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I've been trying to find out when MLB stopped having all teams in one division, in their respective league. I've haven't had much luck in finding out information. I've found only one web site with info, however, I 'm not sure if it is right.

According to what I've found, 1969 was the 1st year that there were East & West Divisions in each league. 1994 was the 1st year that there was a East, Central, & West Division in each league.

Can anyone confirm that any of this is right?


Thanks

Yes I can. The expansion of 1969 brought two new clubs into each league making them 12 teams each. Since no owner (especially the owner of an expansion team trying to get its footing) wanted to risk a 12th-place finish, the divisional system came about. Even that wasn't enough to save the Seattle Pilots, who found the sledding in the Northwest so rough that they packed up at the end of the year and moved to Milwaukee (where they thrived as the Brewers).

1994 was the year baseball moved to three divisions per league. This was so they could add an additional playoff series and the Wild Card, something that had been very successful in every other major American sport. Sadly, 1994 was also the year that the worst labor dispute in baseball history brought the season to a premature end, so it wasn't until the next year that the new system went into action.

MPHopcroft,

Thanks for taking the time to explain it. [:)]