| Sport | Baseball |
|---|---|
| First season | 1879 |
| Ceased | 1891 |
| No. of teams | 4 to 12 each season |
| Country | United States |
The Northwestern League was a sports league that operated in the Central United States during the early years of professional baseball for six seasons: 1879, 1883–1884, 1886–1887, and 1891. After the 1887 season, the league was replaced by the Western Association,[1] although the Northwestern League returned for its final season in 1891 as an independent baseball league.
The Northwestern League of 1883–1884 is considered the first baseball "minor league", as it was party to the National Agreement of 1883, along with the National League and American Association, whereby the leagues agreed to honor each other's suspensions, expulsions, and player reserve clauses, and established territorial rights.[2]
An unrelated Northwestern League, located in the Pacific Northwest, later formed in 1905.
- ^ Thornly, Stew (2006). Baseball in Minnesota: The Definitive History. ISBN 978-0-87351-551-1.
- ^ "How Minor League Baseball Teams Work: History of the Minors". howstuffworks.com. April 2000. Retrieved April 21, 2021.