INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE
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The 'International League' ('IL') is a minor league baseball league which operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. The league was created from the mergers of member teams from three precursor leagues: the ' Eastern League', founded in 1884; the 'New York State League', formed in 1885; and the 'Ontario League', also organized in 1885. The New York State and Ontario leagues merged in 1886 to form the 'International League', and in 1887 the Eastern League was absorbed to create a 10-club league.
The league collapsed soon afterwards, when the northern teams claimed that it was too onerous to travel to the south and formed the 'International Association'. Teams and league names came and went over the years. In 1954, a franchise was awarded to Havana, Cuba, but due to political upheaval in that country it had to be moved — to Jersey City, New Jersey — in the middle of the 1960 season. Another foray into the Caribbean failed when the newly-created team in San Juan, Puerto Rico, added in 1961, had to be moved to Charleston, West Virginia in mid-season.
In 1971, an International League all-star team beat the New York Yankees in an exhibition game in Rochester, New York, before 11,000 people. In 1984, the all-stars lost to the Cleveland Indians in 11 innings before 11,032 fans in Columbus, Ohio, to commemorate the league's 100th anniversary.
The International League and the American Association, another Triple-A league that operated in the Midwest, voted in 1988 to play interleague games. The league also split into two divisions that year. The interleague concept ended in 1992, but the two league divisions remained.
In 1998, with the addition of three new teams from the disbanded American Association and the Durham Bulls moving up to Triple-A from Class-A, the league reorganized into three divisions: the 'North Division', 'South Division', and 'West Division'.
At the end of each season, the three divisional leaders and a wild card team square off in best-of-5 playoffs, with the winning team of the finals awarded the Governors' Cup, the league's championship trophy.
| Contents |
| Current Member Teams and Stadiums |
| Scheduled to Begin Play in 2008 |
| 2007 Standings |
| Playoffs |
| 2007 (In Progress) |
| Affiliate changes |
| See also |
| External links |
Current Member Teams and Stadiums
Scheduled to Begin Play in 2008
★ The Ottawa Lynx have relocated to Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and have became the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.
2007 Standings
''Final standings for the 2007 season''
| North Division | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | Win % | GB | Finish ★ |
| Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees | 84 | 59 | .587 | - | 1st |
| Rochester Red Wings | 77 | 67 | .535 | 7.5 | 5th |
| Buffalo Bisons | 75 | 67 | .528 | 8.5 | 6th |
| Pawtucket Red Sox | 67 | 75 | .472 | 16.5 | 10th |
| Syracuse Chiefs | 64 | 80 | .444 | 20.5 | t-11th |
| Ottawa Lynx | 55 | 88 | .385 | 29.0 | 14th |
| South Division | |||||
| Team | W | L | Win % | GB | Finish ★ |
| Durham Bulls | 80 | 63 | .559 | - | 3rd |
| Richmond Braves | 77 | 64 | .546 | 2.0 | 4th |
| Norfolk Tides | 69 | 74 | .483 | 11.0 | 9th |
| Charlotte Knights | 63 | 80 | .441 | 17.0 | 13th |
| West Division | |||||
| Team | W | L | Win % | GB | Finish ★ |
| Toledo Mud Hens | 82 | 61 | .573 | - | 2nd |
| Louisville Bats | 74 | 70 | .514 | 8.5 | 7th |
| Indianapolis Indians | 70 | 73 | .490 | 12.0 | 8th |
| Columbus Clippers | 64 | 80 | .444 | 18.5 | t-11th |
★
Playoffs
2007 (In Progress)
★ Round one:
:Durham Bulls @ Toledo Mud Hens (best-of-five series)
:Richmond Braves @ Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (best-of-five series)
★ Governors' Cup:
:Winners of the first round series will play in the finals beginning September 11th.
★ Champion:
:
Affiliate changes
Franchises often shift their Major League affiliations:
'Washington Nationals'
★ 2006: New Orleans Zephyrs (Pacific Coast League)
★ 2007: Columbus Clippers
'New York Yankees'
★ 2006: Columbus Clippers
★ 2007: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees
'Philadelphia Phillies'
★ 2006: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons
★ 2007: Ottawa Lynx
★ 2008: Lehigh Valley IronPigs (relocation from Ottawa)
'Baltimore Orioles'
★ 2006: Ottawa Lynx
★ 2007: Norfolk Tides
'New York Mets'
★ 2006: Norfolk Tides
★ 2007: New Orleans Zephyrs (PCL)
See also
★ List of International League champions
★ Sports league attendances
★ Triple-A World Series
★ Governors' Cup
★ List of defunct International League teams (1912-)
★ Pacific Coast League
External links
★ International League official site
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