American Association (1882–1891)

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Template:Short description Template:About Template:Use mdy dates Template:Use American English Template:Infobox sports league

The American Association of Base Ball Clubs (AA) was a professional baseball league that existed for 10 seasons from Template:Baseball year to Template:Baseball year. Together with the National League (NL), founded in Template:Baseball year, the AA participated in an early version of the World SeriesTemplate:Efn seven times versus the champion of the NL in an interleague championship playoff tournament. At the end of its run, several AA franchises joined the NL. After 1891, the NL existed alone, with each season's champions being awarded the Temple Cup (1894–1897).

During its existence, the AA was often simply referred to as "the Association" in the media, in contrast to the NL, which was sometimes called "the League". It was also sometimes called the "Beer and Whiskey League".

History

The 1885 St. Louis Browns of the American Association
Bid McPhee

The American Association (AA) distinguished itself in several ways from what it considered to be the puritanical National League (NL). The new league established teams in what the NL leaders pejoratively called "river cities", including Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Louisville and St. Louis, with the inherent implication of lower morality or social standards in those cities. In contrast to the NL, the AA offered cheaper ticket prices, Sunday games and alcoholic beverages to its patrons.<ref name="SABR">Template:Cite journal</ref>Template:Rp

On November 8, 1881, at the Gibson House in Cincinnati, it was decided that individual teams in the league-to-be would operate their own affairs and set their own admission prices,<ref>The Encyclopedia of Louisville, John E. Kleber</ref> under an agreement called the "guarantee system". The NL at that time prohibited the sale of alcohol on its grounds, while the AA had no such restrictions, especially as several of its teams were backed by breweries and distilleries. The AA became known as "The Beer and Whiskey League", another pejorative term applied by NL owners, which did not seem to bother the fans of the Association's clubs.

Beginning in 1884 and continuing through 1890, the champion of the AA met the champion of the NL in an early version of the World Series. These early Series were less organized than the modern version, with as few as three games played and as many as fifteen, and the contests of 1885 and 1890 ending in disputed ties. The NL won four of these Series, while the AA won only one, in 1886 when the St. Louis Browns (now the St. Louis Cardinals) defeated the Chicago White Stockings (now the Chicago Cubs). Template:Further

Over its lifetime, the AA was weakened by several factors. One was the tendency of some of its teams to jump to the NL. The consistently stronger NL was in better position to survive adverse conditions. Some owners of AA teams also owned a NL team.<ref name="SABR" />Template:Rp The most significant blow to the AA was dealt by the Players' League, a third major league formed in 1890, which siphoned off talent and gate receipts. In a rare historical oddity, the Brooklyn Bridegrooms (now the Los Angeles Dodgers) won the league's championship and represented the AA in the 1889 World Series, switched to the NL during the off-season, and then repeated the same feat. Though during the initial offseason between 1891 and 1892, the Association was looking to expand (including the approval of a Chicago-based team on October 23), the league formally dissolved on December 18, 1891, at 11:10 AM, having officially merged with the National League (with the new formal name, the "National League and American Association of Baseball Clubs".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

No player who spent the majority of his career in the AA is in the baseball Hall of Fame, although Bid McPhee of the Cincinnati Reds played eight of his eighteen seasons in the AA before the Reds moved to the National League. The living legacy of the old Association is the group of teams that came over to the National League to stay. The Pirates moved to the NL after the 1886 season, the Bridegrooms/Dodgers and the Cincinnati Reds after the 1889 season, and the Browns/Cardinals after the American Association folded following the 1891 season. Following the reorganization and contraction of the NL from 12 teams down to 8 in 1900, half of the eight surviving teams were former members of the AA. Several of the AA's home-field venues survived into the 1960s: The ballpark used by the 1891 Washington club evolved into Griffith Stadium; the home of the St. Louis Browns, Sportsman's Park; and the city block occupied by the Reds, which evolved into Crosley Field. Other than the clubs themselves, Crosley Field was the last physical remnant of the AA—it was the home field of the Cincinnati Reds until mid-season 1970 and was razed in April 1972.

During the AA's existence, four clubs defected over to the NL: Allegheny City (joined NL 1887, later became the Pittsburgh Pirates), the Cleveland Spiders (joined NL 1889), the Brooklyn Bridegrooms (joined NL 1890, eventually renamed the Dodgers), and the Cincinnati Reds (joined NL 1890). At the AA's demise in 1891, four additional clubs joined the NL: the St. Louis Browns (later the Cardinals), the Louisville Colonels, the Washington Statesmen (renamed the Senators), and the Baltimore Orioles. Therefore, from 1892 to 1899, when the NL consisted of 12 teams, 8 of them had been former AA clubs. When the National League contracted from twelve teams down to eight for the 1900 season, Louisville, Washington, Baltimore, and Cleveland were eliminated, leaving an eight team National League with four former AA clubs remaining, all of which continue to play today: the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Cincinnati Reds, the Brooklyn Superbas (later the Los Angeles Dodgers), and the St. Louis Cardinals. All four have posted more than 10,000 all-time major-league victories.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

AA statistics are recognized by Major League Baseball (MLB), the AA being one of six leagues deemed "major" by the Special Baseball Records Committee of Major League Baseball in 1969.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>Template:Efn

Pennant winners of the AA

American Association franchises

Franchise Franchise name with all recorded nicknames
Years Years that the franchise were active in the AA
Home-field The home-field ballpark(s) in which the franchise played
Titles How many league titles the franchise won in the AA
Franchise later joined the National League
§ Franchise transferred in from the Players' League
Franchise Years Home-field Titles Notes Ref
Baltimore Orioles 1882–1891 Newington Park/Oriole Park I, II, III 0 <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Cincinnati Red Stockings 1882–1889 Bank Street Grounds/League Park I 1 This franchise currently exists as the Cincinnati Reds <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Louisville Colonels 1882–1891 Eclipse Park I 1 <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Philadelphia Athletics 1882–1890 Oakdale Park/Jefferson Street Grounds 1 <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Pittsburgh Alleghenys 1882–1886 Exposition Park I, II/Recreation Park 0 This franchise currently exists as the Pittsburgh Pirates <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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St. Louis Brown Stockings/Browns 1882–1891 Sportsman's Park I 4 This franchise currently exists as the St. Louis Cardinals <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Columbus Buckeyes 1883–1884 Recreation Park I 0 <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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New York Metropolitans 1883–1887 Polo Grounds I/Metropolitan Park/St. George Cricket Grounds 1 <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Brooklyn Atlantics/Grays/Bridegrooms 1884–1889 Washington Park/Ridgewood Park II 1 This franchise currently exists as the Los Angeles Dodgers <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Indianapolis Hoosiers 1884 Seventh Street Park I/Bruce Grounds 0 <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Richmond Virginians 1884 Allen Pasture 0 <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Toledo Blue Stockings 1884 League Park 0 <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Washington Nationals 1884 Athletic Park 0 <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Cleveland Forest Citys/Blues 1887–1888 Kennard Street Park 0 <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Kansas City Cowboys 1888–1889 Association Park/Exposition Park 0 <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Columbus Solons 1889–1891 Recreation Park II 0 <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Brooklyn Gladiators 1890 Ridgewood Park II/Polo Grounds III 0 <ref name="Ridgewood Park II in New York"/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Rochester Broncos/Hop Bitters 1890 Culver Field I/Polo Grounds III 0 <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Syracuse Stars 1890 Star Park II 0 <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Toledo Maumees 1890 Speranza Park 0 <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Boston Reds§ 1891 Congress Street Grounds 1 Transferred from the Players' League after 1890 season <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Cincinnati Kelly's Killers 1891 East End Park 0 Also referred to as the Reds and the Porkers <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Milwaukee Brewers 1891 Athletic Park 0 Transferred to the Western League in 1892. <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Philadelphia Athletics§ 1891 Forepaugh Park 0 Transferred from the Players' League after 1890 season <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Washington Statesmen 1891 Boundary Field 0 <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Timeline

The first line is the formation of the American Association (AA) in 1882, and the second marks the end of the American Association.

World's Championship Series championships are shown with a "•", American Association Pennants in non-World Championship Series seasons are shown with a "#", and American Association Pennant winners who tied or lost the World Championship Series are shown with a "^".

<timeline> DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:25 PlotArea = left:20 right:50 bottom:20 top:20

Colors =

id:majorGridColor value:rgb(0.9,0.9,0.9)
id:lineColor   value:gray(0.6)
id:nl1         value:gray(0.9)
id:inactive    value:gray(0.5)
id:purple      value:rgb(0.60,0   ,0.60)
id:gold        value:rgb(0.99,0.72,0.15)
id:brown       value:rgb(0.36,0.20,0.10)
id:vegasgold   value:rgb(0.80,0.72,0.49)
id:green       value:rgb(0,   0.51,0.28)
id:darkgreen   value:rgb(0,   0.20,0   )
id:orange      value:rgb(1   ,0.39,0   )
id:red         value:rgb(0.80,0.01,0.07)
id:red2        value:rgb(0.90,0.01,0.07)
id:darkred     value:rgb(0.50,0   ,0   )
id:iceblue     value:rgb(0.20,0.60,0.80)
id:gray        value:gray(0.3)
id:gray2       value:gray(0.5)
id:sand        value:rgb(0.94,0.89,0.77)
id:navy        value:rgb(0   ,0   ,0.30)
id:teal        value:rgb(0   ,0.65,0.65)
id:teal2       value:rgb(0   ,0.45,0.45)

Period = from:01/01/1880 till:01/01/1893 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:dd/mm/yyyy ScaleMajor = start:01/01/1880 unit:year increment:1 gridcolor:majorGridColor

LineData =

at:02/11/1881 color:lineColor #Formation of AA
at:18/12/1891 color:lineColor #NL Merger

BarData =

bar:BAL      #Baltimore Orioles (1891) (NL)
bar:CINR     #Cincinnati Red Stockings (1889) (NL)
bar:LOU      #Louisville Eclipse/Colonels (1891) (NL)
bar:PHI      #Philadelphia Athletics (1891)
bar:PIT      #Pittsburgh Alleghenys (1886 (NL)
bar:SLB      #St Louis Brown Stockings (1891) (NL)
bar:NYM      #New York Metropolitans (1887)
bar:COL      #Columbus Buckeyes (1884)
bar:BRK      #Brooklyn Atlantics/Grays/Bridegrooms (1889) (NL)
bar:TLB      #Toledo Blue Stockings (1884)
bar:IND      #Indianapolis Hoosiers (1884)
bar:WAS      #Washington Nationals (1884)
bar:RCHM     #Richmond Virginians (1884)
bar:CLE      #Cleveland Spiders (1887–1888) (NL)
bar:KCC      #Kansas City Cowboys (1888–1889)
bar:CLB      #Columbus Solons (1889–1891)
bar:SYR      #Syracuse Stars (1890)
bar:TLM      #Toledo Maumees (1890)
bar:RCHT     #Rochester Broncos (1890)
bar:BKN      #Brooklyn Gladiators (1890)
bar:BOS      #Boston Reds (1891)
bar:PHI2     #Philadelphia Athletics (1891)
bar:WSH      #Washington Statesmen (1891)
bar:CINP     #Cincinnati Kelly's Killers(1891)
bar:MIL      #Milwaukee Brewers (1891)

Define $Up = shift:(,1) Define $Left = anchor:from align:right shift:(-1,) Define $Right = anchor:till align:left shift:(2,) Define $Down = shift:(,-10) Define $UpLeft = anchor:from align:right shift:(-1,1) Define $UpRight = anchor:till align:left shift:(2,1) Define $DownRight = anchor:till align:left shift:(2,-10)

Define $champ = text:"•" textcolor:white fontsize:XL shift:(5,-5) Define $champ2 = text:"#" textcolor:white shift:(5,1) Define $champ3 = text:"^" textcolor:white fontsize:L shift:(5,-5)

PlotData =

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textcolor:black
width:20
fontsize:S
mark:(line,black)
anchor:middle # other options are anchor:from anchor:till
align:center  # other options are align:left  align:right
shift:(0,-5)
  1. ---Charter Members of the AA in 1882
bar:BAL  from:02/11/1881 till:29/11/1889  color:orange      text:"Baltimore Orioles"
bar:BAL  from:29/11/1889 till:27/08/1890  color:nl1         text:"(AA~minors)"                                $Up
bar:BAL  from:27/08/1890 till:18/12/1891  color:orange      text:"Baltimore~Orioles"                          $Up
bar:BAL  from:18/12/1891 till:end         color:nl1         text:"(NL)"
bar:CINR from:02/11/1881 till:14/11/1889  color:darkred     text:"Cincinnati Red Stockings"  textcolor:white
bar:CINR from:14/11/1889 till:end         color:nl1         text:"Cincinnati Reds (NL)"
at:CINR at:02/09/1882 $champ2 mark:(line, darkred)
bar:LOU  from:02/11/1881 till:01/01/1885  color:black       text:"Louisville~Eclipse"        textcolor:white  $Up
bar:LOU  from:01/01/1885 till:18/12/1891  color:gray        text:"Louisville~Colonels"       textcolor:white  $Up
bar:LOU  from:18/12/1891 till:end         color:nl1         text:"(NL)"
at:LOU at:24/09/1890 $champ3 mark:(line, gray)
bar:PHI  from:02/11/1881 till:24/11/1890  color:skyblue     text:"Philadelphia Athletics"
at:PHI at:30/08/1883 $champ2 mark:(line, skyblue)
bar:PIT  from:02/11/1881 till:17/11/1886  color:yellow      text:"Pittsburgh Alleghenys"
bar:PIT  from:17/11/1886 till:01/01/1891  color:nl1         text:"(NL)"
bar:PIT  from:01/01/1891 till:end         color:nl1         text:"Pittsburgh~Pirates (NL)"                    $Up
bar:SLB  from:02/11/1881 till:01/01/1883  color:vegasgold   text:"St. Louis~Brown Stockings"                  $Up
bar:SLB  from:01/01/1883 till:18/12/1891  color:brown       text:"St. Louis Browns"          textcolor:white  $Down
bar:SLB  from:18/12/1891 till:end         color:nl1         text:"(NL)"
at:SLB at:24/09/1885 $champ3 mark:(line, brown)
at:SLB at:23/09/1886 $champ mark:(line, brown)
at:SLB at:26/09/1887 $champ3 mark:(line, brown)
at:SLB at:27/09/1888 $champ3 mark:(line, brown)
  1. ---1883
bar:COL  from:13/12/1882 till:07/11/1884  color:navy        text:"Columbus~Buckeyes"         textcolor:white  $Up
bar:NYM  from:01/01/1880 till:13/12/1882  color:nl1         text:"(Independent)"
bar:NYM  from:13/12/1882 till:20/10/1887  color:black       text:"New York~Metropolitans"    textcolor:white  $Up
at:NYM at:25/09/1883 $champ3 mark:(line, black)
  1. ---1884
bar:BRK  from:01/01/1883 till:12/12/1883  color:nl1         text:"Brooklyn~Grays (IA)"                        $Up
bar:BRK  from:12/12/1883 till:01/01/1885  color:blue        text:"Brooklyn~Atlantics"                         $Up
bar:BRK  from:01/01/1885 till:01/01/1888  color:gray        text:"Brooklyn Grays"            textcolor:white
bar:BRK  from:01/01/1888 till:14/11/1889  color:navy        text:"Brooklyn Bridegrooms"      textcolor:white  $Down
bar:BRK  from:14/11/1889 till:01/01/1891  color:nl1         text:"(NL)"
bar:BRK  from:01/01/1891 till:end         color:nl1         text:"Brooklyn Grooms (NL)"
at:BRK at:29/09/1889 $champ3 mark:(line, navy)
bar:TLB  from:01/01/1883 till:12/12/1883  color:nl1         text:"(NwL)"
bar:TLB  from:12/12/1883 till:01/01/1885  color:skyblue     text:"Toledo Blue~Stockings"                      $Up
bar:TLB  from:01/01/1885 till:01/01/1886  color:nl1         text:"(minor~league)"                             $Up
bar:IND  from:12/12/1883 till:10/12/1884  color:sand        text:"Indianapolis~Hoosiers"                      $Up
bar:WAS  from:12/12/1883 till:02/08/1884  color:blue        text:"Washington~Nationals"                       $Up
bar:RCHM from:01/01/1884 till:05/08/1884  color:nl1         text:"(EL)"
bar:RCHM from:05/08/1884 till:10/12/1884  color:gold        text:"Richmond Virginians"                        $Right
  1. ---1887
bar:CLE  from:15/12/1886 till:21/11/1888  color:blue        text:"Cleveland~Blues"         textcolor:white  $Up
bar:CLE  from:21/11/1888 till:end         color:nl1         text:"Cleveland Spiders (NL)"
  1. ---1888
bar:KCC  from:17/01/1888 till:15/11/1889  color:iceblue     text:"Kansas City~Cowboys"                        $Up
  1. ---1889
bar:CLB  from:05/12/1888 till:15/12/1891  color:red         text:"Columbus~Solons"                            $Up
  1. ---1890
bar:SYR  from:01/01/1885 till:01/01/1886  color:nl1         text:"(NYSL)"
bar:SYR  from:01/01/1886 till:01/01/1888  color:nl1         text:"(IL)"
bar:SYR  from:01/01/1888 till:06/01/1890  color:nl1         text:"(IA)"
bar:SYR  from:06/01/1890 till:14/01/1891  color:yellow      text:"Syracuse~Stars"                             $Up
bar:TLM  from:01/01/1888 till:01/01/1889  color:nl1         text:"(TSL)"
bar:TLM  from:01/01/1889 till:06/01/1890  color:nl1         text:"(IA)"
bar:TLM  from:06/01/1890 till:14/01/1891  color:kelleygreen text:"Toledo~Maumees"                             $Up
bar:RCHT from:01/01/1889 till:06/01/1890  color:nl1         text:"Rochester~Jingoes (IA)"                     $Up
bar:RCHT from:06/01/1890 till:14/01/1891  color:darkred     text:"Rochester~Broncos"         textcolor:white  $Up
bar:RCHT from:14/01/1891 till:15/12/1891  color:nl1         text:"Rochester~Hop Bitters (EA)"                 $Up
bar:BKN  from:09/01/1890 till:27/08/1890  color:purple      text:"Brooklyn~Gladiators"                        $Up
  1. ---1891
bar:PHI2 from:01/01/1890 till:15/01/1891  color:nl1         text:"Philadelphia~Quakers (PL)"                  $Up
bar:PHI2 from:15/01/1891 till:15/12/1891  color:skyblue     text:"Philadelphia~Athletics (2)"                 $Up
bar:BOS  from:01/01/1890 till:15/01/1891  color:nl1         text:"(PL)"
bar:BOS  from:15/01/1891 till:15/12/1891  color:red         text:"Boston~Reds"                                $Up
at:BOS at:06/09/1891 $champ2 mark:(line, red)
bar:WSH  from:15/01/1891 till:18/12/1891  color:blue        text:"Washington~Statesmen"      textcolor:white  $Up
bar:WSH  from:18/12/1891 till:end         color:nl1         text:"Washington~Senators (NL)"                   $Up
bar:CINP from:14/03/1891 till:16/08/1891  color:pink        text:"Cincinnati~Kelly's Killers"                 $Up
bar:MIL  from:01/01/1886 till:01/01/1888  color:nl1         text:"(NwL)"
bar:MIL  from:01/01/1888 till:18/08/1891  color:nl1         text:"(WL)"
bar:MIL  from:18/08/1891 till:15/12/1891  color:vegasgold   text:"Milwaukee~Brewers"                          $Up
bar:MIL  from:15/12/1891 till:07/07/1892  color:nl1         text:"(WL)"

</timeline>

  1. The 1884 Washington Statesmen were replaced during the season by the Richmond Virginians.
  2. For the 1891 season, the Philadelphia Athletics were replaced by the Philadelphia Quakers of the Player's League.
  3. The 1891 Cincinnati Kelly's Killers folded during the season and were replaced by the Milwaukee Brewers.
  4. All non-American Association labels not labeled "NL" (National League) or "PL" (Players' League) are minor league teams.
  • 1882 – AA forms with six teams
  • 1883 – AA expands to eight teams
  • 1884 – AA expands to twelve teams in response to Union Association threat
  • 1885 – AA returns to eight teams
  • 1887 – Allegheny ("Pittsburgh Alleghenys") leave AA to join NL
  • 1889 – Cleveland Spiders leave AA to join NL
  • 1890 – Cincinnati Red Stockings and Brooklyn Bridegrooms leave AA to join NL
  • 1892 – Baltimore Orioles, Louisville Colonels, St. Louis Browns, and Washington Senators join National League after the merger of the AA into the NL. Boston Reds, Columbus Solons, Philadelphia Athletics fold, and Milwaukee Brewers reverts to a minor league team.

AA presidents

Notes

Template:Notelist

References

General
Specific

Template:Reflist

Template:American Association (1882–1891) Template:Professional Baseball Template:Authority control