International League


The International League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the eastern United States and is headquartered in Dublin, Ohio. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.
It was so named because throughout its history the International League has had teams in Canada and Cuba as well as those in the United States. Since 2008, however, all of the league's teams have been based in the U.S. Today, the league is composed of 14 teams across 9 states stretching from Indianapolis, Indiana, to Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and from Rochester, New York, to Lawrenceville, Georgia.
A league champion is determined at the end of every season. The Rochester Red Wings have won 19 International League titles, the most in the league's history, followed by the Buffalo Bisons and Columbus Clippers and Toronto Maple Leafs. Since the introduction of the Governors' Cup in 1933, the most cup titles have been won by the Columbus Clippers, followed by the Rochester Red Wings and Syracuse Mets. After the season, the IL champion plays in the Triple-A National Championship Game against the Pacific Coast League champion to determine an overall champion of Triple-A baseball. The Columbus Clippers and Durham Bulls have each won two national championships, more than any other IL teams.

History

The International League was created from the mergers of member teams from three precursor leagues: the Eastern League, which was itself a re-organization of the Interstate Association of 1883; the New York State League, formed in 1885; and the Ontario League, also organized in 1885. The New York State and Ontario leagues merged in 1886 to form the International League, and in 1887 the Eastern League was absorbed to create a ten-club league. Also in 1887, the International League passed a resolution barring African Americans from playing in the league.
The league collapsed soon afterwards, when the northern teams claimed that it was too onerous to travel to the south and formed the International Association. Teams and league names came and went over the years. The league was also affected by the effort to establish the Federal League as a new third major league from 1914 to 1915, with franchises being added and dropped and new ballparks built. In 1954, a franchise was awarded to Havana, Cuba, but due to political upheaval in that country it had to be moved — to Jersey City, New Jersey — in the middle of the 1960 season. Another foray into the Caribbean failed when the newly created team in San Juan, Puerto Rico, added in 1961, had to be moved to Charleston, West Virginia, in mid-season.
In 1971, an International League all-star team beat the New York Yankees in an exhibition game in Rochester, New York, before 11,000 people. In 1984, the all-stars lost to the Cleveland Indians in 11 innings before 11,032 fans in Columbus, Ohio, to commemorate the league's 100th anniversary.
The International League and the American Association, another Triple-A league that operated in the Midwest, voted in 1988 to play interleague games as part of the Triple-A Alliance. The league also split into two divisions that year. The interleague concept ended in 1992, but the two league divisions remained.
In 1998, with the addition of three new teams from the disbanded American Association and the Durham Bulls who previously played in the Carolina League, the International League reorganized into three divisions.
The start of the 2020 season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic before ultimately being cancelled on June 30.

Structure and season

The International League is divided into three divisions: the North Division, South Division, and West Division. The North Division consists of six teams, while the South and West Divisions each have four teams. Each club has 140 games scheduled per season.. The season typically begins during the first week of April and concludes on Labor Day. The league plays by the same rules listed in the Official Baseball Rules published by Major League Baseball.

Championship and interleague play

At the end of each season, the three divisional leaders and a wild card team square off in best-of-five series playoffs to determine a league champion, with the winner awarded the Governors' Cup, the league's championship trophy. Under this format, the North Division champion plays the wild card team, while the champions of the South and West Divisions play one another in best-of-five series. The winners then play each other in a best-of-five series to determine the champion.
Since 2006, the IL champion has played against the Pacific Coast League's champion in the Triple-A National Championship Game, a single game to determine an overall champion of Triple-A baseball. Previously, the IL champion also competed in the Triple-A World Series, Junior World Series, and other sporadic postseason competitions throughout the league's history.
Other interleague play occurs during the Triple-A All-Star Game. Traditionally, the game has taken place on the day after the mid-summer Major League Baseball All-Star Game. The game is meant to mark a symbolic halfway-point in the season. During the All-Star break, no regular-season games are scheduled for two days before the All-Star Game itself.

Current teams


DivisionTeamFoundedMLB AffiliationAffiliatedCityStadiumCapacity
NorthBuffalo Bisons1985Toronto Blue Jays2013Buffalo, New YorkSahlen Field16,600
NorthLehigh Valley IronPigs2008Philadelphia Phillies2007Allentown, PennsylvaniaCoca-Cola Park10,100
NorthPawtucket Red Sox1973Boston Red Sox1970Pawtucket, Rhode IslandMcCoy Stadium10,031
NorthRochester Red Wings1899Minnesota Twins2003Rochester, New YorkFrontier Field10,840
NorthScranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders1989New York Yankees2007Moosic, PennsylvaniaPNC Field10,000
NorthSyracuse Mets1961New York Mets2019Syracuse, New YorkNBT Bank Stadium11,731
SouthCharlotte Knights1993Chicago White Sox1999Charlotte, North CarolinaTruist Field10,200
SouthDurham Bulls1998Tampa Bay Rays1998Durham, North CarolinaDurham Bulls Athletic Park10,000
SouthGwinnett Stripers2009Atlanta Braves1965Lawrenceville, GeorgiaCoolray Field10,427
SouthNorfolk Tides1969Baltimore Orioles2007Norfolk, VirginiaHarbor Park11,856
WestColumbus Clippers1977Cleveland Indians2009Columbus, OhioHuntington Park10,100
WestIndianapolis Indians1902Pittsburgh Pirates2005Indianapolis, IndianaVictory Field14,230
WestLouisville Bats1982Cincinnati Reds2000Louisville, KentuckyLouisville Slugger Field13,131
WestToledo Mud Hens1965Detroit Tigers1987Toledo, OhioFifth Third Field10,300

Current team rosters

Defunct teams

League timeline


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bar:1 color:Past from:01/01/1916 till:12/31/1953
bar:2 color:Past from:01/01/1912 till:06/01/1970 text:Buffalo Bisons
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bar:3 color:Past from:01/01/1912 till:12/31/1915 text:Jersey City Skeeters
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bar:3 color:Past from:01/01/1943 till:12/31/1950 text:Jersey City Giants
bar:3 color:Past from:01/01/1960 till:12/31/1961 text:Jersey City Jerseys
bar:4 color:Past from:01/01/1912 till:12/31/1917 text:Montreal Royals
bar:4 color:Past from:01/01/1928 till:12/31/1960 text:Montreal Royals
bar:5 color:Past from:01/01/1912 till:12/31/1919 text:Newark Indians
bar:5 color:Past from:01/01/1921 till:12/31/1949 text:/ Bears
bar:6 color:Past from:01/01/1912 till:12/31/1917 text:Providence Grays
bar:6 color:Past from:01/01/1925 till:12/31/1925
bar:6 color:Full from:01/01/1973 till:end text:Pawtucket Red Sox
bar:7 color:Full from:01/01/1912 till:end text:Rochester Hustlers / Colts / Tribe / Red Wings
bar:8 color:Past from:01/01/1912 till:12/31/1967 text:Toronto Maple Leafs
bar:9 color:Past from:01/01/1915 till:12/31/1915 text:Harrisburg Senators
bar:10 color:Past from:01/01/1915 till:12/31/1917 text:Richmond Climbers / Virginians
bar:10 color:Past from:01/01/1954 till:12/31/1964 text:Richmond Virginians
bar:10 color:Past from:01/01/1966 till:12/31/2008 text: / Richmond Braves
bar:11 color:Past from:01/01/1918 till:12/31/1919 text:Binghamton Bingoes
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bar:13 color:Past from:01/01/1918 till:12/31/1918 text:Hamilton Tigers
bar:14 color:Past from:01/01/1919 till:12/31/1932 text:Reading Coal Barons / Marines / Aces / Keystones
bar:15 color:Past from:01/01/1920 till:12/31/1920 text:Akron Buckeyes
bar:16 color:Past from:01/01/1932 till:12/31/1936 text:Albany Senators
bar:17 color:Past from:01/01/1950 till:12/31/1953 text:Springfield Cubs
bar:18 color:Past from:01/01/1951 till:12/31/1954 text: Ottawa Giants / Athletics
bar:18 color:Past from:01/01/1993 till:12/31/2007 text:Ottawa Lynx
bar:19 color:Past from:01/01/1954 till:07/08/1960 text:Havana Sugar Kings
bar:20 color:Past from:01/01/1955 till:07/08/1970 text:Columbus Jets
bar:20 color:Full from:01/01/1977 till:end text:Columbus Clippers
bar:21 color:Past from:01/01/1956 till:07/08/1961 text:Miami / San Juan / Charleston Marlins
bar:22 color:Past from:01/01/1971 till:12/31/1983 text: Charleston Charlies
bar:23 color:Past from:01/01/1962 till:12/31/1965 text:Atlanta Crackers
bar:24 color:Past from:01/01/1962 till:12/31/1968 text:Jacksonville Suns
bar:25 color:Past from:01/01/1963 till:12/31/1963 text:Arkansas Travelers
bar:26 color:Past from:01/01/1963 till:12/31/1963 text:Indianapolis Indians
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bar:27 color:Full from:01/01/1965 till:end text:Toledo Mud Hens
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bar:29 color:Full from:01/01/1969 till:end text:Tidewater / Norfolk Tides
bar:30 color:Past from:06/01/1970 till:12/31/1973 text:Winnipeg / Peninsula Whips
bar:31 color:Past from:01/01/1974 till:12/31/1976 text:Memphis Blues
bar:32 color:Past from:01/01/1984 till:12/31/1988 text:Maine Guides / Phillies
bar:33 color:Full from:01/01/1989 till:end text:Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons / Yankees / RailRiders
bar:34 color:Full from:01/01/1993 till:end text:Charlotte Knights
bar:35 color:Full from:01/01/1998 till:end text:Durham Bulls
bar:36 color:Full from:01/01/2008 till:end text:Lehigh Valley IronPigs
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    Champions

The International League has crowned a league champion each season since 1884. Through 1932, the championship was awarded to the regular season pennant winner. In 1933, the league introduced a postseason playoff system to determine a champion. The winner is awarded the Governors' Cup.

Championship wins by team

Awards

The IL recognizes outstanding players and team personnel annually near the end of each season.

MVP Award

The Most Valuable Player Award, first awarded in 1932, is given to honor the best player in the league.

Most Valuable Pitcher Award

The Most Valuable Pitcher Award, first awarded in 1953, serves to recognize the league's best pitcher. Pitchers were eligible to win the MVP award from 1932 to 1952 as no award was designated solely for pitchers.

Rookie of the Year Award

The Rookie of the Year Award, created in 1950, is given to the best player with no prior IL experience.

Manager of the Year Award

The Manager of the Year Award, started in 1967, is given to the league's top manager.

Executive of the Year Award

The Executive of the Year Award, first awarded in 1964, honors team executives who have contributed to the success of the league.

Spirit of the International League Award

The Spirit of the International League Award, first awarded in 2010, honors team executives who have exhibited dedication to creating and maintaining positive fan experiences when visiting IL games.

Hall of fame

The International League Hall of Fame was established in 1947 to honor league players, managers, and executives who have made significant contributions to the league. The Hall of Fame inducted its first class of 9 men in 1947. A plaque was unveiled at the IL's New York City offices located in the Ruppert Building at 535 Fifth Avenue. Today, the plaque has no permanent home, but exists as a traveling display which visits a number of the league's ballparks each season. The Hall became dormant after 1963, but was revived in 2007. New members are elected before the start of each season.