263
edits
Changes
revamp, with a better team list and some on the founding
The '''National League,''' along with the [[American League]], is the older of the two leagues of [[Major League Baseball]].
The ''' National League,''' along with the [[American League]], is one of two leagues in [[Major League Baseball]].
In 2007, the 78th All-Star Game, was won by the American League, which extended its All-Star Game dominance. [http://mlb.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20070710&content_id=2079841&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb ASG 2007]
In 2007, the 78th All-Star Game, was won by the American League. [http://mlb.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20070710&content_id=2079841&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb ASG 2007]
Through the 2006 season, American League's teams have won 60 of the 102 [[World Series]] played.
Through the 2006 season, American League's teams have won 60 of the 102 [[World Series]] played.
==History==
===Founding===
In 1875, the [[National Association of Professional Base Ball Players]], a loosely-governed league of professional and semi-professional baseball teams, was falling apart. [[William Hulbert]], president of the [[Chicago Cubs|Chicago White Stockings]], wanted a league with centralized authority, with teams only in cities large enough to support competitive teams. He recruited the St. Louis National Association team, then recruited four western teams in a January 1876 meeting in [[Louisville, Kentucky]]. With this core of support, on February 2, 1876, in a [[New York City]] meeting, Hulbert founded the National League with eight charter members.
These members were:
*Chicago White Stockings, Hulbert's own team. This team is now the [[Chicago Cubs]].
*Boston Red Stockings, now the [[Atlanta Braves]]. The Red Stockings were one of the dominant teams of the National Association, and the loss of this team and the later loss of the [[Philadephia White Stockings]] would lead to the collapse of the National Association.
*[[Philadelphia Athletics]], along with the Mutuals, were expelled from the league in 1876, for refusing to treavel
*[[New York Mutuals]], expelled along with the Athletics.
*[[Hartford Dark Blues]] folded after the 1877 season.
*[[St. Louis Brown Stockings]], folded after the 1877 season. This team is unrelated to the later [[St. Louis Cardinals]] or the St. Louis Browns (now the [[Baltimore Orioles]]).
*[[Cincinatti Red Stockings]]. Unrelated to the previous Cincinatti Red Stockings (who had moved to Boston and also joined the National League at its founding) or the later [[Cincinatti Reds]], this team was expelled from the National League for selling [[beer]] at games, which at the time was against league rules.
==See also==
==Current teams==
===West division===
*[[Arizona Diamondbacks]]
* [[Colorado Rockies]]
* [[Los Angeles Dodgers]]
* [[San Diego Padres]]
* [[San Francisco Giants]]
* [[Philadelphia Phillies]]
===Central division===
* [[Chicago Cubs]]
* [[Cincinnati Reds]]
* [[Houston Astros]]
* [[Milwaukee Brewers]]
* [[Pittsburgh Pirates]]
* [[Pittsburgh Pirates]]
* [[Saint Louis Cardinals]]
* [[Saint Louis Cardinals]]
* [[San Diego Padres]]
===East division===
* [[Atlanta Braves]]
* [[Florida Marlins]]
* [[New York Mets]]
* [[Philadelphia Phillies]]
* [[Washington Nationals]]
== External links ==
== External links ==
*[http://www.topix.net/mlb/nl National League News]
*[http://www.mlb.com Major League Baseball's official site]
[[Category:Sports]]
[[Category:Sports]]
[[Category:Baseball teams]]
[[Category:Baseball teams]]