National League

From BR Bullpen

NL Season Summaries 2009 NL 2008 NL 2007 NL 2006 NL 2005 NL 2004 NL 2003 NL 2002 NL 2001 NL 2000 NL 1999 NL 1998 NL 1997 NL 1996 NL 1995 NL 1994 NL 1993 NL 1992 NL 1991 NL 1990 NL 1989 NL 1988 NL 1987 NL 1986 NL 1985 NL 1984 NL 1983 NL 1982 NL 1981 NL 1980 NL 1979 NL 1978 NL 1977 NL 1976 NL 1975 NL 1974 NL 1973 NL 1972 NL 1971 NL 1970 NL 1969 NL 1968 NL 1967 NL 1966 NL 1965 NL 1964 NL 1963 NL 1962 NL 1961 NL 1960 NL 1959 NL 1958 NL 1957 NL 1956 NL 1955 NL 1954 NL 1953 NL 1952 NL 1951 NL 1950 NL 1949 NL 1948 NL 1947 NL 1946 NL 1945 NL 1944 NL 1943 NL 1942 NL 1941 NL 1940 NL 1939 NL 1938 NL 1937 NL 1936 NL 1935 NL 1934 NL 1933 NL 1932 NL 1931 NL 1930 NL 1929 NL 1928 NL 1927 NL 1926 NL 1925 NL 1924 NL 1923 NL 1922 NL 1921 NL 1920 NL 1919 NL 1918 NL 1917 NL 1916 NL 1915 NL 1914 NL 1913 NL 1912 NL 1911 NL 1910 NL 1909 NL 1908 NL 1907 NL 1906 NL 1905 NL 1904 NL 1903 NL 1902 NL 1901 NL 1900 NL 1899 NL 1898 NL 1897 NL 1896 NL 1895 NL 1894 NL 1893 NL 1892 NL 1891 NL 1890 NL 1889 NL 1888 NL 1887 NL 1886 NL 1885 NL 1884 NL 1883 NL 1882 NL 1881 NL 1880 NL 1879 NL 1878 NL 1877 NL 1876 NL

The National League (NL) formed in 1876, giving it seniority over the American League (founded in 1901). For this reason, the NL is nicknamed the "Senior Circuit."

At first the two leagues were completely separate, competing leagues linked only by the World Series. In 1920 they were unified under a single commissioner, Kenesaw Mountain Landis.

Through the years, the leagues have become more similar in rules and style, though the NL maintains a different style of play from the AL by continuing to eschew the designated hitter rule. The NL's style is a game that is less big-offense driven. The difference, arguably, was never so obvious as during the 1970s and 1980s.

In 1997 Radical Realignment almost saw seven NL teams switch to the American League. The plan failed and the NL kept all the teams, as well as gaining the Milwaukee Brewers from the AL.

Also, during that time, many teams played in multi-purpose stadims that doubled as football stadiums. These stadiums often had playing surfaces made of artificial turf--Astroturf--rather than natural grass. By 2005, however, every NL team had eliminated artificial turf in favor of natural grass.

[edit] League Presidents

• Morgan G. Bulkeley: 1876
• William Hulbert: 1877 to 1882
• Arthur Soden: 1882
• Abraham Mills: 1883 to 1884
• Nicholas Young: 1885 to 1902
• Harry Pulliam: 1903 to 1909
• John Heydler: 1909
• Thomas Lynch: 1910 to 1913
• John K. Tener: 1913 to 1918
• John Heydler: 1918 to 1934
• Ford Frick 1934 to 1951
• Warren Giles: 1951 to 1969
• Chub Feeney: 1970 to 1986
• A. Bartlett Giamatti: 1986 to 1989
• Bill White: 1989 to 1994
• Leonard Coleman: 1994 to 1999

The office was eliminated in 1999, although Bill Giles, son of former National League President Warren Giles, currently holds the title of honorary National League president.

[edit] Related Sites

• [1] An article examining the differences between the National and American Leagues over the decades in The Hardball Times, part 1.
• [2] An article examining the differences between the National and American Leagues over the decades in The Hardball Times, part 2.