American Association

From BR Bullpen

Note: This page links to the former minor league that existed from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997. For the major league, which existed from 1882 to 1891, click here. For the independent league, which started play in 2006, click here.

1 The Original Minor League
- 1.1 League Champions and MVPs
2 The Re-formed Minor League
- 2.1 League Champions and MVPs
3 Cities Represented (1902-1962, 1969-1997)
4 Hall of Fame Alumni
5 Sources
6 External Links

[edit] The Original Minor League

In 1902 the American Association re-formed as an outlaw circuit stationed in the midwest with teams in Kansas City, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, St. Paul, Columbus, Louisville and Toledo. Those 8 cities comprised the bulk of the league until 1952, when MLB teams began moving into league cities; by '61, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Milwaukee and KC all hosted big-league teams and the AA had moved south, adding Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston. Without its long-time base, though, the league collapsed. LA pulled out of Omaha (the 6th team in a reduced-size circuit) and Omaha failed in its bid to become an independent team. George Trautman, a former AA president and head of the organization in charge of the minors (the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues), met with the AA, IL and PCL leaders for two days. On Thursday, November 29, the AA was dissolved into the other two top-tier minors. From 1902 to 1962, the AA had remained one of the top 3 minor leagues each year, in competition with the International League and Pacific Coast League. The AA and IL had met regularly in the Little World Series, later renamed the Junior World Series.

[edit] League Champions and MVPs

Year	Champion	MVP
1902	Indianapolis Indians
1903	St. Paul Saints
1904	St. Paul Saints
1905	Columbus Senators
1906	Columbus Senators
1907	Columbus Senators
1908	Indianapolis Indians
1909	Louisville Colonels
1910	Minneapolis Millers
1911	Minneapolis Millers
1912	Minneapolis Millers
1913	Milwaukee Brewers
1914	Milwaukee Brewers
1915	Minneapolis Millers
1916	Louisville Colonels
1917	Indianapolis Indians
1918	Kansas City Blues
1919	St. Paul Saints
1920	St. Paul Saints
1921	Louisville Colonels
1922	St. Paul Saints
1923	Kansas City Blues
1924	St. Paul Saints
1925	Louisville Colonels
1926	Louisville Colonels
1927	Toledo Mud Hens
1928	Indianapolis Indians
1929	Kansas City Blues
1930	Louisville Colonels
1931	St. Paul Saints
1932	Minneapolis Millers	Pat Crawford, Columbus 1B
1933	Columbus Red Birds
1934	Columbus Red Birds
1935	Minneapolis Millers
1936	Milwaukee Brewers	Rudy York, Milwaukee 1B
1937	Columbus Red Birds
1938	Kansas City Blues
1939	Louisville Colonels
1940	Louisville Colonels
1941	Columbus Red Birds
1942	Columbus Red Birds
1943	Columbus Red Birds
1944	Louisville Colonels
1945	Louisville Colonels
1946	Louisville Colonels	Jerry Witte, Toledo 1B
1947	Milwaukee Brewers	Steve Gerkin, Minneapolis P
1948	St. Paul Saints	Les Fleming, Indianapolis 1B
1949	Indianapolis Indians	Nanny Fernandez, Indianapolis 3B
1950	Columbus Red Birds	Ray Dandridge, Minneapolis 3B
1951	Milwaukee Brewers	Al Unser, Milwaukee C
1952	Kansas City Blues	Don Bollweg, Kansas City 1B
1953	Kansas City Blues	Gene Conley, Toledo P
1954	Louisville Colonels	Herb Score, Indianapolis P
1955	Minneapolis Millers	Rance Pless, Minneapolis 3B
1956	Indianapolis Indians	Marv Throneberry, Denver 1B
1957	Denver Bears	Carl Willey, Wichita P
1958	Minneapolis Millers	Wayne Terwilliger, Charleston 2B
1959	Minneapolis Millers	Bob Will, Fort Worth OF
1960	Louisville Colonels	Steve Boros, Denver 3B
1961	Louisville Colonels	Cliff Cook, Indianapolis 3B
1962	Louisville Colonels	Jack Smith, Omaha P

[edit] The Re-formed Minor League

Travel expenses were too high for two AAA leagues, each taking half the country, so in '69 the American Association was reorganized for a third go-around. In addition, major league expansion helped increase the number of AAA teams needed. Indianapolis and Denver returned to the fold along with Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Des Moines and Omaha. Allie Reynolds became president of the "new" league, which introduced the DH to professional baseball. The league honored Reynolds by giving out the annual Allie Reynolds Award to the top pitcher in the circuit. The AA remained one of the strongest minor leagues until 1997, when cheaper travel and expansion again led to change. For the third time the AA closed its doors, with teams again being divided between the IL and PCL. The AA name was retained as a division in the PCL.

American Association Teams

[edit] League Champions and MVPs

Year	Champion	MVP
1969	Omaha Royals	Bernie Carbo, Indianapolis RF
1970	Omaha Royals	George Spriggs, Omaha OF
1971	Denver Bears	Richie Scheinblum, Denver OF
1972	Evansville Triplets	Pat Bourque, Wichita 1B
1973	Tulsa Oilers	Cliff Johnson, Denver DH
1974	Tulsa Oilers	Pete LaCock, Wichita 1B
1975	Evansville Triplets	Hector Cruz, Tulsa 3B
1976	Denver Bears	Roger Freed, Denver 1B
1977	Denver Bears	Frank Ortenzio, Denver 1B
1978	Omaha Royals	Champ Summers, Indianapolis OF
1979	Evansville Triplets	Karl Pagel, Wichita OF
1980	Springfield Redbirds	Randy Bass, Denver 1B
1981	Denver Bears	Manny Castillo, Omaha 3B
1982	Indianapolis Indians	Ken Phelps, Wichita 1B
1983	Denver Bears	Mike Stenhouse, Wichita 1B
1984	Louisville Redbirds	Alan Knicely, Wichita 1B
1985	Louisville Redbirds	Steve Buechele, Oklahoma City 3B
1986	Indianapolis Indians	Barry Larkin, Denver SS
1987	Indianapolis Indians	Lance Johnson, Louisville OF
1988	Indianapolis Indians	Luis de los Santos, Omaha 1B
1989	Indianapolis Indians	Greg Vaughn, Denver OF
1990	Omaha Royals	Juan Gonzalez, Oklahoma City OF
1991	Denver Zephyrs	Jim Olander, Denver OF
1992	Oklahoma City 89ers	Jim Tatum, Denver 3B
1993	Iowa Cubs	Eddie Zambrano, Iowa OF
1994	Indianapolis Indians	Dwayne Hosey, Omaha OF
1995	Louisville Redbirds	Eric Owens, Indianapolis 2B
1996	Oklahoma City 89ers	Lee Stevens, Oklahoma City DH
1997	Buffalo Bisons	Magglio Ordonez, Nashville OF