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American Association

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Note: This page links to the former minor league that existed from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997. For the major league, which existed from 1882 to 1891, click here. For the independent league, which started play in 2006, click here.


Contents

[edit] The Original Minor League

AmericanAssoc.jpg

In 1902 the American Association re-formed as an outlaw circuit stationed in the midwest with teams in Kansas City, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, St. Paul, Columbus, Louisville and Toledo. Those 8 cities comprised the bulk of the league until 1952, when MLB teams began moving into league cities; by '61, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Milwaukee and KC all hosted big-league teams and the AA had moved south, adding Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston. Without its long-time base, though, the league collapsed. LA pulled out of Omaha (the 6th team in a reduced-size circuit) and Omaha failed in its bid to become an independent team. George Trautman, a former AA president and head of the organization in charge of the minors (the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues), met with the AA, IL and PCL leaders for two days. On Thursday, November 29, the AA was dissolved into the other two top-tier minors. From 1902 to 1962, the AA had remained one of the top 3 minor leagues each year, in competition with the International League and Pacific Coast League. The AA and IL had met regularly in the Little World Series, later renamed the Junior World Series.

[edit] League Champions and MVPs

Year Champion MVP
1902 Indianapolis Indians
1903 St. Paul Saints
1904 St. Paul Saints
1905 Columbus Senators
1906 Columbus Senators
1907 Columbus Senators
1908 Indianapolis Indians
1909 Louisville Colonels
1910 Minneapolis Millers
1911 Minneapolis Millers
1912 Minneapolis Millers
1913 Milwaukee Brewers
1914 Milwaukee Brewers
1915 Minneapolis Millers
1916 Louisville Colonels
1917 Indianapolis Indians
1918 Kansas City Blues
1919 St. Paul Saints
1920 St. Paul Saints
1921 Louisville Colonels
1922 St. Paul Saints
1923 Kansas City Blues
1924 St. Paul Saints
1925 Louisville Colonels
1926 Louisville Colonels
1927 Toledo Mud Hens
1928 Indianapolis Indians
1929 Kansas City Blues
1930 Louisville Colonels
1931 St. Paul Saints
1932 Minneapolis Millers Pat Crawford, Columbus 1B
1933 Columbus Red Birds
1934 Columbus Red Birds
1935 Minneapolis Millers
1936 Milwaukee Brewers Rudy York, Milwaukee 1B
1937 Columbus Red Birds
1938 Kansas City Blues
1939 Louisville Colonels
1940 Louisville Colonels
1941 Columbus Red Birds
1942 Columbus Red Birds
1943 Columbus Red Birds
1944 Louisville Colonels
1945 Louisville Colonels
1946 Louisville Colonels Jerry Witte, Toledo 1B
1947 Milwaukee Brewers Steve Gerkin, Minneapolis P
1948 St. Paul Saints Les Fleming, Indianapolis 1B
1949 Indianapolis Indians Nanny Fernandez, Indianapolis 3B
1950 Columbus Red Birds Ray Dandridge, Minneapolis 3B
1951 Milwaukee Brewers Al Unser, Milwaukee C
1952 Kansas City Blues Don Bollweg, Kansas City 1B
1953 Kansas City Blues Gene Conley, Toledo P
1954 Louisville Colonels Herb Score, Indianapolis P
1955 Minneapolis Millers Rance Pless, Minneapolis 3B
1956 Indianapolis Indians Marv Throneberry, Denver 1B
1957 Denver Bears Carl Willey, Wichita P
1958 Minneapolis Millers Wayne Terwilliger, Charleston 2B
1959 Minneapolis Millers Bob Will, Fort Worth OF
1960 Louisville Colonels Steve Boros, Denver 3B
1961 Louisville Colonels Cliff Cook, Indianapolis 3B
1962 Louisville Colonels Jack Smith, Omaha P

[edit] The Re-formed Minor League

Travel expenses were too high for two AAA leagues, each taking half the country, so in '69 the American Association was reorganized for a third go-around. In addition, major league expansion helped increase the number of AAA teams needed. Indianapolis and Denver returned to the fold along with Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Des Moines and Omaha. Allie Reynolds became president of the "new" league, which introduced the DH to professional baseball. The league honored Reynolds by giving out the annual Allie Reynolds Award to the top pitcher in the circuit. The AA remained one of the strongest minor leagues until 1997, when cheaper travel and expansion again led to change. For the third time the AA closed its doors, with teams again being divided between the IL and PCL. The AA name was retained as a division in the PCL.

American Association Teams

[edit] League Champions and MVPs

Year Champion MVP
1969 Omaha Royals Bernie Carbo, Indianapolis RF
1970 Omaha Royals George Spriggs, Omaha OF
1971 Denver Bears Richie Scheinblum, Denver OF
1972 Evansville Triplets Pat Bourque, Wichita 1B
1973 Tulsa Oilers Cliff Johnson, Denver DH
1974 Tulsa Oilers Pete LaCock, Wichita 1B
1975 Evansville Triplets Hector Cruz, Tulsa 3B
1976 Denver Bears Roger Freed, Denver 1B
1977 Denver Bears Frank Ortenzio, Denver 1B
1978 Omaha Royals Champ Summers, Indianapolis OF
1979 Evansville Triplets Karl Pagel, Wichita OF
1980 Springfield Redbirds Randy Bass, Denver 1B
1981 Denver Bears Manny Castillo, Omaha 3B
1982 Indianapolis Indians Ken Phelps, Wichita 1B
1983 Denver Bears Mike Stenhouse, Wichita 1B
1984 Louisville Redbirds Alan Knicely, Wichita 1B
1985 Louisville Redbirds Steve Buechele, Oklahoma City 3B
1986 Indianapolis Indians Barry Larkin, Denver SS
1987 Indianapolis Indians Lance Johnson, Louisville OF
1988 Indianapolis Indians Luis de los Santos, Omaha 1B
1989 Indianapolis Indians Greg Vaughn, Denver OF
1990 Omaha Royals Juan Gonzalez, Oklahoma City OF
1991 Denver Zephyrs Jim Olander, Denver OF
1992 Oklahoma City 89ers Jim Tatum, Denver 3B
1993 Iowa Cubs Eddie Zambrano, Iowa OF
1994 Indianapolis Indians Dwayne Hosey, Omaha OF
1995 Louisville Redbirds Eric Owens, Indianapolis 2B
1996 Oklahoma City 89ers Lee Stevens, Oklahoma City DH
1997 Buffalo Bisons Magglio Ordonez, Nashville OF

[edit] Cities Represented (1902-1962, 1969-1997)

[edit] Hall of Fame Alumni

[edit] Sources

[edit] Further Reading

  • Robert A. French: Fifty Golden Years in the American Association of Professional Baseball Clubs, 1902-1951, Syndicate Printing, Minneapolis, MN, 1951.
  • Marshall Wright: The American Association, McFarland, Jefferson, NC, 1997.

[edit] External Links

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