Info
Formed: February 2, 1876 (National League)1Cincinnati Reds Timeline mlb.com/reds/history/timeline, January 28, 1901 (American League)2Have Finally Cast the Die: The Major League Baseball Agreement Now Signed, The Baltimore American, January 29, 1901
First Games:
National League, April 22, 1876 (Boston Reds 6 at Philadelphia Athletics 5)
American League, April 18, 1901 (Cleveland Bluebirds 2 at Chicago White Sox 8)
Number of teams: 32
History
Major League Baseball consists of two circuits. They are the National League, founded in 1876, and the American League formed in 1901 from the minor league system known as the Western League.
MLB Franchise Relocations
| FRANCHISE | LEAGUE | FIRST SEASON | FINAL SEASON | PENNANTS | WORLD SERIES | WHERE ARE THEY NOW? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Orioles | NL | 1882 | 1899 | 3 | NONE | FOLDED (NL contracted) |
| Baltimore Orioles | AL | 1901 | 1902 | NONE | NONE | Moved to NYC. Became Highlanders, then Yankees |
| Boston Braves | NL | 1876 | 1952 | 10 | 1914 | Atlanta, after 13 seasons in Milwaukee |
| Brooklyn Dodgers | NL | 1884 | 1957 | 13 | 1955 | Moved to L.A. in 1958 |
| Cleveland Spiders | NL | 1887 | 1899 | NONE | NONE | FOLDED (NL contracted) |
| Houston Colt .45s | NL | 1962 | 1964 | NONE | NONE | Renamed Houston Astros |
| Indianapolis Arrows | AL | N/A | N/A | NONE | NONE | Proposed team, 1982-1985 |
| Kansas City Athletics | AL | 1955 | 1967 | NONE | NONE | Moved to Oakland, then Las Vegas…probably. |
| Louisville Colonels | NL | 1882 | 1899 | 1 | NONE | FOLDED (NL contracted) |
| Milwaukee Braves | NL | 1953 | 1965 | 2 | 1957 | Moved to Atlanta |
| Milwaukee Brewers | AL | 1901 | 1901 | NONE | NONE | Moved to St. Louis to become Browns |
| Montreal Expos | NL | 1969 | 2004 | NONE | NONE | Moved to Washington, D.C. and became the Nationals |
| New York Highlanders | AL | 1903` | 1912 | NONE | NONE | Rebranded as Yankees, 1913 |
| New York Giants | NL | 1883 | 1957 | 17 | 1905, 1921,1922, 1933, 1954 | Moved to San Francisco |
| Oakland A's | AL | 1968 | 2024 | 6 | 1972, 1973, 1974, 1989 | Moved to Las Vegas…probably |
| Philadelphia Athletics | AL | 1901 | 1954 | 9 | 1910, 1911, 1913, 1929, 1930 | Moved to Kansas City |
| Seattle Pilots | AL | 1969 | 1969 | NONE | NONE | Moved to Milwaukee and became the Brewers |
| St. Louis Browns | AL | 1902 | 1953 | NONE | NONE | Moved to Baltimore and became the Orioles |
| Washington Padres | NL | 1974* | 1974* | NONE | NONE | Proposed move |
| Washington Senators | NL | 1891 | 1899 | NONE | NONE | FOLDED (NL contracted) |
| Washington Senators | AL | 1901 | 1960 | 1 | 1924 | Moved to Minnesota and became the Twins |
| Washington Senators | AL | 1961 | 1971 | NONE | NONE | Moved to Dallas/Ft. Worth and became the Texas Rangers |
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More teams and franchises
These additional team histories are filed under this league.