International League

The International League (IL) is a minor league baseball league which operates in the eastern United States and Canada. Like the Pacific Coast League, it plays at the AAA (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 (which brought Richmond, Virginia), the New York State League, formed in 1885 (which brought Rochester, New York and Syracuse, New York), and the Ontario League, also organized in 1885.

1970-1979

A new stadium in Norfolk, Virginia featured 1970, and provided the showcase for the International League All-Stars 4-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. Syracuse won the International League Pennant, for the first time in 78 years, and went on to win the Governors' Cup and Junior World Series.

Related Topics:
Norfolk, Virginia - Baltimore Orioles

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It was the International League?s year in 1971 as the International League All-Stars defeated the New York Yankees, 15-13, before a crowd of 11,001 in Rochester. Rochester followed the previous year's Syracuse formula, winning the Pennant, Governors' Cup and the Junior World Series.

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Charleston was the Columbus franchise?s replacement in 1971. Winnipeg, Manitoba was replaced by Peninsula for the 1972 season. Peninsula comprised the area of Newport News, Virginia and Hampton, Virginia, and provided a tri-franchise rivalry along with Richmond and Tidewater. Louisville won that season?s Pennant, in a dramatic last day of the season, by a single game margin. However, Tidewater won the Governors' Cup playoffs and represented the League in the Kodak World Baseball Classic in Hawaii, finishing third, behind the Caribbean All-Stars and Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Related Topics:
Winnipeg, Manitoba - Peninsula - Newport News, Virginia - Hampton, Virginia - Kodak World Baseball Classic - Hawaii - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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Pawtucket, Rhode Island replaced Louisville in 1973, as the Colonel's stadium underwent a major construction program and no other park was available. Pawtucket's first year was memorable as it won the resumed Junior World Series from Tulsa, Oklahoma, the American Association representative. Memphis, Tennessee joined the International League for the 1974 season, replacing Peninsula, and immediately improved the attendance picture with a season's draw of 132,513 third in the League. Rochester, however, won the Pennant and was awarded the President's Award, as the outstanding franchise in the National Association, the first year the award was given.

Related Topics:
Pawtucket, Rhode Island - Tulsa, Oklahoma - Memphis, Tennessee - President's Award - National Association

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Tidewater took all the honors in 1975, winning the Pennant and Governors' Cup, Joe Frazier being named "Minor League Manager of the Year" and Dave Rosenfield "International League Executive of the Year."

Related Topics:
Joe Frazier - Dave Rosenfield

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Rochester won the Pennant in 1976, while Syracuse won the Governors' Cup. Tex Simone was named "International League Executive of the Year." In the fall, due to financial problems, the Memphis franchise dropped out of the League to be replaced by the return of Columbus to the League for the 1977 season.

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Pawtucket won the Pennant in 1977 and second-place Charleston finished strong to take the Governors' Cup. The International League All-Stars beat the Boston Red Sox 1-0 in Pawtucket and Columbus celebrated its return to the International League by setting a modern-day attendance record of 467,251. George Sisler, Jr., who stepped down as League President after 11 years to become General Manager at Columbus, was selected "Minor League Executive" and "International League Executive" in 1977. Roy Jackson succeeded Sisler as League President, and in turn Harold M. Cooper, for 14 years General Manager at Columbus, was elected as the IL President during the winter baseball meetings in Hawaii.

Related Topics:
Boston Red Sox - Roy Jackson - Harold M. Cooper

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Richmond won the playoffs for the first time in 1978 after Charleston had won the Pennant. Leading the League in attendance a second straight year was Columbus with 324,510. At the winter meetings, Harold Cooper's contract as League President was extended through the next four years. Columbus made a clean sweep of the 1979 season, winning its first Pennant since 1965 as the Clippers celebrated their first season with the New York Yankees, then beat Syracuse in 7 games for the city's first Governors' Cup playoff title. Toronto affiliate Syracuse, proved as big a surprise as Columbus, moving from eighth place in 1978 to second.

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