded after this season ^
|
Last season in NNL, withdrew mid-season ^^
|
1927
| Team rejoined from minor league Negro Southern League **
|
Only season in NNL §
|
Last season in NNL or ECL ^
|
Team departed after this season ^^
|
1928: Last ECL season
| First season in MLB *
|
Only season in NNL or ECL §
|
Last MLB season ^
|
1929: American Negro League (ANL)'s only season
| Team folded after this season ^
|
Team independent after this season ^^
|
1930
| First season in NNL *
|
Team folded after this season ^
|
Team departed after this season ^^
|
1931: Last NNL season
| First season in NNL *
|
Team folded after this season ^
|
1932: Negro Southern League (NSL)'s only major league season and East–West League (EWL)'s only season
| Team rejoined MLB **
|
Only season in MLB §
|
Team folded after this season ^
|
Team departed after this season ^^
|
1933: Establishment of the second NNL
- The Little Rock Grays and Columbus Turf Club folded.
- The Atlanta Black Crackers and Birmingham Black Barons withdrew as independent teams.
- The NSL was demoted to minor league status.
- The Cleveland Stars, Detroit Wolves, Hilldale Club, and Newark Browns folded.
- Pollock's Cuban Stars and the Washington Pilots withdrew as independent teams.
- The Baltimore Black Sox became the Baltimore Sox.
- The EWL disbanded.
- The second NNL was established with 7 teams. Five of those teams, the Baltimore Sox, Chicago American Giants, Homestead Grays, Indianapolis ABCs, and Nashville Elite Giants were from the NSL or EWL.
- The Pittsburgh Crawfords joined the NNL.
- The Indianapolis ABCs moved mid-season to Detroit, Michigan and became the Detroit Stars.
- The Columbus Blue Birds joined the NNL. The team disbanded and merged with the independent Akron Black Tyrites after the first half of the split season. The Akron Black Tyrites joined the NNL in place of the Columbus Blue Birds as the Akron Grays before they moved to Cleveland, Ohio and became the Cleveland Giants for one game.
| First season in NNL *
|
Team moved from former EWL or NSL **
|
Only season in NNL, folded mid-season §
|
Only season in NNL, joined mid-season §§
|
Team folded after this season ^
|
Team departed after this season ^^
|
1934
| First season in NNL *
|
Only season in NNL §
|
Team folded after this season ^
|
1935
| First season in NNL *
|
Team rejoined MLB **
|
Only season in NNL §
|
Team folded after this season ^
|
Team departed after this season ^^
|
1936
| First season in NNL *
|
Team departed after this season ^^
|
1937: Founding of the Negro American League (NAL)
| Team rejoined MLB **
|
Only season in NAL §
|
1938
| First season in NAL *
|
Team rejoined MLB **
|
Only season in NNL §
|
Team departed after this season ^^
|
1939
| Team joined NAL or rejoined NNL **
|
Team folded after this season ^
|
Team left NNL mid-season ^^
|
1940
| Team rejoined NAL **
|
Team folded after this season ^
|
1941
| Team temporarily folded after this season ^^
|
1942
| First season in NAL *
|
Team left mid-season ^
|
1943
| First season in NAL *
|
Team folds mid-season ^
|
1944
The Cincinnati Clowns split their home games between Cincinnati, Ohio and Indianapolis, Indiana and became the Cincinnati–Indianapolis Clowns, though would play more games in Indianapolis beginning in 1946.
1947–1960: Integration, end of the Negro major leagues, and relocations
1947
The Brooklyn Dodgers, Cleveland Indians, and St. Louis Browns integrated.
| Team has yet to integrate †
|
1948
| Team has yet to integrate †
|
Team folded after this season ^
|
1949
| Team has yet to integrate †
|
1950
The Boston Braves integrated.
| Team has yet to integrate †
|
1951
The Chicago White Sox integrated.
| Team has yet to integrate †
|
1953: Braves relocation to Milwaukee, and Cincinnati renaming
| Team has yet to integrate †
|
1954: Browns relocation to Baltimore
| Team has yet to integrate †
|
1955: Athletics relocation to Kansas City
| Team has yet to integrate †
|
1957
The Philadelphia Phillies integrated.
| Team has yet to integrate †
|
1958: The NL exits New York for California
| Team has yet to integrate †
|
1959: Cincinnati reverts back to the Reds
1961–1968: First expansion
1961 Relocation and AL expansion
1962: NL expansion
1965: Houston and Angels renaming
- The Houston Colt .45s became the Houston Astros.
- The Los Angeles Angels became the California Angels on September 2, 1965, with 28 games left in the season.
1966: Braves relocation to Atlanta
The Milwaukee Braves moved to Atlanta and became the Atlanta Braves.
1968: Athletics relocation to Oakland
The Kansas City Athletics moved to Oakland, California, and became the Oakland Athletics.
1969–1993: Birth of division play
1969: Expansion and realignment
1970: Pilots relocation to Milwaukee
The Seattle Pilots moved to Milwaukee and became the Milwaukee Brewers.
1972: Senators relocation to the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex
1977: AL expansion
1993: NL expansion
1994–present: Wild Card era
1994: Realignment
MLB realigned to three divisions in each league to accommodate an expanded postseason format with a wild card team (although this new playoff format would not be fully implemented until 1995 due to a work stoppage):
- The AL Central was formed with the Cleveland Indians and Milwaukee Brewers transferring from the AL East, and the Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals, and Minnesota Twins transferring from the AL West.
- The NL Central was formed with the Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, and St. Louis Cardinals transferring from the NL East, and the Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros transferring from the NL West.
- The Atlanta Braves transferred to the NL East.
1997: Angels renaming
The California Angels became the Anaheim Angels.
1998: Expansion
- The Arizona Diamondbacks joined the NL West.
- The Tampa Bay Devil Rays joined the AL East.
- The Detroit Tigers transferred to the AL Central.
- To continue intraleague-only play throughout most of the season, the Milwaukee Brewers transferred to the NL Central so both leagues would have an even number of teams.
2000: Legal merger of AL & NL into MLB
2001: Scrapped contraction to 28 teams
In 2001, MLB team owners voted 28–2 to eliminate two teams, the Minnesota Twins and the Montreal Expos for the 2002 season. In this realignment:
By December 2001, this plan was scrapped; both teams would be retained for the following season.
2005: Expos relocation and Angels renaming
2008: Tampa Bay renaming
The Tampa Bay Devil Rays became the Tampa Bay Rays.
2012: Marlins renaming
The Florida Marlins became the Miami Marlins.
2013: Astros switch leagues
With interleague play expanded to occur throughout the season, the Houston Astros transferred to the AL West to accommodate each league with 15 clubs apiece.
2016: Angels renaming
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim became the Los Angeles Angels.
2022: Cleveland renaming
The Cleveland Indians became the Cleveland Guardians.
2025: Athletics relocation
The Oakland Athletics temporarily moved to West Sacramento, California, and branded themselves as simply the "Athletics" and "A's" with no city name attached, until they permanently relocate to Las Vegas in 2028 or later when their new ballpark is completed.[6]
See also
References
- ^ According to the National League's 1877 Constitution, the member clubs were given as "Boston B. B. Club, Chicago B. B. Club, Cincinnati B. B. Club, Hartford B. B. Club, Louisville B. B. Club, St. Louis B. B. Club." Constitution and Playing Rules of the National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs. Chicago, A. G. Spalding 1877.
- ^ "MLB officially designates the Negro Leagues as 'Major League'". MLB.com. Retrieved October 23, 2022.
- ^ Frick, Ford. "Statement of Ford Frick – Commissioner of Baseball". In Sullivan, Dean A. (2002). Late Innings: A Documentary History of Baseball, 1945–1972, pp. 129–131. University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 0-8032-9285-6
- ^ "MLB Executives". Major League Baseball. 2007. Retrieved June 30, 2007.
- ^ sabr. "Kings of the Hill: The Story of the Pittsburgh Crawfords – Society for American Baseball Research". Retrieved April 30, 2024.
- ^ Drellich, Evan; Rosenthal, Ken (April 4, 2024). "Oakland A's to play in Sacramento's Sutter Health Park beginning in 2025 ahead of move to Las Vegas". The Athletic.