The American Association (AA) was a Minor League Baseball league that operated primarily in the

Midwestern The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of the United States. I ...

and South Central United States from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997. It was classified as a Triple-A league, which is one grade below

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

, for most of its existence. A league champion was determined at the end of every season. The

Louisville Colonels The Louisville Colonels were a Major League Baseball team that also played in the American Association (AA) throughout that league's ten-year existence from 1882 until 1891. They were known as the Louisville Eclipse from 1882 to 1884, and as ...

won 15 American Association titles, the most in the league's history, followed by the

Indianapolis Indians The Indianapolis Indians are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They are located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and play their home games at Victory Field, which open ...

(12) and the

Columbus Red Birds The Columbus Red Birds were a top-level minor league baseball team that played in Columbus, Ohio, in the American Association from 1931 through 1954. The Columbus club, a member of the Association continuously since 1902, was previously known as ...

(10). Intermittently throughout its history, the American Association champion competed against the champion of the

International League The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball ...

, which operated in the

Eastern Eastern may refer to: Transportation *China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai *Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways *Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 1926 to 1991 *Eastern Air Li ...

U.S., to determine an overall Triple-A champion. On rare occasions, the champion of the

West Coast West Coast or west coast may refer to: Geography Australia * Western Australia *Regions of South Australia#Weather forecasting, West Coast of South Australia * West Coast, Tasmania **West Coast Range, mountain range in the region Canada * Britis ...

-based

Pacific Coast League The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...

also participated. The first such meetings were called the

Little World Series The Junior World Series was a postseason championship series between champions of two of the three highest minor league baseball leagues modeled on the World Series of Major League Baseball. It was called the Little World Series (no relation to ...

. Later, the teams would also compete in the

Junior World Series The Junior World Series was a postseason championship series between champions of two of the three highest minor league baseball leagues modeled on the World Series of Major League Baseball. It was called the Little World Series (no relation to ...

Triple-A World Series The Triple-A World Series was an interleague postseason championship series between the league champions of the affiliated Triple-A leagues of Minor League Baseball to determine an overall champion of the classification held in 1983 and from 199 ...

, and

Triple-A Classic The Triple-A Classic was an interleague postseason championship series held annually between the league champions of the American Association (AA) and International League (IL) Triple-A leagues of Minor League Baseball from 1988 to 1991. Over a ...

. Additional interleague play consisted of the regular season's

Triple-A Alliance The Triple-A Alliance was an interleague partnership between the American Association (AA) and International League (IL) Triple-A leagues of Minor League Baseball from 1988 to 1991. The two leagues played an interlocking schedule consisting of 4 ...

and

Triple-A All-Star Game The Triple-A All-Star Game was an annual baseball game held from 1988 to 2019 between professional players from the affiliated Triple-A leagues of Minor League Baseball. These leagues were the International League (IL) and Pacific Coast League ( ...

History

First run (1902–1962)

The American Association was formed in the fall of 1901 by Thomas J. Hickey, who had recently been appointed president of the Western League and was a founder of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues. Hickey resigned from the Western League to lead the new American Association, which elected not to join the National Association, thus becoming an "outlaw" league. The eight-team circuit fielded clubs in

Columbus, Ohio Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and t ...

;

Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Mari ...

;

Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...

;

Louisville, Kentucky Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...

;

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at th ...

;

Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

;

Saint Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (abbreviated St. Paul) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County, Minnesota, Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississip ...

; and

Toledo, Ohio Toledo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lucas County, Ohio, United States. A major Midwestern United States port city, Toledo is the fourth-most populous city in the state of Ohio, after Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, and according ...

. The league's inaugural 140-game schedule was to be played from late April to late September 1902. At the end of that season, the first American Association championship was won by the

. The American Association became members of the National Association after two seasons and was then classified as a Class A circuit. In 1912, it was reclassified as a Double-A league. Through the first 12 years of play, the AA established itself as one of the premier minor leagues in the country. Its teams, featuring former major league players and top minor leaguers, were both competitive and profitable. In 1914, the newly-formed

Federal League The Federal League of Base Ball Clubs, known simply as the Federal League, was an American professional baseball league that played its first season as a minor league in 1913 and operated as a "third major league", in competition with the e ...

placed teams in Indianapolis and Kansas City as well as other locals near American Association teams. One of only a few franchise shifts in the first incarnation of the AA occurred in 1914 when the

Toledo Mud Hens The Toledo Mud Hens are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Toledo, Ohio, and play their home games at Fifth Third Field. A Mud Hens team has played in ...

moved to

Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

, as the Cleveland Bearcats. Looking to keep the Federal League out of Cleveland, which would have been in direct competition with his

American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...

franchise, owner

Charles Somers Charles W. Somers (October 13, 1868 – June 29, 1934) was an American executive in the coal industry in Cleveland, Ohio, who also achieved prominence in professional baseball. The financial resources from his business interests allowed Somers to ...

brought in his Toledo team to share

League Park League Park was a baseball park located in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It was situated at the northeast corner of Dunham Street (now known as East 66th Street) and Lexington Avenue in the Hough, Cleveland, Hough neighborhood. It was built ...

with the

Cleveland Naps The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive ...

. The club returned to Toledo two seasons later after the dissolution of the Federal League. The outbreak of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

brought further difficulties. A 1917 44-game interleague schedule with the

was called off before Opening Day. In 1918, following a federal government mandate that men of draft age, such as the AA's players, would be eligible for the draft, the league cancelled the rest of the season on July 21. The league resumed play after the war, in 1919, and continued to be a successful venture despite the decade's problems. Much like other professional sports at the time, the 1920s were a golden age for the American Association. The league drew record crowds that witnessed fast-paced games usually dominated by offence. This success, as well as its forthcoming innovations, positioned the AA to fare well during the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

. On June 9, 1930, the league's first night game was played in Indianapolis as the Indians defeated the

St. Paul Saints The St. Paul Saints are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They are located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and have played their home games at CHS Field since 2015. They prev ...

, 1–0, at Washington Park. Its first All-Star Game was played in 1934. The

Minneapolis Millers The Minneapolis Millers were an American professional minor league baseball team that played in Minneapolis, Minnesota, through 1960. In the 19th century a different Minneapolis Millers were part of the Western League. The team played first in ...

, who were in first place at midseason, beat the league's stars, 13–6. Until 1931, the league champions were simply the regular season pennant winners. In 1932, the first playoffs were introduced for determining champions. The league was divided into two divisions with the top team in each division meeting in a best-of-seven series to determine a winner. The

beat the Minneapolis Millers, four games to two, for the first AA playoff championship. The system was utilized again in 1933, but abandoned when Columbus again bested Minneapolis and advanced to play in the

despite the Millers having the best record. No playoffs were held in 1935. In 1936, the league adopted the

Shaughnessy playoff system The Shaughnessy playoff system is a method of determining the champion of a sports league that is not in a divisional alignment. This format is also known as the Argus finals system. It involves the participation of the top four teams in the league ...

in which the top four teams qualified for postseason play. The AA would still recognize a pennant winner, but the playoff champion would represent the league at the Junior World Series and be the recipient of a Governors' Cup. In the semi-finals, Indianapolis ousted St. Paul, and the

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...

swept the Kansas City Blues. The Brewers went on to defeat the Indians, four games to one. Unlike other minor leagues, the American Association survived the 1930s as the only circuit to play its full season schedule without stoppage, reducing its membership, or any teams disbanding. As with other leagues, it suffered from low attendance and a lesser quality of play during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, but quickly returned to a period of prosperity after the war. In 1946, the AA was reclassified again, this time as a Triple-A league. The American Association's attendance base began to be eroded significantly in the 1950s and early 1960s due to expansion and westward migration of Major League Baseball teams into several of the AA's larger member cities, especially Milwaukee, Kansas City, and Minneapolis-Saint Paul. Another contributing factor was the increased frequency of televised games, both of MLB teams and the AA's own clubs, enticing fans to watch baseball from the comfort of their own homes. Toledo suffered such poor attendance that the team folded during the 1952 season and was transferred to

Charleston, West Virginia Charleston is the capital and List of cities in West Virginia, most populous city of West Virginia. Located at the confluence of the Elk River (West Virginia), Elk and Kanawha River, Kanawha rivers, the city had a population of 48,864 at the 20 ...

. In 1952, the league lost the Milwaukee Brewers who were displaced by the

National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...

Milwaukee Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in Bost ...

. In 1959, the league expanded to 10 teams when it acquired three former

Texas League The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...

clubs, but expensive and lengthy travel across the spread-out league coupled with dwindling attendance was damaging to what had once been a flourishing circuit. By 1961, the league had been reduced to six clubs—just one a charter city—after having lost Kansas City and Minneapolis–St. Paul to the major leagues. After the 1962 season, the American Association disbanded, and some of its member teams were distributed between the

(PCL) and the International League (IL), while others (the

and

Omaha Dodgers The Omaha Dodgers were a Minor League Baseball team of the American Association and the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1961 to 1962. They were located in Omaha, Nebraska. The team was Omaha's second American Association franc ...

) folded altogether. The Indianapolis Indians joined the IL, and the Dallas-Fort Worth Rangers,

Denver Bears Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the United ...

, and

Oklahoma City 89ers Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...

went to the PCL.

Second run (1969–1997)

With major league expansion in 1969 and the need for four new Triple-A farm teams, the American Association was revived. The creation of a third Triple-A league would alleviate some of the travel costs incurred by having only two leagues spread out across the country. The new American Association would field six teams in 1969. It re-acquired its old Indianapolis;

Denver, Colorado Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

; and

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, and ...

, territories from the PCL, revived the

Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest cit ...

, franchise, and added two cities (

Des Moines, Iowa Des Moines () is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines, ...

, and

Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with ...

) that were new to the circuit. The teams played a 140-game schedule with no All-Star Game or playoffs. In 1970, the AA returned to a two-division format, reintroduced the All-Star Game and playoffs, and expanded to eight cities with the addition of

Wichita, Kansas Wichita ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Sedgwick County, Kansas, Sedgwick County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of the city was 397,532. The Wichita metro area had ...

, and

Evansville, Indiana Evansville is a city in, and the county seat of, Vanderburgh County, Indiana, United States. The population was 118,414 at the 2020 census, making it the state's third-most populous city after Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, the largest city in ...

. The 1970s were a stable time for the Association with strong attendance and only minor franchise shifts. The league thrived during the 1980s and 1990s, along with all of Minor League Baseball as an industry. Affordable ticket prices, exciting giveaways and promotions, and new ballparks helped lure fans, especially families, back to minor league games. Half of the top-ten drawing minor league clubs in 1985 were members of the American Association. From 1982 to 1986, the

Louisville Redbirds Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border. ...

led all of Minor League Baseball in attendance, including the 1983 season in which the club drew over one million fans. From 1988 to 1991, the Association participated in interleague play with the International League as a part of the

. The two leagues played an interlocking schedule consisting of 40 to 44 interleague games per team. At the end of each season, an Alliance champion was determined in the

, a best-of-seven postseason series. All three Triple-A leagues, began participating in the

in 1988. The first of these events was held at the

Buffalo Bisons The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen Fiel ...

' newly-constructed Pilot Field on July 13, 1988. In the inaugural game, a team of American League-affiliated All-Stars defeated a team of National League affiliates, 2–1. High attendance in Buffalo and across the league helped the Association draw over 3.6 million fans in both 1988 and 1989, the highest ever recorded by a minor league. The further expansion of Major League Baseball in 1998 spurred the re-alignment of the Triple-A classification from three leagues to two. The American Association disbanded for the second time following the 1997 season. The league's final championship was won by the Buffalo Bisons, who still possess the trophy. The AA's teams were again distributed to the remaining leagues for the 1998 season. The

Iowa Cubs The Iowa Cubs are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. They are located in Des Moines, Iowa, and are named for their Major League Baseball (MLB) affiliate. The ...

Nashville Sounds The Nashville Sounds are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, and are named for the ci ...

New Orleans Zephyrs New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

, and

Omaha Royals Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County, Nebraska, Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. List of ...

joined an enlarged, 16-team Pacific Coast League. The Buffalo Bisons, Indianapolis Indians and Louisville Redbirds became part of an expanded, 14-team International League.

Interleague play

On and off, the American Association champion played against the International League's champion in a postseason series similar to Major League Baseball's

World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...

. The first

, as it was called from 1904 to 1931, saw the IL's Buffalo Bisons defeat the AA's St. Paul Saints, 2–1. The series was held again in 1906 and 1907, but not played again until 1917. Due to the war, there was no series in 1918, but it was revived in 1919 and then played steadily through 1931. The 1919 event was named the

, which became the official name of the series in 1932, and pitted the AA's champion against the Pacific Coast League's champion. The Junior World Series, with the AA versus the IL, continued from 1932 to 1962, and was held sporadically thereafter (1970, 1971, 1973, and 1975). American Association teams won 27 Little/Junior World Series. All three Triple-A leagues participated in the 1983

. As part of the Triple-A Alliance, the AA and IL champions met in the

from 1988 to 1991. All four Classics were won by Association teams. From 1988 until the league's demise in 1997, players from all three Triple-A leagues were selected to play in the mid-season

. One team was made up of All-Stars from

affiliates and the other of

affiliates.

Teams

1902–1962 Timeline

DateFormat = yyyy ImageSize = width:1200 height:auto barincrement:25 Period = from:1902 till:1963 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal PlotArea = right:140 left:20 bottom:20 top:0 Colors = id:barcolor value:rgb(0.99,0.7,0.7) id:line value:black id:bg value:white PlotData= width:20 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s bar:1 color:skyblue from:1902 till:1931 text:

Columbus Senators The Columbus Senators Minor league baseball team was created in as a founding member of the Tri-State League. After that, the Senators played in the Western League (1897-1899), Interstate League (1900), Western Association (1901), and Americ ...

(1902–30) bar:1 color:pink from:1931 till:1955 text:

(1931–54) bar:1 color:dullyellow from:1955 till:1960 text:

Omaha Cardinals The Omaha Cardinals were a minor league baseball team based in Omaha, Nebraska, from 1947 through 1959. They played in the Class A Western League through 1954 and in the Triple-A American Association from 1955 to 1959 as an affiliate of their m ...

(1955–59) bar:2 color:skyblue from:1902 till:1963 text:

(1902–62) bar:3 color:skyblue from:1902 till:1963 text:

(1902–62) bar:4 color:skyblue from:1902 till:1953 text:

(1902–52)

Toledo Sox The Toledo Sox were a minor league baseball team based in Toledo, Ohio. They played in the American Association from 1953 to 1955 at the Triple-A level as an affiliate of the Milwaukee Braves. History Entering the 1952 season, Toledo, Ohio, ...

(1953–55)

Wichita Braves The Wichita Braves were an American Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A minor league baseball franchise based in Wichita, Kansas, that played in the American Association (1902–1997), American Association from 1956 to 1958 as the top affiliate of the M ...

(1956–58)

Fort Worth Cats The Fort Worth Cats was a professional baseball team based in Fort Worth, Texas, in the United States. The Cats were a member of the South Division of the now disbanded United League Baseball, which was not affiliated with Major League Basebal ...

(1959) Merged with Dallas Rangers in 1960 bar:4 color:pink from:1953 till:1956 bar:4 color:dullyellow from:1956 till:1959 bar:4 color:tan1 from:1959 till:1960 bar:5 color:skyblue from:1902 till:1961 text:

(1902–60) bar:6 color:skyblue from:1902 till:1903 text: Kansas City Blues (1902)

Kansas City Cowboys Several sports team in Kansas City, Missouri have used the name Cowboys: *Kansas City Cowboys (Union Association), a baseball team in the Union Association in 1884 *Kansas City Cowboys (National League), a baseball team in the National League in 18 ...

(1903) Kansas City Blues (1904–54) bar:6 color:pink from:1903 till:1904 bar:6 color:dullyellow from:1904 till:1955 bar:6 color:tan1 from:1955 till:1963 text:

(1955–62) bar:7 color:skyblue from:1902 till:1914 text:

(1902–13) bar:7 color:pink from:1914 till:1915 text: St. Paul Apostles (1914)

(1915–60) bar:7 color:dullyellow from:1915 till:1961 bar:7 color:tan1 from:1961 till:1963 text:

(1961–62) bar:8 color:skyblue from:1902 till:1914 text:

(1902–13) Cleveland Bearcats (1914)

Cleveland Spiders The Cleveland Spiders were an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. The team competed at the major league level from 1887 to 1899, first for two seasons as a member of the now-defunct American Association (AA), followed ...

(1915) Toledo Iron Men (1916–18)

(1919–52) bar:8 color:pink from:1914 till:1915 bar:8 color:dullyellow from:1915 till:1916 bar:8 color:tan1 from:1916 till:1918 bar:8 color:lightorange from:1918 till:1952 bar:8 color:yellowgreen from:1952 till:1961 text:

Charleston Senators The Charleston Senators were an American minor league baseball team based in Charleston, West Virginia. They were the first professional baseball team to play in Charleston, beginning play in 1910. The team was inactive during a few periods, playin ...

(1952–60) bar:9 color:skyblue from:1959 till:1962 text:

Houston Buffs Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 i ...

(1959–61)

(1962) bar:9 color:pink from:1962 till:1963 bar:10 color:skyblue from:1959 till:1960 text:

Dallas Rangers The Dallas Rangers were a high-level minor league baseball team located in Dallas, Texas from 1958 to 1964. The team was known by the Dallas Rangers name in 1958, 1959, and 1964 and as the Dallas-Fort Worth Rangers from 1960 to 1963. It played in ...

(1959) Dallas-Fort Worth Rangers (1960–62) bar:10 color:pink from:1960 till:1962 ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:5 start:1902

1969–1997 Timeline

DateFormat = yyyy ImageSize = width:1200 height:auto barincrement:25 Period = from:1969 till:1998 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal PlotArea = right:140 left:20 bottom:20 top:0 Colors = id:barcolor value:rgb(0.99,0.7,0.7) id:line value:black id:bg value:white PlotData= width:20 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s bar:1 color:skyblue from:1970 till:1985 text:

Wichita Aeros The Wichita Aeros were an American minor league baseball franchise based in Wichita, Kansas, that played in the Triple-A American Association from 1970 through 1984. The Aeros were established as an expansion franchise when the Association grew ...

(1970–84) bar:1 color:pink from:1985 till:1998 text:

(1985–97) bar:2 color:skyblue from:1969 till:1998 text:

(1969–97) bar:3 color:skyblue from:1969 till:1982 text: Iowa Oaks (1969–81) bar:3 color:pink from:1982 till:1998 text:

(1982–97) bar:4 color:skyblue from:1969 till:1977 text:

Tulsa Oilers The Tulsa Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and play in the ECHL. The Oilers played their home games at the Tulsa Convention Center until 2008 when they moved into the new BOK Center. For many years, the Tuls ...

(1969–76)

New Orleans Pelicans The New Orleans Pelicans are an American professional basketball team based in New Orleans. The Pelicans compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division and play their hom ...

(1977) Springfield Redbirds (1978–81) bar:4 color:pink from:1977 till:1978 bar:4 color:dullyellow from:1978 till:1982 bar:4 color:tan1 from:1982 till:1998 text:

(1982–97) bar:5 color:skyblue from:1969 till:1984 text:

(1969–83) bar:5 color:pink from:1984 till:1993 text:

Denver Zephyrs The Denver Zephyrs (formerly the Denver Bears) were a Minor League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They were a Triple-A team that played in the American Association from 1955 to 1962, the Pacific Coast League from 1963 ...

(1984–92) bar:5 color:dullyellow from:1993 till:1998 text:

(1993–97) bar:6 color:skyblue from:1969 till:1998 text:

(1969–97) bar:7 color:skyblue from:1969 till:1998 text:

(1969–97) bar:8 color:skyblue from:1970 till:1985 text:

Evansville Triplets The Evansville Triplets were a Minor League Baseball team of the Triple-A American Association (AA) from 1970 to 1984. They were located in Evansville, Indiana, and played their home games at Bosse Field. The Triplets served as a farm club for t ...

(1970–84) bar:8 color:pink from:1985 till:1998 text:

(1985–97) ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:1 start:1969

Presidents

Fifteen presidents led the American Association: * 1902–1903: Thomas J. Hickey * 1904: J. Ed Grillo * 1905–1909: Joseph D. O'Brien * 1910–1916: Thomas M. Chivington * 1917–1934: Thomas J. Hickey * 1935–1944: George M. Troutman * 1945–1947:

Roy Hamey Henry Roy Hamey (June 9, 1902 – December 14, 1983) was an American front-office executive in Major League Baseball (MLB). A longtime employee of the New York Yankees, he was appointed the club's general manager in November 1960. Inheriting a ...

* 1948–1952: Bruce Dudley * 1953–1959: Ed Doherty * 1960–1962: James Burris * 1969–1971:

Allie Reynolds Allie Pierce Reynolds (February 10, 1917 – December 26, 1994) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher. Reynolds pitched 13 years for the Cleveland Indians (1942–1946) and New York Yankees (1947–1954). Reynolds was nicknam ...

* 1972–1987: Joe Ryan * 1988–1989: Ken Grandquist * 1990–1991: Randy Mobley * 1991–1997: Branch B. Rickey

Champions

League champions were determined by different means over the American Association's 90 years of competition. From 1902 to 1931, the league champions were simply the regular-season pennant winners—the team with the best

win–loss record In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. The statistic is commonly used in standings or rankings to compare teams or individuals. It is defined as wins divided by the total number of match ...

at the conclusion of the regular season. The first playoffs for determining champions were held in 1933. The

won 15 American Association titles, the most in the league's history, followed by the

(12) and the

(10).

Awards

The American Association regularly honored outstanding players and team personnel at the end of each season.

MVP Award

The

Most Valuable Player Award In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...

, introduced in 1929, was given to recognize the best player in the league. The first MVP Award went to

shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists who ...

Billy Rogell William George Rogell (; November 24, 1904 – August 9, 2003) was an American baseball player who played 14 years in Major League Baseball, primarily as a shortstop for the Detroit Tigers. He made his major league debut on April 14, 1925 and p ...

of the

. The final award was given to

outfielder An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to cat ...

Magglio Ordóñez Magglio José Ordóñez Delgado (; born January 28, 1974) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball right fielder. He played for the Chicago White Sox (1997–2004) and Detroit Tigers (2005–2011). Ordóñez is tall and weighs . Having pos ...

of the

Most Valuable Pitcher Award

The Most Valuable Pitcher Award, introduced in 1969, was given to recognize the best

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

in the league. The first award was given to right-hander

Sal Campisi Salvatore John Campisi (born August 11, 1942) is an American former professional baseball player. A right-handed pitcher, he appeared in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1969 and 1970 and the Minnesota Twins in 1971. The , C ...

of the

. The final award went to right-hander

Rick Helling Ricky Allen Helling (born December 15, 1970) is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher. High school and college Helling attended Lakota High School in Lakota, North Dakota for three years, before graduating from Shanley High School in ...

of the

in 1996. No winner was selected in 1997.

Rookie of the Year Award

The

Rookie of the Year Award A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year). In contrast with a veteran who has experience and expertise, a rookie is usually inexperienced ...

, introduced in 1946, was given to the best rookie player in the league. The first award was presented to

first baseman A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...

Jerry Witte Jerome Charles Witte (July 30, 1915 – April 27, 2002) was a professional baseball player. He played parts of two seasons in Major League Baseball, 1946 and 1947, for the St. Louis Browns, primarily as a first baseman. He also had a long minor le ...

of the

. The final award was given to outfielder and league MVP Magglio Ordóñez of the Nashville Sounds.

Manager of the Year Award

The

Manager of the Year Award In Major League Baseball, the Manager of the Year Award is an honor given annually since 1983 to two outstanding managers, one each in the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner is voted on by 30 members of the Baseball Write ...

, introduced in 1945, was given to honor the best

manager Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities o ...

in the league. The first award went to

George Selkirk George Alexander Selkirk (January 4, 1908 – January 19, 1987) was a Canadian outfielder and front office executive in Major League Baseball. In 1935, Selkirk succeeded Babe Ruth as the right fielder of the New York Yankees—and also inher ...

of the

. The final award was issued to

Dave Miley David Allen Miley (born April 3, 1962) is an American former baseball player and manager. Playing career Miley was born in Tampa, Florida, and attended George D. Chamberlain High School in Tampa, graduating in 1980. He was drafted by the Cinc ...

of the

References

Specific General * *

External links

Statistics from Baseball-Reference

Article about American Association disbanding
{{DEFAULTSORT:American Association (1902-1997) Defunct minor baseball leagues in the United States Baseball leagues in Colorado Baseball leagues in Illinois Baseball leagues in Indiana Baseball leagues in Iowa Baseball leagues in Kansas Baseball leagues in Kentucky Baseball leagues in Louisiana Baseball leagues in Minnesota Baseball leagues in Missouri Baseball leagues in Nebraska Baseball leagues in New York (state) Baseball leagues in Ohio Baseball leagues in Oklahoma Baseball leagues in Tennessee Baseball leagues in Texas Baseball leagues in Wisconsin Articles which contain graphical timelines Sports leagues established in 1902 1902 establishments in the United States Sports leagues disestablished in 1962 1962 disestablishments in the United States Sports leagues established in 1969 1969 establishments in the United States Sports leagues disestablished in 1997 1997 disestablishments in the United States

History

First run (1902–1962)

Second run (1969–1997)

Interleague play

Teams

1902–1962 Timeline

1969–1997 Timeline

Presidents

Champions

Awards

MVP Award

Most Valuable Pitcher Award

Rookie of the Year Award

Manager of the Year Award

See also

References

External links