Америкалық Лигасы: 1902-1997 жылдар аралығындағы тарихы

Defunct baseball class AAA minor league from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997
the former minor league that existed from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997

The American Association (AA) was a Minor League Baseball league that operated primarily in the Midwestern and South Central United States from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997. It was classified as a Triple A league, which is one grade below Major League Baseball, for most of its existence. A league champion was determined at the end of every season. The Louisville Colonels won 15 American Association titles, the most in the league's history, followed by the Indianapolis Indians (12) and the Columbus Red Birds (10). Intermittently throughout its history, the American Association champion competed against the champion of the International League, which operated in the Eastern U. S., to determine an overall Triple A champion. On rare occasions, the champion of the West Coast based Pacific Coast League also participated. The first such meetings were called the Little World Series. Later, the teams would also compete in the Junior World Series, Triple A World Series, and Triple A Classic. Additional interleague play consisted of the regular season's Triple A Alliance and Triple A All Star Game.

The American Association was formed in the fall of 1901 by Thomas J. Hickey, who had recently been appointed president of the Western League and was a founder of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues. Hickey resigned from the Western League to lead the new American Association, which elected not to join the National Association, thus becoming an "outlaw" league. The eight team circuit fielded clubs in Columbus, Ohio; Indianapolis, Indiana; Kansas City, Missouri; Louisville, Kentucky; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Saint Paul, Minnesota; and Toledo, Ohio. The league's inaugural 140 game schedule was to be played from late April to late September 1902. At the end of that season, the first American Association championship was won by the Indianapolis Indians. The American Association became members of the National Association after two seasons and was then classified as a Class A circuit. In 1912, it was reclassified as a Double A league. The American Association's attendance base began to be eroded significantly in the 1950s and early 1960s due to expansion and westward migration of Major League Baseball teams into several of the AA's larger member cities, especially Milwaukee, Kansas City, and Minneapolis Saint Paul. Another contributing factor was the increased frequency of televised games, both of MLB teams and the AA's own clubs, enticing fans to watch baseball from the comfort of their own homes. Toledo suffered such poor attendance that the team folded during the 1952 season and was transferred to Charleston, West Virginia. In 1952, the league lost the Milwaukee Brewers who were displaced by the National League's Milwaukee Braves. In 1959, the league expanded to 10 teams when it acquired three former Texas League clubs, but expensive and lengthy travel across the spread out league coupled with dwindling attendance was damaging to what had once been a flourishing circuit. By 1961, the league had been reduced to six clubs—just one a charter city—after having lost Kansas City and Minneapolis–St. Paul to the major leagues. After the 1962 season, the American Association disbanded, and some of its member teams were distributed between the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the International League (IL), while others (the Louisville Colonels and Omaha Dodgers) folded altogether. The Indianapolis Indians joined the IL, and the Dallas Fort Worth Rangers, Denver Bears, and Oklahoma City 89ers went to the PCL.

With major league expansion in 1969 and the need for four new Triple A farm teams, the American Association was revived. The creation of a third Triple A league would alleviate some of the travel costs incurred by having only two leagues spread out across the country. The new American Association would field six teams in 1969. It re acquired its old Indianapolis; Denver, Colorado; and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, territories from the PCL, revived the Omaha, Nebraska, franchise, and added two cities (Des Moines, Iowa, and Tulsa, Oklahoma) that were new to the circuit. The teams played a 140 game schedule with no All Star Game or playoffs. In 1970, the AA returned to a two division format, reintroduced the All Star Game and playoffs, and expanded to eight cities with the addition of Wichita, Kansas, and Evansville, Indiana. The 1970s were a stable time for the Association with strong attendance and only minor franchise shifts. The league thrived during the 1980s and 1990s, along with all of Minor League Baseball as an industry. Affordable ticket prices, exciting giveaways and promotions, and new ballparks helped lure fans, especially families, back to minor league games. Half of the top ten drawing minor league clubs in 1985 were members of the American Association. From 1982 to 1986, the Louisville Redbirds led all of Minor League Baseball in attendance, including the 1983 season in which the club drew over one million fans. From 1988 to 1991, the Association participated in interleague play with the International League as a part of the Triple A Alliance. The two leagues played an interlocking schedule consisting of 40 to 44 interleague games per team. At the end of each season, an Alliance champion was determined in the Triple A Classic, a best of seven postseason series. All three Triple A leagues, began participating in the Triple A All Star Game in 1988. The first of these events was held at the Buffalo Bisons' newly constructed Pilot Field on July 13, 1988. In the inaugural game, a team of American League affiliated All Stars defeated a team of National League affiliates, 2–1.

On and off, the American Association champion played against the International League's champion in a postseason series similar to Major League Baseball's World Series. The first Little World Series, as it was called from 1904 to 1931, saw the IL's Buffalo Bisons defeat the AA's St. Paul Saints, 2–1. The series was held again in 1906 and 1907, but not played again until 1917. Due to the war, there was no series in 1918, but it was revived in 1919 and then played steadily through 1931. The 1919 event was named the Junior World Series, which became the official name of the series in 1932, and pitted the AA's champion against the Pacific Coast League's champion. The Junior World Series, with the AA versus the IL, continued from 1932 to 1962, and was held sporadically thereafter (1970, 1971, 1973, and 1975). American Association teams won 27 Little/Junior World Series. All three Triple A leagues participated in the 1983 Triple A World Series. As part of the Triple A Alliance, the AA and IL champions met in the Triple A Classic from 1988 to 1991. All four Classics were won by Association teams. From 1988 until the league's demise in 1997, players from all three Triple A leagues were selected to play in the mid season Triple A All Star Game. One team was made up of All Stars from American League affiliates and the other of National League affiliates.

League champions were determined by different means over the American Association's 90 years of competition. From 1902 to 1931, the league champions were simply the regular season pennant winners—the team with the best win–loss record at the conclusion of the regular season. The first playoffs for determining champions were held in 1933.]] The American Association regularly honored outstanding players and team personnel at the end of each season.

The Most Valuable Player Award, introduced in 1929, was given to recognize the best player in the league. The first MVP Award went to shortstop Billy Rogell of the St. Paul Saints. The final award was given to outfielder Magglio Ordóñez of the Nashville Sounds.

The Most Valuable Pitcher Award, introduced in 1969, was given to recognize the best pitcher in the league. The first award was given to right hander Sal Campisi of the Tulsa Oilers. The final award went to right hander Rick Helling of the Oklahoma City 89ers in 1996. No winner was selected in 1997.

The Rookie of the Year Award, introduced in 1946, was given to the best rookie player in the league. The first award was presented to first baseman Jerry Witte of the Toledo Mud Hens. The final award was given to outfielder and league MVP Magglio Ordóñez of the Nashville Sounds.

The Manager of the Year Award, introduced in 1945, was given to honor the best manager in the league. The first award went to George Selkirk of the Toledo Sox. The final award was issued to Dave Miley of the Indianapolis Indians.