Historical Minor League Classifications

[ifspuds]

(or, ping: LGO )

Going by the following page, the minor league classification system went from A (high), B, C, D (low) in 1902 to AA (high), A, B, C, D (low) in 1912.

How did the classifications shift? I know the A leagues (Eastern League, American Assn., PCL) became AA leagues. Some B leagues (Southern Association) shifted, some stayed B, and so on. Was there any rhyme or reason to how this happened? Was Class A just shoved in there? Likewise for 1936 (A1).

I'm trying to put together a good list of historical minor leagues that stuck around for long enough to justify creating a universe with them. The highest classifications are easy... very stable. The ones below that? Ugh.

[Cooleyvol]

I can tell you that my hometown (10000 people) had a long standing team in the Class D Kitty League from around the turn of the century through the late 40s at least.

Branch Rickey who started the minor league concept, placed the Cardinals' Class D team in Union City, Tennessee. The Greyhounds were a long time St Louis farmclub. The Cards actually came to UC one year and played the 'Hounds.

Red Shoendienst played in a Greyhounds uniform and the team was later managed by former major leaguer, Joe Hauser. Tony Kubek played for Owensboro, KY at one time as did many other future major leaguers.

At one time, Union City's Turner Field was one of the largest in the country, including the Majors.

Its a storied history and I think if you're including all these leagues, the Kitty League (Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee) should be included.

www.kittyleague.com will give you some good information.

FWIW, there's a KIT league reincarnation in its second year this year. The league is played by college players with wooden bats during June and July (50game schedule)............and yes, the Greyhounds of Union City are a team in this league. My son is the team's batboy and its a great atmosphere to go see a game every night.

The Kitty League was known as the Vaudeville of the Minors by many for the antics going on between innings, etc. If you get time, read some of the stories at the site I linked above.

[Le Grande Orange]

According to the information I have come across, this is how the classifications have gone over the years:

In 1902, the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues was formed
with the following classifications: A, B, C, D.

In 1912, the classification of AA was established as the highest classification,
the system then becoming: AA, A, B, C, D.

In 1936, the classification of A1 was established between AA and A, resulting in the following levels: AA, A1, A, B, C, D.

In 1938, the classification of E was established to be the lowest classification,
creating: AA, A1, A, B, C, D, E. (Note: The only Class E league ever was the Twin Ports League of 1943. Officially, the E classification may have been officially removed later than 1946, but for practical purposes it can be considered to have been removed then.)

In 1946, the system was restructured with AA leagues becoming AAA and A1 leagues becoming AA; the system now looked like this: AAA, AA, A, B, C, D.

In 1952, the classification of Open was established for the Pacific Coast League to help it become a major league: Open, AAA, AA, A, B, C, D.

In 1958, the classification of Open was removed when the National League moved into Los Angeles and San Francisco. The system reverted back to: AAA, AA, A, B, C, D.

In 1963, the system was radically restructured into the following: AAA, AA, A, Rookie.

In 1965, the Class A Northern League began playing short seasons, effectively creating the Short Season A classification (though it may not have been officially called that until later): AAA, AA, A, Short Season A, Rookie.

Around 1992, the A and Rookie classifications were split into Advanced and regular levels, creating the system in use today: AAA, AA, A Advanced, A, Short Season A, Rookie Advanced, Rookie.


Prior to 1963, the classification level of a minor league was determined by the total population of all the league's member cities. In 1902, this was how the initial categories were broken down:

A = 1,000,000 and over
B = 400,000 to 999,999
C = 200,000 to 399,999
D = up to 200,000

So, if a league had cities which had an aggregate population of 700,000, it would have been classified as a B class league.

These totals were adjusted over the years as cities grew.

In 1936, the A1 classification was created by adding a population bracket inbetween A and AA. This resulted in the upper levels being determined like this:

AA = 1,750,000 and over
A1 = 1,450,000 to 1,749,999
A = 1,000,000 to 1,449,999

In 1950, the classifications were determined by the following population totals:

AAA = 3,000,000 and over
AA = 1,750,000 to 2,999,999
A = 1,000,000 to 1,749,999
B = 250,000 to 999,999
C = 150,000 to 249,999
D = up to 150,000

In 1952, the Open classification required the following to be true in order for a league to receive that classification:

• average paid attendance of at least 2,250,000 for the five seasons preceding the application
• total population of the member cities of at least 10,000,000
• combined park capacity of at least 125,000

For a league to have received a major league classification, it needed to have the following:

• average paid attendance of at least 3,500,000 for the previous three seasons
• total population of the member cities of at least 15,000,000
• each park had to have a capacity of at least 25,000
• the league had to consist of at least eight teams playing a balanced schedule of at least 154 games

[ifspuds]

Thanks, LGO. That's exactly what I was looking for.