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88-587: The 1920 Waynesboro Villagers were the first minor league baseball team based in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, as the Villagers became members of the reformed Class D level six–team Blue Ridge League . The league reformed after not playing the 1919 season and Waynesboro replaced the Gettysburg Ponies franchise in the 1920 league. On May 19, 1920, Waynesboro won their opening day game at home, an 11-9 victory over

176-487: A .606 win percentage. Hagerstown had led the league standings for most of the season, before Martinsburg caught them the final days of the season. Martinsburg would never win another league championship. Martinsburg maintained a potent offense in 1925, with five of the top ten home run hitters in the Blue Ridge League playing for the team. However, they could do no better than third place. 1926 brought changes to

264-551: A 19-year old southpaw hurler from Lonaconing, Maryland named Robert Moses Groves, later known as Lefty Grove. By June, word had gotten out that Grove, along with another 19-year old southpaw, Cecil Slaughter, were two of the best pitchers the league ever seen. On June 16 and 17, 1920, Jack Dunn, Jr., and scout Harry Frank of the International League Baltimore Orioles attended two games in Hagerstown to take

352-408: A 5–5 tie after 9–innings with 1,500 in attendance. Waynesboro Red Birds players Waynesboro Villagers players Minor league baseball Minor League Baseball ( MiLB ) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), including teams affiliated with MLB clubs. Entering the 2021 season, the number of full-season MLB-affiliated minor leagues with teams in

440-499: A 61–36 record to earn their first league championship in 1917. The Martinsburg club finished second (59-40 for the third year in a row. Once again player eligibility was a concern. The Martinsburg club protested Hagerstown's league championship, accusing the Terriers of using an ineligible player. After review from Blue Ridge League President James Vincent Jamison, Jr., the allegations were ruled unsubstantiated, and Hagerstown came away with

528-659: A championship pennant. The first true minor league is traditionally considered to be the Northwestern League of 1883 to 1884. Unlike the earlier minor associations, it was conceived as a permanent organization. It also, along with the NL and the American Association (AA), was a party to the National Agreement of 1883 . Included in this was the agreement to respect the reserve lists of clubs in each league. Teams in

616-463: A complete season in Triple-A is 150 games, Double-A is 138 games, and High-A and Single-A are each 132 games. In addition to the below organized leagues, the off-season Arizona Fall League has six teams that play approximately 30 games apiece in autumn, with rosters comprising the top prospects associated with each of the six MLB divisions. This classification currently includes two affiliated leagues:

704-482: A flat-fee purchase amount of $ 5,000 for the contract of any player from an NA member league team. This measure was leveled primarily at the Baltimore Orioles , then a Triple-A team that had dominated the minors by keeping players longer than many competitors, allowing the players to more fully develop, driving up their sale value to major-league teams and giving Baltimore a talent advantage. Deprived of this option by

792-568: A limited membership which excluded less competitive and financially weaker teams. Professional clubs outside the NL responded by forming regional associations of their own. There was a series of ad hoc groupings, such as the New England Association of 1877 and the Eastern Championship Association of 1881. These were loose groups of independent clubs which agreed to play a series of games over the course of one season for

880-474: A look at the two promising pitchers. Despite losing 4–2, primarily because the Martinsburg catcher could not handle Groves 90-plus mile an hour pitches, Groves made a major impression on the two Orioles scouts. Within 10 days, Groves was pitching for Jack Dunn, Sr.’s Orioles. Martinsburg, in need of a new outfield fence and grandstand, sold Groves' contract to Dunn’s Orioles for 3,000 dollars and later included

968-482: A pitcher named Maurice Bahr to complete the deal. 1921 was just as auspicious because it marked the debut of another Hall of Fame member, Lewis "Hack" Wilson . He played for Martinsburg in the 1922 season as well. Wilson later set the major league season record of 191 runs batted in and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979. Martinsburg won three straight championships from 1922 to 1924. George "Reggie" Rawlings

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1056-434: A playoff spot late in a season, it gives them fresh players, while for teams not in contention, it gives them an opportunity to evaluate their second-tier players against major league competition. Some Triple-A players are "career minor leaguers", former prospects whose skill growth has halted and who are not likely to advance to MLB, unless as a temporary replacement. There are currently three leagues in this classification:

1144-459: A proxy with League President Jamison, and Cumberland was not aware of the details of the meeting. Since Hagerstown President J. C. Roulette was confined to his bed with a serious illness, his vice-president, T. B. South, represented the Terriers. Martinsburg officials took advantage of this situation, and convinced South to agree with them to suspend the remainder of the season, due to the war effort. With Cumberland and Piedmont against disbanding,

1232-409: A schedule of approximately 60 games and are named "complex leagues" because games are played at their parent clubs' spring training complexes. Rosters consist primarily of newly drafted players who are not yet ready for a higher level of play. These leagues are intended almost exclusively to allow players to hone their skills; no admission is charged and no concessions are sold. As of the 2024 season,

1320-516: A statement, asserting that it is "unnecessary and unacceptable to wipe out one-quarter of minor league teams" and characterized the proposal as a way "to improve the profitability of MLB". Manfred rebuked Minor League Baseball for releasing the negotiations to the public and threatened to cut ties with MiLB altogether. The following changes, which represent the first significant overhaul of minor league classifications since 1963, have since been implemented: When MLB teams announced their affiliates for

1408-514: A steady supply of players, as many NA and independent teams could not afford to keep their doors open without the patronage of Major League Baseball. The leagues of the NA became subordinate to the major leagues, creating the first minor leagues in the current sense of the term. Other than the Pacific Coast League (PCL), which under its president Pants Rowland tried to become a third major league in

1496-562: Is the High-A level, named "Class A-Advanced" before 2021. This classification has three leagues: the 12-team Midwest League , known as High-A Central for the 2021 season, covering the Midwest, the six-team Northwest League , known as High-A West for the 2021 season, with teams in the Pacific Northwest, and the 12-team South Atlantic League , known as High-A East for the 2021 season, with teams in

1584-644: The Blue Ridge League between 1915 and 1929 and were an affiliate of the Philadelphia Athletics in 1929. A semiprofessional league, the Tri-City League, had teams in Hagerstown, Frederick and Martinsburg in 1914. In 1915, the Tri-City League organizers added the cities of Chambersburg , Hanover and Gettysburg and petitioned the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues,

1672-666: The Cleveland Indians took control of the Frederick club , while the St. Louis Cardinals took over management of the Waynesboro club. The Martinsburg club in 1928 finished with a losing record for the only third time in their history. In 1929, the Martinsburg club was taken over by the Philadelphia Athletics , while the New York Yankees began to run the Chambersburg franchise. This

1760-497: The Eastern Shore League in a championship playoff called the "Five-State Championship Series". Waynesboro teams did not advance to any of the playoffs. The 1923 Waynesboro Villagers again placed second in the Blue Ridge League standings. The Villagers finished with a record of 52–45. Playing their final full season under manager Bill Morris, Waynesboro finished 15.0 games behind the first place Martinsburg Blue Sox. In 1924,

1848-526: The Great Depression set in, the Philadelphia Athletics pulled their sponsorship of Martinsburg. As a result, Martinsburg folded and did not field a team in 1930, the last year of the Blue Ridge League. Martinsburg players from this era who were major leaguers: In addition to these future major leaguers, the performance of George "Reggie" Rawlings was also noteworthy. He played 13 seasons in

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1936-480: The Hanover Raiders . In their first season of play, Waynesboro finished the 1920 season with a 53–42 record to place third in the Blue Ridge League. The Villagers manager was Bill "Country" Morris , who would manage the team through the 1923 season. Waynesboro finished 2.5 games behind the first place Hagerstown Champs in the final standings as the league had no playoffs until 1926. Harold Yordy of Waynesboro led

2024-522: The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players of 1871 to 1875, commonly referred to as the National Association, comprised all fully professional teams. This system proved unworkable, however, as there was no way to ensure competitive balance, and financially unsound clubs often failed in midseason. This problem was solved in 1876 with the formation of the National League (NL), with

2112-684: The Northwest League and Midwest League promoted with 75% of their teams. The Carolina League dropped to Low-A with seven of its ten teams and added five from the old South Atlantic League in trade; the SAL in turn moved to High-A with half of its previous 12-team roster, filling it out with two Carolina League High-A holdovers, one Midwest League returnee, and three formerly short-season New York-Penn League promotees. On February 12, 2021, Major League Baseball announced new league alignments for all 120 affiliated Minor League Baseball clubs effective as of

2200-557: The United States Congress signed a letter sent to Commissioner of Baseball Rob Manfred opposing the proposal, noting that it "is not in the best interest of the overall game of baseball" and that it would "devastate our communities, their bond purchasers and other stakeholders affected by the potential loss of these clubs." A response from MLB highlighted that the proposal aims to improve player travel and working conditions. On November 21, 2019, Minor League Baseball released

2288-412: The "Villagers" nickname as an unaffiliated team in 1926 and finished last in the league standings. With a regular season record of 34–59, Waynesboro placed sixth, finishing 29.0 games behind the first place Hagerstown Hubs . The team was managed by Ed Greene, William Suhre and the returning Bill Morris. The 1927 Waynesboro Villagers finished the season with a record of 41–57. The Villagers placed fifth in

2376-560: The 12-team Eastern League , known as Double-A Northeast for the 2021 season, with teams in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S., the eight-team Southern League (known as Double-A South for the 2021 season) with teams in the Deep South, and the 10-team Texas League (known as Double-A Central for the 2021 season) with teams in the Southwest and Great Plains. Some players jump to

2464-524: The 1915 team was Mike Knode . Knode played during the 1915 season as Kenny Thompson. Knode was a quarterback for the Michigan Wolverines football team. If knowledge of his participation in the professional Blue Ridge baseball league had been known to the Wolverines, he would have forfeited his amateur status and been declared ineligible to play football. Despite a late push in the last two weeks of

2552-463: The 1917 league pennant. The Martinsburg club was on shaky ground financially when the season started in 1918. The war created a losing proposition with a lack of attendance and increased travel costs. On June 15, less than three weeks into the season, Martinsburg called a meeting of the four member clubs in the West Virginia town. The Piedmont team, not realizing the urgency of the meeting, sent

2640-529: The 1925 season. The "Waynesboro Cardinals" finished the 1925 season with a record of 47–49 to place fourth in the six–team Blue Ridge League. Under manager John Breckenridge, the Cardinals finished 16.0 games behind the first place Hagerstown Hubs in the final standings. George Hammen of Waynesboro led the Blue Ridge in hitting with a batting average of .375 and topped the circuit with 141 hits. Waynesboro returned to

2728-512: The 1930 season, greatly affected by the stock market crash of 1929. Waynesboro, Pennsylvania has not hosted another minor league team. Waynesboro minor league teams were noted to have played home games exclusively at E-B Park . On September 22, 1920, E-B Park hosted an exhibition game featuring the Baltimore Orioles with Lefty Grove , champions of the International League , against a team of Blue Ridge League All–Stars. The game ended in

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2816-651: The 1950s and early 1960s. In 1949, the peak of the postwar minor league baseball boom, 448 teams in 59 leagues were members of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, with the number of teams falling to 324 in 1952, and 243 in 1955. By the end of 1963, only 15 leagues above Rookie-level survived in the United States and Canada. After the 1962 season, the Triple-A American Association—which had lost key markets such as Milwaukee , Kansas City , Minneapolis–Saint Paul and Houston to

2904-436: The 20-team International League and the 10-team Pacific Coast League , known as Triple-A East and Triple-A West, respectively, for the 2021 season. For most of the 20th century, Triple-A also included the American Association , based in the Midwest, but that league disbanded with its clubs absorbed by the other two leagues, as part of a reorganization of the Triple-A level in 1997. The International League features teams from

2992-515: The 2021 season on December 9, 2020, each of the 30 MLB teams had one affiliate at four levels—Triple-A, Double-A, High-A, and Low-A—for a total of 120 affiliated teams. Approximately 40 teams lost their MLB affiliations; the Fresno Grizzlies were demoted from Triple-A to Low-A; and the majority of surviving clubs at High-A and Low-A swapped levels, with the former Florida State League and California League dropped down nearly as intact units and

3080-529: The 2021 season. Contrary to previously published reports indicating that realignment would retain the names of the existing minor leagues, Major League Baseball elected to abandon the names of existing minor leagues in favor of a new, class- and region-based naming system. Triple-A was divided into two leagues: Martinsburg Blue Sox The Martinsburg Blue Sox were an American minor league baseball team based in Martinsburg, West Virginia . They played in

3168-500: The 2021 season. All three leagues were demoted from High-A to Single-A effective with the 2021 season. These leagues are a mix of players moving up from Rookie leagues, as well as the occasional experienced first-year player. Most of the teams in the Florida State League are owned by major league parent clubs and use their spring training complexes. In 2022, the official name of the class became Single-A. Minor leagues with

3256-586: The 2022 season, the minor league system is divided into four classes: Triple-A (AAA), Double-A (AA), High-A (A+), and Single-A (A). Major League Baseball franchises may also maintain one or two complex-based rookie teams in the Arizona Complex League or Florida Complex League , and international summer baseball teams in the Dominican Summer League . While major league teams play a 162-game schedule, minor league seasons are shorter. As of 2022 ,

3344-605: The Arizona Complex League and Florida Complex League seasons commence in early May and conclude in late July in order to provide players with previous experience in the Dominican Summer League with a full season in stateside professional baseball without having to compete for playing time with newly drafted players selected in the July Major League Baseball draft . This adjusted schedule also allows

3432-577: The Atlantic coast and midwestern U.S., while the Pacific Coast League features teams from the Pacific coast and the southwest. Both young players and veterans play for Triple-A teams. Parent clubs often hold players who are on the 40-man roster , but not on the active MLB roster, at the Triple-A level. Such players are eligible to be added to a team's active major league roster. For teams in contention for

3520-471: The Blue Ridge League compacted to four teams, Waynesboro finished the regular season with an overall record of 56–57 to place second in the standings under manager Bob Rice . The Red Birds ended the regular season 13.0 games behind the first place Chambersburg Young Yanks . As the two teams tied for the first half title, they met in the playoffs. Waynesboro lost to Chambersburg in the Blue Ridge League playoff 2 games to 1. The Blue Ridge League folded following

3608-478: The Blue Ridge League for the second consecutive season. Waynesboro finished the regular season with a record of 40–69 to place sixth in the six–team Blue Ridge League. Under managers Ken Kirkham and Irwin Wimer, Waynesboro finished the season 11.0 games behind the first place Martinsburg Blue Sox in the final standings. In their final season of play, the 1930 Waynesboro Red Birds reached the Blue Ridge League playoffs. As

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3696-542: The Blue Ridge League in home runs with 12 and Lefty Clarke had a league leading 150 strikeouts. Continuing play in 1921, the Waynesboro Villagers placed third in the six–team Blue Ridge League. Waynesboro ended the season with a record of 52–45 to finish 6.5 games behind the 1st place Frederick Hustlers , playing under returning manager Bill Morris. Wally Kimmick led the Blue Ridge League with 20 home runs, 47 stolen bases and 146 hits, while Alan "Lefty" Clarke led

3784-423: The Blue Ridge League, playing under managers John Perrin and John Ebert. Waynesboro ended the season 23.5 games behind the first place Chambersburg Maroons in the final standings. Waynesboro again became a St. Louis Cardinals affiliate in 1928, as the newly named Waynesboro Red Birds finished last in the Blue Ridge League standings. The Red Birds ended the regular season with a record of 37–58 to place sixth in

3872-406: The Blue Ridge League. The three Pennsylvania teams in the league (Waynesboro, Chambersburg and Hanover) began to experience financial difficulties. In order to generate more revenue and interest, the league adopted a split season schedule. The first half winner would play the second half winner in a playoff for the championship. The split season would benefit the team in 1927 as Martinsburg won

3960-499: The Chambersburg club that they had to play one of the games in Martinsburg, or lose their 400 collar forfeit money put up by each club at the beginning of the season. The Maroons complied. The Mountaineers were led by pitching sensation Marv Goodwin , who led the league with 19 wins and 165 strikeouts, while Frank Colley accounted for 17 victories. Alan "Lefty" Clarke added 14 wins and 126 strikeouts. Martinsburg's Big Three accounted for 50 of their 56 victories. George "Reggie" Rawlings

4048-459: The Class D Blue Ridge League, longer than any other player. He was considered by many league newspapers as the league's best player in Martinsburg's 1922, 1923, and 1924 championship seasons. He led the league in home runs three times, and held the third and fourth highest single season home run totals accomplished in the league (26 in 1922, and 25 in 1923). Rawlings also holds the distinction of being

4136-522: The Dominican Summer League who have not yet been assigned to a domestic affiliate, as well as players placed on the minor league 60-day and full-season injured lists—during the minor league season, with a limit of 175 domestic players during the offseason. During the minor league season, the following roster limits for each classification are used: Triple-A Double-A High-A Single-A Rookie Off-season leagues Showcase league Partner leagues The earliest professional baseball league,

4224-484: The High-A level is Single-A, named "Class A" before 2021, when it was also known as Single-A or Full-Season A, and "Low-A" for the 2021 season. This classification has three leagues: the 8-team California League , known as Low-A West for the 2021 season, located entirely in California , the 12-team Carolina League , known as Low-A East for the 2021 season, and the 10-team Florida State League , known as Low-A Southeast for

4312-541: The Major Leagues since 1953—disbanded. The surviving International and Pacific Coast leagues absorbed the four remaining American Association franchises. Meanwhile, at the Double-A level and below there were even more significant changes: Designations below Class A disappeared because the lower levels could not sustain operation during a large downturn in the financial fortunes of minor league baseball, due to factors including

4400-607: The NL and the AA could only reserve players who had been paid at least $ 1,000. Northwestern League teams could reserve players paid $ 750, implicitly establishing the division into major and minor leagues. Over the next two decades, more minor leagues signed various versions of the National Agreement. Eventually, the minor leagues allied to negotiate jointly. In the late 1890s, the Western League run by Ban Johnson decided to challenge

4488-567: The NL's position. In 1900, he changed the name of the league to the American League (AL) and vowed to make deals to sign contracts with players who were dissatisfied with the pay and terms of their deals with the NL. This led to a turf war that heated up in 1901 enough to concern Patrick T. Powers , president of the Eastern League, and many other minor league owners about the conflict potentially affecting their organizations. Representatives of

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4576-551: The Rookie classification play a shortened season that traditionally began in mid-June and ended in late August or early September. This lowest level of minor league baseball consists of two US-based leagues, the Arizona Complex League and Florida Complex League , known as the Arizona League and Gulf Coast League, respectively, before 2021, and one Caribbean-based league, the Dominican Summer League . The U.S.-based Rookie leagues play

4664-586: The Texas League, which had last operated in 1942, and the Southern Association) became Class AA. Class A remained the third-highest classification, with lower levels still ranked Class B through Class D in descending order, with Class D being the equivalent of later Rookie leagues. The impact of the Korean War in 1950 caused a player shortage in many cities below Class B. In 1952, the "Open" classification

4752-658: The Triple-A Inter–American League (1979). None lasted more than a full season. In October 2019, Baseball America reported that Major League Baseball had proposed dramatic changes to MiLB that would take effect after expiration of the Professional Baseball Agreement, which governed the MLB–MiLB relationship, at the end of the 2020 season. This included the elimination of many minor league teams. In mid-November 2019, more than 100 members of

4840-560: The United States and Canada was reduced to 11, with a total of 120 teams (four per each of the 30 MLB franchises). There are also two affiliated rookie leagues based in the United States, with teams based at the parent clubs' spring training complexes in Arizona and Florida , an off-season autumn league, and one affiliated rookie league in the Dominican Republic . Additionally, four independent leagues are in association with MiLB. As of

4928-672: The Western states, the other leagues maintained autonomy in name only, being totally economically dependent upon the AL and NL. In 1922, the United States Supreme Court decision Federal Baseball Club v. National League (259 U.S. 200), which grants baseball a special immunity from antitrust laws , had a major effect on the minor leagues. The special immunity meant that the AL and NL could dictate terms under which every independent league did business. By 1925, major league baseball established

5016-572: The champion of the Class D Blue Ridge League, against the winner of the new Class D Eastern Shore League , the Parksley (VA) Spuds . On September 7, Martinsburg traveled to the Virginia Eastern Shore to play in a best-of-seven series to decide the state baseball champion. The Spuds were managed by John “Poke” Whalen, who was a catcher with the original Blue Ridge league champions, the 1915 Frederick Hustlers . Four Blue Sox players hit home runs in

5104-412: The circuit both with 25 wins and 258 strikeouts. In 1922, the Villagers placed second in the Blue Ridge League final standings. With a 56–42 record in the six–team league, Waynesboro finished in second place, 9.5 games behind the first place Martinsburg Blue Sox under returning manager Bill Morris. Beginning in 1922 and continuing through 1927, the champion of the Blue Ridge League played the champion of

5192-600: The different minor leagues met at the Leland Hotel in Chicago on September 5, 1901. In response to the NL–AL battle, they agreed to form the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues (NAPBL), sometimes shortened to National Association (NA), which would later adopt the trade name "Minor League Baseball". The purpose of the NAPBL at the time was to maintain the independence of

5280-618: The eastern states. All three leagues were reclassified prior to the 2021 season, with the Midwest League and the South Atlantic League promoted from Single-A and the Northwest League promoted from Class A Short Season. This level of play is often a second or third promotion for a minor league player, although some high first-round draftees, particularly those with experience playing college baseball , begin at this level. Below

5368-422: The final vote rested with President Jamison, who eventually agreed with Martinsburg, that it would be in everyone's best interest to suspend operations. The aftermath of the war and influenza pandemic would carry over into the next year, with no 1919 season for the Blue Ridge League or the Martinsburg club. The Blue Ride League and Martinsburg resumed play in 1920. Although Martinsburg did not finish as well in

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5456-453: The first game to give Martinsburg an 8 to 3 win. Blue Sox ace Walter Seaman shutout the Spuds 3–0 in game two, thanks to a home run by Jim Brehany. Brehany's suicide squeeze bunt in the eleventh inning of game three gave Martinsburg a 2 to 1 victory. Martinsburg swept the series in four games with a 4-0 whitewashing on September 11, behind the arm of Kirk Heatwole. The game featured a triple play in

5544-435: The flat-fee policy, minor league teams had little choice but to sell players as soon as they drew major-league interest. The earliest classifications used in the minor leagues began circa 1890, for teams that were party to the National Agreement of 1883. The different levels represented different levels of protection for player contracts and reserve clauses : After the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues

5632-446: The following assignments entering the 1902 season: Additional classifications added prior to World War II included: In 1946, with the minor leagues poised for unprecedented growth, the higher-level classifications were changed. Class AAA ("Triple-A") was created and the three Double-A circuits (the Pacific Coast League , International League , and the American Association ) were reclassified into Triple-A. Class A1 (comprising

5720-430: The governing body of Minor League Baseball , for permission to establish a class D (lowest level) professional league, the Blue Ridge League . The Martinsburg franchise took the name Champs in 1915 because they had won the Tri-City League championship in 1914. They were owned by Max von Schlegel. Player eligibility was an issue not only for Martinsburg but for the entire Blue Ridge League as well. One such example for

5808-451: The later stages of the negotiations to develop rules for the acquisition of players from their leagues by the NL and the AL. The 1903 agreement ensured that teams would be compensated for the players that they had taken the time and effort to scout and develop, and no NA team was required to sell their players, although most did because the cash was an important source of revenue for most teams. The NA leagues were still fiercely independent, and

5896-523: The leagues involved. Several did not sign the agreement and continued to work independently. Powers was made the first president of the NAPBL, whose offices were established in Auburn, New York . In 1903, the conflict between the AL and NL ended in the National Agreement of 1903 , which created the National Baseball Commission to oversee the major and minor leagues. The NAPBL became involved in

5984-500: The majors from this level, as many of the top prospects are put here to play against each other rather than against minor and major league veterans in Triple-A. A small handful of players might be placed here to start, usually veterans from foreign leagues with more experience in professional baseball. The expectation is usually that these veteran players will be in the majors by the end of the season, as their salaries tend to be higher than those of most prospects. One level below Double-A

6072-514: The minor leagues, such as Buzz Arlett , Jigger Statz , Ike Boone , Buddy Ryan , Earl Rapp , and Frank Shellenback , as comparable to major league players. Leagues in the NA would not be truly called minor until Branch Rickey developed the first modern farm system in the 1930s. The Commissioner of Baseball , Kenesaw Mountain Landis fought Rickey's scheme, but, ultimately, the Great Depression drove teams to establish systems like Rickey's to ensure

6160-634: The only player in the league in score over 100 runs in one season, when he crossed the plate 104 times during the 1923 season. When Martinsburg affiliated with the Philadelphia Athletics prior to the 1929 season, Rawlings was released. He played for the neighboring independent Hagerstown (MD) Hubs, leading the Hubs to the 1929 league pennant, finishing his minor league career at the age of 38. He and his wife are buried at Rosemont cemetery, not far from where he played. The team name Blue Sox continues to be used by amateur teams representing Martinsburg. Interestingly,

6248-608: The rise of television broadcasts of major league sports across broad regions of the country. As part of the 1963 reorganization, Major League clubs increased their commitments to affiliate with minor league teams through Player Development Contracts, outright ownerships, or shared affiliations and co-op arrangements. The minor league system that evolved following the 1963 reorganization remained in place through 2020, categorizing leagues into one of six classes: Triple-A (AAA), Double-A (AA), Class A-Advanced (High A or A+), Class A (Low A), Class A Short Season, and Rookie. Furthermore, Rookie

6336-514: The season, the team finished second in the standings. Martinsburg adopted the nickname Blue Sox for 1916. The season was marked by an intense rivalry with the eventual champion Chambersburg Maroons . The rivalry between the two clubs became very heated in August, especially after the two teams had tied three games, including one in Martinsburg, and the Chambersburg directors refused to play in West Virginia city. League President Jamison sternly informed

6424-399: The second half of the season that year, while finishing second overall. Martinsburg played the first half winner and first place overall team Chambersburg, in a three-game series. Chambersburg prevailed two wins to none. In 1928, the financial situation for the league became critical. In order to stay solvent, major league teams began to assume control of Blue Ridge League teams. In 1928,

6512-480: The six–team league. Managed by Ed Miller and Harold Funk, Waynesboro finished 21.0 games behind the first place Hanover Raiders in the final standings. Beginning in 1928, the Blue Ridge League champion was matched in a championship series with the champion of the Middle Atlantic League in the "Tri-State Series." Waynesboro did not advance to play in this series. The 1929 Waynesboro Red Birds finished last in

6600-489: The standings compared to earlier years, 1920 and 1921 marked the debut of two future Hall of Fame players, Lefty Grove and Hack Wilson . Player/Manager Bill Louden , a former infielder with the New York Giants, and a native of nearby Piedmont, West Virginia , WV, recruited players for his Martinsburg club from the area near his hometown and the surrounding Western Maryland area near Cumberland . There he came across

6688-499: The start of the season. Rawlings was traded to Martinsburg a few days before the season opened for an outfielder named Peddicord. Waynesboro later tried to nullify the trade, since Peddicord was soon released, but Baseball's National Board of Arbitration upheld League President J. V. Jamison, Jr.’s in his decision on this transaction. At the end of the 1922 season, the Baltimore Sun hosted a “Little World Series”, pitting Martinsburg,

6776-404: The term minor was seldom used in reference to them, save by the major-market sportswriters. Sports news, like most news generally, often did not travel far in the days before radio and television, so, while the leagues often bristled at the major market writers' descriptions, they viewed themselves as independent sports businesses. Many baseball writers of that time regarded the greatest players of

6864-404: The third inning. Parksley's William Klinghoffer lifted a soft fly ball to Blue Sox right fielder Harry Jacoby, who threw out the runner trying to score from third, and catcher Mike Mullaney relayed the ball to second baseman Dave Black, who tagged out the runner trying to tag up from first base. In 1923, Martinsburg won the league title by 15 games over the second place Waynesboro Villagers. This

6952-505: The time it seemed like the PCL would eventually become a third major league. The PCL would revert to Triple-A in 1958, due to increasing television coverage of major league games and in light of the Dodgers and Giants moving to Los Angeles and San Francisco , respectively. A significant reorganization of the minor leagues took place in 1963, caused by the contraction of clubs and leagues during

7040-447: The top Rookie-level prospects in each organization to be promoted to class Single-A for the final two months of the professional baseball season upon the conclusion of the complex league seasons. As of the 2024 season, each major league club may have no more than 165 players assigned to the rosters of their domestic affiliates (i.e., Triple-A, Double-A, High-A, Single-A, and complex-league Rookie)—excluding international players assigned to

7128-414: The unaffiliated Waynesboro Villagers finished last in the Blue Ridge League. The villagers ended the season with a record of 39–56 to place sixth, playing the season under managers Joe Ward and Joe Conti and finishing 19.0 games behind the champion Martinsburg Blue Sox. Jackson Mathews of Waynesboro led the Blue Ridge League with 115 strikeouts. Waynesboro became an affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals for

7216-408: Was beneficial for Martinsburg as they captured the first half title and the best record overall. The team had the two winningest pitchers in the league with Malicky and Harry Griffith winning 18 games each. Also, Doc Cramer had a batting average of .404. In the championship playoff, Martinsburg lost to Hagerstown four games to two games. 1929 was the last year for the Martinsburg franchise. As

7304-410: Was created. The Pacific Coast League (PCL), which had been rated Triple-A since 1946, was the only minor league to obtain this classification, which it held through 1957. At this time, the major leagues only extended as far west as St. Louis, Missouri , and as far south as Washington, D.C. This classification severely restricted the rights of the major leagues to draft players out of the PCL, and at

7392-422: Was founded in 1901, classifications were redefined: † Draft fee set an amount for a team in a higher class to select a player; n/a for Class A as it would be up to each team to negotiate with an interested major league club. ‡ Protection fee reserved a player to a team, even after a contract expired, preventing the player for seeking employment with any other team. All minor leagues were classified, and had

7480-467: Was further informally subdivided into Rookie Advanced, complex-based Rookie, and international summer baseball. There have also been some failed start-up leagues. During the 1970s, three official minor leagues (members of NAPBL) attempted unsuccessfully to revive unaffiliated baseball (teams not associated with specific MLB franchises) within the organized baseball structure. These were the Class A Gulf States League (1976) and Lone Star League (1977), and

7568-491: Was the dominant player during this time. During each of these three years, he led the league in batting average and hits. He was ably assisted during the 1922 season by future Hall of Famer "Hack" Wilson, who set an all-time league record of 30 home runs in a season. Interestingly enough, Rawlings, who married a Martinsburg girl during the off-season, started the season with the Waynesboro club, but became homesick, and asked Villagers manager, "Country" Morris to be traded before

7656-472: Was the top fielding outfielder in the league, as well of one of the better hitters. The infield of Short Long, Johnny Bates, Katsey Dean, and Lu Blue also helped contribute to the pennant drive. Despite finishing the season with more wins that another Blue Ridge League team, Martinsburg had to settle for second for the second straight season, losing on percentage points (.570 for Chambersburg versus .560 for Martinsburg). The Hagerstown Terriers finished with

7744-477: Was the widest margin of victory in the league's history. This was followed in 1924 by closest margin of victory in league history. Martinsburg, managed by Bill Curtis, finished the season with 59 wins and 38 losses, good for a .608 winning percentage. The Blue Sox closest rival, the Hagerstown Hubs , managed by former league player, James Kieffer “Bugs” Snyder, won 60 games, but lost 39 contests, finishing with

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