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74-629: Minor league baseball began in Paris, Kentucky in 1909, when the "Paris Bourbonites" became members of the 1909 six team Class D level Blue Grass League , which was playing its second season. The Frankfort Lawmakers , Lexington Colts , Richmond Pioneers , Shelbyville Millers and Winchester Hustlers teams joined with Paris in beginning league play on May 1, 1909. The Paris team monikers correspond to Paris, Kentucky being located within Bourbon County, Kentucky . In their first season of play,

148-771: A 16–6 record, won the first half standings and the Cynthiana Merchants , with a 25–17 record, won the second half standings, as the Blue Grass league played a split–season schedule in 1922. In the Finals, Maysville defeated the Cynthiana Merchants three games to one to win the 1922 Blue Grass League Championship. In their final season of play, the Maysville Cardinals placed third in the 1923 Blue Grass League standings. Maysville had

222-558: A 27–34 record, moved to Huntington, West Virginia . After just six games, Huntington (2–4) moved to Maysville on July 19, 1915. The team finished the season with an overall record of 58–55, to place third in the regular season under manager Josh Devore . The combined team finished 13.0 games behind the first place Portsmouth Cobblers and the team advanced to a playoff. In the Finals, the Portsmouth Cobblers defeated Maysville 4 games to 1. The 1916 Ohio State League members were

296-479: A 37–89 overall record and were 42.5 games behind the first place Paris Bourbonites in the final standings. Anton Kuhn and Daniel Collins managed the 1910 team. Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Casey Stengel played for the 1910 Shelbyville Grays/Maysville Rivermen. Playing at age 19, Stengel hit .223 for the team in 69 games and 233 at–bats, after beginning the 1910 season with the Kankakee Kays . During

370-688: 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

444-490: 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

518-667: 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, 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

592-591: 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

666-668: A record of 48–45 under returning manager Norbert Bosken, finishing 3.0 games behind the first place Cynthiana Cobblers . The standings were led by the Cynthiana Cobblers (54–43), followed by the Winchester Dodgers (53–44), Maysville Cardinals (48–45), Paris Bourbons (45–47), Lexington Reos (44–49) and Mount Sterling Essex (38–54). Maysville permanently folded following the 1923 season. Maysville has not hosted another minor league team. Beginning in 1910, Maysville teams were noted to have played home games at

740-527: A record of 80–47, Paris placed first in the regular season standings, playing under manager Edward McKernan. Paris finished 10.0 games ahead of the second place Lexington Colts in the final standings. Paris pitcher Milton McCormick led the Blue Grass League in win percentage at .850 and a 17–3 record. The Blue Grass League held no playoffs in 1910. Paris won their second consecutive Blue Grass League championship in 1911. The Blue Grass League played

814-481: 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 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

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888-467: A split–season schedule in 1911, with the winners of each half season meeting in the Finals. Under returning manager Edward McKernan, the Bourbonites had a 71–44 overall record and were 6.0 games ahead of the second place Lexington Colts in the final regular season standings. Paris qualified for the Finals by winning the first–half standings. The Winchester Hustlers won of the second–half standings. In

962-476: A split–season schedule, the Paris Bourbons finished the overall regular season in first place with a 36–28 record, playing the season under managers B. Goodman and Harold Willis, finishing 1.5 games ahead of the second place Maysville Cardinals in the overall standings. However, the Maysville Cardinals, with a 16–6 record, won the first half standings and the Cynthiana Merchants , with a 25–17 record, won

1036-516: 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

1110-526: 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

1184-517: A temporary replacement. There are currently three leagues in this classification: 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

1258-493: 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 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

1332-486: 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 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

1406-672: 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 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

1480-568: 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 , 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

1554-610: 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

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1628-695: 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

1702-603: The Tri-State League in 1894, Blue Grass League from 1910 to 1912, Ohio State League from 1913 to 1916 and Blue Grass League from 1922 to 1923, winning one league championship. Maysville hosted home minor league games at the Maysville Base Ball Park/League Park. Baseball Hall of Fame member Casey Stengel played for the 1910 Maysville Rivermen in his first professional season. Early amateur Maysville teams began play in 1860 with

1776-567: 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

1850-614: The " Paris " team became members of the 1914 eight–team Class D level Ohio State League during the season. The Newport, Kentucky franchise, which entered the Ohio State League play on May 26, 1914, moved to Paris on June 16, 1914. The team had a 16–27 record playing as the Newport Brewers . After a 3–22 record while based in Paris, the team disbanded on July 5, 1914. At the time, the Newport/Paris team folded,

1924-646: The 1910 season playing as the Maysville Rivermen . Reports state that Maysville owners purchased the Shelbyville franchise for $ 500.00. The owners of the Maysville team were local citizens, headed up by businessmen, J.W. Fitzgerald and Preston Wells. The Rivermen had a record of 3–24 after the move to Maysville. In 1910, Maysville businesses offered gifts to players who hit home runs. The Shelbyville/Maysville team finished last, in sixth place, with

1998-505: The 1912 season. After the Blue Grass League folded, Maysville continued minor league play in 1913 in a new league. The Maysville Angles became members of the 1913 eight–team Class D level Ohio State League . With a 38–96 record, Maysville placed eighth and last in the league, ending the season 46.0 games behind the first place Chillicothe Babes . The 1913 Maysville manager was Frank Moore . The 1914 Maysville Angels disbanded from

2072-518: The 1925 season. Paris, Kentucky has not hosted another minor league team. Beginning in 1909, Paris teams hosted home minor league games at Bourbon County Park . The park is still in use as a public park and is located at 30 Legion Road in Paris, Kentucky. Local newspaper coverage in the era reported the Paris Bourbonites played some home games at White Park in 1911 and 1912. Class D (baseball) Minor League Baseball ( MiLB )

2146-595: 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

2220-523: 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

2294-466: The 2021 season) with teams in the Southwest and Great Plains. Some players jump to 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

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2368-486: 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 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

2442-673: 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 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

2516-549: 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: Maysville Cardinals Minor league baseball teams were based in Maysville, Kentucky in various seasons between 1894 and 1923. Maysville teams played as members of

2590-476: The Bourbons finished 6.5 games behind the first place Cynthiana Cobblers in the final standings. The teams in the 1923 standings were the Cynthiana Cobblers (54–43), Winchester Dodgers (53–44), Maysville Cardinals (48–45), Paris Bourbons (45–47), Lexington Reos (44–49) and Mount Sterling Essex (38–54). Maysville and Mt. Sterling permanently folded following the 1923 season. In their final season of play,

2664-737: The Charleston Senators (58–63), Chillicothe Babes/Huntington/Maysville Angels (58–55), Frankfort Old Taylors (45–65), Ironton Nailers (47–69), Lexington Colts (63–48) and Portsmouth Cobblers (71–42). < The Ohio State League permanently folded on July 19, 1916, with the Maysville Burley Cubs as a league member. At the time the Ohio State League folded, the Cubs had a 26–36 record and were in fourth place, finishing 19.0 games behind

2738-522: 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,

2812-523: The Finals, the Paris Bourbonites swept the Winchester Hustlers 4 games to 0 to defend their championship. Paris player Walter Mayer led the 1911 Blue Grass League in hitting in 1911, with a .352 average. The 1912 Paris Bourbonites placed fifth in the Blue Grass League, as the league folded after the season concluded. The opening day at Paris in 1912 featured a parade featuring the 14–member Paris High School Band and players from Paris and

2886-603: The July Major League Baseball draft . This adjusted schedule also allows 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

2960-553: 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

3034-704: The Maysville Town Ball Club. In the 1890s, a Maysville amateur team reportedly won a three–game series against the Cincinnati Reds . Maysville first hosted minor league baseball in 1894, when the Maysville team played as members of the Tri-State League . The 1894 league records are unknown. On August 24, 1910, the Shelbyville Grays franchise of the Class D level Blue Grass League relocated to Maysville, Kentucky, finishing

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3108-625: 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

3182-581: 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

3256-407: The Paris Bourbonites finished with a record of 61–57. Paris placed third in the six–team league, playing the season under managers Jeff Elgin, Henry Schmidt and James Barnett. The Bourbonites finished 13.5 games behind the first place Winchester Hustlers in the final standings. In their second season of play, the 1910 Paris Bourbonites won the Blue Grass League championship in convincing fashion. With

3330-417: The Paris Bourbons won the 1924 Blue Grass League championship in the four–team league. With a record of 51–43 under managers Bob Corkhill, Pat Devereaux and Fritz Mueller, Paris finished just a 0.5 game ahead of the second place Cynthiana Cobblers (50–42) in the standings. No playoffs were held and the Blue Grass League permanently folded after the 1924 season. The Blue Grass League did not return to play for

3404-607: 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

3478-671: 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

3552-474: The Triple-A level. Such players are eligible to be added to a team's active major league roster. For teams in contention for 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

3626-691: 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

3700-597: The Winchester Husters. On September 3, 1912, Paris pitcher Fred Applegate , tied a minor league record by recording 20 strikeouts in a game against the Mt. Sterling Orphans . With a record of 60–69 under managers Joe Lewis and Danning Harrell, the 1912 Bourbonites finished 4.0 games behind the Frankfort Lawmakers and no playoffs were held in the Blue Grass League.> With a record of 85–42, Frankfort

3774-615: 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

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3848-470: The eight–team Ohio State League during the season. Maysville folded on July 22, 1914, after beating Huntington 2–1. At the time, the team had a record of 30–51 under managers Ollie Chapman and Roy Montgomery. After the 1915 season began, Maysville resumed play during the season in the six–team Ohio State League and played in the league finals. On July 13, 1915, the Chillicothe Babes , with

3922-401: The first pitch and declared the day a business holiday. A crowd of 3,000 saw Maysville beat the Paris Bourbonites. The Maryville Rivermen finished with a record of 55–63, placing fourth under manager James Carmoney. Maysville finished the season 17.5 games behind the first place Paris Bourbonites. The 1912 Maysville Rivermen placed second in the Blue Grass league, finishing 4.0 games behind

3996-757: The first place Frankfort Lawmakers . In 1912, the Mt. Olivet band played at the Maysville Rivermen season home opener. Maysville was under the direction of owner Thomas Russell. Finishing the 1912 season with a 82–47 record under managers James Carmoney and Harry Kunkel, the Rivermen finished behind Frankfort's 85–42 record. They were followed by the Lexington Colts (60–65), Paris Bourbonites (60–69), Richmond Pioneers (66–64) and Mount Sterling Orphans (31–97). The Blue Grass League folded following

4070-463: The first place Portsmouth Truckers . The 1916 Cubs' manager was Jimmy Jones . Maysville won a championship in 1922. Maysville returned to play in the Class D level Blue Grass League, which reformed as a six–team league. The Maysville Cardinals , owned again by Thomas Russell, finished the regular season in second place with a 33–28 record under manager Norbert Bosken. The Maysville Cardinals, with

4144-435: 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

4218-446: 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

4292-451: 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

4366-539: 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

4440-465: 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

4514-414: The other two leagues, as part of a reorganization of the Triple-A level in 1997. The International League features teams from 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

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4588-469: 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 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

4662-608: 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

4736-429: The season, Stengel hit a home run and received a box of candy and a Duplex Safety-razor outfit. A young Maysville boy named Robert Willocks would carry Stengel's spikes and glove to the ballpark where Stengel would get him into the game for free. Maysville continued play in the 1911 Blue Grass League season. An opening day parade featured Blue Grass League President Dr. W.C. Ussery. Maysville Mayor J.W. Lee threw out

4810-401: The second half standings, as the Blue Grass league played the split–season schedule in 1922. In the Finals, Maysville defeated the Cynthiana to win the championship. Pitcher Ray Miner of Paris and Maysville led the Blue Grass League with 15 wins. The Paris Bourbons placed fourth in the 1923 Blue Grass League standings, playing under managers Nick Winger and Felix Cicona. With a 45–47 record,

4884-422: The team had an overall 19–49 record, playing under managers Charles Applegate and Red Munson . Paris resumed play in the reformed Blue Grass League in 1922 and won the league pennant. The Paris Bourbons returned to play as members of the Class D level Blue Grass League, which reformed as a six–team league. Some references have Paris playing under the "Mammoths" nickname in 1922. With the Blue Grass League playing

4958-409: 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 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,

5032-404: 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

5106-410: 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

5180-439: The top prospects associated with each of the six MLB divisions. This classification currently includes two affiliated leagues: 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

5254-410: 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

5328-472: Was followed in the standings by the Maysville Rivermen (82–47), Lexington Colts (60–65), Paris Bourbonites (60–69), Richmond Pioneers (66–64) and Winchester Hustlers/Mt. Sterling Orphans (31–97). The Blue Grass League folded following the 1912 season. Paris player/manager Danning Harrell won the 19212Blue Grass League batting title, hitting .401 and Paris pitcher Jim Hauser led the league with 23 wins. Paris briefly returned to minor league play in 1914, as

5402-422: 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

5476-467: 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

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