The Dayton Veterans were a minor league baseball team based in Dayton, Ohio .
96-663: From 1896 to 1900, the Dayton "Old Soldiers" and "Veterans" teams played as members of the Class B level Interstate League , followed by a single season in the 1901 Class A level Western Association . Beginning in 1903, the Dayton Veterans teams played the next fifteen seasons as members of the Class B level Central League . Dayton won league championships in 1898, 1901, 1911, 1914 and 1916. Two Baseball Hall of Fame members played for Dayton. Jesse Haines played briefly for
192-482: A Class B level league. In the final standings of the six-team 1913 Central League, the Dayton Veterans had an overall record of 62–77, playing the season under manager John Nee. Dayton finished 29.5 games behind the first place Grand Rapids Bill-eds (92–48) in the final standings. The league held no playoffs. Pop Shaw of Dayton 175 total hits to lead the Central Association. The 1914 Dayton Veterans won
288-688: A championship pennant. The first true minor league is traditionally considered to be the Northwestern League of 1883 to 1884. Unlike the earlier minor associations, it was conceived as a permanent organization. It also, along with the NL and the American Association (AA), was a party to the National Agreement of 1883 . Included in this was the agreement to respect the reserve lists of clubs in each league. Teams in
384-468: A complete season in Triple-A is 150 games, Double-A is 138 games, and High-A and Single-A are each 132 games. In addition to the below organized leagues, the off-season Arizona Fall League has six teams that play approximately 30 games apiece in autumn, with rosters comprising the top prospects associated with each of the six MLB divisions. This classification currently includes two affiliated leagues:
480-490: A flat-fee purchase amount of $ 5,000 for the contract of any player from an NA member league team. This measure was leveled primarily at the Baltimore Orioles , then a Triple-A team that had dominated the minors by keeping players longer than many competitors, allowing the players to more fully develop, driving up their sale value to major-league teams and giving Baltimore a talent advantage. Deprived of this option by
576-591: A limited membership which excluded less competitive and financially weaker teams. Professional clubs outside the NL responded by forming regional associations of their own. There was a series of ad hoc groupings, such as the New England Association of 1877 and the Eastern Championship Association of 1881. These were loose groups of independent clubs which agreed to play a series of games over the course of one season for
672-399: A major league contract for the 1898 season. In their first season of play, the 1897 Dayton Old Soldiers qualified for the league finals. The Interstate was elevated to become a Class B level league. The Ols Soldiers had a record of 71–51 in the eight-team league to end the season in second place, playing under managers Frank Torreyson and Bill Armour . Dayton ended the season 8.5 games behind
768-544: A million people. Entering the 1902 season, the only Class A leagues were the Eastern League and the Western League —both leagues had eight teams, in cities such as Toronto, Ontario ; Buffalo, New York ; Worcester, Massachusetts ; Omaha, Nebraska ; Denver, Colorado ; and Peoria, Illinois . Leagues operating within less populated areas were classified as Class B, Class C, or Class D. Class A remained
864-434: A playoff spot late in a season, it gives them fresh players, while for teams not in contention, it gives them an opportunity to evaluate their second-tier players against major league competition. Some Triple-A players are "career minor leaguers", former prospects whose skill growth has halted and who are not likely to advance to MLB, unless as a temporary replacement. There are currently three leagues in this classification:
960-409: A schedule of approximately 60 games and are named "complex leagues" because games are played at their parent clubs' spring training complexes. Rosters consist primarily of newly drafted players who are not yet ready for a higher level of play. These leagues are intended almost exclusively to allow players to hone their skills; no admission is charged and no concessions are sold. As of the 2024 season,
1056-516: A statement, asserting that it is "unnecessary and unacceptable to wipe out one-quarter of minor league teams" and characterized the proposal as a way "to improve the profitability of MLB". Manfred rebuked Minor League Baseball for releasing the negotiations to the public and threatened to cut ties with MiLB altogether. The following changes, which represent the first significant overhaul of minor league classifications since 1963, have since been implemented: When MLB teams announced their affiliates for
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#17328023273991152-526: A steady supply of players, as many NA and independent teams could not afford to keep their doors open without the patronage of Major League Baseball. The leagues of the NA became subordinate to the major leagues, creating the first minor leagues in the current sense of the term. Other than the Pacific Coast League (PCL), which under its president Pants Rowland tried to become a third major league in
1248-488: Is located at 1701 Wyoming Street on the corner of Wyoming Street at Steve Whalen Boulevard in Dayton, Ohio. Class B (baseball) Minor League Baseball ( MiLB ) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), including teams affiliated with MLB clubs. Entering the 2021 season, the number of full-season MLB-affiliated minor leagues with teams in the United States and Canada
1344-579: Is the High-A level, named "Class A-Advanced" before 2021. This classification has three leagues: the 12-team Midwest League , known as High-A Central for the 2021 season, covering the Midwest, the six-team Northwest League , known as High-A West for the 2021 season, with teams in the Pacific Northwest, and the 12-team South Atlantic League , known as High-A East for the 2021 season, with teams in
1440-689: Is the fourth-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States, below Triple-A , Double-A , and High-A . There are 30 teams classified at the Single-A level, one for each team in Major League Baseball (MLB), organized into three leagues: the California League , Carolina League , and Florida State League . Class A was originally the highest level of Minor League Baseball , beginning with
1536-588: The Cleveland Bronchos of the American League . With Cleveland, Armor signed future Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Nap Lajoie . Lajoie received the largest salary ever given to a player. Armor said, "For his services with our club he will receive $ 28,000 for four years, every cent of which he will he paid, play or not, as the courts may direct. This is the largest salary ever paid a baseball player." Minor league baseball returned in 1903, when
1632-610: The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players of 1871 to 1875, commonly referred to as the National Association, comprised all fully professional teams. This system proved unworkable, however, as there was no way to ensure competitive balance, and financially unsound clubs often failed in midseason. This problem was solved in 1876 with the formation of the National League (NL), with
1728-695: The Northwest League and Midwest League promoted with 75% of their teams. The Carolina League dropped to Low-A with seven of its ten teams and added five from the old South Atlantic League in trade; the SAL in turn moved to High-A with half of its previous 12-team roster, filling it out with two Carolina League High-A holdovers, one Midwest League returnee, and three formerly short-season New York-Penn League promotees. On February 12, 2021, Major League Baseball announced new league alignments for all 120 affiliated Minor League Baseball clubs effective as of
1824-567: The Pittsburgh Pirates at Fairview Park. Honus Wagner played for Pittsburgh who beat Dayton 3–2 in 11-innings. Wagner drove in two runs in the contest. On April 16, 1901, the Cincinnati Reds played an exhibition at Dayton with Bid McPhee as manager. Cincinnati beat Dayton by the score of 7–3 in the exhibition. On April 26, 1901, Dayton played their home opener and beat Columbus 15–1 with 900 fans in attendance. During
1920-567: The United States Congress signed a letter sent to Commissioner of Baseball Rob Manfred opposing the proposal, noting that it "is not in the best interest of the overall game of baseball" and that it would "devastate our communities, their bond purchasers and other stakeholders affected by the potential loss of these clubs." A response from MLB highlighted that the proposal aims to improve player travel and working conditions. On November 21, 2019, Minor League Baseball released
2016-562: The Western League (1947–1958), Central League (1948–1951) and Western International League (1952–1954). The Western International League became the Class B Northwest League in 1955, and the Western and Central loops folded. The hierarchy of Triple-A through Class D continued until Minor League Baseball restructured in 1963, at which time Classes B through D were abolished, with existing leagues at those levels reassigned into Class A, while
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#17328023273992112-521: The "Dayton Gem Cities" team played as members of the Independent level Ohio State League . After minor league seasons in various leagues, the 1891 "Dayton" team of the independent Northwestern League preceded the Old Soldiers in minor league play. After a four-season hiatus, Dayton continued minor league play, becoming members the 1896 Interstate League and beginning a four-year tenure in
2208-576: The 12-team Eastern League , known as Double-A Northeast for the 2021 season, with teams in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S., the eight-team Southern League (known as Double-A South for the 2021 season) with teams in the Deep South, and the 10-team Texas League (known as Double-A Central for the 2021 season) with teams in the Southwest and Great Plains. Some players jump to
2304-536: The 1913 Dayton Veterans and Elmer Flick played for the 1897 Dayton Old Soldiers. The Dayton teams hosted all home minor league baseball home games at Fairview Park through 1912 and at Highland Park beginning in 1913. In the late 1860s, Dayton was home to organized baseball. The "Dayton Baseball Club" was founded. The team played an exhibition game against the Cincinnati Red Stockings in 1869. Minor league baseball began in Dayton in 1883, when
2400-466: The 1913 season, Dayton drew 4,661 fans for their 1913 home opener. Baseball Hall of Fame member Jesse Haines pitched briefly for Dayton in 1913. Continuing play in the Central League, the 1913 Dayton Veterans placed fourth as the Central League reduced six teams. The Veterans continued play in the 1913 Central League, as the Central League reduced from twelve teams to six teams and remained
2496-437: The 1928 Dayton Aviators resumed play. The Aviators were a member of the reformed Central League from 1928 to 1930. Today, Dayton still hosts minor league baseball. The Dayton Dragons , play as a member of the Class A level Midwest League . The franchise began Midwest League play in 2000. The Dayton Old Soldiers and Dayton Veterans minor league teams hosted minor league home games through 1912 at Fariview Park. The ballpark
2592-595: The 1950s and early 1960s. In 1949, the peak of the postwar minor league baseball boom, 448 teams in 59 leagues were members of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, with the number of teams falling to 324 in 1952, and 243 in 1955. By the end of 1963, only 15 leagues above Rookie-level survived in the United States and Canada. After the 1962 season, the Triple-A American Association—which had lost key markets such as Milwaukee , Kansas City , Minneapolis–Saint Paul and Houston to
2688-436: The 20-team International League and the 10-team Pacific Coast League , known as Triple-A East and Triple-A West, respectively, for the 2021 season. For most of the 20th century, Triple-A also included the American Association , based in the Midwest, but that league disbanded with its clubs absorbed by the other two leagues, as part of a reorganization of the Triple-A level in 1997. The International League features teams from
2784-523: The 2021 season on December 9, 2020, each of the 30 MLB teams had one affiliate at four levels—Triple-A, Double-A, High-A, and Low-A—for a total of 120 affiliated teams. Approximately 40 teams lost their MLB affiliations; the Fresno Grizzlies were demoted from Triple-A to Low-A; and the majority of surviving clubs at High-A and Low-A swapped levels, with the former Florida State League and California League dropped down nearly as intact units and
2880-413: The 2021 season. Contrary to previously published reports indicating that realignment would retain the names of the existing minor leagues, Major League Baseball elected to abandon the names of existing minor leagues in favor of a new, class- and region-based naming system. Triple-A was divided into two leagues: Class A (baseball) Single-A , formerly known as Class A and sometimes as Low-A ,
2976-509: The 2021 season. All three leagues were demoted from High-A to Single-A effective with the 2021 season. These leagues are a mix of players moving up from Rookie leagues, as well as the occasional experienced first-year player. Most of the teams in the Florida State League are owned by major league parent clubs and use their spring training complexes. In 2022, the official name of the class became Single-A. Minor leagues with
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3072-606: The 2022 season, the minor league system is divided into four classes: Triple-A (AAA), Double-A (AA), High-A (A+), and Single-A (A). Major League Baseball franchises may also maintain one or two complex-based rookie teams in the Arizona Complex League or Florida Complex League , and international summer baseball teams in the Dominican Summer League . While major league teams play a 162-game schedule, minor league seasons are shorter. As of 2022 ,
3168-636: The Arizona Complex League and Florida Complex League seasons commence in early May and conclude in late July in order to provide players with previous experience in the Dominican Summer League with a full season in stateside professional baseball without having to compete for playing time with newly drafted players selected in the July Major League Baseball draft . This adjusted schedule also allows
3264-596: The Atlantic coast and midwestern U.S., while the Pacific Coast League features teams from the Pacific coast and the southwest. Both young players and veterans play for Triple-A teams. Parent clubs often hold players who are on the 40-man roster , but not on the active MLB roster, at the Triple-A level. Such players are eligible to be added to a team's active major league roster. For teams in contention for
3360-425: The Central League under manager John Nee. Dayton had a final record of 44–68 and finished 30.0 games behind the first place Grand Rapids Black Sox in the final overall standings. No playoffs were held. The Central League folded following the 1917 season in the midst of World War I . The league eventually reformed in 1920 playing through 1926 without a Dayton franchise. Dayton was without minor league baseball until
3456-496: The Class A-Advanced level. These three leagues operated with Low-A naming for the 2021 season. Following MLB's acquisition of the rights to the names of the historical minor leagues, MLB announced on March 16, 2022, that the leagues would revert to their prior names, effective with the 2022 season. MLB also discontinued use of "Low-A" in favor of Single-A. On June 30, 2021, Minor League Baseball announced that
3552-500: The Class B level league. In 1897, the Dayton "Old Soldiers" began play as members of the Class B level Interstate League. The Fort Wayne Indians . Mansfield Haymakers , New Castle Quakers , Springfield Governors , Toledo Mud Hens , Wheeling Nailers and Youngstown Puddlers teams joined Fort Wayne in beginning league play on May 2, 1897. The Dayton "Old Soldiers" and "Veterans" nickname correspond with Dayton facilities and history. The National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers
3648-682: The Dayton Veterans resumed play, becoming members of the Class B level Central League and beginning a fifteen-year tenure as members of the league. With a record of 61–76, Dayton ended their first season of play int the new league in sixth place. The Veterans finished 27.5 games behind the first place Fort Wayne Railroaders. Fort Wayne was followed by the Anderson/ Grand Rapids Orphans (48–92), Dayton Veterans (61–76) Evansville River Rats (64–68), Marion Oilworkers (71–65), Terre Haute Hottentots (58–80) South Bend Green Stockings (88–50) and Wheeling Stogies (69–68) teams in
3744-522: The Dominican Summer League who have not yet been assigned to a domestic affiliate, as well as players placed on the minor league 60-day and full-season injured lists—during the minor league season, with a limit of 175 domestic players during the offseason. During the minor league season, the following roster limits for each classification are used: Triple-A Double-A High-A Single-A Rookie Off-season leagues Showcase league Partner leagues The earliest professional baseball league,
3840-490: The High-A level is Single-A, named "Class A" before 2021, when it was also known as Single-A or Full-Season A, and "Low-A" for the 2021 season. This classification has three leagues: the 8-team California League , known as Low-A West for the 2021 season, located entirely in California , the 12-team Carolina League , known as Low-A East for the 2021 season, and the 10-team Florida State League , known as Low-A Southeast for
3936-553: The Major Leagues since 1953—disbanded. The surviving International and Pacific Coast leagues absorbed the four remaining American Association franchises. Meanwhile, at the Double-A level and below there were even more significant changes: Designations below Class A disappeared because the lower levels could not sustain operation during a large downturn in the financial fortunes of minor league baseball, due to factors including
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4032-562: The NL and the AA could only reserve players who had been paid at least $ 1,000. Northwestern League teams could reserve players paid $ 750, implicitly establishing the division into major and minor leagues. Over the next two decades, more minor leagues signed various versions of the National Agreement. Eventually, the minor leagues allied to negotiate jointly. In the late 1890s, the Western League run by Ban Johnson decided to challenge
4128-517: The NL's position. In 1900, he changed the name of the league to the American League (AL) and vowed to make deals to sign contracts with players who were dissatisfied with the pay and terms of their deals with the NL. This led to a turf war that heated up in 1901 enough to concern Patrick T. Powers , president of the Eastern League, and many other minor league owners about the conflict potentially affecting their organizations. Representatives of
4224-503: The Old Soldiers in 1897. With Dayton, Flick had 183 total hits, with 29 doubles, 10 home runs, and a league-leading 20 triples, with a .386 batting average. Flick also stole 25 bases and scored 135 runs in 126 games. Youngsters at Dayton games would chant, "Elmer Flick, you are slick. Hit a homer pretty quick." Flick's performances with Dayton led to George Stallings , manager of the Philadelphia Phillies , to sign Flick to
4320-562: The Rookie classification play a shortened season that traditionally began in mid-June and ended in late August or early September. This lowest level of minor league baseball consists of two US-based leagues, the Arizona Complex League and Florida Complex League , known as the Arizona League and Gulf Coast League, respectively, before 2021, and one Caribbean-based league, the Dominican Summer League . The U.S.-based Rookie leagues play
4416-680: The South Atlantic League (renamed as the Southern League ) and Eastern League ascended to Double-A. In 1965, a Class A Short Season designation was created, for teams playing June–September schedules, primarily meant for new players acquired via the amateur draft . The Class A-Advanced designation was established in 1990, between Class A and Double-A in the minor league hierarchy. Class A and Class A Short Season were considered independent classifications, with Class A having "Full-Season" and Advanced sub-classifications, per
4512-607: The Texas League, which had last operated in 1942, and the Southern Association) became Class AA. Class A remained the third-highest classification, with lower levels still ranked Class B through Class D in descending order, with Class D being the equivalent of later Rookie leagues. The impact of the Korean War in 1950 caused a player shortage in many cities below Class B. In 1952, the "Open" classification
4608-671: The Triple-A Inter–American League (1979). None lasted more than a full season. In October 2019, Baseball America reported that Major League Baseball had proposed dramatic changes to MiLB that would take effect after expiration of the Professional Baseball Agreement, which governed the MLB–MiLB relationship, at the end of the 2020 season. This included the elimination of many minor league teams. In mid-November 2019, more than 100 members of
4704-636: The Western states, the other leagues maintained autonomy in name only, being totally economically dependent upon the AL and NL. In 1922, the United States Supreme Court decision Federal Baseball Club v. National League (259 U.S. 200), which grants baseball a special immunity from antitrust laws , had a major effect on the minor leagues. The special immunity meant that the AL and NL could dictate terms under which every independent league did business. By 1925, major league baseball established
4800-425: The base, with the ball going into the stands. After the play, Minor threw his glove on the ground, promptly left the field and did not return. Minor was fined $ 200 by his team over the incident and then left the team six days later over "dissention" related to the incident. Minor was banned from playing for other teams until the $ 200 fine was paid. The Dayton Veterans of the Central League placed fifth in 1904, playing
4896-530: The baseball field. The school no longer exists. Today, Dayton Fire Station #14 occupies the site at 2213 North Main Street in Dayton, Ohio. Beginning with the 1913 season, the Dayton Veterans moved home games to Highland Park. Highland Park had no streetcar service to the park. The ballpark was located in East Dayton near Santa Cruz Avenue in the era. Today, Highland Park still in use as a public park. The park
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#17328023273994992-615: The different minor leagues met at the Leland Hotel in Chicago on September 5, 1901. In response to the NL–AL battle, they agreed to form the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues (NAPBL), sometimes shortened to National Association (NA), which would later adopt the trade name "Minor League Baseball". The purpose of the NAPBL at the time was to maintain the independence of
5088-422: The earliest classifications, established circa 1890. Teams within leagues at this level had their players' contracts protected and the players were subject to reserve clauses . When the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues – the formal name of Minor League Baseball – was founded in 1901, Class A remained the highest level, restricted to leagues with cities that had an aggregate population of over
5184-569: The eastern states. All three leagues were reclassified prior to the 2021 season, with the Midwest League and the South Atlantic League promoted from Single-A and the Northwest League promoted from Class A Short Season. This level of play is often a second or third promotion for a minor league player, although some high first-round draftees, particularly those with experience playing college baseball , begin at this level. Below
5280-420: The eight-team Class A level Western Association , winning the league championship, with Bill Armor continuing as manager. The Columbus Senators , Grand Rapids Woodworkers , Fort Wayne Railroaders, Indianapolis Hoosiers , Louisville Colonels , Toledo Mud Hens and Wheeling Stogies joined Dayton in the league, which reformed after not playing in 1900. On April 14, 1901, Dayton hosted an exhibition game against
5376-542: The final standings. Henry Youngman managed the Veterans in 1903. Dayton continued play in the Central League in 1904. On August 21, 1904, an indecent occurred in Dayton's game that day. Albert Minor, who was pitching for the Evansville River Rats against the Dayton Veterans, left the field in the middle of the game in anger. During the game Minor had attempted a pick off in the fifth inning and overthrew
5472-469: The first half pennant and qualified for the playoff. The Veterans ended the regular season with a record of 73–57, placing second under manager John Nee, who returned as manager after a one-season absence. Dayton finished 3.0 games behind the first place Grand Rapids Black Sox in the final overall standings, but the Springfield Reapers qualified for the playoff winning second half pennant in
5568-435: The first place South Bend Bronchos in the final league standings, as the league held no playoffs. Pitcher Walt Justis of Dayton had 177 strikeouts to lead the Central Association. The 1911 Dayton Veterans won the league championship in the eight-team Central League. Dayton ended the 1911 Central League season as the champions with a record of 86–51, playing the season under returning manager Punch Knoll . The Veterans ended
5664-632: The first place Toldeo Mud Hens and qualified for a playoff final. The playoff was won by Toledo over the Dayton Old Soldiers 4 games to 2. Dayton's Joe Reiman hit 17 home runs to lead the Interstate League. Bill Armor was the principal owner of the Dayton franchise, besides becoming manager of the team. In August 1897, the Sporting Life wrote that it was "one of the best teams that ever represented Dayton" and that Armour
5760-435: The flat-fee policy, minor league teams had little choice but to sell players as soon as they drew major-league interest. The earliest classifications used in the minor leagues began circa 1890, for teams that were party to the National Agreement of 1883. The different levels represented different levels of protection for player contracts and reserve clauses : After the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues
5856-446: The following assignments entering the 1902 season: Additional classifications added prior to World War II included: In 1946, with the minor leagues poised for unprecedented growth, the higher-level classifications were changed. Class AAA ("Triple-A") was created and the three Double-A circuits (the Pacific Coast League , International League , and the American Association ) were reclassified into Triple-A. Class A1 (comprising
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#17328023273995952-451: The later stages of the negotiations to develop rules for the acquisition of players from their leagues by the NL and the AL. The 1903 agreement ensured that teams would be compensated for the players that they had taken the time and effort to scout and develop, and no NA team was required to sell their players, although most did because the cash was an important source of revenue for most teams. The NA leagues were still fiercely independent, and
6048-480: The league championship as the Class B Central League played the season as a six-team league. John Nee returned to manage Dayton, as the Veterans ended the season with a 85–49 record. After the Springfield Reapers team folded on August 8, and the Central League plated the remainder of the season with five teams, concluding the league schedule on September 7, 1914. Dayton ended the season 8.5 games ahead of
6144-400: The league increasing it to twelve teams. On the field, the Dayton Veterans placed fifth in the 12–team Central League, after the league had expanded. Dayton ended the season with a record of 73–53, finishing 4.0 games behind the champion Fort Wayne Railroaders. Punch Knoll again managed the Veterans, as 12–team league held no playoffs. Moving to Highland Park from Fairview Park beginning with
6240-539: The leagues involved. Several did not sign the agreement and continued to work independently. Powers was made the first president of the NAPBL, whose offices were established in Auburn, New York . In 1903, the conflict between the AL and NL ended in the National Agreement of 1903 , which created the National Baseball Commission to oversee the major and minor leagues. The NAPBL became involved in
6336-500: The majors from this level, as many of the top prospects are put here to play against each other rather than against minor and major league veterans in Triple-A. A small handful of players might be placed here to start, usually veterans from foreign leagues with more experience in professional baseball. The expectation is usually that these veteran players will be in the majors by the end of the season, as their salaries tend to be higher than those of most prospects. One level below Double-A
6432-584: The minor leagues, such as Buzz Arlett , Jigger Statz , Ike Boone , Buddy Ryan , Earl Rapp , and Frank Shellenback , as comparable to major league players. Leagues in the NA would not be truly called minor until Branch Rickey developed the first modern farm system in the 1930s. The Commissioner of Baseball , Kenesaw Mountain Landis fought Rickey's scheme, but, ultimately, the Great Depression drove teams to establish systems like Rickey's to ensure
6528-451: The returning Hub Knoll, the Veterans placed fifth in the league a 70–63 regular season record. Dayton finished 10.0 games behind the first place Wheeling Stogies in the final standings. No league playoffs were held. The Veterans ended the 1906 Class B Cental League season in fourth place. With a final record of 78–71, Dayton had five managers during the season, as Hub Knoll, John Thornton , Jimmy Barrett , Ted McKinley and Ed McKean managed
6624-608: The rise of television broadcasts of major league sports across broad regions of the country. As part of the 1963 reorganization, Major League clubs increased their commitments to affiliate with minor league teams through Player Development Contracts, outright ownerships, or shared affiliations and co-op arrangements. The minor league system that evolved following the 1963 reorganization remained in place through 2020, categorizing leagues into one of six classes: Triple-A (AAA), Double-A (AA), Class A-Advanced (High A or A+), Class A (Low A), Class A Short Season, and Rookie. Furthermore, Rookie
6720-632: The rules governing baseball's minor leagues. The overall hierarchy was: Entering the 2020 minor league season (which was not played due to the COVID-19 pandemic ), Class A consisted of the Midwest League and South Atlantic League (a newer "Sally League", which been formed in 1963 as the Western Carolinas League ). Prior to the 2021 season, MLB restructured the minor leagues, eliminating Class A Short Season and discontinuing
6816-521: The season 3.0 games ahead of the second place Fort Wayne Railroaders in the final standings of the Class B league. Player/manager Punch Knoll had 11 home runs to lead the Central League and Marion Kilpatrick scored a league leading 96 runs. Pitcher Jack Compton of Dayton led the league with 22 wins. The Class B Central League expanded by four teams in 1912, as the Dayton Veterans looked to defend their championship. The Akron Rubbermen , Canton Statesmen , Erie Sailors and Youngstown Steelmen teams joined
6912-408: The season 32.0 games behind the first place New Castle Quakers in the Class B level league. No league playoffs were held. In the 1900 season, the Dayton Veterans played their final Interstate League season and won the league pennant. With a regular season record of 90–43, the Veterans played the season under manager Bill Armor. Dayton ended the regular season in first-place finishing 7.5 games ahead of
7008-400: The season by Ed McKean, Bill Richardson and Mal Kittridge . Dayton ended the season 21.0 games behind the first place Springfield Babes . Dayton Veterans player Bill Richardson led the Central League with 7 home runs. Dayton Veterans placed third in the 1908 eight-team Central League. The Veterans finished with a record of 77–63, playing the season under manager Bade Myers . Dayton ended
7104-504: The season finishing 7.0 games behind the first place Evansville River Rats . John Rowan of Dayton led the Central League with 232 strikeouts. In 1909 Dayton finished in the basement of the eight-team Class B level Central League, as Bade Myers returned to manage the Veterans The Veterans ended the season with a final record of 56–77 and finished 27.0 games behind the league champion Wheeling Stooges. In 1910, Dolly Stark
7200-399: The season under manager Jack Compton who had a tenure as a player for Dayton. Dayton finished 29.0 games behind the first place Evansville River Rats in the Central League final standings. The Central League continued play as a Class B league in 1916, as the Dayton Veterans continued in league play and won the league championship. With the league playing a split season schedule, Dayton won
7296-427: The season under managers John Spaatz, Charles Jewell and Hub Knoll. The Veterans finished with a record of 68–69 in the eight-team Class B level Central League, ending the season 18.5 games behind the first place Fort Wayne Railroaders in the final league standings. For a second consecutive season, the 1905, Dayton Veterans placed fifth as the team continued play in the eight-team Class B level Central League. Managed by
7392-519: The season with a record of 84–55 to finish 1.0 games ahead of the second place Grand Rapids Woodworkers. Germany Smith of Dayton had 52 stolen bases to lead the Western Association. The Western Association folded following the 1901 season and the league did not return to play in 1902. After the Western Association folded, Dayton was without a minor league team in 1902 and former owner/manager Bill Armor left Dayton to become manager of
7488-564: The season, a baseball rarity occurred when Clarence "Gene" Wright of Dayton threw consecutive no hitters. On Sept. 1 and 4, 1901, Wright no-hit the Columbus Senators, 9–0, and the Grand Rapids Woodworkers, 2–0, in consecutive starts for the Dayton Old Soldiers. The 1901 "Old Soldiers" won the Western Association championship, ending the regular season in first place, as the league held no playoffs. Dayton ended
7584-404: The second place Evansville River Rats , as no league playoffs were held. Veterans player Arista DeHaven Dayton scored lead leading 96 runs. The Dayton Veterans went from first to last in the 1915 Central League. The league continued play and expanded to become an eight-team league. Dayton ended the season in eight place with a 43–79 record in the final Central League standings. The Veterans played
7680-406: The second place Fort Wayne Indians. A playoff final was held between the top two teams in the standings. Fort Wayne won the league championship by defeating Dayton 4 games to 3. The Interstate League folded following the 1900 season, and Dayton continued play in 1901 in a new league, winning the league championship. Dayton continued minor league play in 1901, as the "Old Soldiers" became members of
7776-417: The second place Toledo Mud Hens in the eight-team league. No playoff was held. Joe Reiman of Dayton again led the league in home runs, hitting 14 to lead the Interstate League. The 1899 Dayton team became known as the Dayton "Veterans" and placed seventh in the eight-team Interstate League final standings. The Veterans ended the season with a final record of 55–85, playing under manager Bill Armor. Dayton ended
7872-441: The split season schedule. In the playoff, Dayton defeated Springfield 4 games to 2 to win the championship. Dayton's Ray Spencer won the league batting title, hitting .343 and also had a league leading 84 runs and 170 total hits. Pitcher Nick Lakaff of Dayton had 25 wins to lead the league. In 1917, the Dayton Veterans played their final season in the eight-team Central League before the league folded. The Veterans placed seventh in
7968-420: The team. No playoffs were held in the eight-team league and Dayton ended the season 20.0 games behind the first place Grand Rapids Wolverines in the Central League final standings. Pitcher Roy Hale of Dayton led the Central League in winning percentage with his 12–2 record. In 1907 Ed McKean returned to manage the Dayton Veterans to begin the season. With a final record of 66–71, the Veterans were managed during
8064-404: The term minor was seldom used in reference to them, save by the major-market sportswriters. Sports news, like most news generally, often did not travel far in the days before radio and television, so, while the leagues often bristled at the major market writers' descriptions, they viewed themselves as independent sports businesses. Many baseball writers of that time regarded the greatest players of
8160-513: The time it seemed like the PCL would eventually become a third major league. The PCL would revert to Triple-A in 1958, due to increasing television coverage of major league games and in light of the Dodgers and Giants moving to Los Angeles and San Francisco , respectively. A significant reorganization of the minor leagues took place in 1963, caused by the contraction of clubs and leagues during
8256-447: The top Rookie-level prospects in each organization to be promoted to class Single-A for the final two months of the professional baseball season upon the conclusion of the complex league seasons. As of the 2024 season, each major league club may have no more than 165 players assigned to the rosters of their domestic affiliates (i.e., Triple-A, Double-A, High-A, Single-A, and complex-league Rookie)—excluding international players assigned to
8352-660: The top classification until Class AA was established in 1912, then remained the second-highest classification until Class A1 was established in 1936. In 1946, the top two levels changed from being Class AA and Class A1 to being Class AAA and AA, with Class A remaining the third-highest level, above Classes B through D. Class A in 1946 consisted of the Eastern League and the original South Atlantic League (or "Sally League"), with teams in communities such as Vancouver, British Columbia ; Omaha, Nebraska ; Colorado Springs, Colorado ; Charlotte, North Carolina ; Scranton, Pennsylvania ; and Allentown, Pennsylvania . Class A soon included
8448-585: The use of all historical league names within Minor League Baseball. The Midwest League and South Atlantic League were reclassified as "High-A" leagues, and operated during 2021 as High-A Central and High-A East , respectively. They were replaced at the Class A level by three "Low-A" leagues: Low-A West , Low-A East , and Low-A Southeast . These leagues had historically been known as the California League , Carolina League , and Florida State League , respectively, and had previously operated at
8544-406: Was "getting very good work out of the boys, who are all satisfied with his management." Continuing in Interstate League play, the 1898 Dayton Old Soldiers won the league championship. The Old Soldiers ended the season in first place in the Class B level league, playing the season under returning manager Bill Armour. Dayton ended the 1898 season with a record of 84–65, finishing just 0.5 game ahead of
8640-410: Was created. The Pacific Coast League (PCL), which had been rated Triple-A since 1946, was the only minor league to obtain this classification, which it held through 1957. At this time, the major leagues only extended as far west as St. Louis, Missouri , and as far south as Washington, D.C. This classification severely restricted the rights of the major leagues to draft players out of the PCL, and at
8736-422: Was founded in 1901, classifications were redefined: † Draft fee set an amount for a team in a higher class to select a player; n/a for Class A as it would be up to each team to negotiate with an interested major league club. ‡ Protection fee reserved a player to a team, even after a contract expired, preventing the player for seeking employment with any other team. All minor leagues were classified, and had
8832-467: Was further informally subdivided into Rookie Advanced, complex-based Rookie, and international summer baseball. There have also been some failed start-up leagues. During the 1970s, three official minor leagues (members of NAPBL) attempted unsuccessfully to revive unaffiliated baseball (teams not associated with specific MLB franchises) within the organized baseball structure. These were the Class A Gulf States League (1976) and Lone Star League (1977), and
8928-478: Was located at the northwest corner N. Main Street & W. Fairview Avenue in Dayton, Ohio. Today, the ballpark no longer exists, and the site is residential. The park opened in 1897 and also contained the Fairview Amusement Park in the era. The amusement park closed in 1915. After the closing of the amusement park, the site contained the C.J. Brown School, which was built on the infield portion of
9024-579: Was located in Dayton, Ohio. At its peak, the Soldier's Home housed more than 7,000 veterans. The site contained a working farm, workshops, two churches and a school. The National Home and its amenities also became a tourist attraction for the public, as over 660,000 people visited the home in 1910. The Soldiers National Home was built in 1867 and is on the National Register of Historic Places . Baseball Hall of Fame member Elmer Flick played for
9120-485: Was purchased from Dayton by the Brooklyn Dodgers for $ 300. Stark later became an umpire after his playing career ended. In the 1910 season, the Dayton Veterans continued play in the eight-team Central League and placed an improved third place in the final standings. The Veterans finished with a regular season record 74–63, playing the season under manager Punch Knoll . Dayton ended the season 14.5 games behind
9216-544: Was reduced to 11, with a total of 120 teams (four per each of the 30 MLB franchises). There are also two affiliated rookie leagues based in the United States, with teams based at the parent clubs' spring training complexes in Arizona and Florida , an off-season autumn league, and one affiliated rookie league in the Dominican Republic . Additionally, four independent leagues are in association with MiLB. As of
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